Comic Books Biggest Award: The Spirit of the Eisner Awards

image

Every form of entertainment and art has a trophy of greatness which some call an “award.” Something which shows how a person’s extreme talents in his or her field has reached levels past a vast majority of their peers. As music has the Grammy, the movie industry has the Oscar……..even comic books have their very own prestigious honor… The Will Eisner Award.

The actual name is The Will Eisner Comic Industry Award but had been shortened to The Eisner Award. This award was founded in 1988 to replace the discontinued Kirby Awards. The award was named after comic book writer and artist pioneering, Will Eisner, most known for his work on the character The Spirit.

image

Eisner Awards are awarded for a wide majority of categories: Best Writer, Best Artist, Best New Series, Best Letterer, Best Colorist, Best Cover Artist, Best Single Issue to name but a few with some awards expanding into the modern day with awards such as Best Digital Series.

With names to the like of Alan Moore, Frank Miller and Neil Gaiman who have won Eisner Awards year after year, the awards are also used to bring unknown creators and titles to light. The list of awards for Best Continuing Series is almost a must-read of some of the best Independent and fringe comic series ever published. It has been proven in the past that winning an Eisner Award can propel a writer or artist’s career to new heights or gain a boost in sales for titles which win the award.

image

So what does this mean for the comic industry as a whole? First it shows that comic books are truly not a children’s arena; proving the 1980s DC Comics slogan “DC Comics are No Longer for Kids” how ironic that they were campaigning for their own company but led the charge of change for a whole. The Eisner Awards takes the spotlight off Marvel and DC and shines it into the darker corners of the comic industry bringing to the surface creators and series which might be overlooked because they either aren’t part of the full color comic model or they go against the grain. However, the awards also acknowledge that children are a huge part of this industry with the Best Title for Young Readers/ Best Comics Publication for a Younger Audience, as well as categories for comic books based on reality and real events.

The Eisner Awards also recognizes the hard work and creativity that goes unsung every year in the industry. It certainly should be looked at with the esteem of the Oscars and other entertainment industry awards. Here is a list of some of the last Will Eisner Award Winners. To be an Eisner Winner is to have your passion and creativity recognized by the industry as one of the best ever of all time! Just like Will Eisner.  RIP Will Eisner

image
The Spirit by: Will Eisner

William Erwin “Will” Eisner (March 6, 1917 – January 3, 2005) was an American cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the American comic book industry, and his series The Spirit (1940–1952) was noted for its experiments in content and form. In 1978, he popularized the term ‘graphic novel’ with the publication of his book A Contract with God. He was an early contributor to formal comics studies with his book Comics and Sequential Art  (1985). The Eisner Award was named in his honor, and is given to recognize achievements each year in the comics medium; he was one of the three inaugural inductees to the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame.

Best WriterEdit
1988 Alan Moore, Watchmen (DC)
1989 Alan Moore, Batman: The Killing Joke (DC)
1991 Neil Gaiman, Sandman (DC)
1992 Neil Gaiman, Sandman (DC); The Books of Magic (DC); Miracleman (Eclipse)
1993 Neil Gaiman, Miracleman (Eclipse); Sandman (DC)
1994 Neil Gaiman, Sandman (DC)
1995 Alan Moore, From Hell (Kitchen Sink)
1996 Alan Moore, From Hell (Kitchen Sink)
1997 Alan Moore, From Hell (Kitchen Sink); Supreme (Maximum Press)
1998 Garth Ennis, Hitman (DC); Preacher; The Unknown Soldier (DC/Vertigo); Blood Mary: Lady Liberty (DC/Helix)
1999 Kurt Busiek, Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (Homage/WildStorm/Image); Avengers (Marvel)
2000 Alan Moore, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Promethea, Tom Strong, Tomorrow Stories, Top 10 (ABC)
2001 Alan Moore, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Promethea, Tom Strong, Tomorrow Stories, Top 10 (ABC)
2002 Brian Michael Bendis, Powers (Image); Alias, Daredevil, Ultimate Spider-Man(Marvel)
2003 Brian Michael Bendis, Powers (Image); Alias, Daredevil, Ultimate Spider-Man(Marvel)
2004 Alan Moore, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Promethea, Smax, Tom Strong, Tom Strong’s Terrific Tales (ABC)
2005 Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man (Vertigo/DC); Ex Machina (WildStorm/DC); Runaways, Ultimate X-Men (Marvel)
2006 Alan Moore, Promethea, Top 10: The Forty-Niners (ABC)
2007 Ed Brubaker, Captain America, Daredevil (Marvel); Criminal (Marvel Icon)
2008 Ed Brubaker, Captain America, Criminal, Daredevil and Immortal Iron Fist (Marvel)
2009 Bill Willingham, Fables, House of Mystery (Vertigo/DC)
2010 Ed Brubaker, Captain America, Daredevil, Marvels Project (Marvel) Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon)
2011 Joe Hill, for Locke & Key
2012 Mark Waid, Irredeemable, Incorruptible (BOOM!); Daredevil (Marvel)
2013 Brian K. Vaughan, Saga (Image)
2014 Brian K. Vaughan, Saga (Image)

Best Writer/ArtistEdit
1988 Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen (DC)
1989 Paul Chadwick, Concrete (Dark Horse)
1991 Frank Miller and Geof Darrow
1992 Peter David and Dale Keown, The Incredible Hulk (Marvel)
1993 Frank Miller, Sin City, Dark Horse Presents (Dark Horse) – Best Writer/Artist
1993 Mike Baron and Steve Rude, Nexus: The Origin (Dark Horse) – Best Writer/Artist Team
1994 Jeff Smith, Bone (Cartoon Books)
1995 Mike Mignola, Hellboy: Seed of Destruction (Dark Horse/Legend)
1996 David Lapham, Stray Bullets (El Capitan)
2009 Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library (Acme)
2010 David Mazzucchelli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
2011 Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit
2012 Craig Thompson, Habibi (Pantheon)
2013 Chris Ware, Building Stories (Pantheon)
2014 Jaime Hernandez, Love and Rockets New Stories #6 (Fantagraphics)

Best Writer/Artist: Drama
1997 Mike Mignola, Hellboy: Wake the Devil (Dark Horse/Legend)
1998 Mike Mignola, Hellboy: Almost Colossus; Hellboy Christmas Special; Hellboy Junior Halloween Special (Dark Horse)
1999 Frank Miller, 300 (Dark Horse)
2000 Daniel Clowes, Eightball (Fantagraphics)
2001 Eric Shanower, Age of Bronze (Image)
2002 Daniel Clowes, Eightball (Fantagraphics)
2003 Eric Shanower, Age of Bronze (Image)
2004 Craig Thompson, Blankets (Top Shelf)
2005 Paul Chadwick, Concrete: The Human Dilemma (Dark Horse)
2006 Geof Darrow, Shaolin Cowboy (Burlyman)
2007 Paul Pope, Batman: Year 100 (DC)
2008 Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #18 (Acme Novelty)

Best Writer/Artist: Humor
1995 Jeff Smith, Bone (Cartoon Books)
1996 Sergio Aragonés, Groo (Image)
1997 Don Rosa, Walt Disney’s Comics & Stories; Uncle Scrooge (Egmont)
1998 Jeff Smith, Bone (Cartoon Books)
1999 Kyle Baker, You Are Here (DC/Vertigo)
2000 Kyle Baker, I Die at Midnight (DC/Vertigo); “Letitia Lerner, Superman’s Babysitter” in Elseworlds 80-Page Giant (DC)
2001 Tony Millionaire, Maakies (Fantagraphics), Sock Monkey (Dark Horse/Maverick)
2002 Evan Dorkin, Dork! (Slave Labor)
2003 Tony Millionaire, House at Maakies Corner (Fantagraphics)
2004 Kyle Baker, Plastic Man (DC); The New Baker (Kyle Baker Publishing)
2005 Kyle Baker, Plastic Man (DC); Kyle Baker, Cartoonist (Kyle Baker Publishing)
2006 Kyle Baker, Plastic Man (DC); The Bakers (Kyle Baker Publishing)
2007 Tony Millionaire, Billy Hazelnuts (Fantagraphics); Sock Monkey: The Inches Incident(Dark Horse)
2008 Eric Powell, The Goon (Dark Horse)

Best Writer/Artist: Nonfiction
2010 Joe Sacco, Footnotes in Gaza (Metropolitan/Holt)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior Art)
1993 Dave Dorman, Aliens: Tribes (Dark Horse)
1994 Alex Ross, Marvels (Marvel)
1995 Jon J. Muth, The Mystery Play (DC/Vertigo)
1996 John Bolton, Batman: Man-Bat (DC)
1997 Alex Ross, Kingdom Come (DC)
1998 Alex Ross, Uncle Sam (DC/Vertigo)
1999 Alex Ross, Superman: Peace on Earth (DC)
2000 Alex Ross, Batman: War on Crime (DC)
2001 Jill Thompson, Scary Godmother (Sirius)
2002 Charles Vess, Rose (Cartoon Books)
2003 George Pratt, Wolverine: Netsuke (Marvel)
2004 Jill Thompson, “Stray”, in The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings (Dark Horse)
2005 Teddy Kristiansen, It’s a Bird… (Vertigo/DC)
2006 José Ladrönn, Hip Flask: Mystery City (Active Images)
2007 Jill Thompson, “A Dog and His Boy” in The Dark Horse Book of Monsters; “Love Triangle” in Sexy Chix (Dark Horse); “Fair Division”, in Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall(Vertigo/DC)
2008 Eric Powell, The Goon: Chinatown (Dark Horse)
2009 Jill Thompson, Magic Trixie, Magic Trixie Sleeps Over (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
2010 Jill Thompson, Beasts of Burden (Dark Horse); Magic Trixie and the Dragon (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
2011 Juanjo Guarnido, Blacksad
2013 Juanjo Guarnido, Blacksad (Dark Horse)
2014 Fiona Staples, Saga (Image)

Best Artist/Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
1988 Steve Rude, Nexus (First)
1989 Brian Bolland, Batman: The Killing Joke (DC)
1991 Steve Rude – Best Artist
1991 Al Williamson – Best Inker
1992 Simon Bisley, Batman: Judgement on Gotham (DC) – Best Artist
1992 Adam Kubert, Batman versus Predator (DC and Dark Horse) – Best Inker
1993 Steve Rude, Nexus: The Origin (Dark Horse) – Best Penciller
1993 Kevin Nowlan, Batman: Sword of Azrael (DC) – Best Inker
1993 Frank Miller, Sin City, Dark Horse Presents (Dark Horse) – Best Penciller/Inker, Black & White Publication
1993 P. Craig Russell, Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde (NBM); Robin 3000; Legends of the Dark Knight: Hothouse (DC) –

Best Penciller/Inker, Color Publication
1994 P. Craig Russell, The Sandman #50 (DC)
1995 Dave Gibbons, Martha Washington goes to War (Dark Horse)
1996 Geof Darrow, The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (Dark Horse/Legend)
1997 Steve Rude, Nexus: Executioner’s Song (Dark Horse) – Best Penciller
1997 Al Williamson, Spider-Man, Untold Tales of Spider-Man #17-18 (Marvel) – Best Inker
1997 Charles Vess, Book of Ballads and Sagas (Green Man Press); Sandman #75 (DC/Vertigo) –

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
1998 P. Craig Russell, Elric: Stormbringer (Dark Horse/Topps); Dr. Strange: What Is It That Disturbs You, Stephen? (Marvel)
1999 Tim Sale, Superman for All Seasons (DC); Grendel Black, White, and Red #1 (Dark Horse)
2000 Kevin Nowlan, “Jack B. Quick”, Tomorrow Stories (ABC)
2001 P. Craig Russell, Ring of the Nibelung (Dark Horse/Maverick)
2002 Eduardo Risso, 100 Bullets (DC/Vertigo)
2003 Kevin O’Neill, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (ABC)
2004 John Cassaday, Planetary, Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth (WildStorm/DC); Hellboy Weird Tales (Dark Horse)
2005 (tie)
John Cassaday, Astonishing X-Men (Marvel); Planetary (WildStorm/DC); I Am Legion: The Dancing Faun (Humanoids/DC)
Frank Quitely, We3 (Vertigo/DC)
2006 John Cassaday, Astonishing X-Men (Marvel); Planetary (WildStorm/DC)
2007 Mark Buckingham/Steve Leialoha, Fables (Vertigo/DC)
2008 Pia Guerra/Jose Marzan, Jr., Y: The Last Man (Vertigo/DC)
2009 Guy Davis, BPRD (Dark Horse)
2010 J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)
2011 Skottie Young for The Marvelous Land of Oz
2012 Ramón K. Pérez, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand (Archaia)
2013 (tie)
David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)
Chris Samnee, Daredevil (Marvel); Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom (IDW)
2014 Sean Murphy, The Wake (DC/Vertigo)

Best Art TeamEdit
1988 Steve Rude, Willie Blyberg and Ken Steacy, Space Ghost Special (Comico)
1989 Alan Davis and Paul Neary, Excalibur (Marvel)

Best Cover Artist
1992 Brian Bolland, Animal Man (DC)
1993 Brian Bolland, Animal Man; Wonder Woman (DC)
1994 Brian Bolland, Animal Man; Wonder Woman (DC)
1995 Glenn Fabry, Hellblazer (DC/Vertigo)
1996 Alex Ross, Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (Jukebox Productions/Image)
1997 Alex Ross, Kingdom Come (DC); Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (Jukebox Productions/Homage)
1998 Alex Ross, Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (Jukebox Productions/Homage); Uncle Sam(DC/Vertigo)
1999 Brian Bolland, The Invisibles (DC/Vertigo)
2000 Alex Ross, Batman: No Man’s Land; Batman: Harley Quinn; Batman: War on Crime(DC); Kurt Busiek’s Astro City (Homage/Wildstorm/DC); ABC alternate #1 covers
2001 Brian Bolland, Batman: Gotham Knights; The Flash (DC); The Invisibles (DC/Vertigo)
2002 Dave Johnson, Detective Comics (DC); 100 Bullets (DC/Vertigo)
2003 Adam Hughes, Wonder Woman (DC)
2004 James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); Batgirl (DC)
2005 James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); Green Arrow, Batgirl (DC)
2006 James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); Runaways (Marvel)
2007 James Jean, Fables, Jack of Fables, Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall (Vertigo/DC)
2008 James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse); Process Recess 2; Superior Showcase 2 (AdHouse)
2009 James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse)
2010 J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)
2011 Mike Mignola for Baltimore: The Plague Ships
2012 Francesco Francavilla, Black Panther (Marvel); Lone Ranger, Lone Ranger/Zorro, Dark Shadows, Warlord of Mars (Dynamite); Archie Meets Kiss (Archie)
2013 David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)
2014 David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)

Best Continuing Series
1988 Concrete, by Paul Chadwick (Dark Horse)
1989 Concrete, by Paul Chadwick (Dark Horse)
1991 Sandman, by Neil Gaiman and various artists (DC/Vertigo)
1992 Sandman, by Neil Gaiman and various artists (DC/Vertigo)
1993 Sandman, by Neil Gaiman and various artists (DC/Vertigo)
1994 Bone, by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)
1995 Bone, by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)
1996 Acme Novelty Library, by Chris Ware (Fantagraphics)
1997 Kurt Busiek’s Astro City, Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, and Will Blyberg (Jukebox Productions/Homage)
1998 Kurt Busiek’s Astro City, Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, and Will Blyberg (Jukebox Productions/Homage)
1999 Preacher, by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (DC/Vertigo)
2000 Acme Novelty Library, by Chris Ware (Fantagraphics)
2001 Top 10, by Alan Moore, Gene Ha, and Zander Cannon (ABC)
2002 100 Bullets, by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (DC/Vertigo)
2003 Daredevil, by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev (Marvel)
2004 100 Bullets, by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (DC/Vertigo)
2005 The Goon, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)
2006 Astonishing X-Men, by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Marvel)
2007 All-Star Superman, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC)
2008 Y: The Last Man, by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, and Jose Marzan, Jr. (DC/Vertigo)
2009 All-Star Superman, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC)
2010 The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard (Image)
2011 Chew, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)
2012 Daredevil, by Mark Waid, Marcos Martin, Paolo Rivera, and Joe Rivera (Marvel)
2013 Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)
2014 Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)

Best Finite Series/Limited Series
1988 Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (DC)
1989 Silver Surfer, by Stan Lee and Jean “Moebius” Giraud (Marvel)
1991 Give Me Liberty, by Frank Miller and Dave Gibbons (Dark Horse)
1992 Concrete: Fragile Creature, by Paul Chadwick (Dark Horse)
1993 Grendel: War Child, by Matt Wagner and Patrick McEown (Dark Horse)
1994 Marvels, by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross (Marvel)
1995 Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, by Frank Miller (Dark Horse/Legend)
1996 Sin City: The Big Fat Kill, by Frank Miller (Dark Horse/Legend)
1997 Kingdom Come, Mark Waid and Alex Ross (DC)
1998 Batman: The Long Halloween, Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale (DC)
1999 300, by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley (Dark Horse)
2000 Whiteout: Melt, by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber (Oni)
2001 Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by P. Craig Russell, with Patrick Mason (Dark Horse/Maverick)
2002 Hellboy: Conqueror Worm, by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse/Maverick)
2003 The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume II, by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill(ABC)
2004 Fantastic Four: Unstable Molecules, by James Sturm and Guy Davis (Marvel)
2005 DC: The New Frontier, by Darwyn Cooke (DC)
2006 Seven Soldiers, by Grant Morrison and various artists (DC)
2007 Batman: Year 100, by Paul Pope (DC)
2008 The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá (Dark Horse)
2009 Hellboy: The Crooked Man, by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben (Dark Horse)

Best Limited Series or Story Arc
2010 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)
2011 Daytripper, by Fábio Moon, Gabriel Bá (Vertigo/DC)
2012 Criminal: The Last of the Innocent, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Marvel Icon)
2013 No award given
2014 The Wake, by Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy (Vertigo/DC)

Best New Series
1988 Concrete, by Paul Chadwick (Dark Horse)
1989 Kings In Disguise, by James Vance and Dan Burr (Kitchen Sink)
1995 Too Much Coffee Man, by Shannon Wheeler (Adhesive)
1996 Kurt Busiek’s Astro City, by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson (Jukebox Productions/Image Comics|Image)
1997 Leave It to Chance, James Robinson and Paul Smith (Homage)
1998 Castle Waiting, Linda Medley (Olio)
1999 Inhumans, by Paul Jenkins. and Jae Lee (Marvel)
2000 Top 10, by Alan Moore, Gene Ha, and Zander Cannon (ABC)
2001 Powers, by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming (Image)
2002 Queen & Country, by Greg Rucka and Steve Rolston (Oni)
2003 Fables, by Bill Willingham, Lan Medina, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha(DC/Vertigo)
2004 Plastic Man, by Kyle Baker (DC)
2005 Ex Machina, by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, and Tom Fesiter (WildStorm/DC)
2006 All-Star Superman, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC)
2007 Criminal, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Marvel Icon)
2008 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, by Joss Whedon, Brian K. Vaughan, Georges Jeanty, and Andy Owens (Dark Horse)
2009 The Invincible Iron Man, by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca (Marvel)
2010 Chew, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)
2011 American Vampire, by Scott Snyder, Stephen King, Rafael Albuquerque (Vertigo/DC)
2013 Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)
2014 Sex Criminals, by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky

image

Eisner Winners source) Wikipedia