COMIC-con INTERNATIONAL
Spirit of Comics 2024 Call for Nominations
What makes an excellent comic book store? Is it a diverse selection of new comic books and graphic novels? Is it a friendly and knowledgeable staff? Is it the community of comics fans discussing storylines and upcoming releases? Is it an accessible back issue section? Is it the chance to meet a writer, artist, or publisher? Is it the excitement of discovering a fantastic new comic by a creator you’re unfamiliar with?
Of course, all these things can be part of an excellent comic book retail experience, but there is no Platonic ideal of a comic book store. There are many kinds of comic book stores, and we want to hear from you about which ones are near and dear to your heart.
Will Eisner, pioneer of the graphic novel art form and creator of The Spirit, believed that comic book stores are a vital link in bringing wonderful stories and exciting artwork to the reading public, and we at San Diego Comic Convention agree with him.
In these challenging days for brick-and-mortar stores, it’s more important than ever to recognize and celebrate the comic book stores that do an outstanding job of supporting the comic art medium both in the industry at large and in their local community with the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award.
Comics fans worldwide can nominate their favorite stores here on the Comic-Con website. The 2024 Spirit of Comics Award will be given out as part of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards on Friday evening, July 26, 2024, at Comic-Con in San Diego.
You can nominate your favorite store! Click here to read the nomination guidelines and to access our online nomination form.
In the past, nominated stores previously awarded the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award were ineligible to win a second time. In 2022, we modified our acceptance criteria for the Spirit of Comics. Now stores that have received the award in the past will be eligible to be nominated again if they meet specific criteria. For a previous recipient to be eligible, either: A) They must be operating under new ownership for at least two years, or B) It has been ten years since the store received the award. It is our hope that these additions to our acceptance criteria will inspire comic stores to continue to improve, evolve, and engage with their communities.
The deadline for nominations is April 19, 2024, so hurry and nominate your favorite store now!