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Countdown To The Eisners – Best Penciller/Inker

By Cameron Hatheway

Everyone is an artist, but some are much better than others. With tons of practice and pencil sharpening however, and a hardcore dedication to the craft, you too can be the next Jack Kirby. Sure you'll never surpass the King (or even come anywhere close to his epicness), but you can eventually make a name for yourself if you're constantly sketching / drawing / painting / experimenting every single day. It's a tough life when you're busting your ass trying to make deadlines, but the rewards are great when you're finally making a living doing what you love; illustrating comics to be enjoyed by generations of fans to come. Today I'll be focusing on the Best Penciller/Inker category. If you need a reminder of what's been nominated, you can find the entire list right here, and see what I chose last time right here.

Keep in mind I cannot vote for who wins (nor can you, probably), as per the rules. However, that's not keeping me from being vocal regardless!

Who is not eligible to vote?

• Comics press or reviewers (unless they are nominees)
• Non-creative publisher staff members (PR, marketing, assistants, etc.)
• Fans

Before I get back to drawing hearts around my name and Jackie Estrada's accompanied by crude stick-figure drawings so I can be eligible for next year, let the games begin!

Best Penciller/Inker

David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)

The last time I was excited for an Aja/Fraction comic was The Immortal Iron Fist, for Aja's style captured the tone and action perfectly. Sure enough, he captures lightning in a bottle for a second time with Hawkeye with both covers and interior art. The use of color and page layout is equally fantastic in this series, and the quality of work he brings to the title is the reason you're reading it every month.

Becky Cloonan, Conan the Barbarian (Dark Horse); The Muse (self-published)

When Dark Horse relaunched the Conan franchise, they couldn't have picked a better artist than Becky Cloonan. She perfectly captures the look of a younger, brasher Conan as he engages in fierce battles on both land and sea. Every page emits a grittiness and striking energy, completely captivating the reader. This series could be in black and white (making Cloonan's art much more radiant) and it still would make for a fantastic read.

Colleen Coover, Bandette (Monkeybrain)

Coover uses watercolors in Bandette, and the execution is flawless. Her technique even gives the comic a European feel, which is appropriate since the series takes place in France. The softer lines give it a calmer tone, but can turn on a dime when the action revs up; car chases, bullets flying, bombs exploding, etc. While the story is fun, its Coover's art that makes you stick around and really appreciate the eye-candy.

Sean Phillips, Fatale (Image)

Need that special pulp noir feeling in your comic? Why not Zoidberg Phillips? Just when you think he's done his best work yet, he goes and ups the ante once more on a series like Fatale. Every line is impeccable, the shading is simply terrific, and the overall tone is constantly unnerving as hell. Oh, and those covers are equally gorgeous.

Joseph Remnant, Harvey Pekar's Cleveland (Zip Comics/Top Shelf)

Remnant's beautiful cross-hatching really brought Cleveland's history to life before our very eyes. Crisp and meticulously illustrated, it's marvelous seeing Cleveland depicted in almost every era from the founding of the city to the present. Also seeing the different periods in Pekar's life makes for some great storytelling.

Chris Samnee, Daredevil (Marvel); Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom (IDW)

It was a good year for Samnee; juggling both Daredevil and Rocketeer without letting the quality diminish on either. While Daredevil scored big at the Eisners last year, when Rivera left and Samnee took over it was a smooth transition and the art didn't suffer. Then to join Waid on the Rocketeer for a miniseries, he continued to bring the stylized intricacies every issue.

Who I think should win:
Chris Samnee, Daredevil (Marvel); Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom (IDW)

First he's on Daredevil with Waid, then he's on Rocketeer with Waid. Is Waid Samnee's lucky charm? Like I said above, the quality of work that Samnee produced when balancing both titles didn't diminish in the slightest, and if anything he shone brighter as he fed from the praises of fans of both series. Daredevil continued being action-packed and he even did a bang-up job continuing with the radar sense that Rivera excelled at illustrating. As for Rocketeer, never have dinosaurs attacking a city look so awesome.

He adapts, yet makes the comic his own. Samnee is a bona fide workhorse, conveying the excitement from the script to the page marvelously.

Who I think could win:
David Aja, Hawkeye (Marvel)

While Aja excels at covers, it's a genuine treat when he does interior illustrations as well. Yes, he's been absent for a few issues throughout Hawkeye, but try as they might, the fill-in artists just can't compare with Aja's iconic style. The page layouts and transitions are a mix between J.H. Williams III and Chris Ware, and the action scenes are reminiscent of those old multiplayer video games found in arcades.

Detailed yet simple, colorful yet purple; Hawkeye wouldn't be the series it is today if Aja wasn't attached, bro.

Who I think should have been nominated:
James Stokoe, Godzilla: The Half-Century War (IDW Publishing).

Every time a new issue came out, I read it at least 5 times over. The kaiju fights were an assault on the senses, and continuously blew my mind. Every page was so intricate, I could only imagine how long it took him to illustrate an entire issue.

Who do you think should win / been nominated?

Cameron Hatheway is the host of Cammy's Comic Corner and Arts & Entertainment Editor of the Sonoma State STAR. You can pay for his tuition to attend The Kubert School on Twitter @CamComicCorner.

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