Come ogni anno, questa magnifica manifestazione inevitabilmente diventa ricettacolo di incredibili novità, ma prima di stilare un riassunto delle notizie più salienti mi sembra cosa buona e giusta partire dai vincitori degli Eisner Awards 2012 (Gli Eisner Award sono premi conferiti per meriti artistici nel campo dei fumetti, tra i più prestigiosi riconoscimenti statunitensi. Sono dedicati a Will Eisner, in onore del suo grande contributo nel campo; Eisner ha presenziato personalmente alla cerimonia fino alla sua morte, avvenuta nel 2005). Ma se siete ansiosi di leggere le news, potete correre direttamente a pagina 2!

Best Short Story

  • “A Brief History of the Art Form Known as Hortisculpture,” by Adrian Tomine, in Optic Nerve #12 (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • “Harvest of Fear,” by Jim Woodring, in The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror #17 (Bongo)
  • “The Phototaker,” by Guy Davis, in Metal Hurlant vol. 2 (Humanoids)
  • “The Seventh,” by Darwyn Cooke, in Richard Stark’s Parker: The Martini Edition (IDW)
  • “The Speaker,” by Brandon Graham, in Dark Horse Presents #7 (Dark Horse)

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)

  • Daredevil #7, by Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, and Joe Rivera (Marvel)
  • Ganges #4, by Kevin Huizenga (Fantagraphics)
  • Locke & Key: Guide to the Known Keys, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)
  • Princeless #3,by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin (Action Lab)
  • The Unwritten #24: “Stairway to Heaven” by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Al Davison (Vertigo/DC)

Best Continuing Series

  • Daredevil, by Mark Waid, Marcos Martin, Paolo Rivera, and Joe Rivera (Marvel)
  • Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)
  • Rachel Rising, by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)
  • Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli (Marvel)
  • Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)

Best Limited Series

  • Atomic Robo and the Ghost of Station X, by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener (Red 5)
  • Criminal: The Last of the Innocent, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Marvel Icon)
  • Flashpoint: Batman—Knight of Vengeance, by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (Vertigo/DC)
  • The New York Five, by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly (Vertigo/DC)
  • Who Is Jake Ellis? by Nathan Edmondson & Tonci Zonjic(Image)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)

  • Beauty and the Squat Bears, by Émile Bravo (Yen Press)
  • Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking, by Philippe Coudray (Candlewick/Toon Books)
  • Dragon Puncher Island, by James Kochalka (Top Shelf)
  • Nursery Rhyme Comics, edited by Chris Duffy (First Second)
  • Patrick in a Teddy Bear’s Picnic, by Geoffrey Hayes(Candlewick/Toon Books)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8–12)

  • The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold, by Sholly Fisch, Rick Burchett, and Dan Davis (DC)
  • Amelia Rules: The Meaning of Life . . . And Other Stuff, by Jimmy Gownley (Atheneum)
  • The Ferret’s a Foot, by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue (Graphic Universe/Lerner)
  • Princeless, by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin (Action Lab)
  • Snarked, by Roger Langridge (kaboom!)
  • Zita the Space Girl, by Ben Hatke(First Second)

Best Publication for Young Adults (Ages 12–17)

  • Anya’s Ghost, by Vera Brosgol (First Second)
  • Around the World, by Matt Phelan (Candlewick)
  • Level Up, by Gene Yang and Thien Pham (First Second)
  • Life with Archie, by Paul Kupperberg, Fernando Ruiz, Pat & Tim Kennedy, Norm Breyfogle et al. (Archie)
  • Mystic, by G. Willow Wilson and David Lopez (Marvel)

Best Anthology

  • Dark Horse Presents, edited by Mike Richardson (Dark Horse)
  • Nelson, edited by Rob Davis and Woodrow Phoenix (Blank Slate)
  • Nursery Rhyme Comics, edited by Chris Duffy (First Second)
  • The Someday Funnies, edited by Michel Choquette (Abrams ComicArts)
  • Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular and the New Land, edited by Harvey Pekar and Paul Buhle (Abrams ComicArts)

Best Humor Publication

  • The Art of Doug Sneyd: A Collection of Playboy Cartoons (Dark Horse Books)
  • Chimichanga, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)
  • Coffee: It’s What’s for Dinner, by Dave Kellett (Small Fish)
  • Kinky & Cosy, by Nix (NBM)
  • Milk & Cheese: Dairy Products Gone Bad, by Evan Dorkin (Dark Horse Books)

Best Digital Comic

Best Reality-Based Work

  • Around the World, by Matt Phelan (Candlewick)
  • Green River Killer: A True Detective Story, by Jeff Jensen and Jonathan Case (Dark Horse Books)
  • Marzi: A Memoir, by Marzena Sowa and Sylvain Savoia (Vertigo/DC)
  • Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Vietnamerica, by GB Tran (Villard)

Best Graphic Album—New

  • Bubbles & Gondola, by Renaud Dillies (NBM)
  • Freeway, by Mark Kalesniko (Fantagraphics)
  • Habibi, by Craig Thompson (Pantheon)
  • Ivy, by Sarah Olekysk (Oni)
  • Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, adapted by Ramón K. Pérez (Archaia)
  • One Soul, by Ray Fawkes (Oni)

Best Graphic Album—Reprint

  • Big Questions, by Anders Nilsen (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • The Death Ray, by Dan Clowes (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Richard Stark’s Parker: The Martini Edition, by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
  • WE3: The Deluxe Edition, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (Vertigo/DC)
  • Zahra’s Paradise, by Amir and Khalil (First Second)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips

  • Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim, by Alex Raymond and Don Moore, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
  • Forgotten Fantasy: Sunday Comics 1900–1915, edited by Peter Maresca (Sunday Press)
  • Prince Valiant vols. 3-4, by Hal Foster, edited by Kim Thompson (Fantagraphics)
  • Tarpé Mills’s Miss Fury Sensational Sundays, 1944–1949, edited by Trina Robbins (IDW/Library of American Comics)
  • Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse vols. 1-2, by Floyd Gottfredson, edited by David Gerstein and Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books

  • Government Issue: Comics for the People: 1940s–2000s, edited by Richard L. Graham (Abrams ComicArts)
  • The MAD Fold-In Collection, by Al Jaffee(Chronicle)
  • PS Magazine: The Best of Preventive Maintenance Monthly, by Will Eisner (Abrams ComicArts)
  • The Sugar and Spike Archives, vol. 1, by Sheldon Mayer (DC)
  • Walt Simonson’s The Mighty Thor Artist’s Edition (IDW)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

  • Bubbles & Gondola, by Renaud Dillies (NBM)
  • Isle of 100,000 Graves, by Fabien Vehlmann and Jason (Fantagraphics)
  • Like a Sniper Lining Up His Shot, by Jacques Tardi and Jean-Patrick Manchette (Fantagraphics)
  • The Manara Library,vol. 1: Indian Summer and Other Stories, by Milo Manara with Hugo Pratt (Dark Horse Books)
  • Night Animals: A Diptych About What Rushes Through the Bushes, by Brecht Evens (Top Shelf)

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

  • A Bride’s Story, by Kaoru Mori (Yen Press)
  • Drops of God, by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto(Vertical)
  • Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths, by Shigeru Mizuki (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Saturn Apartments, vols. 3-4, byHisae Iwaoka (VIZ Media)
  • Stargazing Dog, by Takashi Murakami (NBM)
  • Wandering Son, vol. 1, by Shimura Takako (Fantagraphics)

Best Writer

  • Cullen Bunn, The Sixth Gun (Oni)
  • Mike Carey, The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC)
  • Jeff Jensen, Green River Killer: A True Detective Story (Dark Horse Books)
  • Jeff Lemire, Animal Man, Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. (DC); Sweet Tooth (Vertical/DC)
  • Mark Waid, Irredeemable, Incorruptible (BOOM!); Daredevil (Marvel)

Best Writer/Artist

  • Rick Geary, The Lives of Sacco and Vanzetti (NBM)
  • Terry Moore, Rachel Rising (Abstract Studio)
  • Sarah Oleksyk, Ivy (Oni)
  • Craig Thompson, Habibi (Pantheon)
  • Jim Woodring, Congress of the Animals (Fantagraphics), “Harvest of Fear,” in The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror #17 (Bongo)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

  • Michael Allred, iZombie (Vertigo/DC); Madman All-New Giant-Size Super-Ginchy Special (Image)
  • Ramón K. Pérez, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand (Archaia)
  • Chris Samnee, Captain America and Bucky, Ultimate Spider-Man #155 (Marvel)
  • Marcos Martin, Daredevil (Marvel)
  • Paolo Rivera/Joe Rivera, Daredevil (Marvel)

Best Cover Artist

  • Michael Allred, iZombie (Vertigo/DC)
  • Francesco Francavilla, Black Panther (Marvel); Lone Ranger, Lone Ranger/Zorro, Dark Shadows, Warlord of Mars (Dynamite); Archie Meets Kiss (Archie)
  • Victor Kalvachev, Blue Estate (Image)
  • Marcos Martin, Daredevil, Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel)
  • Sean Phillips, Criminal: The Last of the Innocent (Marvel Icon)
  • Yuko Shimizu, The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC)

Best Coloring

  • Laura Allred, iZombie (Vertigo/DC); Madman All-New Giant-Size Super-Ginchy Special (Image)
  • Bill Crabtree, The Sixth Gun (Oni)
  • Ian Herring and Ramón K. Pérez, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand (Archaia)
  • Victor Kalvachev, Blue Estate (Image)
  • Cris Peter, Casanova: Avaritia, Casanova: Gula (Marvel Icon)

Best Lettering

  • Deron Bennett, Billy Fog, Jim Henson’s Dark Crystal, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, Mr. Murder Is Dead (Archaia); Helldorado, Puss N Boots,Richie Rich (APE Entertainment)
  • Jimmy Gownley, Amelia Rules! The Meaning of Life . . . And Other Stuff (Atheneum)
  • Laura Lee Gulledge, Page by Paige (Amulet Books/Abrams)
  • Tom Orzechowski, Manara Library, with L. Lois Buholis(Dark Horse); Manga Man (Houghton Mifflin); Savage Dragon (Image)
  • Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)

Best Comics-Related Book

  • Archie: A Celebration of America’s Favorite Teenagers, edited by Craig Yoe (IDW/Yoe Books)
  • Caniff: A Visual Biography, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
  • Drawing Power: A Compendium of Cartoon Advertising, edited by Rick Marschall and Warren Bernard (Fantagraphics/Marschall Books)
  • Genius Isolated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth, designed by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
  • MetaMaus, by Art Spiegelman (Pantheon)

Best Publication Design

  • Genius Isolated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth, designed by Dean Mullaney (IDW/Library of American Comics)
  • Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, designed by Eric Skillman (Archaia)
  • Kinky & Cosy, designed by Nix (NBM)
  • The MAD Fold-In Collection, designed by Michael Morris (Chronicle)
  • Richard Stark’s Parker: The Martini Edition, designed by Darwyn Cooke (IDW)
Ed ora, via con le news!