yendi

The nominees for the Eisner awards have been announced.
XXX Live Nude Girls was shut out, thankfully, while deserving books like Finder, Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things, and Amelia Rules! can be found throughout.

With the exception of the mediocre Ed Brubaker in the best writer category (he's ludicrously outclassed by the other four writers, as well as by about two dozen other people I could name), there's really nothing that could win that would upset me, and other than League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 2 for limited series, and Williams/Gray for Promethea, there aren't any awards that I feel someone should run away with (although Kaare Andrews winning best cover artist for Hulk would be nice, as his covers have shown an imagination and sense of humor that go beyond that of most of his peers).

Of the HoF nominees, Kanigher seems like a lock (aside from being deserving, he's passed away in the last year, which tends to help, not to be cynical or anything), and Otto Binder would be my first pick if I were voting (I've got a soft spot for the Shazam! mythos, though).

Anyway, on with the nominees (and remember, it's late at night, so I may not have scoured the list as thoroughly as I'd like):

2003 Eisner Awards Nominees

(for 2002 publications)

Best Short Story

•"Between Two Worlds: The Strange and Sad Story of Erich Wolfgang Korngold," by P. Craig Russell, in Comics Journal Summer Special 2002 (Fantagraphics)

•"Green Tea," by J. Sheridan LeFanu, adapted by Kevin Huizenga, in Orchid (Sparkplug)

•"The Magician and the Snake," by Katie Mignola and Mike Mignola, in Dark Horse Maverick: Happy Endings (Dark Horse)

•"Untitled" (first story in book) by Jason, in Shhh (Fantagraphics)

•"Telekinetic," by Tomer Hanuka, in Bipolar #3 (Alternative Comics)

Best Single Issue or One-Shot

•The Castaways, by Rob Vollmar and Pablo Callejo (Absence of Ink)

•Fleep, by Jason Shiga (Sparkplug)

•My Friend Dahmer, by Derf (Derfcity Comics)

•My Uncle Jeff, by Damon Hurd (Origin)

•The Stuff of Dreams, by Kim Deitch (Fantagraphics)

Best Serialized Story

•Daredevil #32-37: "Out," by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev (Marvel)

•Fables #1-5: "Legends in Exile," by Bill Willingham, Lan Medina, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC)

•Finder #25-29: "Dream Sequence," by Carla Speed McNeil (Lightspeed Press)

•Incredible Hulk #34-39: "Return of the Monster," by Bruce Jones, John Romita, Jr., and Tom Palmer (Marvel)

•Queen & Country #8-12: "Operation: Crystal Ball." by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez (Oni)

Best Continuing Series

•Age of Bronze, by Eric Shanower (Image)

•Daredevil, by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev (Marvel)

•Fables, by Bill Willingham, Lan Medina, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC)

•Louis Reil, by Chester Brown (Drawn & Quarterly)

•Strangers in Paradise, by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)

•True Story, Swear to God, by Tom Beland (Clib's Boy Comics)

Best Limited Series

•Courtney Crumrin & the Night Things, by Ted Naifeh (Oni)

•Hellboy: Third Wish, by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)

•League of Extraordinary Gentleman, vol. 2, by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill (ABC)

Best New Series

•Fables, by Bill Willingham, Lan Medina, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC)

•Forlorn Funnies, by Paul Hornscheimeier (Absence of Ink)

•Gotham Central, by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, and Michael Lark (DC)

•Nowhere Girl, by Justine Shaw (nowheregirl.com)

•Y: The Last Man. by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, and Jose Marzan (Vertigo/DC)

Best Title for a Younger Audience

•Amelia Rules!, by Jimmy Gownley (Renaissance)

•Growing Up Enchanted, by Jack Briglio and Alex Szewczuk (Too Hip Gotta Go Graphics)

•Herobear and the Kid, by Mike Kunkel (Astonish Comics)

•Pinky & Stinky, by James Kochalka (Top Shelf)

•Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age, by Raymond Briggs (Knopf)

•Wind in the Willows, vol. 4, by Kenneth Grahame, adapted by Michel Plessix (NBM)

Best Humor Publication

•The Amazing Screw-On Head, by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)

•Dork, by Evan Dorkin (SLG)

•Fred the Clown, by Roger Langridge (Hotel Fred Press)

•The House at Maakies Corner, by Tony Millionaire (Fantagraphics)

•The Pro, by Garth Ennis, Amanda Conner, and Jimmy Palmiotti (Image)

•Zippy Annual 2002, by Bill Griffith (Fantagraphics)

Best Anthology

•Orchid, edited by Ben Catmull and Dylan Williams (Sparkplug)

•Rosetta: A Comics Anthology, edited by Ng Suat Tong (Alternative)

•SPX 2002 (CBLDF)

•Super Manga Blast, edited by Tim Ervin-Gore (Dark Horse)

Best Graphic Album—New

•Epileptic, vol. 1, by David B. (L'Association)

•Garlands of Moonlight, by Jai Sen and Rizky Wasisto Edi (Shoto Press)

•One! Hundred! Demons! by Lynda Barry (Sasquatch Books)

•Pulpatoon Pilgrimage, by Joel Priddy (AdHouse Books)

•The Yellow Jar, by Patrick Atangan (NBM)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint

•After the Snooter, by Eddie Campbell (Eddie Campbell Books)

•Batman: Black and White, vol. 2, edited by Mark Chiarello and Nick J. Napolitano (DC)

•Beg the Question, by Bob Fingerman (Fantagraphics)

•Bone: Treasure Hunters (Complete Bone Adventures, vol. 8), by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)

•Boulevard of Broken Dreams, by Kim Deitch (Pantheon)

•Fair Weather, by Joe Matt (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Archival Collection/Project

•The Complete Crumb Comics, vol. 16, by R. Crumb (Fantagraphics)

•Enemy Ace Archives, vol. 1, by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert (DC)

•Hysteria in Remission: The Comix and Drawings of Robert Williams, edited by Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)

•Krazy & Ignatz, by George Herriman (Fantagraphics)

•Sugar and Spike #1, by Sheldon Mayer (DC)

Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material

•Dead End, by Thomas Ott (Fantagraphics)

•Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, adapted by Jerry Kransky and Lorenzo Mattotti (NBM)

•Epileptic, vol. 1, by David B. (L'Association)

•Invisible Frontier, vol. 1, by Benoit Peeters and Francois Schuiten (NBM)

•Shhhh!, by Jason (Fantagraphics)

•Uzumaki, vols. 2-3, by Junji Ito (Viz)

Best Writer

•Brian Michael Bendis, Powers (Image); Alias, Daredevil, Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel)

•Ed Brubaker, Catwoman, Detective Comics, Gotham Central (DC)

•Bruce Jones, Incredible Hulk (Marvel)

•Greg Rucka, Queen & Country (Oni) Gotham Central, Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia (DC)

•Bill Willingham, Fables (Vertigo/DC)

Best Writer/Artist

•Jessica Abel, La Perdida (Fantagraphics)

•Patrick Antangan, The Yellow Jar (NBM)

•Lynda Barry, One! Hundred! Demons! (Sasquatch Books)

•Carla Speed McNeil, Finder (Lightspeed Press)

•Eric Shanower, Age of Bronze (Image)

Best Writer/Artist—Humor

•Kim Deitch, Stuff of Dreams (Fantagraphics)

•Derf (John Beckderf), Trashed: True Tales from the Back of a Garbage Truck (SLG)

•Roger Langridge, Fred the Clown (Hotel Fred Press)

•Tony Millionaire, House at Maakies Corner (Fantagraphics)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

•Seth Fisher, Vertigo Pop: Tokyo (Vertigo/DC); The Flash: Time Flies (DC)

•Brian Hitch/Andrew Currie, The Ultimates (Marvel)

•Michael Lark, Batman: Nine Lives; Gotham Central (DC)

•Kevin O'Neill, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (ABC)

•J. H. Williams III/Mick Gray, Promethea (ABC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)

•Eric Drooker, Blood Song (Harcourt)

•David Mack, Kabuki: The Ghost Play (Image)

•Lorenzo Mattotti, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (NBM)

•George Pratt, Wolverine Netsuke (Marvel)

Best Coloring

•Jeromy Cox, Promethea (ABC); Leave It to Chance (Image)

•Matt Hollingsworth, Alias, Daredevil (Marvel); The Filth #1–3 (Vertigo/DC); Batman: Nine Lives, Catwoman, Catwoman: Selina's Big Score (DC)

•Paul Hornschemeier, Forlorn Funnies (Absence of Ink)

•Laura DePuy Martin, Ruse (CrossGen)

•Patricia Mulvihill, Gotham Girls, Wonder Woman (DC); 100 Bullets, Hellblazer Special: Lady Constantine (Vertigo/DC)

•Dave Stewart, Hellboy: Third Wish, The Amazing Screw-on Head (Dark Horse) Star Wars: Empire (Dark Horse); Human Target: Final Cut, Doom Patrol (Vertigo/DC); Tom Strong (ABC); Captain America (Marvel)

Best Lettering

•Todd Klein, Dark Knight Strikes Again, Detective Comics, Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia (DC); Fables, Human Target: Final Cut (Vertigo/DC); League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Promethea, Tom Strong (ABC); Castle Waiting (Olio)

•Richard Starkings/Comicraft, Action Comics, Adventures of Superman, Batman, Legion, The Power Company, Supergirl, Superman, Wonder Woman (DC); The Crusades, Hunter: The Age of Magic, Lucifer, Vertigo Pop: Tokyo (Vertigo/DC); Wildcats version 3.0 (WildStorm); Decoy, Victorian (Penny Farthing); Hip Flask: Unnatural Selection (Comicraft)

•John Workman, Batman Family, Detective Comics, Orion, Superman: Day of Doom (DC);100% (Vertigo/DC)

Best Cover Artist

•Kaare Andrews, Incredible Hulk (Marvel)

•Adam Hughes, Wonder Woman (DC)

•Dave Johnson, Detective Comics (DC), 100 Bullets (Vertigo/DC)

•Terry Moore, Strangers in Paradise (Abstract Studio)

•J. H. Williams III, Promethea (ABC)

Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition

•Richard Hahn, Lumakick (Lumakick Studio)

•Myatt Murphy and Scott Dalrymple, Fade From Blue (Second 2 Some Studios)

•Tyler Page, Stylish Vittles (Demention Comics)

•Justine Shaw, Nowhere Girl (nowheregirl.com)

•Jason Shiga, Fleep (Absence of Ink)

Best Comics-Related Publication (Periodical or Book)

•B. Krigstein, vol. 1, by Greg Sadowski (Fantagraphics)

•Comic Art, edited by M. Todd Hignite (Comic Art)

•Curt Swan: A Life in Comics, by Eddie Zeno (Vanguard)

•The Imp #4, edited by Dan Raeburn (Daniel K. Raeburn)

•Rebel Visions: The Underground Comix Revolution, 1963–1975, by Patrick Rosenkrantz (Fantagraphics)

•Tintin: The Complete Companion, by M. Farr (Last Gasp)

Best Publication Design

•Batman: Nine Lives, designed by Amie Brockway-Metcalf (DC)

•Beg the Question, designed by Bob Fingerman (Fantagraphics)

•Corpus Monstrum, designed by Gary Gianni and Jim Keegan (Hieronymous Press)

•House at Maakies Corner, designed by Chip Kidd (Fantagraphics)

•One! Hundred! Demons!, designed by Lynda Barry (Sasquatch Books)

Hall of Fame

Judges' Choices:

•Herge

•Bernie Krigstein

Voters will select four from the following:

•Otto Binder

•Johnny Craig

•Reed Crandall

•Jack Davis

•Will Elder

•Al Feldstein

•Ramona Fradon

•René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo

•Floyd Gottfredson

•Robert Kanigher

•Jerry Robinson

•John Severin