Folks... The winners of the 22nd annual Eisner Awards were announced last night with the likes of Tom ‘Punisher’ Jane and Scott Pilgrim cast members on hand to dish out the goodies at the Hilton Bayfront under MCs Bill Morrison and Maurice LaMarche.
Matt Fraction (Invincible Iron Man, Uncanny X-Men) and Brian K. Vaughn (Runaways, The Hood) are recent popular Marvel writers who took the wins in past times.
The winners are as follows –
Best Short Story
"Urgent Request," by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim, in The Eternal Smile (First Second)
Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
Captain America #601: "Red, White, and Blue-Blood," by Ed Brubaker and Gene Colan (Marvel)
Best Continuing Series
The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard (Image)
Best Limited Series or Story Arc
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)
Best New Series
Chew, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)
Best Publication for Kids
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz hardcover, by L. Frank Baum, Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)
Best Publication for Teens
Beasts of Burden, by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)
Best Humor Publication
Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe, by Bryan Lee O'Malley (Oni Press)
Best Anthology
Popgun, Vol. 3, edited by Mark Andrew Smith, D. J. Kirkbride and Joe Keatinge (Image)
Best Digital Comic
Sin Titulo, by Cameron Stewart
Best Reality-Based Work
A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Adaptation from Another Work
Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW Publishing)
Best Graphic Album — New
Asterios Polyp, by David Mazzucchelli (Pantheon)
Best Graphic Album — Reprint
Absolute Justice, by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Doug Braithewaite (DC Comics)
Best Archival Collection/Project — Strips
Bloom County: The Complete Library, Vol. 1, by Berkeley Breathed, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW Publishing)
Best Archival Collection/Project — Comic Books
The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures deluxe edition, by Dave Stevens, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW Publishing)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material
The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material — Asia
A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Writer
Ed Brubaker, Captain America, Daredevil, Marvels Project (Marvel) Criminal, Incognito (Icon)
Best Writer/Artist
David Mazzucchelli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
Best Writer/Artist–Nonfiction
Joe Sacco, Footnotes in Gaza (Metropolitan/Holt)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC Comics)
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
Jill Thompson, Beasts of Burden (Dark Horse); Magic Trixie and the Dragon (HarperCollins Children's Books)
Best Cover Artist
J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC Comics)
Best Coloring
Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien, B.P.R.D., The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane, Umbrella Academy, Zero Killer (Dark Horse); Detective Comics (DC Comics); Luna Park (Vertigo)
Best Lettering
David Mazzucchelli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon
Best Comics-Related Book
The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics, by Denis Kitchen and Paul Buhle (Abrams ComicArts)
Best Publication Design
Absolute Justice, designed by Curtis King and Josh Beatman (DC Comics)
Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award
Vault of Midnight, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Hall of Fame
• Burne Hogarth
• Bob Montana
• Steve Gerber
• Dick Giordano
• Michael Kaluta
• Mort Weisinger
Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award
Jeannie Schulz
Bill Finger Award for Achievement in Comic Book Writing
Otto Binder, Gary Friedrich
Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award
Marian Churchland (Beast)
Congrats to all winners... and special mentions must be made to the following –
1. Cap 601 as Brubaker has been immaculate on his Cap books. I have rarely met a writer who has made Steve Rogers so iconic in modern books, and the fact that he made me forget about Steve and enjoy BuckyCap made me amazed and thrilled. He is simply the best at Marvel right now. Brubaker needs to be replacing Bendis as the Avenger guy at Marvel along with John Hickman
2. JH Williams – as his covers rival Francesco Mattina’s or Marko Djurdjevic’s as the best around and indeed Williams was key to making Detective Comics a sleeper hit at DC. His inking is one of a kind also
3. Scott Pilgrim’s win beckons well for the movie as this is a sign that despite the off-key humor, good things are abound in the book.
4. Chew and Polyp, as well as the Wizard of Oz, are also honourable mentionables
5. Absolute Justice and The Walking Dead also received big wins and make me happy to see these particular books on the front, as Alex Ross and Rob Kirkman (see his awesome new book ‘Haunt’ kick ass) are guys who are simply amazing heroes to me.
FINALLY...I'VE BEEN RANTING FOR SOOOO LONG...BRUBAKER IS THE BEST WRITER ALONG WITH JMS AT COMICS THESE DAYS...HE HAS WON RIGHTFULLY SO...HIS STEVE ROGERS, BUCKY, DAREDEVIL, as well his past XMEN and Batman works, shows that along with Incognito, the guy is the man to helm the ship and become Mr. Marvel. I hope Secret Avengers and his new Heroic Age books propel him to the winning chair and let him steer the ship with Bendis passing on the baton!!!