2012 Harvey Awards Name "Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand" Best Graphic Novel

by Leroy Douresseaux

The Harvey Awards are awards given for achievement in comic books. The Harvey Award is named for the late comics writer-artist, editor, and publisher, Harvey Kurtzman (1924-1993). Gary Groth, president of the publisher Fantagraphics, founded the Harvey Awards as part of a successor to the Kirby Awards, which were discontinued after 1987, the other being successor being the Eisner Awards.

The Harvey Awards are nominated by an open vote among comic-book professionals. The winners are selected from the top five nominees in each category by a final round of voting.

Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand was named “Best Original Graphic Album” and “Best Single Issue or Story” at the 25th Annual Harvey Awards.

The 25th Annual Harvey Awards were held Saturday, September 8, 2012 at the 2012 Baltimore Comic-Con. Actor and comedian, Phil LaMarr was the host.

2012 Harvey Award winners:

BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC ALBUM - “JIM HENSON’S TALE OF SAND”, published by Archaia Entertainment

BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES - “DAREDEVIL” published by Marvel Comics

BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY - “JIM HENSON’S TALE OF SAND” published by Archaia Entertainment

BEST NEW SERIES - “DAREDEVIL” published by Marvel Comics

BEST WRITER - Mark Waid for “DAREDEVIL” published by Marvel Comics

BEST ARTIST - J. H. Williams for “BATWOMAN” published by DC Comics

BEST CARTOONIST - Kate Beaton for “HARK! A VAGRANT”, harkavagrant.com; printed edition published by Drawn and Quarterly

BEST LETTERER - Chris Eliopoulos for “FEAR ITSELF” published by Marvel Comics

BEST COLORIST - Dave Stewart for “HELLBOY: THE FURY” published by Dark Horse Comics

BEST SYNDICATED STRIP - “CUL DE SAC”, by Richard Thompson, syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate

BEST ONLINE COMICS WORK - “HARK! A VAGRANT”, by Kate Beaton, harkavagrant.com; print edition published by Drawn and Quarterly

BEST AMERICAN EDITION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL - “THE MANARA LIBRARY, VOLUME 1: INDIAN SUMMER AND OTHER STORIES” published by Dark Horse Comics

BEST INKER - Joe Rivera for “DAREDEVIL” published by Marvel Comics

MOST PROMISING NEW TALENT - Sara Pichelli, for “ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN”, published by Marvel Comics

SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS - Kate Beaton for “HARK! A VAGRANT” harkavagrant.com; printed edition published by Drawn and Quarterly

BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC PUBLICATION FOR YOUNGER READERS - “ANYA’S GHOST” published by First Second

BEST ANTHOLOGY - “DARK HORSE PRESENTS” published by Dark Horse Comics

BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT - “WALT SIMONSON’S THE MIGHTY THOR, ARTIST’S EDITION” published by IDW

BEST COVER ARTIST - J. H. WILLIAMS for “BATWOMAN” published by DC Comics

SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION - “WALT SIMONSON’S THE MIGHTY THOR, ARTIST’S EDITION” published by IDW

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL OR JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION – “GENIUS ISOLATED: THE LIFE AND ART OF ALEX TOTH” published by IDW

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED – “THE DEATH RAY” published by Drawn and Quarterly

Review: SLEDGEHAMMER 44 #1

SLEDGEHAMMER 44 #1 (of 2)
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

CREATOR: Mike Mignola
STORY: Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
ART: Jason Latour
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Mike Mignola with Dave Stewart
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (March 2013)

Part 1 of 2

Mike Mignola adds to the vast world of Hellboy with Sledgehammer, a new superhero character he created. Think of Sledgehammer as Mignola’s version, spin, or take on Iron Man. Now, the character appears in a new two-issue, comic book micro-series, entitled Sledgehammer 44. The series is written by Mignola and John Arcudi, drawn by Jason Latour, colored by Dave Stewart, and lettered by Clem Robins, with covers by Mignola.

Sledgehammer 44 #1 opens in August 1944 in D’ebene Chiot, France. An American military patrol prepares to take a German armory there, but the Americans are really just support troops. The military is about to launch “Project Epimetheus.” This is Sledgehammer, a man in a suit of iron armor, and he’s ready to fight his way through an army of Nazis and take on their massive war machine.

Call it the Hellboy-verse or the Mignola-verse, but by any name, Dark Horse Comics’ line of Mike Mignola-produced comic books is simply wonderful. In the first issue of Sledgehammer 44, Mignola and Arcudi have produced a cleanly written, straightforward story. Its mix of World War II combat, science fiction, fantastic armor, and menacing robots seems natural. Having supernatural machines battle it out in a French village in 1944 does not seem odd, as if that makes sense in the context of a real world WWII.

The stars of Sledgehammer 44’s creative team are artist Jason Latour and colorist Dave Stewart. Latour produces page after page of eye-poppy graphics, and compositionally, Latour opens up the story in big panels that capture the massiveness and power of Sledgehammer in battle. Stewart, whom I consider to be on the shortlist of truly great modern comic book colorists, makes the art crackle with energy and surge with an electric charge.

Honestly, at just two-issues in length, Sledgehammer 44 should be a one-shot instead of two issues. Latour and Stewart’s art is so robust, however, that the ending of the first issue is a break your eyes and mind will need.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Vampire Knight: Underground Tablets

I read Vampire Knight, Vol. 16

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

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