December
31 Awards Season

The Inaugural Bags and Boards Comicbook Awards

Here at Variety, it’s the middle of awards season. That’s the time of year when every other word out of our mouths is "Oscar." So here at Bags and Boards, we took a little time out to assemble a small panel to spread some of that kudos spirit to the comics biz.

These are not scientific awards, though the panel did vote on them. We looked at comics that were published new in the last year and the only distinction we made was superhero or nonsuperhero. We didn’t consider trade paperbacks as a separate category, but it’s safe to assume that if we like 100 Bullets, we like it in both single issues and in the trade. The top three runners up also are listed so you can see what the competition was like.

We also stayed pretty much within the American comicbook industry, even though manga is an increasingly large part of the business of comics. This is largely because most (but not all) manga is reprinted from Japan and we felt it only fair at this point to compare apples to apples. As our manga expertise grows, expect that area of the field to be included in some way next year.

OK, cue the theme music, don your powder-blue tux, and let’s get to it:

Best nonsuperhero comic

Queen & Country, by Greg Rucka, Jason Alexander and Carla Speed McNeil (Oni Press)

Nothing on the comics stands is quite as cool or smart or fun as Greg Rucka’s real-world British espionage series. What sets this apart from other spy stories is that, unlike TV’s Alias or the James Bond films, Queen & Country is set in the real world with all kinds of convincing detail. Rucka connects his stories to current events amazingly well but makes sure to entertain at the same time. His spy Tara Chace is human and believable in her struggle to reconcile the demands of her job with some kind of morality. And her scowling spymaster, Paul Crocker, is just as much fun to read about whether he’s on a Cold War mission or smoking another pack and hoping his spies come home alive. This is the sort of state of the art writing and excellent art that makes it easy to turn people on to comics and keep them coming back.

Runners up: Y: The Last Man, by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra (DC/Vertigo); 100 Bullets, by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso (DC/Vertigo); Global Frequency, by Warren Ellis and various artists (Wildstorm)

Best superhero comic

Alias, by Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Gaydos and Mark Bagley (Max/Marvel)

You could quibble that this is more of a crime comic than a superhero comic. But it’s the fact that superhero turned private eye Jessica Jones is so completely different from the heroes of the Marvel universe and the believable way she interacts with them that makes this such a great read. Brian Michael Bendis is renowned for his great dialogue, and that’s certainly on display here. But it’s the plotting and what it shows about Jones’ character that really sets this apart. Michael Gaydos has the hard task of drawing a lot of talking heads in this book, but he pulls it off supremely well and brings such a unique look to Jones it’s almost impossible to imagine anyone else drawing her. This series just ended its 28-issue run in Marvel’s Max line and will relaunch in February as The Pulse, which should make it no less interesting.

Runners up: Thor: Vikings, by Garth Ennis and Glen Fabry (Max/Marvel); New X-Men, by Grant Morrison, Chris Bachalo and Phil Jimenez (Marvel); Ultimate Spider-Man, by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley (Marvel)

Best original graphic novel

The Sandman: Endless Nights, by Neil Gaiman and various artists (DC/Vertigo)

No event in comics this year got as much attention as Neil Gaiman’s return to The Sandman, the acclaimed and incredibly popular comics series he wrote from 1988 to 1996. This deluxe, hardcover graphic novel with seven Gaiman stories illustrated by the world’s top comics artists sold an incredible 120,000 first print run in a matter of weeks and made the New York Times’ bestseller list. Articles and segments on the book and on Gaiman appeared in countless publications, on NPR, and he had an entire crew follow him around Comic-Con for a story in Entertainment Weekly. That it’s also a really good read is no surprise to Gaiman’s fans, but the visibility and incredible success of this project make it an unmatched bright spot in comics this year.

Runners up: Blankets, by Craig Thompson (Top Shelf); JLA: Liberty and Justice, by Paul Dini and Alex Ross (DC); Orbiter, by Warren Ellis and Colleen Doran (DC/Vertigo)

Best translation of a comicbook to another medium

X2: X-Men United (Fox)

Bryan Singer hit the ball out of the park on this one, making a movie that captures the feel and thrill of the long-running X-Men comics in one tight and entertaining package. Adapted largely from various plotlines from throughout the X-Men’s 40-year publishing history, Singer’s X2 is the purest comicbook superhero movie ever made.

Runners up: American Splendor (HBO); Batman: Dead End (fan-made film); Smallville (WB)

Best "event" comic

The Sandman: Endless Nights, by Neil Gaiman and various artists (DC/Vertigo)

Our definition of "event" comic is a comic that creates buzz, that’s a must-have item for fans as soon as the merest details are announced. This was our closest vote and JLA/Avengers, the dream team-up that’s been 20 years in the making, came one vote short. But, again, Neil Gaiman’s graphic novel release appealed far beyond the superhero fan base and into a general public that has in many ways cut its comics-reading teeth on The Sandman trade paperbacks. Endless Nights reaffirms the Sandman franchise as a true creative and commercial powerhouse that will likely only grow more popular as time goes on.

Runners up: JLA/Avengers, by Kurt Busiek and George Perez (DC/Marvel); The Truth; Red, White & Black, by Rob Morales and Kyle Baker (Marvel); Trouble, by Mark Millar and Terry Dodson (Epic)

Best writer

Greg Rucka (Queen & Country, Wolverine, Wonder Woman)

What really sets Greg Rucka apart is his ability to write any kind of comic and write it really well. Not only is his Queen & Country the best comic out there right now, he elevated Marvel’s Wolverine series from also-ran spin-off to must-read for the first time in years if not decades. He’s made his home at DC now, where he will have the unique honor of being the first writer to handle Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman at the same time. Oh, and in his spare time he writes novels, too. That the comics field can still attract talent like Rucka’s bodes well for comics’ future.

Runners up: Brian Michael Bendis (Alias, Ultimate Spider-Man, Powers, Daredevil); Garth Ennis (Punisher: Born, Thor: Vikings); Brian Azzarello (100 Bullets, Batman)

Best artist

Eduardo Risso (100 Bullets, Batman)

Few artists have made as impressive a splash on the comics biz the past few years as South American artist Eduardo Risso. His partner, writer Brian Azzarello, and he have turned their gritty, sexy, urban crime conspiracy tale 100 Bullets into the flagship of DC’s Vertigo line, a success they parlayed into a popular current stint on Batman. Risso’s inky pages full of pouty women and hard-luck men are as pretty as anything on the stands. But his real strength is the ability to make a three-page dialogue scene more visual and entertaining than the biggest fight scenes in dozens of other comics. That’s a rare combination of talent worthy of our first best artist honor.

Runners up: George Perez (JLA/Avengers); Josh Middleton (NYX); Darick Robertson (Punisher: Born, Wolverine); John Cassaday (Planetary)