AwardsComic Books & Graphic Novels

2021 Eisner Award Winners Announced

For the second year in a row, Comic-Con International opted to present their event virtually with Comic-Con at Home. As part of the weekend, the 33rd Annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards were presented online Friday, July 23. Host Phil LaMarr presented the winners in a video presentation. Named for comics creator Will Eisner, the awards celebrate excellence in thirty-two categories related to comic books and graphic novels.

Winners are highlighted in red.

Best Short Story
  • “Garden Boys” by Henry McCausland, in Now #8 (Fantagraphics)
  • “I Needed the Discounts” by Connor Willumsen, in The New York Times (January 3, 2020)
  • “Parts of Us,” by Chan Chau, in Elements: Earth, A Comic Anthology by Creators of Color (Ascend Press)
  • “Rookie,” by Greg Rucka and Eduardo Risso, in Detective Comics #1027 (DC)
  • “Soft Lead,” by Chan Chau, https://chanchauart.com/comics#/soft-lead/
  • “When the Menopausal Carnival Comes to Town,” by Mimi Pond, in Menopause: A Comic Treatment (Graphic Medicine/Pennsylvania State University Press)
Best Single Issue
  • The Burning Hotels, by Thomas Lampion (Birdcage Bottom Books)
  • Hedra, by Jesse Lonergan (Image)
  • The Other History of the DC Universe #1, by John Ridley and Giuseppe Camuncoli (DC)
  • Sports Is Hell, by Ben Passmore (Koyama Press)
  • Stanley’s Ghost: A Halloween Adventure, by Jeff Balke, Paul Storrie, and Dave Alvarez (Storm Kids)
Best Continuing Series
  • Bitter Root, by David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene (Image)
  • Daredevil, by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto (Marvel)
  • The Department of Truth, by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds (Image)
  • Gideon Falls, by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino (Image)
  • Stillwater, by Chip Zdarsky and Ramón K Pérez (Image/Skybound)
  • Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai (IDW)
Best Limited Series
  • Barbalien: Red Planet, by Jeff Lemire, Tate Brombal, and Gabriel Hernandez Walta (Dark Horse)
  • Decorum, by Jonathan Hickman and Mike Huddleston (Image)
  • Far Sector, by N. K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell (DC)
  • Strange Adventures, by Tom King, Mitch Gerads, and Evan “Doc” Shaner (DC Black Label)
  • Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen, by Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber (DC)
  • We Live, by Inaki Miranda and Roy Miranda (AfterShock)
Best New Series
  • Black Widow, by Kelly Thompson and Elena Casagrande (Marvel)
  • Crossover, by Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw (Image)
  • The Department of Truth, by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds (Image)
  • Killadelphia, by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander (Image)
  • We Only Find Them When They’re Dead, by Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo (BOOM! Studios)
Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 8)
  • Bear, by Ben Queen and Joe Todd-Stanton (Archaia/BOOM!)
  • Cat Kid Comic Club, by Dav Pilkey (Scholastic Graphix)
  • Donut Feed the Squirrels, by Mika Song (RH Graphic/RH Children’s Books)
  • Kodi, by Jared Cullum (Top Shelf)
  • Lift, by Minh Lê and Dan Santat (Little, Brown Young Readers)
  • Our Little Kitchen, by Jillian Tamaki (Abrams Books for Young Readers)
Best Publication for Kids (ages 9-12)
  • Doodleville, by Chad Sell (Knopf/BFYR/RH Children’s Books)
  • Go with the Flow, by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann (First Second/Macmillan)
  • Mister Invincible: Local Hero, by Pascal Jousselin (Magnetic Press)
  • Snapdragon, by Kat Leyh (First Second/Macmillan)
  • Superman Smashes the Klan, by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru (DC)
  • Twins, by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright (Scholastic Graphix)
Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)
  • Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks & Scones, by Ngozi Ukazu (First Second/Macmillan)
  • Displacement, by Kiku Hughes (First Second/Macmillan)
  • Dragon Hoops, by Gene Luen Yang (First Second/Macmillan)
  • Fights: One Boy’s Triumph Over Violence, by Joel Christian Gill (Oni Press)
  • A Map to the Sun, by Sloane Leong (First Second/Macmillan)
  • When Stars are Scattered, by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed (Dial Books)
Best Humor Publication
  • The Complete Fante Bukowski, by Noah Van Sciver (Fantagraphics)
  • Department of Mind-Blowing Theories, by Tom Gauld (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • FANGS, by Sarah Andersen (Andrews McMeel)
  • Wendy, Master of Art, by Walter Scott (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen, by Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber (DC)
  • What If We Were . . ., by Axelle Lenoir (Top Shelf)
Best Anthology
  • Ex Mag, vols. 1–2, edited by Wren McDonald (PEOW)
  • Guantanamo Voices: True Accounts from the World’s Most Infamous Prison, edited by Sarah Mirk (Abrams)
  • Hey, Amateur! Go From Novice to Nailing It in 9 Panels, edited and curated by Shelly Bond (IDW Black Crown)
  • Los Angeles Times, edited by Sammy Harkham (NTWRK)
  • Menopause: A Comic Treatment, edited by MK Czerwiec (Graphic Medicine/Pennsylvania State University Press)
  • Now, edited by Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)
Best Reality-Based Work
  • Big Black: Stand at Attica, by Frank “Big Black” Smith, Jared Reinmuth, and Améziane (Archaia/BOOM!)
  • Dragon Hoops, by Gene Luen Yang (First Second/Macmillan)
  • Invisible Differences: A Story of Asperger’s, Adulting, and Living a Life in Full Color, by Mme Caroline and Julie Dachez, translation by Edward Gauvin (Oni Press)
  • Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio, by Derf Backderf (Abrams)
  • Paying the Land, by Joe Sacco (Metropolitan/Henry Holt)
  • Year of the Rabbit, by Tian Veasna, translation by Helge Dascher (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Graphic Memoir
  • Banned Book Club, by Kim Hyun Sook, Ryan Estrada, and Ko Hyung-Ju (Iron Circus)
  • Dancing After TEN: A Graphic Memoir, by Vivian Chong and Georgia Webber (Fantagraphics)
  • Ginseng Roots, by Craig Thompson (Uncivilized)
  • I Don’t Know How to Give Birth! by Ayami Kazama, translated by Julie Goniwich (Yen Press)
  • The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist, by Adrian Tomine (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • When Stars Are Scattered, by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed (Dial Books)
Best Graphic Album—New
  • The Book Tour, by Andi Watson (Top Shelf)
  • Dragman, by Steven Appleby (Metropolitan)
  • Flake, by Matthew Dooley (Jonathan Cape)
  • Labyrinth, by Ben Argon (Abrams)
  • Paul at Home, by Michel Rabagliati, translation by Helge Dascher and Rob Aspinall (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Pulp, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)
Best Graphic Album—Reprint
  • Black Hammer Library Edition, vol. 2, by Jeff Lemire, Dean Ormstom, Emi Lenox, and Rich Tommaso (Dark Horse)
  • Criminal Deluxe Edition, vol. 3, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)
  • Eight-Lane Runaways, by Henry McCausland (Fantagraphics)
  • Fante Bukowski: The Complete Works, by Noah Van Sciver (Fantagraphics)
  • Herobear and the Kid: The Heritage, by Mike Kunkel (Astonish Factory)
  • Seeds and Stems, by Simon Hanselmann (Fantagraphics)
Best Adaptation from Another Medium
  • Constitution Illustrated, by R. Sikoryak (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Parable of the Sower: The Graphic Novel Adaptation, by Octavia E. Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings (Abrams)
  • Sapiens: A Graphic History: The Birth of Mankind, vol. 1, by Yuval Noah Harari, adapted by David Vandermeulen and Daniel Casanave (Harper Perennial)
  • Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut, adapted by Ryan North and Albert Monteys (Archaia/BOOM!)
  • Superman Smashes the Klan, adapted by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru (DC)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material
  • Altitude, by Olivier Bocquet and Jean-Marc Rochette, translation by Edward Gauvin (SelfMadeHero)
  • Gamayun Tales I: An Anthology of Modern Russian Folk Tales, by Alexander Utkin, translation by Lada Morozova (Nobrow)
  • Goblin Girl, by Moa Romanova, translation by Melissa Bowers (Fantagraphics)
  • Irena Books 2-3, by Jean-David Morvan, Severine Tréfouël, and David Evrard, translation by Dan Christensen (Magnetic Press)
  • When You Look Up, by Decur, translation by Chloe Garcia Roberts (Enchanted Lion Books)
  • The Winter of the Cartoonist, by Paco Roca, translation by Erica Mena (Fantagraphics)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia
  • I Had That Same Dream Again, by Yoru Sumino and Idumi Kirihara, translation by Beni Axia Conrad (Seven Seas)
  • I Wish I Could Say “Thank You,” by Yukari Takinami, translation by Yukari Takeuchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
  • A Journal Of My Father, by Jiro Taniguchi, translation by Kumar Sivasubramanian (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
  • Ping Pong, vols. 1–2, by Taiyo Matsumoto, translation by Michael Arias (VIZ Media)
  • Remina, by Junji Ito, translation by Jocelyne Allen (VIZ Media)
  • Spy x Family, vols. 1–3, by Tatsuya Endo, translation by Casey Loe (VIZ Media)
Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips
  • The Flapper Queens: Women Cartoonists of the Jazz Age, edited by Trina Robbins (Fantagraphics)
  • Gross Exaggerations: The Meshuga Comic Strips of Milt Gross, by Milt Gross, edited by Peter Maresca (Sunday Press/IDW)
  • Krazy & Ignatz 1919-1921 by George Herriman, edited by RJ Casey (Fantagraphics)
  • Little Debbie and the Second Coming of Elmo: Daily Comic Strips, August 1960–September 1961, by Cecil Jensenedited by Frank Young (Labor of Love)
  • Pogo The Complete Syndicated Comic Strips: Volume 7: Clean as a Weasel, by Walt Kelly, edited by Mark Evanier and Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)
Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books
  • Art Young’s Inferno, by Art Young, edited by Glenn Bray (Fantagraphics)
  • Atlas at War! edited by Michael J. Vassallo (Dead Reckoning)
  • The Complete Hate, by Peter Bagge, edited by Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)
  • Corto Maltese: The Ballad of the Salty Sea, by Hugo Pratt, translation by Dean Mullaney and Simone Castaldi (EuroComics/IDW)
  • Little Lulu: The Fuzzythingus Poopi, by John Stanley, edited by Frank Young and Tom Devlin (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Man and Superman and Other Stories, by Harvey Kurtzman, edited by J. Michael Catron (Fantagraphics)
Best Writer
  • Ed Brubaker, Pulp, Reckless (Image); Friday (Panel Syndicate)
  • Matt Fraction, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen (DC); Adventureman, November vols. 2–3Sex Criminals (Image)
  • Jonathan Hickman, Decorum (Image); Giant-Size X-Men, X-Men (Marvel)
  • Jeff Lemire, Barbalien, Black Hammer, Colonel Weird: Cosmagog (Dark Horse); The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage (DC Black Label); Family Tree, Gideon Falls (Image)
  • James Tynion IV, Something Is Killing the Children, Wynd (BOOM! Studios); Batman (DC); The Department of Truth (Image); Razorblades (Tiny Onion)
  • Chip Zdarsky, Stillwater (Image/Skybound), Daredevil, Fantastic Four/X-Men (Marvel)
Best Writer/Artist
  • Junji Ito, ReminaVenus in the Blind Spot (VIZ Media)
  • Pascal Jousselin, Mister Invincible: Local Hero (Magnetic Press)
  • Trung Le Nguyen, The Magic Fish (RH Graphic/RH Children’s Books)
  • Craig Thompson, Ginseng Roots (Uncivilized)
  • Adrian Tomine, The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Gene Luen Yang, Dragon Hoops (First Second/Macmillan)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
  • Michael Allred, Bowie: Stardust, Rayguns & Moonage Daydreams (Insight Editions)
  • Marco Chechetto, Daredevil (Marvel)
  • Jorge Corona, Middlewest (Image)
  • Bertrand Gatignol, Pistouvi (Magnetic Press)
  • Mitch Gerads/Evan “Doc” Shaner, Strange Adventures (DC Black Label)
  • Sanford Greene, Bitter Root (Image)
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
  • Benjamin Adam, Soon (Europe Comics)
  • Alice Chemama, The Zolas (Europe Comics)
  • Jared Cullum, Kodi (Top Shelf)
  • Decur, When You Look Up (Enchanted Lion Books)
  • Antonio Lapone, Gentlemind (Europe Comics)
  • Anand RK/John Pearson, Blue in Green (Image)
Best Cover Artist
  • Jamal Campbell, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (BOOM! Studios); Far Sector (DC)
  • Simone Di Meo, We Only Find Them When They’re Dead (BOOM! Studio)
  • Mike Huddleston, Decorum (Image)
  • Dave Johnson, Butcher of Paris (Dark Horse)
  • Peach Momoko, Buffy the Vampire Slayer #19, Mighty Morphin #2, Something Is Killing the Children #12, Power Rangers #1 (BOOM! Studios); DIE!namite, Vampirella (Dynamite); The Crow: Lethe (IDW); Marvel Variants (Marvel
  • Ramón K. Pérez, Stillwater (Image/Skybound)
Best Coloring
  • Laura Allred, X-Ray Robot (Dark Horse); Bowie: Stardust, Rayguns & Moonage Daydreams (Insight Editions)
  • Jean-Francois Beaulieu, Middlewest (Image)
  • Gipi, One Story (Fantagraphics)
  • Marte Gracia, Empyre, X of Swords (Marvel)
  • Dave Stewart, Promethee 13:13 (comiXology); Black Hammer (Dark Horse); Gideon Falls (Image); Spider-Man #4-#5 (Marvel)
  • Matt Wilson, Undiscovered Country (Image); Fire Power (Image/Skybound); Thor (Marvel)
Best Lettering
  • Mike Allred, Bowie: Stardust, Rayguns & Moonage Daydreams (Insight Editions)
  • Deron Bennett, Bear, The Sacrifice of Darkness (Archaia); King of Nowhere, Something Is Killing the Children, We Only Find Them When They’re Dead (BOOM! Studios); Far Sector, Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red, Martian Manhunter (DC); Excellence (Image/Skybound); A Dark Interlude, Dark One, Relics of Youth, Resonant, Shadow Service, Vampire: The Masquerade: Winter’s Teeth (Vault); Ping Pong (VIZ Media)
  • Aditya Bidikar, Barbalien: Red Planet, Grafity’s Wall Expanded Edition (Dark Horse); John Constantine, Hellblazer (DC); A Map to the Sun (First Second); The Department of Truth, Lost Soldiers (Image); Giga, The Picture of Everything Else (Vault)
  • Clayton Cowles, Aquaman, Batman, Batman and the Outsiders, Strange Adventures, Superman: Man of Tomorrow, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen (DC); Adventureman, Bitter Root, Bog Bodies, Die (Image); Reaver (Image/Skybound); Morbius, X Of Swords (Marvel)
  • Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo (IDW)
  • Rus Wooton, Wonder Woman: Dead Earth (DC); Decorum, Monstress (Image); Die!Die!Die!, Fire Power, Oblivion Song, Outcast, Stillwater (Image/Skybound)
Best Comics-Related Journalism/Periodical
  • Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
  • Back Issue, edited by Michael Eury (TwoMorrows)
  • The Comics Blog, by Michael Cavna and David Betancourt, https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/comics/
  • The Comics Journal, edited by RJ Casey, Kristy Valenti, and Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
  • PanelxPanel magazine, edited by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, PanelxPanel.com
  • Women Write About Comics, edited by Nola Pfau and Wendy Browne, www.WomenWriteAboutComics.com
Best Comics-Related Book
  • American Daredevil: Comics, Communism, and the Battles of Lev Gleason, by Brett Dakin (Comic House/Lev Gleason)
  • Ditko Shrugged: The Uncompromising Life of the Artist Behind Spider-Man and the Rise of Marvel Comics, by David Currie (Hermes Press)
  • Drawing Fire: The Editorial Cartoons of Bill Mauldin, edited by Todd DePastino (Pritzker Military Museum & Library)
  • The History of EC Comics, by Grant Geissman (TASCHEN)
  • Invisible Men: The Trailblazing Black Artists of Comic Books, by Ken Quattro (Yoe Books/IDW)
  • Masters of British Comic Art, by David Roach (2000AD)
Best Academic/Scholarly Work
  • Comic Art in Museums, edited by Kim A. Munson (University Press of Mississippi)
  • Comic Studies: A Guidebook, edited by Charles Hatfield and Bart Beaty (Rutgers University Press)
  • The Content of Our Caricature: African American Comic Art and Political Belonging, by Rebecca Wanzo (New York University Press)
  • Webcomics, by Sean Kleefeld (Bloomsbury)
  • Who Understands Comics: Questioning the Universality of Visual Language Comprehension, by Neil Cohn (Bloomsbury)
Best Publication Design
  • Chasin’ the Bird: Charlie Parker in California deluxe edition, designed by David Chisholm and Tyler Boss (Z2 Comics)
  • Dbury@50: The Complete Digital Doonesbury, by G.B. Trudeau, designed by George Corsillo and Susan McCaslin (Andrews McMeel)
  • J & K, designed by John Pham (Fantagraphics)
  • The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist, designed by Adrian Tomine and Tracy Huron (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Original Art: The Dan Clowes Studio Edition, designed by Daniel Clowes (Fantagraphics)
Best Digital Comic
  • Friday, by Ed Brubaker and Marcos Martin (Panel Syndicate)
  • Genius Animals? by Vali Chandrasekaran and Jun-Pierre Shiozawa, geniusanimals.net
  • Gentlemind, by Juan Díaz Canales, Teresa Valero, and Antonio Lapone, translation by Jeremy Melloul (Europe Comics)
  • Promethee 13:13, by Andy Diggle and Shawn Martinbrough (comiXology Originals/Delcourt)
  • Olive, by Véro Cazot and Lucy Mazel, translation by Jessie Aufiery (Europe Comics)
  • Soon, by Thomas Cadène and Benjamin Adam, translation by Margaret Besser (Europe Comics)
Best Webcomic
  • BFF, by Clément C. Fabre, Joseph Saffiedine, and  Thomas Cadène, translation by Emma Wilson,  https://www.webtoonfactory.com/en/webtoons/114-bff-saison-1/
  • Crisis Zone, by Simon Hanselmann, https://www.instagram.com/simon.hanselmann/
  • DPS! Only, by Vel, https://tapas.io/series/dpsonly/info
  • Isle of Elsi, by Alec Longstreth, https://www.isleofelsi.com/comics/ioe4/page-208/
  • The Kiss Bet, by Ingrid Ochoa, https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/the-kiss-bet/ep-1-the-kiss-bet/viewer?title_no=1617&episode_no=1
  • The Middle Age, by Steve Conley, middleagecomic.com

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