Awards Roundup - 2022

by Sara Smith 
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There are a lot of great titles nominated each year for prestigious comics awards. Here are some of the relevant winners and nominees for categories that will help school librarians with their purchasing decisions. 

I definitely haven't read all of these amazing titles (yet!), but where I can, I have linked my review of the titles I have finished. As always, this list means I have even more titles to add to my towering TBR pile!

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Harvey Awards

The Harveys are awarded every year in October at New York ComicCon. Nominees are selected by a panel of volunteer comic experts and enthusiasts.

You can read the full recap of all the winners and nominees here: Harvey Awards 2022 by The Beat

Book of the Year

• The Good Asian, Vol. 1 by Pornsak Pichetshote and Alexandre Tefenkgi (Image Comics)
• Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo and Juan Cavia, translated by Gabriela Soares (Top Shelf Productions)
• Crisis Zone by Simon Hanselmann (Fantagraphics)
• Department of Truth, Vol 3: Free Country by James Tynion IV, Jorge Fornes, David Romero, John J. Pearson, Tyler Boss, Elsa Charretier and Alison Sampson (Image Comics)
• Far Sector by N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell (DC Comics)
• The Many Deaths of Laila Starr by Ram V, Filipe Andrade, & Ines Amaro (BOOM! Studios)
• Lightfall Book 2: Shadow of the Bird by Tim Probert (HarperAlley)
• Nice House on the Lake by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno (DC Comics)​​
  • Review: vol 1
• Run: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, L. Fury and Nate Powell (Abrams Books)
• Sisters of the Mist by Marlyn Spaaij (Flying Eye Books)

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Digital Book of the Year

• Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe 
  • Review: vol 1​
• Everything is Fine by Mike Birchall
• I’m Fine I’m Fine Just Understand by ND Stevenson
• Love Everlasting by Tom King and Elsa Charretier
• Snow Angels by Jeff Lemire and Jock (Comixology Originals)

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Best Children’s or Young Adult Book

• Squire by Nadia Shammas and Sara Alfageeh (HarperAlley)
• The Aquanaut by Dan Santat (Scholastic Graphix)
• Lightfall Book 2: Shadow of the Bird by Tim Probert (HarperAlley)
• Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese-American by Laura Gao (HarperAlley)
• Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas (HarperAlley)

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Best Manga

• Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto, translated by Amanda Haley (VIZ Media)
  • ​Review: vol 1
• Blood on the Tracks by Shuzo Oshimi, translated by Daniel Komen (Vertical Comics)
  • ​Review: vol 1, 
• Blue Lock by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura, translated by Nate Derr (Kodansha Comics)
  • ​Reviews: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3
• Cat + Gamer by Wataru Nadatani, translated by Zack Davission (Dark Horse Comics)
• Red Flowers by Yoshiharu Tsuge, translated by Ryan Holmberg (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Spy X Family by Tatsuya Endo, translated by Casey Loe (VIZ Media)
  • ​Reviews: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7

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Hugo Award

The Hugo Awards celebrate words of Science Fiction & Fantasy, including comicbooks. These awards are presented in September at the World Science Fiction Convention.

Best Graphic Story or Comic
340 nominating ballots for 239 nominees; finalist range 19-66

• Far Sector, written by N.K. Jemisin, art by Jamal Campbell (DC)
• DIE, vol. 4: Bleed, written by Kieron Gillen, art by Stephanie Hans, lettering by Clayton Cowles (Image)
• Lore Olympus, vol. 1, by Rachel Smythe (Del Rey)
  • ​​Review: vol 1
• Monstress, vol. 6: The Vow, written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda (Image)
• Once & Future, vol. 3: The Parliament of Magpies, written by Kieron Gillen, illustrated by Dan Mora, colored by Tamra Bonvillain (BOOM!)
• Strange Adventures, written by Tom King, art by Mitch Gerads and Evan “Doc” Shaner (DC)

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Eisner Awards

The Eisners are awarded every year in July at San Diego ComicCon. Titles are nominated by a panel of folks in the comics industry, a librarian, and an academic researcher. Then, comics industry folks, librarians, and comic academics can vote for the winners. While the panel of folks have read all of these titles (and many more!), those voting for winners definitely do not need to have read everything to vote. The entire list of winners AND nominees is full of some amazing titles because they were the BEST of what the small committee read this year.
You can read the full list of winners and nominees here: Eisner Awards by The Beat​​

Best Continuing Series

• Bitter Root, by David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene (Image)
  • Review: vol 1
    
• The Department of Truth, by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds (Image)
  • ​Review: ​vol 1
    
• Immortal Hulk, by Al Ewing, Joe Bennett, et al. (Marvel)
• Nightwing, by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo (DC)
• Something Is Killing the Children, by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera (BOOM! Studios)
  • ​Reviews: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3,  ​
    

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Best Limited Series

• Beta Ray Bill: Argent Star, by Daniel Warren Johnson (Marvel)
• The Good Asian, by Pornsak Pichetshote and Alexandre Tefenkgi (Image)
• Hocus Pocus, by Rik Worth and Jordan Collver, hocuspocuscomic.squarespace.com
• The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, by Ram V and Filipe Andrade (BOOM! Studios)
• Stray Dogs, by Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner (Image)
• Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, by Tom King and Bilquis Evely (DC)​ ​

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Best New Series

• The Human Target, by Tom King and Greg Smallwood (DC)
• The Nice House on the Lake, by James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno (DC Black Label)
  • Review: vol 1
• Not All Robots, by Mark Russell and Mike Deodato Jr. (AWA Upshot)
• Radiant Black, by Kyle Higgins and Marcelo Costa (Image)
• Ultramega, by James Harren (Image Skybound)

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Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 8)

• Arlo & Pips #2: Join the Crow Crowd!, by Elise Gravel (HarperAlley)
• Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis, by Julie and Stan Sakai (IDW)
• I Am Oprah Winfrey, by Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos (Dial Books for Young Readers)
• Monster Friends, by Kaeti Vandorn (Random House Graphic)
• Tiny Tales: Shell Quest, by Steph Waldo (HarperAlley)

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Best Publication for Kids (ages 9-12)

• Allergic, by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter (Scholastic)
• Four-Fisted Tales: Animals in Combat, by Ben Towle (Dead Reckoning)
• Rainbow Bridge, by Steve Orlando, Steve Foxe, and Valentina Brancati (AfterShock)
• Salt Magic, by Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock (Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House)
• Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear, by Trang Nguyen and Jeet Zdung (Dial Books for Young Readers)
• The Science of Surfing: A Surfside Girls Guide to the Ocean, by Kim Dwinell (Top Shelf)

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Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)

• Adora and the Distance, by Marc Bernardin and Ariela Kristantina (Comixology Originals)
• Clockwork Curandera, vol. 1: The Witch Owl Parliament, by David Bowles and Raul the Third (Tu Books/Lee & Low Books)
• The Legend of Auntie Po, by Shing Yin Khor (Kokila/Penguin Random House)
  • Review
    
• Strange Academy, by Skottie Young and Humberto Ramos (Marvel)
• Wynd, by James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas (BOOM! Box)
  • ​Reviews: vol 1, vol 2
    

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Best Humor Publication

• Bubble, by Jordan Morris, Sarah Morgan, and Tony Cliff (First Second/Macmillan)
• Cyclopedia Exotica, by Aminder Dhaliwal (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Not All Robots, by Mark Russell and Mike Deodato Jr. (AWA Upshot)
• The Scumbag, by Rick Remender and various (Image)
• Thirsty Mermaids, by Kat Leyh (Gallery 13/Simon and Schuster)
• Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, by Haro Aso and Kotaro Takata, translation by Nova Skipper (VIZ Media)
  • ​​​Review: vol 1

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Best Reality-Based Work

• The Black Panther Party: A Graphic History, by David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson (Ten Speed Press)
  • Review
• Hakim’s Odyssey, Book 1: From Syria to Turkey, by Fabien Toulmé, translation by Hannah Chute (Graphic Mundi/Penn State University Press)
• Lugosi: The Rise and Fall of Hollywood’s Dracula, by Koren Shadmi (Humanoids)
• Orwell, by Pierre Christin and Sébastien Verdier, translation by Edward Gauvin (SelfMadeHero)
• Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness, by Kristen Radtke (Pantheon/Penguin Random House)
• The Strange Death of Alex Raymond, by Dave Sim and Carson Grubaugh (Living the Line)

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Best Graphic Memoir

• Factory Summers, by Guy Delisle, translated by Helge Dascher and Rob Aspinall (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Parenthesis, by Élodie Durand, translation by Edward Gauvin (Top Shelf)
• Run: Book One, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, L. Fury, and Nate Powell (Abrams ComicArts)
• Save It for Later: Promises, Parenthood, and the Urgency of Protest, by Nate Powell (Abrams ComicArts)
  • ​Review
• The Secret to Superhuman Strength, by Alison Bechdel (Mariner Books)

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Best Graphic Album—New

• Ballad For Sophie, by Filipe Melo and Juan Cavia, translation by Gabriela Soares (Top Shelf)
• Destroy All Monsters (A Reckless Book), by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)
• In., by Will McPhail (Mariner Books)
• Meadowlark: A Coming-of-Age Crime Story, by Ethan Hawke and Greg Ruth (Grand Central Publishing)
• Monsters, by Barry Windsor-Smith (Fantagraphics)

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Best Graphic Album—Reprint

• The Complete American Gods, by Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell, and Scott Hampton (Dark Horse)
  • ​Review of previously published volumes: vol 1
• Locke & Key: Keyhouse Compendium, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez (IDW)
  • ​Reviews of previously published volumes: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6
• Middlewest: The Complete Tale, by Skottie Young and Jorge Corona (Image)
  • ​​Reviews of previously published volumes: ​vol 1, vol 2, vol 3
• Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons Deluxe Edition, by Patrick Rothfuss, Jim Zub, and Troy Little (Oni)
• The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: California Deluxe Edition, by Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, and Becky Cloonan (Dark Horse)

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Best Adaptation from Another Medium

• After the Rain, by Nnedi Okorafor, adapted by John Jennings and David Brame (Megascope/Abrams ComicArts)
  • ​Review
• Bubble by Jordan Morris, Sarah Morgan, and Tony Cliff (First Second/Macmillan)
• Disney Cruella, adapted by Hachi Ishie (VIZ Media)
• George Orwell’s 1984: The Graphic Novel, adapted by Fido Nesti (Mariner Books)
• The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, by Robert Tressell, adapted by Sophie and Scarlett Rickard (SelfMadeHero)

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Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

• Chainsaw Man, by Tatsuki Fujimoto, translation by Amanda Haley (VIZ Media) 
  • ​Review: vol 1
• Kaiju No. 8, by Naoya Matsumoto, translation by David Evelyn (VIZ Media)
  • ​Reviews: vol 1*, vol 2, vol 3, 
• Lovesickness: Junji Ito Story Collection, by Junji Ito, translation by Jocelyne Allen (VIZ Media)
• Robo Sapiens: Tales of Tomorrow (Omnibus), by Toranosuke Shimada, translation by Adrienne Beck (Seven Seas)
• Spy x Family, by Tatsuya Endo, translation by Casey Loe (VIZ Media)
  • ​Reviews: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7
• Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, by Haro Aso and Kotaro Takata, translation by Nova Skipper (VIZ Media)
  • ​​Review: vol 1

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YALSA Top 10 Great Graphic Novels for Teens -2022

• Asadora! by Naoki Urasawa. VIZ Media (Reviews: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4)
  
• The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History by David F. Walker. Art by Marcus Kwame Anderson. Penguin Random House / Ten Speed Press.​
  
• Boys Run the Riot by Keito Gaku (​Reviews: ​vol 1, vol 2, vol 3)
• The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag. Scholastic / Graphix.
  
• The Hazards of Love, v.1: Bright World by Stan Stanley. Oni Press.
• Himawari House by Harmony Becker. Macmillan / First Second.
  
• Let's Talk About It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan. Penguin Random House / Random House Graphic.
  
• Nubia: Real One by L.L. McKinney. Art by Robyn Smith. DC Comics.
  
• Run: Book One by John Lewis, and Andrew Aydin. Art by L. Fury and Nate Powell. Abrams Books / Abrams ComicArts.
  
• Solo Leveling by Chugong. Art by Dubu (Redice Studio). (Reviews: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4)
  

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2022 Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List

There are so many great books on the Maverick Reading List, so check out the full list on their webpage. Below are the books that have receive a unanimous vote from the entire committee, and deserve special commendation.
Grades 6-8

• Turtle in Paradise: The Graphic Novel by Holm, Jennifer L. and Savanna Ganucheau
• Stepping Stones by Knisley, Lucy

Grades 6-12

• In the Shadow of the Fallen Towers by Don Brown
• A Shot in the Arm! by Don Brown
• Jukebox by Chanani, Nidhi
• The Incredible Nellie Bly: Journalist, Investigator, Feminist, and Philanthropist by Cimino, Luciana, Sergio Algonzzino, Laura Garofalo
• Oh My Gods! by Cooke, Stephanie, Insha Fitzpatrick, Juliana Moon
• Beast Boy Loves Raven by Garcia, Kami, Gabriel Picolo
• Long Distance by Gardner, Whitney
• The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor by Garrity, Shaenon K., Christopher Baldwin 
• Martian Ghost Centaur by Heagerty, Mat and Steph Mided
• Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero by Lockhart, E., Manuel Preitano 
• The Girl From the Sea by Ostertag, Molly Knox
• Needle and Thread by Pinckney, David, Chris Sanchez, Ennun Ana Iurov

Grades 9-12

• Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Anderson, Laurie Halse, Leila del Duca
• My Love Mix-Up, Vol. 1 by Aruko, Hinekura, Wataru
• Guantanamo Voices True Accounts from the World’s Most Infamous Prison by Nomi Kane
• A Sign of Affection, Vol. 1 by Morishita, Suu
• The King’s Beast, Vol. 1 by Toma, Rei
• Blue Period, Vol. 1 by Yamaguchi, Tsubasa

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Adult for YA

• The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat by Tsukiyo, Rui, Hamao Sumeragi, Reia

Pop culture classroom's excellence in graphic literature 2022

Originally posted on Pop Culture Classroom's website. 

Children's Award - Fiction
WINNER:  Forever Home by Jenny Ayoub
Nominees:

• The Adventures of Team Pom: Squid Happens by Isabel Roxas
• Scaredy Squirrel in a Nutshell by Melanie Watt
• The Fifth Quarter by Mike Dawson 
• The Princess Who Saved Herself by Greg Pak, Jonathan Coulton & Takeshi Miyazawa
• The Wolf in Underpants at Full Speed by Wilfrid Lupano, Mayana Itoïz & Paul Cauuet
  

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Children's Awards - Nonfiction
WINNER: Jop and Blip Wanna Know (Book 1) by Jim Benton
Nominee:

• The Bug Club by Elise Gravel

Middle-Grade Award - Fiction
WINNER: Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter
Nominees:

• Cardboard Kingdom Book 2 by Chad Sell
• Turtle in Paradise by Jennie L. Holm & Savanna Ganucheau
• Artie and the Wolf Moon by Olivia Stephens
• Delicates by Brenna Thummler

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Middle-Grade Award - Nonfiction
WINNER: Yummy by Victoria Grace Elliott
Nominees:

• Cold War Correspondent (Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales #11): A Korean War Tale by Nathan Hale
• Piece by Piece: The Story of Nisrin’s Hijab by Priya Huq 
• Marie Curie: A Quest for Light by Frances Andreasen Østerfelt, Anja Cetti Andersen & Anna Blaszczyk
  

Young Adult Award - Fiction
WINNER: Himawari House by Harmony Becker
Nominees:​

• The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag
• Home by Julio Anta & Anna Wieszczyk
• The Hazards of Love, Book 1: Bright World by Stan Stanley
  

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Young Adult Award - Nonfiction
WINNER: We Hereby Refuse: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration by Frank Abe, Tamiko Nimura, Ross Ishikawa & Matt Sasaki
Nominees:

• Guerilla Green by Ophelie Damblé & Cookie Kalkair
• Queer As All Get Out: 10 People Who’ve Inspired Me by Shelby Criswell 
• Why She Wrote by Lauren Burke, Hannah Chapman & Kaley Bales
• I’m a Wild Seed by Sharon Lee De La Cruz 
  

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Adult Award - Fiction
WINNER: The Waiting by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
Nominees:

• Ballad for Sophie by Felipe Melo & Juan Cavia
• Shadow Life by Hiromi Goto and Ann Xu
• Shadow Doctor by Peter Calloway & Georges Jeanty
• Tunnels by Rutu Modan
  

Adult Award - Nonfiction
WINNER: Run: Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, L. Fury, and Nate Powell 
Nominees:

• Hakim’s Odyssey, Book 1: From Syria to Turkey by Fabien Tolumé
• The Most Costly Journey: Stories of Migrant Farmworkers in Vermont Drawn by New England Cartoonists by Various 
• Save it for Later: Promises, Parenthood, and the Urgency of Protest by Nate Powell 
• A House Without Windows by Marc Ellison & Didier Kassaï

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