Fanbase Press’ coverage of the 2019 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards continues with the “Countdown to the Eisners” series. From Wednesday, May 29, through Wednesday, July 10, 2019, Fanbase Press will highlight each of the Eisner Awards’ 31 nomination categories, providing comic book industry members and readers alike the opportunity to learn more about the nominees and their work. Stay tuned for Fanbase Press’ continued coverage of the Eisner Awards, including live coverage of the ceremony at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, July 19.
First given in 1993 to artist Dave Dorman for his stunning work on Dark Horse Comics’ Aliens: Tribes, the Eisner Award for the Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art) has previously been bestowed upon such undeniable talent as Alex Ross (a five-time winner), Jill Thompson (a six-time winner), Fiona Staples, Sana Takeda, and many more!
Here are the 2019 Eisner Award nominees for the Best Painter / Multimedia Artist (Interior Art) category:
Lee Bermejo, Batman: Damned (DC)
Having started out in the industry as an intern at Windstorm, Bermejo is now known for his common collaborations with writer Brian Azzarello, having worked with him on Joker, Lex Luthor: Man of Steel and Before Watchmen: Rorschach.
Also written by Azzarello, Batman: Damned was the first series published under DC’s Black Label (focused on mature readers) and made a splash upon its release due to the inclusion of a graphic depiction of a fully frontal naked Bruce Wayne.
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Carita Lupattelli, Izuna Book 2 (Humanoids)
“[Izuna] is filled with high-paced action and tension and it’s unlike any comic I’ve ever had the privilege to enjoy. Matching the unique tale is a beautifully painted world that is meticulously detailed.” – The Craft Comics Cast
Lupattelli is a freelance illustrator and comic artist who studied at and graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. As described by the publisher, Izuna is a story about the wolves of the same name, which have been entrusted as guardians against Japan’s evil spirits since the dawn of time.
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Dustin Nguyen, Descender (Image)
Nguyen is an artist who’s worked on sequential art, character design, concept art, and more. He previously collaborated with Descender’s Jeff Lemire on Ascender from Image Comics and has been presence in the comic industry since 2000. Nguyen also won the Eisner Award for this category in 2016, also for his work on Descender.
As described by the publisher, Descender is about “one young robot’s struggle to stay alive in a universe where all androids have been outlawed and bounty hunters lurk on every planet.”
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Gregory Panaccione, A Sea of Love (Magnetic/Lion Forge)
Panaccione is a French animator, illustrator, colorist and author.
A Sea of Love follows a wayward fisherman who is presumed lost at sea; however, his wife is convinced her husband is still alive in this heartwarming and humorous exploration of the power of love in this wordless graphic novel.
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Tony Sandoval, Watersnakes (Magnetic/Lion Forge)
Tony Sandoval has received multiple Eisner Award nominations, including Best Publication for Teens, Ages 13-17 (Doomboy) in 2015, Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (A Glance Backward) in 2016, and Best Short Story (“Forgotten Princess”) in 2018.
John Seven from comicsbeat.com highlights that “[Sandoval’s] stories and sensibilities are unique, his artwork stunning in its layering and animation, and his ability to mix the dark with the irreverent in a way that isn’t either cloying or mercenary makes his work accessible but not pandering.”
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Stay tuned to the Fanbase Press website each day as we continue our “Countdown to the Eisners” coverage! Plus, follow Fanbase Press’ Facebook, Twitter (@Fanbase_Press), and Instagram (@fanbasepress) with the hashtag #FPSDCC to stay up to date on our SDCC and Eisner Awards updates, including a live-tweet of the 2019 Eisner Award Ceremony from the Hilton Bayfront Hotel at San Diego Comic-Con on the evening of Friday, July 19th!
