Jeff Lemire, Chip Zdarsky and Jillian Tamaki among Canadian finalists for 2021 Eisner Awards
Vicky Qiao | | Posted: June 15, 2021 3:31 PM | Last Updated: June 15, 2021
12 Canadians are nominated for the awards, which celebrates comic creators
Jeff Lemire, Chip Zdarsky and Jillian Tamaki are among the 12 Canadian finalists nominated for the 2021 Eisner Awards.
The U.S. prizes recognize the best in comic books and graphic novels. The books must be published in the U.S., but nominated creators are from all over the world. The winners are chosen through voting by comics industry professionals.
Lemire is nominated for four awards: best continuing series for Gideon Falls, best limited series for Barbalien: Red Planet, best graphic album (reprint) for Black Hammer Library Edition, vol. 2, and best writer.
Lemire is a Canadian comic book writer and artist. He created the graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Roughneck and The Underwater Welder. He is based in Toronto.
Zdarsky is nominated for three awards. Two of his books, Daredevil and Stillwater, are nominated for best continuing Series. He's also nominated for best writer.
Zdarsky is a comic book writer and illustrator born in Edmonton and based in Toronto. The creator with a quirky sense of humour has worked on books such as the award-winning Sex Criminals, Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man and Afterlift.
Tamaki's Our Little Kitchen is nominated for best publication for early readers (up to age 8). The book features a neighbourhood with colourful characters who come together in the kitchen to share a meal. Our Little Kitchen is a celebration of food, community and laughter.
Our Little Kitchen was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for young people's literature — illustrated books.
Tamaki received the Governor General's Literary Award for This One Summer, written by her cousin and graphic novelist Mariko Tamaki. They also collaborated on Skim. Her other books include SuperMutant Magic Academy, Boundless and They Say Blue. Her work has appeared in The New York Times and The New Yorker.
Here is the full list of Canadian nominees:
- Best writer: Jeff Lemire
- Best writer: Chip Zdarsky
- Best short story: I Needed the Discounts by Connor Willumsen
- Best continuing series: Daredevil by Chip Zdarsky (created with Italian artist Marco Checchetto)
- Best continuing series: Gideon Falls by Jeff Lemire (created with Italian artist Andrea Sorrentino)
- Best continuing series: Stillwater by Chip Zdarsky and Ramón K Pérez
- Best limited series: Barbalien: Red Planet by Jeff Lemire and Tate Brombal (created with Spanish artist Gabriel Hernandez Walta)
- Best publication for early readers (up to age 8): Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki
- Best limited series: Far Sector by Jamal Campbell (created with American writer N. K. Jemisin)
- Best humour publication: Wendy, Master of Art by Walter Scott
- Best humour Publication: What If We Were... by Axelle Lenoir
- Best graphic memoir: Dancing After TEN: A Graphic Memoir by Vivian Chong and Georgia Webber
- Best graphic album — new: Dragman by Steven Appleby
- Best graphic album — reprint: Black Hammer Library Edition, vol. 2, by Jeff Lemire (created with British artist Dean Ormstom, American artist Emi Lenox and American artist Rich Tommaso)
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are presented by the San Diego Comic Convention.
The winners will be announced in July 2021.
Last year's winners included Canadians Mariko Tamaki, who won best writer, Chip Zdarsky and Jason Loo, who won best digital comic for Afterlift, and Darcy Van Poelgeest, who won best limited series for Little Bird, which he created with Ian Bertram.