Eisner Award for Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team explained
| Eisner Award for Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team |
| Awarded For: | Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team for Comic Books |
| Country: | United States |
| Year: | 1993 |
| Holder Label: | Most recent winner |
| Holder: | Phil Jimenez (2022) |
The Eisner Award for Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team is an award for "creative achievement" in American comic books. It is awarded to an individual or team involved with pencilling and inking a comic.
Award merging and name changes
In 1993 two awards were given out: "Best Penciller/Inker, Black & White Publication" and "Best Penciller/Inker, Color Publication." These awards were merged in 1994 after one year. Since then the official name of the award has changed depending on the nominees. It has been "Best Penciller/Inker" 5 times (1996, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2015,) and "Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team" 22 times (1994-1995, 1997–2004, 2007–2012, 2014, 2016–present).
Related awards
The Eisner Awards have presented separate awards for "Best Penciller" and "Best Inker," though neither has been awarded since the 1990s.
Winners and nominees
Best Penciller/Inker, Black & White Publication
Best Penciller/Inker, Color Publication
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
| Year | Nominee | Titles | |
|---|
| 1990s |
| 1994 | | #50 (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) | [2] |
|---|
| and Mark Buckingham | (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) |
| and Kevin Nowlan | (Dark Horse Comics) |
| and Al Williamson | (Marvel Comics) |
| and Gerhard | (Aardvark-Vanaheim) |
| and Karl Story | (DC Comics) |
| (DC Comics) |
| 1995 | | (Dark Horse Comics) | [3] |
|---|
| (Dark Horse Comics) |
| and Wade von Grawbadger | (DC Comics) |
| (Avon Books) |
| and Rick Burchett | (DC Comics) |
| , vol. 2 (NBM Publishing) |
| 1996 | | (Dark Horse Comics) | [4] |
|---|
| (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) |
| (NBM Publishing) |
| (Marvel Select) |
| #70-72: "The Wake" (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) |
| 1997 | | (Green Man Press), The Sandman #75 (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) | [5] |
|---|
| /Will Blyberg | vol. 2 (Jukebox Productions/Homage Comics) |
| /Wade von Grawbadger | (DC Comics) |
| /Kevin Nowlan | (DC Comics) |
| (Homage Comics) |
| /Richard Bennett | (WildStorm/Image Comics/Marvel Comics) |
| 1998 | | (Dark Horse Comics/Topps Comics), (Marvel Comics) | [6] |
|---|
| /Will Blyberg | (Jukebox Productions/Homage Comics) |
| /Terry Austin[7] | (DC Comics), Superman Adventures (DC Comics) |
| #1 (Dark Horse Comics) |
| (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics), The Little Sister (Byron Priess Visual Productions) |
| (Homage Comics) |
| 1999 | | (DC Comics), Grendel Black, White, and Red #1 (Dark Horse Comics) | [8] |
|---|
| in Dark Horse Presents #137 (Dark Horse Comics) |
| #46 (DC Comics) |
| (Oni Press) |
| /Al Vey | (Marvel Comics) |
| 2000s |
| 2000 | | in Tomorrow Stories (America's Best Comics) | [9] |
|---|
| /Richard Friend | (DC Comics/WildStorm) |
| (Dark Horse Maverick) |
| (Dark Horse Maverick) |
| (America's Best Comics) |
| /Mick Gray | (America's Best Comics) |
| 2001 | | (Dark Horse Maverick) | [10] |
|---|
| (Image Comics) |
| /Trevor Scott | (WildStorm/DC Comics) |
| (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) |
| /Mick Gray | (America's Best Comics) |
| 2002 | | (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) | [11] |
|---|
| (DC Comics/WildStorm) |
| (CrossGen) |
| /Zander Cannon | (America's Best Comics) |
| /Sandra Hope | (DC Comics/WildStorm) |
| (NBM Publishing) |
| 2003 | | (America's Best Comics) | [12] |
|---|
| (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics), (DC Comics) |
| /Andrew Currie | (Marvel Comics) |
| (DC Comics), Gotham Central (DC Comics) |
| /Mick Gray | (America's Best Comics) |
| 2004 | | (WildStorm/DC Comics), (WildStorm/DC Comics), (Dark Horse Comics) | [13] |
|---|
| (DC Comics), JLA #91 (DC Comics) |
| (Marvel Comics) |
| /Scott Williams | (DC Comics) |
| (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics), Batman (DC Comics), (Strip Art Features) |
| 2005 | [14] | (Marvel Comics), Planetary (WildStorm/DC Comics), I Am Legion: The Dancing Faun (Humanoids Publishing/DC Comics) | [15] |
|---|
| (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) |
| (Image Comics) |
| (Burlyman Entertainment) |
| & Thomas Yeates | (Dark Horse Comics) |
| 2006 | | (Marvel Comics), Planetary (WildStorm/DC Comics) | [16] |
|---|
| (America's Best Comics) |
| (Top Cow Productions/Image Comics) |
| (DC Comics) |
| (America's Best Comics), Desolation Jones (WildStorm/DC Comics) |
| 2007 | /Steve Leialoha | (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) | [17] |
|---|
| /Tom Feister | (WildStorm/DC Comics) |
| (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) |
| /Stefano Gaudiano | (Marvel Comics) |
| (Slave Labor Graphics) |
| /Dexter Vines | (Marvel Comics) |
| 2008 | /José Marzan Jr. | (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) | [18] |
|---|
| /Butch Guice/Mike Perkins | (Marvel Comics) |
| (Marvel Comics) |
| (Viz Media), Hikaru no Go (Viz Media) |
| (DC Comics) |
| 2009 | | (Dark Horse Comics) | [19] [20] |
|---|
| (Dark Horse Comics) |
| /Steve Leialoha | (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) |
| /Mark Morales | (Marvel Comics) |
| /Richard Friend | (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) |
| (Groundwood Books) |
| 2010s |
| 2010 | | (DC Comics) | [21] [22] |
|---|
| #11-15: "Exodus Noir" (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) |
| /Dexter Vines | (Marvel Comics) |
| (WildStorm) |
| (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) |
| 2011 | | (Marvel Comics) | [23] [24] |
|---|
| (Dark Horse Comics) |
| , vol. 1 (Fantagraphics Books) |
| (Image Comics) |
| (IDW Publishing) |
| 2012 | | (Archaia Entertainment) | [25] |
|---|
| (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics), Madman All-New Giant-Size Super-Ginchy Special (Image Comics) |
| (Marvel Comics), Ultimate Spider-Man #155 (Marvel Comics) |
| (Marvel Comics) |
| /Joe Rivera | (Marvel Comics) |
| 2013 | [26] | (Marvel Comics) | [27] |
|---|
| [28] | (Marvel Comics), (IDW Publishing) |
| (Dark Horse Comics), The Mire (self-published) |
| (MonkeyBrain Books) |
| (Image Comics) |
| (ZIP Comics/Top Shelf Productions) |
| 2014 | | (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) | [29] |
|---|
| (Image Comics) |
| (Image Comics) |
| (Top Shelf Productions) |
| (Image Comics) |
| (Bantam Books) |
| 2015 | | (Image Comics) | [30] |
|---|
| (Marvel Comics) |
| (Marvel Comics), Madman in Your Face 3D Special (Image Comics) |
| (DC Comics) |
| (Alaxis Press) |
| (DC Comics) |
| 2016 | | (Image Comics) | [31] |
|---|
| (Marvel Comics), Art Ops (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) |
| (Archie Comics), The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (Marvel Comics) |
| (Dark Horse Comics), Brides of Helheim (Oni Press) |
| (Top Shelf Productions) |
| 2017 | | (Image Comics) | [32] |
|---|
| (Marvel Comics) |
| (Boom! Studios) |
| (Grand Central Publishing) |
| (IDW Publishing) |
| (Marvel Comics) |
| 2018 | | (DC Comics) | [33] |
|---|
| (Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press) |
| (Dark Horse Comics) |
| (Archaia Entertainment) |
| #9 & #12 (Dark Horse Comics), Ether (Dark Horse Comics), Sherlock Frankenstein #1–3 (Dark Horse Comics), Beowulf (Image Comics) |
| 2019 | | (DC Comics) | [34] [35] |
|---|
| (Boom! Studios) |
| (Image Comics) |
| (DC Comics) |
| (Image Comics), My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies (Image Comics) |
| , vol. 2 (DC Comics) |
| 2020s |
| 2020 | | (First Second Books/Macmillan Publishers) | [36] [37] |
|---|
| (Image Comics) |
| (Dark Horse Comics) |
| (DC Comics) |
| (IDW Publishing) |
| (DC Comics) |
| 2021 | | (Insight Editions) | [38] [39] |
|---|
| (Marvel Comics) |
| (Image Comics) |
| (Magnetic Press) |
| /Evan “Doc” Shaner | (DC Black Label) |
| (Image Comics) |
| 2022 | | (DC Comics) | [40] |
|---|
| (Boom! Studios) |
| (DC Comics) |
| (Marvel Comics) |
| (Dark Horse Comics) |
|
Multiple awards and nominations
The following individuals have won Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team two or more times. When an individual has won or been nominated as part of a team that has been noted.
| Artist | Wins | Nominations |
|---|
| P. Craig Russell [41] | 4 | 5 |
| John Cassaday | 3 | 4 |
| Fiona Staples | 2 | 3 |
| Mitch Gerads [42] | 2 | 3 |
|
The following individuals have received two or more nominations but never won Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team. When an individual has been nominated as part of a team that has been noted.
| Artist | Nominations |
|---|
| Gene Ha [43] | 4 |
| François Schuiten | 3 |
| Michael Lark [44] | 3 |
| Mick Gray [45] | 3 |
| Tony Harris [46] | 3 |
| Al Williamson [47] | 2 |
| Brent Anderson [48] | 2 |
| Butch Guice [49] | 2 |
| Dexter Vines [50] | 2 |
| Gary Gianni | 2 |
| Nate Powell | 2 |
| Paul Smith | 2 |
| Richard Friend [51] | 2 |
| Rick Burchett [52] | 2 |
| Sean Phillips | 2 |
| Sonny Liew | 2 |
| Steve McNiven [53] | 2 |
| Thomas Yeates [54] | 2 |
| Wade von Grawbadger [55] | 2 |
| Will Blyberg [56] | 2 |
| Dave Sim [57] | 2 |
| Gerhard [58] | 2 |
| Steve Pugh [59] | 2 |
|
Notes and References
- News: 1993 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 1994 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 1995 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 1996 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 1997 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 1998 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- Rich Burchett was the sole artist on Batgirl Adventures.
- News: 1999 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 2000 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 2001 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 2002 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 2003 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 2004 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- There was a tie between John Cassaday and Frank Quitely in 2005.
- News: 2005 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 2006 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: 2007 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees, Comic Book Awards Almanac.
- News: Your 2008 Eisner Award Winners, The Comics Reporter.
- News: Eisner Nominations Released, ICV2.
- News: 2009 Eisner Award Winners, ICV2.
- News: 2010 Eisner Award nominations announced, The Beat.
- News: The 2010 Eisner Award winners include Ed Brubaker, Batwoman illustrator J.H. Williams III, IO9.
- News: Presenting the Eisner Award Nominees for 2011, Tor.com.
- News: Eisner Award Recipients 2010-Present, San Diego Comic-Con International. 2020-12-22. 2014-02-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20140213024118/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present. dead.
- News: Nominees Announced For 2012 Eisner Awards, Comic Book Resources.
- There was a tie between David Aja and Chris Samnee in 2013.
- News: 2013 Eisner Award Nominees Announced, Comic Book Resources.
- There was a tie between David Aja and Chris Samnee in 2013.
- News: 2014 Eisner Awards: Full List Of Winners And Nominees, Comic Alliance.
- News: 2015 Eisner Award Nominations Announced, Comic Alliance.
- News: Brilliant Art, Tremendous Stories and Daring Creators: The 2016 Eisner Award Winners [SDCC 2016], Comics Alliance].
- News: Fantagraphics and Image Comics Lead Eisner Awards Nominations, Syfy Wire. 2020-12-22. 2018-12-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20181201010602/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/2017-eisner-award-nominations. dead.
- News: Complete List of 2018 Eisner Award Nominees Announced, comicbook.com.
- News: Eisner Award Nominees Revealed, Hollywood Reporter.
- News: Eisner Awards: The Complete Winners List, Hollywood Reporter.
- News: 2020 Eisner Nominees: The Complete List, The Hollywood Reporter.
- News: SDCC ’20: The 2020 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award winners, The Beat.
- News: 2021 Eisner Award Nominees Revealed, Image and Fantagraphics Lead With Most Nominations, comicbook.com.
- News: ComicCon@Home ’21: The 2021 Eisner Award winners, The Beat.
- News: 2022 Eisner Award Winners Include Multiple Wins for James Tynion IV, Barry Windsor-Smith, comicbook.com.
- Includes win for "Best Penciller/Inker, Color Publication" in 1993.
- Won by self in 2018 & 2019. Nominated with Eric "Doc" Shaner in 2021.
- With Zander Cannon in 2002.
- With Stefano Gaudiano in 2007.
- With J. H. Williams III in 2000, 2001, & 2003.
- With Wade von Grawbadger in 1995 & 1997 and with Tom Feister in 2007.
- With John Romita Jr. in 1994.
- With Will Blyberg in 1997 & 1998.
- With Steve Epting & Mike Perkins in 2008.
- With Steve McNiven in 2007 & 2010.
- With José Marzan Jr. in 2008.
- With Mike Parobeck in 1995 and Terry Austin in 1998.
- With Dexter Vines in 2007 & 2010.
- With Cary Nord in 2005.
- With Tony Harris in 1995 & 1997.
- With Brent Anderson in 1997 & 1998.
- Nominated with Gerhard in 1994. Includes nomination for "Best Penciller/Inker, Black & White Publication" with Gerhard in 1993.
- Nominated with Dave Sim in 1994. Includes nomination for "Best Penciller/Inker, Black & White Publication" with Dave Sim in 1993.
- Includes nomination for "Best Penciller/Inker, Color Publication" in 1993.
