Kirby Award

The Jack Kirby Comics Industry Award^[1] was an award for achievement in comic books, presented from 1985-1987. Voted on by comic-book professionals, the Kirby was the first such award since the Shazam Awards ceased in 1975. Sponsored by Amazing Heroes magazine (which was published by Fantagraphics), and managed by Amazing Heroes managing editor Dave Olbrich, the Kirby Award was named after the pioneering writer and artist Jack Kirby.

History

Nominations for the Kirby Awards were made by Amazing Heroes editors and warehouse employees,^[2] with the final ballots printed in issues of Amazing Heroes. The awards themselves were distributed at the annual San Diego Comic-Con, with Jack Kirby himself on hand to congratulate the winners.^[3]

In 1987, a dispute arose when Olbrich and Fantagraphics, publisher of Amazing Heroes, each claimed ownership of the awards.^[1] A compromise was reached, and starting in 1988, the Kirby Award was discontinued.^[4] Two new awards were created: the Eisner Award, managed by Olbrich and named after Will Eisner; and the Fantagraphics-managed Harvey Award, named for Harvey Kurtzman. Both of the new awards allowed voting only by comics industry professionals.

List of Jack Kirby Award winners

Best Single Issue

• 1985 Swamp Thing Annual #2, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC Comics)
• 1986 Daredevil #227, by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli (Marvel Comics)
• 1987 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1, by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley (DC)

Best Continuing Series

• 1985 Swamp Thing, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)
• 1986 Swamp Thing, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)
• 1987 Swamp Thing, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)

Best Black & White Series

• 1985 Cerebus by Dave Sim (Aardvark-Vanaheim)
• 1986 Love & Rockets by Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez (Fantagraphics)
• 1987 Cerebus by Dave Sim (Aardvark-Vanaheim)

Best Finite Series

• 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths, by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez (DC)
• 1986 Crisis on Infinite Earths, by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez (DC)
• 1987 Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (DC).

Best New Series

• 1985 Zot!, by Scott McCloud (Eclipse Comics)
• 1986 Miracleman, by Alan Moore and various artists (Eclipse)
• 1987 Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (DC)

Best Graphic Album

• 1985 Beowulf (First Comics)
• 1986 The Rocketeer, by Dave Stevens (Eclipse)
• 1987 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson (DC)

Best Artist

• 1985 Dave Stevens, for The Rocketeer (Comico)
• 1986 Steve Rude, for Nexus (First)
• 1987 Bill Sienkiewicz, for Elektra: Assassin (Marvel)

Best Writer

• 1985 Alan Moore, for Swamp Thing (DC)
• 1986 Alan Moore, for Swamp Thing (DC)
• 1987 Alan Moore, for Watchmen (DC)

Best Writer/Artist (single or team)

• 1986 Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, for Daredevil (Marvel)
• 1987 Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, for Watchmen (DC)

Best Art Team

• 1985 Steve Bissette and John Totleben, for Swamp Thing (DC)
• 1986 George Pérez and Jerry Ordway, for Crisis On Infinite Earths (DC)
• 1987 Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley, for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (DC)

Best Cover

• 1985 Swamp Thing #34, by Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)

Best Comics Publication

• 1985 Comics Buyer's Guide (Krause)

Hall of Fame

• 1987 Carl Barks
• 1987 Will Eisner
• 1987 Jack Kirby

See also

• Alley Award
• Bill Finger Award
• Eagle Award
• Eisner Award
• Harvey Award
• Inkpot Award
• National Comics Award
• Russ Manning Award
• Shazam Award

References