The 1999 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award nominations are out and Dark Horse Comics has been nominated for 30 Eisner Awards, making this the most nominations we've received in a single year.

Created more than a decade ago, the Eisner Awards honor excellence in the comic book industry. There are 28 categories, ranging from Best Single Issue to Best Publication Design and even a Hall of Fame, all of which pay tribute to the finest talents in the comic book industry.

Awards will be presented at the San Diego Comic Convention held in August, 1999.

Our nominees are:

Best Short Story:
"Devil's Advocate," by Matt Wagner and Tim Sale, Grendel: Black, White, and Red #1 "Invincible Man and Nifty Boy," by Bob Burden, Flaming Carrot's Greatest Hits, vol. 3
The Clowns (I Pagliacci) by P. Craig Russell and Galen Showman

Best Serialized Story:
Usagi Yojimbo #13-22: "Grasscutter," by Stan Sakai

Best Limited Series:
Grendel: Black, White, and Red, by Matt Wagner and various artists
300, by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley

Best Humor Publication:
Sergio Aragonés Groo, by Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier

Best Anthology:
Grendel: Black, White, and Red, by Matt Wagner, ed. by Diana Schutz

Best Graphic Album-Reprint:
Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others, by Mike Mignola
Booze, Broads, and Bullets, by Frank Miller

Best Archival Collection/Project:
Flaming Carrot's Greatest Hits, vol. 3, by Bob Burden

Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material:
Blade of the Immortal, by Hiroaki Samura
Intron Depot 2-Blades,by Masamune Shirow
Star Wars: A New Hope-Manga, by Hisao Tamaki

Best Writer:
Matt Wagner, Grendel: Black, White, and Red

Best Writer/Artist:
Frank Miller, 300
Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team:
Claudio Castellini, "Predator: Demon's Gold," Dark Horse Presents #137,
Tim Sale, Superman for All Seasons (DC); Grendel: Black, White, and Red #1 (Dark Horse)

Best Coloring:
Lynn Varley, 300

Best Lettering:
Sean Konot, Grendel: Black, White, and Red; Star Wars: Crimson Empire
Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo; Sergio Aragonés Groo; Sergio Aragonés' Boogeyman,; Sergio Aragonés' Dia de los Muertos

Best Cover Artist:
Glenn Fabry, Preacher; Hellblazer (Vertigo/DC); Aliens vs. Predator: Eternal, (Dark Horse)
Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, 300

Best Comics-Related Book:
Comics: Between the Panels by Steve Duin and Mike Richardson
Intron Depot 2-Blades, by Masamune Shirow

Best Comics-Related Product/Item:
300 limited-edition lithograph by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley

Best Comics-Related Sculpted Figures:
Ghost action figure, sculpted by Steve Kiwus, produced by Dark Horse
Hellboy statue, sculpted by Randy Bowen, produced by Bowen Designs

Best Publication Design:
Comics: Between the Panels, designed by Tom Gould