Harvey Award Nominations Announced

From the Beat but with NECESSARY COMMENTARY from Joe Rice (me).

Best New Talent
Samuel Hiti / End Times – Tiempos Finales / La Luz Comics
Christopher Reilly / Puphedz / Brillig Productions
Andy Runton / Owly / Top Shelf
Leslie Stein / Yeah, It Is / Alternative Comics
Bryan Lee O’Malley / Scott Pilgrim / Oni Press

Shit. This is like a list of things I've meant to read but haven't. Except for Owly. I don't trust Eliot and his Owly obsession. So, uh, no commentary, just me looking like a dumbass.

Best New Series
Michael Chabon Presents: The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist / Dark Horse Comics
Ex Machina: The First Hundred Days / DC Comics/Wildstorm
Or Else / Drawn & Quarterly
Owly / Top Shelf
1602 / Marvel

I like Ex Machina, I really do. But, Jesus, is it really THAT great to deserve all these nominations? Huh. I guess it's smart and I like it every month . . .it just never hit me as "Award Material." And 1602 was more boring than a thousand comic review blogs written only as synopses. That's boring.

Best Letterer
Daniel Clowes / Eightball / Fantagraphics Books
Todd Klein / Wonder Woman / DC Comics
Seth / Palookaville / Drawn & Quarterly
Dave Sim / Cerebus / Aardvark-Vanaheim
Richard Starkings / Conan / Dark Horse Comics

Was Klein's work on Wonder Woman better than anything else he's ever done? Huh. I'd go with Clowes here. He can letter like a mother.

Best Writer
Brian Michael Bendis / Daredevil / Marvel
Daniel Clowes / Eightball / Fantagraphics Books
Alan Moore / Promethea / DC Comics/Wildstorm/America’s Best Comics
Christopher Reilly / Puphedz / Brillig Productions
Judd Winick / Green Arrow / DC Comics

"Hello, Alan, you deserve to be here."

"Thank you, Daniel! You do, as well."

"I"m not sure who you are, Christopher."

. . .

. . .

Best Artist
Charles Burns / Black Hole #2 / Fantagraphics Books
John Cassaday / Planetary / DC Comics/Wildstorm
Darwyn Cooke / DC: The New Frontier / DC Comics
Juanjo Guardino / Blacksad 2 / ibooks/Komikwerks
Jaime Hernandez / Love and Rockets / Fantagraphics Books

What a great category. Shit. How do you pick between Burns, Cooke, and Hernandez? I almost see those guys splitting a vote and Cassaday getting in there. (He's great, but not like the others.)

Best Cartoonist
Kyle Baker / Plastic Man / DC Comics
Daniel Clowes / Eightball / Fantagraphics Books
Batton Lash / Supernatural Law / Exhibit A Press
Bryan Lee O’Malley / Scott Pilgrim / Oni Press
Jeff Smith / Bone / Cartoon Books

REQUISITE "WHAT DISTINGUISHES THIS CATEGORY?" REMARK. Clowes.

Best Cover Artist
Charles Burns / Black Hole / Fantagraphics Books
Juanjo Guardino / Blacksad / ibooks/Komikwerks
James Jean / Fables / DC Comics/Vertigo
Scott McKowen / 1602 / Marvel
Humberto Ramos / Spectacular Spider-Man / Marvel

If anything was gooda bout 1602, it was the covers, so no problem there. But Humberto Ramos? Really? James Jean, I think. Amazing work that keeps getting better.

Best Single Issue or Story
Batman: Room Full of Strangers / DC Comics
Black Hole #12 / Fantagraphics Books
Dogs and Water / Drawn & Quarterly
Identity Crisis #1-4 / DC Comics
Eightball #23 / Fantagraphics Books
Puphedz / Brillig Productions
Supernatural Law #101 / Exhibit A Press

One of these things is not like the other, one of these things is different. Seeing Eightball and Identity Crisis not only as words near each other, but NOMINATED for the SAME CATEGORY makes me kick my mom in the nuts. Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME? Who let the Wizard boys vote this year?


Best Domestic Reprint Project
Krazy and Ignatz / Fantagraphics Books
B. Krigstein: Comics / Fantagraphics Books
The Last Heroes / ibooks/Komikwerks
Marge’s Little Lulu Vol. 1 / Dark Horse Comics
The Complete Peanuts 1950-52 / Fantagraphics Books
The Spirit Archives Vol. 14 / DC Comics

Hello worthy category about which I've nothing to say other than, "Keep it up!"

Best Continuing / Limited Series
Eightball / Fantagraphics Books
Identity Crisis / DC Comics
Love and Rockets / Fantagraphics Books
The New Frontier / DC Comics
Supernatural Law / Exhibit A Press

Is Supernatural Law as good as the rest of the things in this list? If so, I really should be buying it. Because three of my favorite comics of all time are on this list. And one comic where rape gets used to PUMP UP SOME SUPERHEROES!!!!!!!

Best Inker
Charles Burns / Black Hole / Fantagraphics Books
Danny Miki / Ultimate Fantastic Four / Marvel
Andy Parks / Green Arrow / DC Comics
Seth / Palookaville / Drawn & Quarterly
Steve Leialoha / Fables / DC Comics/Vertigo

Best Colorist
Daniel Clowes / Eighball / Fantagrahpics Books
Laura Martin / Astonishing X-Men / Marvel
Patricia Mulvihill / 100 Bullets / DC Comics/Vertigo
Stefani Renee / Ant / Arcana Studio
Dave Stewart / DC: The New Frontier / DC Comics

All these folks seem good at what they do.

Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work
American Elf: Sketchbook Diaries of James Kochalka / Top Shelf / James Kochalka
Bone: One Volume Edition / Cartoon Books / Jeff Smith
Clyde Fans: Book 1 / Drawn & Quarterly / Seth
Locas / Fantagraphics Books / Jaime Hernandez
R. Crumb’s Kafka / ibooks/Komikwerks / Robert Crumb & David Zane Mairowitz

Hard to go against Crumb, but LOCAS! LOCAS! LOCAS!

Special Award for Humor in Comics
Kyle Baker / Plastic Man / DC Comics
Jimmy Gownley / Amelia Rules! / ibooks/Komikwerks
Roger Langridge / Fred the Clown / Hotel Fred
Christopher Reilly / Puphedz / Brillig Productions
Johnny Ryan / Angry Youth Comix / Fantagraphics Books

Baker makes me giggle, and I love his artwork. Ryan makes me actually laugh as if I were talking to a person in front of me. That's quality funny.

Best Anthology
Michael Chabon Presents: The Amazing Adventure of the Escapist / Dark Horse Comics / Diana Schutz, Editor
Fight #1 / Image Comics / Kazu Kibuishi, Editor
Kramer’s Ergot #5 / Gingko Press / Sammy Harkham,Editor
McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern #13 / McSweeney’s Books / Chris Ware, Editor
Nickelodeon (Comic Book Section) / Viacom/Nickelodeon / Dave Roman, Editor

Escapist would have a chance if the best pieces from the entire run were put together in one book. As it is, each issue has some good and some not-so-good.

Best Graphic Album of Original Work
Blacksad 2 / ibooks/Komikwerks / Juajono Guardino, Juan Diaz Canales
Carnet De Voyage / Top Shelf / Craig Thompson
Jimbo in Purgatory / Fantagraphics Books / Gary Panter
Owly / Top Shelf / Andy Runton
Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1 / Oni Press / Bryan Lee O’Malley

Shit, I even OWN some of this stuff and haven't read it.

Best Syndicated Strip or Panel
Doonesbury / Garry Trudeau / Universal Press Syndicate
Tom, the Dancing Bug / Ruben Bolling / Universal Press Syndicate
Maakies / Tony Millionaire / Self-Syndicated
Mutts / Patrick McDonald / King Features Syndicate
Underworld / Kaz / Self-Syndicated

I feel like Mutts is the odd-man-out here, unless I've totally misread that strip the few times I've seen it.

Special Award for Excellence in Presentation
In the Shadow of No Towers / Pantheon
McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern #13 / McSweeney’s Books
Mr. X Collected / ibooks/Komikwerks
The Complete Peanuts 1950-52 / Fantagraphics Books
Valerian: New Future Trilogy / ibooks/Komikwerks

This will one day be called the Ware/Kidd Memorial Award.

Best American Edition of Foreign Material
Blacksad 2 / ibooks/Komikwerks
Buddha / Vertical Inc.
Metabarons / Humanoids Publishing
Persepolis 2: Story of a Return / Pantheon
Valerian: New Future Trilogy / ibooks/Komikwerks

I'd say this comes down to Buddha versus Persepolis 2. (Who'd have thought a legit work could have "2" in its name?)

Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation
Comic Art Magazine / M. Todd Hignite / M. Todd Hignite, Editor
Comic Book Artist / Top Shelf / Jon B. Cooke, Editor
The Comics Journal / Fantagraphics Books / Gary Groth and Dirk Deppey, Editors
Indy Magazine / Alternative Comics / Bill Kartalopoulos, Editor
Men of Tomorrow / Basic Books / Gerard Jones, Author

I've not read Comic Art yet, but the way I've heard, it's the only competition TCJ really has in this category.

Overall, these were much better nominations than the Eisners, I think. But aren't they, usually? I don't know how the fuck Rape Comix got in there, but, hey, shit happens. My only real complaint is the lack of Morrison, Quitely, and We3 in there. Each of those three things would fit in nicely where an unworthy nomination now sits. But I ain't sweatin' it. I think I'm going to eat some LAMB CHOPS now, yeah.