FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: HARVEY AWARDS

The Harvey Awards have opened up there ballot nominations for this year, and it's time for all comics professionals to start deciding what they think deserves attention in the various categories. The ballots went online this morning (I think), and I spent the last couple of hours going over my book shelves and my Goodreads account trying to figure out what I should vote for.

Here is my tentative list. I still have some holes. I'm also including a list of other books to consider at the bottom. Note that these largely reflect my tastes, so yes, some of your favorites might be left off. I am opening up the comments section for people to post other choices. I'd like to keep the focus on creator-owned comics as much as possible, but feel free to have a wide field. I want fans and pros alike to chime in--though professionals, keep in mind that it doesn't take a huge voting block to get a book on the final ballot. You gotta turn in these things, and vote for yourself and your colleagues, if you want to get noticed.

Also, I can't list everyone I want to list, so if you see a title that shows up once or twice, consider who else might have worked on the book. For instance, Ghost Projekt shows up for lettering and coloring, but consider also Joe Harris and Steve Rolston for writing and drawing; Sean Murphy is mentioned for his Vertigo work, but I couldn't fit his awesome colorist, Dave Stewart. In other words, take my list and look at the books yourself and weigh all options.

Help me with my blanks, too! Who was a great inker this year? I see mainly comics with cartoonists doing their own inking. I want to know who some great traditional inkers are!

1) BEST WRITER (LIST WRITER AND TITLE OF COMIC)
1. Matt Wagner, Madame Xanadu
2. Cullen Bunn, The Sixth Gun
3. Roger Langridge, Thor: The Mighty Avenger/The Muppet Show Comic Book
4. Evan Dorkin, Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites
5. Brian Wood, Northlanders/DMZ

2) BEST ARTIST (LIST ARTIST AND TITLE OF COMIC)
1. Sean Murphy, Joe the Barbarian/Hellblazer: City of Demons
2. Joëlle Jones, Madame Xanadu
3. Amy Reeder, Madame Xanadu
4. Brian Hurtt, The Sixth Gun
5. Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo

Alt. Rafael Albuquerque, American Vampire/Mondo Urbano

Edit: I originally had Stephen in the wrong category.

3) BEST CARTOONIST (LIST SINGLE WRITER/ARTIST AND TITLE OF COMIC)
1. Scott Chantler, Two Generals/Tower of Treasure
2. Jen Wang, Koko Be Good
3. James Stokoe, Orc Stain
4. Renee French, h day
5. Stephen DeStefano, Lucky in Love

4) BEST LETTERER (LIST LETTERER AND TITLE OF COMIC)
1. Brian Hurtt, The Sixth Gun
2. Douglas E. Sherwood, Spell Checkers/Ghost Projekt, etc.
3. Rus Wooten, Thor: The Mighty Avenger
4. Stephen DeStefano, Lucky in Love
5.

5) BEST INKER (LIST INKER AND TITLE OF COMIC)
1. Richard Friend, Madame Xanadu
2.
3.
4.
5.

6) BEST COLORIST (LIST COLORIST AND TITLE OF COMIC)
1. Laura Allred, iZombie
2. Guy Major, Madame Xanadu
3. Dave McCaig, American Vampire/Northlanders
4. Dean Trippe, Ghost Projekt
5. Brian Hurtt, The Sixth Gun

7) BEST COVER ARTIST (LIST COVER ARTIST AND TITLE OF COMIC)
1. Mike Allred, iZombie
2. Amy Reeder, Madame Xanadu/Supergirl
3. Chris Samnee, Thor: The Mighty Avenger
4.
5.

8) MOST PROMISING NEW TALENT (LIST WRITER OR ARTIST AND TITLE OF COMIC)
1. Nicolas Hitori de, Spell Checkers
2. Emi Lenox, EmiTown
3. Emily Carroll, various online comics
4. Jarrett Williams, Super Pro K.O., Oni Press
5. Drew Weing, Set to Sea

9) BEST NEW SERIES (LIST TITLE OF COMIC AND PUBLISHER)
1. The Sixth Gun, Oni Press
2. iZombie, DC/Vertigo
3. American Vampire, DC/Vertigo
4. Shadoweyes, Slave Labor Graphics
5. Orc Stain, Image Comics

10) BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES (LIST TITLE OF COMIC AND PUBLISHER)
1. The Sixth Gun, Oni Press
2. Echo, Abstract Studios
3. Strange Science Fantasy, IDW
4. American Vampire, DC/Vertigo
5. Usagi Yojimbo, Dark Horse

11) BEST SYNDICATED STRIP OR PANEL (LIST TITLE OF DAILY OR WEEKLY STRIP)

[I confess, I don't read any]

12) BEST ANTHOLOGY (ANY MAGAZINE, COMIC BOOK, OR BOOK WITH WORK BY THREE OR MORE CREATORS, AT LEAST 50% OF WHICH IS NEW – LIST TITLE AND PUBLISHER)
1. Papercutter, Tugboat Press
2. Jam!, Oni Press
3. AX: Alternative Manga, vol. 1, Top Shelf
4. CBGB, Boom!
5.

13) BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM – ORIGINAL (LIST TITLE AND PUBLISHER)
1. h day, Picturebox
2. Koko Be Good, First:Second
3. Market Day, Drawn & Quarterly
4. Lucky in Love, A Poor Man’s History, Fantagraphics
5. Two Generals, McClelland & Stewart

14) BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM – PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED (LIST TITLE AND PUBLISHER)
1. Moving Pictures, Top Shelf
2. Hopeless Savages: Greatest Hits, Oni Press
3. Tumor, Archaia
4. Guerillas, vol. 1, Oni Press
5. Batwoman: Elegy, DC

15) BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY (LIST ISSUE NUMBER(S) OR TITLE OF STORY AND PUBLISHER)
1. Lose #2 by Michael DeForge, Koyama Press
2. “Browntown” by Jaime Hernandez, Love & Rockets: New Stories vol. 3, Fantagraphics
3. Ultimate Spider-Man #150, Marvel comics
4. Stephen King back-up story, American Vampire #s 1-5, DC/Vertigo
5. "His Face All Red" by Emily Carroll (http://emcarroll.com/comics/faceallred/01.html)

Alternate: "Count 5 or 6" by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Chuck BB, CBGB #4, Boom!

16) BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT (MATERIAL MUST BE AT LEAST 10 YEARS OLD TO QUALIFY – LIST TITLE AND PUBLISHER)
1. Moomin, Drawn & Quarterly
2. Starman Omnibus, DC
3. Roy Crane’s Captain Easy, Fantagraphics
4. The Crusades, Image Comics
5.

17) BEST AMERICAN EDITION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL (LIST TITLE AND PUBLISHER)
1. The Killer, Archaia
2. Moomin, Drawn & Quarterly
3. Not Simple, Viz
4. Mondo Urbano, Oni Press
5. Blacksad, Dark Horse

Alt. AX: Alternative Manga, vol. 1, Top Shelf

18) BEST ONLINE COMICS WORK (LIST TITLE AND WEBSITE URL)
1. Emi Lenox, EmiTown (http://www.emitown.blogspot.com/)
2. Kate Beaton, Hark! A Vagrant (http://www.harkavagrant.com/)
3. Emily Carroll, various comics (http://emcarroll.blogspot.com/ and http://sockefeller.livejournal.com/)
4. Terry Blas, Briar Hollow (http://www.terryblas.com/briarhollowcomic)
5. Faith Erin Hicks, Superhero Girl (http://www.thecoast.ca/)

19) SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS (LIST WRITER OR ARTIST AND TITLE OF COMIC)
1. Emi Lenox, EmiTown
2. Jamie S. Rich, Spell Checkers
3. Ray Fawkes, Possessions
4. Kate Beaton, Hark! A Vagrant
5. Bryan Lee O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour

20) SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION (ART DIRECTION / PRODUCTION - LIST TITLE AND PUBLISHER)
1. Tumor, Archaia
2. Two Generals, McClelland & Stewart
3. h day, Picturebox
4. Wednesday Comics, DC Comics
5. Roy Crane’s Captian Easy, Fantagraphics

21) BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, OR JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION (ANY BOOK, MAGAZINE, FILM, OR VIDEO THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF COMICS AS AN ARTFORM)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

22) BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC PUBLICATION FOR YOUNGER READERS
1. Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Marvel Comics
2. Possessions, Oni Press
3. Yo Gabba Gabba! Board Comics, Oni Press
4. Tower of Treasure: Three Thieves, Kids Can Press
5. Smile, Graphix


Other books to consider:
* Brain Camp, illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks (First:Second)
* Chocolate Cheeks by Steven Weissman (Fantagraphics)
* Crogan’s March by Chris Schweizer (Oni Press)
* Daytripper by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba (DC/Vertigo)
* Invincible Iron Man for Matt Fraaction's writing (Marvel)
* King City by Brandon Graham (Image Comics)
* Hellboy and BPRD comics by Mike Mignola, Duncan Fegredo, John Arcudi, Guy Davis, et al.
* Lola by J. Torres & Elbert Orr (Oni Press)
* Mercury by Hope Larson (Atheneum)
* Palookaville #20 by Seth (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Revolver by Matt Kindt (Vertigo)
* Richard Stark's Parker: The Outfit by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
* Stumptown by Greg Rucka & Matthew Southworth (Oni Press)
* Sweets by Kody Chamberlain (Image Comics)
* Troublemaker, illustrated by Joëlle Jones (Dark Horse)
* Ultimate Spider-Man artists Dave LaFuente and Sara Pichelli, colorist Justin Ponsor
* Underground by Jeff Parker & Steve Lieber (Image Comics)

Now you know what I think, let's see your opinions!