Eisner’s According to Me
I’ll briefly touch on the categories I care about or have read.
Best Publication for Kids – Tiny Titans, by Art Baltazar and Franco (DC)
I was kind of shocked that this won over The Amulet but Tiny Titans is a great comic for kids.
Best Publication for Teens/Tweens – Coraline, by Neil Gaiman, adapted by P. Craig Russell (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Ugh.. I, personally, hate the artwork in this adaptation. I don’t think it suits the story. Also, how it won over choices like Skim or The Good Neighbors is kind of a mystery. I would really like to know what was discussed that put Coraline over the top.
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist - Jill Thompson, Magic Trixie, Magic Trixie Sleeps Over (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Neat! This is a charming work and I’m glad to see it recognized.
Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Japan – Dororo, by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)
Or, in other words, manga. I love Monster. As one of my friends puts it, I want to take Monster underneath the bleachers and make out with it. But if something had to beat it, Dororo is a good choice.
Best Writer – Bill Willingham, Fables, House of Mystery (Vertigo/DC)
Duh.
Best Continuing Series – All Star Superman. by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC)
Monster loses again.
Best Anthology – Comic Book Tattoo: Narrative Art Inspired by the Lyrics and Music of Tori Amos, edited by Rantz Hoseley (Image)
This is a gorgeous book, just really beautiful.
Best Graphic Album—New – Swallow Me Whole, by Nate Powell (Top Shelf)
What’s a graphic album?
Eisner Winners Announced
Eisner Award Winners are announce on The Beat.
What do you think? I’ll have my reaction and others’ tomorrow!
The One Where I Finally Talk about the Eisners
Though I’m not sure what I can say that hasn’t already been said. Lots more people put a lot more thought into this than me. People like David Welsh, Simon Jones, Brigid Alverson, Noah Berlatsky – just to name a few. So I’m not going to get into the inner workings of the awards. Partly, cause I don’t care. Having been on a list committee and knowing some Eisner judges I think awards are just supposed to be fun and kind of stupid. They are designed to have things get overlooked or missed completely. They are set up so that someone loses or doesn’t make the list. They are, of course, completely subjective. What they do is get people talking or reading or wanting to make cool stickers to stick on the winners and hold banquets and I am for each and every one of those things. I’m also a fan of the run on sentance…where’s my award?
Thank you Eisner judges for working so hard and giving us your best! Yea!
So instead of analyzing and probably not getting anywhere since the above mentioned really covered it waaaayyy better than me. I’m just going to fangirl out and give you my Tohru Honda reactions.
Best Short Story – I have nothing to say on this matter since I really didn’t read any of these nor do I like short stories in any form. Well, I do like them but in small doses. *snort*
Best Continueing Series – Monster! No, Fables! No, wait, Monster! Maybe All-Star Superman? Ok, I’m settling on Monster mainly because, while I love Fables, the last volume was a little disappointing.
Best Limited Series – Locke & Key
Best New Series – Gotta be Terry Moore’s Echo. So cool. Although I have a friend who swears that Madame Xanadu is the best thing ever.
Best Publication for Kids - Amulet, hands down. I love love love this book. The artwork is so cinematic!
Best Publication for Teens – Skim, man those otherd don’t even stand a chance. Ok, so I said I wasn’t going to get all into the inner workings or criticizing the judges but this is what they come up with in the teen category? Really? Skim aside, I can easily think of at least 10 better picks.
Best Humor Publication/ Best Anthology – I didn’t read any of these… though I would put money on Kramer’s Ergot 7.
ditto on Best Digital Comic/ Best Reality Based Work – hey, I can’t read them all people! I have read some of the Treasury of Century Murder series and find them ok.
Best Graphic Album – I’m going with Skim again though these all look good.
Best Graphi Album -reprint – UMBRELLA ACADEMY YES!
Best Archival/ Best U.S. Edition of International Material – meh on both categories. I don’t like old stuff (this includes movies, tv shows, history before indoor plumbing) and I don’t typically like the styles of comics in other Western countries.
Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Japan – aha! Now this is another story. I’m going to pick Solanin. Monster can win best series. I know there’s massive amounts of love for the weird Dororo but I would have preferred a nod to Black Jack.
Best Writer – Bill Willingham. I loved the writing in Skim but man, I love Willingham’s imagination even more.
Best Writer/Artist – Even though I haven’t read all of Swallow me Whole, just seen previews, I’m going to say Nate Powell.
The rest of the categories are important because they recognize hard work and talent. However, they are not as fun to jump around about so I’m not going to make any predictions. Sorry inkers! Sorry publications about publications! Um, you did really good work, really – I just… kinda… boring.. stuff..
Sorry!
Ok, your turn, who do you pick?
