Most of the Joe Shuster Award nominations were announced in March, but the award committee made several additional nominations this week.
The nominations are below, but already there is an ironic footnote: Elfsar Comics & Toys of Vancouver was nominated for the Harry Kremer Award for Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Retailer, and the same day announced it will close its doors for good on May 23.
It's not a naked bid for the sympathy vote: Elfsar's landlord has raised its rent, and store owner Ethan Peacock hints darkly that a neighboring supermarket covets the space. However, later on in Elfsar's farewell letter Peacock also brings in digital comics as a possible factor:
The fact is the “modern age” of comics is changing at a rapid pace. With one million in sales through mobile formats such as the iPhone, iPod Touch, Android, Kindle, and PSP formats in 2009, I believe that in the next 5 to 10 years we will see the most significant changes to the comic industry as a whole. Heck the biggest threat, known as the iPad has not even hit Canada yet and we have already seen the ripple effect in our business.
However, Elfsar plans to continue as an e-tail site.
Here are all the new nominees:
Publisher/Éditeur
The Harry Kremer Award for Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Retailer /Le Prix Harry Kremer pour Détaillant Exceptionnel Canadien de Bandes Dessinées
- Another Dimension (Calgary, AB)
- The Beguiling (Toronto, ON)
- Elfsar (Vancouver, BC)
- Fichtre! (Montreal, QC)
- Heroes (London, ON)
Comics for Kids / Bandes Dessinées pour Enfants
- Binky the Space Cat – Ashley Spires (Kids Can Press)
- Capitaine Static, tome 3: L’Étrange Miss Flissy – Alain M. Bergeron, Samuel Parent/Sampar (Québec Amérique)
- Laflèche, tome 02: Cobequid – Mario Landry, Marcel Levasseur (Boomerang)
- Horus, tome 1 – L’enfant À Tête De Faucon – Johane Matte (Les 400 Coups)
- Jellaby, Book 2: Monster in the City – Kean Soo (Hyperion)
- Nightschool: The Weirn Books Vol. 1-2 – Svetlana Chmakova (Yen Press)
- Scaredy Squirrel at Night – Melanie Watt (Kids Can Press)
- A Sam & Friends Mystery, Book 2: Lake Monster Mix-Up – Mary Labatt, Jo Rioux (Kids Can Press)
(Via The Beat.)