British creator Bryan Talbot, currently working on a new graphic novel, The Casebook of Stamford Hawksmoor, has been officially inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame.
There were honours for other Brits, too: Tula Lotay, with Becky Cloonan, for Best New Series, Somna: A Bedtime Story, published by DSTLRY; for British/Nigerian Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, for Best Lettering, author Michael Molcher, for Best Comics-Related Book, I Am the Law: How Judge Dredd Predicted Our Future, published by Rebellion.
Bryan Talbot accepted the previously-announced honour in person during the 36th annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony, held last Friday at the Hilton Bayfront. Bryan‘a latest project, The Casebook of Stamford Hawksmoor, a prequel to his Grandville books, centres on Detective Inspector Stamford Hawksmoor of Scotland Yard, LeBrock’s mentor, first introduced in Grandville Force Majeure, and will be published by Jonathan Cape, November 2025.
Named for the pioneering comics creator and graphic novelist Will Eisner, the Eisner Awards, considered the “Oscars” of the comic book industry, were given out in 32 categories for works published in 2023.
This year, women were winners or shared in the wins in 17 of the categories. Cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki top the list, with three trophies for their graphic novel Roaming: Best Graphic Album–New, Best Writer, and Best Penciller/Inker. Becky Cloonan took home awards for Best Short Story (“The Kelpie”) and Best New Series (Somna, with artist Tula Lotay).
Other categories won by women included Best Limited Series (Caroline Cash, PeePee PooPoo), Best Publication for Early Readers (Chelsea M. Campbell and Laura Knetzger, Bigfoot and Nessie: The Art of Getting Noticed), Best Humor Publication (Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru, It’s Jeff: The Jeff-Verse #1), Best Painter (Sana Takeda), Best Cover Artist (Peach Momoko), Best Colouring (Jordie Bellaire), and Best Webcomic (Rachel Smythe).
No one publisher dominated this year, with awards going out to 24 different publishers. Various imprints of Penguin Random House received four trophies, and Roaming accounted for three of four wins for Drawn & Quarterly. Other publishers with multiple wins included Fantagraphics (3), DC Comics (2 plus 2 shared), Image (2 plus 2 shared), and Marvel (2). The only other creator with multiple wins was Daniel Warren Johnson, for Transformers (Best Continuing Series, Best Writer/Artist).
The gala evening was hosted by voice actor Phil LaMarr and screenwriter/actorThomas Lennon. Presenters included actor/comedian/comics writer Patton Oswalt;producer/writer Jordan Blum; actress/stuntwoman Janeshia Adams-Ginyard;actor/voice actor Keone Young; actor/podcaster Ming Chen; actors Jackie Dallas, Gigi Edgley, Christian Geniere and Kayre Morrison; voice actors Maurice LaMarche and Sarah Natochenny; filmmaker/comics writer David Avallone; and comics creators Kevin Eastman, Joseph Illidge, Mike Mignola, Bill Morrison, Eric Powell, and Jill Thompson.
The Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, presented by Bob’s daughter Ruth, was presented to Regina Sawyer for Women Comics Collective International. The Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award went to artist Oliver Bly; it was presented by past Manning Award winner Scott McCloud.
The 18th annual Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing was presented by Mark Evanier to two recipients: Jo Duffy and the late Ralph Newman. Maggie Thompson introduced the special In Memoriam video salute to those from the Comic-Con family who died in the past year.
The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award, given to a store that has done an outstanding job of supporting the comics art medium both in the community and within the industry at large, was awarded by Joe Ferrara to Blackbird Comics and Coffeehouse in Maitland, Florida.
Jim Thompson and Karen Green provided a recap of the Hall of Fame ceremony held earlier in the day. In addition to the 19 judges’ choices who were previously announced, this year’s voters selected Klaus Janson, Mike Mignola, Jill Thompson, and Bryan Talbot for induction.
The major sponsor of the 2024 Eisner Awards was Lunar Distribution. The principal sponsors were Gentle Giant Studios (which manufactures the Eisner trophies), Comixology, mycomicshop.com, Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide, and Space Cadets Collection Collection. Supporting sponsors were Alternate Reality Comics(Las Vegas), Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA), Diamond Comics Distributors, and Golden Apple Comic and Art Foundation (Los Angeles). The afterparty was sponsored by HarperAlley.
Eisner Awards Administrator Jackie Estrada opened and closed the ceremony.
EISNER AWARD WINNERS 2024
Best Short Story: “The Kelpie,” by Becky Cloonan, in Four Gathered on Christmas Eve(Dark Horse)
Best Single Issue/One-Shot: Nightwing #105, by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo (DC)
Best Continuing Series: Transformers, by Daniel Warren Johnson (Image Skybound)
Best Limited Series: PeePee PooPoo, by Caroline Cash (Silver Sprocket)
Best New Series: Somna: A Bedtime Story, by Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay (DSTLRY)
Best Publication for Early Readers: Bigfoot and Nessie: The Art of Getting Noticed,by Chelsea M. Campbell and Laura Knetzger (Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House)
Best Publication for Kids: Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir, by Pedro Martín (Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers)
Best Publication for Teens: Danger and Other Unknown Risks, by Ryan North and Erica Henderson (Penguin Workshop/Penguin Random House)
Best Humor Publication: It’s Jeff: The Jeff-Verse #1, by Kelly Thompson and Gurihiru (Marvel)
Best Anthology: Comics for Ukraine, edited by Scott Dunbier (Zoop)
Best Reality-Based Work: Three Rocks: The Story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created Nancy, by Bill Griffith (Abrams ComicArts)
Best Graphic Memoir: Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam, by Thien Pham (First Second/Macmillan)
Best Graphic Album — New: Roaming, by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Graphic Album — Reprint (tie): Hip Hop Family Tree: The Omnibus, by Ed Piskor (Fantagraphics)
Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons, by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Phil Jimenez, Gene Ha, and Nicola Scott (DC)
Best Adaptation from Another Medium: Watership Down, by Richard Adams, adapted by James Sturm and Joe Sutphin (Ten Speed Graphic)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material: Blacksad, Vol 7: They All Fall Down, Part 2, by Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido, translation by Diana Schutz and Brandon Kander (Europe Comics)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material — Asia: My Picture Diary, by Fujiwara Maki, translation by Ryan Holmberg (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Archival Collection/Project — Strips: Dauntless Dames: High-Heeled Heroes of the Comic Strips, edited by Peter Maresca and Trina Robbins (Fantagraphics)
Best Archival Collection/Project — Comic Books: All-Negro Comics 75th Anniversary Edition, edited by Chris Robinson (Very GOOD Books)
Best Writer: Mariko Tamaki, Roaming (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Writer/Artist: Daniel Warren Johnson, Transformers (Image Skybound)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: Jillian Tamaki, Roaming (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist: Sana Takeda, The Night Eaters: Her Little Reapers (Abrams ComicArts); Monstress (Image)
Best Cover Artist: Peach Momoko, Demon Wars: Scarlet Sin, various alternate covers (Marvel)
Best Colouring: Jordie Bellaire, Batman, Birds of Prey (DC); Dark Spaces: Hollywood Special (IDW)
Best Lettering: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, The Unlikely Story of Felix and Macabber, The Witcher: Wild Animals, and others (Dark Horse); Batman: City of Madness, The Flash, Poison Ivy, and others (DC); Black Cat Social Club (Humanoids); Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (IDW); The Cull, What’s the Furthest Place from Here?(Image); and others
Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism: The Comics Journal #309; edited by Gary Groth, Kristy Valenti, and Austin English (Fantagraphics)
Best Comics-Related Book: I Am the Law: How Judge Dredd Predicted Our Future, by Michael Molcher (Rebellion)
Did Judge Dredd predict the future? Blending comics history with radical theories on policing, I Am the Law shows how Judge Dredd warned us about the chilling endgame of today’s ‘law and order’ politics.
Best Academic/Scholarly Work: The Claremont Run: Subverting Gender in the X-Men, by J. Andrew Deman (University of Texas Press)
Best Publication Design: Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelley’s Frankensteinboxed set, designed by Mike Kennedy (Magnetic Press)
Best Webcomic: Lore Olympus, by Rachel Smythe (WEBTOON)
Best Digital Comic: Friday, vols. 7–8, by Ed Brubaker and Marcos Martin, (Panel Syndicate)
Hall of Fame:
Judges’ Choices: Kim Deitch, Creig Flessel, A. B. Frost, Billy Graham, Gary Groth, Albert Kanter, Warren Kremer, Oscar Lebeck, Frans Masereel, Don McGregor, Keiji Nakaszawa, Noel Sickles, Cliff Sterrett, Elmer C. Stoner, Bryan Talbot, Ron Turner, George Tuska, Lynn Varley, and James Warren
Voters’ Choices: Klaus Janson, Jim Lee, Mike Mignola, and Jill Thompson
Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: Women in Comics Collective International
Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award: Oliver Bly
Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing: Jo Duffy, Ralph Newman
Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award: Blackbird Comics and Coffeehouse
An earlier version of this story confused Last Gasp publisher Ron Turner with the British artist. Our apologies!
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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