The 2009 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards were given out at the just-concluded San Diego Comic-Con. The awards were voted by comics creators, editors, publishers, and retailers, from a jury-created list of nominees.
This year’s winners are:
Best Short Story: “Murder He Wrote” by Ian Boothby, Nina Matsumoto, and Andrew Pepoy (published in The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror #14, by Bongo Press)
Best Continuing Series: All Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC)
Best Limited Series: Hellboy: The Crooked Man by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben (Dark Horse)
Best New Series: Invincible Iron Man by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larocca (Marvel)
Best Publication for Kids: Tiny Titans by Art Baltazar and Franco (DC)
Best Publication for Teens/Tweens: Coraline by Neil Gaiman, adapted by P. Craig Russell (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Best Humor Publication: Herbie Archives by “Shane O’Shea” (Richard E. Hughes) and Ogden Whitney (Dark Horse)
Best Anthology: Comic Book Tattoo: Narrative Art Inspired by the Lyrics and Music of Tori Amos edited by Rantz Hoseley (Image)
Best Webcomic: Finder by Carla Speed McNeil (www.shadowlinecomics.com/webcomics/#/finder/)
Best Reality-Based Work: What It Is by Lynda Barry (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Graphic Album—New: Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell (Top Shelf)
Best Graphic Album—Reprint: Hellboy Library Edition, vols. 1 and 2, by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)
Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips: Little Nemo in Slumberland, Many More Splendid Sundays by Winsor McCay (Sunday Press Books)
Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books: Creepy Archives by various (Dark Horse)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material: The Last Musketeer by Jason (Fantagraphics)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Japan: Dororo by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)
Best Writer: Bill Willingham, for Fables and House of Mystery (Vertigo/DC)
Best Writer/Artist: Chris Ware, for Acme Novelty Library (Acme)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: Guy Davis for BPRD (Dark Horse)
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist: Jill Thompson for Magic Trixie and Magic Trixie Sleeps Over (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Best Cover Artist: James Jean for Fables (Vertigo/DC) and The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse)
Best Coloring: Dave Stewart for Abe Sapien: The Drowning, BPRD, The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane, and The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse), as well as Body Bags (Image) and Captain America: White (Marvel)
Best Lettering: Chris Ware for Acme Novelty Library #19 (Acme)
Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism: Comic Book Resources, produced by Jonah Weiland (www.comicbookresources.com)
Best Comics-Related Book: Kirby: King of Comics by Mark Evanier (Abrams)
Best Publication Design: Hellboy Library Editions designed by Cary Grazzini and Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)
Hall of Fame inductees (chosen by this year’s judges): Harold Gray, Graham Ingels
Hall of Fame inductees (chosen by the voters): Matt Baker, Reed Crandall, Russ Heath, Jerry Iger
Will Eisner “Spirit of Comics” Retailer Award: Tate’s Comics, Fort Launderdale, Florida, USA
For more on the Eisner Awards, see this page.