Yesterday afternoon, the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards committee announced the nominations for books published in 2010, and Image Comics is pleased to be the publisher behind twelve of the Eisner nominations. Hot on the heels of an explosion of break-out new Image Comics titles, this announcement verifies that the publisher is leading the way with the most successful and the most critically-acclaimed of new creator-owned comics. In fact, Image has tied for the publisher who has the 2nd most nominations this year.
Two of Image’s recent big success stories, CHEW and Shadowline’s MORNING GLORIES, will go head to head for Best Continuing Series and Best Writer! Industry veteran John Layman and stylistically-singular artist Rob Guillory have brought readers CHEW, the comic about a cibopathic detective that has been both turning stomachs and quenching readers’ hunger for fun, well-told supernatural comedic crime stories. Guillory was also nominated for the Best Penciller/Inker award for his work on CHEW.
Meanwhile, in MORNING GLORIES, prolific young writer Nick Spencer and newcomer artist Joe Eisma, are telling a compelling science fiction story about a group of high school students who attend a prestigious but mysterious prep school, The Morning Glory Academy, with readers finding each page posing more questions than the last. Not only that, but MORNING GLORIES has also received a nomination for Best New Series!
Also nominated for Best New Series, Ian Churchill’s effervescent hero MARINEMAN makes us hope for a return to a more innocent time, when good guys do win! Churchill’s underwater superhero adventure is written and drawn with such genuine heart and soul that it’s obvious why he chose to publish this project as a creator-owned title.
Image Comics anthologies such as COMIC BOOK TATTOO and POPGUN, VOL. 3 have won Eisner awards in years past. This year the publisher has continued that trend with multiple nominations from three different anthologies, including a Best Anthology nomination going to LIQUID CITY, VOL. 2, edited by Sonny Liew and Lim Cheng Tju. POPGUN, VOL. 4 brought us Best Short Story nominee “Hamburgers for One,” by Frank Stockton. Silverline Books children’s anthology FRACTURED FABLES provided two nominations for Best Short Story: Little Red Riding Hood,” by Bryan Talbot and Camilla d’Errico, and “Cinderella” by Nick Spencer and Rodin Esquejo. And to top it off, Esquejo also got a Best Cover Artist nomination for his memorable painted work for the MORNING GLORIES series’ covers!
“As always, we’re incredibly proud of all the writers and artists nominated,” said Image Publisher Eric Stephenson. “It’s particularly cool to see John and Rob get nods for a second year running, and more proof that CHEW is one of the best creator-owned books on the market.”
Here’s the complete list of Image Comics’ Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Nominations:
Best Short Story: “Cinderella,” by Nick Spencer and Rodin Esquejo, in FRACTURED FABLES (Silverline Books/Image)
Best Short Story: “Hamburgers for One,” by Frank Stockton, in POPGUN, VOL. 4 (Image)
Best Short Story: “Little Red Riding Hood,” by Bryan Talbot and Camilla d’Errico, in FRACTURED FABLES (Silverline Books/Image)
Best Continuing Series: CHEW, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)
Best Continuing Series: MORNING GLORIES, by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma (Shadowline/Image)
Best New Series: MARINEMAN, by Ian Churchill (Image)
Best New Series: MORNING GLORIES, by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma (Shadowline/Image)
Best Anthology: LIQUID CITY, VOL. 2, edited by Sonny Liew and Lim Cheng Tju (Image)
Best Writer: John Layman, CHEW (Image)
Best Writer: Nick Spencer, MORNING GLORIES, SHUDDERTOWN, FORGETLESS, EXISTENCE 3.0 (Image)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: Rob Guillory, CHEW (Image)
Best Cover Artist: Rodin Esquejo, MORNING GLORIES (Shadowline/Image)
