Comic-Con International has announced the 2022 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards nominees. So, Lets crystal ball this.
It’s wild that Bitter Root got nominated for Best Continuing Series. It’s decent, but it only had like five issues come out last year and hasn’t dropped any since last fall.
Best Limited series could go anywhere. All of those nominated were so, so good. I’m going to guess it goes to The Many Deaths of Laila Starr.
Best New Series is another interesting one. I’d put it between Human Target or Nice House On the Lake. I love both, prefer the latter, but will guess it goes to the former. James Tynion might pick up another win for Wynd (Best Publication For Teens).
I dig Rick Remender, but The Scumbag is such a piece of ISHT I can’t believe it picked up a nomination for Best Humor.
Superman: Red and Blue might pick up Best Anthology for the name recognition and creative art style but Silver Coin has pumped out some solid and imaginative horror stories.
Best Graphic Album Reprint has some strong Contenders. Joe Hill has made a name for himself (outside of being just Stephen King’s son) and Locke and Key is both great and has a show behind it showing its appeal, but Skottie Young’s Middlewest is a dark fantasy about generational abuse, and the emotional heft behind that might take it to a win.
I’d be surprised if James Tynion IV didn’t win Best Writer. I’m surprised not to see either of the Tom’s up there (Taylor or King) considering they both have work nominated elsewhere. Ed Brubaker is nominated; ever since he started doing full graphic novel releases under what I’m pretty sure is his own imprint, I’ve lost track of him but he seldom misses, so I’ve got to hunt his recent stuff down.
I love that Junji Ito picked up a nomination for Best Artist! I’d love to see it go to either him or Daniel Warren Johnson, who is an exciting artist really elevating the stuff he’s been working on.
Best Penciller/Inker is a crapshoot. They’re all so good. SO good. Esad Ribic illustrations look somewhere between classic paintings and Fantasy art circa Frazetta/Vallejo, while P. Craig Russell has more traditional fantasy stylings like you’d see in classic Lord of the Rings illustrations or storybooks. Jimenez and Redondo have some of the most fluid and dynamic comic art on a consistent basis, and Andrade’s got a very unique and lovely flair. All of them deserve it. I’m going to guess it goes to Andrade, maybe Ribic. Redondo is my third guess just because Nightwing has been a consistent hit and he showed off how good he is in “Get Grayson” (Nominated for Best Single Issue).
Best Cover Artist has some strong contenders. If David Mack was doing more than just Norse Mythology, he might take it, but I’m going to guess it goes to Alex Ross. Julian Totinto Tedesco is my wild card choice, though.
Best Coloring will probably go to Filipe Andrade/Inês Amaro. I can’t believe Jordie Bellaire isn’t even nominated. She’s been EVERYWHERE this last year.
I don’t really have an opinion on Best Letterer, even though I should, but Clayton Cowles has put in serious work. I like Ed Dukeshire on Once and Future but not so much on Seven Secrets.