AWARD JOE SHUSTER

JOE SHUSTER CANADIAN COMIC BOOK CREATOR AWARDS

These awards (sometimes referred to as the “Shusters” or the “JSAs”) were given for achievement in the creation of graphic periodicals, books and webcomics by Canadians. They were initiated in 2005 by the Canadian Comic Book Creator Awards Association – James Waley, Kevin A. Boyd, Tyrone Biljan and Dave Darrigo. They were  named in honour of Joe Shuster (1914-1992), the Canadian-born co-creator of “Superman”.

The nominees were selected by 3 committees. The first was made up of industry journalists and fans from across Canada. It selected five (sometimes six) nominees for each category: outstanding achievement, cartoonist, illustrator, writer, colourist, cover illustrator and web comic artist or team. Other categories were added later. These nominees were placed on ballots and the winners were selected by voters who were Canadian citizens or residents. The Harry Kremer Award for Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Retailer was given to a recipient selected by a second committee composed of journalists, publishers, and creators. They made their selection from nominees chosen by store staffs, customers and professionals. The third committee consisting of Canadian cartooning historians selected inductees to the “Hall of Fame”.

From 2005-7, the awards were presented on the same weekend as the Paradise Comics Toronto Comicon. In 2008, the awards were not presented in conjunction with a comic book convention but on the same weekend as Book Expo Canada. In a letter 13, December 2007, Dave Darrigo gave some background for the change.

“By the way, I just talked to Jim [Waley] … and he says the Shusters are not going to be aligned to any convention now. Their new home may be at the library at Spadina/College that holds the Toronto pulp and paperback shows. But not in conjunction with that show.”

On Saturday 26 September 2009, the Awards were held in Toronto at the same time as but not in conjunction with an art gallery show celebrating the 35th anniversary of the publication of Incredible Hulk 181 and the first appearance of Marvel’s Canadian superhero “Wolverine”. Instead on the following day they occupied a booth at Toronto’s Word on the Street Festival. For this event four awards were on hiatus: “Outstanding Achievement Related To Canadian Comics”, Favourite Canadian Creator – English”’ Favourite Canadian Creator – French”, and “Favourite International Creator”.

They continued in a rather ad hoc fashion.

The Joe Shuster Awards were founded the same year as the more durable Doug Wright Awards. There is no connection between the two. One can say that the JSA’s are mainstream industry biased and the Wrights are more focused on independent authors and publishers.

CATEGORIES & WINNERS

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT:

2005: Dave Sim & Gerhard for completing in 2004, the 300 issue Cerebus the Aardvark, begun in 1977. It holds the title as the longest running creator owned graphic periodical series.

2006: No award given.

2007: No award given.

2008: David Watkins for using comic books as a teaching tool.

2009: No award given.

OUTSTANDING CARTOONIST:

2005: Darwyn Cooke for DC: The New Frontier, DC Comics.

2006: Bryan Lee O’Malley for Scott Pilgrim, v.2, Oni Press.

2007: Darwyn Cooke for The Spirit v. 1, DC Comics.

2008: Jeff Lemire for Essex County v. 1 & 2, Top Shelf.

OUTSTANDING ILLUSTRATOR:

2005: Kaare Andrews for Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Year One, Marvel Comics.

2006: Pia Guerra for Y: The Last Man, DC Comics/Vertigo. Story in Spider Man Unlimited 10, Marvel.

2007: Darwyn Cooke & J. Bone for Batman/The Spirit 1, DC Comics.

2008: Dale Eaglesham for Justice Society of America 2-4, 6-7, 9-11, DC Comics.

OUTSTANDING WRITER:

2005: Samm Barnes for Doctor Spectrum, Marvel Comics and Ty Templeton for The Batman  Adventures, DC Comics.

2006: J. Torres for Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight and Teen Titans Go! DC Comics plus Love As A Foreign Language, Oni Press.

2007: Darwyn Cooke for Superman Confidential, 1-2, DC Comics.

2008: Cecil Castellucci for The P.L.A.I.N. Janes, DC Comics/Minx.

 

OUTSTANDING COLOURIST:

2008: Dave McCaig for a variety of titles for DC Comics, Marvel Comics and Oni Press.

OUTSTANDING COVER ILLUSTRATOR:

2008: Steve Skroce for Doc Frankenstein 6, Burleyman.

 

OUTSTANDING WEBCOMIC CREATOR/CREATIVE TEAM:

2007: Dan Kim for April & May & June, Kanami & Penny Tribute.

2008: Ryan Sohmer & Lar de Souza for Looking For Group & Least I Could Do.

OUTSTANDING PUBLISHER:

2005: Arcana

2006: Drawn & Quarterly.

2007: Drawn & Quarterly.

2008: Drawn & Quarterly.

GENE DAY AWARD FOR SELF-PUBLISHING:

Named after the remarkable artist/publisher Gene Day, this award honoured creators who self-published their work in the previous year. The award included a $500 bursary. To qualify one had to be a Canadian citizen or resident, write and illustrate their own work (included teams), then published and sold it independent of any publishing company or third-party distributer. The work must be new and not reprinted from other sources such as webcomics.

HARRY KREMER AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CANADIAN COMIC BOOK RETAILER:

2005: Harry Kremer, Now & Then Books Kitchener Ontario.

2006: Calum Johnston, Strange Adventures, Halifax Nova Scotia.

2007: Jay Bardyla & Shawna Roe, Happy Harbour, Edmonton, Alberta.

2008: Walter Durajlija & Marc Sims, Big B Comics, Hamilton, Ontario.

INTERNATIONAL VOTER’S CHOICE – FAVOURITE CANADIAN CREATOR- ENGLISH:

This category was added in 2007. It was open to all voters regardless of country.

2007 Dan Kim for April & May & June, Kanami & Penny Tribute.

2008: Faith Erin Hicks for Zombies Calling.

2009: No award given.

INTERNATIONAL VOTER’S CHOICE – FAVOURITE CANADIAN CREATOR- FRENCH:

This category was added in 2007. It was open to all voters regardless of country.

2007: Michel Rabagliati for Paul à la pêche, Les Éditions de la Pastèque.

2008: Philippe Girard for Danger Public, Les Éditions de la Pastèque.

2009: No award given.

INTERNATIONAL VOTER’S CHOICE – OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL CREATOR:

2006: Brian K. Vaughan for Marvel and DC Comics/Vertigo titles.

2007: Brian K. Vaughan for Marvel and DC Comics/Vertigo titles.

2008: Ed Brubaker for Marvel titles.

2009: No award given.

COMICS FOR KIDS:

Works considered for this award were graphic periodicals and books by Canadian creators targeted at readers fourteen years and younger.

HALL OF FAME:

Year selected.

2005:

Joe Shuster (1914-1992)

Leo Bachle (1926-2003)

Adrian Dingle (1911-1974)

Hal Foster (1892-1982)

Ed Furness (1911-2005)

Rand Holmes (1942-2002)

2006:

Jon St Ables (1912-1999)

Owen McCarron (1929-2005)

Wm. Mortimer (1919-1998)

Dave Sim (1956- )

2007:

Albert Chartier (1912-2004)

Gerald Lazare (1927-2021)

Jacques Hurtubise (1950-2015)

Gene Day (1951-1982)

2008:

Ted McCall (1901-1975)

Pierre Fournier (1949- )

Stanley Berneche (1947- )

John Byrne (1950- )

2009:

George M. Rae (1906-1992)

Réal Godbout (1951- )

Ken Steacy (1955- )

Diana Schultz (1955- )

SOURCE:

Correspondence:

Dave Darrigo letter Dec.13, 2007.