TORONTO (March 7, 2005) – The nominees have been announced for Canada’s new national award recognizing outstanding achievement in the creation of comic books: the SHUSTER, named after pioneering Toronto-born artist Joe Shuster who, along with writer Jerry Siegel, created the iconic super-powered hero, Superman.
Canadians can vote for their favourite Comic Book writer, artist, cartoonist (writer/artist), publisher and/or achievement starting Wednesday, March 2nd. Nominees were selected by the Shuster Awards Nominating Committee, which consisted of five individuals from across Canada. Results will be announced and awards will be presented at a special ceremony starting at 4:30 PM on April 30, 2005, at the Paradise Comics Toronto Comicon, which will be held at the National Trade Centre, Exhibition Place, in Toronto, Canada. Plans call for future ceremonies to be held at other major comic conventions across Canada.
From coast to coast, Canada is home to many of the comic book industry’s top talents. The SHUSTERs are a way of recognizing and celebrating the achievements of Canadian creators – past, present and future.
Voting Available by Mail-In Ballot – Ballots will arrive on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 at all Canadian Comic Book shops with a Diamond Account or by online vote at www.torontocomicon.com
Deadline for submitting a vote is Saturday, April 9, 2005.
Voters will be asked to provide their name and address for verification purposes only. Only one vote is allowed per person. Voting is open only to Canadian fans. If you are a Canadian currently residing abroad please e-mail your choices in writing to shusterawards@yahoo.ca along with some details about where you came from (in Canada, before you moved) and where you are currently residing.
The SHUSTER Awards – Nominees for the 2004 awards include:
Outstanding Canadian Achievement
Chester Brown, Louis Riel, A Comic Strip Biography HC, for bringing attention to Canadian history and raising awareness of the cultural significance of the graphic novel.
Suley Fattah, cancer survivor, whose Drawing the Line Comic Book Anthology, has raised over $10,000 for cancer research in Ontario to date.
Little Sister’s Book Store in Vancouver, B.C. – battling censorship by Canada Customs, who have prevented the importation of adult comic books.
Dave Sim and Gerhard, for completing Cerebus’ 300-issue run, the longest running creator-owned-and-published comic book in North America.
Word on the Street Festivals (Vancouver, Calgary, Kitchener, Toronto, Halifax) for raising awareness of comic books and graphic novels in their event programming in many of the cities that participate in the fall street festival.
Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Writer
Sara ‘Samm’ Barnes, Doctor Spectrum (Marvel / MAX)
Ian Boothby, Simpsons Comics (Bongo)
Darwyn Cooke, “Date Night” from Solo #1: Tim Sale (DC Comics)
Ty Templeton, Batman Adventures (DC Comics)
J. Torres, Love As A Foreign Language (Oni Press)
J. Torres, Teen Titans Go! (DC Comics)
Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Artist
Kaare Andrews, Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Year One (Marvel)
David Finch, Avengers/New Avengers (Marvel)
Pia Guerra, Y – The Last Man (DC/Vertigo)
Tom Grummett, Teen Titans (DC Comics)
Stuart Immonen, Superman: Secret Identity (DC Comics)
Cary Nord, Conan (Dark Horse)
Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist
Darwyn Cooke, DC: The New Frontier (DC Comics)
Kagan McLeod, Infinite Kung Fu (Great Lakes Ninja Brotherhood)
Bryan Lee O’Malley, Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life (Oni Press)
Seth, Palookaville (Drawn & Quarterly)
Dave Sim, Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim)
Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Publisher
Aardvark-Vanaheim– Cerebus
Arcana Studio – Ant, Kade, Ezra, 100 Girls and more!
Drawn & Quarterly – Palookaville, Dogs and Water, Babel and more!
Dreamwave – Transformers titles, Devil May Cry
I BOX Publishing – Thieves and Kings
Contact information
THE CANADIAN COMIC BOOK CREATOR AWARDS / THE SHUSTERS:
James Waley, chief coordinator: jnw_pique@hotmail.com
Kevin Boyd, associate coordinator: kevin@torontocomicon.com
More information also can be found at www.torontocomicon.com, which is the current location of the SHUSTER Awards website.
