Posted in: Comics | Tagged: 30th Annual Eisner Awards, eisner awards, nichelle nichols

Nichelle Nichols, Benedict Wong and Cas Anvar Present The 30th Annual Eisner Awards 2018

Published Tue, 10 Jul 2018 15:59:28 -0500

Last updated Tue, 10 Jul 2018 16:13:16 -0500

Nichelle Nichols, Benedict Wong and Cas Anvar join Dave 'Watchmen' Gibbons, Sergio Aragones and Bill Morrison in presenting the 30th annual Eisner Awards on Friday week, on July 20th in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront, alongside the San Diego Comic-Con. The American comic book industry's most prestigious awards invited those who have been touched by the magic of comic books to recognise those who have achieved so much in that field last year.

Among presenters at this year's ceremony are:

Actor Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek's Lt. Uhura)

Actor/voice actor Cas Anvar (The Expanse, The Strain, Assassin's Creed)

Actor Helen Slater (Supergirl, The Lying Game)

Actor Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange, Avengers: Infinity War, Marco Polo)

Actor/writer/webseries creator Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Buffy, Supernatural)

Film critic/historian/author Leonard Maltin (Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, Walt Disney's Treasures DVD series)

Actor/voice actor Danielle Nicolette (The Flash's Cecile Horton, Born Again Virgin)

Voice actor Claudio Serrano (Spanish voice of Batman in films and animated series)

Comics creators Wendy and Richard Pini (Elfquest), celebrating the 40th anniversary of their popular series

Watchmen co-creator (and Eisner Hall of Fame nominee) Dave 'Watchmen' Gibbons (UK's first Comics Laureate)

Voice actor/comedian Phil LaMarr (MadTV, Samurai Jack, Futurama, Justice League)

Beloved cartoonist Sergio Aragonés (Groo, MAD)

Writer Anina Bennett (Boilerplate, Heartbreakers)

• Writer/artist Bill Morrison (editor of MAD magazine, president of National Cartoonists Society)

• Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award recipient and voice actor Kayre Morrison

Sadly it looks like Jonathan Ross won't be kissing anyone this year, though I think we can expect Dave 'Double page, double page, gotta get a double page' Gibbons to step into his shoes.

The doors will open at 7:45, and the ceremonies will get under way at 8. Attendance at the event is free to all Comic-Con members with a convention badge. Advance seating for VIPs (nominees, sponsors, presenters) will begin at 7:00. No-host bars will be set up both in the ballroom and the ballroom lobby. The ceremony is expected to run until about 10:45 pm. It will be followed by a reception in the Indigo Ballroom foyer, with live music by a flute-piano jazz duo.

Named for the pioneering comics creator and graphic novelist Will Eisner, The Eisner Awards, considered the "Oscars" of the comic book industry, will be given out in 32 categories for works published in 2017. All attendees will get a souvenir program listing the nominees.

Sponsors

The principal sponsors for the awards this year are mycomicshop.com and Gentle Giant Studios. Supporting sponsors are Alternate Reality Comics (Las Vegas), Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA), Diamond Comics/Geppi Entertainment Museum, Flying Colors & Other Cool Stuff (Concord, CA), and Marquis Books.

Other Awards
The Eisner Awards evening includes the presentation of several other special awards. Since 1984, Comic-Con has been bestowing the annual Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award (to be presented by Bob's daughter Ruth). This year's recipients are Frederick Joseph (The Black Panther Challenge) and the Seattle-based Comics4Kids. Past winner Scott McCloud will be announcing the nominees and winner of the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award, which has been handed out since 1982. Also being presented is the Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award, presided over by Joe Ferrara.

This is the 14th year for presentation of the Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. The 2018 recipients are Joye Murchison Kelly (uncredited co-writer with William Moulton Marston on Wonder Woman) and Dorothy Roubicek Woolfolk (Golden Age writer/editor for All-American, Timely, and EC, among others); the awards will be presented by Mark Evanier. The major sponsor for the Finger Award is DC Comics. Supporting sponsors are Heritage Auctions and Maggie Thompson.

The Eisner Awards are part of, and underwritten by, San Diego Comic-Con.