Books

Best Comics of the Year: 2017 Eisner Award Nominees Are Here

Clare Deming

May 19, 2017

Best Comics of the Year: 2017 Eisner Award Nominees Are Here!

The nominees for the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards for 2017 were recently announced. Chosen by a panel of six comic experts, the Eisners are the most prestigious award in the comic industry and are broken down into several categories.

Some of the most fun categories are those for young readers. Here are the 2017 nominees, along with a little description to help you decide which ones to read first.

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 8):

Ape and Armadillo Take Over the World, by James Sturm (Toon) – Friends Ape and Armadillo work together in a quest for world domination. However, taking over the world is a tough job that can test a friendship.
Burt’s Way Home, by John Martz (Koyama) – Burt is an orphan, but also a time-traveling interdimensional superhero. Stranded on Earth, he is adopted by a woman, Lydia, and tries to figure out what happened to his parents.
The Creeps, Book 2: The Trolls Will Feast! by Chris Schweizer (Abrams) – The Creeps are a group of kids who investigate the many strange events that happen in Pumpkins County. Trolls eat people and the town is at risk! This second book can be read without knowledge of the first in the series.
I’m Grumpy (My First Comics), by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Random House Books for Young Readers) – This cute book introduces kids to feelings when Grumpy the cloud upsets his friend Sunny.
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea, by Ben Clanton (Tundra) – This collection of three stories takes readers on a silly adventure through the ocean with a narwhal and a jellyfish.

Best Publication for Kids (ages 9-12):

The Drawing Lesson, by Mark Crilley (Watson-Guptill) – This unique book takes a how-to book on drawing and puts it in the format of a graphic novel. Follow the story and practice the exercises to learn to draw.
Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic) – Catrina’s family moves to a new town to help her sister, Maya, who has cystic fibrosis. Cat learns that the town features ghosts, and must overcome her fears for her sister’s sake.
Hilda and the Stone Forest, by Luke Pearson (Flying Eye Books) – Hilda is the star of several earlier books, but each can pretty much be read on its own. In a fairytale-like world, Hilda chases a runaway mini-house of miniscule elves in a crazy adventure.
Rikki, adapted by Norm Harper and Matthew Foltz-Gray (Karate Petshop) – Based on Rudyard Kipling’s Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, this novel is a spirited retelling of the original short story, with some new characters and plenty of humor.
Science Comics: Dinosaurs, by MK Reed and Joe Flood (First Second) – Dinosaurs are always a hit, and this comic is one in a series of science-themed books. Learn how fossils are formed, how they were discovered, and important historic moments in paleontology.

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17):

Bad Machinery, vol. 5: The Case of the Fire Inside, by John Allison (Oni) – Teenage investigators explore mysteries, including an odd fur pelt and a strange old man.
Batgirl, by Hope Larson and Rafael Albuquerque (DC) – This new Batgirl series takes the classic hero to Japan for training, but a new threat emerges after she meets with an old friend.
Jughead, by Chip Zdarsky, Ryan North, Erica Henderson, and Derek Charm (Archie) – This reboot of the classic series brings Jughead up against the high school principal in a far-fetched and silly plot about school lunches.
Monstress, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Image) – Maika explores a psychic connection to a monster as well as the mystery of her own past in a gorgeous adventure set in an alternate 1900’s Asia.
Trish Trash: Rollergirl of Mars, by Jessica Abel (Papercutz/Super Genius) – Two hundred years from now, Trish is a hoverderby player who strives to turn pro to help her impoverished family.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, by Ryan North and Erica Henderson (Marvel) – This comedic series features Squirrel Girl, a superhero who can talk to squirrels, command an army of squirrels, and has the strength and speed of squirrels.

The Eisner Awards are voted on by professionals in the comic field, and the winners will be announced on Friday, July 21 at Comic-Con International: San Diego.