Last year, Dark Horse was proud to have been associated with eight winning awards and hopes to increase the number for 2009.
On behalf of the employees and creators at Dark Horse, we would like to thank the Eisner Awards Organization, Administrator Jackie Estrada, and each and every person involved in promoting Dark Horse Comics, from creation to distribution to fans, we couldn’t do it without all of you.
2009 Eisner Awards Nominees
Best Short Story
“Actual Size” by Chris Ware in Kramers Ergot 7 (Buenaventura Press)
“Chechen War, Chechen Women” by Joe Sacco in I Live Here (Pantheon)
“Freaks” by Laura Park in Superior Showcase #3 (AdHouse)
“Glenn Ganges in ‘Pulverize’” by Kevin Huizenga in Ganges #2 (Fantagraphics)
“Murder He Wrote” by Ian Boothby, Nina Matsumoto, and Andrew Pepoy in The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror #14 (Bongo)
Best Continuing Series
All Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC)
Fables by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Niko Henrichon, Andrew Pepoy, and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)
Naoki Urasawa’s Monster by Naoki Urasawa (Viz)
Thor by J. Michael Straczynski, Olivier Coipel, Mark Morales, and various (Marvel)
Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)
Best Limited Series
Groo: Hell on Earth by Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier (Dark Horse)
Hellboy: The Crooked Man by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben (Dark Horse)
Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)
Omega the Unknown by Jonathan Lethem, Karl Rusnak, and Farel Dalrymple (Marvel)
The Twelve by J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Weston (Marvel)
Best New Series
Air by. G. Willow Wilson and M. K. Perker (Vertigo/DC)
Echo by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)
Invincible Iron Man by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larocca (Marvel)
Madame Xanadu by Matt Wagner, Amy Reeder Hadley, and Richard Friend (Vertigo/DC)
Unknown Soldier by Joshua Dysart and Alberto Ponticelli (Vertigo/DC)
Best Publication for Kids
Amulet, Book 1: The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kabuishi (Scholastic Graphix)
Cowa! by Akira Toriyama (Viz)
Princess at Midnight by Andi Watson (Image)
Stinky by Eleanor Davis (RAW Junior)
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)
Crogan’s Vengeance by Chris Schweizer (Oni)
The Good Neighbors, Book 1: Kin by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh (Scholastic Graphix)
Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale and Nathan Hale (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood Books)
Best Humor Publication
Arsenic Lullaby Pulp Edition No. Zero by Douglas Paszkiewicz (Arsenic Lullaby)
Chumble Spuzz by Ethan Nicolle (SLG)
Herbie Archives by “Sean O’Shea” (Richard E. Hughes) and Ogden Whitney (Dark Horse)
Petey and Pussy by John Kerschbaum (Fantagraphics)
Wondermark: Beards of Our Forefathers by David Malki (Dark Horse)
Best Anthology
An Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons, and True Stories Vol. 2 edited by Ivan Brunetti (Yale University Press)
Best American Comics 2008 edited by Lynda Barry (Houghton Mifflin)
Comic Book Tattoo: Narrative Art Inspired by the Lyrics and Music of Tori Amos edited by Rantz Hoseley (Image)
Kramers Ergot 7 edited by Sammy Harkham (Buenaventura Press)
MySpace Dark Horse Presents edited by Scott Allie and Sierra Hahn (Dark Horse)
Best Digital Comic
Bodyworld by Dash Shaw, www.dashshaw.com
Finder by Carla Speed McNeil, www.shadowlinecomics.com/webcomics/#/finder/
The Lady’s Murder by Eliza Frye, http://theladysmurder.elizafrye.com
Speak No Evil: Melancholy of a Space Mexican by Elan Trinidad, www.theoryofeverythingcomics.com/SNE/
Vs. by Alexis Sottile & Joe Infurnari, www.smithmag.net/nextdoorneighbor/2008/12/08/story-18/
Best Reality-Based Work
Alan’s War by Emmanuel Guibert (First Second)
Blue Pills: A Positive Love Story by Frederik Peeters (Houghton Mifflin)
Fishtown by Kevin Colden (IDW)
A Treasury of XXth Century Murder: The Lindbergh Child by Rick Geary (NBM)
What It Is by Lynda Barry (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Graphic Album -- New
Alan’s War by Emmanuel Guibert (First Second)
Paul Goes Fishing by Michel Rabagliati (Drawn & Quarterly)
Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood Books)
Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell (Top Shelf)
Three Shadows by Cyril Pedrosa (First Second)
Best Graphic Album -- Reprint
Berlin Book 2: City of Smoke by Jason Lutes (Drawn & Quarterly)
Hellboy Library Edition Vols. 1 and 2 by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)
Sam & Max Surfin’ the Highway Anniversary Edition by Steve Purcell (Telltale Games)
Skyscrapers of the Midwest by Joshua W. Cotter (AdHouse)
The Umbrella Academy Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite (limited edition hardcover) by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá (Dark Horse)
Best Archival Collection/Project – Strips
The Complete Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray (IDW)
Explainers by Jules Feiffer (Fantagraphics)
Little Nemo in Slumberland, Many More Splendid Sundays by Winsor McCay (Sunday Press Books)
Scorchy Smith and the Art of Noel Sickles (IDW)
Willie & Joe by Bill Mauldin (Fantagraphics)
Best Archival Collection/Project -- Comic Books
Breakdowns: Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*! by Art Spiegelman (Pantheon)
Creepy Archives by various (Dark Horse)
Elektra Omnibus by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz (Marvel)
Good-Bye by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)
Herbie Archives by “Sean O’Shea” (Richard E. Hughes) and Ogden Whitney (Dark Horse)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material
Alan’s War by Emmanuel Guibert (First Second)
Gus and His Gang by Chris Blain (First Second)
The Last Musketeer by Jason (Fantagraphics)
The Rabbi’s Cat 2 by Joann Sfar (Pantheon)
Tamara Drewe by Posy Simmonds (Mariner/Houghton Mifflin)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Japan
Cat Eyed Boy by Kazuo Umezu (Viz)
Dororo by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)
Naoki Urasawa’s Monster by Naoki Urasawa (Viz)
The Quest for the Missing Girl by Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
Solanin by Inio Asano (Viz)
Best Writer
Joe Hill, Lock & Key (IDW)
J. Michael Straczynski, Thor,
Mariko Tamaki, Skim (Groundwood Books)
Matt Wagner, Zorro (Dynamite); Madame Xanadu (Vertigo/DC)
Bill Willingham, Fables, House of Mystery (Vertigo/DC)
Best Writer/Artist
Ricky Geary, A Treasury of XXth Century Murder: The Lindbergh Child (NBM); J. Edgar Hoover (Hill & Wang)
Emmanuel Guibert, Alan’s War (First Second)
Jason Lutes, Berlin (Drawn & Quarterly)
Cyril Pedrosa, Three Shadows (First Second)
Nate Powell, Swallow Me Whole (Top Shelf)
Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library (Acme)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
Gabriel Bá, The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse)
Mark Buckingham/Steve Leialoha, Fables (Vertigo/DC)
Olivier Coipel/Mark Morales, Thor (Marvel)
Guy Davis, B.P.R.D. (Dark Horse)
Amy Reeder Hadley/Richard Friend, Madame Xanadu (Vertigo/DC)
Jillian Tamaki, Skim (Groundwood Books)
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist
Lynda Barry, What It Is (Drawn & Quarterly)
Eddie Campbell, The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard (First Second)
Enrico Casarosa, The Venice Chronicles (Ateliér Fio/AdHouse)
Scott Morse, Tiger! Tiger! Tiger! (Red Window)
Jill Thompson, Magic Trixie, Magic Trixie Sleeps Over (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Best Cover Artist
Gabriel Bá, Casanova (Image); The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse)
Jo Chen, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity (Dark Horse); Runaways (Marvel)
Amy Reeder Hadley, Madame Xanadu (Vertigo/DC)
James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse)
Matt Wagner, Zorro (Dynamite); Grendel: Behold the Devil (Dark Horse)
Best Coloring
Steve Hamaker, Bone: Ghost Circles, Bone: Treasure Hunters (Scholastic Graphix)
Trish Mulvihill, Joker (DC), 100 Bullets (Vertigo/DC)
Val Staples, Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon)
Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien: The Drowning, B.P.R.D., The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane, The Unbrella Academy (Dark Horse); Body Bags (Image); Captain America: White (Marvel)
Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #19 (Acme)
Best Lettering
Faryl Dalrymple, Omega: The Unknown (Marvel)
Jimmy Gownley, Amelia Rules! (Renaissance)
Scott Morse, Tiger! Tiger! Tiger! (Red Window)
Nate Powell, Swallow Me Whole (Top Shelf)
Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #19 (Acme)
Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
Comic Book Resources, produced by Jonah Weiland (www.comicbookresources.com)
The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth, Michael Dean, and Kristy Valenti (Fantagraphics)
The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon and Jordan Raphael (www.comicsreporter.com)
Comics Comics, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel (www.comicscomicsmag.com) (PictureBox)
Best Comics-Related Book
Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front by Todd DePastino (Norton)
Brush with Passion: The Art and Life of Dave Stevens, edited by Arnie and Cathy Fenner (Underwood)
Drawing Words and Writing Pictures by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden (First Second)
Kirby: King of Comics by Mark Evanier (Abrams)
The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America by David Hajdu (Picador/Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
Best Publication Design
Breakdowns: Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*! designed by Art Spiegelman (Pantheon)
Comic Book Tattoo designed by Tom Muller, art direction by Rantz Hoseley (Image)
Hellboy Library Editions designed by Cary Grazzini and Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)
What It Is designed by Lynda Barry (Drawn & Quarterly)
Willie and Joe designed by Jacob Covey (Fantagraphics)