Joe Shuster Awards

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The Joe Shuster Awards (sometimes referred to as the "Shusters" or the "JSAs") are given for achievement in the creation of comic books by Canadians. The full name is the Joe Shuster Canadian Comic Book Creator Awards.

The Joe Shuster Awards were created in 2005 by the Canadian Comic Book Creator Awards Association - James Waley, Kevin A. Boyd, Tyrone Biljan and Dave Darrigo and are named in honour of Joe Shuster (1914-1992), the Canadian-born co-creator of Superman.

Contents

[edit] Overview

The Joe Shuster Awards are nominated by a committee made up of industry journalists and fans from across Canada. The top five (sometimes six) nominees in each category are placed on a ballot. The ballot is open to a national public vote (restricted to Canadian citizens and residents) from which the winners are chosen.

A second nominating committee consisting of Canadian comic book historians select additions for the Hall of Fame.

Finally, a third committee of journalists, publishers, and creators select the Harry Kremer Award for Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Retailer from nominations submitted by fans, staff, customers and/or professionals.

In 2007, the Joe Shuster Awards added two awards open to all voters, regardless of their location: International Voters Choice: Favourite Canadian Comic Book Creator (English Language) and Favourite Canadian Comic Book Creator (French Language).

From 2005-7 the awards were presented on the same weekend as the Paradise Comics Toronto Comicon in Toronto, Canada. In 2008 the awards will not be presented in conjunction with a comic book convention but on the same weekend as Book Expo Canada.

Although they were founded the same year, the Joe Shuster Awards have no connection with the Doug Wright Awards. A common comparison of the two is that the JSAs are mainstream-biased and the Wrights more indie-oriented. A more accurate comparison is that the JSAs are comic book industry oriented awards (honouring individual Canadians who work on comics and graphic novels for their body of work from the previous year) while the Wrights are graphic novel work-centric awards (Canadian cartoonists win for best graphic novel or best emerging talent with a specific graphic novel). While the two both have Hall of Fame Awards, the JSAs focus more on comic book artists and writers, while the Wrights' 'Giants of the North' seems to be focused more on strip cartoonists and illustrators.

[edit] 2008 Changes

As of 2008, the categories of Artist, Cartoonist, Colourist (new), Publisher and Writer will be juried awards instead of decided by public vote. The jury will consist of prominant Canadian media figures with ties to comics.

The number of nominees in each category will be set at 8. Six English language and two French language for each.

Four categories will remain open for public vote: Favourite English Canadian Creator, Favourite French Canadian Creator, Favourite International Creator and a new category Favourite Canadian Cover Artist.

Webcomics and Retailer will remain juried awards.

In 2008 the Joe Shuster Awards will be presented on Saturday, June 14, 2008 at a ceremony to be held in Toronto at the Lillian H. Smith branch of the Toronto Public Library in conjunction with festivities tied into the 70th anniversary of the publication of Action Comics #1 in June 1938, the first published appearance of Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel's Superman.

[edit] Categories

Categories and winners of Joe Shuster Awards are as follows:

[edit] Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Achievement

  • 2005 Dave Sim and Gerhard for completing Cerebus in 2004. Begun in 1977, this 300-issue series is a milestone in comic book publishing and is the longest running creator-owned comic book series.
  • 2006 Category on hiatus.
  • 2007 Category on hiatus.
  • 2008 Pending

[edit] Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Artist

[edit] Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)

[edit] Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Publisher

[edit] Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Writer

[edit] Outstanding Canadian Web Comic Creator

[edit] Outstanding Canadian Colourist

  • 2008 Pending

[edit] Outstanding International (Non-Canadian) Comic Book Creator

[edit] Harry Kremer Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Retailer Recognition Award

[edit] Voters Choice - Favourite Canadian Comic Book Creator (English Language)

[edit] Voters Choice - Favourite Canadian Comic Book Creator (French Language)

[edit] Voters Choice - Favourite Canadian Comic Book Cover Artist

  • 2008 Pending

[edit] Hall of Fame Inductees

[edit] External links