Harvey Awards

It's Harvey Award time again, so I'll just offer up some thoughts on the nominees...

BEST WRITER
Brian Michael Bendis NEW AVENGERS Marvel Comics
Ed Brubaker CAPTAIN AMERICA Marvel Comics
Joshua Hale Fialkov ELK'S RUN Hoarse and Buggy Productions/Speakeasy Comics
Mike Mignola BPRD Dark Horse Comics
Alex Robinson TRICKED Top Shelf

I wish I'd gotten my hands on Elk's Run, but it never appeared on the shelves of my comic store (not even the Bumper Edition). But I'm glad that they're not just ignoring the Speakeasy books just because they went under. I didn't read Tricked either, so I would go with Brian Michael Bendis among the remaining. New Avengers is a really underrated book. It's one of the best superhero comics currently. Plus, there's the excellent Ultimate Spider-Man by the man too.

BEST ARTIST
Frank Cho SHANNA, THE SHE-DEVIL Marvel Comics
David Finch NEW AVENGERS Marvel Comics
Eduardo Risso 100 BULLETS DC/Vertigo
Noel Tuazon ELK'S RUN Hoarse and Buggy Productions/Speakeasy Comics
J.H. Williams III PROMETHEA ABC/WildStorm/DC Comics

Marvel got a lot of nominations this year, especially when in years past, they'd get one or two, at the most seven. This year? Over twenty. It's kind of like the year Crossgen had all of their creators vote for their books and got a bunch of nods. Doesn't mean they'll be getting the awards. David Finch? Come on. I kind of like Frank Cho, but I think I'd go with J.H. Williams III here,

BEST CARTOONIST
Frank Cho SHANNA, THE SHE-DEVIL Marvel Comics
Chris Eliopoulos FANTASTIC FOUR PRESENTS: FRANKLIN RICHARDS, SON OF A GENIUS Marvel Comics
John Kovalic DORK TOWER Dork Storm Press
Seth WIMBLEDON GREEN Drawn and Quarterly
Chris Ware ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY #16 ACME Novelty Library

I'm going to go with Chris Ware. Acme Novelty Library #16 was awesome.

BEST LETTERER
Chris Eliopoulos FANTASTIC FOUR PRESENTS: FRANKLIN RICHARDS, SON OF A GENIUS Marvel Comics
Jason Hanley ELK'S RUN Hoarse and Buggy Productions/Speakeasy Comics
Todd Klein MARVEL 1602: NEW WORLD Marvel Comics
Richard Starkings SHANNA, THE SHE-DEVIL Marvel Comics
Chris Ware ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY #16 ACME Novelty Library

I just don't pay enough attention to the letterers...

BEST INKER
Charles Burns BLACK HOLE # 12 Fantagraphics Books
Scott Hanna ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN Marvel Comics
Steve Leialoha FABLES DC/Vertigo
Paul Neary ULTIMATES 2 Marvel Comics
Tim Townsend HOUSE OF M Marvel Comics

Charles Burns, hands down.

BEST COLORIST
Frank D'Armata NEW AVENGERS Marvel Comics
Jason Keith SHANNA, THE SHE-DEVIL Marvel Comics
Laura Martin ASTONISHING X-MEN Marvel Comics
Patricia Mulvihill 100 BULLETS DC/Vertigo
Jennifer Rodgers THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS Archaia Studios Press

It's nice to see Archaia Studios Press getting some love. I am, however, going to lean toward the unconquerable Laura Martin.

BEST COVER ARTIST
Frank Cho SHANNA, THE SHE-DEVIL Marvel Comics
Steve Epting CAPTAIN AMERICA Marvel Comics
James Jean FABLES DC/Vertigo
Mike Mignola HELLBOY: THE ISLAND Dark Horse
Datsun Tran ELK'S RUN Hoarse and Buggy Productions/Speakeasy Comics

I'm a James Jean fan.

BEST NEW TALENT
Joshua Hale Fialkov ELK'S RUN Hoarse and Buggy Productions/Speakeasy Comics
David Hine DAREDEVIL: REDEMPTION Marvel Comics
R. Kikuo Johnson NIGHT FISHER Fantagraphics Books
A. David Lewis THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS Caption Box/Archaia Studios Press
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa MARVEL KNIGHTS FOUR Marvel Comics

I wasn't terribly impressed with The Lone and Level Sands, I hate to say. I'm going to say R. Kikuo Johnson.

BEST NEW SERIES
BAOBAB Fantagraphics Books
DRAMACON Tokyopop
MARVEL ADVENTURES: FANTASTIC FOUR Marvel Comics
THE SURROGATES Top Shelf
YOUNG AVENGERS Marvel Comics
X-FACTOR Marvel Comics

I love the X-Factor.

BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES
ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY ACME Novelty Library
CAPTAIN AMERICA Marvel Comics
ELK'S RUN Hoarse and Buggy Productions/Speakeasy Comics
RUNAWAYS Marvel Comics
Y: THE LAST MAN DC/Vertigo

Acme Novelty Library is leagues ahead of the others here (except maybe Elk's Run since I haven't read it). Y: The Last Man? Whatever. I do like Runaways a lot though.

BEST SYNDICATED STRIP OR PANEL
THE BOONDOCKS Aaron McGruder Universal Press Syndicate
THE K CHRONICLES Keith Knight Self-syndicated
MAAKIES Tony Millionaire Self-syndicated
MUTTS Patrick McDonnell King Features Syndicate
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Stan Lee and Larry Leiber King Features Syndicate

I don't read any of these, but The Amazing Spider-Man? Who the hell reads that? Any of the others.

BEST ANTHOLOGY
FLIGHT, VOL. 2 Image Comics
MARVEL HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2005 Marvel Comics
MARVEL MONSTERS: WHERE MONSTERS DWELL Marvel Comics
MOME Fantagraphics Books
PROJECT SUPERIOR AdHouse
SOLO DC Comics

Man, Marvel is really reaching here. The four that aren't Marvel are all really cool projects. I wouldn't mind seeing any of them win.

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM - ORIGINAL
COMBAT ZONE Marvel Comics
THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS Caption Box
NIGHT FISHER Fantagraphics Books
TRICKED Top Shelf
WIMBLEDON GREEN Drawn and Quarterly

Night Fisher.

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM - PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED
BLACK HOLE Pantheon Books
DAISY KUTTER Viper Comics
LATE BLOOMER Fantagraphics Books
RUNAWAYS, VOLUME 1 HARDCOVER Marvel Comics
STOKER'S DRACULA Marvel Comics

I would like to say Late Bloomer, but I haven't actually read it, so I'll say Black Hole, which is awesome.

BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY
ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY #16 ACME Novelty Library
CAPTAIN AMERICA #7 Marvel Comics
ELK'S RUN #3 Hoarse and Buggy Productions/Speakeasy Comics
HOUSE OF M # 8 Marvel Comics
LOVE AND ROCKETS, VOLUME 2, # 15 Fantagraphics Books

Acme Novelty Library #16. When Elk's Run is collected, I'm definitely going to check it out though.

BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT
FANTASTIC FOUR OMNIBUS Marvel Comics
MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN AGE ALL-WINNERS, VOLUME 1 Marvel Comics
LITTLE NEMO IN SLUMBERLAND: SO MANY SPLENDID SUNDAYS Sunday Press Books
COMPLETE PEANUTS Fantagraphics Books
WALT AND SKEEZIX Drawn and Quarterly

I think this is going to be between Walt and Skeezix and Little Nemo, but I'm going to go with the one I've actually read: Walt and Skeezix.

BEST AMERICAN EDITION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL
BAOBAB # 1 Fantagraphics Books
BLAME! Tokyopop
BUDDHA Vertical Books
EPILEPTIC Pantheon Books
PUSH MAN AND OTHER STORIES Drawn and Quarterly

You know, I wasn't a fan of Push Man... I'd say either Buddha or Epileptic, though I hate how easy the little dust jacket is to rip on both on them.

BEST ONLINE COMICS WORK
ACHEWOOD Chris Onstad www.achewood.com
AMERICAN ELF James Kochalka www.americanelf.com
PENNY ARCADE Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik www.penny-arcade.com
PERRY BIBLE FELLOWSHIP Nicholas Gurewitch www.thepbf.com
PVP Scott Kurtz www.pvponline.com

I love American Elf. James Kochalka's the man.

SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS
Kyle Baker PLASTIC MAN DC Comics
James Kolchalka SUPER F*CKERS Top Shelf and www.americanelf.com
John Kovalic DORK TOWER Dork Storm Press
Marc Sumerak FANTASTIC FOUR PRESENTS: FRANKLIN RICHARDS, SON OF A GENIUS Marvel Comics
Zeb Wells NEW WARRIORS Marvel Comics

Super F*ckers!!!! Yay!!!

SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION
WATCHMEN: THE ABSOLUTE EDITION DC Comics
ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY Pantheon Books
EARTH X HARDCOVER Marvel Comics
FANTASTIC FOUR OMNIBUS Marvel Comics
LITTLE NEMO IN SLUMBERLAND: SO MANY SPLENDID SUNDAYS Sunday Press Books

Acme Novelty Library. Ware is the king of presentation.

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL OR JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION
ALTER EGO TwoMorrows
COMIC BOOK ARTIST Top Shelf
COMICS JOURNAL Fantagraphics Books
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT Marvel Comics
WIZARD Wizard Entertainment

Wizard? Marvel Spotlight? Yeah... Comics Journal. Yeah.