Lovingly referred to as "The Academy Awards of the Comic Industry," the 2003 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards were announced today, representing a wide range of comics in the field. Over 40 different publisher were represented in 26 categories. DC Comics was at the top of the field as DC and their various imprints garnered 23 nominations, Fantagraphics had a very strong showing with 18 nominations, Marvel had 7, while Dark Horse and Image Comics came in with four.

The judges who selected this year's nominees are comics reviewer Andrew D. Arnold (Time.com), journalist Jen Contino (The Pulse at comicon.com), Diamond Comics' purchasing agent Steve Leaf, retailer Jeremy Shorr (Titan Comics, Dallas Texas), and Eisner Award-winning artist Charles Vess.

Ballots will be going out in early May to some 4,000 comics publishers, creators, and retailers. The results will be announced in an awards ceremony at Comic-Con: International: San Diego on the night of Friday, July 18 at the San Diego Convention Center's new ballroom.

The full list of nominees is printed below.

Best Short Story

"Between Two Worlds: The Strange and Sad Story of Erich Wolfgang Korngold," by P. Craig Russell, in Comics Journal Summer Special 2002 (Fantagraphics)



"Green Tea," by J. Sheridan LeFanu, adapted by Kevin Huizenga, in Orchid (Sparkplug)



"The Magician and the Snake," by Katie Mignola and Mike Mignola, in Dark Horse Maverick: Happy Endings (Dark Horse)



"Untitled" (first story in book) by Jason, in Shhh (Fantagraphics)



"Telekinetic," by Tomer Hanuka, in Bipolar #3 (Alternative Comics)

Best Single Issue or One-Shot

The Castaways, by Rob Vollmar and Pablo Callejo (Absence of Ink)



Fleep, by Jason Shiga (Sparkplug)



My Friend Dahmer, by Derf (Derfcity Comics)



My Uncle Jeff, by Damon Hurd (Origin)



The Stuff of Dreams, by Kim Deitch (Fantagraphics)

Best Serialized Story

Daredevil #32-37: "Out," by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev (Marvel)



Fables #1-5: "Legends in Exile," by Bill Willingham, Lan Medina, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC)



Finder #25-29: "Dream Sequence," by Carla Speed McNeil (Lightspeed Press)



Incredible Hulk #34-39: "Return of the Monster," by Bruce Jones, John Romita, Jr., and Tom Palmer (Marvel)



Queen & Country #8-12: "Operation: Crystal Ball." by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez (Oni)

Best Continuing Series

Age of Bronze, by Eric Shanower (Image)



Daredevil, by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev (Marvel)



Fables, by Bill Willingham, Lan Medina, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC)



Louis Reil, by Chester Brown (Drawn & Quarterly)



Strangers in Paradise, by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)



True Story, Swear to God, by Tom Beland (Clib's Boy Comics)

Best Limited Series

Courtney Crumrin & the Night Things, by Ted Naifeh (Oni)



Hellboy: Third Wish, by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)



League of Extraordinary Gentleman, vol. 2, by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill (ABC)

Best New Series

Fables, by Bill Willingham, Lan Medina, Mark Buckingham, and Steve Leialoha (Vertigo/DC)



Forlorn Funnies, by Paul Hornscheimeier (Absence of Ink)



Gotham Central, by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, and Michael Lark (DC)



Nowhere Girl, by Justine Shaw (nowheregirl.com)



Y: The Last Man. by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, and Jose Marzan (Vertigo/DC)

Best Title for a Younger Audience

Amelia Rules!, by Jimmy Gownley (Renaissance)



Growing Up Enchanted, by Jack Briglio and Alex Szewczuk (Too Hip Gotta Go Graphics)



Herobear and the Kid, by Mike Kunkel (Astonish Comics)



Pinky & Stinky, by James Kochalka (Top Shelf)



Ug: Boy Genius of the Stone Age, by Raymond Briggs (Knopf)



Wind in the Willows, vol. 4, by Kenneth Grahame, adapted by Michel Plessix (NBM)

Best Humor Publication

The Amazing Screw-On Head, by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)



Dork, by Evan Dorkin (SLG)



Fred the Clown, by Roger Langridge (Hotel Fred Press)



The House at Maakies Corner, by Tony Millionaire (Fantagraphics)



The Pro, by Garth Ennis, Amanda Conner, and Jimmy Palmiotti (Image)



Zippy Annual 2002, by Bill Griffith (Fantagraphics)

Best Anthology

Orchid, edited by Ben Catmull and Dylan Williams (Sparkplug)



Rosetta: A Comics Anthology, edited by Ng Suat Tong (Alternative)



SPX 2002 (CBLDF)



Super Manga Blast, edited by Tim Ervin-Gore (Dark Horse)

Best Graphic Album-New

Epileptic, vol. 1, by David B. (L'Association)



Garlands of Moonlight, by Jai Sen and Rizky Wasisto Edi (Shoto Press)



One! Hundred! Demons! by Lynda Barry (Sasquatch Books)



Pulpatoon Pilgrimage, by Joel Priddy (AdHouse Books)



The Yellow Jar, by Patrick Atangan (NBM)

Best Graphic Album-Reprint

After the Snooter, by Eddie Campbell (Eddie Campbell Books)



Batman: Black and White, vol. 2, edited by Mark Chiarello and Nick J. Napolitano (DC)



Beg the Question, by Bob Fingerman (Fantagraphics)



Bone: Treasure Hunters (Complete Bone Adventures, vol. 8), by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)



Boulevard of Broken Dreams, by Kim Deitch (Pantheon)



Fair Weather, by Joe Matt (Drawn & Quarterly)

Best Archival Collection/Project

The Complete Crumb Comics, vol. 16, by R. Crumb (Fantagraphics)



Enemy Ace Archives, vol. 1, by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert (DC)



Hysteria in Remission: The Comix and Drawings of Robert Williams, edited by Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)



Krazy & Ignatz, by George Herriman (Fantagraphics)



Sugar and Spike #1, by Sheldon Mayer (DC)

Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material

Dead End, by Thomas Ott (Fantagraphics)



Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson, adapted by Jerry Kransky and Lorenzo Mattotti (NBM)



Epileptic, vol. 1, by David B. (L'Association)



Invisible Frontier, vol. 1, by Benoit Peeters and Francois Schuiten (NBM)



Shhhh!, by Jason (Fantagraphics)



Uzumaki, vols. 2-3, by Junji Ito (Viz)

Best Writer

Brian Michael Bendis, Powers (Image); Alias, Daredevil, Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel)



Ed Brubaker, Catwoman, Detective Comics, Gotham Central (DC)



Bruce Jones, Incredible Hulk (Marvel)



Greg Rucka, Queen & Country (Oni) Gotham Central, Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia (DC)



Bill Willingham, Fables (Vertigo/DC)

Best Writer/Artist

Jessica Abel, La Perdida (Fantagraphics)



Patrick Antangan, The Yellow Jar (NBM)



Lynda Barry, One! Hundred! Demons! (Sasquatch Books)



Carla Speed McNeil, Finder (Lightspeed Press)



Eric Shanower, Age of Bronze (Image)

Best Writer/Artist-Humor

Kim Deitch, Stuff of Dreams (Fantagraphics)



Derf (John Beckderf), Trashed: True Tales from the Back of a Garbage Truck (SLG)



Roger Langridge, Fred the Clown (Hotel Fred Press)



Tony Millionaire, House at Maakies Corner (Fantagraphics)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

Seth Fisher, Vertigo Pop: Tokyo (Vertigo/DC); The Flash: Time Flies (DC)



Brian Hitch/Andrew Currie, The Ultimates (Marvel)



Michael Lark, Batman: Nine Lives; Gotham Central (DC)



Kevin O'Neill, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (ABC)



J. H. Williams III/Mick Gray, Promethea (ABC)

Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)

Eric Drooker, Blood Song (Harcourt)



David Mack, Kabuki: The Ghost Play (Image)



Lorenzo Mattotti, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (NBM)



George Pratt, Wolverine Netsuke (Marvel)

Best Coloring

Jeromy Cox, Promethea (ABC); Leave It to Chance (Image)



Matt Hollingsworth, Alias, Daredevil (Marvel); The Filth #1-3 (Vertigo/DC); Batman: Nine Lives, Catwoman, Catwoman: Selina's Big Score (DC)



Paul Hornschemeier, Forlorn Funnies (Absence of Ink)



Laura DePuy Martin, Ruse (CrossGen)



Patricia Mulvihill, Gotham Girls, Wonder Woman (DC); 100 Bullets, Hellblazer Special: Lady Constantine (Vertigo/DC)



Dave Stewart, Hellboy: Third Wish, The Amazing Screw-on Head (Dark Horse) Star Wars: Empire (Dark Horse); Human Target: Final Cut, Doom Patrol (Vertigo/DC); Tom Strong (ABC); Captain America (Marvel)

Best Lettering

Todd Klein, Dark Knight Strikes Again, Detective Comics, Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia (DC); Fables, Human Target: Final Cut (Vertigo/DC); League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Promethea, Tom Strong (ABC); Castle Waiting (Olio)



Richard Starkings/Comicraft, Action Comics, Adventures of Superman, Batman, Legion, The Power Company, Supergirl, Superman, Wonder Woman (DC); The Crusades, Hunter: The Age of Magic, Lucifer, Vertigo Pop: Tokyo (Vertigo/DC); Wildcats version 3.0 (WildStorm); Decoy, Victorian (Penny Farthing); Hip Flask: Unnatural Selection (Comicraft)



John Workman, Batman Family, Detective Comics, Orion, Superman: Day of Doom (DC);100% (Vertigo/DC)

Best Cover Artist

Kaare Andrews, Incredible Hulk (Marvel)



Adam Hughes, Wonder Woman (DC)



Dave Johnson, Detective Comics (DC), 100 Bullets (Vertigo/DC)



Terry Moore, Strangers in Paradise (Abstract Studio)



J. H. Williams III, Promethea (ABC)

Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition

Richard Hahn, Lumakick (Lumakick Studio)



Myatt Murphy and Scott Dalrymple, Fade From Blue (Second 2 Some Studios)



Tyler Page, Stylish Vittles (Demention Comics)



Justine Shaw, Nowhere Girl (nowheregirl.com)



Jason Shiga, Fleep (Absence of Ink)

Best Comics-Related Publication (Periodical or Book)

B. Krigstein, vol. 1, by Greg Sadowski (Fantagraphics)



Comic Art, edited by M. Todd Hignite (Comic Art)



Curt Swan: A Life in Comics, by Eddie Zeno (Vanguard)



The Imp #4, edited by Dan Raeburn (Daniel K. Raeburn)



Rebel Visions: The Underground Comix Revolution, 1963-1975, by Patrick Rosenkrantz (Fantagraphics)



Tintin: The Complete Companion, by M. Farr (Last Gasp)

Best Publication Design

Batman: Nine Lives, designed by Amie Brockway-Metcalf (DC)



Beg the Question, designed by Bob Fingerman (Fantagraphics)



Corpus Monstrum, designed by Gary Gianni and Jim Keegan (Hieronymous Press)



House at Maakies Corner, designed by Chip Kidd (Fantagraphics)



One! Hundred! Demons!, designed by Lynda Barry (Sasquatch Books)

Hall of Fame

Judges' Choices: Herge, Bernie Krigstein

Voters will select four from the following:

Otto Binder



Johnny Craig



Reed Crandall



Jack Davis



Will Elder



Al Feldstein



Ramona Fradon



René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo



Floyd Gottfredson



Robert Kanigher



Jerry Robinson



John Severin