The results for this year's Squiddies are finally tallied, and have been subjected to some review for validity. (Thanks, Tyg...) I apologize once again for the delay in results, some day, when we're all a lot older and at least a little wiser, I'll outline some of the more personal circumstances leading to the delay. But until then, a couple of the obstacles in our path were the (unexpected) semi-death of the original unpc.queernet.org and its replacement with a not-very-compatible system, loss of our network stability for a week while I was traveling, and loss of our total network connection for two days... three times!
There are probably still some eligibility errors, but none that should affect the results. If you spot any, let me know, so I can correct the archived results.
If I were to identify any trends this time out, they would be:
1) Everything old is new again. Very strong showings were made by several non-trendy, journeyman series and creators of long standing, including but not exclusively the Legend guys. Look out for the twenty-year "overnight sensation"...
2) We'd already learned that self-publishers could show strongly in the Squiddies, this year, a small imprint with major distribution did surprisingly well also. Think of it as a Milestone for the industry. The initial hostility toward a "separatist" imprint, and "yet another DC imprint," seems to have evaporated in the light of strong, seasoned professional work.
3) The whiz kids of the last couple of years (Image, Valiant), the heir apparent to one of them (Defiant), and the Big Kid on the Block (Marvel) are basically nowhere to be seen, with very few exceptions.
Best Penciler
A very strong showing from the old pros here, no whiz kids above the two-vote level, and even there, the Image guy is one of the least flashy and most stable of the bunch.
5: John Byrne
4: George Pérez, P. Craig Russell
3: Chris Bachalo, Frank Miller, Wendy Pini
2: Pat Broderick, Alan Davis, Gerhard, Dan Jurgens, Jim Lee, Steve Rude
1: Richard Case, Dan Clowes, Gary Davis, Colleen Doran, Evan Dorkin, Gary
Frank, Tom Grummett, Jackson Guice, Adam Hughes, Stuart Immonen, Dale Keown,
Sam Kieth, David Lapham, Jae Lee, Todd McFarlane, Mike Mignola, Moebius,
Kevin Nowlan, Joe Quesada, John Romita Jr., Don Rosa, Tim Sale, Dave Sim,
Walter Simonson, Jeff Smith, Chris Sprouse, Martin Wagner, Matt Wagner, Lee
Weeks, Barry Windsor-Smith, Jim Woodring
Best Inker
OK, I admit it... I was stunned. I didn't think most people even remembered
Farmer's name. But between a long stand on Incredible Hulk and another on
Excalibur, quiet quality scored.
7: Mark Farmer
5: P. Craig Russell
3: Terry Austin, Jeff Smith, Scott Williams
2: Mark Buckingham, Gerhard, Dick Giordano, Frank Miller, Don Rosa
1: Eduardo Barretto, Brett Breeding, Chester Brown, John Byrne, Evan
Dorkin, Klaus Janson, Karl Kesel, Sam Kieth, Bob Layton, Jae Lee, Dave Mack,
John Nyberg, Tom Palmer, Mark Pennington, Wendy Pini, Roy Richardson, Joe
Sinnott, Cam Smith, Ty Templeton, Art Thibert, Roy Tompkins, Martin Wagner,
Al Williamson, Stan Woch
Best Painter
Not a big surprise in first place. The second-place finish, however, was surprising: not because it wasn't deserved, but because it was the best finish by any Marvel project.
16: Dave McKean
10: Alex Ross
4: Daniel Brereton
2: Mark Chiarello, Dave Dorman, Wendy Pini, Charles Vess
1: Carl Barks, Brian Bolland, Richard Corben, Glenn Fabry, Phil Foglio, John Higgins, Angus McKie, George Pratt, Bill Sienkiewicz
Best Letterer
One word: Sandman.
20: Todd Klein
7: Tom Orzechowski
3: Dan Clowes
2: John Byrne ("and his Mac"), Frank Miller, Stan Sakai, Dave Sim,
1: John Workman, Ken Bruzenak, Steve Dutro, Tim Eldred, Chris Eliopoulis, Mike Heisler, Angus McKie, Wendy Pini, Don Rosa
Best Colorist
No big surprise. If anything, I was shocked by the margin, but not by the result.
21: Steve Oliff/Olyoptics
7: Lovern Kindzierski/Digital Chameleon
4: Daniel Vozzo
3: Matt Webb
2: Jim Woodring
1: Joe Chiodo, Susan Daigle-Leach, Noelle Giddings, Tom Luth, Tom McCraw, Angus McKie, Joe Matt, Chris Palomino, Wendy Pini, Lynn Varley, Tatjana Wood, Michelle Wrightson
Best Creative Team
Le plus ca change...
9: Dave Sim/Gerhard
4: Peter David/Gary Frank/Cam Smith, Peter David/George Pérez
3: Kesel Karl/Grummett Tom/Haselwood Doug
2: John Byrne, Davis Alan/Farmer Mark, Pini Wendy and Richard, Jeff Smith
1: Aragonés Sergio/Evanier Mark, Baron Mike/Rude Steve, Bierbaum Tom & Mary/Sprouse Chris/Story Karl, Peter David/Leonardi Rick/Williamson Al, Delano Jamie/Pugh Steve, Dini Paul/Timm Bruce, Eastman Kevin/Simon Bisley, Gaiman Neil/McKean Dave, Gaiman Neil/Nowlan Kevin, McCraw Tom/Immonen Stuart/Boyd Ron, Frank Miller/Romita John Jr., Peter Milligan/Chris Bachalo, Peter Milligan/McKeever Ted, Moore Alan/Campbell Eddie, Moore Alan/Veitch Rick, Moore John Francis/Broderick Pat/Nyberg John, Ostrander John/Mandrake Tom, Shooter Jim/Lapham David, Strazewski Len/Jones Gerard/Breyfogle Norm, Vado Dan/Campos Mark/Branch Ken, Velez Ivan Jr./ChrisCross, Washington Robert L. III/Leon John Paul, Woodring Jim/Martin Mark
Best Editor
Again, no surprises.
8: Karen Berger
4: Mike Carlin, Diana Schutz
3: Dwayne McDuffie
2: Joey Cavalieri, Bobbie Chase, Richard Pini, Jerry Prosser
1: Augustyn Brian, Clark John, Foglio Phil, Gold Mike, Goodwin Archie, Groth Gary, Kavanaugh Terry, Kesel Barbara, Martin Mark, Mason Tom, Moore Alan, Raspler Dan, Spurlock J. David
Ongoing Series
First place: duh. But second place is another strong showing for the bright new stars of 1973...
18: Sandman
8: John Byrne's Next Men
4: Bone, Incredible Hulk
3: Cerebus, Eightball, Shade
2: Elfquest: Hidden Years, Legion of Super-Heroes, X-Men
1: Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Dark Horse Presents, Donald Duck
Adventures, Flash, Hectic Planet, Hellblazer, Maxi-Mortal, Nexus, Ranma 1/2,
Real Stuff, Shadowman, Spawn, Superman, Tales of the Beanworld, Walt
Disney's Comics and Stories
New Series
A little bit of a surprise here, at least for me, and a pleasant one. People seem to be genuinely charmed by Static's whimsy, and it's evident in every category for which the character was eligible.
7: Static
6: Sandman Mystery Theatre
4: Prime, Superboy
2: Blood Syndicate, Firearm, Freex, Legionnaires
1: Black Orchid, Books of Magic, Chainsaw Vigilante, Cyberforce, Greymatter, Hawkman, Kane, Madman Adventures, Maxx, Meatcake, Nestrobber, Pitt, Robin, Simpsons, Steel, Tantalizing Stories, Transformers: Generation 2, Wandering Star, Whot Not, WildCATS, X-Men Unlimited
Limited Series
Not a big surprise here, either, except that Marvels is, once again, the only Marvel project with much of a showing. And as controversial as it was, the people who liked Enigma really liked it.
9: Marvels
7: Enigma
5: Batman/Grendel
4: Death: The High Cost of Living, 1963, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
2: Aquaman: Time and Tide, Daredevil: the Man Without Fear, Golden Age, Grendel: War Child, Stanley and his Monster
1: Aliens/Predator: Deadliest of the Species, Buck Godot - the Gallimaufry,
Cages, Extremist, Hulk: Future Imperfect, Jonah Hex: Two-Gun Mojo, Madman,
Metamorpho, Radioactive Man, Supergirl, Tales from Sleaze Castle, Union,
Young Dracula
Most Improved Series
Next year, the rules will need to be clearer, I guess, an "improved" series must be improved from something, so series first published in 1993 should have been ineligible. It wouldn't have affected the results, though. Clearly, a lot of folks thought a lot of series got better. I was intrigued at the Doom Patrol showing, has distance convinced people that Pollack isn't just a mediocre imitator of Morrison, or has she really found a new voice on it just recently?
3: Doom Patrol, Flash, Incredible Hulk, Uncanny X-Men
2: Animal Man, Daredevil, Sandman, X-Men
1: A Distant Soil, Aliens, Avengers, Batman Adventures, Batman: Shadow of
the Bat, Black Orchid, Blood Syndicate, Demon, Dr. Strange, Eightball,
Elfquest: The Hidden Years, Justice League America, Man-Eating Cow, No Hope,
Optic Nerve, Pirate Corp$, Sandman Mystery Theatre, Shade, Shadowman, Spawn,
Tales of the Beanworld, Team Titans, Uncle Scrooge, Wolverine
Single Issue of a Series
One singular sensation. And the first time, I think, that P. Craig Russell has worked on a book with a smart enough audience to enjoy his work, and a big enough audience to let the world know.
17: Sandman #50
3: Sandman #54
2: Batman/Grendel #1, Hellblazer #71, Sandman #55, Spectre #12, X-Factor #87
1: Batman Adventures Special: Mad Love, Batman/Grendel #2, Black Orchid #8,
Blood Syndicate #10, Bone #10, Cages #7, Donald Duck Adventures #24,
Eightball #12, Elfquest: New Blood #8, Elfquest: The Hidden Years #9 1/2,
Flash #79, Groo #100, Hardware #7, Lowlife #3, Marvels #1, Marvels #2,
Radioactive Man #1, Sandman #8, Shadow Cabinet #0, Spawn #9, Static #4,
Superman #82, Uncanny X-Men #307, X-Men #25
Graphic Novel
The runaway winner was a non-fiction work, and a self-referential one at that, and a scholarly work, and a cartoony one... but also a simply astounding piece of work, worth every day we waited for it, and perhaps the winner for this year which will have the most influence on the medium and the industry for decades to come.
10: Understanding Comics
4: Batman/Houdini
3: Superman: Speeding Bullets
2: Batman Adventures: Mad Love, Power of Shazam, Skin
1: Gregory IV, Life of Groo, Nausicaa in the Valley of the Wind, Yikes...
the Art of Comics, Vertigo Visions: Phantom Stranger, Aliens: Sacrifice,
Judge Dredd: America, King
Reprint Collection/TPB
Another triumph for the class of the mid-70s.
8: Sin City
7: Complete Bone Adventures Vol. 1; Sandman: Fables and Reflections
3: Collegiate Hepcats
2: Crow, Death: the High Cost of Living HC, John Byrne's Next Men: Book
One, Ranma 1/2, Return of Superman
1: Best of Dark Horse Presents Vol. 3, Blood Club, Book of Jim, Books of
Magic, Carl Barks Library in Color: Donald Duck Adventures #, 1 Carl Barks
Library in Color: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, Classic Star Wars, Dare,
Elfquest: The Hidden Years GN, From Hell, Grendel: War Child, Legacy of
Superman, Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron, Sandman: A Game of You, The Days
are Just Packed, Wolverine: Blood Hungry
Best Anthology
Interesting that DHP did so well in a year in which it featured a bare minimum of "star turns" and a large population of unknowns...
11: Dark Horse Presents
4: Negative Burn
2: Asylum, Showcase '93, Vertigo Jam
1: Andrew Vachss' Underground, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, Blab,
Dark Horse Comics, Deadline, Eightball, Elfquest: Blood of Ten Chiefs, Green
Lantern Corps Quarterly, Hard Looks, Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, Wild
Life, Windows, Young Lust
Best Story in an Anthology
I'm not sure very many people read these titles...
3: Hermes vs. the Eyeball Kid (DHP)
2: Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron (Eightball)
1: Hothouse (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight), An Accidental Death
(DHP), Blue Devil (Showcase '93 #1-6), Buffalo Wings (Wild Life), Creeper
(Showcase '93 #12), Feeders and Eaters (Asylum), Madwoman of the Sacred
Heart (DHP), Mickey Mouse - Circus Roustabout (WDCS), Monkeyman and O'Brien
(DHP), Paleolove (DHP), Sin City (DHP), The Castle (?), X (DHC)
Strip or Panel
An even bigger sweep than I'd expected for this perennial, as well as a good
first-year showing for the geek poster boy.
27: Calvin and Hobbes
5: Dilbert
4: Far Side, Fox Trot
3: Doonesbury
2: Leonard and Larry, Outland, Robotman
1: Bizzaro, Dykes to Watch Out For, For Better or for Worse, If..., Jar of
Fools, Mother Goose and Grimm, Non Sequitur, Quigmans, Steven, Sylvia,
Wizard of Id
Team
Once again, a very strong Legends showing. And a very strong Milestone showing. I wonder if the LSH was a vote for the Bierbaum Legion, or for the McCraw team...
9: John Byrne's Next Men
7: Blood Syndicate
6: X-Men
5: Legion of Super-Heroes
4: Legionnaires
3: Endless
2: Doom Patrol, Freak Force, Pantheon, Pirate Corp$/Jersey Devil crew
1: Avengers, Beagle Boys, Calvin and Hobbes, Cirinists, Deathstroke and Wintergreen, Excalibur, Groo and Rufferto, HARD Corps, Hawkman and Hawkwoman, Mystery Inc., Rat Creatures, Scrooge McDuck and Donald Duck, Sinister Horde, Solution, Soulsearchers & Co., Wandering Star crew,
Wolfriders
Cast
Again, no shocks here.
12: Sandman
11: Bone
3: Superman
2: Incredible Hulk, Legion of Super-Heroes, Shade
1: Cages, DC mystic community, Dakota Universe, Disney Ducks, Doom 2099,
Doonesbury, Groo , Leonard and Larry, Love and Rockets, Mighty Magnor,
Nexus, Ranma 1/2, Strangers in Paradise, Tales from Sleaze Castle, Tick,
WaveDancers
Publication
McCloud's book did well in both categories for which it was eligible. The high- and middle-brow periodicals came next, with a distributor catalog outpolling both of the fanboy/hoarder monthlies.
12: Understanding Comics
11: Comics Buyer's Guide
10: Comics Journal
5: Diamond Previews
3: Wizard
2: Comic Shop News, Comics International, Hero
1: Duckburg Times, Sarjainfo
Online Forum
If there are any surprises here, it is the nice second-place showing by Bill Hayes' digest, with its strong pro participation and its focus on quality over quantity propelling it to a strong position.
21: rec.arts.comics.misc
10: comics-l
4: rec.arts.comics.info, rec.arts.comics.xbooks
3: alt.comics.elfquest, comix
2: Omnicom, alt.comics.alternative, rec.arts.comics.strips
1: Factsheet Five Electronic, Scowling's list, Valiant Visions!,
alt.comics.lnh, alt.comics.superman, disney-comics,
rec.arts.comics.marketplace
Favorite R.A.C-er: (voters are invited to choose three)
If I've misspelled or otherwise botched your name, or listed you both under a name and a handle, I apologize, and I ask that you please let me know so I can correct the listings. Once again, no big surprises. But *who* voted for The High?!
13: Tom Galloway
12: Jim Cowling
9: Abhijit Khale
7: Dave Van Domelen
6: Dani Zweig
5: Glenn Carnagey
3: Darkmage, David Peter, Jim Drew, Lance Smith, Wayne Wong
2: Michael Kelly, Roger B.A. Klorese, Jeff Mason, Paul O'Brien, Jen Vodvarka
1: Mark Billian, Daniel Thomas Chappell, Chris Day, Jym Dyer, Ted Faber, Dawn Friedman, David Goldfarb, Marcus Harwell, Ville Hautam{ki, David Henry, Matthew High, Chris Jarocha-Ernst, Rich Johnston, Sh'k'Anna Korra'ti, Carol Dawn Lee, Scott McMahon, Mystic Mongoose, Patman, Si Rowe, Col. G L Sicherman, The High, Zombie