The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are
prizes
A prize is an award to be given to a person or a group of people (such as sporting teams and organizations) to recognize and reward their actions and achievements. given for creative achievement in American
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
s, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
. They are named in honor of the pioneering writer and artist
Will Eisner
William Erwin 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 no ...
, who was a regular participant in the award ceremony until his death in 2005.
["The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards"]
Comic-con.org
WebCitation archive
(requires scrolldown). The Eisner Awards include the Comic Industry's
Hall of Fame.
The nominations in each category are generated by a five- to a six-member jury, then voted on by comic book professionals and presented at the annual
San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is ...
held in July, usually on Friday night. The jury often consists of at least one comics retailer, one librarian (since 2005), and one academic researcher, among other comics experts.
History
The Eisner Awards and
Harvey Award
The Harvey Awards are given for achievement in comic books. Named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman, the Harvey Awards were founded by Gary Groth in 1988, president of the publisher Fantagraphics, to be the successor to the Kirby Awards that we ...
s were first conferred in 1988, both created in response to the discontinuation of the
Kirby Award
The Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards were a set of awards for achievement in comic books, presented from 1985-1987. Voted on by comic-book professionals, the Kirby awards were the first such awards since the Shazam Awards ceased in 1975. Sponsored ...
s in 1987.
Dave Olbrich
Dave Olbrich is an editor and executive in the American comic book industry. He began as producer and host of YouTube channel Geekview Tavern in 2021. He was instrumental in the creation of two awards for achievement in comic books, voted on by pr ...
started the non-profit organization.
There was no Eisner Award ceremony, or awards distributed, in 1990, due to widespread balloting mix-ups.
["Eisners Cancelled," ''The Comics Journal'' #137 (Sept. 1990), p. 16.] The previous administrator, Dave Olbrich, left the position,
and
Jackie Estrada
Jackie Estrada (born September 10, 1946) is an American comic-book convention organizer, book editor, co-publisher of Exhibit A Press, administrator of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, and past-president of Friends of Lulu.
A San Diego re ...
has been the award administrator since 1990.
["The Eisner Awards: A Brief History"]
, Comic-con.org
WebCitation archive
(requires scrolldown). The Eisner Award ceremony has been held at the San Diego Comic-Con every year since 1991.
In 2006, it was announced that the archives of the Eisner Awards would be housed at the James Branch Cabell Library of
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public research university in Richmond, Virginia. VCU was founded in 1838 as the medical department of Hampden–Sydney College, becoming the Medical College of Virginia in 1854. In 1968, the Virginia ...
in
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
.
Categories
The
Eisner Awards
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards. They are named in ...
are awarded in the following categories:
Current
, awards are presented in 32 categories for works published in 2020.
*
Best Short Story (1993–present)
*
Best Single Issue/One-Shot (1988–2008, 2010–present)
*Best Continuing Series (1988–present)
*Best Limited Series (1988–present)
*Best New Series (1988–present)
*
Best Publication for Early Readers (2012–present)
*
Best Publication for Kids (2008–present)
*
Best Publication for Teens (2008–present)
*Best Humor Publication (1992–present)
*
Best Anthology (1992–present)
*
Best Reality-Based Work (2006–present)
*
Best Graphic Memoir (2021–present)
*Best Graphic Album — New (1991–present)
*Best Graphic Album — Reprint (1991–present)
*
Best Adaptation from Another Medium (2013–2014, 2016, 2018–present)
*
Best U.S. Edition of International Material (1998–present)
*
Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia (2010–present)
*Best Archival Collection/Project — Strips (1992–1993, 2006–present)
*Best Archival Collection/Project — Comic Books (2006–present)
*
Best Writer (1988–present)
*Best Writer/Artist (1988–present)
*
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team (1994–present)
*
Best Painter/Digital Artist (1993–2011, 2013–present)
*
Best Cover Artist (for multiple covers) (1992–present)
*
Best Coloring (1992–present)
*
Best Lettering (1993–present)
*Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism (2008–present)
*Best Comics-Related Book (1992–present)
*
Best Academic/Scholarly Work (2012–present)
*Best Publication Design (1993–present)
*
Best Digital Comic (2005–present)
*
Best Webcomic (2017–present)
Past awards
*Best Graphic Album (1988–1989)
*Best Art Team (1988–1989)
*Best Black-and-White Series (1988–1991)
*Best Editor (1992–1997)
*Best Comics-Related Product/Item (1992, 1994–2002)
*Best Comics-Related Periodical/Publication (1992–2000, 2002–2007)
*Best Archival Collection/Project (1993–2005)
*Best Serialized Story (1993–2006)
*Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition (1995–2006)
*Best Writer/Artist — Humor (1995–2008)
*Best Title for Younger Readers/Best Comics Publication for a Younger Audience (1996–2007)
*Best Writer/Artist — Drama (1997–2008)
*Best Comics-Related Sculpted Figures (1999)
*Best Comics-Related Publication (Periodical or Book) (2003)
*
Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Japan (2007–2009)
*Special Recognition (2007–2008)
*Best Writer/Artist–Nonfiction (2010)
*
Best Adaptation from Another Work (2010–2011)
Past winners
See also
Other comic-related awards given at the San Diego Comic Con:
*
Inkpot Award
The Inkpot Award is an honor bestowed annually since 1974 by Comic-Con International. It is given to professionals in the fields of comic books, comic strips, animation, science fiction, and related areas of popular culture, at CCI's annual conv ...
*
Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award The Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award is an American award presented to a comic book artist whose first professional work appeared within the previous two years. It was named after comic book artist Russ Manning. The winner is chosen from ...
(1982–present)
*
Kirby Award
The Jack Kirby Comics Industry Awards were a set of awards for achievement in comic books, presented from 1985-1987. Voted on by comic-book professionals, the Kirby awards were the first such awards since the Shazam Awards ceased in 1975. Sponsored ...
(1985–1987)
*
The Bill Finger Award For Excellence In Comic Book Writing (2005–present)
Other comics-related awards:
*
Alley Award
The Alley Award was an American annual series of comic book fan awards, first presented in 1962 for comics published in 1961. Officially organized under the aegis of the Academy of Comic Book Arts and Sciences, the award shared close ties with th ...
*
Eagle Award
*
GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book
The GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book is an annual award that honors comic books for excellence in the depiction of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) characters and themes. It is one of several categories of the annual ...
*
Harvey Award
The Harvey Awards are given for achievement in comic books. Named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman, the Harvey Awards were founded by Gary Groth in 1988, president of the publisher Fantagraphics, to be the successor to the Kirby Awards that we ...
*
Ignatz Award
The Ignatz Awards recognize outstanding achievements in comics and cartooning by small press creators or creator-owned projects published by larger publishers. They have been awarded each year at the Small Press Expo since 1997, only skipping ...
*
National Comics Award
The National Comics Awards was a series of awards for comic book titles and creators given out on an annual basis from 1997 to 2003 (with the exception of the year 2000) for comics published in the United Kingdom the previous year. The votes we ...
*
Ringo Award
The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Ringo Awards, are prizes given for achievement in comic books. They are named in honor of artist Mike Wieringo and they were founded by the Reisterstown, Maryland-based Cards ...
*
Shazam Award
The Academy of Comic Book Arts (ACBA) was an American professional organization of the 1970s that was designed to be the comic book industry analog of such groups as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Composed of comic-book profession ...
References
External links
Eisner Awards from 1988 - 2007WebCitation archive
*Archive o
2005 Eisner awards from Comic-Con.orgWebCitation archiveOriginal page2006 Eisner Award winners Comic-Con.org
WebCitation archive2007 Eisner Award winners Comic-Con.org
WebCitation archive2008 Eisner Award winners Comic-Con.org
WebCitation archive2009 Eisner Award winners Comic-Con.org
WebCitation archive1985-1989 Eisner Award winners Comic-Con International San Diego
Archivedfrom the original on July 3, 2013.
1991-1999 Eisner Award winners Comic-Con International San Diego
Archivedfrom the original on February 1, 2014
2000-2009 Eisner Award winners Comic-Con International San Diego
Archivedfrom the original on February 1, 2015.
2010-2020 Eisner Award winners Comic-Con International San Diego
Archivedfrom the original on October 30, 2020.
{{American Comic Book Industry Awards
1988 establishments in the United States
Annual events in the United States
Awards established in 1988