On July 26th, the 36th annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony was held at the Hilton Bayfront, during San Diego Comic-Con. Named after Will Eisner, a pioneering comics creator and graphic novelist, the Eisner Awards are considered the Oscars of the comic book industry.
Awards were bestowed across 32 categories for comics and graphic novels published in 2023.
While winners this year are a mixed bag, Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki’s “Roaming” and Daniel Warren Johnson’s “Transformers” topped the ceremony. “Roaming,” published by Drawn & Quarterly, took home Best Graphic Album, Best Writer for Mariko, and Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team for Jillian. Whereas “Transformers, published by Image Skybound received Best Writer/Artist for Johnson and Best Continuing Series. You can check out a list of all the winners below.
2024 Eisner Award Winners:
- Best Short Story: “The Kelpie,” by Becky Cloonan, in Four Gathered on Christmas Eve (Dark Horse)
- Best Single Issue/One-Shot: “Nightwing” #105, by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo (DC)
- Best Continuing Series: “Transformers,” by Daniel Warren Johnson (Image Skybound)
- Best Limited Series: “PeePee PooPoo,” by Caroline Cash (Silver Sprocket)
- Best New Series: “Somna: A Bedtime Story,” by Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay (DSTLRY)
- Best Publication for Early Readers: “Bigfoot and Nessie: The Art of Getting Noticed,” by Chelsea M. Campbell and Laura Knetzger (Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House)
- Best Publication for Kids: “Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir,” by Pedro Martín (Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers)
- Best Publication for Teens: “Danger and Other Unknown Risks,” by Ryan North and Erica Henderson (Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House)
- Best Humor Publication: “It’s Jeff: The Jeff-Verse #1,” by Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru (Marvel)
- Best Anthology: “Comics for Ukraine,” edited by Scott Dunbier (Zoop)
- Best Reality-Based Work: “Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created Nancy,” by Bill Griffith (Abrams ComicArts)
- Best Graphic Memoir: “Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam,” by Thien Pham (First Second/Macmillan)
- Best Graphic Album—New: “Roaming,” by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (Drawn & Quarterly)
- Best Graphic Album—Reprint (tie): “Hip Hop Family Tree: The Omnibus,” by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics)
- Wonder Woman Historia: “The Amazons,” by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha, and Nicola Scott (DC)
- Best Adaptation from Another Medium: “Watership Down,” by Richard Adams, adapted by James Sturm and Joe Sutphin (Ten Speed Graphic)
- Best U.S. Edition of International Material: “Blacksad, Vol 7: They All Fall Down, Part 2,” by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido, translation by Diana Schutz and Brandon Kander (Europe Comics)
- Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia: “My Picture Diary,” by Fujiwara Maki, translation by Ryan Holmberg (Drawn & Quarterly)
Collections:
- Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips: “Dauntless Dames: High-Heeled Heroes of the Comic Strips,” edited by Peter Maresca and Trina Robbins (Fantagraphics)
- Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books: “All-Negro Comics 75th Anniversary Edition,” edited by Chris Robinson (Very GOOD Books)
- Best Publication Design: Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” boxed set, designed by Mike Kennedy (Magnetic Press)
Web/Digital:
- Best Webcomic: “Lore Olympus,” by Rachel Smythe (WEBTOON)
- Best Digital Comic: “Friday, vols. 7–8,” by Ed Brubaker and Marcos Martin (Panel Syndicate)
Writing:
- Best Writer: Mariko Tamaki, “Roaming” (Drawn & Quarterly)
- Best Writer/Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson, “Transformers” (Image Skybound)
Art:
- Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: Jillian Tamaki, “Roaming” (Drawn & Quarterly)
- Best Painter/Multimedia Artist: Sana Takeda, “The Night Eaters: Her Little Reapers” (Abrams ComicArts); “Monstress” (Image)
- Best Cover Artist: “Peach Momoko,” “Demon Wars: Scarlet Sin,” various alternate covers (Marvel)
- Best Coloring: Jordie Bellaire, “Batman,” “Birds of Prey” (DC); “Dark Spaces: Hollywood Special” (IDW)
- Best Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, “The Unlikely Story of Felix and Macabber,” “The Witcher: Wild Animals,” and others (Dark Horse); “Batman: City of Madness,” “The Flash,” “Poison Ivy,” and others (DC); “Black Cat Social Club” (Humanoids); “Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees” (IDW); “The Cull,” “What’s the Furthest Place from Here?” (Image); and others
Periodicals/Journalism:
- Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism: “The Comics Journal #309;” edited by Gary Groth, Kristy Valenti, and Austin English (Fantagraphics)
- Best Comics-Related Book: “I Am the Law: How Judge Dredd Predicted Our Future,” by Michael Molcher (Rebellion)
- Best Academic/Scholarly Work: “The Claremont Run: Subverting Gender in the X- Men,” by J. Andrew Deman (University of Texas Press)
Hall of Fame:
Judges’ Choices
- Kim Deitch, Creig Flessel, A. B. Frost, Billy Graham, Gary Groth, Albert Kanter, Warren Kremer, Oscar Lebeck, Frans Masereel, Don McGregor, Keiji Nakaszawa, Noel Sickles, Cliff Sterrett, Elmer C. Stoner, Bryan Talbot, Ron Turner, George Tuska, Lynn Varley, and James Warren.
Voters’ Choices
- Klaus Janson, Jim Lee, Mike Mignola, and Jill Thompson
- Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: Women in Comics Collective International
- Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award: Oliver Bly
- Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing: Jo Duffy and Ralph Newman
- Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award: Blackbird Comics and Coffeehouse
You can find out more about the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards here.
