The winners of the seventh annual Inkwell Awards, which recognize creative achievement in the field of inking in American comics, were announced over the weekend at HeroesCon in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Nominees were selected by a nominating committee and then presented for online voting. Another committee chose two recipients of the annual Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame Award. The winners are:
Favorite Inker Award: Norm Rapmund (Action Comics, Ravagers, Teen Titans, Justice League of America, Nightwing, Superman); Wade von Grawbadger (All-New X-Men, Green Lantern, Legion Lost) was runner-up
Most-Adaptable Award: Walden Wong (Wolverine & the X-Men, Batwoman, Catwoman, Scarlet Spider, Wolverine MAX, X-Treme X-Men); Scott Hanna (Avengers Assemble, Green Lantern Corp, Iron Man, Team 7, Supergirl, Teen Titans, X-Men, Legion Lost) was runner-up
Props Awards (inker deserving of more attention): Walden Wong (Wolverine & the X-Men, Batwoman, Catwoman, Scarlet Spider, Wolverine MAX, X-Treme X-Men); Richard Friend (Forever Evil, Justice League of America, Green Lantern, Legion Lost) was runner-up
S.P.A.M.I. Award (Small Press And Mainstream Independent): Andrew Pepoy (Simpsons Comics, Simpsons Illustrated, Simpsons One-Shot Wonders, Danger Girl: Trinity); Stefano Gaudiano (The Walking Dead, Bloodshot, Lazarus) and Cliff Rathburn (Invincible, Super Dinosaur, The Walking Dead) were runners-up
All-in-One Award (artist who pencils and inks his or her own work): Stan Sakai (47 Ronin, Dark Horse Presents, Mouse Guard); Chris Samnee (Adventures of Superman, Batman Black & White, Daredevil) and Fiona Staples (Batman Beyond, Saga) were runners-up
The Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame Award: Joe Simon and Tom Palmer; Frank Giacoia was runner-up.
“I couldn’t have been more pleased when I learned that we had elected Joe Simon and Tom Palmer as our selections to the 2014 Inkwell Awards Hall of Fame," Joe Sinnott, the award's namesake and first recipient, said in a statement.:
Joe of course was a favorite of mine way back in the early 1940s when I was just about 14 and an early fan of what was something new, comic books. Joe really enhanced Kirby’s pencils whether it was on the Boy Commandos, Captain America or even the great romance books that they did. I only regret that Joe, who passed away in 2011 won’t be with us to accept his well-deserved award.
As for Tom Palmer, I can’t say enough about him. We all know what a great artist he is in his own right and someone I would want to ink my pencils if I was still penciling. Like all great inkers, he not only pleases the penciller but he makes their great work even better than it really is.
Again, what a combo to be entering our Hall of Fame together – Joe and Tom, truly two of the greats.