ATOMIC
EMPIRE

The red carpet of comics is another huge deal, as we get to see the latest, greatest and most remarkable of comic offerings. You can go to the following link for the full list of Eisner nominees.

Consider this an overview of the nominees, which might make me Joan and/or Melissa Rivers (minus the wickedly catty remarks and sequins). The following creators deserve love for being nominated into at least one category:

Archaia/Boom!:
Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, vol. 2, edited by David Petersen, Paul Morrissey, and Rebecca Taylor
Why they get my love: Mouse Guard is a beautiful and poignant, well-written tale of a medieval-age society of animals. Kingdoms, honor and glory, stalwart heroes and the very real threats of monstrous beasts that inhabit their dangerous world. The artwork is vivid, sometimes understated watercolor, bold in it's layout and epic in the storytelling department.

Dark Horse:
Itty Bitty Hellboy, by Art Baltazar and Franco
Why they get my love: Interestingly enough, this was nominated for "Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)". The stories are charming and silly; fans of Hellboy will appreciate the references/nods to the original materials, and it is a genuinely fun read. The art style is similar to Tiny Titans, and the humor reminds me of Superman Family Adventures.

Image:
Nowhere Men, by Eric Stephenson and Nate Bellegarde
Why they get my love: There are so many titles from Image that have been super impressive: Pretty Deadly, Saga, Sex Criminals (seriously, give it a read), East of West, Manhattan Project, and Rat Queens. The reason why Nowhere Men is extraordinary starts with the concept: Science is the new rock 'n' roll. When the first image of the famous scientists makes them seem like an exciting, newly-formed Beatles group, the enthusiasm becomes infectious. And they are doing some pretty expansive things with science, pushing at the edges of technology.

Marvel:
Hawkeye, by Matt Fraction and David Aja
Why they get my love: Oh Marvel, you had me at "Okay, this looks bad." Complex characters (including Pizza Dog), dynamic art and fast-paced storytelling make me look forward to future issues, and savor my current collection. Especially the witty quips from the man himself and subtle visual context clues. One of the best issues (in my humble opinion) has no dialogue, and just uses icons to communicate. Sheer brilliance.

Independent and other publishers:
Vader’s Little Princess, by Jeffrey Brown (Chronicle)
Why they get my love: Star Wars fans / parents will get a good chuckle out of mundane parenting situations infused with Darth Vader as a parental figure.

All of these creative forces get this one time of the year to really stand out as significant, so come discover and enjoy the fruits of their creative labor with Atomic Empire.