San Diego Comic-Con International is the host site of the annual Eisner Awards, which is the comic book industry’s Oscars. Last night, several of the biggest names in comics competed for the coveted awards named after Will Eisner, the creator of The Spirit.
Saga (pictured above), the creator owned Image comic book series by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples was named Best Continuing Series. Vaughan also picked up the award for Best Digital/Webcomic for The Private Eye with artist Marcos Martin. Staples was named Best Penciler for her work on Saga.
One of the biggest surprises of the night was the ascension of Lumberjanes, the all-ages title from Boom Box! that follows the supernatural tinged adventures of a group of young girls at summer camp. Writers Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, and artist Brooke A. Allen’s Lumberjanes took home the awards for Best New Series and Best Publication for teens.
In the individual categories, Gene Luen Yang was named Best Writer for Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Shadow Hero; J. H. Williams III was awarded Best Painter for The Sandman: Overture; and Darwyn Cooke was given the Best Cover Artist Award for his DC Comics variant covers. Raina Telgemeier took the combined Best Writer/Artist for her graphic novel, Sisters.
Little Nemo was another unexpected big winner at the Eisners as well. Jim Rugg won Best Publication design for Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream; Eric Shanower & Gabriel Rodriguez’s Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland won Best Limited Series; and Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream won Best Anthology. Winsor McCay’s Complete Little Nemo was also a winner for Best Archival Comic Strip.
A complete list of the 2015 Eisner winners is reproduced below.
Short story
“When the Darkness Presses,” by Emily Carroll
Single issue (or one-shot)
“Beasts of Burden: Hunters and Gatherers,” by Evan Dorkin & Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)
Continuing series
“Saga,” by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (Image)
Limited series
“Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland,” by Eric Shanower & Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)
New series
“Lumberjanes,” by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, & Brooke A. Allen (Boom! Box)
Publication for early readers (up to age 7)
“The Zoo Box,” by Ariel Cohn & Aron Nels Steinke (First Second)
Publication for kids (8-12)
“El Deafo,” by Cece Bell (Amulet/Abrams)
Publication for teens (13-17)
“Lumberjanes,” by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, & Brooke A. Allen (BOOM! Box)
Humor publication
“The Complete Cul de Sac,” by Richard Thompson (Andrews McMeel)
Digital/Web comic
“The Private Eye” by Brian Vaughan & Marcos Martin http://panelsyndicate.com/
Anthology
“Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream,” edited by Josh O’Neill, Andrew Carl, & Chris Stevens (Locust Moon)
Reality-based work
“Hip Hop Family Tree,” vol. 2, by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics)
Graphic album, new
“This One Summer,” by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki (First Second)
Graphic album, reprint
“Through the Woods,” by Emily Carroll (McElderry Books)
Archival collection/project, comic strips (at least 20 years old)
“Winsor McCay’s Complete Little Nemo,” edited by Alexander Braun (Taschen)
Archival collection/project, comic books (at least 20 years old)
“Steranko Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist’s Edition,” edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
U.S. edition of international material
“Blacksad: Amarillo,” by Juan Díaz Canales & Juanjo Guarnido (Dark Horse)
U.S. edition of international material, Asia
“Showa 1939–1955” and “Showa 1944–1953: A History of Japan,” by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)
Writer
Gene Luen Yang, “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (Dark Horse); “The Shadow Hero” (First Second)
Writer/artist
Raina Telgemeier, “Sisters” (Graphix/Scholastic)
Penciller/inker
Fiona Staples, “Saga” (Image)
Painter/multimedia artist, interior art
J. H. Williams III, “The Sandman: Overture” (Vertigo/DC)
Cover artist
Darwyn Cooke, DC Comics Darwyn Cooke Month Variant Covers (DC)
Coloring
Dave Stewart, “Hellboy in Hell,” “BPRD,” “Abe Sapien,” “Baltimore,” “Lobster Johnson,” “Witchfinder,” “Shaolin Cowboy,” “Aliens: Fire and Stone,” “Dark Horse Presents” (Dark Horse)
Lettering
Stan Sakai, “Usagi Yojimbo: Senso,” “Usagi Yojimbo Color Special: The Artist” (Dark Horse)
Comics-related periodical/journalism
Comics Alliance, edited by Andy Khouri, Caleb Goellner, Andrew Wheeler, & Joe Hughes
Comics-related book
“Genius Animated: The Cartoon Art of Alex Toth,” vol. 3, by Dean Mullaney & Bruce Canwell (IDW/LOAC)
Scholarly/academic work
“Graphic Details: Jewish Women’s Confessional Comics in Essays and Interviews,” edited by Sarah Lightman (McFarland)
Publication design
“Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream,” designed by Jim Rugg (Locust Moon)
Will Eisner Hall of Fame inductees
Judges’ choices: Marjorie Henderson Buell (“Little Lulu”), Bill Woggon (“Katy Keene”)
Elected: John Byrne, Chris Claremont, Denis Kitchen, Frank Miller
COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
Bill Finger Excellence in Comics Writing Award
Deceased recipient: John Stanley (“Little Lulu”)
Living recipient: Don McGregor (“Black Panther”)
Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award
Bill and Kayre Morrison
Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award
Packrat Comics (Hilliard, Ohio)
Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award (tie)
Jorge Corona (“Feathers” at Archaia, “Goners” at Image, “Teen Titans Go” at DC)
Greg Smallwood (“Dream Thief” at Dark Horse, “Moon Knights” at Marvel)
