The winners of the 2009 Eisners were announced at the San Diego Comic-Con.  There weren’t a lot of surprises at the Eisners this year.  Dark Horse’s Hellboy collected three awards and Chris Ware won two.  DC appeared to have garnered fewer than normal, but they were big ones including “Best Writer,” “Best Continuing Series,” and “Best Publication for Kids.” As they continue their push into the world of comics, mainstream publishers made their presence felt with Harper’s Childrens Book winning two awards and Vertical earning the “Manga” award for its edition of Tezuka’s Dororo. while Abrams took home the "Best Comics-Related Book" award for Mark Evanier's Kirby: King of Comics.  And the ladies did well--Jill Thompson (“Best Painter”), Carla Speed McNeil (“Best Digital Comic” for Finder), Lynda Barry (“Best Reality-Based Work for What it Is) and Eleanor Davis all won well-deserved awards. 

 

Here are the 2009 winners.  For a complete list of Eisner Award nominees see “Eisner Nominations Released.”

 

Best Writer

Bill Willingham, Fables, House of Mystery (Vertigo/DC)

 

Best Writer/Artist

Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library (Acme)

 

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

Guy Davis, BPRD (Dark Horse)

 

Best Continuing Series

All Star Superman, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely (DC)

 

Best Limited Series

Hellboy: The Crooked Man, by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben (Dark Horse)

 

Best New Series

Invincible Iron Man, by Matt Fraction and Salvador Larocca (Marvel)

 

Best Short Story

Murder He Wrote,” by Ian Booth by, Nina Matsumoto, and Andrew Pepoy, in The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror #14 (Bongo)

 

Best Publication for Kids

Tiny Titans, by Art Baltazar and Franco (DC)

 

Best Publication for Teens/Tweens

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman, adapted by P. Craig Russell (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

 

Best Humor Publication

Herbie Archives, by “Sean O’Shea” (Richard E. Hughes) and Ogden Whitney (Dark Horse)

 

Best Anthology

Comic Book Tattoo: Narrative Art Inspired by the Lyrics and Music of Tori Amos, edited by Rantz Hoseley (Image)

 

Best Digital Comic

Finder, by Carla Speed McNeil

 

Best Reality-Based Work

What It Is, by Lynda Barry (Drawn & Quarterly)

 

Best Graphic Album—New

Swallow Me Whole, by Nate Powell (Top Shelf)

 

Best Graphic Album—Reprinted Material

Hellboy Library Edition, vols. 1 and 2, by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)

 

Best Archival Collection/Project--Strips

Little Nemo in Slumberland, Many More Splendid Sundays, by Winsor McCay (Sunday Press Books)

 

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comics

Creepy Archives, by various (Dark Horse)

 

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

The Last Musketeer, by Jason (Fantagraphics)

 

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Japan

Dororo, by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)

 

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist

Jill Thompson, Magic Trixie, Magic Trixie Sleeps Over (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

 

Best Cover Artist

James Jean, Fables (Vertigo/DC); The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse)

 

Best Coloring

Dave Stewart, Abe Sapien: The Drowning, BPRD, The Goon, Hellboy, Solomon Kane, The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse); Body Bags (Image); Captain America: White (Marvel)

 

Best Lettering

Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library #19 (Acme)

 

Best Comics-Related Periodical—Journalism

Comic Book Resources, produced by Jonah Weiland

 

Best Comics-Related Book

Kirby: King of Comics, by Mark Evanier (Abrams)

 

Best Publication Design

Hellboy Library Editions, designed by Cary Grazzini and Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)

 

Hall of Fame

Harold Gray, Graham Ingalls, Matt Baker, Reed Crandall, Russ Heath.

 

Russ Manning Award Winner

Eleanor Davis

 

Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing Award

Tate’s Comics, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

 

 

In U.S.