The 2009 Harvey Awards Nominees have been announced. Here they are. Details on the award at end of post.
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: STOREKEEPER’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
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 ON-LINE 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
The Harvey Awards are named after the late Harvey Kurtzman to recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art. They will be presented August 28, 2010 in Baltimore, MD, in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con.
Final ballots are due to the Harvey Awards by Friday, August 7, 2010. Full details for submission of completed ballots can be found on the final ballot. Voting is open to anyone professionally involved in a creative capacity within the comics field. Final ballots are available for download at www.harveyawards.org. Those without Internet access may request that paper ballots be sent to them via mail or fax by calling the Baltimore Comic-Con (410-526-7410) or e-mailing baltimorecomicccon@yahoo.com.
This will be the fifth year for the Harvey Awards in Baltimore, MD. Our Master of Ceremonies this year for the second year in a row will be Scott Kurtz (www.pvponline.com). Look for more details soon on how you can attend the Harvey Awards dinner.
This year’s Baltimore Comic-Con will be held August 28-29, 2010. The ceremony and banquet for the 2009 Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, August 28.
The first thing that jumped out at me about this list is that Marvel Comics has four NOMINEES. Total. Ouch.
Congrats to all of these excellent nominees. There is a lot amazing work represented here!
I have a feeling they didn?t bother too much to find some fresh material for their ?Best online comics? category. I really have to say that I have seen some of these titles too often on the ballot (including Eisner award, Ignatz award, …) now.
These categories are absurd and irrelevant to the post-1990 comics industry. Best letterer, indeed lol
True dat, Ted. They should scratch people off the list that are not actually hand lettering, but I’m not familiar with the different nominated books. Are there people actually being nominated here for just doing computer lettering? Starkings, for eggzample?
My favorite letterer of all time is whoever did Walt Kelly’s lettering. Or was it Walt Kelly? Somebody straighten me out on that, puh-leeze?
Pretty sure Walt did his own lettering. I’ve never heard that he had assistants…but I’ve been worng before.
Hey, as one of the lettering nominees, Ted, thanks for insulting my 20 years of work. Tempted to make a snarky comment, but I’ll play nice.
I still hand letter my strip and have created all my own fonts based on my hand lettering. The way the industry works now is that the only viable option for both cheaper and quicker lettering is on the computer.
That said, Dave Mazzucchelli’s lettering, as well as the rest of Asterios Polyp, is outstanding…and it was hand-lettered. He should receive the Harvey.
Also, Kelly originally hand-lettered Pogo for a while, but the now-famous lettering was done by Henry Shikuma.
Sorry, Chris, didn’t mean to step on toes. I do respect good lettering, but it just seems silly that lettering is a category while, say, syndicated comic strips and editorial cartoons are not. And what the hell is the distinction between a comic artist and a cartoonist?
I agree about lettering being a category and other humor-based works not being included in the Harvey awards, especially an award named after a humorist and cartoonist–Harvey Kurtzman.(by the way, there is a category for syndicated strips) But I find the same insult in say, the Reubens, where online comics are not represented.
I would say that the categories that an individual award put forward are based on what they, the ones that run the selection process, find important.
If you seek out Asterios Polyp and read it, you will find that the lettering is as important and sometimes MORE important than the art.
Dave has created a work that uses all the disciplines in creating a comics work. The coloring, the art, the writing, the lettering and even the cover choice make this book special and even, dare I say, important work. Really. Pick up a copy.
Maybe the next comics site launched should be dedicated to p*ssing and moaning, not the moment nominees for awards are announced, but a few weeks after the awards, in anticipation of the horrible nominations that will be in all likelihood made the next year, given the cloth-eared, insensitive, inartistic jackasses who aren’t me.
Thanks for putting a name on the Pogo letterer for me Chris, I was just looking at Pogo strips from the late ’50’s, they have such great lettering…and his word balloons are an artistic statement in themselves!
Say Chris, are you still doing hand lettering the Savage Dragon book for Erik Larsen?
Put Walt Kelly, Robert Crumb and Charles Schulz in a blender, hit the “frappé” button, and… uh… Where was I going with this? Oh, yeah, they inspired me to begin my career and they were/are the kind of dedicated and indomitable cartoonists deserving of a Harvey Award or two…
Pete: Nope. I stopped lettering Savage Dragon a number of years ago. Between all my Marvel work including the writing and drawing work, it was impossible to keep doing it.
Well done, nominees!
And well done to the Harvey Awards for recognising lettering as the important art form it is.
All the praise for Asterios Polyp makes me doubt myself. What do other people see in this book that I don’t? I found it moronic, pretentious, tendentious, and a complete waste of time. But praising the lettering? On that point, I am certain, I am not wrong: the lettering sucks. What is wrong with people?
Well, everyone has their opinion, Ted, and I would never try to convince you to change yours, but I think you’re wrong on this one.
In some cases, there are people who try to push the boundaries of the comics medium both in storytelling and execution. The level of thought and effort put into Asterios is mind-boggling.
If you actually look at the lettering, you will see that each person “speaks” in their own unique voice. Asterios is rigid and sees the world in a very orderly way and therefore has square balloons, while Hana is a free soul and very loose and flowing balloons and type. Sometimes the lettering even becomes a part of the artwork and storytelling. I think it’s wonderful. I could go on and on on just that piece of the whole, but I won’t.
But, again, I could be the one who is wrong. I admit that, but to be so dismissive and certain that your opinion is the only correct one is also moronic and pretentious.