The 35th annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards ceremony will be held Friday night, July 21 in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront, just a short walk south from the Convention Center.
The doors of the Indigo Ballroom will open at 7:45, and the ceremonies will get underway at 8:00. Attendance at the event is free to all Comic-Con members. Be sure to bring your convention badge to be admitted—and your I.D. if you wish to purchase alcoholic beverages. Advance seating for VIPs (nominees, sponsors, presenters) will begin at 7:00. No-host bars will be set up both in the ballroom and the ballroom lobby. The ceremony is expected to run until about 10:30. It will be followed by a VIP reception in the Indigo Ballroom foyer, with a live jazz duo for entertainment.
The Eisners: Comics’ “Oscars”
Named for the pioneering comics creator and graphic novelist Will Eisner, the Eisner Awards, considered the “Oscars” of the comic book industry, will be given out in 32 categories for works published in 2022. A complete list of all the nominees can be found in the Souvenir Book and at www.comic-con.org. All attendees will also get a souvenir program listing the nominees.
Among presenters at this year’s ceremony are actor/comic book writer David Dastmalchian(Antman, Suicide Squad, Flash tv series; Count Crowley comic book); comedian/actor Jonah Ray (Mystery Science Theater 3000); actress/stuntwoman Janeshia Adams-Ginyard (Black Panther, Falcon and the Winter Soldier), comedian/actor Stephen Glickman (Gustavo Rocque, Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush); Batman movie producer Michael Uslan; voice actors Maurice LaMarche (Brain in Pinky and the Brain), Eric Bauza (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety), Amber Nash (Pam Poovey, Archer), and Adam MacArthur (Marco Diaz, Star vs. the Forces of Evil); comics creators Mark Buckingham (artist, Fables, Sandman, Norse Mythology), Bill Morrison(Simpsons Comics, Yellow Submarine), and Wendy and Richard Pini (Elfquest); and Comic-Con Special Guests Felicia Day (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, The Guild), Keith Knight (cartoonist, The K Chronicles, ink, The Knight Life), Stephen Notley (cartoonist, Bob the Angry Flower), John Semper (producer/head writer of Spider-Man: The Animated Series), and David F. Walker (comics/graphic novel writer, Bitter Root, Naomi, Luke Cage).
Sponsors
The principal sponsors for the Eisner Awards this year are Gentle Giant Studios (which manufactures the Eisner trophies), mycomicshop.com, and Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide. Supporting sponsors are Alternate Reality Comics (Las Vegas), Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA), Diamond Comics Distributors, and Golden Apple Comic and Art Foundation (Los Angeles). The afterparty is sponsored by HarperAlley.
The Eisner Hall of Fame
The Will Eisner Hall of Fame awards will be presented in a special ceremony on Friday morning in Room 28DE. Trophies will be presented for 15 judges’ choices inductees and 4 inductees chosen by voters. For more information on this year’s inductees, visit the Comic-Con website, www.comic-con.org. The event is hosted by Eisner Awards Administrator Jackie Estrada.
Other Awards
The Eisner Awards evening includes the presentation of several other special awards. Since 1984, Comic-Con has been bestowing the annual Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award (to be presented by Bob’s daughter Ruth). This year’s recipients are Beth Accomando and Scott Dunbier. The nominees and winner of the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award, which has been handed out since 1982, will be announced by past Russ Manning assistant and Comic-Con Special Guest William Stout. Also being presented is the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award, presided over by Joe Ferrara.
This is the 19th year for presentation of the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. The 2023 recipients are DC romance comics writer Barbara Friedlander (Swing with Scooter, Young Love, Young Romance, Heart Throbs, Secret Hearts, Falling in Love, Girls’ Love Stories) and war comics writer/artist Sam Glanzman (U.S.S. Stevens, A Sailor’s Story). The Finger Awards will be presented by Mark Evanier. The major sponsor for the Finger Award is DC Comics. Supporting sponsors are Heritage Auctions and Maggie Thompson.
