The Oscars of comics: A visual guide to this year's Eisner Awards

By Susana Polo
on Jul 11, 2015 at 1:00pm

Friday night of San Diego Comic-Con doesn't just mean J.J. Abrams inviting everyone in the Star Wars panel out to a free concert and fireworks. It also means the comic book Academy Awards: the Eisners, the most prestigious honor of the American comic book industry. Named after pioneering cartoonist Will Eisner, who popularized the term "graphic novel," wrote one of the first books on how to use the language of American comics art and created the Spirit, the Eisner Awards take place on the Friday of every San Diego Comic-Con.

Here are the winners:

Best Short Story
When the Darkness Presses

"When the Darkness Presses," by Emily Carroll

This comic is online and can be read, for free, in its entirety right here.

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
Hunters and Gatherers

Beasts of Burden: Hunters and Gatherers, by Evan Dorkin & Jill Thompson

Best Continuing Series
Saga

Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (Image)

Best Limited Series
Nemo Slumberland

Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland, by Eric Shanower & Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)

Best New Series
Lumberjanes

Lumberjanes, by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, & Brooke A. Allen (BOOM! Box)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)
Zoo Box

The Zoo Box, by Ariel Cohn & Aron Nels Steinke (First Second)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8-12)
El Deafo

El Deafo, by Cece Bell (Amulet/Abrams)

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)
Lumberjanes

Lumberjanes, by Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, & Brooke A. Allen (BOOM! Box)

Best Humor Publication
Cul de Sac

The Complete Cul de Sac, by Richard Thompson (Andrews McMeel)

Best Digital/Web Comic
Private Eye

The Private Eye by Brian Vaughan & Marcos Martin

This comic can be found online right here.

Best Anthology
Little Nemo Dream Another Dream

Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream, edited by Josh O'Neill, Andrew Carl, & Chris Stevens (Locust Moon)

Best Reality-Based Work
Hip Hop Family Tree

Hip Hop Family Tree, vol. 2, by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics)

Best Graphic Album — New
This One Summer

This One Summer, by Mariko Tamaki & Jillian Tamaki (First Second)

Best Graphic Album — Reprint
Through the Woods

Through the Woods, by Emily Carroll (McElderry Books)

Best Writer
Avatar Airbender

Gene Luen Yang, Avatar: The Last Airbender (Dark Horse); The Shadow Hero (First Second)

Best Writer/Artist
Sisters

Raina Telgemeier, Sisters (Graphix/Scholastic)

Best Penciller/Inker
Saga

Fiona Staples, Saga (Image)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
Sandman Overture

J. H. Williams III, The Sandman: Overture (Vertigo/DC)

Best Cover Artist
The Justice League in a Darwyn Cooke variant cover Darwyn Cooke/DC Comics

Darwyn Cooke, DC Comics Darwyn Cooke Month Variant Covers (DC)

Best Coloring
Hellboy in Hell

Dave Stewart, Hellboy in Hell, BPRD, Abe Sapien, Baltimore, Lobster Johnson, Witchfinder, Shaolin Cowboy, Aliens: Fire and Stone, DHP (Dark Horse)

Best Lettering
Usagi Yojimbo

Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo: Senso, Usagi Yojimbo Color Special: The Artist (Dark Horse)

Best Publication Design
Little Nemo Dream Another Dream

Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream, designed by Jim Rugg (Locust Moon)

The following works were also awarded during the ceremony:

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips (at least 20 years old) - Winsor McCay's Complete Little Nemo, edited by Alexander Braun (TASCHEN)

Best 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)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material - Blacksad: Amarillo, by Juan Díaz Canales & Juanjo Guarnido (Dark Horse)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia - Showa 1939-1944 and Showa 1944-1953: A History of Japan, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism - Comics Alliance, edited by Andy Khouri, Caleb Goellner, Andrew Wheeler, Joe Hughes

Best Comics-Related Book - Genius Animated: The Cartoon Art of Alex Toth, vol. 3, by Dean Mullaney & Bruce Canwell (IDW/LOAC)

Best Scholarly/Academic Work - Graphic Details: Jewish Women's Confessional Comics in Essays and Interviews, edited by Sarah Lightman (McFarland)

Bill and Kayre Morrison were awarded the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award. John Byrne, Chris Claremont, Denis Kitchen, Frank Miller, Marjorie Henderson Buell and Bill Woggon were inducted into the Eisner Awards Hall of Fame. The Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award went to Greg Smallwood and Jorge Corona. And Don McGregor and John Stanley were awarded the Bill Finger Award For Excellence In Comic Book Writing.

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