Skip to main content

Celebrating the best of tv, movies, and comics

Subscribe
If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

And the winners of the 2023 Eisner Awards are...

Who took the gongs on the big night at SDCC 2023?

2023 Eisner Winners
Image credit: Popverse
Graeme McMillan avatar
Guide by Graeme McMillan Staff Writer
Updated on

It’s that time again — awards season. And in the comics medium, the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are the pinnacle of that... and it's finally the big night.

Headlining this year's nominees is Zoe Thorogood with five nominations: three for her Joe Hill adaptation Rain, plus two for her memoir It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth. Thomas Woodruff and Tom King both received four nominations each, with Sean Phillips, Mark Russell, Sana Takeda, James Tynion IV, Bruno Redondo, and Chip Zdarsky all receiving three apiece. In terms of publishers, Image Comics led the way with 26 total nominations, with DC following with 16 nominations. Fantagraphics Books received 13, and Marvel 12.

Following the initial announcement of these nominations, Woodruff's four nominations were removed by the Eisners organizers at the request of the author following uproar from former students of his and concerned fans.

The nominees for the 2023 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are as follows (winners bolded):

Best Short Story

  • “The Beekeeper’s Due,” by Jimmy Stamp and Débora Santos, in Scott Snyder Presents: Tales from the Cloakroom (Cloakroom Comics)
  • “Finding Batman” by Kevin Conroy and J. Bone in DC Pride 2022 (DC)
  • "Good Morning," by Christopher Cantwell and Alex Lins, in Moon Knight: Black, White & Blood #4 (Marvel)
  • “Silent All These Years,” by Margaret Atwood and David Mack, in Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes (Z2)
  • “You Get It,” by Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto, in Amazing Fantasy #1000 (Marvel)

Best Single Issue/One-Shot

Best Continuing Series

  • Daredevil, by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto and Rafael de Latorre (Marvel)
  • The Department of Truth, by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds (Image)
  • Killadelphia, by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander (Image)
  • The Nice House on the Lake, by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno (DC)
  • Nightwing, by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo (DC)
  • She-Hulk, by Rainbow Rowell, Rogê Antônio, Luca Maresca, and Takeshi Miyazawa (Marvel)

Best Limited Series

Best New Series

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 8)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 9-12)

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)

Best Humor Publication

Best Anthology

Best Reality-Based Work

Best Graphic Memoir

Best Graphic Album—New

Best Graphic Album—Reprint

Best Adaptation from Another Medium

Best U.S. Edition of International Material

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

  • Black Paradox, by Junji Ito, translation by Jocelyne Allen (VIZ Media)
  • The Hellbound vols. 1-2, by Yeon Sang-ho and Choi Gyu-seok, translation by Danny Lim (Dark Horse)
  • Look Back, by Tatsuki Fujimoto, translation by Amanda Haley (VIZ Media)
  • PTSD Radio vol. 1, by Masaaki Nakayama, translation by Adam Hirsch (Kodansha)
  • Shuna's Journey, by Hayao Miyazaki; translation by Alex Dudok de Wit (First Second/Macmillan)
  • Talk to My Back, by Yamada Murasaki, translation by Ryan Holmberg (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips (at least 20 Years Old)

Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books (at least 20 Years Old)

Best Writer

  • Grace Ellis, Flung Out of Space (Abrams ComicArts)
  • Tom King, Batman: Killing Time, Batman: One Bad Day, Gotham City: Year One, The Human Target, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (DC); Love Everlasting (Image)
  • Mark Russell, Traveling to Mars (Ablaze), One-Star Squadron, Superman: Space Age (DC); The Incal: Psychoverse (Humanoids)
  • James Tynion IV, House of Slaughter, Something Is Killing the Children, Wynd (BOOM! Studios); The Nice House on the Lake, The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country (DC), The Closet, The Department of Truth (Image)
  • Chip Zdarsky, Stillwater (Image Skybound); Daredevil (Marvel)

Best Writer/Artist

  • Sarah Andersen, Cryptid Club (Andrews McMeel)
  • Kate Beaton, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands (Drawn & Quarterly)
  • Espé, The Pass (Graphic Mundi/Penn State University)
  • Junji Ito, Black Paradox, The Liminal Zone (VIZ Media)
  • Zoe Thorogood, It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth (Image)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

  • Jason Shawn Alexander, Killadelphia, Nita Hawes’ Nightmare Blog (Image)
  • Alvaro Martínez Bueno, The Nice House on the Lake (DC)
  • Sean Phillips, Follow Me Down, The Ghost in You (Image)
  • Bruno Redondo, Nightwing (DC)
  • Greg Smallwood, The Human Target (DC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)

  • Lee Bermejo, A Vicious Circle (BOOM! Studios)
  • Felix Delep, Animal Castle (Ablaze)
  • Daria Schmitt, The Monstrous Dreams of Mr. Providence (Europe Comics)
  • Sana Takeda, The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night (Abrams ComicArts); Monstress (Image)
  • Zoe Thorogood, Rain (Syzygy/Image)

Best Cover Artist (for multiple covers)

  • Jen Bartel, She-Hulk (Marvel)
  • Bruno Redondo, Nightwing (DC)
  • Alex Ross, Astro City: That Was Then . . . (Image); Fantastic Four, Black Panther (Marvel)
  • Sana Takeda, Monstress (Image)
  • Zoe Thorogood, Joe Hill’s Rain (Syzygy/Image)

Best Coloring

  • Jordie Bellaire, The Nice House on the Lake, Suicide Squad: Blaze (DC); Antman, Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age (Marvel)
  • Jean-Francois Beaulieu, I Hate Fairyland 2022, Twig (Image)
  • Dave McCaig, The Incal: Psychoverse (Humanoids)
  • Jacob Phillips, Follow Me Down, The Ghost in You, That Texas Blood (Image)
  • Alex Ross and Josh Johnson, The Fantastic Four: Full Circle (Abrams ComicArts)
  • Diana Sousa, Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins; The Mighty Nein Origins: Yasha Nydoorin; The Mighty Nein Origins: Fjord Stone; The Mighty Nein Origins: Caleb Widogast (Dark Horse)

Best Lettering

  • Pat Brosseau, Batman: The Knight, Wonder Woman: The Villainy of Our Fears (DC): Creepshow, Dark Ride, I Hate This Place, Skybound Presents: Afterschool (Image Skybound)
  • Chris Dickey, The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night (Abrams ComicArts)
  • Todd Klein, Chivalry (Dark Horse); Fables (DC); Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age (Marvel)
  • Nate Piekos, Black Hammer Reborn, Minor Threats, Shaolin Cowboy, Stranger Things: Kamchatka (Dark Horse), I Hate Fairyland, Twig (Image)
  • Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo (IDW)

Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

  • Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
  • Comic Book Creator, edited by Jon B. Cooke (TwoMorrows)
  • The Comics Journal #308, edited by Gary Groth, Kristy Valenti, and Rachel Miller (Fantagraphics)
  • PanelXPanel magazine, edited by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou and Tiffany Babb (panelxpanel.com)
  • Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, ICv2, Publishers Weekly

Best Comics-Related Book

Best Academic/Scholarly Work

Best Publication Design

Best Webcomic

  • Deeply Dave, by Grover, http://www.deeplydave.com/
  • Delilah Dirk: Practical Defence Against Piracy, by Tony Cliff, https://www.delilahdirk.com/dd4/dd4-p46.html
  • Lore Olympus, by Rachel Smythe (WEBTOON),  https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/lore-olympus/list?title_no=1320&page=5
  • The Mannamong, by Michael Adam Lengyel, https://mannamong.com/episode-1/
  • Spores, by Joshua Barkman, https://falseknees.com/22ink1.html

Best Digital Comic

  • All Princesses Die Before Dawn, by Quentin Zuttion, translation by M. B. Valente (Europe Comics)
  • Barnstormers, by Scott Snyder and Tula Lotay (Comixology Originals)
  • Behind the Curtain, by Sara del Giudice, translation by M. B. Valente (Europe Comics)
  • Ripple Effects, by Jordan Hart, Bruno Chiroleu, Justin Harder, and Shane Kadlecik (Fanbase Press)
  • Sixty Years in Winter, by Ingrid Chabbert and Aimée de Jongh, translation by Matt Madden (Europe Comics)

Additionally, Barbara Friedlander and Sam Glanzman were awarded the Bill Finger Excellence in Comics Writing Award, Beth Accomando and Scott Dunbier received The Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, Oakland’s Capes & Cowls won the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award, and Zoe Thorogood received the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award, offering the crowd a short but heartfelt speech in response.

Often described as the comic industry version of the Academy Awards, the Eisners — as they’re colloquially known — have been given out annually since 1988, with the exception of a skip year in 1990 due to technical difficulties. This year, as with previous years, the list of nominees has been decided upon by a six person judging panel — made up this year by librarian Moni Barrette, retailer Jen King, journalist Sean Kleefeld, author A. David Lewis, former retailer T.J. Shevlin, and educator Peter Jones — with the final award winners being decided by vote from comic industry professionals.

Winners were announced during the July 21 ceremony at San Diego Comic-Con.

The 2023 inductees into the Eisners Awards' Hall of Fame

Even before San Diego Comic-Con began, we already knew some winners this year - of entry into the Hall of Fame. This year’s Eisner judges have selected Jerry Bails, Tony DeZuniga, Justin Green, Jay Jackson, Jeffrey Catherine Jones, Aline Kaminsky-Crimb, Win Mortimer, Diane Noomin, Gaspar Saladino, Kim Thompson, Mort Walker, Bill Griffith, Jack Katz, Garry Trudeau, and Tatiana Wood as inductees into the Eisner Awards Hall of Fame.

Voters were invited to additionally select four individuals to join them and they chose Brian Bolland, Ann Nocenti, Tim Sale, and Diana Schutz.

The Hall of Fame was the subject of its own separate event at SDCC 2023, which you can read about here.

Revisit last year’s Eisner winners right here.

Featured events