Oklahoma City artist Eric Sandhop illustrated this page from "Popgun" Vol. 4.

Three comic-book creators with Oklahoma ties are among the nominees for the Harvey Awards, comic-book awards selected exclusively by comic-book creators.

The awards will be presented as part of the 2011 Baltimore Comic-Con on Aug. 20 in Baltimore, Md.

Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, the awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art.

Brian Winkeler, of Yukon; Dave Curd, formerly of Edmond, and Eric Sandhop, of Oklahoma City, are part of the anthology “Popgun” Vol. 4, nominated in the best anthology category. They create the comic “Bastard Road,” about the postapocalyptic wanderings of an amnesiac warrior.

“We’re very excited about Popgun 4′s Harvey nominations, especially since this volume features the most Bastard Road ever: 28 pages of comics by me, co-creator Dave Curd and special guest artist Eric Sandhop,” Winkeler said. “We’ve got big plans in the works for Bastard Road, and these nominations are a great way to gear up for the fun stuff we’ve got coming up!”

“Popgun” Vol. 4, published by Image Comics, also is nominated in the best single issue or story category in the Harvey Awards.

Former Norman resident David Gallaher writes the comic “Box 13,” which received nominations for best inker, for Steve Ellis, and best letterer, for Scott Brown.

The nominees and winners are selected by working professionals in the comics industry. Final ballots are due by Aug. 6.

IDW led all nominees with 16 nominations, including three for “Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer: Artist’s Edition,” a high-end reprinting of the late Stevens’ best-known work. “Parker: The Outfit,” an adaptation of the Richard Stark novel by Darwyn Cooke, received five nominations, also from IDW.

Marvel Comics and Image Comics each had 12 nominations. Five of Image’s nominations were for the Top Cow imprint of Marc Silvestri. DC Comics had 11 nominations, with seven of those coming for its Vertigo imprint. And Dark Horse had seven nominations.

More than 30 publishers were nominated for Harvey Awards.

- By Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Trickster: Native American Tales

The 2011 Eisner Award nominees have been announced, and a few nominees have Oklahoma connections.

“Trickster: Native American Tales,” edited by Matt Dembicki for Fulcrum Books, features the work of multiple Oklahomans and is nominated in the best anthology category.

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are intended to honor the best in the comic-book industry. They have been awarded since 1990.

The “Trickster” anthology adapts 21 American Indian folkloric tales.

More than 40 people contributed to the anthology as a writer or artist. Joyce Bear, Roy Boney Jr., Greg Rodgers, Michael Thompson and Tim Tingle are contributors to the “Trickster” anthology with roots in Oklahoma.

Author and Choctaw storyteller Rodgers, of Warr Acres, contributed the tale “Giddy Up, Wolfie” with artist Mike Short.

Greg RodgersShort.

“It’s a story that I’ve been telling for several years, one of many,” he said. “It was traditional Choctaw, it had different kind of animals. It was a story that I told that was a trickster tale, and a story that I knew real well. … Out of all the stories, I thought it would be the best one (to) translate to that kind of format.”

It’s the first comic-book story by Rodgers, who is a writer, storyteller, workshop presenter and oral historian who began his career under the mentorship of Choctaw storyteller and author Tingle.

“As a storyteller and a writer, one of the things I do is try to create mental images using words.” Rodgers said. “But to actually see someone else take those words and create images and have that interplay was just a unique and fun experience.”

In the awards as a whole, the most-nominated book of 2011 is “Return of the Dapper Men,” a fantasy hardcover from Archaia by writer Jim McCann and artist Janet Lee.

DC Comics led all publishers with 14 nominations; Fantagraphics and Drawn & Quarterly followed with 11 each.

Ballots will go out in mid-April to voters, which include comic-book creators, editors, publishers and retailers. The results will be announced July 22 at Comic-Con International in San Diego.

The Eisner Awards are named for Will Eisner, creator of “The Spirit.”

- by Matthew Price
WORD BALLOONS
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

Natalie Portman won the Oscar for best Actress at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards

Natalie Portman, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress at last night’s Oscars, will be seen this summer as Jane Foster in “Thor,” starring Chris Hemsworth.  Portman, who appeared in a purple dress by Rodarte, with Tiffany jewels, won the award for “Black Swan,” directed by Darren Aronofsky.

Portman joins a short list of actresses with Academy Awards who have appeared in superhero films.   Anna Paquin, who won best supporting actress for “The Piano,” appeared in 2000′s “X-Men.”   Halle Berry won the best actress award for the 2001 film “Monster’s Ball,” and has appeared in the previous 3 “X-Men” films as well as 2004′s “Catwoman” (for which she won a Razzie).

The list could grow – Academy Award winner Sally Field has been mentioned as a possibility to play Aunt May in the upcoming “Amazing Spider-Man,” and Marion Cotillard has been rumored as a possible addition to “The Dark Knight Rises.”

“Thor” is scheduled to open on May 6.

- Matt Price
Click past the cut for more pictures of Natalie Portman at the Oscars and Governor’s Ball.

Chris Hemsworth (left) and Chris Evans at the Golden Globe Awards. (NBC)

Despite what was a pretty rough Golden Globe Awards ceremony, Marvel’s superheroes came through looking pretty good last night.

Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans, who will play Thor and Captain America in the movies based on those characters this summer, appeared together and handled their assignment with class.

They presented the best supporting actress in a series, miniseries, or movie, which went to Jane Lynch of “Glee.”

Robert Downey Jr. (NBC)

Robert Downey Jr., who plays Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, in Marvel’s films and will appear in “The Avengers” in 2012, had the best line of the night, responding to host Ricky Gervais’ stinging brand of humor.

“Aside from the fact that it’s been hugely mean-spirited with mildly sinister undertones, I’d say the vibe of the show has been pretty good so far, wouldn’t you?” Downey said prior to presenting the award for best actress in a comedy or musical.

The show had strong ratings of about 17 million viewers, which was up 5 percent from last year’s awards.

If you want to relive the entire Golden Globe experience, check out Brandy McDonnell’s blog, where she runs down the entire experience.

- Matt Price

ComicsPRO, the direct-market comic-book retail trade organization, has announced its nominees for the 2011 Industry Appreciation Award, to be given at the organization’s annual membership meeting in February.

The award is for those who have had an impact on the business of comic-book retail.   There are two categories: one for active professionals, and the Memorial Award for those who have passed away.

“ComicsPRO members are proud to highlight the achievements of the many people who have made this industry a better and more successful place to work,” said Amanda Emmert, ComicsPRO Executive Director, in a news release. “The Board of Directors has a difficult time narrowing the ballot each year.”

The 2011 nominees for the ComicsPRO Industry Appreciation Award are Diamond Comics Distributors’ owner and founder Steve Geppi; writer/artist/publisher Denis Kitchen; former Marvel president and chairman Stan Lee; Diamond’s Vice President for Purchasing Bill Schanes; and DC Comics’ Senior Vice President of Sales Bob Wayne.

The 2011 nominees for the ComicsPRO Industry Appreciation Memorial Award are Will Eisner, Jack Kirby, Julius Schwartz and Phil Seuling.

Last year’s recipient was Paul Levitz, former president and publisher of DC Comics. The 2010 Industry Appreciation Memorial Award was presented in memory of Carol Kalish, a former Direct Sales Manager at Marvel Comics.

“The Industry Appreciation Award gives ComicsPRO members the opportunity to express gratitude to those who have contributed significantly to the business of selling comics in general and the Direct Market in particular,” said ComicsPRO Director Carr D’Angelo, co-owner of Earth-2 Comics in California, in a news release.  “It’s our ‘Hall of Fame’ for those whose efforts make the world better for retailers.”

Find out more about the nominees at http://comicspro.blogspot.com.

- Matt Price

The Comics Reporter has a roundup of the 2010 Harvey Award winners, for work published in 2009.

IDW’s re-publication of the Dave Stevens “Rocketeer” comics won for Best Domestic Reprint Project and Special Award for Excellence in Presentation.   Laura Martin won “Best Colorist” for her work on the project.

David Mazuchelli’s graphic novel “Asterios Polyp” won best original graphic album and best single issue or story.   Mazuchelli also won for best letterer.

Image Comics did well, with awards for “Chew” and “Walking Dead,” and IDW added to their wins for “Rocketeer” with an award for Darwyn Cooke’s “Parker” graphic novel.   Check out the full list of winners at The Comics Reporter.

- Matt Price

A scene from "High Moon," by David Gallaher and Steve Ellis.

WORD BALLOONS

Three comic-book creators with Oklahoma ties are among the nominees for the Harvey Awards, comic-book awards selected exclusively by comic-book creators.

The awards will be presented as part of the 2010 Baltimore Comic-Con on Aug. 28 in Baltimore, Md.

Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, the awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art.

Brian Winkeler of Yukon, and Dave Curd, formerly of Edmond, are part of the anthology “Popgun” Vol. 3, nominated

"Popgun" Vol. 3

in the best anthology category.

“Popgun” Vol. 3 also is nominated in the best anthology category in the Eisner Awards, given out at Comic-Con International in San Diego.

“Dave and I are honored to be a part of a book that’s up for both the Eisner and Harvey, and I’m especially excited that I’ll be attending both SDCC and Baltimore to celebrate,” Winkeler said about the book’s nomination. “Popgun” is published by Image Comics.

Winkeler and Curd’s “Bastard Road,” featured in “Popgun” Vol. 3, is an action/comedy featuring the postapocalyptic wanderings of an amnesiac warrior.

Former Norman resident David Gallaher’s “High Moon” series is nominated as best online comics work. It’s the defending winner in that category. Steve Ellis, the artist of “High Moon,” also is nominated in the best inker category. “High Moon” is part of DC Comics’ Zuda imprint.

David Gallaher, writer

DC Comics led all nominees with 16 nominations. Abrams ComicArts followed with 13, including five for Brian Fies’ “Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow?” In that graphic novel, Fies traces the optimism and nostalgia of the 1939-1975 era of science fiction and space exploration.

Image Comics followed with 11 nominations; IDW had eight, and Amulet Books had seven. More than 25 publishers were nominated for Harvey Awards.

The most-nominated single books were “Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow” and “Asterios Polyp.” David Mazzuchelli’s “Asterios Polyp” is a visually innovative graphic novel about an architect forced to change his worldview.

- by Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

The 2009 Harvey Award Nominees:

BEST WRITER

____ Jason Aaron, “SCALPED”, Vertigo/DC Comics

____ Geoff Johns, “BLACKEST NIGHT”, DC Comics

____ Robert Kirkman, “THE WALKING DEAD”, Image Comics

____ Jeff Kinney, “DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #3: THE LAST STRAW”, Amulet Books

____ Mark Waid, “IRREDEEMABLE”, BOOM! Studios

BEST ARTIST

____ Robert Crumb, “BOOK OF GENESIS”, W.W. Norton

____ Guy Davis, “BPRD: BLACK GODDESS”, Dark Horse Comics

____ Brian Fies, “WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?”,

Abrams ComicArts

____ David Petersen, “MOUSE GUARD : WINTER 1152″, Archaia Studios Press

____ Frank Quitely, “BATMAN AND ROBIN”, DC Comics

____ JH Williams III, “DETECTIVE COMICS”, DC Comics

BEST CARTOONIST

____ Darwyn Cooke, “RICHARD STARK’S PARKER: THE HUNTER”, IDW

____ Jeff Kinney, “DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #3: THE LAST STRAW”, Amulet Books

____ Roger Langridge, “THE MUPPET SHOW COMIC BOOK”, BOOM! Studios

____ David Mazzucchelli, “ASTERIOS POLYP”, Pantheon

____ Seth, “GEORGE SPROTT (1894-1975)”, Drawn and Quarterly

BEST LETTERER

____ Chris Eliopoulos, “FRANKLIN RICHARDS: SON OF A GENIUS” stories, Marvel Comics

____ Brian Fies, “WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?”,

Abrams ComicArts

____ Thomas Mauer, “RAPTURE”, Dark Horse Comics

____ David Mazzucchelli, “ASTERIOS POLYP”, Pantheon

____ Richard Starkings, “ELEPHANTMEN”, Image Comics

BEST INKER

____ Oclair Albert, “BLACKEST NIGHT”, DC Comics

____ Steve Ellis, “HIGH MOON”, Zuda/DC Comics

____ Klaus Janson, “AMAZING SPIDER-MAN”, Marvel Comics

____ Jeff Kinney, “DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #3: THE LAST STRAW”, Amulet Books

____ Mark Morales, “THOR”, Marvel Comics

BEST COLORIST

____ Brian Fies, “WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?”,

Abrams ComicArts

____ Steve Hamaker, “BONE: CROWN OF HORNS”, Graphix

____ Laura Martin, “THE ROCKETEER: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES”, IDW

____ David Mazzucchelli, “ASTERIOS POLYP”, Pantheon

____ Dave Stewart, “BPRD: BLACK GODDESS”, Dark Horse Comics

BEST COVER ARTIST

____ Jenny Frison, “THE DREAMER”, IDW

____ Mike Mignola, “HELLBOY: THE BRIDE OF HELL”, Dark Horse Comics

____ Michael Avon Oeming, “MICE TEMPLAR: DESTINY, PART I”, Image Comics

____ Frank Quitely, “BATMAN AND ROBIN”, DC Comics

____ JH Williams III, “DETECTIVE COMICS”, DC Comics

BEST NEW TALENT

____ Kevin Cannon, “FAR ARDEN”, Top Shelf

____ Rob Guillory, “CHEW”, Image Comics

____ Reinhard Kleist,”JOHNNY CASH: I SEE A DARKNESS”, Abrams ComicArts

____ Nathan Schreiber, “ACT-I-VATE: POWER OUT”, http://act-i-vate.com

____ Matthew Weldon, “NEW BRIGHTON ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY”, Image Comics

BEST NEW SERIES

____ “BATMAN AND ROBIN”, DC Comics

____ “CHEW”, Image Comics

____ “IRREDEEMABLE”, BOOM! Studios

____ “SWEET TOOTH”, Vertigo/DC Comics

____ “UNWRITTEN”, Vertigo/DC Comics

BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES

____ “BEASTS OF BURDEN”, Dark Horse Comics

____ “DIARY OF A WIMPY KID”, Amulet Books

____ “GANGES”, Fantagraphics Books

____ “INVINCIBLE”, Image Comics

____ “SCALPED”, Vertigo/DC Comics

____ “THE WALKING DEAD”, Image Comics

BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC PUBLICATION FOR YOUNGER READERS

____ “AMULET: THE STONEKEEPER’S CURSE”, Graphix

____ “DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #3: THE LAST STRAW”, Amulet Books

____ “GROWN-UPS ARE DUMB”, Hyperion Books

____ “THE MUPPET SHOW COMIC BOOK”, BOOM! Studios

____ “NEW BRIGHTON ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY”, Image Comics

____ “3-2-3 DETECTIVE AGENCY”, Amulet Books

BEST ANTHOLOGY

____ “ACT-I-VATE”, http://act-i-vate.com

____ “FLIGHT # 6″, Villard

____ “POPGUN # 3″, Image Comics

____ “STRANGE TALES”, Marvel Comics

____ “WEDNESDAY COMICS”, DC Comics

BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC ALBUM

____ “ASTERIOS POLYP”, by David Mazucchelli, Pantheon

____ “BOOK OF GENESIS”, by Robert Crumb, W.W. Norton

____ “GEORGE SPROTT (1894-1975)”, by Seth, Drawn and Quarterly

____ “FOOTNOTES IN GAZA”, by Joe Sacco, Metropolitan Books

____ “STITCHES”, by David Small, W.W. Norton

____ “WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?”, by Brian Fies,

Abrams ComicArts

BEST PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED GRAPHIC ALBUM

____ “A.D.: NEW ORLEANS AFTER THE DELUGE”, by Josh Neufeld, Pantheon

____ “COLLECTED ESSEX COUNTY”, by Jeff Lemire, Top Shelf

____ “GRAVESLINGER”, by Shannon Denton, Jeff Mariotte, John Cboins & Nina Sorat, IDW

____ “MASTERPIECE COMICS”, by R. Sikoryak, Drawn and Quarterly

____ “MICE TEMPLAR VOLUME 1″, by Bryan J.L. Glass and Michael Avon Oeming,

Image Comics

BEST SYNDICATED STRIP OR PANEL

____ “CUL-DE-SAC”, by Richard Thompson, Universal Press Syndicate

____ “FOXTROT”, by Bill Amend, Universal Press Syndicate

____ “GET FUZZY”, by Darby Conley, United Feature Syndicate

____ “MUTTS”, by Patrick McDonnell, King Features Syndicate

____ “PEARLS BEFORE SWINE”, by Stephan Pastis, United Feature Syndicate

BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT

____ “THE BEST OF SIMON AND KIRBY”, by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby; edited by Steve

Saffel, Titan Books

____ “HUMBUG”, conceived and edited by Harvey Kurtzman and created by Harvey

Kurtzman, Jack Davis, Will Elder, Al Jaffee and Arnold Roth; edited by Gary

Groth, Fantagraphics Books

____ “RIP KIRBY”, by Alex Raymond; edited by Dean Mullaney, IDW

____ “THE ROCKETEER: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES”, by Dave Stevens;

edited by Scott Dunbier, IDW

____ “THE TOON TREASURY OF CLASSIC CHILDREN’S COMICS”, edited by Art Spiegelman

and Francoise Mouly, Abrams ComicsArt

BEST AMERICAN EDITION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL

____ “THE ART OF OSAMU TEZUKA: GOD OF MANGA”, by Helen McCarthy,

Abrams ComicArts

____ “MANGA KAMISHIBAI”, by Eric P. Nash, Abrams ComicArts

____ “THE PHOTOGRAPHER”, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier LeFevre and Frederic

Lemercier, First Second

____ “PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA”, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki, Viz Media

____ “20TH CENTURY BOYS”, by Naoki Urasawa, Viz Media

BEST ONLINE COMICS WORK

____ “HARK! A VAGRANT”, by Kate Beaton, http://harkavagrant.com

____ “HIGH MOON”, by Steve Ellis, David Gallaher and Scott O. Brown,

http://www.zudacomics.com/high moon ,

____ “POWER OUT”, by Nathan Schreiber, http://act-i-vate.com ,

____ “PVP”, by Scott Kurtz, http://www.pvponline.com

____ “SIN TITULO”, by Cameron Stewart, http://www.sintitulocomic.com

SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS

____ Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson, “BEASTS OF BURDEN”, Dark Horse Books

____ Jeff Kinney, “DIARY OF A WIMPY KID #3: THE LAST STRAW”, Amulet Books

____ Roger Landridge, “THE MUPPET SHOW COMIC BOOK”, BOOM! Studios

____ Bryan Lee O’Malley, “SCOTT PILGRIM #5″, Oni Press

____ Andrew Pepoy, “THE ADVENTURES OF SIMONE & AJAX: A CHRISTMAS CAPER”,

ComicMix

SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION

____ “ART OF HARVEY KURTZMAN: THE MAD GENIUS OF COMICS”, by Denis Kitchen and

Paul Buhle, Abrams ComicArts

____ “THE BRINKLEY GIRLS: THE BEST OF NELL BRINKLEY’S CARTOONS FROM 1913-1940″,

edited by Trina Robbins, Fantagraphics Books

____ “GEORGE SPROTT (1894-1975)”, by Seth, Drawn and Quarterly

____ “THE ROCKETEER: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES”, by Dave Stevens,

edited by Scott Dunbier, IDW

____ “SECRET IDENTITY: THE FETISH ART OF SUPERMAN’S CO-CREATOR JOE SHUSTER”,

edited by Craig Yoe, Abrams ComicArts

____ “WEDNESDAY COMICS”, edited by Mark Chiarello, DC Comics

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL OR JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION

____ “ALTER-EGO”, edited by Roy Thomas, TwoMorrows

____ “ART OF HARVEY KURTZMAN: THE MAD GENIUS OF COMICS”, by Denis Kitchen

and Paul Buhle, Abrams ComicArts

____ “THE BEST OF SIMON AND KIRBY”, by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby;

edited by Steve Saffel, Titan Books

____ “THE COMICS JOURNAL”, edited by Gary Groth, Michael Dean and Kristy Valenti,

Fantagraphics Books

____ “UNDERGROUND CLASSICS”, by James Danky and Denis Kitchen, Abrams ComicArts

BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY

____ “ALEC: THE YEARS HAVE PANTS”, by Eddie Campbell, Top Shelf

____ “ASTERIOS POLYP”, by David Mazucchelli, Pantheon

____ “GANGES #3″, by Kevin Huizenga, Fantagraphics Books

____ “GEORGE SPROTT (1894-1975)”, by Seth, Drawn and Quarterly

____ “JONAH HEX #50″, written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray,

artwork by Darwyn Cooke, DC Comics

____ “RICHARD STARK’S PARKER: THE HUNTER”, by Darwyn Cooke, IDW

____ “WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?”, by Brian Fies,

Abrams ComicArts

Lone Ranger 17 cover by John Cassaday

The Eisner nominees for 2010 have been announced, and there are  a few nominees with Oklahoma ties.

John Cassaday, who attended high school in Coleman, Oklahoma, was nominated as best cover artist for his work on Boom! Studios’ “Irredeemable” and Dynamite’s “Lone Ranger.”

The late Archie Goodwin, who attended Tulsa’s Will Rogers High School, is nominated in the Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books for his work on the “Blazing Combat” series.  A new reprint edition edited by Gary Groth was released in 2009.

Brian Winkeler of Yukon and Dave Curd, formerly of Oklahoma City, have a “Bastard Road” story in the “Popgun Vol. 3″ anthology, is nominated in the Best Anthology category.

“Dave & I know how much hard work went into putting POPGUN 3 together and it’s a huge thrill & honor for us to be included in a book nominated for the highest award in comics,” Winkeler said.

Click past the cut for the full list of nominees

Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Nominees 2010

Best Short Story
“Because I Love You So Much,” by Nikoline Werdelin, in From Wonderland with Love: Danish Comics in the 3rd Millennium (Fantagraphics/Aben malen)
“Gentleman John,” by Nathan Greno, in What Is Torch Tiger? (Torch Tiger)
“How and Why to Bale Hay,” by Nick Bertozzi, in Syncopated (Villard)
“Hurricane,” interpreted by Gradimir Smudja, in Bob Dylan Revisited (Norton)
“Urgent Request,” by Gene Luen Yang and Derek Kirk Kim, in The Eternal Smile (First Second)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
Brave & the Bold #28: “Blackhawk and the Flash: Firing Line,” by J. Michael Straczynski and Jesus Saiz (DC)
Captain America #601: “Red, White, and Blue-Blood,” by Ed Brubaker and Gene Colan (Marvel)
Ganges #3, by Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics)
The Unwritten #5: “How the Whale Became,” by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)
Usagi Yojimbo #123: “The Death of Lord Hikiji” by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)

Best Continuing Series
Fables, by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, Andrew Pepoy et al. (Vertigo/DC)
Irredeemable, by Mark Waid and Peter Krause (BOOM!)
Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)
The Unwritten, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)
The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard (Image)

Best Limited Series or Story Arc
Blackest Night, by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, and Oclair Albert (DC)
Incognito, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Marvel Icon)
Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki (VIZ Media)
Wolverine #66–72 and Wolverine Giant-Size Special: “Old Man Logan,” by Mark Millar, Steve McNiven, and Dexter Vines (Marvel)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)

Best New Series
Chew, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick, art by Tony Parker (BOOM!)
Ireedeemable, by Mark Waid and Peter Krause (BOOM!)
Sweet Tooth, by Jeff Lemire (Vertigo/DC)
The Unwritten, by Mike Carey and Peter Gross (Vertigo/DC)

Best Publication for Kids
Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute, by Jarrett J. Krosoczeka (Knopf)
The Secret Science Alliance and the Copycat Crook, by Eleanor Davis (Bloomsbury)
Tiny Tyrant vol. 1: The Ethelbertosaurus, by Lewis Trondheim and Fabrice Parme (First Second)
The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics, edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly (Abrams ComicArts/Toon)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz hc, by L. Frank Baum, Eric Shanower, and Skottie Young (Marvel)

Best Publication for Teens
Angora Napkin, by Troy Little (IDW)
Beasts of Burden, by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)
A Family Secret, by Eric Heuvel (Farrar Straus Giroux/Anne Frank House)
Far Arden, by Kevin Cannon (Top Shelf)
I Kill Giants tpb, by Joe Kelly and JM Ken Niimura (Image)

Best Humor Publication
Drinky Crow’s Maakies Treasury, by Tony Millionaire (Fantagraphics)
Everybody Is Stupid Except for Me, And Other Astute Observations, by Peter Bagge (Fantagraphics)
Little Lulu, vols. 19–21, by John Stanley and Irving Tripp (Dark Horse Books)
The Muppet Show Comic Book: Meet the Muppets, by Roger Langridge (BOOM Kids!)
Scott Pilgrim vol. 5: Scott Pilgrm vs. the Universe, by Brian Lee O’Malley (Oni)

Best Anthology
Abstract Comics, edited by Andrei Molotiu (Fantagraphics)
Bob Dylan Revisited, edited by Bob Weill (Norton)
Flight 6, edited by Kazu Kibuishi (Villard)
Popgun vol. 3, edited by Mark Andrew Smith, D. J. Kirkbride, and Joe Keatinge (Image)
Syncopated: An Anthology of Nonfiction Picto-Essays, edited by Brendan Burford (Villard)
What Is Torch Tiger? edited by Paul Briggs (Torch Tiger)

Best Digital Comic
Abominable Charles Christopher, by Karl Kerschl, www.abominable.cc
Bayou, by Jeremy Love, http://zudacomics.com/bayou
The Guns of Shadow Valley, by David Wachter and James Andrew Clark, www.gunsofshadowvalley.com
Power Out, by Nathan Schreiber, www.act-i-vate.com/67.comic
Sin Titulo, by Cameron Stewart, www.sintitulocomic.com/

Best Reality-Based Work
A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)
Footnotes in Gaza, by Joe Sacco (Metropolitan/Holt)
The Imposter’s Daughter, by Laurie Sandell (Little, Brown)
Monsters, by Ken Dahl (Secret Acres)
The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)
Stitches, by David Small (Norton)

Best Adaptation from Another Work
The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb (Norton)
Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation, adapted by Michael Keller and Nicolle Rager Fuller (Rodale)
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, adapted by Tim Hamilton (Hill & Wang)
Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
West Coast Blues, by Jean-Patrick Manchette, adapted by Jacques Tardi (Fantagraphics)

Best Graphic Album—New
Asterios Polyp, by David Mazzuccheilli (Pantheon)
A Distant Neighborhood (2 vols.), by Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
The Book of Genesis Illustrated, by R. Crumb (Norton)
My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill, by Jean Regnaud and Émile Bravo (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)
Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint
Absolute Justice, by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Doug Braithewaite (DC)
A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge, by Josh Neufeld (Pantheon)
Alec: The Years Have Pants, by Eddie Campbell (Top Shelf)
Essex County Collected, by Jeff Lemire (Top Shelf)
Map of My Heart: The Best of King-Cat Comics & Stories, 1996–2002, by John Porcellino (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips
Bloom County: The Complete Library, vol. 1, by Berkeley Breathed, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
Bringing Up Father, vol. 1: From Sea to Shining Sea, by George McManus and Zeke Zekley, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW)
The Brinkley Girls: The Best of Nell Brinkley’s Cartoons 1913–1940, edited by Trina Robbins (Fantagraphics)
Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons, by Gahan Wilson, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
Prince Valiant, vol. 1: 1937–1938, by Hal Foster, edited by Kim Thompson (Fantagraphics)
Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, Walt McDougall, and W. W. Denslow (Sunday Press)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books
The Best of Simon & Kirby, by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, edited by Steve Saffel (Titan Books)
Blazing Combat, by Archie Goodwin et al., edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
Humbug, by Harvey Kurtzman et al., edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures deluxe edition, by Dave Stevens, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
The TOON Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics, edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly (Abrams ComicArts/Toon)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material
My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill, by Jean Regnaud and Émile Bravo (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
The Photographer, by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemerier (First Second)
Tiny Tyrant vol. 1: The Ethelbertosaurus, by Lewis Trondheim and Fabrice Parme (First Second)
West Coast Blues, by Jean-Patrick Manchette, adapted by Jacques Tardi (Fantagraphics)
Years of the Elephant, by Willy Linthout (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia
The Color Trilogy, by Kim Dong Haw (First Second)
A Distant Neighborhood (2 vols.), by Jiro Taniguchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
A Drifting Life, by Yoshihiro Tatsumi (Drawn & Quarterly)
Oishinbo a la Carte, written by Tetsu Kariya and illustrated by Akira Hanasaki (VIZ Media)
Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki (VIZ Media)
Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)

Best Writer
Ed Brubaker, Captain America, Daredevil, Marvels Project (Marvel) Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon)
Geoff Johns, Adventure Comics, Blackest Night, The Flash: Rebirth, Superman: Secret Origin (DC)
James Robinson, Justice League: Cry for Justice (DC)
Mark Waid, Irredeemable, The Incredibles (BOOM!)
Bill Willingham, Fables (Vertigo/DC)

Best Writer/Artist
Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter (IDW)
R. Crumb, The Book of Genesis Illustrated (Norton)
David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
Terry Moore, Echo (Abstract Books)
Naoki Urasawa, Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, Pluto: Urasawa X Tezuka (VIZ Media)

Best Writer/Artist–Nonfiction
Reinhard Kleist, Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness (Abrams ComicArts)
Willy Linthout, Years of the Elephant (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
Joe Sacco, Footnotes in Gaza (Metropolitan/Holt)
David Small, Stitches (Norton)
Carol Tyler, You’ll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man (Fantagraphics)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
Michael Kaluta, Madame Xanadu #11–15: “Exodus Noir” (Vertigo/DC)
Steve McNiven/Dexter Vines, Wolverine: Old Man Logan (Marvel)
Fiona Staples, North 40 (WildStorm)
J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)
Danijel Zezelj, Luna Park (Vertigo/DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
Émile Bravo, My mommy is in America and she met Buffalo Bill (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
Mauro Cascioli, Justice League: Cry for Justice (DC)
Nicolle Rager Fuller, Charles Darwin on the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation (Rodale Books)
Jill Thompson, Beasts of Burden (Dark Horse); Magic Trixie and the Dragon (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Carol Tyler, You’ll Never Know: A Good and Decent Man (Fantagraphics)

Best Cover Artist
John Cassaday, Irredeemable (BOOM!); Lone Ranger (Dynamite)
Salvador Larocca, Invincible Iron Man (Marvel)
Sean Phillips, Criminal, Incognito (Marvel Icon); 28 Days Later (BOOM!)
Alex Ross, Astro City: The Dark Age (WildStorm/DC); Project Superpowers (Dynamite)
J. H. Williams III, Detective Comics (DC)

Best Coloring
Steve Hamaker, Bone: Crown of Thorns (Scholastic); Little Mouse Gets Ready (Toon)
Laura Martin, The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures (IDW); Thor, The Stand: American Nightmares (Marvel)
David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
Alex Sinclair, Blackest Night, Batman and Robin (DC)
Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien, BPRD, The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane, Umbrella Academy, Zero Killer (Dark Horse); Detective Comics (DC); Northlanders, Luna Park (Vertigo)

Best Lettering
Brian Fies, Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? (Abrams ComicArts)
David Mazzuccheilli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon)
Tom Orzechowski, Savage Dragon (Image); X-Men Forever (Marvel)
Richard Sala, Cat Burglar Black (First Second); Delphine (Fantagraphics)
Adrian Tomine, A Drifting Life (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
ComicsAlliance, www.comicsalliance.com, edited by Laura Hudson
Comics Comics, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel (www.comicscomicsmag.com) (PictureBox)
The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth, Michael Dean, and Kristy Valenti (Fantagraphics)
The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon (www.comicsreporter.com)

Best Comics-Related Book
Alan Moore: Comics as Performance, Fiction as Scalpel, by Annalisa Di Liddo (University Press of Mississippi)
The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics, by Denis Kitchen and Paul Buhle (Abrams ComicArts)
The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga, by Helen McCarthy (Abrams ComicArts)
Manga Kamishibai: The Art of Japanese Paper Theater, by Eric P. Nash (Abrams ComicArts)
Will Eisner and PS Magazine, by Paul E. Fitzgerald (Fitzworld.US)

Best Publication Design
Absolute Justice, designed by Curtis King and Josh Beatman (DC)
The Brinkley Girls, designed by Adam Grano (Fantagraphics)
Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons, designed by Jacob Covey (Fantagraphics)
Life and Times of Martha Washington, designed by David Nestelle (Dark Horse Books)
Queer Visitors from the Marvelous Land of Oz, designed by Philippe Ghielmetti (Sunday Press)
Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow? designed by Neil Egan and Brian Fies (Abrams ComicArts)

Congratulations to former Oklahoma resident David Gallaher, whose “High Moon” was named Best Online Comics Work at this weekend’s Harvey Awards in Baltimore.

Check out the comic for yourself at http://www.zudacomics.com/high_moon or in the recent print collection.

The Beat has the full list of winners.

- Matt Price

Related posts:

Oklahoma among inspirations for High Moon series.

High Moon continues on Zuda.

Stacey Thunder

American Indian actress Stacey Thunder will join the cast of “Crash” in its second season, debuting this Friday, Sept. 18.  The actress will also be honored at the National Center for American Indian Enterprise at the black-tie Native American 40 Under 40 Recognition Reception to be held at the 2009 Indian Progress in Business Event (INPRO) in Tulsa on Friday.

Based on the motion picture “Crash,” the TV series stars Dennis Hopper and Jocko Sims.  Along with Thunder, who will play Judith Turandot, new cast members this season include Eric Roberts (“The Dark Knight”), Linda Park Dana Ashbrook and Jake McLaughlin (“In the Valley of Elah”).

Click past the cut for the full release.

September 17, 2009 (New York, NY) – Native American actress and host of PBS’ “Native Report” Stacey Thunder joins Dennis Hopper and the cast of Starz’s hit original series “Crash” for its second season, which premieres on Friday, September 18, 2009 at 10PM EST. Also on September 18, 2009, in celebration of their 40th anniversary year, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) will honor Thunder along with 39 other existing and emerging American Indian professionals under the age of 40 at the black-tie Native American 40 Under 40 Recognition Reception to be held at the 2009 Indian Progress in Business Event (INPRO) in Tulsa, OK.

New to INPRO this year, the Native American 40 Under 40 awards young American Indian professionals from across the nation who have demonstrated leadership, initiative, and dedication to achieve impressive and significant contributions in their businesses, communities, and to Indian Country. Thunders’ selection by the NCAIED into the Native American 40 Under 40 reflects and honors her leadership and dedication to the youth in Indian Country as well as her work in TV/Film and with Eagle Thunder Entertainment, the business she owns with her partner, musician Robby Romero.

Based off of the Academy Award®-winning Best Motion Picture of the same name, Thunder joins the “Crash” cast as “Judith Turandot.” The new season features a diverse mix of actors and characters representing the wide variety of individuals in Los Angeles. Along side Thunder, new cast members joining “Crash”-veterans Dennis Hopper, Jocko Sims, Ross McCall and Moran Atias include Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight), Linda Park Dana Ashbrook and Jake McLaughlin (In the Valley of Elah).

Also on September 18, 2009, the short film Magic Wands starring Thunder will premiere in Minneapolis, MN rounding out a trifecta of premieres and honors for the actress of Ojibwe descent.

The 2008 Eisner nominees have been announced, and there are a few Oklahoma-related nominees included, among them “Thor,” “Willie & Joe,” and “Omega the Unknown.” “Thor” has been set in Oklahoma since the 2007 relaunch of the title.  “Willie and Joe” was written and drawn by Bill Mauldin, a member of the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame, and the subject of nominated best comics-related book, “Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front,” by Todd DePastino.   And “Omega the Unknown” was drawn by former Tulsan Farel Dalrymple.

See the full list after the break.

The full list follows

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

* Finder, by Carla Speed McNeil

* The Lady’s Murder, by Eliza Frye

* Speak No Evil: Melancholy of a Space Mexican, by Elan Trinidad

* Vs., by Alexis Sottile & Joe Infurnari

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. 1-2, by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)

* Sam & Max Surfin’ the Highway Anniversary Edition HC, by Steve Purcell (Telltale Games)

* Skyscrapers of the Midwest, by Joshua W. Cotter (AdHouse)

* The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite, deluxe edition, by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba (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, Locke & Key (IDW)

* J. Michael Straczynski, Thor, The Twelve (Marvel)

* Mariko Tamaki, Skim (Groundwood Books)

* Matt Wagner, Zorro (Dynamite); Madame Xanadu (Vertigo/DC)

* Bill Willingham, Fables, House of Mystery (Vertigo/DC)

Best Writer/Artist

* Rick 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 Ba, The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse)

* Mark Buckingham/Steve Leialoha, Fables (Vertigo/DC)

* Olivier Coipel/Mark Morales, Thor (Marvel)

* Guy Davis, BPRD (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 (Atelier 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 Ba, 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, BPRD, The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane, The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse); Body Bags (Image); Captain America: White (Marvel)

* Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #19 (Acme)

Best Lettering

* Farel 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

* The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth, Michael Dean, and Kristy Valenti (Fantagraphics)

* The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon and Jordan Raphael

* Comics Comics, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel (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)

DC Comics was a big winner at the 2008 Harvey Awards over the weekend, with “All-Star Superman” taking home three awards.  “All-Star Superman” won best single issue, for issue No. 8, and best series.  Frank Quietly, the “All-Star Superman” artist, won the best artist award. 

Also for DC, Darwyn Cooke was named “Best Cartoonist” for “The Spirit” and Brian K. Vaughan won for “Y: The Last Man.”  

Oni Press’ “Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together” was named best original graphic album.

Newsarama has the complete list of winners.

– Matt Price

This is an expanded version of the article from today’s The Oklahoman: 

Comic-Con International, the largest comic book and popular arts event in the United States, has announced that Archie Goodwin will receive the 2008 Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. The choice was made unanimously by a committee chaired by writer and historian Mark Evanier.

Goodwin attended Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, and considered himself a Tulsan, though he was born in Kansas City, Missouri.  Goodwin was an influential  comic-book writer and editor. He was briefly Marvel Comics’ editor-in-chief in 1976. As an editor at DC Comics, he shepherded James Robinson’s acclaimed “Starman” and the award-winning “Batman: The Long Halloween.” As a writer, he created the Paul Kirk “Manhunter” character with artist Walter Simonson. He was named best writer (dramatic division) in the industry in 1973 and 1974 by the Academy of Comic Book Arts. Goodwin died in 1998. 

Tulsa writer R.A. Jones, who also attended Will Rogers High School, shared some thoughts about Goodwin with The Oklahoman:

 ”I was delighted to hear about the award Archie will be receiving.  One of the great things about working in comics today is that the creators receive at least a portion of the credit they are due for their work — something that, as I’m sure you well know, was not the case in poor Bill Finger’s day,” he said.

 ”I first discovered Archie’s writing in the 1960s, first in such magazines as Creepy and Eerie, where he helped keep alive the tradition of the venerable EC style of storytelling, and later in the pages of such Marvel comics as Iron Man. Professionally, I never knew Archie to deliver anything less than stellar scripting.  Personally, he was always friendly and a true gentleman, a pleasure to sit and have a chat with.”

The Bill Finger Award was instituted in 2005 under the supervision of comic book legend Jerry Robinson. The awards committee is charged each year with selecting two recipients, one living and one deceased. 

“With all the writers who seem worthy of this award, you’d think it would be an impossible decision,” Evanier said in a release. “But this year, two names just jumped off the list of candidates. Much like the late Bill Finger, Larry Lieber and Archie Goodwin did important, groundbreaking work in our field that has not received the recognition it deserves. We’re hoping to rectify that a little with these awards.”

Archie Goodwin began in comics in the late 1950s, writing mystery comics for Harvey and assisting Leonard Starr on the newspaper strip “On Stage.”   Later, he was the writer/editor of “Creepy” and “Eerie,” and is credited with creating the backstory for Vampirella.

In addition to Evanier, the selection committee consists of Charles Kochman (executive editor at Harry N. Abrams), comics and animation writer Paul Dini, writer Tony Isabella, and writer/editor Marv Wolfman.

The Bill Finger Award will be presented during the 2008 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony at this summer’s Comic-Con International on Friday, July 25.

For more information on the Finger Award, visit www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_finger.shtml.

– Matt Price

The Beat has this year’s inductees into the Canadian Comic Book Creator Hall of Fame, as administered by the Shuster Awards.  Honorees are  Stanley Berneche, John Byrne, Pierre Fournier and Edwin R. “Ted” McCall.  Lots more about the honorees in the link.  The Byrne Forum discusses the award here.

– Matt Price

Good to see some love for longtime Nerdage faves Matt Fraction and Matt Silady.

And since I’m on a Caniff kick, it’s gratifying to see IDW’s “Terry and the Pirates” reprints getting some love as well.

– Matt Price

The long-running magazine has been awarding comic-book favorite awards for 25 years; an archive of winners can be found here.

– Matt Price 

Tekkon Kinkreet: Black and White tops PW’s list of manga.  (Somewhat oddly, Jeffrey Brown’s “Incredible Change-Bots” from Top Shelf makes the list. Most would consider this, well, not manga, but perhaps the term is broadening.)

1.       Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together by Bryan Lee O’Malley (Oni Press)

Scott Pilgrim, the slacker twentysomething musician, must still battle his new girlfriend Ramona’s ex-lovers in this fourth volume of the “Scott Pilgrim” series.  This pioneering “arcade logic” series is the perfect hybrid of action and romance in a post-videogame, post-manga world.

2.       Exit Wounds by Rutu Modan (Drawn and Quarterly)

Israeli cab driver Koby Franco is drawn into a mystery when his father’s ex-girlfriend Nuni contacts him. She wants to search for Koby’s father, who she says may have been killed in a terrorist attack. Koby’s search for his father becomes a search for himself, as Motan examines modern
Israel in this evocative graphic novel. 

3.       First in Space by James Vining (Oni Press)

“First in Space” is based on the true story of Ham, a chimpanzee trained by NASA to make the first sub-orbital space flight.  Well-researched and compelling, “First in Space” is suitable for all ages.

4.       All-Star Superman vol. 1 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC Comics)

Morrison and Quitely capture the charm of comics’ Silver Age with their take on Superman, a Man of Steel who creates Superman robots, and whose best pal Jimmy Olsen finds himself gaining strange powers.  Several story tropes from the 1960s come full circle, as Morrison boils them down to their essence and represents them with modern flair.

5.       The Homeless Channel by Matt Silady (AiT-Planet Lar)

Network exec Darcy Shaw thinks “The Homeless Channel” will both draw attention to the homeless plight, and be a good way to make some money, taking reality television to the next level.

Aaron Sorkin-like dialogue and art reminiscent of an early Brian Michael Bendis make “The Homeless Channel” a noteworthy debut.

6.       Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine (Drawn and Quarterly)
Ben Tanaka is an abrasive
San Francisco theater owner who obsesses over white girls; this doesn’t help his relationship with his Asian-American activist girlfriend Miko.  An interesting look at race and sex through the lens of an intimate graphic novel. 

7.       League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill (DC Comics/WildStorm/ABC)

Something of a sourcebook gone mad,
Moore explores the history of his “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” concept, featuring heroes and villains from throughout literature.

8.       Shazam: Monster Society of Evil by Jeff Smith (DC Comics)

Jeff Smith captures the charm and wit of the 1940s Captain Marvel stories, recaptured for modern audiences.

9.       Astronaut Dad vol. 1 by David Hopkins and Brent Schoonover (Silent Devil)

David Hopkins looks at the children of astronaut reservists in the 1960s, making the space race more personal. 

10.    Nothing Better: No Place Like Home by Tyler Page (Dementian)Tyler Page (“Stylish Vittles”) takes his Web comic to graphic novel format in “Nothing Better,” which examines two mismatched roommates at a Lutheran college. “Nothing Better” is reminiscent of “Strangers in Paradise” and “Blankets,” with engaging characters and fresh art.

Listen to Greg and me expound on the qualities of “Captain America” and “Buffy.” Listen to Greg mispronounce “mythos.”  There’s not a more fun way to spend about 12 minutes.

– Matt Price

Note: I cheated, as you can clearly see, by grouping a few titles together. But this ain’t rocket surgery, folks. I can do what I want. You’re not the boss of me!

1. Trials of Shazam!

Judd Winick breathes life into a character (Captain Marvel Jr.) that most people couldn’t care less about, making his three-dimensional and captivating.

2. DMZ

In the midst of the Iraq War, this comic book brings war home literally, and the adventures of Matty Roth have as much to do with the world we live in as the fictional world of a New York split apart by civil war.

3. Blue Beetle/ Booster Gold/ Checkmate

Spinning out of Infinite Crisis are three exceptional relaunches of three previously canceled series. These are the little engines that could and desperately must if only to prove that books without Superman or Batman can deliver big on story.

4. Stormwatch PHD

In the WildStorm Universe, heroes aren’t really heroes, so it’s up to normal folks like the Stormwatch Post Human Division to put them in their place. A spiritual successor to “Stormwatch: Team Achilles,” this book is entertaining from whole cloth, creating true characters out of a poorly defined world.

5. X-Factor

While the rest of the X-universe is mired in awful, dreadful continuity, only Peter David’s “X-Factor” enjoys the mutant community. Centered around Jamie Madrox’s detective agency, this book is consistently a source of big laughs and shocking twists.

6. Captain America

Captain America is dead! Long live Captain America! What could have been an unmitigated disaster (a book in which the lead character is dead) was given wings by Ed Brubaker. Add in a character many thought was a huge mistake (Bucky aka The Winter Soldier) and you’ve got a bona fide miracle.

7. Fables/ Jack of Fables

All bow down to Bill Willingham, who took one of the most simple ideas ever (What if storybook characters were real and living in New York?) and created a giant world from it. This year in “Fables” we’ve seen Flycatcher, a joke character, turned into a warrior king. Meanwhile, with Matt Sturges, “Jack of Fables” has become one of the funniest books on the shelves while adding a new layer to an already rich world.

8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Holy God, do I love this series. Picking up where the TV show left off with creator Joss Whedon at the helm, “Buffy: Season 8″ is a wild ride that goes far beyond the budget of any movie. Dawn is a giant! The army hates Buffy! Next issue right now please!

9. Incredible Hulk

The genius of “Planet Hulk” and the follow-up “World War Hulk” is how much sense it makes. Of course The Illuminati would try to send Hulk somewhere that he would kill anybody. Of course something would go wrong and he’d end up a gladiator. Of course he’d come back, madder than ever before. The results by Greg Pak were astounding.

10. Nova

Much like Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, if you’d told me a couple years back that I’d be reading and loving Nova comics, I’d have called you a moron and questioned your human lineage. Now I have the luxury of reading Abnett and Lanning’s monthly space opera, starring a character who has really come into his own.

Fortunately, comics don’t cluster their potential award-winners as badly. That said, Friday will be a madhouse of a release day, as everyone tries to push out inventory before the end of the year.

– Matt Price