If you say "Eisner" to most people, they'll say "huh, what? Who are you? Why are you in my living room?" But after you've explained to them that they should put the phone down because you are, in fact, holding a gun and that you simply wanted to know who they associate with the last name Eisner, most people will say Michael Eisner, former something-or-other (CEO? CFO? UFO?) of Disney.
I think of Will Eisner and the awards that are given out annually in his name. Awards for comic books. Here is this year's list.
These are my thoughts:
Ex Machina #1 and Global Frequency #12 were both nominated for Best Single Issue. Much as I'm Warren Ellis' whore, I'd give this one to Ex Machina. That whole series has been great, but issue #1 was golden, a sort of ideal kick-off that I couldn't have asked to be any better.
The next four issues of Ex Machina also come up against Warren Ellis, though this time in the Planetary title, issues 19 and 20, for Best Serialized Story. I haven't read those bits of Planetary yet, but I feel bad about dissing Warren last time. Plus, from the set up in Planetary #18, the story after has to be damn cool.
Best Continuing Series... hey, look! Ex Machina! And Best New Series, too!
At this point if I say I'd award Best Writer to Brian Vaughan (the writer on Ex Machina), you won't be surprised, right? 'Cause that's what I'd do.
Best Graphic Album - New I'd give to It's A Bird... which is the best Superman story I've ever read. I think it most captures what the character's all about. This is distinctive as Superman doesn't actually appear in the book. Nor does any other super-powered individual.
I'd give Best Penciller/Inker to John Cassaday, because his work on Planetary is beyond belief.
There's other categories, too, and other people in the categories I've named. Joss Whedon, in particular, has been nominated for four awards (the first four I mention above). That's pretty impressive; if I could still bring myself to read an X-Men book, I might pick up his run. There's also a bunch of indy folk. Which I guess is nice. But I stand by my devotion to Warren Ellis and Brian Vaughan, because their work is absolutely fucking brilliant. I hope they win.