The pageantry and ceremony of the the 29th Annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards will take place, as is tradition, Friday July 21st in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront. This year’s ceremony will include a special tribute to Will Eisner’s Centennial. Details on presenters and the rest of the ceremony, are below:
Presenters:
• Actor/writer Thomas Lennon (Reno 911, Odd Couple, Balls of Fire, Night at the Museum series)
• Actor/comedian Danny Pudi (Community, Powerless, DuckTales)
• iZombie creator and Eisner nominee Chris Roberson (Edison Rex)
• Eisner-nominated comics writer Gail Simone (Batgirl, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman, Clean Room)
• Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons (UK’s first Comics Laureate)
• British TV host/comics writer Jonathan Ross
• Creator of The Tick Ben Edlund (producer/writer, Supernatural)
• Tick actor Griffin Newman (“Arthur”)
• Actor/graphic novelist Greg Grunberg (Heroes; Dream Jumpers)
• Bestselling author Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger series, V-Wars comic)
• Comics and animation writer/Eisner nominee Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn co-creator)
• Magician/voice actor Misty Lee
• Voice actor/comedian Phil LaMarr (MadTV, Samurai Jack, Futurama, Justice League)
• Beloved cartoonist Sergio Aragonés (Groo, MAD)
• Writer Anina Bennett (Boilerplate, Heartbreakers)
• Writer/artist Bill Morrison (Bongo Comics, new editor of MAD magazine, president of National Cartoonists Society)
• Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award recipient and voice actor Kayre Morrison
Sponsors
The title sponsor for the awards this year is SYFY, the global, multiplatform media brand that gives science fiction fans of all kinds a universe to call home, with original science fiction, fantasy, paranormal and superhero programming, live event coverage and imaginative digital and social content. SYFY’s lineup of shows to be presented at Comic-Con includes The Expanse, The Magicians, 12 Monkeys, and the new series Krypton and Happy!
The principal sponsors are comiXology and Gentle Giant Studios. Supporting sponsors are Alternate Reality Comics (Las Vegas), Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA), Diamond Comics/Geppi Entertainment Museum, Flying Colors & Other Cool Stuff (Concord, CA), Marquis Books, mycomicshop.com, and Strange Adventures (Halifax, Nova Scotia).
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), and the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award has been handed out since 1982. Also being presented is the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award, presided over by Joe Ferrara.
This is the 13th year for presentation of the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. The 2017 recipients are William Messner-Loebs (Superman, the Flash, Aquaman, Mr. Monster, Hawkman, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate, Jonny Quest, Spider-Man,Thor) and Jack Kirby (co-creator, Captain America, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four, Avengers, etc.; creator, Fourth World, New Gods, Mister Miracle, Kamandi, The Demon, Captain Victory, etc.); the 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.
The Eisner Awards are part of, and underwritten by, Comic-Con International, a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of and appreciation for comics and related popular artforms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contributions of comics to art and culture. More information about the Eisner Awards can be found at http://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisners-current-info
