Image Comics’ ‘Saga’ Tops Harvey Awards

Image Comics titles Saga and Sex Criminals — as well as graphic novels about former Beatles manager Brian Epstein and a collection of Marvel Comics’ 1970s foray into undergrounds — were top honorees at the 2014 Harvey Awards, presented Saturday at the Baltimore Comic-Con.

Saga, a sci-fi saga created by writer Brian K. Vaughn and artists Fiona Staples, won four awards: Best Cover Artist and Best Artist for Staples, Best Writer for Vaughn, and Best Limited or Continuing Series.

Sex Criminals, by writer Matt Fraction and artist Chip Zdarsky, won Best New Series and Most Promising New Talent for Zdarsky.

Dark Horse Comics’ The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story won Best Original Graphic Album and Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation. The graphic novel is by Vivek J. Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson and Kyle Baker.

And winning awards for Best Domestic Reprint Project and a special award for Excellence in Presentation is Best of Comix Book: When Marvel Comics Went Underground, published by Kitchen Sink Books and Dark Horse Comics.

Named in honor of Harvey Kurtzman, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding achievement in the field of comics, and is the only industry award both nominated and selected by comic professionals. First awarded in 1988, it is one the industries oldest and most respected awards.

Writer and Executive Producer Michael Uslan, best know as the man behind the Batman series of movies, acted as host and master of ceremonies for this year’s event.

The full list of winners follows:

• Best Letterer: Terry Moore, Rachel Rising, Abstract Studios
• Best Colorist: Dave Stewart, Hellboy: The Midnight Circus, Dark Horse Comics
• Best Syndicated Strip or Panel: Dick Tracy, Joe Staton and Mike Curtis, Tribune Media Services
• Best Online Comics Work: Battlepug, Mike Norton, http://www.battlepug.com/
• Best American Edition of Foreign Material: Attack on Titan, Kodansha
• Best Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger, All-New X-Men, Marvel Comics
• Best New Series: Sex Criminals, Image Comics
• Most Promising New Talent: Chip Zdarsky, Sex Criminals, Image Comics
• Special Award for Humor in Comics: Ryan North, Adventure Time, KaBOOM! Studios
• Best Original Graphic Publication for Younger Readers: Adventure Time, KaBOOM! Studios
• Best Graphic Album Previously Published: Mouse Guard, Vol. 3: The Black Axe, BOOM! Studios/Archaia
• Best Anthology: Dark Horse Presents, Dark Horse
• Best Domestic Reprint Project: Best of Comix Book: When Marvel Comics Went Underground, Kitchen Sink Books/Dark Horse Comics
• Best Cover Artist: Fiona Staples, Saga, Image Comics
• Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation: The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story, Vivek J. Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson, and Kyle Baker, Dark Horse Comics
• Special Award for Excellence in Presentation: Best of Comix Book: When Marvel Comics Went Underground, John Lind, Kitchen Sink Books/Dark Horse Comics
• Best Original Graphic Album: The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story, Dark Horse Comics
• Best Continuing or Limited Series: Saga, Image Comics
• Best Writer: Brian K. Vaughan, Saga, Image Comics
• Best Artist: Fiona Staples, Saga, Image Comics
• Best Cartoonist: Paul Pope, Battling Boy, First Second
• Best Single Issue or Story: “Pizza is my Business,” Hawkeye #11, Marvel Comics
• Harvey Kurtzman Hall of Fame Award: Charles M. Schulz
• Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award: Stan Goldberg
• Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award: Herb Trimpe

Saga