2015 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Photo Gallery

The stage is set and the awards are ready to be given out! Photo by Jody Cortes © 2015 SDCC

This Spirit centerpiece, donated by Graphitti Designs, was featured on each of the nominee and company tables. Photo by Jody Cortes © 2015 SDCC

And the first award goes to … Stan Sakai for Best Lettering, on his books Usagi Yojimbo: Senso, and Usagi Yojimbo Color Special: The Artist (Dark Horse). Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Actor Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica) was the first of several celebrity presenters at the 2015 Eisner Awards. Photo by Jody Cortes © 2015 SDCC

Mark Evanier presented the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Writing to James Stanley, son of legendary comics creator John Stanley, whose amazing work on titles such as Little Lulu, Nancy and Sluggo, and Melvin the Monster entertained readers of all ages. Photo by Jody Cortes © 2015 SDCC

Another legendary writer, Don McGregor (left, shown with presenter Mark Evanier), was also honored with the Bill Finger Award. McGregor’s work on Black Panther, Killraven, and one of the earliest graphic novels, Sabre, puts him in the pantheon of great comics writers. Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Vertigo executive editor Shelly Bond accepted the award for Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art) for J. H. Williams III, The Sandman: Overture. Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Actors Tara Ochs (“Viola Liuzzo” in Selma; Squidbillies) and Shane West (Salem, Nikita, ER, Once and Again, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) were the next pair of celebrity presenters to take the stage. Photo by Jody Cortes © 2015 SDCC

Editor/designer Dean Mullaney with his award for Best Comics-Related Book: Genius Animated: The Cartoon Art of Alex Toth, vol. 3 (IDW/LOAC). Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

We love that suit! Nominees Mike and Laura Allred were the next celebrities from the comics world to present awards. Photo by Jody Cortes © 2015 SDCC

Chris Sparks accepted the award for Best Humor Publication for The Complete Cul de Sac, by Richard Thompson (Andrews McMeel). Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Aaron Nels Steinke, the co-author of The Zoo Box (First Second), accepted the award for Best Publication for Early Readers. Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

First award for the Lumberjanes team! Shannon Watters (left) and Noelle Stevenson accepted the trophies for Best Publication for Teens, for the title by Watters, Stevenson, Grace Ellis, and Brooke A. Allen (BOOM! Box). Photo by Jody Cortes © 2015 SDCC

Bill Woggon’s daughter, Suzanne Bothke, accepted the Hall of Fame Award for the legendary creator of Katy Keene. Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Three more of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees (left to right): writer Chris Claremont, best known for his Marvel work on X-Men; writer/cartoonist/historian/publisher/agent Denis Kitchen; and IDW chief creative officer Chris Ryall, who accepted the award for writer/artist John Byrne. Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Comics retailer Joe Ferrara presented the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award to Packrat Comics of Hilliard, Ohio and owners Jamie Colegrove and Teresa Colegrove. Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Writer/artist Gene Yang accepted the award for Best Writer for Avatar: The Last Airbender (Dark Horse) and The Shadow Hero (First Second). Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Raina Telgemeier won Best Writer/Artist for Sisters (Graphix/Scholastic). Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Jill Thompson (also a presenter) won the award for Best Single Issue (or One-Shot) for Beasts of Burden: Hunters and Gatherers, co-created by Evan Dorkin (Dark Horse). Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

This year’s Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award was a tie! Jai Nitz accepted the award for Greg Smallwood, artist on Moon Knight and Dream Thief. (The other winner was Jorge Corona, artist on Teen Titans Go!, Feathers, and Goners). Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

They’re back! Noelle Stevenson (left) and Shannon Watters returned to the stage to accept another award for Lumberjanes, this time for Best New Series. Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Image Comics publisher and writer Eric Stephenson has both hands full with the Eisner Awards for Best Series, Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples. Photo by Tony Amat © 2015

Ed Piskor accepted his award for Best Reality-Based Work for Hip Hop Family Tree from Wossy. Photo by Tony Amat © 2015 SDCC

Raise ’em high, Mr. Ross … it’s the big award of the evening, Best Graphic Album—New … Photo by Jody Cortes © 2015 SDCC