The list of 2016 Harvey Award nominees has been announced and, well, they’re certainly something. A part of Baltimore Comic Con’s programming, The Harvey Awards are one of the highest profile awards ceremonies in North American comics.
Looking over this year’s nominees, it’s obvious that Valiant has dominated the list. Of the twenty-two categories, the publisher has been nominated in fifteen. Now, publishers have good years all the time. It’s a common occurrence for one company to have more of a presence than any other, but this feels different. Of the fifteen categories Valiant is nominated in, twelve have more than one title or creator on the list. Further, of that twelve, eight categories feature 4 or or more nominations. To break that down further: Valiant has near-sweeps in one in three categories at this year’s Harveys.
So how does something like this happen? Well, the Harvey Awards’ nominating process isn’t one that’s done by committee. Instead, people who work in the industry are asked to fill out write-in ballots for each category. This sort of process seems like a reasonable alternative to other awards that rely on small committees to decide on who gets the tap. The downside, though, is that it could become something like a high school battle of the bands: whoever can get the most friends in the room wins. Now, Valiant is a quality publisher who often finds themselves on the pleasant end of Multiversity reviews, so the content isn’t exactly the issue here. Instead, what concerns me is that “Quantum and Woody” volumes 1 through 3 are all simultaneously nominated in the category of ‘Best Domestic Reprint Project’ to the exclusion of, for example, any number of Artists’ Editions. Or how about Matt Kindt and Michael Kupperman both being nominated in ‘Best Cartoonist’ for producing a handful of pages each? Meanwhile “Patience,” “Charlie Chan Hock Chye” and everything Fantagraphics published this year go unnoticed. Fanta, by the way, came in at zero nominations.
At the end of things, it’s not Valiant’s run away success that’s giving me gas face. Instead, it’s the fact that such obvious ballot stuffing only serves to undermine the awards as a whole. How can anyone look at this list and feel that the competition is real, and the nominations well considered? Does Valiant deserve some of this recognition? Sure, you can absolutely make that argument. But should they hold four out of five ‘Special Award For Humor In Comics’ nominations, half of which are for the same issue? That’s something I find to be far less defensible.
BOOM! Studios also had a good year, with nominations in thirteen out of twenty-two categories. Unlike Valiant, BOOM! finds themselves with two or more nods in a single category just three times, with a heavy showing in ‘Best Biographical, Historical, Or Journalistic Presentation,’ and a near-sweep in ‘Best Original Graphic Publication For Younger Readers.’ Like with Valiant, this sort of narrow representation only serves to diminish the significance of the award and narrow the perception of the categories themselves.
The Harvey Awards ceremony will be held September 3 in Baltimore, MD. Here’s the complete list of this year’s nominees:
BEST LETTERER
– Aubrey Aiese, LUMBERJANES, BOOM! Box/BOOM! Studios
– Dave Lanphear, DIVINITY, Valiant Entertainment
– Patricia Martin, WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR, Valiant Entertainment
– Dave Sharpe, NINJAK, Valiant Entertainment
– John Workman, RAGNAROK, IDW Publishing
BEST COLORIST
– Laura Allred, SILVER SURFER, Marvel Comics
– Ulises Arreola, NINJAK, Valiant Entertainment
– David Baron, DIVINITY, Valiant Entertainment
– Jordie Bellaire, INJECTION, Image Comics
– Laura Martin, RAGNAROK, IDW Publishing
– Brian Reber, X-O MANOWAR, Valiant Entertainment
BEST SYNDICATED STRIP or PANEL
– BIZARRO, Dan Piraro, King Features Syndicate
– BLOOM COUNTY, Berkeley Breathed, Universal Uclick
– DICK TRACY, Joe Staton and Mike Curtis, Tribune Content Agency
– MUTTS, Patrick McDonnell, King Features Syndicate
– PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, Stephan Pastis, Universal Uclick
– PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN, Dana Simpson, Universal Uclick
– ZIPPY THE PINHEAD, Bill Griffith, King Features Syndicate
BEST ONLINE COMICS WORK
– ALBERT THE ALIEN, Trevor Mueller and Gabriel Bautista, albertthealien.com
– BATTLEPUG, Mike Norton, battlepug.com
– BLOOM COUNTY 2015, Berkeley Breathed, gocomics.com/bloom-county
– OH JOY SEX TOY, Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan, ohjoysextoy.com
Continued below
– ZOMBIE BOY, Mark Stokes, zombieboycomics.com
BEST AMERICAN EDITION of FOREIGN MATERIAL
– CORTO MALTESE: BEYOND THE WINDY ISLES, IDW Publishing
– ONE PUNCH MAN, Viz
– THE REALIST, Archaia/BOOM! Studios
– SHOWA 1953-1989: A HISTORY OF JAPAN, Drawn & Quarterly
– TWO BROTHERS, Dark Horse Books
BEST INKER
– Klaus Janson, DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE, DC Comics
– Seth Mann, NINJAK, Valiant Entertainment
– Danny Miki, BATMAN, DC Comics
– Tom Palmer, BLOODSHOT REBORN, Valiant Entertainment
– Joe Rivera, THE VALIANT, Valiant Entertainment
– Ryan Winn, DIVINITY, Valiant Entertainment
BEST NEW SERIES
– ARCHIE, Archie Comics
– BLOODSHOT REBORN, Valiant Entertainment
– GIANT DAYS, BOOM! Box/BOOM! Studios
– PAPER GIRLS, Image Comics
– THE VISION, Marvel Comics
MOST PROMISING NEW TALENT
– Raul Allen, WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR, Valiant Entertainment
– Robert Gill, BOOK OF DEATH, Valiant Entertainment
– Tom King, THE VISION, Marvel Comics
– Dan Mora, KLAUS, BOOM! Studios
– Lissa Treiman, GIANT DAYS, BOOM! Studios
SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS
– James Asmus, QUANTUM AND WOODY MUST DIE!, Valiant Entertainment
– Elliott Kalan, UNITY #25, Valiant Entertainment
– Michael Kupperman, UNITY #25, Valiant Entertainment
– Rafer Roberts, X-O MANOWAR #38, Valiant Entertainment
– Fred Van Lente, IVAR, TIMEWALKER, Valiant Entertainment
– Chip Zdarsky, HOWARD THE DUCK, Marvel Comics
BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC PUBLICATION FOR YOUNGER READERS
– GIANT DAYS, BOOM! Box/BOOM! Studios
– LUMBERJANES, BOOM! Box/BOOM! Studios
– THE ONLY LIVING BOY, Bottled Lightning
– OVER THE GARDEN WALL, KaBOOM!/BOOM! Studios
– SPACE DUMPLINS, Scholastic Graphix
BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED
– BLOODSHOT REBORN VOL. 1: COLORADO TP, Valiant Entertainment
– DIVINITY DELUXE EDITION HC, Valiant Entertainment
– IVAR, TIMEWALKER VOL. 1: MAKING HISTORY TP, Valiant Entertainment
– THE LESS THAN EPIC ADVENTURES OF TJ AND AMAL, Iron Circus Comics
– NINJAK VOL. 1: WEAPONEER TP, Valiant Entertainment
– THE VALIANT DELUXE EDITION HC, Valiant Entertainment
SPECIAL AWARD for EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION
– BLOODSHOT REBORN, Rian Hughes, Jeff Lemire, Warren Simons, and Kyle Andrukiewicz, Valiant Entertainment
– BOOK OF DEATH, Tom Muller, Dylan Todd, Warren Simons, and Travis Escarfullery, Valiant Entertainment
– DIVINITY, Tom Muller, Warren Simons, Dylan Todd, and Matt Kindt, Valiant Entertainment
– NINJAK, Rian Hughes, Tom Muller, Matt Kindt, Warren Simons, and Tom Brennan, Valiant Entertainment
– PEANUTS: A TRIBUTE TO CHARLES M. SCHULZ, Scott Newman, KaBOOM!/BOOM! Studios
– THE VALIANT, Rian Hughes, Paolo Rivera, Dylan Todd, Warren Simons, and Kyle Andrukiewicz, Valiant Entertainment
BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT
– ARCHER & ARMSTRONG: THE COMPLETE CLASSIC OMNIBUS HC, Valiant Entertainment
– CRIMSON VOL. 1, BOOM! Studios
– QUANTUM AND WOODY BY PRIEST & BRIGHT VOL. 1: KLANG TP, Valiant Entertainment
– QUANTUM AND WOODY BY PRIEST & BRIGHT VOL. 2: SWITCH TP, Valiant Entertainment
– QUANTUM AND WOODY BY PRIEST & BRIGHT VOL. 3: AND SO… TP, Valiant Entertainment
BEST COVER ARTIST
– David Aja, HAWKEYE, Marvel Comics
– Raul Allen, IVAR, TIMEWALKER, Valiant Entertainment
– Mike Del Mundo, ELEKTRA, Marvel Comics
– Jelena Kevic-Djurdjevic, DIVINITY, Valiant Entertainment
– David Lafuente, WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR, Valiant Entertainment
– Lewis LaRosa, NINJAK, Valiant Entertainment
– Paolo Rivera, THE VALIANT, Valiant Entertainment
– Fiona Staples, SAGA, Image Comics
– Matt Taylor, ARCADIA, BOOM! Studios
BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, or JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION
– THE ART OF MOUSE GUARD: 2005-2015, Archaia/BOOM! Studios
– THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SELF-PUBLISHING COMICS, Random House/Watson Guptill
– MARCH: BOOK TWO, Top Shelf Productions
– PEANUTS: A TRIBUTE TO CHARLES M. SCHULZ, KaBOOM!/BOOM! Studios
– THE REALIST, Archaia/BOOM! Studios
BEST ANTHOLOGY
– DARK HORSE PRESENTS, Dark Horse Comics
– FRESH ROMANCE, Rosy Press
– ISLAND, Image Comics
– PEANUTS: A TRIBUTE TO CHARLES M. SCHULZ, KaBOOM!/BOOM! Studios
– THE 27 CLUB, A COMIC ANTHOLOGY, Red Stylo Media
BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM ORIGINAL
– CAPTIVE OF FRIENDLY COVE, Fulcrum Publishing
– FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS, Top Shelf/IDW Publishing
– LONG WALK TO VALHALLA, Archaia/BOOM! Studios
– MARCH: BOOK TWO, Top Shelf Productions
– NANJING: THE BURNING CITY, Dark Horse Comics
– THE NEW DEAL, Dark Horse Books
– TWO BROTHERS, Dark Horse Books
BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES
Continued below
– BITCH PLANET, Image Comics
– BLOODSHOT REBORN, Valiant Entertainment
– BOOK OF DEATH, Valiant Entertainment
– DIVINITY, Valiant Entertainment
– GIANT DAYS, BOOM! Studios/BOOM! Box
– NINJAK, Valiant Entertainment
– SAGA, Image Comics
– SOUTHERN BASTARDS, Image Comics
– THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL, Marvel Comics
BEST WRITER
– Jason Aaron, SOUTHERN BASTARDS, Image Comics
– Jeff Lemire, BLOODSHOT REBORN, Valiant Entertainment
– Brian K. Vaughan, SAGA, Image Comics
– Mark Waid, ARCHIE, Archie Comics
– G. Willow Wilson, MS. MARVEL, Marvel Comics
BEST ARTIST
– Greg Capullo, BATMAN, DC Comics
– Jason Latour, SOUTHERN BASTARDS, Image Comics
– Chris Samnee, DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics
– Fiona Staples, SAGA, Image Comics
– Mico Suayan, BLOODSHOT REBORN, Valiant Entertainment
BEST CARTOONIST
– Asaf Hanuka, THE REALIST
– Matt Kindt, UNITY #25
– Michael Kupperman, UNITY #25
– Terry Moore, RACHEL RISING
– Rafer Roberts, X-O MANOWAR #38
– Stan Sakai, USAGI YOJIMBO
BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY
– BLOODSHOT REBORN #1, Valiant Entertainment
– BOOK OF DEATH #1, Valiant Entertainment
– PEANUTS: A TRIBUTE TO CHARLES M. SCHULZ, BOOM! Studios
– SILVER SURFER #11, Marvel Comics
– THE VALIANT #4, Valiant Entertainment
– WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR #1, Valiant Entertainment
