The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards

Academy Awards

An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...

 of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic book

Comic book

A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...

s. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the discontinuation of the Kirby Award

Kirby Award

The Jack Kirby Award for achievement in comic books was presented from 1985-1987 by Amazing Heroes magazine, and managed by Fantagraphics employee Dave Olbrich...

s after 1987. They are named in honor of the pioneering writer and artist Will Eisner

Will Eisner

William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...

, who was a regular participant in the award ceremony until his death in 2005. The Eisner Awards include the Comic Industry's Hall of Fame.

The nominations in each category are generated by a five-member panel, then voted on by comic-book professionals, and presented at the annual Comic-Con International

Comic-Con International

San Diego Comic-Con International, also known as Comic-Con International: San Diego , and commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention and later the San Diego Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans...

 convention held in San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

, usually in July or August. Jackie Estrada

Jackie Estrada

Jackie Estrada is an American comic-book convention organizer, book editor, co-publisher of Exhibit A Press, administrator of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, and past-president of Friends of Lulu....

 has been the award administrator since 1990.

Categories

Awards are given out in the following categories:

• Best Single Issue/Single Story
• Best Short Story
• Best Serialized Story
• Best Black-and-White Series
• Best Continuing Series
• Best Finite Series/Limited Series
• Best New Series
• Best Title for Younger Readers/Best Comics Publication for a Younger Audience
• Best Publication for Kids
• Best Publication for Teens
• Best Publication for Teens/Tweens
• Best Anthology
• Best Digital Comic (since 2005)
• Best Webcomic
• Best Reality-Based Work
• Best Graphic Album
• Best Graphic Album: New
• Best Graphic Album: Reprint
• Best Archival Collection/Project
• Best Archival Collection/Project - Comic Strips
• Best Archival Collection/Project - Comic Books
• Best Humor Publication
• Best U.S. Edition of International Material
• Best U.S. Edition of International Material - Japan
• Best Comic Strip Collection
• Best Writer
• Best Writer/Artist
• Best Writer/Artist: Drama
• Best Writer/Artist: Humor
• Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior)
• Best Artist/Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
• Best Art Team
• Best Colorist/Coloring
• Best Letterer/Lettering
• Best Cover Artist
• Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition
• Special Recognition
• Best Editor
• Best Comics-Related Periodical/Publication
• Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
• Best Comics-Related Book
• Best Comics-Related Publication (Periodical or Book)
• Best Comics-Related Product/Item
• Best Comics-Related Sculpted Figures
• Spirit of Comics Retailer Award
• Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award
• Best Publication Design
• The Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame

See also

• Alley Award
  Alley Award
  The Alley Award was an American series of comic book fan awards, first presented in 1962 for comics published in 1961. Officially organized under the aegis of the Academy of Comic Book Arts and Sciences, under executive secretary Jerry Bails, and later Paul Gambaccini and David Kaler, the award...
  
  
• Bill Finger Award
  Bill Finger Award
  The Bill Finger Award For Excellence In Comic Book Writing is an American award for comic book writers who were not sufficiently honored for their work in the medium. The awards committee, currently chaired by Mark Evanier, is charged each year with selecting two recipients, one living and one...
  
  
• Eagle Award
  Eagle Awards
  The Eagle Award is a series of awards for comic book titles and creators. They are awarded by UK fan voting for work produced during the previous year. Named after the UK's Eagle comic, the awards were set up by Mike Conroy, Nick Landau, Colin Campbell, Phil Clarke and Richard Burton, and launched...
  
  
• Harvey Award
  Harvey Award
  The Harvey Awards, named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman and founded by Gary Groth, President of the publisher Fantagraphics, are given for achievement in comic books. The Harveys were created as part of a successor to the Kirby Awards which were discontinued after 1987.The Harvey Awards are...
  
  
• Inkpot Award
• Kirby Award
  Kirby Award
  The Jack Kirby Award for achievement in comic books was presented from 1985-1987 by Amazing Heroes magazine, and managed by Fantagraphics employee Dave Olbrich...
  
  
• Russ Manning Award
  Russ Manning Award
  The Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award is an American award presented to a comic book artist whose first professional work appeared within the previous two years. It was named after comic book artist Russ Manning...
  
  
• Shazam Award

External links

• Nominations for 2011 Eisner awards, winners to be announced in July 2011 at Comic Con