This year’s inductees into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame have been announced, and they are an extremely worthy group: Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball Z), Arthur Adams (Uncanny X-Men), Larry Hama (G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero), Sergio Aragonés (MAD), and John Buscema (The Avengers).
Toriyama passed away earlier this year, igniting tributes worldwide from readers of every kind, proving the enduring appeal of his Dragon Ball Z creations. Buscema’s Conan (and this splash page) live on in the hearts of comics readers every where, and Arthur Adam’s contributions as a creator (Longshot) and artist are truly hall of fame worthy. Hama’s G.I. Joe influenced generations of storytelling, and Aragonés is simply a legend as a cartoonist and person.
The Harvey Awards passed along the following statements:
Acknowledging the posthumous award for Toriyama, Bird Studio Co., Ltd. and Capsule Corporation Tokyo released the following statement: “We are very honored to receive the news that Akira Toriyama has been selected for the prestigious Harvey Award Hall of Fame. As a creator, he had always said that his work says it all. We are especially grateful to the American fans for their long-standing enthusiasm and dedicated support. We hope you will continue to support his work for many years to come as we continue to develop and expand upon his masterpieces.”
“I am deeply honored to be inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame,” said Larry Hama. “I first met Harvey Kurtzman in 1966, when as a student at the High School of Art and Design, I would visit the office of HELP! magazine. He and art director Terry Gilliam were extremely kind to this nerdy fanboy cartoonist wannabe, and opened flat-file drawers to show me original art by R. Crumb, Willy Elder, John Severin, Jack Davis, and many others. His open, welcoming nature made me feel that my goals were not as unreachable as I feared them to be.”
“What an honor it is to be inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame,” said Sergio Aragonés. “Harvey was a great inspiration to me and so many other cartoonists.”
John Buscema’s daughter, Dianne Buscema Gerogianis, shared the following: “We are honored on behalf of my father and wish to thank all who have selected him for the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame. Thank you for keeping his legacy alive.”
Upon learning of his induction, Arthur Adams said, “Wow! What an unexpected honor! And to be inducted with these four giants of the comics industry! Amazing! Thank you so much Harvey Awards! I’m shocked!”
The 2024 Harvey Awards Hall of Fame class will be inducted at the 36th annual Harvey Awards ceremony during New York Comic Con. You can see the nominees for this year’s Harveys here.
Brad and Lisa Gullickson, hosts of the Comic Book Couples Counseling podcast, will co-host this year’s ceremony.
Stay tuned for more NYCC ’24 coverage from The Beat.