And The 2025 Eisner Goes To….

The 37th annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony will be held Friday night, July 25 in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront, just a short walk south from the Convention Center.

Named for the pioneering comics creator and graphic novelist Will Eisner, the Eisner Awards, considered the “Oscars” of the comic book industry, will be given out in 32 categories for works published in 2024.

Hosting the ceremony this year are voice actor Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Samurai Jack, Justice League) and comics artist/writer/editor Bill Morrison (The Simpsons, Futurama).

Presenters included:

• actor/comedian/comics writer Patton Oswalt
• actress/stuntwoman Janeshia Adams-Ginyard (Black Panther, Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
• producer/writer Steven L. Sears (Xena: Warrior Princess, Swamp Thing, Sheena)
• actor/voice actor Keone Young (Deadwood, Ultraman Rising, Avatar: The Last Airbender);
• actress Chase Masterson (Leeta on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
• actor/comics writer David Dastmalchian (Suicide Squad, Murderbot, Count Crowley)

Matt and Chad chat some upcoming new before discussing the 2025 Eisner nominees and did so-so on our picks:

Best Writer

• Tom King, Archie: The Decision (Archie); Animal Pound (BOOM! Studios); Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse); Jenny Sparks, The Penguin, Wonder Woman (DC)
• Ram V, Rare Flavours (BOOM! Studios); Dawnrunner (Dark Horse); The One Hand (Image); Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! (Image Skybound)
• Kelly Thompson, Absolute Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey (DC); Scarlett (Image Skybound); Venom War: It’s Jeff #1 (Marvel)
• James Tynion IV, Something Is Killing the Children, Wynd (BOOM! Studios); Blue Book, The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos (Dark Horse); Spectregraph (DSTLRY); The Department of Truth, The Deviant, WORLDTR33 (Image)
• Gene Luen Yang, Lunar New Year Love Story (First Second/Macmillan) – Winner

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Best Writer/Artist

• Charles Burns, Kommix (Fantagraphics); Final Cut (Pantheon); Unwholesome Love (co-published with Partners & Son) – Winner
• Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two (Fantagraphics)
• Jon Macy, Djuna (Street Noise Books)
• Paco Roca, Return to Eden (Fantagraphics)
• Olivier Schrauwen, Sunday (Fantagraphics)
• Maria Sweeney, Brittle Joints (Street Noise Books)

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Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

• Filipe Andrade, Rare Flavours (BOOM! Studios)
• Nick Dragotta, Absolute Batman (DC)
• Bilquis Evely, Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse) – Winner
• Manu Larcenet, The Road (Abrams ComicArts)
• Javier Rodriguez, Zatanna: Bring Down the House (DC)
• LeUyen Pham, Lunar New Year Love Story (First Second/Macmillan)

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Best Painter/Multimedia Artist

• Federico Bertolucci, Donald Duck: Vacation Parade (Fantagraphics)
• Leela Corman, Victory Parade (Pantheon)
• Benjamin Flao The Hidden Life of Trees (Greystone)
• Merwan, Aster of Pan (Magnetic Press)
• Eduardo Risso, The Blood Brothers Mother (DSTLRY) – Winner
• Maria Sweeney, Brittle Joints (Street Noise Books)

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Best Cover Artist

• Juni Ba, The Boy Wonder (DC); Godzilla Skate or Die, TMNT Nightwatcher and others (IDW)
• Evan Cagle, Dawnrunner (Dark Horse), New Gods, Detective Comics
• Bilquis Evely, Animal Pound (BOOM!); Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse)
• Tula Lotay, Helen of Wyndhorn #1, Count Crowley: Mediocre Midnight Monster Hunter #3, Dawnrunner #1, Barnstormers TPB (Dark Horse); Somna, Groupies (DSTLRY); The Horizon Experiment (Image) – Winner
• Hayden Sherman, Absolute Wonder Woman, Batman: Dark Patterns, Superman, Ape-ril, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) (DC)

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Best Coloring

• Jordie Bellaire, Absolute Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey, John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America, The Nice House by the Sea (DC); The City Beneath Her Feet (DSTLRY); The Exorcism at 1600 Penn (IDW); W0rldtr33 (Image); G.I. Joe, Duke (Image Skybound) – Winner
• Matheus Lopes, Batman & Robin: Year One (DC); Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse)
• Justin Prokowich, Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze (Titan Comics)
• Javier Rodriguez, Zatanna: Bring Down the House) (DC)
• Dave Stewart, Dawnrunner, Free Comic Book Day Comic 2024 [general], The Serpent in the Garden, Hellboy, Hellboy and the BPRD, Paranoid Gardens, Shaolin Cowboy Cruel to Be Kin Silent but Deadly Edition (Dark Horse); Ultramega, Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! (Image Skybound)
• Quentin Zuttion, All Princesses Die Before Dawn (Abrams ComicArts); Beauty Salon (Europe Comics)

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Best Lettering

• Becca Carey, Absolute Superman, Absolute Wonder Woman, Plastic Man No More! (DC); Radiant Black, Rogue Sun (Image); When the Blood Has Dried, Murder Kingdom (Mad Cave Studios)
• Leela Corman, Victory Parade (Pantheon)
• Clayton Cowles, Animal Pound (BOOM! Studios); FML, Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse); Absolute Batman, Batman, Batman & Robin: Year One, Birds of Prey, Jenny Sparks, Wonder  Woman (DC); Strange Academy, Venom (Marvel) – Winner
• Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Book Two (Fantagraphics)

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Best Single Issue/One-Shot

• Abortion Pill Zine: A Community Guide to Misoprostol and Mifepristone by Isabella Rotman, Marnie Galloway, and Sage Coffey (Silver Sprocket)
• Ice Cream Man #39: “”Decompression in a Wreck, Part One,” by W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo (Image Comics)
• PeePee PooPoo #1, by Caroline Cash (Silver Sprocket)
• Sunflowers, by Keezy Young (Silver Sprocket)
• Unwholesome Love, by Charles Burns (co-published with Partners and Son)
• The War on Gaza, by Joe Sacco (Fantagraphics) – Winner

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Best New Series

• Absolute Batman, by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta (DC) (The Comic Watchers – Episode 254: Scott Snyder Goes All-In With Absolute Batman & DC Comics)
• Absolute Wonder Woman, by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman (DC) (Comic Watchers Episode 219: Sugar, Spice, Eveything Nice & More With Kelly Thompson) – Winner
• Minor Arcana, by Jeff Lemire (BOOM! Studios)
• The Pedestrian, by Joey Esposito and Sean Von Gorman (Magma Comix) (Comic Watchers Episode 222: Watch Out For The Pedestrian With Joey Esposito and Sean Von Gorman (Of Comics) )
• The Power Fantasy, by Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard (Image)
• Uncanny Valley, by Tony Fleecs and Dave Wachter (BOOM! Studios) ( Comic Watchers: Step into the Uncanny Valley With TONY FLEECS and DAVE WACHTER!)

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Best Continuing Series

• The Department of Truth, by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds (Image)
• Detective Comics: Detective Comics, by Ram V, Tom Taylor, Riccardo Federici, Stefano Raffaele, Javier Fernandez, Christian Duce, March, and Mikel Janín (DC)
• Fantastic Four, by Ryan North, Carlos Gomez, Ivan Fiorelli, and others (Marvel)
• Santos Sisters, by Greg & Fake, Graham Smith, Dave Landsberger, and Marc Koprinarov (Floating World) – Winner
• Ultimate Spider-Man, by Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto, and David Messina (Marvel)
• Wonder Woman, by Tom King and Daniel Sampere (DC)

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Best Limited Series

• Alan Scott: The Green Lantern, by Tim Sheridan and Cian Tormey (DC) (NYCC 2024 Interview With Tim Sheridan)
• Animal Pound, by Tom King and Peter Gross (BOOM! Studios)
• The Deviant, by James Tynion IV and Joshua Hixson (Image)
• Helen of Wyndhorn. by Tom King and Bilquis Evely (Dark Horse)
• Rare Flavours, by Ram V and Filipe Andrade (BOOM! Studios)
• Zatanna: Bring Down the House, by Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodriguez (DC) – Winner

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Best Anthology

• EC Cruel Universe, edited by Sierra Hahn and Matt Dryer (Oni Press)
• Godzilla’s 70th Anniversary, edited by Jake Williams and others (IDW) – Winner
• Now: The New Comics Anthology #13, edited by Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)
• Peep #1, edited by Sammy Harkham and Steve Weissman (Brain Dead/Kyle Ng)
• So Buttons #14: “Life and Death,” by Jonathan Baylis and various artists (So Buttons Comix)

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Best Digital Comic

• The Beauty Salon, based on the novella by Mario Bellatin, adapted by Quentin Zuttion; translated by M. B. Valente (Europe Comics)
• Beyond the Sea, by Anaïs Flogny; translated by Dan Christensen (Europe Comics)
• Gonzo: Fear and Loathing in America, by Morgan Navarro; translated by Tom Imber (Europe Comics)
• My Journey to Her, by Yuna Hirasawa (Kodansha) – Winner
• The Spider and the Ivy, by Grégoire Carle; translated by M. B. Valente (Europe Comics)

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Best Webcomic

• The Accidental Undergrad, by Christian Giroux, https://solrad.co/tag/the-accidental-undergrad (Fieldmouse Press)
• Life After Life, by Joshua Barkman, https://falseknees.com/comics/24ink1.html (False Knees) – Winner
• Motherlover, by Lindsay Ishihiro, https://motherlovercomic.com (Iron Circus) Practical Defence Against Piracy, by Tony Cliff, https://www.delilahdirk.com/dd4/dd4-p188.html
• Rigsby WI, by S. E. Case, https://rigsbywi.com (Iron Circus)

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Best Humor Publication

• Adulthood is a Gift! by Sarah Andersen (Andrews McMeel)
• Forces of Nature, by Edward Steed (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Kids Are Still Weird: And More Observations from Parenthood, by Jeffrey Brown (NBM)
• A Pillbug Story, by Allison Conway (Black Panel Press)
• Processing: 100 Comics That Got Me Through It, by Tara Booth (Drawn & Quarterly) – Winner

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Best Graphic Memoir

• Degrees of Separation: A Decade North of 60, by Alison McCreesh (Conundrum)
• Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir, by Tessa Hulls (MCD/Farrar, Straus & Giroux) – Winner
• The Field, by David Lapp (Conundrum)
• I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together: A Memoir, by Maurice Vellekoop (Pantheon)
• Something, Not Nothing: A Story of Grief and Love, by Sarah Leavitt (Arsenal Pulp Press)

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Best Reality-Based Work

• Djuna, by Jon Macy (Street Noise Books)
• The Heart That Fed: A Father, a Son, and the Long Shadow of War, by Carl Sciacchitano (Gallery 13/S&S)
• The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C. S. Lewis & J. R. R. Tolkien, by John Hendrix (Abrams Fanfare)
• The Puerto Rican War: A Graphic History, by John Vasquez Mejias (Union Square)
• Suffrage Song: The Haunted History of Gender, Race, and Voting Rights in the U.S., by Caitlin Cass (Fantagraphics) – Winner

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Best Short Story

• “Anything Sinister,” by Ross Murray, in NOW #13 (Fantagraphics)
• “Day 1703,” by Chris Ware, in Smoke Signal #43 (Desert Island)
• “Pig” by Stacy Gougoulis, in NOW #13 (Fantagraphics)
• “Spaces,” by Phil Jimenez, in DC Pride 2024 #1 (DC) – Winner
• “Water I’ve Loved: Moving Day” by Pam Wye, in MUTHA magazine, https://www.muthamagazine.com/2024/05/water-ive-loved-moving-day/
• “You Cannot Live on Bread Alone” by Kayla E., in NOW #13 (Fantagraphics)

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Best Publication for Teens

• Ash’s Cabin, by Jen Wang (First Second/Macmillan)
• Big Jim and the White Boy, by David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson (Ten Speed Graphic) (NYCC 2024 – Big Jim Interview)
• The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag (Scholastic)
• The Gulf, by Adam de Souza (Tundra)
• Lunar New Year Love Story, by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham (First Second/Macmillan) – Winner
• Out of Left Field, by Jonah Newman (Andrews McMeel)

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Best Publication for Early Readers

• Bog Myrtle, by Sid Sharp (Annick Press)
• Club Microbe, by Elise Gravel, translated by Montana Kane (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Hilda and Twig Hide from the Rain, by Luke Pearson (Flying Eye) – Winner
• Night Stories, by Liniers (Astra Books)
• Poetry Comics, by Grant Snider (Chronicle Books)

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Best Publication for Kids

• How It All Ends, by Emma Hunsinger (Greenwillow/HarperCollins Early Readers)
• Next Stop, by Debbie Fong (Random House Graphic/Random House Children’s Books)
• Plain Jane and the Mermaid, by Vera Brosgol (First Second/Macmillan) – Winner
• Weirdo, by Tony Weaver Jr. and Jes & Cin Wibowo (First Second/Macmillan)
• Young Hag and the Witches’ Quest, by Isabel Greenberg (Abrams Fanfare)

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Best Graphic Album—New

• Final Cut, by Charles Burns (Pantheon)
• Lunar New Year Love Story, by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham (First Second/Macmillan) – Winner
• My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two, by Emil Ferris (Fantagraphics)
• Sunday, by Olivier Schrauwen (Fantagraphics)
• Victory Parade, by Leela Corman (Pantheon)

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Best Graphic Album—Reprint

• Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story, by Patrick McDonnell (Abrams ComicArts)
• Lackadaisy, vols. 1–2, by Tracy J. Butler (Iron Circus)
• The One Hand and The Six Fingers, by Ram V, Dan Watters, Laurence Campbell, and Sumit Kumar (Image) – Winner
• Rescue Party: A Graphic Anthology of COVID Lockdown, edited by Gabe Fowler (Pantheon)
• Seattle Samurai: A Cartoonist’s Perspective of the Japanese American Experience, by Kelly Goto and Sam Goto (Chin Music Press)
• UM Volume One, by buttercup (Radiator Comics)

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Best Adaptation from Another Medium

• Thomas Piketty’s Capital & Ideology: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, by Clare Alot and Benjamin Adam (Abrams ComicArts)
• The Hidden Life of Trees, by Peter Wohlleben, adapted by Benjamin Flao and Fred Bernard (Greystone)
• The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, adapted by Manu Larcenet (Abrams) – Winner
• Winnie-the-Pooh, by A. A. Milne, adapted by Travis Dandro (Drawn & Quarterly)
• The Worst Journey in the World, Volume 1: Making Our Easting Down, by Apsley Cherry-Garrard, adapted by Sarah Airriess (Iron Circus)

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Best U.S. Edition of International Material

• All Princesses Die Before Dawn, by Quentin Zuttion (Abrams ComicArts)
• The Jellyfish, by Boum, translated by Robin Lang and Helge Dascher (Pow Pow Press) – Winner
• Mothballs, by Sole Otero; translated by Andrea Rosenberg (Fantagraphics)
• Return to Eden, by Paco Roca; translated by Andrea Rosenberg (Fantagraphics)
• Sunday, by Olivier Schrauwen (Fantagraphics)

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Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

• Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, by Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba, translated by Asa Yonola (Kodansha)
• Hereditary Triangle, by Fumiya Hayashi, translated by Alethea and Athena Nibley (Yen Press)
• Kagurabachi, vol. 1, by Takeru Hokazono, translated by Camellia Nieh (VIZ Media)
• Last Quarter, vol. 1, by Ai Yazawa, translated by Max Greenway (VIZ Media)
• Search and Destroy vol. 1, by Atsushi Kaneko, based on the work of Osamu Tezuka; translated by Ben Applegate (Fantagraphics)
• Tokyo These Days, vols. 1–3, by Taiyo Matsumoto, translated by Michael Arias (VIZ Media) – Winner

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Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips

• All In Line, by Saul Steinberg (New York Review Books)
• Frank Johnson, Secret Pioneer of American Comics, vol. 1, edited by Chris Byrne and Keith Mayerson (Fantagraphics)
• Stan Mack’s Real-Life Funnies: The Collected Conceits, Delusions, and Hijinks of New Yorkers from 1974 to 1995, by Stan Mack, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
• Thorn: The Complete Proto-BONE College Strips 1982–1986, and Other Early Drawings, by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books) – Winner

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Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books

• The Complete Web of Horror, edited by Dana Marie Andra (Fantagraphics)
• David Mazzucchelli’s Batman Year One Artist’s Edition, by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW) – Winner
• DC Comics Style Guide (Standards Manual)
• The Farewell Song of Marcel Labrume, by Attilio Micheluzzi, edited by Gary Groth and Conrad Groth, translated by Jamie Richards (Fantagraphics)
• Wally Wood from Witzend: Complete Collection, commentary by J. David Spurlock (Vanguard)
• X-Men: The Manga Remastered, vol. 1, edited by David Brothers, designed by Fawn Lau (VIZ Media)

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Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

• The Beat, edited by Heidi MacDonald and others,, https://www.comicsbeat.com – Winner
• ICv2: The Business of Pop Culture, edited by Milton Griepp, icv2.com
• INKS, The Journal of the Comics Studies Society, edited by Susan Kirtley (Ohio State University Press)
• SOLRAD: The Online Literary Magazine for Comics, edited by Daniel Elkin, www.solrad.co (Fieldmouse Press)
• Zdarsky Comics News, edited by Allison O’Toole (Chip Zdarsky)

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Best Comics-Related Book

• American Comic Book Chronicles: 1945-49, by Keith Dallas, John Wells, Richard Arndt, and Kurt Mitchell (TwoMorrows)
• Kate Carew: America’s First Great Woman Cartoonist, by Eddie Campbell with Christine Chambers (Fantagraphics)
• Q&A, by Adrian Tomine (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Reading Love and Rockets, by Marc Sobel (Fantagraphics)
• Tell Me a Story Where the Bad Girl Wins: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund, by Caitlin McGurk (Fantagraphics) – Winner
• Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: The Ultimate History, edited by Daniel Kothenschulte with text by David Gerstein and J. B. Kaufman (TASCHEN)

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Best Academic/Scholarly Work

• Comics and Modernism: History, Form, and Culture, edited by Jonathan Najarian (University Press of Mississippi)
• Drawing (in) the Feminine: Bande Dessinée and Women, edited by Margaret C. Flinn (Ohio State University Press) – Winner
• From Gum Wrappers to Richie Rich: The Materiality of Cheap Comics, by Neale Barnholden (University Press of Mississippi)
• Petrochemical Fantasies: The Art and Energy of American Comics, by Daniel Worden (Ohio State University Press)
• Singular Sensations: A Cultural History of One-Panel Comics in the United States, by Michelle Ann Abate (Rutgers University Press)

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Best Publication Design

• Bill Ward: The Fantagraphics Studio Edition, designed by Kayla E. (Fantagraphics)
• Brian Bolland: Batman The Killing Joke and Other Stories & Art, Gallery Edition, designed by Josh Beatman (Graphitti Designs)
• David Mazzucchelli’s Batman Year One Artist’s Edition, designed by Chip Kidd (IDW) – Winner
• One Bite at a Time, designed by Ryan Claytor (Elephant Eater Comics)
• Scott Pilgrim 20th Anniversary Color Hardcover Box Set, designed by Patrick Crotty (Oni Press)
• Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: The Ultimate History, designed by Anna-Tina Kessler (TASCHEN)

Congratulations and thanks to the nominees and winners for a year of great content.