Eisner Awards Now Accepting Submissions for 2009

Comic-Con International, the largest comic book and popular arts event in the United States, announced that submissions are now being accepted for consideration by the judges for the 2009 Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards. Publishers wanting to submit entries should send one copy each of the comics or books they wish to nominate and include a cover letter indicating what is being submitted and in what categories. There are no entry fees for any submissions.

Categories include best single issue, best short story, best continuing comic book series (at least two issues must have been published in 2008), best limited comic book series (at least half of the series must have been published in 2008), best new series, best publication for kids, best publication for teens, best humor publication, best anthology, best digital comic, best graphic album—new material, best graphic album—reprint, best reality-based work, best archival collection, best U.S. edition of foreign material, best writer, best writer/artist, best penciler/inker (individual or team), best painter (interior art), best lettering, best coloring, best comics-related book, best comics journalism periodical or website, and best publication design. The judges may add, delete, or combine categories at their discretion. The cover letter should include both a mailing address and an e-mail address.

Creators can submit materials for consideration if: (a) their publisher is no longer in business; (b) their publisher is unlikely to have participated in the nomination process; or (c) they have severed connections with the publisher or have similar reasons for believing that their publisher is unlikely to consider nominating them or their work.

Publishers may submit a maximum of five nominees for any one category, and the same item or person can be submitted for more than one category. Each imprint, line, or subsidiary of a publisher may submit its own set of entries. There are no entry fees.

All submissions should be sent to Eisner Awards, Attn: Jackie Estrada, Eisner Awards Administrator, 8340 Allison Ave., La Mesa, CA  91941 before the deadline of March 13. 

The best digital comic category is open to any new, professionally produced long-form original comics work posted online in 2008. Webcomics must have a unique domain name or be part of a larger comics community to be considered. The work must be online-exclusive for a significant period prior to being collected in print form. The URL and any necessary access information should be emailed to jackie@comic-con.org.

The Eisner Award nominees will be announced in April, and ballots will be mailed in May to professionals in the comics industry, including creators, editors, publishers, distributors, and retailers. Voters will also be able to cast their vote online. The results will be announced by celebrity presenters at the gala awards ceremony on the evening of July 24 at Comic-Con International in San Diego.

Further information on the Eisner Awards and a downloadable pdf of the Call for Entries can be found at http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_main.shtml

Anyone with questions about submitting entries for the awards can e-mail Ms. Estrada at jackie@comic-con.org.

The Eisner Awards are part of Comic-Con International, San Diego, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of and appreciation for comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contributions of comics to art and culture.