Welcome to the 2019 Golden Issue Awards, an annual occasion in which the many writers at ComicBook.com gather to reflect upon the best comic books (and related media) of the prior year and vote to select the best of the best for recognition.
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For this section of the awards, we are focused entirely on the medium of comics in 10 categories highlighting specific publications and creative positions.
2019 was an outstanding year for comics and the diversity of our nominees in each category reflect that excellence. The “big two” publishers offered up a variety of series that went above and beyond the standards for capes comics, while many smaller publishers delivered both enthralling new concepts and reinvigorated forms of modern classics.
It was a similar case for creators. Relative newcomers rose to stand side-by-side with living legends delivering some of their career’s best work. Taken altogether, it makes for a very impressive collection of talent.
The staff of ComicBook.com considered a wide array of comics, both from the direct market and bookshelves, in order to develop lists of notable nominees all listed in the slides to follow. Take a look to see who made the cut for our 2019 Golden Issue nominations!
Best Ongoing Series
The direct market is defined by its legendary and sprawling series that are told over many years, often decades, by a variety of creators. They are the lifeblood of the industry and the continued excellence of an ongoing narrative reveals something worthy of celebration. These series represented the best in serialized comics storytelling in 2019.
The nominees are:
- Criminal (Image Comics)
- Giant Days (Boom Studios)
- The Immortal Hulk (Marvel Comics)
- Runaways (Marvel Comics)
- Usagi Yojimbo (IDW Publishing)
Best New Series
As some series conclude and others fade away, there’s always a call for a new generation of ideas and relaunches. Each of these provided a #1 issue in 2019, but promise years of adventure and excitement to come. These series provided the best, fresh starts for readers of all stripes.
The nominees are:
- Ascender (Image Comics)
- Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
- DIE (Image Comics)
- Invisible Kingdom (Dark Horse Comics)
- Once & Future (Boom Studios)
Best Original Volume
Beyond the monthly publication cycle of the direct market, there’s an abundance of original graphic novels and other volumes providing a complete story (or collection of stories) for readers to enjoy without ever needing to wonder what comes next. These comics were some of the absolute best standalone entries for the comics canon in 2019.
The nominees are:
- Are You Listening? (First Second)
- The Hard Tomorrow (Drawn & Quarterly)
- Harley Quinn: Broken Glass (DC Comics)
- Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me (First Second)
- Nancy: A Comic Collection (Andrews McMeel Publishing)
Best Limited Series
Direct market publishers have increasingly recognized the value of a story (and series) with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Series with a set number of issues and consistent creative team have become a much larger part of the market, and the incredible limited series offerings from 2019 reveal exactly why that is.
The nominees are:
- Assassin Nation (Image Comics)
- House of X/Powers of X (Marvel Comics)
- Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt (Dynamite Entertainment)
- Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen (DC Comics)
- The White Trees (Image Comics)
Best Cover Artist
Novels may begin on page one, but comics start at the cover. A cover artist is tasked with both grabbing a reader’s attention and providing a compelling snapshot of what is inside. Our nominees for best cover artist crafted enthralling compositions across a variety of issues, and telling a story that’s every bit as memorable as what’s inside.
The nominees are:
- Jen Bartel (Blackbird)
- Nick Derington (Batman: Universe)
- Stephanie Hans (DIE)
- Javier Rodriguez (History of the Marvel Universe)
- Alex Ross (Immortal Hulk)
Best Writer
Comics are ultimately a visual medium, but collaborative efforts often begin with the concepts and story found in a script. Writers carefully consider dozens of ideas, including character, pacing, and plot, before entrusting their scripts to similarly talented artists, colorists, and others. These nominees all displayed a special appreciation and skill for the role of writing in comics.
The nominees are:
- Ezra Clayton Daniels (BTTM FDRS)
- Al Ewing (The Immortal Hulk)
- Kieron Gillen (Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt)
- Mariko Tamaki (Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me)
- Chip Zdarsky (The White Trees)
Best Artist
Without an artist, there can be no comic book. They provide the emotion of the characters, the reality of the world, and everything that falls between. Both the aesthetic and storytelling are reliant upon their skill and decisions, marking this as the most complex role in a collaborative arrangement. With that in mind, we found this year’s nominees to be true exemplars of what it means to be a comic book artist.
The nominees are:
- Kris Anka (The White Trees)
- Ian Bertram (Little Bird)
- Rafael Grampa (The Golden Child)
- Steve Lieber (Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen)
- Emma Rios (Pretty Deadly: The Rat)
Best Colorist
The work of a colorist is often much more nuanced and subtle than that which they are coloring. All of their essential choices, including palette selection and lighting, should blend effortlessly with the existing work on the page, enhancing the existing story and transforming it into an even more brilliant display than what is seen in black and white.
The nominees are:
- Jordie Bellaire (Pretty Deadly: The Rat)
- Tamra Bonvillain (Doom Patrol: Weight of the Worlds)
- Jacob Phillips (Criminal)
- Dave Stewart (Gideon Falls)
- Matt Wilson (The Wicked + The Divine)
Best Letterer
If the work of a colorist is subtle, then a new word must be invented for the work of a letterer. Their word balloons, narrative captions, and sound effects all serve to enhance the story and guide the reader’s eye through a page, but should never draw undue attention to themselves. While readers may rarely consider the choice of font or placement of a bubble, these are key decisions and, when done well, can elevate a comic book to the sublime.
The nominees are:
- Aditya Bidikar (Little Bird)
- Simon Bowland (The Dreaming)
- Clayton Cowles (DIE)
- Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt)
- John Workman (The Golden Child)
Best Cartoonist
While many direct market comics are crafted by teams of distinct writers, artists, colorists, and letterers, many comics are still crafted by a single talented individual dubbed simply: Cartoonist. These nominees represent the artists who control, at the very least, both the words and art on a comics’ page, marking them as true auteurs of the medium.
The nominees are:
- Eleanor Davis (The Hard Tomorrow)
- Michel Fiffe (COPRA)
- Olivia Jaimes (Nancy)
- Daniel Warren Johnson (Wonder Woman: Dead Earth)
- Tillie Walden (Are You Listening?)
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Credit: Marvel Comics
