The 2013 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Winners

'Saga', 'Building Stories', and David Aja Lead Honors

The winners of the 2013 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards were announced at a gala ceremony held during Comic-Con International: San Diego, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, on Friday, July 19. 

Best Short Story

• “A Birdsong Shatters the Still,” by Jeff Wilson and Ted May, in Injury #4 (Ted May/Alternative)
• “Elmview” by Jon McNaught, in Dockwood (Nobrow)  
• “Moon 1969: The True Story of the 1969 Moon Launch,” by Michael Kupperman, in Tales Designed to Thrizzle #8 (Fantagraphics)
• “Moving Forward,” by drewscape, in Monsters, Miracles, & Mayonnaise (Epigram Books)
• “Rainbow Moment,” by Lilli Carré, in Heads or Tails (Fantagraphics)
  

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)

• Lose #4: “The Fashion Issue,” by Michael DeForge (Koyama Press)
• The Mire, by Becky Cloonan (self-published)
• Pope Hats #3, by Ethan Rilly (AdHouse Books)
• Post York #1, by James Romberger and Crosby (Uncivilized Books)
• Tales Designed to Thrizzle #8, by Michael Kupperman (Fantagraphics)
  

Best Continuing Series

• Fatale, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)
• Hawkeye, by Matt Fraction and David Aja (Marvel)
• The Manhattan Projects, by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra (Image)
• Prophet, by Brandon Graham and Simon Roy (Image)
• Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)
  

Best New Series

• Adventure Time, by Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb (kaboom!)
• Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover (Monkeybrain)
• Fatale, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)
• Hawkeye, by Matt Fraction and David Aja (Marvel)
• Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)
  

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)

• Babymouse for President, by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Random House)
• Benny and Penny in Lights Out, by Geoffrey Hayes (Toon Books/Candlewick)
• Kitty & Dino, by Sara Richard (Yen Press/Hachette)
• Maya Makes a Mess, by Rutu Modan (Toon Books/Candlewick)
• Zig and Wikki in The Cow, by Nadja Spiegelman and Trade Loeffler (Toon Books/Candlewick)
  

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8-12)

• Adventure Time, by Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb (kaboom!)
• Amulet Book 5: Prince of the Elves, by Kazu Kibuishi (Scholastic)
• Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse, by Nate Cosby and Chris Eliopoulos (Archaia)
• Crogan’s Loyalty, by Chris Schweizer (Oni)
• Hilda and the Midnight Giant, by Luke Pearson (Nobrow)
• Road to Oz, by L. Frank Baum, adapted by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)
  
  

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)

• Adventure Time: Marceline and the Scream Queens, by Meredith Gran (kaboom!)
• Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller, by Joseph Lambert (Center for Cartoon Studies/Disney Hyperion)
• Ichiro, by Ryan Inzana (Houghton Mifflin)
• Spera, vol. 1, by Josh Tierney et al. (Archaia)
• A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle, adapted by Hope Larson (FSG)
  

Best Humor Publication

• Adventure Time, by Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb (kaboom!)
• BBXX: Baby Blues Decades 1 & 2, by Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman (Andrews McMeel)
• Darth Vader and Son, by Jeffrey Brown (Chronicle)
• Naked Cartoonists, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
  

Best Digital Comic

• Ant Comic, by Michael DeForge
• Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover
• It Will All Hurt, by Farel Dalrymple
• Our Bloodstained Roof, by Ryan Andrews
• Oyster War, by Ben Towle
  

Best Anthology

• Dark Horse Presents, edited by Mike Richardson (Dark Horse)
• No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics, edited by Justin Hall (Fantagraphics)
• Nobrow #7: Brave New World, edited by Alex Spiro and Sam Arthur (Nobrow)
• 2000 AD, edited by Matt Smith (Rebellion)
• Where Is Dead Zero?, edited by Jeff Ranjo (Where Is Dead Zero?)
  

Best Reality-Based Work (Tie)

• Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller, by Joseph Lambert (Center for Cartoon Studies/Disney Hyperion)
• The Carter Family: Don’t Forget This Song, by Frank M. Young and David Lasky (Abrams ComicArts)
• A Chinese Life, by Li Kunwu and P. Ôtié (Self Made Hero)
• The Infinite Wait and Other Stories, by Julia Wertz (Koyama Press)
• Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo & Me, by Ellen Forney (Gotham Books)
• You’ll Never Know, Book 3: A Soldier’s Heart, by C. Tyler (Fantagraphics)

Best Graphic Album—New

• Building Stories, by Chris Ware (Pantheon)
• Goliath, by Tom Gauld (Drawn & Quarterly)
• The Hive, by Charles Burns (Pantheon)
• Unterzakhn, by Leela Corman (Schocken)
• You’ll Never Know, Book 3: A Soldier’s Heart, by C. Tyler (Fantagraphics)
  

Best Adaptation from Another Medium

• Chico and Rita, by Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal (Self Made Hero)
• Homer’s Odyssey, adapted by Seymour Chwast (Bloomsbury)
• Richard Stark’s Parker: The Score, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
• Road to Oz, by L. Frank Baum, adapted by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)
• A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle, adapted by Hope Larson (FSG)
  

Best Graphic Album—Reprint

• Cruisin’ with the Hound, by Spain (Fantagraphics)
• Ed the Happy Clown, by Chester Brown (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Everything Together: Collected Stories, by Sammy Harkham (PictureBox)
• Heads or Tails, by Lilli Carré (Fantagraphics)
• King City, by Brandon Graham (TokyoPop/Image)
• Sailor Twain, or The Mermaid in the Hudson by Mark Siegel (First Second)
  
  
  

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips

• Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim, vol. 2, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
• Mister Twee Deedle: Raggedy Ann’s Sprightly Cousin, by Johnny Gruelle, edited by Rick Marschall (Fantagraphics)
• Percy Crosby’s Skippy, vol. 1, edited by Jared Gardner and Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
• Pogo, vol. 2: Bona Fide Balderdash, by Walt Kelly, edited by Carolyn Kelly and Kim Thompson (Fantagraphics)
• Roy Crane’s Captain Easy: The Complete Sunday Newspaper Strips, vol. 3, edited by Rick Norwood (Fantagraphics)
  

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books

• Crime Does Not Pay Archives, edited by Philip Simon and Kitchen, Lind & Associates (Dark Horse)
• David Mazzucchelli’s Daredevil Born Again: Artist’s Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
• Wally Wood’s EC Stories: Artist’s Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
• Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge: Only a Poor Old Man, by Carl Barks, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
• Young Romance: The Best of Simon & Kirby’s Romance Comics, edited by Michel Gagné (Fantagraphics)
  

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

• Abelard, by Régis Hautiere and Renaud Dillies (NBM)
• Athos in America, by Jason (Fantagraphics)
• Blacksad: Silent Hell, by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido (Dark Horse)
• The Making of, by Brecht Evens (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Monsieur Jean: The Singles Theory, by Philippe Dupuy and Charles Berberian (Humanoids)
• New York Mon Amour, by Benjamin LeGrand, Dominique Grange, and Jacques Tardi (Fantagraphics)
  

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

• Barbara, by Osamu Tezuka (Digital Manga)
• A Chinese Life, by Li Kunwu and P. Ôtié (Self Made Hero)
• Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)
• Nonnonba, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Thermae Romae, by Mari Yamazaki (Yen Press/Hachette)
  

Best Writer

• Ed Brubaker, Fatale (Image)
• Matt Fraction, Hawkeye  (Marvel); Casanova: Avaritia (Marvel Icon)
• Brandon Graham, Multiple Warheads, Prophet (Image)
• Jonathan Hickman, The Manhattan Projects (Image)
• Brian K. Vaughan, Saga (Image)
• Frank M. Young, The Carter Family (Abrams ComicArts)
  

Best Writer/Artist

• Charles Burns, The Hive (Pantheon)
• Gilbert Hernandez, Love and Rockets New Stories, vol. 5 (Fantagraphics)
• Jaime Hernandez, Love and Rockets New Stories, vol. 5 (Fantagraphics)
• Luke Pearson, Hilda and the Midnight Giant, Everything We Miss (Nobrow)
• C. Tyler, You’ll Never Know, Book 3: A Soldier’s Heart (Fantagraphics)
• Chris Ware, Building Stories (Pantheon)
  

Best Penciller/Inker (Tie)

• David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)
• Becky Cloonan, Conan the Barbarian (Dark Horse); The Mire (self-published)
• Colleen Coover, Bandette (Monkeybrain)
• Sean Phillips, Fatale (Image)
• Joseph Remnant, Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland (Zip Comics/Top Shelf)
• Chris Samnee, Daredevil (Marvel); Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom (IDW)
  
  

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)

• Brecht Evens, The Making Of (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Juanjo Guarnido, Blacksad (Dark Horse)
• Teddy Kristiansen, The Red Diary/The RE[a]D Diary (MAN OF ACTION/Image)
• Lorenzo Mattotti, The Crackle of the Frost (Fantagraphics)
• Katsuya Terada, The Monkey King vol. 2 (Dark Horse)
  

Best Cover Artist

• David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)
• Brandon Graham, King City, Multiple Warheads, Elephantmen #43 (Image)
• Sean Phillips, Fatale (Image)
• Yuko Shimizu, The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC)
• J, H. Williams III, Batwoman (DC)
  

Best Coloring

• Charles Burns, The Hive (Pantheon)
• Colleen Coover, Bandette (Monkeybrain)
• Brandon Graham, Multiple Warheads (Image)
• Dave Stewart, Batwoman (DC); Fatale  (Image); BPRD, Conan the Barbarian, Hellboy in Hell, Lobster Johnson, The Massive (Dark Horse)
• Chris Ware, Building Stories (Pantheon)

Best Lettering

• Paul Grist, Mudman (Image)
• Troy Little, Angora Napkin 2: Harvest of Revenge (IDW)
• Joseph Remnant, Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland (Zip Comics/Top Shelf)
• C. Tyler, You’ll Never Know, Book 3: A Soldier’s Heart (Fantagraphics)
• Chris Ware, Building Stories (Pantheon)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

• Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
• ComicsAlliance, edited by Joe Hughes, Caleb Goellner, and Andy Khouri
• The Comics Reporter, edited by Tom Spurgeon
• Robot Six, produced by Comic Book Resources
• tcj.com, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel (Fantagraphics)

Best Comics-Related Book

• The Art of Daniel Clowes: Modern Cartoonist, edited by Alvin Buenaventura (Abrams ComicArts)
• Marie Severin: The Mirthful Mistress of Comics, by Dewey Cassell (TwoMorrows)
• Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, by Sean Howe (HarperCollins)
• Mastering Comics, by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden (First Second)
• Team Cul De Sac: Cartoonists Draw the Line at Parkinson’s, edited by Chris Sparks (Andrews McMeel)
• Woodwork: Wallace Wood 1927–1981, edited by Frédéric Manzano (CasalSolleric/IDW)

Best Educational/Academic Work

• Autobiographical Comics: Life Writing in Pictures, by Elisabeth El Refaie (University Press of Mississippi)
• Comics Versus Art, by Bart Beaty (University of Toronto Press)
• Crockett Johnson & Ruth Krauss: How an Unlikely Couple Found Love, Dodged the FBI, and Transformed Children’s Literature, by Philip Nel (University Press of Mississippi)
• Lynda Barry: Girlhood Through the Looking Glass, by Susan E. Kirtley (University Press of Mississippi)
• The Poetics of Slumberland: Animated Spirits and the Animating Spirit, by Scott Bukatman (University of California Press)

Best Publication Design

• Building Stories, designed by Chris Ware (Pantheon)
• Dal Tokyo, designed by Gary Panter and Family Sohn (Fantagraphics)
• David Mazzucchelli’s Daredevil Born Again: Artist’s Edition, designed by Randy Dahlk (IDW)
• Mister Twee Deedle: Raggedy Ann’s Sprightly Cousin, designed by Tony Ong (Fantagraphics)
• Wizzywig, designed by Ed Piskor and Chris Ross (Top Shelf)

Hall of Fame: Lee Falk, Al Jaffee, Mort Meskin, Trina Robbins, Spain Rodriguez, Joe Sinnott

Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award: Russel Roehling

Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: Chris Sparks and Team Cul deSac

Bill Finger Excellence in Comic Book Writing Award: Steve Gerber, Don Rosa

Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award: Challengers Comics + Conversation, Chicago, IL

- Source: Comic-Con