So, who should win for Best Short Story or Best Lettering? Well, maybe Best Writer and Best Graphic Album-New are the sexiest categories, among the options, at the Eisner Awards ceremony at Comic-Con International: San Diego, Friday, July 23, starting at 8:30 PM. In those two categories, I’d have to say that Ed Brubaker will once again win the honor for such a remarkable body of work: “Captain Ameica,” “Daredevil,” “Marvels Project” (Marvel), “Criminal” and “Incognito” (Marvel Icon). That man loves what he does and it shows! The same, of course, can be said for David Mazzucchelli and he should easily win for best graphic novel, or album (whatever), for the landmark work, “Asterios Polyp,” published by Pantheon.
I see “The Unwritten” makes it into a number of categories for consideration: Best Single Issue, Best Continuing Series, Best New Series. It definitely should be acknowledged as something out of the ordinary but I wonder if the premise is losing steam. Another easy choice would be David Small’s “Stitches,” but that one really stuck with me and I hope he wins for Best Writer/Artist-Nonfiction. And J.H. Williams III needs to be honored for his work on “Detective Comics” with Best Penciller/Inker and Best Cover Artist. John Porcellino should win for Best Graphic Album-Reprint for his beautiful, “Map of My Heart,” published by Drawn & Quarterly. It will be fun to see Berkeley Breathed’s “Bloom County” win for Best Archival Collection. I liked to see R. Crumb’s “The Book of Genesis” win for Best Adaptation from Another Work. It would also be nice to see Tony Millionaire’s “Drinky Crow’s Maakies Treasury,” published by Fantagraphics, win for Best Humor Publication. And wouldn’t it be nice to see Kevin Cannon’s “Far Arden,” published by Top Shelf, win for Best Publication for Teens? It need not be considered just a teen book. It’s a great work of comics.
