Eisner Shakedown, part 6: Best in Teens, Humor, Limiteds, and Writer/Artist

Holy crow what a title! Since there’s so much to talk about, let’s skip the formalities and jump right in.

Best Publication for Teens/Tweens

• Coraline, by Neil Gaiman, adapted by P. Craig Russell (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
• Crogan’s Vengeance, by Chris Schweizer (Oni)
• The Good Neighbors, Book 1: Kin, by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh (Scholastic Graphix)
• Rapunzel’s Revenge, by Shannon and Dean Hale and Nathan Hale (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
• Skim, by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood Books)

It’s a good thing you don’t have to be a teen in order to read these books, or I’d be suffering from a case of jealousy. Rapunzel’s Revenge marks a fresh re-imagining of the tired old fairy tale, where in Rapunzel is more a**kicker than damsel-in-distress, Skim is an honest coming of age story with more depth than you might expect, Crogan’s Vengeance is a fun pirate read, Good Neighbors, Book 1 is great faery fantasy fun (written by one of the Spiderwick Chronicles authors and sometimes compared to the work of the next author on this list), and then there’s Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, an incredible interpretation of the Alice in Wonderland idea.

Despite the amazing competition, I think this one comes down to Coraline, which has had an incredible year, and Skim, who, though quieter than the other main characters found in the nominated books, is perhaps the most compelling (and that’s saying something). In the end, I think Coraline continues to roll along and picks up the award (it has been, after all, an incredibly entertaining title over the past year). However, I hope Neil Gaiman will forgive me if I silently pull for Mariko and Jillian Tamaki’s creation to pull it out.

Want a dark horse here? The Good Neighbors, Book 1. Though if the series continues, it’ll have plenty more chances in coming years.

Best Humor Publication

• Arsenic Lullaby Pulp Edition No. Zero, by Douglas Paszkiewicz (Arsenic Lullaby)
• Chumble Spuzz, by Ethan Nicolle (SLG)
• Herbie Archives, by “Shane O’Shea” (Richard E. Hughes) and Ogden Whitney (Dark Horse)
• Petey and Pussy, by John Kerschbaum (Fantagraphics)
• Wondermark: Beards of Our Forefathers, by David Malki (Dark Horse)

Easily one of my favorite categories. There’s so much great work here ranging from black humor to crazy, but I’m looking and thinking we’re coming down to Wondermark: Beards of our Forefathers and Aresenic Lullaby Pulp Edition No. Zero. So which way am I predicting? I’m following my own sense of humor here and thinking that Wondermark is taking home the Eisner. Hilarity ensues.