The UK Comic Art Award was a series of British awards for achievement in comic books. Winners were selected by an open vote among British comic book professionals (creators, editors, and retailers); the awards were given out on an annual basis from 1990 to 1997 for comics published in the United Kingdom the previous year. Award presentations were generally held at the Glasgow Comic Art Convention, usually in the spring.
The UK Comic Art Award took the place of the Eagle Award, a fan-voted award which had petered out by the end of the 1980s. The National Comics Awards took over for the UK Comic Art Award in 1997 (the National Comic Awards were themselves replaced by the rejuvenated Eagle Awards in the 2000s).
History The Awards were founded in 1990 by Rusty Staples (Frank Plowright, Hassan Yussuf, and Richard Barker),Hansom, Dick. "Conventional Wisdom", Speakeasy #95 (Feb. 1989), pp. 40, 42, 44. the company responsible for organizing the United Kingdom Comic Art Convention (UKCAC). The awards were generally sponsored by Penguin Books UK.
The 1991 awards presentation was held at the Glasgow Comic Art Convention (GlasCAC) in late March."British Awards Announced", The Comics Journal #142 (June 1991), p. 17. The 1993 awards presentation was again held in March at GlasCAC, Glasgow City Halls.ER. "International Miscellanea: 1993 UK Comic Art Awards", The Comics Journal #161 (August 1993), p. 40. The fifth annual UK Comic Art Awards were presented at GlasCAC on Sunday, March 20, 1994.MT. "Newswatch: 5th UK Comic Art Awards", The Comics Journal #168 (May 1994), p. 44. The 1997 awards were presented at the UKCAC, at the UCL Institute of Education, London, on Sunday, March 16."UK Comic Art Awards Announced", The Comics Journal #195 (Apr. 1997), p. 25.
Awards Winners listed by year; for some categories, other nominees are listed after the winner.
Best Writer 1990: Grant MorrisonThis and all other 1990 awards listed in MCH. "Newswatch: Arkham Leads British Awards", The Comics Journal #137 (Sept. 1990), p. 17. 1991: Peter Milligan 1992:This and all other 1992 awards listed in "Newswatch: UK Awards Named", The Comics Journal #149 (March 1992), p. 22. John Wagner 1993: Peter David Jamie Delano Peter Milligan 1994: Peter Milligan (Shade, the Changing Man, Enigma, The Extremist) 1997: Garth Ennis (Hitman, Preacher, Saint of Killers) Grant Morrison Alan Moore
Best Artist 1990: Simon Bisley 1991: John Higgins 1992: Simon Bisley 1993: Colin MacNeil John M. Burns Simon Bisley Sean Phillips 1994: Duncan Fegredo (Enigma, Shade covers) 1997: Steve Dillon (Preacher) Adam Hughes Mike Mignola
Best Ink Artist 1997: Mark Farmer (The Incredible Hulk, Legion of Super-Heroes) Bill Sienkiewicz Mark Buckingham
Best Cover Artist 1997: Glenn Fabry (Preacher) Alex Ross Jason Brashill
Best Writer/Artist 1990: Peter Bagge 1991: Kyle Baker MoebiusMoebius entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 28, 2020. 1992: Frank Miller Peter Bagge Ted McKeever 1993: Frank Miller Peter Bagge Alan Davis 1994: Frank Miller (Sin City, writer on Man Without Fear) 1997: Mike Mignola (Hellboy) David Lapham Daniel Clowes
Best Newcomer 1991: Mark Millar (writer, Saviour and Insiders) 1993: Joe Quesada Chris Halls Travis Charest 1994: Frank Quitely (Shimura, The Missionary Man) 1997: Jim Murray (Judge Dredd) Pop Mahn Andy Pritchett
Best Auxiliary Contributor 1990: Paul GravettGravett entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 28, 2020. 1991: Dave Elliott (editor, A1) 1993: Steve Oliff (colorist) Tim Quinn (editor, Marvel UK) Dave Elliott (publisher, Atomeka Press) 1994: Ellie DeVille (letterer) 1997: Matt Hollingsworth (colorist, Preacher) Joe Chiodo Ellie DeVille
Best Publisher 1990: DC Comics 1991: DC Comics 1993: DC Comics Fleetway Publications Dark Horse Comics 1994: DC Comics
Best Character 1990: Tank Girl (Deadline) 1991: Buddy Bradley (Hate)
Best Original Graphic Novel/One-Shot 1990: Arkham Asylum (Grant Morrison and Dave McKean) 1991: Elektra Lives Again (Frank Miller and Lynn Varley) 1992: Judgment on Gotham (John Wagner, Alan Grant, and Simon Bisley) 1993: Night Cries (Archie Goodwin and Scott Hampton) Tell Me Dark (Karl Edward Wagner, John Ney Rieger, and Kent Williams) Skin (Peter Milligan, Brendan McCarthy, and Carol Swain) 1994: Vendetta in Gotham (John Wagner, Alan Grant, and Cam Kennedy) 1996: Stuck Rubber Baby (Howard Cruse) 1997: The End of the Century Club (Ed Hillyer) Preacher Special (Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon) Suckle (Dave Cooper)
Best Graphic Novel Collection/Best Collection 1990: Ed the Happy ClownBell, John (2006). Invaders from the North: How Canada Conquered the Comic Book Universe. Dundurn Press. , p. 150. (Chester Brown) 1991: The Complete Alec (Eddie Campbell) 1992: Judge Dredd in America (John Wagner and Colin MacNeil) Maus II (Art Spiegelman) Eddy Current (Ted McKeever) 1993: Sin City (Frank Miller) Killing Time (John Smith and Chris Weston) The Sandman: Season of Mists (Neil Gaiman, et al.) 1994: Hugo Tate, O America (Nick Abadzis) 1997: Preacher: Gone to Texas (Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon) Stray Bullets: Innocence of Nihilism (David Lapham) The Invisibles: Say You Want a Revolution (Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell)
Best Translated Graphic Novel 1990: Lea: The Confessions of Julius Antoine (Serge Le Tendre and Christian Rossi) 1991: Blueberry (Jean-Michel Charlier and Jean “Moebius” Giraud) 1992: Heart Throbs (Max Cabanes)
Best Ongoing Publication 1990: Viz 1991: Viz 1992: Judge Dredd Megazine 2000 AD Hate Viz 1993: Judge Dredd Megazine Eightball 2000 AD 1994: Judge Dredd Megazine 1997: Preacher 2000 AD Acme Novelty Library
Best New Publication 1990: Bogey Man 1991: Revolver 1992: Blast! 1993: Archer & Armstrong Red Dwarf (Fleetway) The Heckler Overkill 1994: Man Without Fear (Marvel) 1995: The Tale of One Bad Rat 1997: Kingdom Come Girl Superman Adventures
Biggest Influence on Comics 1990: Batman
Career Achievement Award 1990: Jack Kirby 1991: Steve Ditko 1992: John Wagner 1993: John M. Burns Will Eisner Brian Bolland 1994: Will Eisner 1997: Joe Kubert Robert Crumb Alex Toth
See also Ally Sloper Award Eagle Award National Comics Awards
References