As Brigid reported the other day, the Eisner noms have been announced and the list of digital comics (hey, they’re webcomics to those of us in the know) is fairly sparse with regards to those we’ve come to know and love.
First, let me refresh your memories (with appropriate pauses to accentuate applause that, as with any other nomination announcement, is strangely absent):
Best Digital Comic
The Abominable Charles Christopher, by Karl KerschlBilly Dogma, Immortal, by Dean Haspiel
The Process, by Joe Infurnari
PX!, By Manny Trembley and Eric A. Anderson
Sugarshock!, by Joss Whedon and Fabio Moon
No Kurtz, no Onstad, no Gurewitch, this year’s Eisner list is dominated, gloves up, man-on-man, by the comic book guys who play in that sandbox of graphic novelism and typically leave alone the gag strip mentality so many webcomickers employ. Also, it should be noted that this is the awards where they actually give things out and request that you wear a suit when you pick it up.
So, it’s probably best that the T-shirt and jeans crowd stay out of this particular meeting. I’m sure, if necessary, a nominated brother-in-arms could uncomfortably yank that jacket on, awkwardly tie that tie, and walk the walk with the best of ‘em. Heck, ask Kurtz, he did it a couple years ago!
I mean, if I were asked, I’m sure I could buy a suit for the thing…
Crushed and deferred dreams aside (goreadmystrip), it’s no coincidence that two of the nominees are compatriots in the webcomics-comic-booky collective, Act-I-Vate, obtainer of the recent Zuda contestant, Sam & Lilah (number 4 in the rankings, number 1 in our hearts). Dean Haspiel has done several books and titles, though his current work is the nominated Billy Dogma, Immortal, and Michael Cavallaro, whose Act-I-Vate work just recently debuted, was nominated in the Limited Series category for his Image book, Parade (With Fireworks).
And in other it’s-no-coincidence news, the Act-I-Vate bunch are launching a new website to coincide with the most up-and-coming of all comic book conventions, The New York Comic-Con. Previously, you could only get your Act-I-Fix on LiveJournal, so the group decided to mature a bit with their Eisner mentions and branch out to the area outside emo kids and… well, emo kids.
So good on ya, Act-I-Vate! Your content doesn’t fit my webcomics tastes (quick and sharp are the two key ingredients) but put out a print anthology and then we’ll talk. And good luck in the upcoming 2008 Eisners, presented live at the San Diego Comic-Con (long running most monopolistic comic convention in the world) on the weekend of July 24-27!
Send press pass to Digital Strips, c/o The Midnight Cartooner, 9581 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 90028.
Being a long-form graphic novel style comic was one of the requirements for Eisner nominations this year.
Seconding Greg’s comment; if you want short-form strips to be included under the Eisner label, go ask for it!
Honestly, I’m still shocked that nobody knows what to do with webcomics professionally right now… I mean, yes, there’s this blog, but when the medium is still being kicked around you’d think there’d be more of an outcry to try and spruce up the image a bit.
Appreciate the heads-up, Greg, thanks!
As for the comment, can we get a webcomic category made up, then? Because with this many comic book creators bringing their work to the Web, the up-and-comers will never have a chance to shine.
Rachel, point me in the right direction! Save this here blog, I have no idea how to affect that kind of change. Care to suggest any sprucing techniques?
While no one has specifically said it, our “digital comic” was a web comic first (in the small, unsuccessful financially, long-form category)
and neither of us were published comic artists. Since starting PX! as a web comic, we went on to publish other stories through Image comics, and then last Aug got PX! printed as a collected book.
If I have my conspiracy theories correct, the Eisner group tends to pick digital comics that do have association with the print world. For good or ill.
I just thought I’d chime in. Seeing as people disregard PX! out of hand when it comes to this award.
I like PX!, it’s pink and pretty.
-Manny
Hey! You’re the reason I didn’t get an Eisner nod!
Thanks for chiming in, Manny! PX! is one of the most beautiful works I’ve ever set eyes on and well worth the nomination, no doubt. But you do agree that the Eisners seem to focus almost exclusively on works that have gotten good enough to qualify for entry into the wonderful world of print.
And that’s how it should be. Because unless you’re putting out the book yourself (which many do, and some suffer from the lack of an established publisher) the step into print means that you’ve achieved something worth noting, and you’re doing it by putting out a book. It’s a tale as old as time, and won’t be changing until computers are implanted in our brains from birth.
That said, want to shoot a copy of PX! our way for review? That goes for anyone out there! I can’t promise I’ll like it, but hey, if it’s good enough for print, doesn’t that say enough right there?