Named for legendary comics creator Will Eisner, the Eisner Awards will see their 29th year, to be announced at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con in July. This year’s nominations have been selected, resulting in a banner year for Fantagraphics and Image Comics with 22 and 21 nominations, respectively.
We at borg.com never align with the Academy Awards, but always are happy to agree on Eisner accolades. Artist Jill Thompson is nominated in three categories this year. Her Wonder Woman: The True Amazon was our pick for 2016’s Best Graphic Novel, and is a nominee for the “Best Graphic Album-New” Eisner Award. Beasts of Burden: What the Cat Dragged In was our borg.com pick for Best Single Issue last year, and Thompson, Evan Dorkin, and Sarah Dyer are up for the Eisner for Best Single Issue. Thompson is also nominated for Best Painter/Multimedia Artist.
Kudos go to our friend, writer Jason Aaron, for his nomination along with artist Russell Dauterman in the Best Continuing Series category for The Mighty Thor (Marvel). Other notable nominees are Chelsea Cain and Kate Niemczyk for their Mockingbird series (Marvel) plus Cain’s nomination in the Best Writer category for that series. The highest number of nominations went to Sonny Liew and his The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye (Pantheon), netting nods for Best Graphic Album–New, Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia, Best Writer/Artist, Best Coloring, Best Lettering, and Best Publication Design. Archie Comics received nominations for Erica Henderson and Ryan North for Best Publication for Teens and Best Humor Publication for Jughead.
March (Book Three), by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf) was nominated in the Best Reality-Based Work category. Artist Fiona Staples was nominated for Saga (Image) in the Best Penciller/Inker, Best Continuing Series, and Best Cover Artist categories.
A broad range of voices were selected this year for consideration. Fantagraphics, Image, Pantheon, Drawn & Quarterly, Dark Horse, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Archie Comics, IDW, First Second, and Abrams were all well represented in the nominations.
Check out the Eisner Awards website here for the complete list of nominees. The results will be announced July 20-23, 2017, at San Diego Comic-Con.
C.J. Bunce
Editor
borg.com
