The Forbidden Planet International Blog Log

The full results of last weekend’s 2008 Eagle awards (for comics and graphic novels published in 2007) held at the Bristol International Comic Expo have now been posted to the official Eagle Site (thanks to Glenn Carter for letting us know). And yes, I know Richard has posted a quick bit on this late last night (thanks, Richard) but I can’t refrain from posting on it again and adding in my own tuppence worth:

Favourite Newcomer Writer
Matt Fraction

Favourite Newcomer Artist
David Aja

Favourite Comics Writer
Alan Moore

Favourite Comics Writer/Artist
Alan Davis

Favourite Comics Artist: Pencils
Frank Cho

Favourite Comics Artist: Inks
D’Israeli (Matt Brooker)

Favourite Artist: Fully-Painted Artwork
Alex Ross

Favourite Colourist
Laura Martin

Favourite Letterer
Dave Gibbons

Favourite Editor
Tharg (Matt Smith)

Favourite Publisher
Marvel

Favourite Colour Comicbook – American
Hellboy: Darkness Calls

Favourite Colour Comicbook – British
Spectacular Spider-Man

Favourite Black and White Comicbook – American
The Walking Dead

Favourite Black and White Comicbook – British
How to Date a Girl In 10 Days

Favourite New Comicbook
Thor

Favourite Manga
Death Note

Favourite European Comics
Requiem, Vampire Knight

Favourite Comics Story published during 2007
Captain America 25-30: the Death of Captain America

Favourite Comics Cover published during 2007
World War Hulk 1A (David Finch)

Favourite Original Graphic Novel
The League of Extraordinary Gentleman: Black Dossier

Favourite Reprint Compilation
Absolute Sandman Volume 2

Favourite Comics Hero
Batman

Favourite Comics Villain
Joker

Favourite Magazine About Comics
Wizard

Favourite Comics-Related Book
Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes (Chris Knowles)

Favourite Comics-Based Movie Or TV
300

Favourite Comics Related Website
Marvel.Com

Favourite Web-Based Comic
The Order of the Stick

Roll of Honour
Mike Mignola

Okay, so we finally have the full list and I would say let the usual post-awards debating (not to mention griping) begin, but of course it has already begun – as Alex Fitch mentioned the other day he and Oli Smith couldn’t even take the whole ceremony and departed for the bar. From what I’ve been hearing from some of the folks involved in the British comics scene quite a few are disappointed at how ‘American’ the principal British awards have become and, looking at the list, I have to say they have a point. Not that I would argue for the Eagles to be insular and jingoistic – regular readers know we embrace good comics work from around the globe – but considering it is the British awards, named after one of the most famous Brit comics of all time, it would be nice to see not quite so much from the US, especially the large publishers.

I’m sure there are several reasons for this state of affairs – obviously in the English language market American publishers like DC and Marvel will dominate. I don’t have a huge problem and am not going to get on a soapbox about the Big Two, not just because we sell a lot of their works but because I actually enjoy them myself and so do a hell of a lot of our readers. So with that popularity and market domination their titles are always likely to have a big advantage (and if people from outside the UK vote then the homegrown nominees have even less chance, I would imagine, as those readers won’t be overly familiar with the works). And if we made the Eagles an all British affair I think it would be weaker – we’d be ignoring a whole, huge area of popular comics, which hardly seems fair. Not to mention the fact that Brit writers and artists have been in the top rank of those same US publishers for many years (Absolute Sandman may be from DC, but the writer hails from Blighty, for example).

(art from How to Date a Girl in 10 Days, (c) Tom Humberstone/Ventedspleen)

And if it were a Brit-only affair I’m sure some folks would then complain that 2000 AD writers and artists dominated everyone else – there would always be a problem and at no point would everyone be happy. After each awards list we do seem to spend more time commenting negatively rather than positively, about who didn’t win or didn’t even make the shortlist. I could complain how few Brit comics sites made the best website list for example, not just us but good sites like Steve Holland’s excellent Bear Alley (constantly featuring in-depth articles), John Freeman’s Down the Tubes or Bugpowder. Or the fact the favourite original graphic novel, LOEG: Black Dossier was banned from sale outside the US due to legal problems, but we have it winning the major Brit comics award and having top Brit writer-artist talent behind it but rather hard to get the book in the UK. Or I could sigh at 300 winning the movie award, thinking it looked very stylish but was it actually a good film as such?

But let’s not spend more time thinking about that – everyone has their own opinions and while some of us agree a lot of us will disagree. Even if more major awards had gone to British talent – even independent Brit talent – someone, somewhere would be saying that person didn’t deserve that win, should have gone to this other person. That’s the nature of the beast and while it is fun to have a little grouse about the winners and who we are convinced was robbed of rightful victory let’s not forget the positive aspects of the awards. Some good folks won – D’Israeli, Tom Humberstone, Mike Mignola, Alan Moore, Matt Fraction. The awards and the Bristol Expo generated more interest and awareness of comics, made a lot of fans happy getting to wander the main space meeting writers and artists, dressing up in costumes. And those happy folks will want more comics. And that’s good. Now, having said all that, feel free to add your own tuppence worth in the comments, but let me ask one thing – if you are going to say anything negative then by all means go ahead, but please try and balance it with something positive too. Let’s thinks just a wee bit more positively and think good thoughts too.