It’s going to be a good week for a lot of talented creators as the 2016 Eisner Award Nominess list has been released.
Best Short Story
- “Black Death in America,” by Tom King and John Paul Leon, in Vertigo Quarterly: Black (Vertigo/DC)
- “Hand Me Down,” by Kristyna Baczynski, in 24 x 7 (Fanfare Presents)
- “It’s Going to Be Okay,” by Matthew Inman, in The Oatmeal, theoatmeal.com/comics/plane
- “Killing and Dying,” by Adrian Tomine, in Optic Nerve #14 (Drawn & Quarterly)
- “Lion and Mouse,” by R. Sikoryak, in Fable Comics (First Second)
Best Single Issue/One-Shot
- A Blanket of Butterflies, by Richard Van Camp and Scott B. Henderson (HighWater Press)
- I Love This Part, by Tillie Walden (Avery Hill)
- Mowgli’s Mirror, by Olivier Schrauwen (Retrofit/Big Planet)
- Pope Hats #4, by Ethan Rilly (AdHouse)
- Silver Surfer #11: “Never After,” by Dan Slott and Michael Allred (Marvel)
Best Continuing Series
- Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover (Monkeybrain)
- Giant Days, by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, and Max Sarin (BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box)
- Invincible, by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, and Cliff Rathburn (Image/Skybound)
- Silver Surfer, by Dan Slott and Michael Allred (Marvel)
- Southern Bastards, by Jason Aaron and Jason Latour (Image)
Best Limited Series
- Chrononauts, by Mark Millar and Sean Murphy (Image)
- The Fade Out, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)
- Lady Killer, by Joëlle Jones and Jamie S. Rich (Dark Horse)
- Minimum Wage: So Many Bad Decisions, by Bob Fingerman (Image)
- The Spire, by Simon Spurrier and Jeff Stokely (BOOM! Studios)
Best New Series
- Bitch Planet, by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Valentine De Landro (Image)
- Harrow County, by Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook (Dark Horse)
- Kaijumax, by Zander Cannon (Oni)
- Monstress, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Image)
- Paper Girls, by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang (Image)
- The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, by Ryan North and Erica Henderson (Marvel)
Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 8)
- Anna Banana and the Chocolate Explosion, by Dominque Roques and Alexis Dormal (First Second)
- Little Robot, by Ben Hatke (First Second)
- The Only Child, by Guojing (Schwartz & Wade)
- SheHeWe, by Lee Nordling and Meritxell Bosch (Lerner Graphic Universe)
- Written and Drawn by Henrietta, by Liniers (TOON Books)
Best Publication for Kids (ages 9-12)
- Baba Yaga’s Assistant, by Marika McCoola and Emily Carroll (Candlewick)
- Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War, by Jessica Dee Humphreys, Michel Chikwanine, and Claudia Devila (Kids Can Press)
- Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor, by Nathan Hale (Abrams Amulet)
- Over the Garden Wall, by Pat McHale and Jim Campbell (BOOM! Studios/KaBOOM!)
- Roller Girl, by Victoria Jamieson (Dial Books)
- Sunny Side Up, by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm (Scholastic Graphix)
Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)
- Awkward, by Svetlana Chmakova (Yen Press)
- Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans, by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
- March: Book Two, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf/IDW)
- Moose, by Max de Radiguès (Conundrum)
- Oyster War, by Ben Towle (Oni)
- SuperMutant Magic Academy, by Jillian Tamaki (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Humor Publication
- Cyanide & Happiness: Stab Factory, by Kris Wilson, Rob DenBleyker, and Dave McElfatrick (BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box)
- Deep Dark Fears, by Fran Krause (Ten Speed Press)
- Sexcastle, by Kyle Starks (Image)
- Step Aside, Pops: A Hark! A Vagrant Collection, by Kate Beaton (Drawn & Quarterly)
- UR, by Eric Haven (AdHouse)
Best Digital/Webcomic
- Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover (Monkeybrain/comiXology)
- Fresh Romance, edited by Janelle Asselin (Rosy Press/comiXology)
- The Legend of Wonder Woman, by Renae De Liz (DC Digital)
- Lighten Up, by Ronald Wimberly (The Nib), thenib.com/lighten-up-4f7f96ca8a7e#.u45ffr3l1
- These Memories Won’t Last, by Stu Campbell, memories.sutueatsflies.com/
Best Anthology
- Drawn & Quarterly, Twenty-Five Years of Contemporary, Cartooning, Comics, and Graphic Novels, edited by Tom Devlin (Drawn & Quarterly)
- Eat More Comics: The Best of the Nib, edited by Matt Bors (The Nib)
- 24 x 7, edited by Dan Berry (Fanfare Presents)
- Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, vol. 3, edited by David Petersen (BOOM! Studios/Archaia)
- Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz, edited by Shannon Watters (BOOM! Studios/KaBOOM!)
Best Reality-Based Work
- The Arab of the Future: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1978–1984, by Riad Sattouf (Metropolitan Books)
- Displacement: A Travelogue, by Lucy Knisley (Fantagraphics)
- Hip Hop Family Tree, Book 3: 1983–1984, by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics)
- Invisible Ink: My Mother’s Secret Love Affair with a Famous Cartoonist, by Bill Griffith (Fantagraphics)
- March: Book Two, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf/IDW)
- The Story of My Tits, by Jennifer Hayden (Top Shelf/IDW)
Best Graphic Album—New
- Long Walk to Valhalla, by Adam Smith and Matthew Fox (BOOM! Studios/Archaia)
- Nanjing: The Burning City, by Ethan Young (Dark Horse)
- Ruins, by Peter Kuper (SelfMadeHero)
- Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen, by Dylan Horrocks (Fantagraphics)
- The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage, by Sydney Padua (Pantheon)
Best Graphic Album—Reprint
- Angry Youth Comics, by Johnny Ryan (Fantagraphics)
- Roses in December: A Story of Love and Alzheimer’s, by Tom Batiuk and Chuck Ayers (Kent State University Press)
- The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal Omnibus, by E. K. Weaver (Iron Circus Comics)
- Nimona, by Noelle Stevenson (Harper Teen)
- Soldier’s Heart: The Campaign to Understand My WWII Veteran Father, by Carol Tyler (Fantagraphics)
Best Adaptation from Another Medium
- Captive of Friendly Cove: Based on the Secret Journals of John Jewitt, by Rebecca Goldfield, Mike Short, and Matt Dembicki (Fulcrum)
- City of Clowns, by Daniel Alarcón and Sheila Alvarado (Riverhead Books)
- Ghetto Clown, by John Leguizamo, Christa Cassano, and Shamus Beyale (Abrams ComicArts)
- Lafcadio Hearn’s “The Faceless Ghost” and Other Macabre Tales from Japan, adapted by
- Sean Michael Wilson and Michiru Morikawa (Shambhala)
- Two Brothers, by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá (Dark Horse)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material
- Alpha . . . Directions, by Jens Harder (Knockabout/Fanfare)
- The Eternaut, by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano Lòpez (Fantagraphics)
- A Glance Backward by Pierre Paquet and Tony Sandoval (Magnetic Press)
- The March of the Crabs, by Arthur de Pins (BOOM! Studios/Archaia)
- The Realist, by Asaf Hanuka (BOOM! Studios/Archaia)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia
- Assassination Classroom, vols. 2–7, by Yusei Matsui (VIZ)
- A Bride’s Story, vol. 7, by Kaoru Mori (Yen Press)
- Master Keaton, vols. 2–4, by Naoki Urasawa, Hokusei Katsushika, and Takashi Nagasaki (VIZ)
- Showa, 1953–1989: A History of Japan, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)
- A Silent Voice, by Yoshitoki Oima (Kodansha)
- Sunny, vol. 5, by Taiyo Matsumoto (VIZ)
Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips
- Beyond Mars, by Jack Williamson and Lee Elias, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/LOAC)
- Cartoons for Victory, by Warren Bernard (Fantagraphics)
- The Complete Funky Winkerbean, vol. 4, by Tom Batiuk, edited by Mary Young (Black Squirrel Books)
- The Eternaut, by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano Lòpez, edited by Gary Groth and Kristy Valenti (Fantagraphics)
- Kremos: The Lost Art of Niso Ramponi, vols. 1 and 2, edited by Joseph V. Procopio (Picture This Press/Lost Art Books)
- White Boy in Skull Valley, by Garrett Price, edited by Peter Maresca (Sunday Press)
Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books
- Frank Miller’s Ronin Gallery Edition, edited by Bob Chapman (Graphitti Designs/DC)
- P. Craig Russell’s Murder Mystery and Other Stories Gallery Edition, edited by Daniel Chabon (Dark Horse)
- The Puma Blues: The Complete Saga, by Stephen Murphy, Alan Moore, Michael Zulli,
- Stephen R. Bissette, and Dave Sim, edited by Drew Ford (Dover)
- Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck: The Don Rosa Library, vols. 3–4, edited by David Gerstein (Fantagraphics)
- Walt Kelly’s Fairy Tales, edited by Craig Yoe (IDW)
Best Writer
- Jason Aaron, Southern Bastards (Image), Men of Wrath (Marvel Icon), Doctor Strange, Star Wars, Thor (Marvel)
- John Allison, Giant Days (BOOM Studios!/BOOM! Box)
- Ed Brubaker, The Fade Out, Velvet, Criminal Special Edition (Image)
- Marjorie Liu, Monstress (Image)
- G. Willow Wilson, Ms. Marvel (Marvel)
Best Writer/Artist
- Bill Griffith, Invisible Ink: My Mother’s Secret Love Affair with a Famous Cartoonist (Fantagraphics)
- Nathan Hale, Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales: The Underground Abductor (Abrams)
- Sydney Padua, The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage (Pantheon)
- Ed Piskor, Hip-Hop Family Tree, vol. 3 (Fantagraphics)
- Noah Van Sciver, Fante Bukowski, Saint Cole (Fantagraphics)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
- Michael Allred, Silver Surfer (Marvel); Art Ops (Vertigo/DC)
- Cliff Chiang, Paper Girls (Image)
- Erica Henderson, Jughead (Archie), Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (Marvel)
- Joëlle Jones, Lady Killer (Dark Horse), Brides of Helheim (Oni)
- Nate Powell, March, Book Two (Top Shelf/IDW)
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist
- Federico Bertolucci, Love: The Tiger and Love: The Fox (Magnetic Press)
- Colleen Coover, Bandette (Monkeybrain)
- Carita Lupattelli, Izuna (Humanoids)
- Dustin Nguyen, Descender (Image)
- Tony Sandoval, A Glance Backward (Magnetic Press)
Best Cover Artist
- David Aja, Hawkeye, Karnak, Scarlet Witch (Marvel)
- Rafael Albuquerque, Ei8ht (Dark Horse), Huck (Image)
- Amanda Conner, Harley Quinn (DC)
- Joëlle Jones, Lady Killer (Dark Horse), Brides of Helheim (Oni)
- Ed Piskor, Hip-Hop Family Tree (Fantagraphics)
Best Coloring
- Laura Allred, Lady Killer (Dark Horse); Silver Surfer (Marvel); Art OPS (Vertigo/DC)
Jordie Bellaire, The Autumnlands, Injection, Plutona, Pretty Deadly, The Surface, They’re - Not Like Us, Zero (Image); The X-Files (IDW); The Massive (Dark Horse); Magneto, Vision (Marvel)
- Elizabeth Breitwiser, The Fade Out, Criminal Magazine, Outcast, Velvet (Image)
John Rauch, The Beauty (Image); Batman: Arkham Knight, Earth 2: Society (DC); Runaways (Marvel) - Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien, BPRD Hell on Earth, Fight Club 2, Frankenstein Underground, Hellboy in Hell, Hellboy and the BPRD, (Dark Horse); Sandman: Overture, Twilight Children (Vertigo/DC), Captain America: White (Marvel), Space Dumplins (Scholastic Graphix)
Best Lettering
- Derf Backderf, Trashed (Abrams)
- Steve Dutro, Blood-C, Midnight Society, Plants vs Zombies (Dark Horse)
- Lucy Knisley, Displacement (Fantagraphics)
- Troy Little, Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Top Shelf/IDW)
- Kevin McCloskey, We Dig Worms! (TOON Books)
Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
- Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
- Back Issue, edited by Michael Eury (TwoMorrows)
- Comic Riffs blog by Michael Cavna, washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/
- Hogan’s Alley, edited by Tom Heintjes (Hogan’s Alley)
- Jack Kirby Collector, edited by John Morrow (TwoMorrows)
Best Comics-Related Book
- Harvey Kurtzman: The Man Who Created Mad and Revolutionized Humor in America, by Bill Schelly (Fantagraphics)
- King of the Comics: One Hundred Years of King Features Syndicate, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/LOAC)
- Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts, by Chip Kidd and Geoff Spear (Abrams ComicArts)
- Out of Line: The Art of Jules Feiffer, by Martha Fay (Abrams ComicArts)
- Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel, by Paul Levitz (Abrams ComicArts)
Best Academic/Scholarly Work
- The Blacker the Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art, edited by Frances Gateward and John Jennings (Rutgers)
- Boys Love Manga and Beyond: History, Culture, and Community in Japan, edited by Mark McLelland et al. (University Press of Mississippi)
- Graphic Medicine Manifesto, by M. K. Czerwiec et al. (Penn State University Press)
- Superheroes on World Screens, edited by Rayna Denison and Rachel Mizsei-Ward (University Press of Mississippi)
- Unflattening, by Nick Sousanis (Harvard University Press)
Best Publication Design
- Beyond the Surface, designed by Nicolas André, Sam Arthur, Alex Spiro, and Camille Pichon (Nobrow)
- The Eternaut, designed by Tony Ong (Fantagraphics)
- Eventually Everything Connects, designed by Loris Lora, Sam Arthur, Alex Spiro, and Camille Pichon (Nobrow)
- King of the Comics: One Hundred Years of King Features Syndicate, designed by Dean Mullaney (IDW/LOAC)
- Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz and the Art of Peanuts, designed by Chip Kidd (Abrams ComicArts)
- Sandman Gallery Edition, designed by Graphitti Designs and Josh Beatman/Brainchild Studios (Graphitti Designs/DC)
Congratulations to everyone who received a nomination. The winners will be announced at the San Diego Comic Con in July.