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Diamond Gem Awards 2012 Awarded – With A Couple Of Surprises

Published Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:30:07 -0600

Last updated Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:03:28 -0600

Diamond Comic Distributors have announced their Diamond Gem Awards for 2012, voted on by comic book retailers in the direct market. The nominees are listed below, the winners highlighted in bold. In addition to the nominations, two "Top Dollar" Awards have been added, both won by Marvel. Marvel has traditionally fared badly in the publisher category, despite usually bringing the most money into the marketplace. Could this be a way to make up for that?

Valiant are a notable win for small publisher in their first year of operation… first seven months even. And Image grabbed notable product categories with Walking Dead and Saga, though DC still dominated, as they did last year.

As for Best Magazine, it's an honour to be nominated etc etc…

Bleeding Cool were the only website to cover the 2011 Gem awards… Maybe this year, they will get a little more coverage.

Comic Book Publisher of the Year – Over 4%

Dark Horse Comics
DC Comics
IDW Publishing
Image Comics
Marvel Comics

Comic Book Publisher of the Year – Under 4%

Archie Comics
Avatar Press
BOOM! Studios
Dynamite Entertainment
Valiant Entertainment

Top Dollar Comic Book Publisher of the Year

Marvel Comics

Best Comic Book of the Year Under – $3.00

Green Lantern #0 (DC)
Hawkeye #1 (Marvel)
Hellboy in Hell #1 (Dark Horse)
Saga #1 (Image)

Best Comic Book of the Year – Over $3.00

Amazing Spider-Man #700 (Marvel)
Batman #9 – Night of Owls (DC)
Mars Attacks #1 (IDW)
The Walking Dead #100 (Image)
X-O MANOWAR #1 (Valiant)

Top Dollar Comic Of The Year

Amazing Spider-Man #700

Best Licensed Comic of the Year

Adventure Time #1 (BOOM! Studios)
Hit-Girl #1 (Marvel)
My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic #1 (IDW)
Masks #1 (Dynamite)
Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi Force Storm #1 (Dark Horse)

Magazine of the Year

Bleeding Cool Magazine #1 (Avatar)
DC Nation #1 (DC)
DC Superhero Chess Figure Collection Magazine #1 – Batman White King (Eaglemoss
Publications)
Marvel Super Heroes #1 (Marvel)
Walking Dead Magazine #1 (Titan Publishing)

Best Backlist Publisher of the Year

DC Entertainment
Dark Horse Comics
IDW Publishing
Image Comics
Marvel Comics

Best Original Graphic Novel

Richard Stark's Parker: The Score (IDW)
Batman: Earth One HC (DC)
Blacksad: Silent Hell HC
Superman: Earth One Vol. 2 HC (DC)
Spider-Man Season One Premiere HC (Marvel)
Not My Bag GN (Image)

Best Reprint Trade Paperback or Hard Cover of the Year

Walking Dead Vol. 2 Compendium (Image)
Saga Vol. 1 TP (Image)
Batman: The Court of Owls Vol. 1 HC (DC)
Justice League: Origin Vol. 1 (DC)
Scott Pilgrim Color Edition Vol. 1 (Oni Press)
Deadpool Kills Marvel Universe TP (Marvel)
Adventure Time Vol. 1 TP (BOOM!)
Daredevil by Mark Waid Vol.1 TP (Marvel)

Best Licensed Trade Paperback or Hard Cover of the Year

Avatar: Last of the Airbenders – The Promise, Part 1 Vol. 1 TP (Dark Horse)
Game of Throne Vol. 1 GN (Bantam/Spectra)
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Vol. 1 HC (DC/Vertigo)
The Stand HC Omnibus with Slipcase (Marvel)
Star Trek Next Generation / Doctor Who Assimilation Vol. 1 TP (IDW)

Best Manga Trade Paperback of the Year

Sailor Moon: Kodansha Edition Vol. 3 TP (Kodansha Comics)
Black Butler Vol. 8 TP (Yen Press)
Tezuka: Message to Adolf Vol. 1 GN (Vertical Inc.)
21st Century Boys Vol. 1 GN (Viz Media)
Fallen Words GN (Drawn & Quarterly)
FLCL Omnibus (Dark Horse)

Best Manga Publisher of the Year

Yen Press
Kodansha Comics
Seven Seas Entertainment
Vertical Inc.
Viz Media
Dark Horse Comics

Best Anthology of the Year

Best American Comics HC 2012 ( Houghton Mifflin)
Marvel Firsts 1970s TP VOL 01 (NOV110636)
Best American Comics HC (Houghton Mifflin) Marvel Firsts: 1970 Vol. 1 TP (Marvel)
Womanthology: Heroic HC (IDW)
Dark Horse Presents #13 (Dark Horse)

Best Indie Graphic Novel of the Year

The Underwater Welder (Top Shelf)
Charles Burns Hive GN (Pantheon Books)
Tower Chronicles: Geisthawk Vol. 1 GN (Legendary Comics)
Chris Ware: Building Stories HC (Pantheon Books)
Anomaly HC (Anomaly)
Are You My Mother: A Comic Drama HC (Houghton Mifflin Company)

Best Trade Book of the Year

Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Vol. 42 (Gemstone)
Sonic the Hedgehog: Complete Comic Encyclopedia TP (Archie)
The History of Sonic the Hedgehog HC (Udon)
Avengers: Art of the Avengers HC with Slipcase (Marvel)
Art of Mass Effect HC (Dark Horse)
The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Boxed Set HC (Dark Horse)
David Mazzucchelli Daredevil Born Again Artist ED HC (IDW)
Art of Todd McFarlane Devils in the Details HC (Image)

Best Game Manufacturer of the Year

Cryptozoic Entertainment
Paizo Publishing
USAopoly
WIZKIDS/NECA
Wizards of the Coast

Best Game Product of the Year

DC Comics Deck Building Game
Pathfinder RPG: Advanced Race Guide
Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Edition Monopoly
Marvel Heroclix Galactic Guardians Expansion
Magic the Gathering: Return to Ravinca Expansion

Best Toy Manufacturer of the Year

DC Entertainment/DC Collectibles
Diamond Select Toys
Kotobukiya
Bowen Designs
Hasbro
TMP

Best Toy Product of the Year

Marvel Select: Avengers Movie Hulk Action Figure (Diamond Select Toys)
Marvel Select: Amazing Spider-Man Movie AF (DST)
Batman Arkham Asylum Play Arts ~Kai~ Arm Batman AF (Square Enix)
Justice League Superman Action Figure DC Entertainment /DC Collectibles
We Can Be Heroes Justice League 7 Pack Box Set DC Entertainment/DC Collectibles

Best Toy Line of the Year

Play Arts ~Kai~ (Square Enix)
Mass Effect 3 Action Figures (Big Fish)
Marvel Select AF (DST)
Walking Dead Series 2 Assortment (McFarlane Toys)
DC Justice League New 52 Action Figures DC Entertainment/DC Collectibles
Batman Arkham City Series 3 DC Entertainment/DC Collectibles

Best Collectible Statue of the Year

DC Harley Quinn Bishoujo Statue (Koto)
Red Hulk PX Mini-Bust (Gentle Giant)
Thor Classic Action Statue (Bowen)
Dragon Age II: Flemeth Dragon Statue (Dark Horse)
DC Comics Cover Girls Harley Quinn Statue DC Entertainment/DC Collectibles
Batman Black and White Statue New 52 By Jim Lee DC Entertainment/DC Collectibles