Fanbase Press’ coverage of the 2018 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards continues with the “Countdown to the Eisners” series. From Monday, June 4, through Friday, July 13, 2018, 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 20.
Added to the Eisner Awards categories in 1992, the Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism category honors those outlets that endeavor to educate and inform readers about the ins and outs of the comic book industry and its creators. Here are the 2018 Eisner Award nominees for the Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism category:
Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
Alter Ego was founded as a fanzine in the early 1960s by Jerry Balls who was the one of the first individuals to approach comic books as worthy of academic study. Although the magazine, devoted to the Golden and Silver Ages of comics, had a slow start with regards to following a regular issue schedule, by the beginning of the new century, Alter Ego had become a bimonthly magazine. Roy Thomas, who was Stan Lee’s successor as editor-in-chief at Marvel comics as well as a comic book writer (X-Men, All-Star Squadron) in his own right, took over as editor of Alter Ego and is distinguished with being inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2011.
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The Comics Journal, edited by Dan Nadel, Timothy Hodler, and Tucker Stone (tcj.com / Fantagraphics)
Fantagraphics Books’ founders Gary Groth and Michael Catron acquired a competitor of a small journal and relaunched in July 1976; however, in January 1977, it was rebranded as The Comics Journal (TCJ) with the tagline “a quality publication for the serious comics fan.” Published eight times a year, the journal was filled with lengthy interviews and cast a critical eye to the comic book industry. In 2009, the journal shifted to a bi-annual schedule as well as creating an online presence with content that readers were accustomed to in print. Contributors over the years read like a who’s who in the comic book industry, so it comes as no surprise that TCJ has received the Eisner Award for this category multiple times.
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Hogan’s Alley, edited by Tom Heintjes
Subtitled “the magazine of cartoon arts,” Hogan’s Alley got its start in 1994 when it was founded by Tom Heintjes and Rick Marschall, and they brought on David Folkman for design. The magazine covers historic to current comic strips and has included in-depth profiles and interviews, including Will Eisner. Issue #21 (2017) features an in-depth article on Krazy Kat creator George Herriman and author Michael Tisserand who wrote the biography Krazy: A Life in Black and White. Several pages of Peanuts and Jack Davis’ art are also showcased.
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Jack Kirby Collector, edited by John Morrow (TwoMorrows)
Artist, writer, and editor of many of our favorite comic book titles, Jack Kirby was an influential innovator in the comic book industry. Superheroes he worked on decades ago – Captain America and the Fantastic Four – are still popular today. Edited by John Morrow, The Jack Kirby Collector “celebrates the life and career of Jack Kirby, dubbed the ‘King’ of comics books. Each issue contains feature articles about Jack’s 50 years in comic books, interviews with Kirby and those who knew and worked with him, plus rare and unpublished artwork from his personal archives.”
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PanelXPanel magazine, edited by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (panelxpanel.com)
PanelXPanel is a recent entry, having released its first issue in July 2017. Offered as a digital magazine “celebrating the medium of comics” and edited by Strip Panel Naked host Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, each issue features a rotating set of writers that represent critics, professionals, fans, and comic book stores. Each issue is divided into two parts: The first half focuses a series of essays on one comic book, while articles in the second half take a wider focus of the industry. From the official website, PanelXPanel “is a true celebration of the medium with every issue, looking at all of the elements that make comics an interesting art form and great place to tell visual stories. This is a magazine that cares about comics.”
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Stay tuned to the Fanbase Press website tomorrow as we continue our “Countdown to the Eisners” coverage! Plus, follow Fanbase Press’ Facebook, Twitter (@Fanbase_Press), and Instagram (@fanbasepress) with the hastag #FPSDCC to stay up to date on our SDCC and Eisner Awards updates, including a live-tweet of the 2018 Eisner Award Ceremony from the Hilton Bayfront Hotel at San Diego Comic-Con on the evening of Friday, July 20th.
