So far, issue #16 and #18 (as well as #20's Beast variant) have been good, but c'mon--#17 was mostly white space. Though, I'm just picking, they are all really nice covers, even the comedically sparse ones. His covers for the Escapists and Lone Langer were really great.

CaptainB | April 19, 20:19 CET

So the team doesn't get nominated when it does the best arc yet, "Torn"? Insane awards logic.

[ edited by Pointy on 2007-04-19 17:31 ]

Pointy | April 19, 20:31 CET

Astonishing X-Men won Best Comic Book in this year's SFX Magazine Readers Awards. There's an amusing acceptance speech from Joss in the current issue (one with Spidey on the cover).

Simon | April 19, 22:02 CET

Should also mention that Brett Matthews (Firefly writer, and co-writer of the Serenity mini-series) got nominated in the Best New Series category for his Lone Ranger book.

C. A. Bridges | April 19, 22:05 CET

Did winning last year make Astonishing X-Men less likely to be nominated again? It does seem like they might want to call attention to great comics that might otherwise not get a lot of attention.

I liked the whitespace/Wolverine combination. It got my attention, anyway.

Sunfire | April 19, 22:31 CET

CaptainB, I'm right there with you on James Jean. He's an extraordinary artist, and has long been my hands-down favorite cover artist. Cassaday is good, but Jean is in another league. (imho)

Haunt | April 19, 22:41 CET

I think that yes, Astonishing winning last year made people look elsewhere. Much like Brian Bendis winning everything in the past has made him disappear from the awards ever since (plus, he's writing stupid things, not the point though), or BKV winning the Best Writer award resulted in the disgrace that is all Y: The Last Man, Runaways, Ex Machina, The Oath and Pride of Baghdad walking away with (if I counted correctly) 1 nomination in total. Bleh.

Many people are pissed at the Emmys for nominating the same stuff again and again, but what the Eisners are doing is worse.

Edited to add that Ooooh, yay, one more vote for James Jean. The man is awesome.

[ edited by dark_tyler on 2007-04-20 01:18 ]

dark_tyler | April 20, 04:17 CET

Actually the Eisners has a different judging panel every year, and with the standard being as high as it is in comics today, it's not surprising that they come up with a very different selection every year. Although I'm very disappointed that there isn't any Escapists love.

daylight | April 20, 11:44 CET

I'm loving the covers for 52, some of the best cover artwork this year. That and the series has been a terrific read too.

Simon | April 20, 13:24 CET

Agreed on the first point, Simon. I'm not exactly a fan of some of the things happening in 52, or the amount of logical sense they make, but JG Jones is a shoo-in for best cover artist.

Niels | April 20, 14:03 CET

OK, here's where I earn more crazy points ;). Cos it's pretty cheap and cos I started getting it i'm still buying '52' BUT I haven't actually read one since issue 17 !

And after putting off reading them for months, I now find i've got about 2 weeks to catch up. Maniac.

(some of the covers have been really nice though, those bits I have 'read' ;)

Keep meaning to re-read 'Year 100' after being pretty underwhelmed by the ending. Got a feeling I may have missed something. Also, as some of the comments mention, i'm pretty surprised there's no mention of 'Spider-man: Reign', I thought it was excellent (if a bit derivative of DKR in some ways).

(and bought the very lovely first arc hardcover of 'All Star Superman' but haven't read it yet)

Saje | April 20, 14:29 CET

--'A Frog’s Eye View,' from Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall for Best Short Story.
--Captain America or Daredevil for best Ongoing Series.
--Criminal for Best New Series.
--Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall for Best Anthology.
--Minus for best Webcomic. Or 'Digital Comic,' whatever.
--Ed Brubaker for Best Writer.
--Mark Buckingham/Steve Leialoha or Michael Lark/Stefano Gaudiano for Penciller/Inker, though McNiven/Vines will probably get it.
--Ben Templesmith for Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art).
--J. G. Jones for Best Cover Art.

Those are the ones I have a strong opinion on.

Niels | April 20, 23:04 CET

Okay, I'll play along 'Tale...

Best Short Story
“A Frog’s Eye View,” by Bill Willingham and James Jean, in Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall (Vertigo/DC)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
No oppinion on the ones nominated.
I'd pick The Dark Tower #1 or Buffy Season Eight #1, but I'm not sure what publishing dates are elligible for nomination.

Best Continuing Series
Again, nothing from the list of nominations provided.
I probably would have chosen Fables, but I don't really read too many regular ongoing series anymore. I'm mostly a trade/graphic novel reader these days.

Best New Series
Jack of Fables, by Bill Willingham, Matthew Sturges, Tony Akins, and Andrew Pepoy (Vertigo/DC)
(I also like Scalped by Jason Aaron.)

Best Anthology
Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall, by Bill Willingham and various (Vertigo/DC)

Best Reality-Based Work
I haven't read any of these nominees, but based solely on what I've heard I'd likely choose Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel (Houghton Mifflin)
Then again, the title of I Love Led Zeppelin, by Ellen Forney (Fantagraphics) gets some brownie points from me, just 'cause I do. :)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips
Don't know about the ones listed this year, but I personally think The Complete Calvin & Hobbes should just be given this award every year.

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books
Absolute Sandman, vol. 1, by Neil Gaiman and various (Vertigo/DC)

Best Writer
Joss really should have been nommed, but I'll go with Bill Willingham for Fables and Jack of Fables.

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
I'm almost required to vote for my buddy Andy for working on Buffy Season Eight, but from the list given I'd go with either Tony Harris/Tom Feister for Ex Machina or Niko Henrichon Pride of Baghdad (which really should have been nominated for Best Graphic Album.)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
Jill Thompson, “A Dog and His Boy” in The Dark Horse Book of Monsters; “Fair Division,” in Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall (Vertigo/DC)

Best Cover Artist
I love 'em all, but hands-down it has to be James Jean, Fables, Jack of Fables, Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall (Vertigo/DC)

Best Coloring
Dave Stewart, BPRD, Conan, The Escapists, Hellboy (Dark Horse); Action Comics, Batman/The Spirit, Superman (DC)

Best Lettering
Either Todd Klein for Fables, Jack of Fables, Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall; Pride of Baghdad, Testament (Vertigo/DC); Fantastic Four: 1602, Eternals (Marvel); Lost Girls (Top Shelf)
...or...
Clem Robins for BPRD, The Dark Horse Book of Monsters, Hellboy (Dark Horse); Loveless, 100 Bullets, Y: The Last Man (Vertigo/DC)

Best Publication Design
Lost Girls, designed by Matt Kindt and Brett Warnock (Top Shelf)

Oh, and like I said earlier, Craig Thompson's Blankets should win an Eisner every year, just because it's that good. :)

Haunt | April 21, 00:07 CET

It's comics published during 2006 which are eligible, Haunt.

daylight | April 21, 00:43 CET