Did you listen to last night’s live episode of Graphic Policy Radio? Well, if you missed the discussion you can listen now to our archived episode or take it on the go and listen whenever it’s convenient.

Last night was packed with Gail Simone goodness as we talked about Batgirl #19 and her upcoming Red Sonja. We then went on to discuss the Eisner Nominations and some of the excellent comics to be recognized.

Graphic Policy Radio returns to our normal time on our normal day, 10pm. Elana and Brett discuss some of the latest comic news like:

• Batgirl has introduced a transgender character, but not all are happy about it. We discuss Batgirl #19!
• Site favorite writer Gail Simone is taking on Red Sonja for Dynamite. We discuss the new series and women in comics.
• Eisner nominations!

That’s just the tip of the iceberg as we have fun, chat and want to hear from you!

Join us tonight and call in, (619) 768-2952, or chat with us on Twitter, @graphicpolicy

Today, the 2013 Eisner Nominees were announced. Chris Ware’s Building Stories, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ Fatale, and Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye, each received five nominations each. Fantagraphics led publishers with 24 nominations, followed by Image Comics with 17, plus one shared.

Here’s the complete list of nominees:

Best Short Story

• “A Birdsong Shatters the Still,” by Jeff Wilson and Ted May, in Injury #4 (Ted May/Alternative)
• “Elmview” by Jon McNaught, in Dockwood (Nobrow)
• “Moon 1969: The True Story of the 1969 Moon Launch,” by Michael Kupperman, in Tales Designed to Thrizzle #8 (Fantagraphics)
• “Moving Forward,” by drewscape, in Monsters, Miracles, & Mayonnaise (Epigram Books)
• “Rainbow Moment,” by Lilli Carré, in Heads or Tails (Fantagraphics)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)

• Lose #4: “The Fashion Issue,” by Michael DeForge (Koyama Press)
• The Mire, by Becky Cloonan (self-published)
• Pope Hats #3, by Ethan Rilly (AdHouse Books)
• Post York #1, by James Romberger and Crosby (Uncivilized Books)
• Tales Designed to Thrizzle #8, by Michael Kupperman (Fantagraphics)

Best Continuing Series

• Fatale, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)
• Hawkeye, by Matt Fraction and David Aja (Marvel)
• The Manhattan Projects, by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra (Image)
• Prophet, by Brandon Graham and Simon Roy (Image)
• Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)

Best New Series

• Adventure Time, by Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb (kaboom!)
• Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover (Monkeybrain)
• Fatale, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)
• Hawkeye, by Matt Fraction and David Aja (Marvel)
• Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)

• Babymouse for President, by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Random House)
• Benny and Penny in Lights Out, by Geoffrey Hays (Toon Books/Candlewick)
• Kitty & Dino, by Sara Richard (Yen Press/Hachette)
• Maya Makes a Mess, by Rutu Modan (Toon Books/Candlewick)
• Zig and Wikki in The Cow, by Nadja Spiegelman and Trade Loeffler (Toon Books/Candlewick)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8-12)

• Adventure Time, by Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb (kaboom!)
• Amulet Book 5: Prince of the Elves, by Kazu Kibuishi (Scholastic)
• Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse, by Nate Cosby and Chris Eliopoulos (Archaia)
• Crogan’s Loyalty, by Chris Schweizer (Oni)
• Hilda and the Midnight Giant, by Luke Pearson (Nobrow)
• Road to Oz, by L. Frank Baum, adapted by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)

• Adventure Time: Marceline and the Scream Queens, by Meredith Gran (kaboom!)
• Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller, by Joseph Lambert (Center for Cartoon Studies/Disney Hyperion)
• Ichiro, by Ryan Inzana (Houghton Mifflin)
• Spera, vol. 1, by Josh Tierney et al. (Archaia)
• A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle, adapted by Hope Larson (FSG)

Best Humor Publication

• Adventure Time, by Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb (kaboom!)
• BBXX: Baby Blues Decades 1 & 2, by Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman (Andrews McMeel)
• Darth Vader and Son, by Jeffrey Brown (Chronicle)
• Naked Cartoonists, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)

Best Digital Comic

• Ant Comic, by Michael DeForge
• Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover
• It Will All Hurt, by Farel Dalrymple
• Our Bloodstained Roof, by Ryan Andrews
• Oyster War, by Ben Towle

Best Anthology

• Dark Horse Presents, edited by Mike Richardson (Dark Horse)
• No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics, edited by Justin Hall (Fantagraphics)
• Nobrow #7: Brave New World, edited by Alex Spiro and Sam Arthur (Nobrow)
• 2000 AD, edited by Matt Smith (Rebellion)
• Where Is Dead Zero?, edited by Jeff Ranjo (Where Is Dead Zero?)

Best Reality-Based Work

• Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller, by Joseph Lambert (Center for Cartoon Studies/Disney Hyperion)
• The Carter Family: Don’t Forget This Song, by Frank M. Young and David Lasky (Abrams ComicArts)
• A Chinese Life, by Li Kunwu and P. Ôtié (Self Made Hero)
• The Infinite Wait and Other Stories, by Julia Wertz (Koyama Press)
• Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo & Me, by Ellen Forney (Gotham Books)
• You’ll Never Know, Book 3: A Soldier’s Heart, by C. Tyler (Fantagraphics)

Best Graphic Album—New

• Building Stories, by Chris Ware (Pantheon)
• Goliath, by Tom Gauld (Drawn & Quarterly)
• The Hive, by Charles Burns (Pantheon)
• Unterzakhn, by Leela Corman (Schocken)
• You’ll Never Know, Book 3: A Soldier’s Heart, by C. Tyler (Fantagraphics)

Best Adaptation from Another Medium

• Chico and Rita, by Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal (Self Made Hero)
• Homer’s Odyssey, adapted by Seymour Chwast (Bloomsbury)
• Richard Stark’s Parker: The Score, adapted by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
• Road to Oz, by L. Frank Baum, adapted by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)
• A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle, adapted by Hope Larson (FSG)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint

• Cruisin’ with the Hound, by Spain (Fantagraphics)
• Ed the Happy Clown, by Chester Brown (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Everything Together: Collected Stories, by Sammy Harkham (PictureBox)
• Heads or Tails, by Lilli Carré (Fantagraphics)
• King City, by Brandon Graham (TokyoPop/Image)
• Sailor Twain, or The Mermaid in the Hudson by Mark Siegel (First Second)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips

• Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim, vol. 2, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
• Mister Twee Deedle: Raggedy Ann’s Sprightly Cousin, by Johnny Gruelle, edited by Rick Marschall (Fantagraphics)
• Percy Crosby’s Skippy, vol. 1, edited by Jared Gardner and Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
• Pogo, vol. 2: Bona Fide Balderdash, by Walt Kelly, edited by Carolyn Kelly and Kim Thompson (Fantagraphics)
• Roy Crane’s Captain Easy: The Complete Sunday Newspaper Strips, vol. 3, edited by Rick Norwood (Fantagraphics)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books

• Crime Does Not Pay Archives, edited by Philip Simon and Kitchen, Lind & Associates (Dark Horse)
• David Mazzucchelli’s Daredevil Born Again: Artist’s Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
• Wally Wood’s EC Stories: Artist’s Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
• Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge: Only a Poor Old Man, by Carl Barks, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)
• Young Romance: The Best of Simon & Kirby’s Romance Comics, edited by Michel Gagné (Fantagraphics)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

• Abelard, by Régis Hautiere and Renaud Dillies (NBM)
• Athos in America, by Jason (Fantagraphics)
• Blacksad: Silent Hell, by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido (Dark Horse)
• The Making of, by Brecht Evens (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Monsieur Jean: The Singles Theory, by Philippe Dupuy and Charles Berberian (Humanoids)
• New York Mon Amour, by Benjamin LeGrand, Dominique Grange, and Jacques Tardi (Fantagraphics)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

• Barbara, by Osamu Tezuka (Digital Manga)
• A Chinese Life, by Li Kunwu and P. Ôtié (Self Made Hero)
• Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)
• Nonnonba, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Thermae Romae, by Mari Yamazaki (Yen Press/Hachette)

Best Writer

• Ed Brubaker, Fatale (Image)
• Matt Fraction, Hawkeye (Marvel); Casanova: Avaritia (Marvel Icon)
• Brandon Graham, Multiple Warheads, Prophet (Image)
• Jonathan Hickman, The Manhattan Projects (Image)
• Brian K. Vaughan, Saga (Image)
• Frank M. Young, The Carter Family (Abrams ComicArts)

Best Writer/Artist

• Charles Burns, The Hive (Pantheon)
• Gilbert Hernandez, Love and Rockets New Stories, vol. 5 (Fantagraphics)
• Jaime Hernandez, Love and Rockets New Stories, vol. 5 (Fantagraphics)
• Luke Pearson, Hilda and the Midnight Giant, Everything We Miss (Nobrow)
• C. Tyler, You’ll Never Know, Book 3: A Soldier’s Heart (Fantagraphics)
• Chris Ware, Building Stories (Pantheon)

Best Penciller/Inker

• David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)
• Becky Cloonan, Conan the Barbarian (Dark Horse); The Muse (self-published)
• Colleen Coover, Bandette (Monkeybrain)
• Sean Phillips, Fatale (Image)
• Joseph Remnant, Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland (Zip Comics/Top Shelf)
• Chris Samnee, Daredevil (Marvel); Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom (IDW)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)

• Brecht Evens, The Making Of (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Juanjo Guarnido, Blacksad (Dark Horse)
• Teddy Kristiansen, The Red Diary/The RE[a]D Diary (MAN OF ACTION/Image)
• Lorenzo Mattotti, The Crackle of the Frost (Fantagraphics)
• Katsuya Terada, The Monkey King vol. 2 (Dark Horse)

Best Cover Artist

• David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)
• Brandon Graham, King City, Multiple Warheads, Elephantmen #43 (Image)
• Sean Phillips, Fatale (Image)
• Yuko Shimizu, The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC)
• J, H. Williams III, Batwoman (DC)

Best Coloring

• Charles Burns, The Hive (Pantheon)
• Colleen Coover, Bandette (Monkeybrain)
• Brandon Graham, Multiple Warheads (Image)
• Dave Stewart, Batwoman (DC); Fatale (Image); BPRD, Conan the Barbarian, Hellboy in Hell, Lobster Johnson, The Massive (Dark Horse)
• Chris Ware, Building Stories (Pantheon)

Best Lettering

• Paul Grist, Mudman (Image)
• Troy Little, Angora Napkin 2: Harvest of Revenge (IDW)
• Joseph Remnant, Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland (Zip Comics/Top Shelf)
• C. Tyler, You’ll Never Know, Book 3: A Soldier’s Heart (Fantagraphics)
• Chris Ware, Building Stories (Pantheon)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

• Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
• ComicsAlliance, edited by Joe Hughes, Caleb Goellner, and Andy Khouri
• The Comics Reporter, edited by Tom Spurgeon
• Robot Six, produced by Comic Book Resources
• tcj.com, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel (Fantagraphics)

Best Comics-Related Book

• The Art of Daniel Clowes: Modern Cartoonist, edited by Alvin Buenaventura (Abrams ComicArts)
• Marie Severin: The Mirthful Mistress of Comics, by Dewey Cassell (TwoMorrows)
• Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, by Sean Howe (HarperCollins)
• Mastering Comics, by Jessica Abel and Matt Madden (First Second)
• Team Cul De Sac: Cartoonists Draw the Line at Parkinson’s, edited by Chris Sparks (Andrews McMeel)
• Woodwork: Wallace Wood 1927–1981, edited by Frédéric Manzano (CasalSolleric/IDW)

Best Educational/Academic Work

• Autobiographical Comics: Life Writing in Pictures, by Elisabeth El Refaie (University Press of Mississippi)
• Comics Versus Art, by Bart Beaty (University of Toronto Press)
• Crockett Johnson & Ruth Krauss: How an Unlikely Couple Found Love, Dodged the FBI, and Transformed Children’s Literature, by Philip Nel (University Press of Mississippi)
• Lynda Barry: Girlhood Through the Looking Glass, by Susan E. Kirtley (University Press of Mississippi)
• The Poetics of Slumberland, by Scott Bukatman (University of California Press)

Best Publication Design

• Building Stories, designed by Chris Ware (Pantheon)
• Dal Tokyo, designed by Gary Panter and Family Sohn (Fantagraphics)
• David Mazzucchelli’s Daredevil Born Again: Artist’s Edition, designed by Randy Dahlk (IDW)
• Mister Twee Deedle: Raggedy Ann’s Sprightly Cousin, designed by Tony Ong (Fantagraphics)
• Wizzywig, designed by Ed Piskor and Chris Ross (Top Shelf)

Archaia was another big winner at the 24th Annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. The publisher, which we’ve named “Best Publisher” two years running, was honored with three awards for its original graphic novel hardcover, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand. An amazing adaptation of a Jim Henson movie script that’s an absolute must read.

The awards won were:

Best Graphic Album – New
Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, adapted by Ramón K. Pérez

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
Ramón K. Pérez, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand

Best Publication Design
Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, designed by Eric Skillman

This is the second straight year that Archaia has won the top prize of Best Graphic Album – New. It previously won in 2011 for Best Graphic Album – New for Return of the Dapper Men. Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand was also honored with nominations for Best Lettering and Best Coloring.

Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, written by Henson and his frequent writing partner, Jerry Juhl, is based on a dark, existential feature-length screenplay that built off of ideas Jim Henson had been developing around the time he produced his Academy Award-nominated short film “Timepiece.”

It tells the story of a young man who hears, “Run, boy… run!” as he is kicked out of a dusty town in the middle of the desert. There’s nothing but sand in every direction, but run he does, with only a rucksack of odds-and-ends to his name, as he embarks on an oddball journey. Under the supervision of The Henson Company CEO Lisa Henson, team Archaia and artist Ramón K. Pérez adapted the screenplay into a colorful, marvelous tribute to one of the most creative minds who ever lived.

At the 2012 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, IDW Publishing collected three of the prestigious awards. The range of awards included Best Graphic Album – Reprint, Best Short Story, and Best Archival Collection/Project Comic Books.

Walter Simonson’s The Mighty Thor Artist’s Edition won Best Archival Collection/Project – Comic Books. This astounding edition collects scans of Simonson’s personal original art and is edited by Scott Dunbier.

Well deserved and praised, Darwyn Cooke’s, The Martini Edition, thecompilation of The Hunter and The Outfit graphic novel adaptation series of Richard Stark’s Parker, received two awards for Best Graphic Album – Reprint and Best Short Story for The Seventh. Cooke won the 2011 Eisner for Best Writer/Artist for The Outfit, and The Hunter won the 2010 Eisner for Best Adaptation from Another Work. The third installment of the acclaimed series, The Score has just launched and is now available for sale.

Congrats to all of the winners.

Best New Graphic Album: A Tale of Sand

For Your Consideration, we present to you:

 Princeless: The Eisner Nominee Edition. A FREE download courtesy of Action Lab.

The two-time 2012 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award nominee (Best Single Issue or One-Shot,Best Publication for Kids ages 8-12) is now available for you to download for free. Here’s your chance to check out why Princeless has received so much critical acclaim.

Princeless: The Eisner Nominee Edition gives you the Eisner Nominated issue three of the series which features Princess Adrienne, a Princess who’s tired of waiting to be rescued. Join Adrienne, her guardian dragon Sparky and Bedelia in an all-ages action adventure designed specifically for those who are tired of waiting to be rescued, and who are ready to save themselves.

You can download Princeless: The Eisner Nominee Edition at following links:

Download Link 1

Download Link 2

Download Link 3

Just right-click on the link and select “save as” to get your PDF copy of Princeless. Each download link carries the same copy, so you only have to choose a link and you’re set.

Princeless: The Eisner Nominee Edition is available for a limited time.

The 2012 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards take place Friday, July 13 as part of Comic-Con International in San Diego. Voting for the Eisner Awards ends on June 4^th, 2012.

We thank the 2012 Eisner Awards Nomination panel for selecting Princeless as a nominee in those respective categories.

And we also thank you in advance who take the time out to go to Eisnervote.com and place a vote for Princeless for Best Single Issue or One-Shot and Best Publication for Kids ages 8-12.

Voting for the Eisner Awards ends on June 4^th, 2012. Votes can be placed at Eisnervote.com.

Everyone at Action Lab Entertainment thanks you for your support, and enjoy reading this issue of Princeless.

Princeless – Book One: Save Yourself, collecting the first story arc of the series arrives on shelves at your local comic book shop on May 16th.

ABOUT ACTION LAB ENTERTAINMENT

Action Lab Entertainment was founded in 2010 by a group of indie comic creators with the sole intent of publishing the most diverse, thought provoking, entertaining comics on the market.

Their first major release, FRACTURE, was released in July 2011 followed by PRINCELESS in October. Action Lab continues to publish genre spanning comics from the all-ages MONSTERS ARE JUST LIKE US, and mature reader books like SNOWED IN and DOUBLE JUMPERS.

http://www.actionlabcomics.com

Red 5 Comics is very proud to announce that Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X has been nominated for an Eisner Award! Volume 6 of Atomic Robo is up for Best Limited Series at the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. The winner will be announced at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International in July. This year’s nominees are:

Best Limited Series
Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X, by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener (Red 5)
Criminal: The Last of the Innocent, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Marvel Icon)
Flashpoint: Batman – Knight of Vengeance, by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (Vertigo/DC)
The New York Five, by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly (Vertigo/DC)
Who Is Jake Ellis? by Nathan Edmondson & Tonci Zonjic (Image)

Atomic Robo and the Fightin’ Scientists of Tesladyne was previously nominated for two Eisner Awards back in 2008. Volume 1 got nods for Best Limited Series as well as Best Colorist for Ronda Pattison.

We’re super proud of Team Robo. The creative team on Volume 6 was Brian Clevinger (Writer, Co-Creator), Scott Wegener (Art, Co-Creator), Ronda Pattison (Colors), Jeff Powell (Letters), and Lee Black (Editor). We wish them the best of luck in July!

In case readers missed Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X (Volume 6), the trade paperback will be on store shelves in April.  The series can also be purchased digitally from both Comixology and iVerse’s Comics+.

April 5, MILWAUKIE, OR–Comic-Con International has announced the nominations for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards 2012!

Dark Horse Comics has 11 nominations, including two each for the anthology Dark Horse Presents, Jeff Jensen’s Green River Killer, and Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo.

The nominees, chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of judges, reflect the wide range of material being published in comics and graphic novel form today, from nursery rhymes and World War II battles to high school angst and pulp fiction.

Named for acclaimed comics creator Will Eisner, the awards are in their twenty-fourth year of highlighting the best publications and creators in comics and graphic novels.

EISNER AWARD NOMINEES 2012

Best Short Story

“The Speaker,” by Brandon Graham, in Dark Horse Presents #7

Best Continuing Series

Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai

Best Anthology

Dark Horse Presents, edited by Mike Richardson

Best Humor Publication

The Art of Doug Sneyd: A Collection of Playboy Cartoons

Chimichanga, by Eric Powell

Milk & Cheese: Dairy Products Gone Bad, by Evan Dorkin

Best Reality-Based Work

Green River Killer: A True Detective Story, by Jeff Jensen and Jonathan Case

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

The Manara Library, vol. 1: Indian Summer and Other Stories, by Milo Manara with Hugo Pratt

Best Writer

Jeff Jensen, Green River Killer: A True Detective Story

Best Lettering

Tom Orzechowski, Manara Library, with L. Lois Buhalis

Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo

Ballots with this year’s nominees will be going out in mid-April to comics creators, editors, publishers, and retailers. A downloadable PDF of the ballot is available online, and a special website has been set up for online voting: www.eisnervote.com. The results in all categories will be announced in a gala awards ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 13, at Comic-Con International.

About Dark Horse Comics

Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists.  In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, Will Eisner, and best-selling prose author Janet Evanovich, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and the Occultist. Additionally, its highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan the Barbarian, Mass Effect, Serenity, and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the United States and is recognized as both an innovator in the cause of creator rights and the comics industry’s leading publisher of licensed material.

Comic-Con International has announced this year’s Eisner nominees.  Congrats to everyone.

EISNER AWARD NOMINEES 2012

Best Short Story
“A Brief History of the Art Form Known as Hortisculpture,” by Adrian Tomine, in Optic Nerve #12 (Drawn & Quarterly)
“Harvest of Fear,” by Jim Woodring, in The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror #17 (Bongo)
“The Phototaker,” by Guy Davis, in Metal Hurlant vol. 2 (Humanoids)
“The Seventh,” by Darwyn Cooke, in Richard Stark’s Parker: The Martini Edition (IDW)
“The Speaker,” by Brandon Graham, in Dark Horse Presents #7 (Dark Horse)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
Daredevil #7, by Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, and Joe Rivera (Marvel)
Ganges #4, by Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics)
Locke & Key: Guide to the Known Keys, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)
Princeless #3, by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin (Action Lab)
The Unwritten #24: “Stairway to Heaven” by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Al Davison (Vertigo/DC)

Best Continuing Series
Daredevil, by Mark Waid, Marcos Martin, Paolo Rivera, and Joe Rivera (Marvel)
Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)
Rachel Rising, by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli (Marvel)
Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)Best Limited Series
Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X, by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener (Red 5)
Criminal: The Last of the Innocent, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Marvel Icon)
Flashpoint: Batman – Knight of Vengeance, by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (Vertigo/DC)
The New York Five, by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly (Vertigo/DC)
Who Is Jake Ellis? by Nathan Edmondson & Tonci Zonjic (Image)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)
Beauty and the Squat Bears, by Émile Bravo (Yen Press)
Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking, by Philippe Coudray (Candlewick/Toon Books)
Dragon Puncher Island, by James Kochalka (Top Shelf)
Nursery Rhyme Comics, edited by Chris Duffy (First Second)
Patrick in a Teddy Bear’s Picnic, by Geoffrey Hayes (Candlewick/Toon Books)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8-12)
The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold, by Sholly Fisch, Rick Burchett, and Dan Davis (DC)
Amelia Rules: The Meaning of Life … And Other Stuff, by Jimmy Gownley (Atheneum)
The Ferret’s a Foot, by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue (Graphic Universe/Lerner)
Princeless, by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin (Action Lab)
Snarked, by Roger Langridge (kaboom!)
Zita the Space Girl, by Ben Hatke (First Second)

Best Publication for Young Adults (Ages 12-17)
Anya’s Ghost, by Vera Brosgol (First Second)
Around the World, by Matt Phelan (Candlewick)
Level Up, by Gene Yang and Thien Pham (First Second)
Life with Archie, by Paul Kupperberg, Fernando Ruiz, Pat & Tim Kennedy, Norm Breyfogle et al. (Archie)
Mystic, by G. Willow Wilson and David Lopez (Marvel)

Best Anthology
Dark Horse Presents, edited by Mike Richardson (Dark Horse)
Nelson, edited by Rob Davis and Woodrow Phoenix (Blank Slate)
Nursery Rhyme Comics, edited by Chris Duffy (First Second)
The Someday Funnies, edited by Michel Choquette (Abrams ComicArts)
Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular and the New Land, edited by Harvey Pekar and Paul Buhle (Abrams ComicArts)

Best Humor Publication
The Art of Doug Sneyd: A Collection of Playboy Cartoons (Dark Horse Books)
Chimichanga, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)
Coffee: It’s What’s for Dinner, by Dave Kellett (Small Fish)
Kinky & Cosy, by Nix (NBM)
Milk & Cheese: Dairy Products Gone Bad, by Evan Dorkin (Dark Horse Books)

Best Digital Comic
Bahrain, by Josh Neufeld, http://www.cartoonmovement.com/comic/24
Battlepug, by Mike Norton, http://www.battlepug.com
Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant, by Tony Cliff, http://www.delilahdirk.com
Outfoxed, by Dylan Meconis, http://www.dylanmeconis.com/outfoxed
Sarah and the Seed, by Ryan Andrews, http://www.ryan-a.com/comics/sarahandtheseed01.htm

Best Reality-Based Work
Around the World, by Matt Phelan (Candlewick)
Green River Killer: A True Detective Story, by Jeff Jensen and Jonathan Case (Dark Horse Books)
Marzi: A Memoir, by Marzena Sowa and Sylvain Savoia (Vertigo/DC)
Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)
Vietnamerica, by GB Tran (Villard)

Best Graphic Album – New
Bubbles & Gondola, by Renaud Dillies (NBM)
Freeway, by Mark Kalesniko (Fantagraphics)
Habibi, by Craig Thompson (Pantheon)
Ivy, by Sarah Olekysk (Oni)
Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, adapted by Ramón K. Pérez (Archaia)
One Soul, by Ray Fawkes (Oni)

Best Graphic Album – Reprint
Big Questions, by Anders Nilsen (Drawn & Quarterly)
The Death Ray, by Dan Clowes (Drawn & Quarterly)
Richard Stark’s Parker: The Martini Edition, by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
WE3: The Deluxe Edition, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (Vertigo/DC)
Zahra’s Paradise, by Amir and Khalil (First Second)

Best Archival Collection/Project – Strips
Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim, by Alex Raymond and Don Moore, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
Forgotten Fantasy: Sunday Comics 1900-1915, edited by Peter Maresca (Sunday Press)
Prince Valiant vols. 3-4, by Hal Foster, edited by Kim Thompson (Fantagraphics)
Tarpé Mills’s Miss Fury Sensational Sundays, 1944-1949, edited by Trina Robbins (IDW/Library of American Comics)
Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse vols. 1-2, by Floyd Gottfredson, edited by David Gerstein and Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)

Best Archival Collection/Project – Comic Books
Government Issue: Comics for the People: 1940s-2000s, edited by Richard L. Graham (Abrams ComicArts)
The MAD Fold-In Collection, by Al Jaffee (Chronicle)
PS Magazine: The Best of Preventive Maintenance Monthly, by Will Eisner (Abrams ComicArts)
The Sugar and Spike Archives, vol. 1, by Sheldon Mayer (DC)
Walt Simonson’s The Mighty Thor Artist’s Edition (IDW)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material
Bubbles & Gondola, by Renaud Dillies (NBM)
Isle of 100,000 Graves, by Fabien Vehlmann and Jason (Fantagraphics)
Like a Sniper Lining Up His Shot, by Jacques Tardi and Jean-Patrick Manchette (Fantagraphics)
The Manara Library,vol. 1: Indian Summer and Other Stories, by Milo Manara with Hugo Pratt (Dark Horse Books)
Night Animals: A Diptych About What Rushes Through the Bushes, by Brecht Evens (Top Shelf)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia
A Bride’s Story, by Kaoru Mori (Yen Press)
Drops of God, by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto (Vertical)
Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)
Saturn Apartments, vols. 3-4, by Hisae Iwaoka (VIZ Media)
Stargazing Dog, by Takashi Murakami (NBM)
Wandering Son, vol. 1, by Shimura Takako (Fantagraphics)

Best Writer
Cullen Bunn, The Sixth Gun (Oni)
Mike Carey, The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC)
Jeff Jensen, Green River Killer: A True Detective Story (Dark Horse Books)
Jeff Lemire, Animal Man, Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. (DC); Sweet Tooth (Vertigo/DC)
Mark Waid, Irredeemable, Incorruptible (BOOM!); Daredevil (Marvel)

Best Writer/Artist
Rick Geary, The Lives of Sacco and Vanzetti (NBM)
Terry Moore, Rachel Rising (Abstract Studio)
Sarah Oleksyk, Ivy (Oni)
Craig Thompson, Habibi (Pantheon)
Jim Woodring, Congress of the Animals (Fantagraphics), “Harvest of Fear,” in The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror #17 (Bongo)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
Michael Allred, iZombie (Vertigo/DC); Madman All-New Giant-Size Super-Ginchy Special (Image)
Ramón K. Pérez, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand (Archaia)
Chris Samnee, Captain America and Bucky, Ultimate Spider-Man #155 (Marvel)
Marcos Martin, Daredevil (Marvel)
Paolo Rivera/Joe Rivera, Daredevil (Marvel)

Best Cover Artist
Michael Allred, iZombie (Vertigo/DC)
Francesco Francavilla, Black Panther (Marvel); Lone Ranger, Lone Ranger/Zorro, Dark Shadows, Warlord of Mars (Dynamite); Archie Meets Kiss (Archie)
Victor Kalvachev, Blue Estate (Image)
Marcos Martin, Daredevil, Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel)
Sean Phillips, Criminal: The Last of the Innocent (Marvel Icon)
Yuko Shimizu, The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC)

Best Coloring
Laura Allred, iZombie (Vertigo/DC); Madman All-New Giant-Size Super-Ginchy Special (Image)
Bill Crabtree, The Sixth Gun (Oni)
Ian Herring and Ramón K. Pérez, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand (Archaia)
Victor Kalvachev, Blue Estate (Image)
Cris Peter, Casanova: Avaritia, Casanova: Gula (Marvel Icon)

Best Lettering
Deron Bennett, Billy Fog, Jim Henson’s Dark Crystal, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, Mr. Murder Is Dead (Archaia); Helldorado, Puss N Boots,Richie Rich (APE Entertainment)
Jimmy Gownley, Amelia Rules! The Meaning of Life … And Other Stuff (Atheneum)
Laura Lee Gulledge, Page by Paige (Amulet Books/Abrams)
Tom Orzechowski, Manara Library, with L. Lois Buholis(Dark Horse); Manga Man (Houghton Mifflin); Savage Dragon (Image)
Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)

Best Comics-Related Journalism
The AV Club Comics Panel, by Noel Murray, Oliver Sava et al., http://www.avclub.com/features/comics-panel/
The Beat, produced by Heidi MacDonald et al., http://www.comicsbeat.com
The Comics Journal, edited by Gary Groth, and The Comics Journal website, www.tcj.com, edited by Timothy Hodler and Dan Nadel (Fantagraphics)
The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon, http://www.comicsreporter.com
TwoMorrows Publications: Alter Ego edited by Roy Thomas, Back Issue edited by Michael Eury, Draw edited by Mike Manley, and Jack Kirby Collector edited by John Morrow

Best Educational/Academic Work
Alan Moore: Conversations, ed. by Eric Berlatsky (University Press of Mississippi)
Cartooning: Philosophy & Practice, by Ivan Brunetti (Yale University Press)
Critical Approaches to Comics: Theories and Methods, edited by Matthew J. Smith and Randy Duncan (Routledge)
Hand of Fire: The Comics Art of Jack Kirby, by Charles Hatfield (University Press of Mississippi)
Projections: Comics and the History of 21st Century Storytelling, by Jared Gardner (Stanford University Press)

Best Comics-Related Book
Archie: A Celebration of America’s Favorite Teenagers, edited by Craig Yoe (IDW/Yoe Books)
Caniff: A Visual Biography, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
Drawing Power: A Compendium of Cartoon Advertising, edited by Rick Marschall and Warren Bernard (Fantagraphics/Marschall Books)
Genius Isolated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth, designed by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
MetaMaus, by Art Spiegelman (Pantheon)

Best Publication Design
Genius Isolated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth, designed by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, designed by Eric Skillman (Archaia)
Kinky & Cosy, designed by Nix (NBM)
The MAD Fold-In Collection, designed by Michael Morris (Chronicle)
Richard Stark’s Parker: The Martini Edition, designed by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)