The 2017 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Letterer

As 2017 draws to a close it’s time to reflect on a year filled with great entertainment and [...]

As 2017 draws to a close it's time to reflect on a year filled with great entertainment and recall what stood out and what will stay with us. This year everyone on the ComicBook.com team came together to nominate our favorite creators and creations in the worlds of comics, television, movies, and anime, then voted on five finalists in every category. The results are in, and they reflect some outstanding talent and a truly great year for pop culture.

This award is for the best letterer in comics. Lettering is an artform that's often overlooked by fans and critics alike, but it could not be more critical to the storytelling within comics. Great lettering can be imperceptible, but even minor mistakes can become big distractions from the story. Letterers must carefully place and distribute text to guide readers through a story, as well as craft the fonts and sizes that best relate the tone and volume of the story itself. It's only through the work of great lettering that we can "hear" the comics we are reading.

And the winner of Best Letterer is…

CB-Winner-Golden-Issue-Winner-Comics-Best-Letterer

Janice Chiang!

Chiang's work is featured in a variety of stories for good reason. Whether she's approaching the all ages audience of DC Superhero Girls or the more mature readers of John Carpenter's Tales of Science Fiction, Chiang tailors her work to the story at hand. There's an understanding of what the audience needs and expects, and her work on each title published in 2017 was nothing short of exemplary.

It's an award well earned in a field filled with talented letterers. Whether it's the consistent excellence of Joe Caramagna at Marvel Comics or Clayton Cowles diverse work at all of the biggest direct market publishers, the competition was fierce. Chiang earned her spot as the top letterer of 2017 though, and we hope both she and her peers receive further attention and accolades in 2018.

Be sure to come back and check out the rest of the winners as they are announced throughout the week, then share your own favorite picks from 2017 across social media.

List of Nominees:

  • Janice Chiang [WINNER]
  • Joe Caramagna
  • Clayton Clowes
  • Chris Eliopoulos
  • Marilyn Patrizio
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