UPM at Comic-Con

Comic-Con International: San Diego 2013—the largest of any comics or pop culture convention in the country—will be in full swing tomorrow. Comic-Con is full of programs, panel discussions, and film screenings. It is also the home of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the comic book equivalent of the “Oscars.”

Three UPM titles are being considered in the category of Best Educational/Academic Work. The nominated titles from UPM are Autobiographical Comics: Life Writing in Pictures, by Elisabeth El Refaie; Crockett Johnson & Ruth Krauss: How an Unlikely Couple Found Love, Dodged the FBI, and Transformed Children’s Literature, by Philip Nel; Lynda Barry: Girlhood Through the Looking Glass, by Susan E. Kirtley. UPM titles occupy 3 of the 5 nomination slots in the category.

The winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 19. Phillip Nel and Susan Kirtley will both be on hand at the awards ceremony.

This is only the second year the Eisner’s have included an academic category. Last year, Hand of Fire: The Comic Art of Jack Kirby by Charles Hatfield shared the award with Cartooning: Philosophy & Practice, by Ivan Brunetti (Yale University Press).

Named for acclaimed comics creator the Will Eisner, the awards are celebrating their 25th year of highlighting the best publications and creators in comics and graphic novels A full list of nominees can be seen here.

Comments

Philip Nel said…
Philip Nel here. I'll also be at Fantagraphics (booth 1718) to sign copies of Crockett Johnson and Ruth Krauss: How an Unlikely Couple Found Love, Dodged the FBI, and Transformed Children's Literature (UP Mississippi, 2012), and Crockett Johnson's Barnaby Volume One: 1942-1943, which I co-edited with Eric Reynolds for Fantagraphics (just published!). Here's when I'll be there:

* Thursday, July 18: 10-11:30 am.
* Saturday, July 20: 9-10 am.
* Sunday, July 21: 2-4 pm.

Bonus! While supplies last, I'll have copies of Chris Ware's specially designed poster of the Johnson-Krauss book cover. Details on my blog. So... come by the Fantagraphics booth!