Eisner Awards

2025 Eisner Awards Presented

Lunar New Year Love Story Takes Home Top Honors

The 37th annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony was held Friday night, July 25 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. 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 2024.

Topping the winners is Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham (published by First Second/Macmillan), which took home the trophies for Best Graphic Album–New, Best Publication for Teens, and Best Writer for Yang. The only other title with multiple wins was David Mazzucchelli’s Batman Year One Artist’s Edition (Best Archival Collection Project and Best Publication Design), published by IDW.

No single publisher dominated this year, as awards went out to 24 different companies. With its 3 wins for Lunar New Year Love Story plus 1 for Best Publication for Kids (Vera Brosgol’s Plain Jane and the Mermaid), First Second received 4 awards. Other publishers with multiple wins included DC Comics (3 plus 2 shared), Fantagraphics (3 plus 1 shared), IDW (3), Dark Horse (1 plus 2 shared), DSTLRY (1 plus 2 shared), and Image (1 plus 2 shared).  

Hosting the gala evening were voice actor Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Samurai Jack, Justice League) and comics artist/writer/editor Bill Morrison (The Simpsons, Futurama). Among presenters were actor/comedian/comics writer Patton Oswalt; actress/stuntwoman Janeshia Adams-Ginyard (Black Panther, Falcon and the Winter Soldier); producer/writer Steven L. Sears (Xena: Warrior Princess, Swamp Thing, Sheena); actor/voice actor Keone Young (Deadwood, Ultraman Rising, Avatar: The Last Airbender); actress Chase Masterson (Leeta on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine); actor/comics writer David Dastmalchian (Suicide Squad, Murderbot, Count Crowley); voice actors Zeno Robinson (Cyborg/Victor Stone on Young Justice, Hawks on My Hero Academia) and Eric Bauza (Looney Tunes characters); and comics creators Bob Burden (Flaming Carrot, Mystery Men), Eddie Campbell (From Hell, Bacchus), Kim-Joy (baker, graphic novel Turtle Bread), Tony Weaver Jr. (nominee, Weirdo graphic novel), Rantz Hoseley (editor-in-chief, Z2 Comics), and Greg and Karen Evans (the Luann newspaper strip).

The Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, presented by Bob’s daughter Ruth, was presented to Mad Cave Studios for their L.A. Strong charity comic. The Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award went to artist Richard Blake; it was presented by past Russ Manning assistant William Stout and Jennifer Stevens Bawcum (sister of the late Dave Stevens, who was the first recipient of the Manning Award).

The 18th annual Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing was presented by Mark Evanier to two recipients: Don Glut and Sheldon Mayer. 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 Akira Comics of Madrid, Spain.

Jim Thompson and Karen Green provided a recap of the Hall of Fame ceremony held earlier in the day. In addition to the 21 judges’ choices who were previously announced, this year’s voters selected Kyle Baker, Eddie Campbell, Roz Chast, Dan Clowes, Junji Ito, Todd Klein, and John Romita, Jr. for induction.

The major sponsor of the 2025 Eisner Awards is Lunar Distribution. The principal sponsors are Comic Shop Assistant, Comixology Originals, mycomicshop.com, and Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide. Supporting sponsors are Alternate Reality Comics (Las Vegas), Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA), Cape & Cowl Comics (Oakland, CA), DSTLRY, and Midwest Tape/Hoopla Distribution. The afterparty was sponsored by HarperAlley.

Eisner Awards Administrator Jackie Estrada opened and closed the ceremony.

Eisner Award Winners 2025

Best Short Story: “Spaces,” by Phil Jimenez and Giulio Macaione, in DC Pride 2024 #1 (DC)

Best Single Issue/One-Shot: The War on Gaza, by Joe Sacco (Fantagraphics)

Best Continuing Series: Santos Sisters, by Greg & Fake, Graham Smith, Dave Landsberger, and Marc Koprinarov (Floating World)

Best Limited Series: Zatanna: Bring Down the House, by Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodriguez (DC)

Best New Series: Absolute Wonder Woman, by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman (DC)

Best Publication for Early Readers: Hilda and Twig Hide from the Rain, by Luke Pearson (Flying Eye)

Best Publication for Kids: Plain Jane and the Mermaid, by Vera Brosgol (First Second/Macmillan)

Best Publication for Teens: Lunar New Year Love Story, by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham (First Second/Macmillan)

Best Humor Publication: Processing: 100 Comics That Got Me Through It, by Tara Booth (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Anthology: Godzilla’s 70th Anniversary, edited by Jake Williams and others (IDW)

Best Reality-Based Work: Suffrage Song: The Haunted History of Gender, Race, and Voting Rights in the U.S., by Caitlin Cass (Fantagraphics)

Best Graphic Memoir: Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir, by Tessa Hulls (MCD/Farrar, Straus & Giroux)

Best Graphic Album—New: Lunar New Year Love Story, by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham (First Second/Macmillan)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint: The One Hand and The Six Fingers, by Ram V, Dan Watters, Laurence Campbell, and Sumit Kumar (Image)

Best Adaptation from Another Medium: The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, adapted by Manu Larcenet (Abrams)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material: The Jellyfish, by Boum, translated by Robin Lang and Helge Dascher (Pow Pow Press)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia: Tokyo These Days, vols. 1–3, by Taiyo Matsumoto, translated by Michael Arias (VIZ Media)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips: Thorn: The Complete Proto-BONE Strips 1982–1986, and Other Early Drawings, by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books: David Mazzucchelli’s Batman Year One Artist’s Edition, by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism: The Beat, edited by Heidi MacDonald and others, https://www.comicsbeat.com

Best Comics-Related Book: Tell Me a Story Where the Bad Girl Wins: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund, by Caitlin McGurk (Fantagraphics)

Best Academic/Scholarly Work: Drawing (in) the Feminine: Bande Dessinée and Women, edited by Margaret C. Flinn (Ohio State University Press)

Best Publication Design: David Mazzucchelli’s Batman Year One Artist’s Edition, designed by Chip Kidd (IDW)

Best Digital Comic: My Journey to Her, by Yuna Hirasawa (Kodansha)

Best Webcomic: Life After Life, by Joshua Barkman, https://falseknees.com/comics/24ink1.html (False Knees)

Best Writer: Gene Luen Yang, Lunar New Year Love Story (First Second/Macmillan)

Best Writer/Artist: Charles Burns, Kommix (Fantagraphics); Final Cut (Pantheon); Unwholesome Love (co-published with Partners & Son)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: Bilquis Evely, Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist: Eduardo Risso, The Blood Brothers Mother (DSTLRY)

Best Cover Artist: Tula Lotay, Groupies (Comixology Originals), Helen of Wyndhorn #1, Count Crowley: Mediocre Midnight Monster Hunter #3, Dawnrunner #1, Barnstormers TPB (Dark Horse); Somna and other titles (DSTLRY); The Horizon Experiment (Image)

Best Coloring: Jordie Bellaire, Absolute Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey, John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America, The Nice House by the Sea (DC); The City Beneath Her Feet (DSTLRY); The Exorcism at 1600 Penn (IDW); W0rldtr33 (Image); G.I. Joe, Duke (Image Skybound)Best Lettering: Clayton Cowles, Animal Pound (BOOM! Studios); FML,Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse); Absolute Batman, Batman, Batman & Robin: Year One,Birds of Prey, Jenny Sparks, Wonder Woman (DC); Strange Academy,Venom (Marvel)

Hall of Fame:

Judges’ Choices: Peter Arno, Gus Arriola, Steve Bissette, Wilhelm Busch, Lucy Shelton Caswell, Philippe Druillet, Phoebe Gloeckner, Richard “Grass” Green, Rea Irvin, Jack Kamen, Joe Maneely, Shigeru Mizuki, Bob Oksner, Bob Powell, Joe Sacco, Bill Schanes, Steve Schanes, Ira Schnapp, Phil Seuling. Frank Stack, and Angelo Torres.Voters’ Choices: Kyle Baker, Eddie Campbell, Roz Chast, Dan Clowes, Junji Ito, Todd Klein, John Romita, Jr.

Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award: L.A. Strong charity comic by Mad Cave Studios
Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award: Richard Blake
Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing: Don Glut and Sheldon MayerSpirit of Comics Retailer Award: Akira Comics, Madrid, Spain

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The 37th Annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards: Friday Night at the Hilton Bayfront

The 37th annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony will be held Friday night, July 25 in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront, just a short walk south from the Convention Center.

The doors of the ballroom will open at 7:45, and the ceremony will get underway at 8:00. Attendance at the event is free to all Comic-Con members. Be sure to bring your convention badge to be admitted—and your I.D. if you wish to purchase alcoholic beverages. Advance seating for VIPs (nominees, sponsors, presenters) will begin at 7:00. No-host bars will be set up both in the ballroom and the ballroom lobby. The ceremony is expected to run until about 10:30. It will be followed by a VIP reception in the Indigo Ballroom foyer, with a live jazz duo for entertainment.

The Eisners: Comics’ “Oscars”

Named for the pioneering comics creator and graphic novelist Will Eisner, the Eisner Awards, considered the “Oscars” of the comic book industry, will be given out in 32 categories for works published in 2024. All attendees will also get a program listing the nominees.

Hosting the ceremony this year are voice actor Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Samurai Jack, Justice League) and comics artist/writer/editor Bill Morrison (The Simpsons, Futurama). Among presenters are actor/comedian/comics writer Patton Oswalt; actress/stuntwoman Janeshia Adams-Ginyard (Black Panther, Falcon and the Winter Soldier); producer/writer Steven L. Sears (Xena: Warrior Princess, Swamp Thing, Sheena); actor/voice actor Keone Young (Deadwood, Ultraman Rising, Avatar: The Last Airbender); actress Chase Masterson (Leeta on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine); actor/comics writer David Dastmalchian (Suicide Squad, Murderbot, Count Crowley); voice actors Zeno Robinson (Cyborg/Victor Stone on Young Justice, Hawks on My Hero Academia), and Eric Bauza (Looney Tunes characters); and creators Bob Burden (Flaming Carrot, Mystery Men), Eddie Campbell (From Hell, Bacchus), Kim-Joy (baker, graphic novel Turtle Bread), Tony Weaver Jr. (nominee, Weirdo graphic novel), Rantz Hoseley (editor-in-chief, Z2 Comics), and Greg and Karen Evans (the Luann newspaper strip).

The Eisner Hall of Fame

The Will Eisner Hall of Fame awards will be presented in a special ceremony on Friday morning at 10:00 in Room 29CD. Trophies will be presented for 21 judges’ choices inductees and 6 inductees chosen by voters. For more information on this year’s inductees, visit the Comic-Con website, www.comic-con.org.

Other Awards

The Eisner Awards evening includes the presentation of several other special awards. Since 1984, Comic-Con has been bestowing the annual Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award (to be presented by Bob’s daughter Ruth). This year’s recipient is Mad Cave Studios for their L.A. Strong charity comic. The nominees and winner of the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award, which has been handed out since 1982, will be announced by past Russ Manning assistant Bill Stout and Jennifer Stevens Bawcum, sister of Dave Stevens, who was the first recipient of the award. Also being presented is the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award, presided over by Joe Ferrara.

This is the 21st year for presentation of the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. The 2025 recipients are author/comics writer Don Glut (Dagar the Invincible, The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor, The Invaders, Kull the Destroyer) and DC Comics writer/editor Sheldon Mayer (Sugar & Spike, Scribbly, The Three Mouseketeers). The Finger Awards will be presented by Mark Evanier and Bill Finger’s granddaughter Athena Finger. The major sponsor for the Finger Award is DC Comics. Supporting sponsors are Heritage Auctions and Maggie Thompson.

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Nominees Announced for 2025 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards

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SAN DIEGO – Comic-Con is proud to announce the nominees for the 2025 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. The nominations are for works published between January 1 and December 31, 2024 and were chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of judges.

Once again, this year’s nominees in 32 categories reflect the wide range of material being published in the U.S. in comics and graphic novels, representing over 150 print and online titles from some 70 publishers, produced by creators from all over the world.

Fantagraphics received the most nominations: 24 (plus 1 shared), including 3 each for Emil Ferris’s My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two, Olivier Schrauwen’s Sunday, and the anthology Now. DC Comics has 10 nominations (plus 9 shared), led by Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodriguez’s Zatanna: Bring Down the House with 3. Other DC titles with multiple nominations include Absolute Batman and Absolute Wonder Woman.

First Second/Macmillan scored 7 nominations, including 4 for Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham. Abrams imprints brought 7 nominations (plus 2 shared), highlighted by 2 for Manu Larcenet’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. Pantheon’s 6 nominations (plus 1 shared) are led by 3 for Leela Corman’s Victory Parade.

Image Comics has 5 nominations plus 7 shared, while BOOM! has 5 plus 5 shared. Dark Horse’s Helen of Wyndhorn brought nominations for Best Limited Series, Best Writer (Tom King), Best Penciller/Inker (Bilquis Evely), and Best Cover Artist (Evely). Overall Dark Horse has 2 nominations plus 9 shared.

Other publishers with multiple nominations include Drawn & Quarterly (5), Europe Comics (4 plus 1 shared), Iron Circus (4), Street Noise (4), VIZ Media (4), IDW (3 plus 1 shared), Marvel (2 plus 2 shared), Ohio State University Press (3), Silver Sprocket (3), and DSTLRY (1 plus 3 shared). Nine companies have 2 nominations each, and another 43 companies or individuals have 1 nomination.

When it comes to creators, Tom King leads the pack with 4 nominations: Best Continuing Series (Wonder Woman), Best Limited Series (Animal Pound and Helen of Wyndhorn), and Best Writer. Those with 3 nominations include Leela Corman, Bilquis Evely, Emil Ferris, LeUyen Pham, Ram V, Javier Rodriguez, Olivier Schrauwen, James Tynion IV, Gene Luen Yang, and Quentin Zuttion. Another nine creators had 2 nominations.

Named for acclaimed comics creator Will Eisner, the awards are celebrating their 37th year of bringing attention to and highlighting the best publications and creators in comics and graphic novels. The 2025 Eisner Awards judging panel consists of editor/journalist/publisher Robert V. Conte, graphic novel librarian Kacy Helwick, review editor Meg Lemke, comics retailer Eitan Manhoff, and educator Rocco Versaci.

Voting for the awards is being held online using a two-step process. The first step is for prospective voters to apply at https://cci.tiny.us/2025Eisners. After filling out the form, eligible voters will be invited to go to the ballot and cast their votes. Those who previously registered will automatically be invited to fill out the new ballot. All professionals in the comic book industry are eligible to vote. The deadline for voting is June 5. New voters must have registered by May 29 in order to be invited to the ballot. Questions about the voting process should be sent to the Eisner Awards administrator, Jackie Estrada at jackie@comic-con.org

The Eisner Award trophies will be presented in a gala awards ceremony to be held at the San Diego Hilton Bayfront Hotel during Comic-Con on the evening of July 25.

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2025 Eisner Nominees

Best Short Story

“Anything Sinister,” by Ross Murray, in NOW #13 (Fantagraphics)

“Day 1703,” by Chris Ware, in Smoke Signal #43 (Desert Island)

“Pig” by Stacy Gougoulis, in NOW #13 (Fantagraphics)

“Spaces,” by Phil Jimenez, in DC Pride 2024 #1 (DC)

“Water I’ve Loved: Moving Day” by Pam Wye, in MUTHA magazine, https://www.muthamagazine.com/2024/05/water-ive-loved-moving-day/

“You Cannot Live on Bread Alone” by Kayla E., in NOW #13 (Fantagraphics)

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Best Single Issue/One-Shot

Abortion Pill Zine: A Community Guide to Misoprostol and Mifepristone by Isabella Rotman, Marnie Galloway, and Sage Coffey (Silver Sprocket)

Ice Cream Man #39: “”Decompression in a Wreck, Part One,” by W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo (Image Comics)

PeePee PooPoo #1, by Caroline Cash (Silver Sprocket)

Sunflowers, by Keezy Young (Silver Sprocket)

Unwholesome Love, by Charles Burns (co-published with Partners and Son)

The War on Gaza, by Joe Sacco (Fantagraphics)

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Best Continuing Series

The Department of Truth, by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds (Image)

Detective Comics: Detective Comics, by Ram V, Tom Taylor, Riccardo Federici, Stefano Raffaele, Javier Fernandez, Christian Duce, March, and Mikel Janín (DC)

Fantastic Four, by Ryan North, Carlos Gomez, Ivan Fiorelli, and others (Marvel)

Santos Sisters, by Greg & Fake, Graham Smith, Dave Landsberger, and Marc Koprinarov (Floating World)

Ultimate Spider-Man, by Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto, and David Messina (Marvel)

Wonder Woman, by Tom King and Daniel Sampere (DC)

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Best Limited Series

Alan Scott: The Green Lantern, by Tim Sheridan and Cian Tormey (DC)

Animal Pound, by Tom King and Peter Gross (BOOM! Studios)

The Deviant, by James Tynion IV and Joshua Hixson (Image)

Helen of Wyndhorn. by Tom King and Bilquis Evely (Dark Horse)

Rare Flavours, by Ram V and Filipe Andrade (BOOM! Studios)

Zatanna: Bring Down the House, by Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodriguez (DC)

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Best New Series

Absolute Batman, by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta (DC)

Absolute Wonder Woman, by Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman (DC)

Minor Arcana, by Jeff Lemire (BOOM! Studios)

The Pedestrian, by Joey Esposito and Sean Von Gorman (Magma Comix)

The Power Fantasy, by Kieron Gillen and Caspar Wijngaard (Image)

Uncanny Valley, by Tony Fleecs and Dave Wachter (BOOM! Studios)

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Best Publication for Early Readers

Bog Myrtle, by Sid Sharp (Annick Press)

Club Microbe, by Elise Gravel, translated by Montana Kane (Drawn & Quarterly)

Hilda and Twig Hide from the Rain, by Luke Pearson (Flying Eye)

Night Stories, by Liniers (Astra Books)

Poetry Comics, by Grant Snider (Chronicle Books)

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Best Publication for Kids

How It All Ends, by Emma Hunsinger (Greenwillow/HarperCollins Early Readers)

Next Stop, by Debbie Fong (Random House Graphic/Random House Children’s Books)

Plain Jane and the Mermaid, by Vera Brosgol (First Second/Macmillan)

Weirdo, by Tony Weaver Jr. and Jes & Cin Wibowo (First Second/Macmillan)

Young Hag and the Witches’ Quest, by Isabel Greenberg (Abrams Fanfare)

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Best Publication for Teens

Ash’s Cabin, by Jen Wang (First Second/Macmillan)

Big Jim and the White Boy, by David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson (Ten Speed Graphic)

The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag (Scholastic)

The Gulf, by Adam de Souza (Tundra)

Lunar New Year Love Story, by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham (First Second/Macmillan)

Out of Left Field, by Jonah Newman (Andrews McMeel)

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Best Humor Publication

Adulthood is a Gift! by Sarah Andersen (Andrews McMeel)

Forces of Nature, by Edward Steed (Drawn & Quarterly)

Kids Are Still Weird: And More Observations from Parenthood, by Jeffrey Brown (NBM)

A Pillbug Story, by Allison Conway (Black Panel Press)

Processing: 100 Comics That Got Me Through It, by Tara Booth (Drawn & Quarterly)

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Best Anthology

EC Cruel Universe, edited by Sierra Hahn and Matt Dryer (Oni Press)

Godzilla’s 70th Anniversary, edited by Jake Williams and others (IDW)

Now: The New Comics Anthology #13, edited by Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)

Peep #1, edited by Sammy Harkham and Steve Weissman (Brain Dead/Kyle Ng)

So Buttons #14: “Life and Death,” by Jonathan Baylis and various artists (So Buttons Comix)

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Best Reality-Based Work

Djuna, by Jon Macy (Street Noise Books)

The Heart That Fed: A Father, a Son, and the Long Shadow of War, by Carl Sciacchitano (Gallery 13/S&S)

The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C. S. Lewis & J. R. R. Tolkien, by John Hendrix (Abrams Fanfare)

The Puerto Rican War: A Graphic History, by John Vasquez Mejias (Union Square)

Suffrage Song: The Haunted History of Gender, Race, and Voting Rights in the U.S., by Caitlin Cass (Fantagraphics)

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Best Graphic Memoir

Degrees of Separation: A Decade North of 60, by Alison McCreesh (Conundrum)

Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir, by Tessa Hulls (MCD/Farrar, Straus & Giroux)

The Field, by David Lapp (Conundrum)

I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together: A Memoir, by Maurice Vellekoop (Pantheon)

Something, Not Nothing: A Story of Grief and Love, by Sarah Leavitt (Arsenal Pulp Press)

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Best Graphic Album—New

Final Cut, by Charles Burns (Pantheon)

Lunar New Year Love Story, by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham (First Second/Macmillan)

My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two, by Emil Ferris (Fantagraphics)

Sunday, by Olivier Schrauwen (Fantagraphics)

Victory Parade, by Leela Corman (Pantheon)

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Best Graphic Album—Reprint

Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story, by Patrick McDonnell (Abrams ComicArts)

Lackadaisy, vols. 1–2, by Tracy J. Butler (Iron Circus)

The One Hand and The Six Fingers, by Ram V, Dan Watters, Laurence Campbell, and Sumit Kumar (Image)

Rescue Party: A Graphic Anthology of COVID Lockdown, edited by Gabe Fowler (Pantheon)

Seattle Samurai: A Cartoonist’s Perspective of the Japanese American Experience, by Kelly Goto and Sam Goto (Chin Music Press)

UM Volume One, by buttercup (Radiator Comics)

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Best Adaptation from Another Medium

Thomas Piketty’s Capital & Ideology: A Graphic Novel Adaptation, by Clare Alot and Benjamin Adam, translated by Margaret Morrison (Abrams ComicArts)

The Hidden Life of Trees, by Peter Wohlleben, adapted by Benjamin Flao and Fred Bernard (Greystone)

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, adapted by Manu Larcenet (Abrams)

Winnie-the-Pooh, by A. A. Milne, adapted by Travis Dandro (Drawn & Quarterly)

The Worst Journey in the World, Volume 1: Making Our Easting Down, by Apsley Cherry-Garrard, adapted by Sarah Airriess (Iron Circus)

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Best U.S. Edition of International Material

All Princesses Die Before Dawn, by Quentin Zuttion, translated by M. B. Valente (Abrams ComicArts)

The Jellyfish, by Boum, translated by Robin Lang and Helge Dascher (Pow Pow Press)

Mothballs, by Sole Otero; translated by Andrea Rosenberg (Fantagraphics)

Return to Eden, by Paco Roca; translated by Andrea Rosenberg (Fantagraphics)

Sunday, by Olivier Schrauwen (Fantagraphics)

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Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, by Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba, translated by Asa Yoneda (Kodansha)

Hereditary Triangle, by Fumiya Hayashi, translated by Alethea and Athena Nibley (Yen Press)

Kagurabachi, vol. 1, by Takeru Hokazono, translated by Camellia Nieh (VIZ Media)

Last Quarter, vol. 1, by Ai Yazawa, translated by Max Greenway (VIZ Media)

Search and Destroy vol. 1, by Atsushi Kaneko, based on the work of Osamu Tezuka; translated by Ben Applegate (Fantagraphics)

Tokyo These Days, vols. 1–3, by Taiyo Matsumoto, translated by Michael Arias (VIZ Media)

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Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips

All In Line, by Saul Steinberg (New York Review Books)

Frank Johnson, Secret Pioneer of American Comics, vol. 1, edited by Chris Byrne and Keith Mayerson (Fantagraphics)

Stan Mack’s Real-Life Funnies: The Collected Conceits, Delusions, and Hijinks of New Yorkers from 1974 to 1995, by Stan Mack, edited by Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)

Thorn: The Complete Proto-BONE College Strips 1982–1986, and Other Early Drawings, by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)

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Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books

The Complete Web of Horror, edited by Dana Marie Andra (Fantagraphics)

David Mazzucchelli’s Batman Year One Artist’s Edition, by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)

DC Comics Style Guide (Standards Manual)

The Farewell Song of Marcel Labrume, by Attilio Micheluzzi, edited by Gary Groth and Conrad Groth, translated by Jamie Richards (Fantagraphics)

Wally Wood from Witzend: Complete Collection, commentary by J. David Spurlock (Vanguard)

X-Men: The Manga Remastered, vol. 1, edited by David Brothers, designed by Fawn Lau (VIZ Media)

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Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

The Beat, edited by Heidi MacDonald and others,, https://www.comicsbeat.com

ICv2: The Business of Pop Culture, edited by Milton Griepp, icv2.com

INKS, The Journal of the Comics Studies Society, edited by Susan Kirtley(Ohio State University Press), https://muse.jhu.edu/issue/53356

SOLRAD: The Online Literary Magazine for Comics, edited by Daniel Elkin, www.solrad.co (Fieldmouse Press)

Zdarsky Comics News, edited by Allison O’Toole (Chip Zdarsky)

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Best Comics-Related Book

American Comic Book Chronicles: 1945-49, by Keith Dallas, John Wells, Richard Arndt, and Kurt Mitchell (TwoMorrows)

Kate Carew: America’s First Great Woman Cartoonist, by Eddie Campbell with Christine Chambers (Fantagraphics)

Q&A, by Adrian Tomine (Drawn & Quarterly)

Reading Love and Rockets, by Marc Sobel (Fantagraphics)

Tell Me a Story Where the Bad Girl Wins: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund, by Caitlin McGurk (Fantagraphics)

Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: The Ultimate History, edited by Daniel Kothenschulte with text by David Gerstein and J. B. Kaufman (TASCHEN)

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Best Academic/Scholarly Work

Comics and Modernism: History, Form, and Culture, edited by Jonathan Najarian (University Press of Mississippi)

Drawing (in) the Feminine: Bande Dessinée and Women, edited by Margaret C. Flinn (Ohio State University Press)

From Gum Wrappers to Richie Rich: The Materiality of Cheap Comics, by Neale Barnholden (University Press of Mississippi)

Petrochemical Fantasies: The Art and Energy of American Comics, by Daniel Worden (Ohio State University Press)

Singular Sensations: A Cultural History of One-Panel Comics in the United States, by Michelle Ann Abate (Rutgers University Press)

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Best Publication Design

Bill Ward: The Fantagraphics Studio Edition, designed by Kayla E. (Fantagraphics)

Brian Bolland: Batman The Killing Joke and Other Stories & Art, Gallery Edition, designed by Josh Beatman (Graphitti Designs)

David Mazzucchelli’s Batman Year One Artist’s Edition, designed by Chip Kidd (IDW)

One Bite at a Time, designed by Ryan Claytor (Elephant Eater Comics)

Scott Pilgrim 20th Anniversary Color Hardcover Box Set, designed by Patrick Crotty (Oni Press)

Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: The Ultimate History, designed by Anna-Tina Kessler (TASCHEN)

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Best Digital Comic

The Beauty Salon, based on the novella by Mario Bellatin, adapted by Quentin Zuttion; translated by M. B. Valente (Europe Comics)

Beyond the Sea, by Anaïs Flogny; translated by Dan Christensen (Europe Comics)

Gonzo: Fear and Loathing in America, by Morgan Navarro; translated by Tom Imber (Europe Comics)

My Journey to Her, by Yuna Hirasawa (Kodansha)

The Spider and the Ivy, by Grégoire Carle; translated by M. B. Valente (Europe Comics)

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Best Webcomic

The Accidental Undergrad, by Christian Giroux, https://solrad.co/tag/the-accidental-undergrad (Fieldmouse Press)

Life After Life, by Joshua Barkman, https://falseknees.com/comics/24ink1.html (False Knees)

Motherlover, by Lindsay Ishihiro, https://motherlovercomic.com (Iron Circus) Practical Defence Against Piracy, by Tony Cliff, https://www.delilahdirk.com/dd4/dd4-p188.html

Rigsby WI, by S. E. Case, https://rigsbywi.com (Iron Circus)

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Best Writer

Tom King, Archie: The Decision (Archie); Animal Pound (BOOM! Studios); Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse); Jenny Sparks, The Penguin, Wonder Woman (DC)

Ram V, Rare Flavours (BOOM! Studios); Dawnrunner (Dark Horse); The One Hand (Image); Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! (Image Skybound)

Kelly Thompson, Absolute Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey (DC); Scarlett (Image Skybound); Venom War: It’s Jeff #1 (Marvel)

James Tynion IV, Something Is Killing the Children, Wynd (BOOM! Studios); Blue Book, The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos (Dark Horse); Spectregraph (DSTLRY); The Department of Truth, The Deviant, WORLDTR33 (Image)

Gene Luen Yang, Lunar New Year Love Story (First Second/Macmillan)

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Best Writer/Artist

Charles Burns, Kommix (Fantagraphics); Final Cut (Pantheon); Unwholesome Love (co-published with Partners & Son)

Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters Book Two (Fantagraphics)

Jon Macy, Djuna (Street Noise Books)

Paco Roca, Return to Eden (Fantagraphics)

Olivier Schrauwen, Sunday (Fantagraphics)

Maria Sweeney, Brittle Joints (Street Noise Books)

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Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

Filipe Andrade, Rare Flavours (BOOM! Studios)

Nick Dragotta, Absolute Batman (DC)

Bilquis Evely, Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse)

Manu Larcenet, The Road (Abrams ComicArts)

Javier Rodriguez, Zatanna: Bring Down the House (DC)

LeUyen Pham, Lunar New Year Love Story (First Second/Macmillan)

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Best Painter/Multimedia Artist

Federico Bertolucci, Donald Duck: Vacation Parade (Fantagraphics)

Leela Corman, Victory Parade (Pantheon)

Benjamin Flao The Hidden Life of Trees (Greystone)

Merwan, Aster of Pan (Magnetic Press)

Eduardo Risso, The Blood Brothers Mother (DSTLRY)

Maria Sweeney, Brittle Joints (Street Noise Books)

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Best Cover Artist

Juni Ba, The Boy Wonder (DC); Godzilla Skate or Die, TMNT Nightwatcher and others (IDW)

Evan Cagle, Dawnrunner (Dark Horse), New Gods, Detective Comics

Bilquis Evely, Animal Pound (BOOM!); Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse)

Tula Lotay, Groupies (Comixology Originals); Helen of Wyndhorn #1, Count Crowley: Mediocre Midnight Monster Hunter #3, Dawnrunner #1, Barnstormers TPB (Dark Horse); Somna and others(DSTLRY); The Horizon Experiment (Image)

Hayden Sherman, Absolute Wonder Woman, Batman: Dark Patterns, Superman, Ape-ril, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) (DC)

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Best Coloring

Jordie Bellaire, Absolute Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey, John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America, The Nice House by the Sea (DC); The City Beneath Her Feet (DSTLRY); The Exorcism at 1600 Penn (IDW); W0rldtr33 (Image); G.I. Joe, Duke (Image Skybound)

Matheus Lopes, Batman & Robin: Year One (DC); Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse)

Justin Prokowich, Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze (Titan Comics)

Javier Rodriguez, Zatanna: Bring Down the House) (DC)

Dave Stewart, Dawnrunner, Free Comic Book Day Comic 2024 [general], The Serpent in the Garden, Hellboy, Hellboy and the BPRD, Paranoid Gardens, Shaolin Cowboy Cruel to Be Kin Silent but Deadly Edition (Dark Horse); Ultramega, Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! (Image Skybound)

Quentin Zuttion, All Princesses Die Before Dawn (Abrams ComicArts); Beauty Salon (Europe Comics)

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Best Lettering

Becca Carey, Absolute Superman, Absolute Wonder Woman, Plastic Man No More! (DC); Radiant Black, Rogue Sun (Image); When the Blood Has Dried, Murder Kingdom (Mad Cave Studios)

Leela Corman, Victory Parade (Pantheon)

Clayton Cowles, Animal Pound (BOOM! Studios); FML, Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse); Absolute Batman, Batman, Batman & Robin: Year One, Birds of Prey, Jenny Sparks, Wonder Woman (DC); Strange Academy, Venom (Marvel)

Emil Ferris, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters, Book Two (Fantagraphics)

Nate Powell, Fall Through (Abrams ComicArts); Lies My Teacher Told Me (New Press)

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The Eisner Awards Hall of Fame judges have chosen 18 nominees from whom voters will select 6 to be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. These 6 will be joining the 21 individuals that the judges have already chosen for the Hall of Fame.

The 18 nominees are Alfredo Alcala, Kyle Baker, Bob Bolling, Eddie Campbell, Roz Chast, Dan Clowes, Mark Evanier, Mike Friedrich, Don Heck, Junji Ito, Ben Katchor, Todd Klein, Peter Kuper, Lee Marrs, John Romita Jr., Posy Simmonds, Leonard Starr, and Rick Veitch.

Voting for the Hall of Fame is being held online. A two-step voting process has been put in place for enhanced security. The first step is for prospective voters to apply at https://cci.tiny.us/2025Eisners . After filling out a form, eligible voters will be invited to go to the ballot and cast their votes. Individuals who were approved to vote in 2024 will be sent an invitation to participate and do not need to reregister. Those who are eligible to vote include comic book/graphic novel/webcomic creators (writers, artists, cartoonists, pencillers, inkers, letterers, colorists); comic book/graphic novel publishers and editors; comics historians and educators; graphic novel librarians; and owners and managers of comic book specialty retail stores. The deadline for voting is March 20. Voters must have registered by March 13 in order to be invited to the ballot. Questions about the voting process should be sent to the Eisner Awards administrator, Jackie Estrada at jackie@comic-con.org

The Hall of Fame judging panel consists of Dr. William Foster, Michael T. Gilbert, Karen Green, Alonso Nuñez, Jim Thompson, and Maggie Thompson.   The Eisner Hall of Fame trophies will be presented in a special program during Comic-Con on the morning of July 25. A change instituted in 2023, the Hall of Fame winners will have their own special spotlight in the daytime, giving more fans the opportunity to attend.

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Hall of Fame Nominees 2025

Alfredo Alcala (1925–2000)
Alfredo Alcala began his comics career in 1948 in the Philippines and became a popular artist in that country with the release of his creator-owned property Voltar in 1963. The acclaim in his home country led him to the American comics industry, where in the early 1970s he began a career that would see him work steadily for very nearly the next 30 years. At Marvel Comics he contributed to many issues of Savage Sword of Conan, and he provided artwork for a number of issues of Creepy and Eerie magazines for Warren Publishing. DC Comics showcased Alcala’s talents in the early 1970s in its horror and war comics; he later moved on to titles such as All-Star Squadron, Detective Comics, and most notably Swamp Thing, where his graceful, moody inks helped maintain that book’s style through various art and editorial changes.

Kyle Baker (1965– )
Kyle Baker has authored more than 15 graphic novels and illustrated hundreds more in a career that extends over three decades. He is the winner of eight Eisner Awards and four Harvey Awards, among others. A pioneer in the graphic novel format since the 1980s, Baker helped define and evolve the medium with works such as Nat Turner, Why I Hate Saturn, and King David. Other titles include The Cowboy Wally Show; Truth: Red, White & Black; and Birth of a Nation.

Bob Bolling (1928– )
Robert (Bob) Bolling became a freelancer at Archie Comics in 1954, where his first work was writing and drawing joke pages and the “Pat the Brat” feature. In 1956 he created the Little Archie comic, starring younger versions of the classic Archie characters. He worked on the comic full time until 1965, then moved over to other titles, including Archie, Archie’s Pals and Gals, Archie and Me, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. He has continued to draw comic stories for Archie Comics digests until he was well into his 80s.

Eddie Campbell (1955– )
Eddie Campbell is a Scottish comics artist and writer now living in Chicago. He is best known for his award-winning graphic novel with Alan Moore From Hell, which was made into a movie in 2001. Campbell is also the creator of the semi-autobiographical Alec stories collected in Alec: The Years Have Pants, and Bacchus, a wry adventure series about some of the Greek gods surviving to the present day. The Fate of the Artist, in which the author investigates his own murder, and The Lovely Horrible Stuff, an investigation of our relationship with money, are also among his graphic novels. His most recent works include The Goat Getters and The Second Fake Death of Eddie Campbell.

Roz Chast (1954– )
Roz Chast has been a cartoonist for The New Yorker since 1978, and she has also worked for Scientific American, the Harvard Business Review, Redbook, and Mother Jones. Her Eisner-nominated 2014 book Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? is a graphic memoir, combining cartoons, text, and photographs, to tell the story of an only child helping her elderly parents in the final stages of their lives. She has furthermore illustrated many books, including the children’s book The Alphabet from A to Y, with Bonus Letter, Z by comedian Steve Martin.

Dan Clowes (1961– )
Daniel Clowes gained fame with his comic book series Eightball, which was notable for its dark humor and commentary on modern culture. His graphic novel Ghost World received particular acclaim, becoming a cult classic and later adapted into a feature film. More recently, his books Patience and Monica have been critically acclaimed, showcasing his continued innovation and depth in graphic storytelling.

Mark Evanier (1952– )
Mark Evanier attended his first San Diego Comic-Con in 1970 and has been to every one of these annual events ever since. He was then an assistant to the great Jack Kirby, whom he wrote about in his book Kirby, King of Comics. His comics include writing such titles as DNAgents, Crossfire, and Blackhawk along with working with Sergio Aragonés for 40 years on Groo the Wanderer, and many more. He is also a historian of comic books and animation with many books to his credit.

Mike Friedrich (1949– )
Mike Friedrich began his writing career as a teenager, sending letters of comment to comics publishers. By the age of 18, he was writing professionally, at first for DC with scripts for Batman, The Flash, The Spectre, Challengers of the Unknown, Green Lantern, Teen Titans, House of Mystery, The Phantom Stranger, and many others, including an extended run as writer of Justice League of America. In 1972 he moved to Marvel, where he served as writer of Iron Man, Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, Warlock, Ka-Zar, and many more. He then shifted to the business side of comics. He was one of the first alternative press publishers (Star*Reach, 1974–1979), created the Marvel Comics Direct Sales department (1980–1982), and then founded the first business management company for comics artists and writers (Star*Reach, 1982–2002). Along the way, he also co-founded WonderCon, ran retailer trade shows, and became a union representative for research scientists and research technicians at the University of California Berkeley.

Don Heck (1929–1995)
Don Heck’s professional career began in 1949, when he got a job in the production department of Harvey Comics. In 1954, Heck joined Charlton Comics, where he did Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion. He eventually became a mainstay at Atlas/Marvel, where he started out illustrating “Torpedo Taylor” in Navy Combat and “Cliff Mason” in Jungle Tales and Jann of the Jungle. He worked on Journey into Mystery and Tales of Suspense. His first superhero assignment was on the first Iron Man story, which appeared in Tales of Suspense in 1963. Heck also worked on early stories of Thor and Giant Man but is probably best remembered for his long run on The Avengers, starting in 1964. During his time at Marvel, he also contributed to the art on Spider-Man, X-Men, and more. In 1971, Jack Kirby suggested him to DC as an artist for Batgirl. Heck drew this strip for several years along with work on such other DC titles as Justice League of America, Steel, The Indestructible Man, Wonder Woman, and The Flash.

Junji Ito (1963– )
Junji Ito is a Japanese cartoonist and illustrator best known for his horror manga. His comics are celebrated for their finely depicted body horrors, while also retaining some elements of psychological horror and erotism. His notable series include Tomie (1987–2000), about a beautiful high school girl who inspires her admirers to commit atrocities; Uzumaki (1998–1999), set in a town cursed with spiral patterns; Gyo (2001–2002), featuring a horde of metal-legged undead fishes; and Remina (2005), about a giant planet-consuming creature from another dimension. He has been nominated for multiple Eisner Awards and is the winner of four, including two in 2022 for Lovesickness.

Ben Katchor (1951– )
Ben Katchor’s picture-stories—including Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer; The Jew of New York; The Cardboard Valise; Hotel and Farm, and Shoehorn Technique—have been appearing in newspapers and magazines around the country since 1986. He has taught and lectured extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe. Six collections of his strips have been published: Cheap Novelties, The Pleasures of Urban Decay; Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer; The Jew of New York; The Beauty Supply District; The Cardboard Valise; and Hand-Drying in America and other stories.

Todd Klein (1951– )
Todd Klein has been one of comics’ premier letterers ever since he was hired by DC in 1977. He worked on staff until 1987, leaving to freelance for other companies as well as DC. Over his career he has lettered many hundreds of comics projects and designed numerous logos, garnering him 18 Best Letterer/Lettering Eisner Awards since the category was established in 1993. He co-wrote The DC Comics Guide to Coloring and Lettering Comics, published in 2004.

Peter Kuper (1958– )
Peter Kuper has been a regular contributor to The New Yorker, The Nation, and MAD magazine where he wrote and drew “SPY vs. SPY” every issue from 1997 to 2022. His “Eye of the Beholder” was the first comic strip to ever regularly appear in the New York Times. He is the co-founder and editor of World War 3 Illustrated, a political graphics magazine that has given a forum to political artists for over 40 years. He has produced over two dozen books, including The System, Diario de Oaxaca, Ruins (winner of a 2016 Eisner Award), and adaptations of many of Franz Kafka’s works into comics, including The Metamorphosis and Kafkaesque (winner of the 2018 Reuben Award). His latest graphic novel is an adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.

Lee Marrs (1945– )
Best known for The Further Fattening Adventures of Pudge, Girl Blimp, Lee Marrs was a frequent contributor to underground comics and one of the “founding mommies” of the Wimmen’s Comix collective, as well as Gay Comics. As one of Mike Friedrich’s Star*Reach regulars, she expanded her writing and art style to include serious fantasy fiction in “Stark’s Quest” (1977–1979). Marrs had a mainstream comics career at the same time. After assisting on Prince Valiant, Lil’ Orphan Annie, and other comic strips, she drew tales for DC’s Plop, Weird Mystery, and House of Secrets. But most of her mainstream comics work was as a writer, for Unicorn Isle (1983), Wonder Woman: Annual (1989), Viking Glory: the Viking Prince (1991), Zatanna: Come Together (1993), Faultlines (1997), and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight: Stalking (1998). She also wrote Dark Horse’s series Indiana Jones and the Arms of Gold (1994) and Indiana Jones and the Iron Phoenix (1995).

John Romita Jr. (1956– )
John Romita Jr.’s first contribution to Marvel Comics was at the age of 13 with the creation of the Prowler in Amazing Spider-Man #78 (1969). He began his career at Marvel UK, doing sketches for covers of reprints. His American debut was with a story in Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1977). He went on to popular runs on Iron Man, Amazing Spider-Man, Uncanny X-Men, Daredevil, The Punisher War Zone, Cable, Daredevil: The Man Without Fear, Thor, Kick-Ass, Superman, and All-Star Batman, just to name a few.

Posy Simmonds (1945– )
British cartoonist Rosemary Elizabeth “Posy” Simmonds has managed to make her mark in the graphic novel publishing world by reinventing classic literature into illustrated novels for adults. She is best known for her long association with London’s The Guardian, where she serialized Gemma Bovery (2000) and Tamara Drewe (2005–2006) before their publication in book form. In 1987, she began to write and illustrate children’s books, creating such works as Lulu and the Flying Babies (1988) and Fred (1987), the film version of which was nominated for an Oscar. She was made a Member of the British Empire in 2002 for her services to the newspaper industry, and she received the Grand Prix de la ville d’Angoulême in 2024.

Leonard Starr (1925–2015)
Starr did his first comic book art through the Chesler shop and Funnies Inc. In 1942, he drew Sub-Mariner and Human Torch stories for Timely and Don Winslow stories for Fawcett. He also worked for a variety of other publishers, including Better Publications, Consolidated Book, Croyden Publications, E. R. Ross Publishing, Hillman Periodicals, and Crestwood. His first work for newspapers was ghosting the Flash Gordon strip for King Features in the mid-1950s. His own strip, Mary Perkins On Stage, began via the Chicago Tribune–New York News Syndicate in 1957; he drew it until 1979. He was then hired by the same syndicate to revive the Little Orphan Annie strip, which he wrote and drew until his retirement in 2000.

Rick Veitch (1951– )
Rick Veitch was part of the Joe Kubert School’s first graduating class in 1978. While still at school he began his professional career in mainstream comics, contributing over a dozen short stories to DC’s Our Army at War. Out of school, he collaborated with Steve Bissette and Alan Asherman on the graphic novel adaptation of the Steven Spielberg film 1941. He was a regular contributor to Marvel’s Epic Magazine and produced two graphic novels, Abraxas and the Earthman and Heartburst, before creating one of the first revisionist superhero comics, The One, for the Epic line in 1984. In the 1980s, he drew issues of Nexus, Scout, and Miracleman and was a regular penciller of Swamp Thing, collaborating with Alan Moore for a year and a half before taking over as writer. He then formed his own publishing imprint, King Hell Press, where he created Brat Pack, The Maximortal, and the award-winning Rare Bit Fiends.

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Judges Choose 21 Inductees for 2025 Eisner Hall of Fame

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Comic-Con is pleased to announce that 21 individuals have been selected to be inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame for 2025. These inductees include 12 deceased comics pioneers and 9 living persons. The deceased choices are Peter Arno, Gus Arriola, Wilhelm Busch, Richard “Grass” Green, Rea Irvin, Jack Kamen, Joe Maneely, Shigeru Mizuki, Bob Oksner, Bob Powell, Ira Schnapp, and Phil Seuling. The living choices are Steve Bissette, Lucy Shelton Caswell, Philippe Druillet, Phoebe Gloeckner, Joe Sacco, Bill Schanes, Steve Schanes, Frank Stack, and Angelo Torres.

The inductees span the history of comics and range from newspaper and magazine cartoonists and Golden and Silver Age creators to international and underground comix greats and industry innovators.

The selections were made by a panel of six judges: William Foster, Michael T. Gilbert, Karen Green, Alonso Nuñez, Jim Thompson, and Maggie Thompson.

In addition to these choices, voters in the comics industry will elect 6 persons from a group of 18 nominees proposed by the judges. Those nominees will be announced within the next week, and a ballot will be made available for online voting. 

To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, the person must have made a significant contribution to the comic book/graphic storytelling medium, whether by creating a major character (or characters), producing memorable stories that are considered “classics,” having an art style that influenced numerous others, innovating storytelling devices in the medium, advancing comics publishing, or otherwise having a lasting influence on the industry. The person’s first professional work must have occurred at least 35 years before the year of the awards (that would be 1990, for this year’s awards). 

The Hall of Fame trophies will be presented in a special ceremony at the San Diego Convention Center on the morning of July 25. The Eisner Awards in 30+ other categories will be presented in the traditional Friday evening ceremony at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel.

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Eisner Hall of Fame Judges’ Choices 2025

Peter Arno (1904–1968)
Cartoonist Curtis Arnoux Peters Jr. helped create The New Yorker’s signature style. With the publication of his first spot illustration in 1925, Arno began a 43-year association with the weekly magazine. His many iconic covers and cartoons helped build The New Yorker’s reputation of sophisticated humor and high-quality artwork.

Gus Arriola (1917–2008)
Gus Arriola wrote and drew the Mexican-themed comic strip Gordo. The strip, which prominently featured Mexican characters and themes, set a high standard with its impeccable art and design and had a long and successful life in newspapers (1941–1985).

Steve Bissette (1955– )
Steve Bissette was one of the first graduates of the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. Together with writer Alan Moore and inker John Totleben, he was responsible for revitalizing the DC series Swamp Thing into a critically acclaimed horror classic. His later work includes editing and publishing the influential anthology horror comic series Taboo and drawing and self-publishing Tyrant, the epic biography of a Tyrannosaurus rex.

Wilhelm Busch (1832–1908)
The German 19th-century artist is regarded as one of the founders of modern-day comics. He pioneered several elements that have become staples of the medium, such as onomatopeia and expressive movement lines. His iconic series Max und Moritz (1865), about two naughty young boys, was the first children’s comic in history. Its success proved that young readers were an important market for comics.

Lucy Shelton Caswell (1944– )
Lucy Shelton Caswell is the founder (in 1977) and former curator of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at The Ohio State University. She is also founding editor emerita of INKS: The Journal of the Comics Study Society. She has curated more than 75 cartoon-related exhibits and is the author of several articles and books on the history of newspaper comic strips and the history of American editorial cartoons. She is a co-founder (in 2014) of Cartoon Crossroads Columbus.

Philippe Druillet (1944– )
Philippe Druillet is one of the most influential French comics creators and is known for his baroque drawings and bizarre science-fiction stories. He made his debut in comics with Lone Sloane, le Mystère des Abîmes in 1966. He became a regular contributor to the Franco-Belgian comics magazine Pilote, then in 1975 co-founded the publishing house Humanoïdes Associés and the Métal Hurlant periodical. Many of his stories from that magazine were published in the U.S. in Heavy Metal magazine.

Phoebe Gloeckner (1960– )
Phoebe Gloeckner’s first comics work appeared in underground comix publications when she was in her teens. She continued to do stories for such titles as Weirdo, Young Lust, Buzzard, Wimmen’s Comix, and Twisted Sisters. In 1998 her quasi-autobiographical strips were collected in A Child’s Life, and her shattering The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2002) was later made into a film.

Richard Edward “Grass” Green (1939–2002)
Grass Green was an American underground comix artist and part of the pioneer generation of the 1960s. He is best known for creating superhero parodies like Xal-Kor the Human Cat (1964) and Wildman and Rubberroy (1969), as well as erotic stories for underground comix and the Eros Comix line by Fantagraphics. Green holds historical significance for being the first Black underground comix artist. He also created REGCo, which offered comic artists and cartoonist pages where the layout, borders, and panels were already put on paper beforehand.

Rea Irvin (1888 –1972)
Rea Irvin was The New Yorker’s first art editor, but that title barely begins to suggest his importance to the magazine. Not only did he draw Eustace Tilley (the magazine’s mascot) for the first cover, he also designed virtually the entire look of the magazine. He was instrumental in inventing the one-line gag cartoon, The New Yorker’s signature contribution to comic art.

Jack Kamen (1920–2008)
Jack Kamen was one of the most prolific and influential artists for EC Comics, drawing crime, horror, humor, suspense, and science fiction stories. After EC, he drew Sunday supplement illustrations and created advertising art for a wide variety of clients. He also drew all the comic book artwork for Stephen King and George Romero’s 1982 horror anthology film Creepshow, their homage to the EC horror comics.

Joe Maneely (1926–1958)
Between the late 1940s and late 1950s, Maneely was a frequent contributor to Atlas Comics (which became Marvel Comics), and one of the key collaborators with Stan Lee. He is best remembered as the co-creator and main artist of such titles as Ringo Kid, Black Knight, and Yellow Claw. This latter series introduced both the master villain Yellow Claw and the heroic secret agent Jimmy Woo, who was later featured in several other Marvel comic books. A tragic train accident ended his career at age 32.

Shigeru Mizuki (1922–2015)
Shigeru Mizuki was one of Japan’s most respected artists. A creative prodigy, he lost an arm in World War II. After the war, Mizuki became one of the founders of manga. He invented the yokai genre with GeGeGe no Kitaro, his most famous character, who has been adapted for the screen several times, as anime, live action, and video games. He received two Eisner Awards for his book series Showa: A History of Japan, as well as one for Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths.

Bob Oksner (1916–2007)
Bob Oksner was a Silver Age comic book artist best known for his distinctive work at DC on both adventure and humor titles. When DC began taking on the publication of comics based on TV sitcoms, Oksner drew such titles as Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, The Adventures of Bob Hope, Dobie Gillis, and Sgt. Bilko. Over the years he also produced romance comics, as well as Angel and the Ape, Stanley and His Monster, Lois Lane, and Shazam.

Bob Powell (1916–1967)
Bob Powell began his career at the Eisner-Iger studio in the late 1930s, doing stories for Jumbo Comics, Wonderworld Comics, Hit Comics, Smash Comics, and many other Golden Age series. His most famous series during his Eisner-Iger years was “Sheena.” When the Spirit newspaper comic book section started in 1940, Powell produced the “Mr. Mystic” backup feature. His later credits include work for such publishers as Street & Smith (Shadow Comics), Magazine Enterprises (Strong Man), Harvey Comics (Man in Black, Adventures in 3-D), and Marvel (Daredevil, Giant-Man, Hulk, and Human Torch).

Joe Sacco (1960– )
Joe Sacco is credited as the first artist to practice rigorous, investigative journalism using the comics medium. Between 1993 and 1995, Joe wrote and drew nine issues of Palestine, which documented his two months spent in the Occupied Territories in the winter of 1991–1992 and which shows the human effects of the Israeli occupation and subsequent intifada. In 1995–1996, Joe traveled four times to Bosnia and subsequently produced four harrowing accounts of his time there: Christmas With Karadzic, Soba, Safe Area Gorazde, and The Fixer.

Bill Schanes (1958– )
As a teenager, Bill and his brother Steve co-founded Pacific Comics, a store in San Diego. Pacific went on to become a chain of stores, a publisher of creator-owned comics, and a comic book distributor before it was bought up by Diamond Comic Distributors in the eighties. Bill then went to work for Diamond, where he oversaw the company’s rise of Diamond to dominate the direct market. He was also part of Diamond’s early forays into digital distribution.

Steve Schanes (1954– )
Steve began as a comic book retailer when he was 17 years old when he and his brother Bill opened Pacific Comics, then expanded the company to include publishing and distribution. After that he launched Blackthorne Publishing. During his time in the comics business Steve published some 800 comic books.

Ira Schnapp (1894–1969)
Schnapp was a logo designer and letterer who brought his classic and art deco design styles to DC Comics (then National Comics) beginning with the redesign of the Superman logo in 1940. He did a great deal of logo and lettering work for the company in the 1940s. Around 1949, he joined the staff as their in-house logo, cover lettering, and house-ad designer and letterer, and continued in that role until about 1967. He also designed the Comics Code seal.

Phil Seuling (1934–1984)
Phil Seuling was a comic book retailer, fan convention organizer, and comics distributor primarily active in the 1970s. He was the organizer of the annual New York Comic Art Convention, originally held in New York City every July 4 weekend beginning in 1968. Later, with his Sea Gate Distributors company, he developed the concept of the direct market distribution system for getting comics directly into comic book specialty shops, bypassing the then-established newspaper/magazine distributor method, where no choices of title, quantity, or delivery directions were permitted.

Frank Stack (1934– )
Considered by some to be the first underground cartoonist, Frank Stack began his career under the pseudonym Foolbert Sturgeon. With Adventures of Jesus in 1962, Stack established his unique, expressive style. His other underground work included Amazon Comics, Dorman’s Doggie, Feelgood Funnies, and The New Adventures of Jesus. He illustrated several stories for Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor and in 1994 was the artist on Harvey’s and Joyce Brabner’s award-winning Our Cancer Year.

Angelo Torres (1932– )
Angelo Torres began his career in the early 1950s, assisting his studio mate Al Williamson on such EC titles as Valor together with Frank Frazetta and Roy Krenkel (the team known as the Fleagle Gang). He contributed to Atlas mystery and Western titles in the late 1950s. For Gilberton, he contributed to Classics Illustrated; for Feature Comics, he appeared in Sick during the 1960s. He contributed to Warren titles Eerie, Creepy, and Blazing Combat between 1964 and 1967. Torres was one of MAD’s mainstays, providing caricatures and movie parodies for almost 25 years.

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Judges Named for 2025 Eisner Awards

Comic-Con is proud to announce that five judges have been chosen for the 2025 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, which will reward excellence for works published in 2024.

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The judges are Robert V. Conte, Kacy Helwick, Meg Lemke, Eitan Manhoff, and Rocco Versaci:

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The judges are chosen by Comic-Con’s awards subcommittee, made up of individuals from the board of directors, staff, and various departments. The judging panel is selected to represent all aspects of the comics industry, including creators, retailers, graphic novel librarians, academics/historians, and journalists/reviewers.

The Eisner Awards judges will select the nominees that will be placed on the ballot in some 30 categories. (Note: A separate panel of judges selects the Eisner Hall of Fame inductees and nominees.) Once the nominations are announced, they will be voted on by professionals in the comic book industry, and the results will be presented in a gala awards ceremony at Comic-Con in July.