Martha Cornog

Martha Cornog has written graphic novel reviews and articles for Library Journal since 2006. With her late husband, Timothy Perper, she co-edited Graphic Novels Beyond the Basics (2009) and Mangatopia (2011), as well as written reviews and articles about comics for Mechademia, International Journal of Comic Art, The Journal of Sex Research, Contemporary Sexuality, and Sexuality & Culture. She adapted three volumes of Katsu Aki’s Manga Sutra into English for Tokyopop; was a judge for the Glyph Awards to honor the best in comics made by, for, and about people of color; and has moderated panels at the American Library Association, the Wildcat Comic Con, and the Graphic Medicine Conference. She is currently writing and drawing Comic Troika, a comics adaptation of three Russian literary satires, for McFarland Publishers.

Jamie Coville

Jamie Coville has been researching and writing about comic book history since 1996. From 1998 to 2012 he did interviews, comic book reviews, and other articles for CollectorTimes.com. His work is referenced in numerous print books and academic papers. Since 2005 he has been audio recording panels at various conventions around the United States and Canada, which are placed on TheComicBooks.com and get used by numerous comic book news sites. He was on the Nomination Committee of the 2008 and 2010 Joe Shuster Awards. Starting in 2015, he has been compiling all the “best comics/graphic novels of the year” lists into a single spreadsheet, identifying the books with the most picks by hundreds of different reviewers.

Michael Dooley

Michael Dooley has been writing comics features, essays, and reviews for more than 30 years. He wrote for The Comics Journal and Amazing Heroes in the 1980s. In 1990 he became a contributing editor at Print, the graphic design magazine, which includes interviews with Trina Robbins, David Mack, Peter Kuper, Keith Knight, Denis Kitchen, Mimi Pond, and Ted Rall. Michael currently teaches Design History of Comics and Animation at L.A.’s Art Center College of Design, with guest speakers such as Bill Sienkiewicz and Howard Chaykin. His books include The Education of a Comics Artist.

Alex Grecian

Alex Grecian is a New York Times bestselling author of comic books and thriller novels, including The Yard and its sequels. He wrote and co-created the critically acclaimed comics series Rasputin and Proof. Both series are currently being developed for TV. He also wrote the original graphic novel Seven Sons, as well as numerous short prose and comic book stories for various publishers including DC/Vertigo and Image, and successfully crowdfunded the comics anthology Bad Karma. He is the proud recipient of an Inkpot Award. He lives in the Midwest with his wife and son, and a dog and a tarantula.

Simon Jimenez

Simon Jimenez is a freelance writer, part-time journalist, blogger, and podcaster who focuses in the areas of Japanese manga, anime and its history, American comic books, and both the underground and subcultures aspects of pop culture. Simon has served as a volunteer with the San Diego Comic-Con since 2000 and currently works on the Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive. He has also been a judge on the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award committee for the past few years.

Laura O'Meara

Laura O'Meara has co-owned and operated Casablanca Comics in Portland, Maine with her husband, Rick Lowell, since 1987. In addition to fostering a love of reading comics and graphic novels with customers, Laura has worked with over 100 libraries over the past 20-plus years, building their collections. Selecting graphic novels for juvenile, young adult, and adult collections that result in high circulation thanks to the quality and merit of the material has been her passion. Working with her husband, she has helped to identify artists such as Jeff Lemire, Raina Telgemeier, and Kazu Kibuishi early in their careers to host as guests at their Maine Comics Arts Festival (MeCAF). Laura embraces the challenge of curating the shelves of Casablanca Comics by selecting works that highlight the stunning talents of the comics industry.

The judges will meet in San Diego in late March to select the nominees that will be placed on the Eisner Awards ballot. The nominees will then be voted on by professionals in the comic book industry, and the results will be announced in a gala awards ceremony on Friday, July 24 at Comic-Con in San Diego.

Guidelines for submitting material for the judges will be announced on the Comic-Con website in early January. The deadline for submitting nominations is March 13, 2020.

The Eisner Awards are presented under the auspices of the San Diego Comic Convention (Comic-Con) a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation organized for charitable purposes and dedicated to creating the general public’s awareness of and appreciation for comics and related popular art forms, including participating in and support of public presentations, conventions, exhibits, museums and other public outreach activities which celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture.

The information below pertains to the 2019 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards

Tom King and Mister Miracle Are Top Winners at 2019 Eisner Awards

The top winners at the 3lst Annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, held during Comic-Con on July 19 at the Bayfront San Diego Hilton, were the DC Comics series Mister Miracle by Tom King and Mitch Gerads (Best Limited Series, Best Writer, Best Penciller/Inker) and King, who also won for Best Short Story (in DC’s Swamp Thing Winter Special) and Best Graphic Album–Reprint (for The Vision hardcover, published by Marvel).

Multiple Eisners also went to Jen Wang for The Prince and the Dressmaker (Best Publication for Teens, Best Writer/Artist; published by First Second), Bill Sienkiewicz (Hall of Fame inductee; Best Archival Publication–Comic Books, for Bill Sienkiewicz’s Mutants and Moon Knights … And Assassins ... Artifact Edition, published by IDW), and Giant Days, by John Allison, Max Sarin, and Julia Madrigal (Best Continuing Series and Best Humor Publication, published by BOOM! Box).

The publisher with the most winners was First Second, with the two for The Prince and the Dressmaker plus Best Publication for Kids (The Divided Earth, by Faith Erin Hicks), Best Reality-Based Work (Is This Guy For Real? The Unbelievable Andy Kaufman, by Box Brown), and Best U.S. Edition of International Material (Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World, by Pénélope Bagieu). Mister Miracle brought DC Comics four wins; the company also shared a win with Todd Klein for Best Lettering. The only other publishers with more than two winners were Image and IDW. Image’s trophies went to Best New Series (Gideon Falls, by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino), Best Graphic Album–New (My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips), and Best Painter (Dustin Nguyen, for Descender) as well as shared wins for Best Cover Artist (Jen Bartel) and Best Coloring (Matt Wilson). Besides the Sienkiewicz book, IDW can boast of awards for Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips (Star Wars: Classic Newspaper Strips, vol. 3, by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson), Best Publication for Early Readers (Johnny Boo and the Ice Cream Computer, by James Kochalka), and a share of Todd Klein’s Best Lettering award.

Presenters during the gala evening included actor/writer/directors Tom Lennon and Ben Garant (Reno 911, Balls of Fury, Night at the Museum series), actor Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters), worldwide bestselling graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Drama, Sisters), actor Cas Anvar (The Expanse), voice actor/comedian Phil LaMarr (Samurai Jack, Justice League), voice actor Grey DeLisle-Griffin (DC Super Hero Girls, Young Justice), voice actor Maurice LaMarche (Pinky and the Brain), comics creator/nominee Eddie Campbell (From Hell, Bacchus), bestselling author Audrey Niffenegger (The Time Traveler’s Wife), Eisner nominees David Walker and Sanford Greene (Bitter Root), comics artist and past Eisner winner Alitha Martinez (Black Panther: World of Wakanda, Batgirl), beloved cartoonist Sergio Aragonés (Groo, MAD), writer/nominee Anina Bennett (Boilerplate, Heartbreakers), writer/artist/nominee Bill Morrison (past editor of MAD magazine), and voice actor Kayre Morrison.

Sergio Aragonés presented the Hall of Fame Awards. The Judges’ choices were Jim Aparo (accepted by his son and daughter), June Tarpé Mills (accepted by her great-nephew), Dave Stevens (accepted by his sister), and Morrie Turner (accepted by his granddaughter). The four elected inductees were Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Jenette Kahn, Paul Levitz, Wendy and Richard Pini, and Sienkiewicz. All but Garcia-Lopez were on hand to accept their awards.

The Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, presented by Bob’s daughter Ruth Clampett, had two recipients this year: Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez (publisher of the benefit anthology Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto Rico) and Lisa Wood (a.k.a. Tula Lotay, founder of Thought Bubble in Leeds, England).

William Stout announced the winner of the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award: cartoonist Lorena Alvarez of Bogota, Colombia, whose work is published by Nobrow.

The 15th annual Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing was presented by Mark Evanier to two recipients: Mike Friedrich and the late E. Nelson Bridwell (accepted by Paul Levitz). The special In Memoriam video salute to those from the Comic-Con family who died in the past year was introduced by Maggie Thompson.

The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award, given to a store that has done an outstanding job of supporting the comics art medium both in the community and within the industry at large, was awarded by Joe Ferrara to La Revisteria Comics of Buenos Aires, Argentina, owned by Alejandro Gonzalez.

The principal sponsors for the Eisner awards this year are mycomicshop.com and Gentle Giant Studios. Supporting sponsors are Alternate Reality Comics (Las Vegas), Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA), Diamond Comics, Flying Colors & Other Cool Stuff (Concord, CA), and Marquis Book. The major sponsor for the Finger Award is DC Comics. Supporting sponsors are Heritage Auctions and Maggie Thompson.

The Eisner Awards are part of, and underwritten by, San Diego Comic-Con (Comic-Con International), a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of and appreciation for comics and related popular artforms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contributions of comics to art and culture.

2019 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Winners

Best Short Story

“The Talk of the Saints,” by Tom King and Jason Fabok, in Swamp Thing Winter Special (DC)

Best Single Issue/One-Shot

Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #310, by Chip Zdarsky (Marvel)

Best Continuing Series

Giant Days, by John Allison, Max Sarin, and Julia Madrigal (BOOM! Box)

Best Limited Series

Mister Miracle, by Tom King and Mitch Gerads (DC)

Best New Series

Gideon Falls, by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino (Image)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 8)

Johnny Boo and the Ice Cream Computer, by James Kochalka (Top Shelf/IDW)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 9–12)

The Divided Earth, by Faith Erin Hicks (First Second)

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13–17)

The Prince and the Dressmaker, by Jen Wang (First Second)

Best Humor Publication

Giant Days, by John Allison, Max Sarin, and Julia Madrigal (BOOM! Box)

Best Anthology

Puerto Rico Strong, edited by Marco Lopez, Desiree Rodriguez, Hazel Newlevant, Derek Ruiz, and Neil Schwartz (Lion Forge)

Best Reality-Based Work

Is This Guy For Real? The Unbelievable Andy Kaufman, by Box Brown (First Second)

Best Graphic Album—New

My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint

The Vision hardcover, by Tom King, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, and Michael Walsh (Marvel)

Best Adaptation from Another Medium

“Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, in Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection, adapted by Junji Ito, translated by Jocelyne Allen (VIZ Media)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World, by Pénélope Bagieu, translated by Montana Kane (First Second)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

Tokyo Tarareba Girls, by Akiko Higashimura (Kodansha)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips

Star Wars: Classic Newspaper Strips, vol. 3, by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson, edited by Dean Mullaney (Library of American Comics/IDW)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books

Bill Sienkiewicz’s Mutants and Moon Knights… And Assassins... Artifact Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)

Best Writer

Tom King, Batman, Mister Miracle, Heroes in Crisis, Swamp Thing Winter Special (DC)

Best Writer/Artist

Jen Wang, The Prince and the Dressmaker (First Second)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

Mitch Gerads, Mister Miracle (DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)

Dustin Nguyen, Descender (Image)

Best Cover Artist (for multiple covers)

Jen Bartel, Blackbird (Image); Submerged (Vault)

Best Coloring

Matt Wilson, Black Cloud, Paper Girls, The Wicked + The Divine (Image); The Mighty Thor, Runaways (Marvel)

Best Lettering

Todd Klein, Black Hammer: Age of Doom, Neil Gaiman’s A Study in Emerald (Dark Horse); Batman: White Night (DC); Books of Magic, Eternity Girl (Vertigo/DC); The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Tempest (Top Shelf/IDW)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism (tie)

Back Issue, edited by Michael Eury (TwoMorrows)

PanelxPanel magazine, edited by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, panelxpanel.com

Best Comics-Related Book

Drawn to Purpose: American Women Illustrators and Cartoonists, by Martha H. Kennedy (University Press of Mississippi)

Best Academic/Scholarly Work

Sweet Little C*nt: The Graphic Work of Julie Doucet, by Anne Elizabeth Moore (Uncivilized Books)

Best Publication Design

Will Eisner’s A Contract with God: Curator’s Collection, designed by John Lind (Kitchen Sink/Dark Horse)

Best Digital Comic

Umami, by Ken Niimura (Panel Syndicate)

Best Webcomic

The Contradictions, by Sophie Yanow, www.thecontradictions.com

Hall of Fame

Judges’ Choices:

Jim Aparo

June Tarpé Mills

Dave Stevens

Morrie Turner

Voted in:

Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez

Jenette Kahn

Paul Levitz

Wendy & Richard Pini

Bill Sienkiewicz

Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award

Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto Rico

Lisa Wood, Thought Bubble Festival

Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing

E. Nelson Bridwell

Mike Friedrich

Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award

Lorena Alvarez • Writer/artist, Hicotea, Nightlights

Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award

La Revisteria Comics

Alejandro Gonzalez, Buenos Aires, Argentina

2019 Will Eisner Awards Presenters

The 31st annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony will be held Friday night, July 19 in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront, just a short walk south from the Convention Center.

The doors of the Indigo Ballroom will open at 7:45, and the ceremonies will get under way at 8:00. Attendance at the event is free to all Comic-Con members. Be sure to bring your convention badge to be admitted—and your I.D. if you wish to purchase alcoholic beverages. Advance seating for VIPs (nominees, sponsors, presenters) will begin at 7:00. No-host bars will be set up both in the ballroom and the ballroom lobby. The ceremony is expected to run until about 10:45. It will be followed by a reception in the Indigo Ballroom foyer, with a live jazz duo for entertainment.

Named for the pioneering comics creator and graphic novelist Will Eisner, The Eisner Awards will be given out in 32 categories for works published in 2018. All attendees will get a souvenir program listing the nominees.

Among presenters at this year’s ceremony are

Worldwide bestselling graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier (Smile, Drama, Sisters)

(Smile, Drama, Sisters) Actor/writer/directors Tom Lennon and Ben Garant (Reno 911, Balls of Fury, Night at the Museum series)

and (Reno 911, Balls of Fury, Night at the Museum series) Actor Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters)

(Ghostbusters) Voice actor/comedian Phil LaMarr (MadTV, Samurai Jack, Futurama, Justice League)

(MadTV, Samurai Jack, Futurama, Justice League) Voice actor Grey DeLisle-Griffin (DC Super Hero Girls, Scooby-Do and Guess Who, The Loud House, Young Justice)

(DC Super Hero Girls, Scooby-Do and Guess Who, The Loud House, Young Justice) Comics creator Eddie Campbell (Bizarre Romance, From Hell, Bacchus)

(Bizarre Romance, From Hell, Bacchus) Bestselling author Audrey Niffenegger (The Time Traveler’s Wife, Bizarre Romance)

(The Time Traveler’s Wife, Bizarre Romance) Eisner nominees David Walker and Sanford Greene (Bitter Root)

and (Bitter Root) Comics artist and past Eisner winner Alitha Martinez (Black Panther: World of Wakanda, Batgirl, Iron Man)

(Black Panther: World of Wakanda, Batgirl, Iron Man) Beloved cartoonist Sergio Aragonés (Groo, MAD)

(Groo, MAD) Writer Anina Bennett (Boilerplate, Heartbreakers)

(Boilerplate, Heartbreakers) Writer/artist and past Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award recipient Bill Morrison

Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award recipient and voice actor Kayre Morrison

Sponsors

The principal sponsors for the awards this year are mycomicshop.com and Gentle Giant Studios. Supporting sponsors are Alternate Reality Comics (Las Vegas), Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA), Diamond Comics/Geppi Entertainment Museum, Flying Colors & Other Cool Stuff (Concord, CA), and Marquis Book.

Other Awards

The Eisner Awards evening includes the presentation of several other special awards. Since 1984, Comic-Con has been bestowing the annual Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award (to be presented by Bob’s daughter Ruth). This year’s recipients are Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez (publisher of the benefit anthology Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto Rico) and Lisa Wood (a.k.a. Tula Lotay, founder of Thought Bubble in Leeds, England). Past winner William Stout will be announcing the nominees and winner of the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award, which has been handed out since 1982. Also being presented is the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award, presided over by Joe Ferrara.

This is the 15th year for presentation of the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. The 2019 recipients are Mike Friedrich (scripter of numerous titles for DC and Marvel in the early 1970s, including The Spectre, Justice League of America, Iron Man, Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, Warlock, Ka-Zar, and many more) and E. Nelson Bridwell (writer/editor at DC in the 1960s–1980s, with credits including The Inferior Five, The Secret Six, and The Angel and the Ape, Shazam! and Super-Friends); the awards will be presented by Mark Evanier. The major sponsor for the Finger Award is DC Comics. Supporting sponsors are Heritage Auctions and Maggie Thompson.

The Eisner Awards are part of, and underwritten by, San Diego Comic-Con (Comic-Con International), a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of and appreciation for comics and related popular artforms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contributions of comics to art and culture.