Diamond Comic Distributors has announced the nominees for the 2018 Diamond Gem Awards. The awards, voted on by comic book retailers in the direct market, are planned to be announced mid-January.
The 2018 nominees, as chosen by Diamond staffers are as follows:
Comic Book Publisher of the Year – Over 3%: Image Comics, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and IDW Publishing.
Comic Book Publisher of the Year – Under 3%: BOOM! Studios, Oni Press, Valiant Entertainment, Aftershock Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Lion Forge, and Titan Comics.
Comic Book of the Year – $3.99 or Under: Die!Die!Die! #1 – Image Comics, Heroes In Crisis #1 – DC Comics, Amazing Spider-Man #798 – Marvel Comics, Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion #1 – Dark Horse Comics, Firefly #1 – BOOM! Studios, Rick and Morty #37 cover B Vasquez Var – Oni Press, Red Sonja/Tarzan #1 – Dynamite Entertainment, and Sonic the Hedgehog #1 – IDW Publishing.
Comic Book of the Year – Over $3.99: Barrier #1 (of 5) collectors edition – Image Comics, Action #1000 – DC Comics, Batman #50 – DC Comics, Venom #1 – Marvel Comics, Fantastic Four #1 – Marvel Comics, MMPR Shattered Grid #1 – BOOM! Studios, Xerxes Fall of the House of Darius #1 – Dark Horse Comics, Red Sonja Holiday Special – Dynamite Entertainment, and LOEG: The Tempest #1 – IDW Publishing/Top Shelf.
Licensed Comic of the Year: Aliens: Dust to Dust #1 (of 4) main cover – Dark Horse Comics, Star Wars #50 – Marvel Comics, Stranger Things #1 – Dark Horse Comics, Star Wars: Tales From Vader’s Castle #1 – IDW Publishing, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Anniversary Special #1 – BOOM! Studios, Marvel Action Spider-Man #1 – IDW Publishing, and James Bond The Body #1 – Dynamite Entertainment.
Magazine of the Year: Image + – Image Comics, Mad Magazine – DC Comics, Back Issue – Twomorrows Publishing, Illustration Magazine – Illustration Magazine, Full Bleed – IDW Publishing, and Heavy Metal – Heavy Metal Magazine.
Backlist Publisher of the Year: Image Comics, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, and Dynamite Entertainment.
Original Graphic Novel of the Year: My Hereos Have Always Been Junkies – Image Comics, Thanos Infinity Siblings – Marvel Comics, James Brown: Black and Proud – IDW Publishing/Top Shelf, Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass – BOOM! Studios, Neil Gaiman’s A Study in Emerald – Dark Horse Comics, The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins – First Second Books, Ghost in the Shell: Global Neural Network HC PX Ed – Kodansha Comics, Sheets – Lion Forge, Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand Volume 2 – Dynamite Entertainment, and Green Lantern: Earth One Volume 1 – DC Comics.
Reprint Trade Paperback or Hardcover of the Year: Unnatural Volume 1 – Image Comics, Action Comics 80 Years of Superman – DC Comics, Batman White Knight – DC Comics, Jimmy’s Bastards Volume 1 – Aftershock Comics, X-Men Grand Design – Marvel Comics, Venom by Donny Cates Volume 1 – Marvel Comics, Divinity The Complete Trilogy Deluxe Edition – Valiant Entertainment, Rick and Morty Pocket Like You Stole It – Oni Press, Lumberjanes Volume 8 – BOOM! Studios, Bram Stoker’s Dracula – IDW Publishing, Hellboy Omnibus Volume 1: Seed of Destruction – Dark Horse Comics, and Motor Girl Omnibus – Abstract Studio.
Licensed Trade Paperback or Hardcover of the Year: Star Wars Darth Vader Dark Lord Sith Volume 2: Legacy’s End – Marvel Comics, The Beatles Yellow Submarine – Titan Comics, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Volume 3 – Viz Media, Disney Manga The Nightmare Before Christmas: Zero’s Journey Volume 1 – Tokyopop, Iron Maiden Legacy of the Beast – Heavy Metal, Saban’s Power Rangers Soul of the Dragon – BOOM! Studios, Aliens Dead Orbit – Dark Horse Comics, James Bond Casino Royale – Dynamite Entertainment, Transformers Bumblebee: Win If You Dare – IDW Publishing, and Rick and Morty Pocket Like You Stole It – Oni Press.
Manga Trade Paperback of the Year: Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs Volume 1 – Seven Seas/Ghost Ship, My Hero Academia Volume 13 – Viz Media, Star Wars Lost Stars Volume 1 – Yen Press, Dementia 21 – Fantagraphics Books, Mob Psycho 100 Volume 1 – Dark Horse Comics, Attack on Titan Volume 24 – Kodansha Comics, and Captain Harlock Classic Collection Volume 1 – Seven Seas Entertainment.
Manga Publisher of the Year: Seven Seas/Ghost Ship, Viz Media, Tokyopop, Yen Press, Dark Horse Comics, Kodansha Comics, and Seven Seas Entertainment.
Anthology of the Year: Where We Live: A Benefit for the Survivors in Las Vegas – Image Comics, Thanos Legacy #1 – Marvel Comics, Frankenstein Junji Ito Story Collection – Viz Media, Lumberjanes Bonus Tracks – BOOM! Studios, Now #3 – Fantagraphics Books, Anthony Bourdain’s Hungry Ghosts – Dark Horse Comics, Aftershock Shock Volume 1 – Aftershock Comics, Black Crown Omnibus Volume 1 – IDW Publishing, and Puerto Rico Strong – Lion Forge.
Indie Graphic Novel of the Year: Bingo Love – Image Comics, Berlin The Complete Edition – Drawn + Quarterly, A Quick and Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns – Oni Press, Poochytown – Fantagraphics Books, and Your Black Friend and Other Strangers – Silver Sprocket.
Trade Book of the Year: Fantastic Four: Behold Galactus – Marvel Comics, Bill Sienkiewicz Mutants and Moon Knights and Assassins Artifact Edition – IDW Publishing, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth Shortcuts – BOOM! Studios, Pokemon Seek and Find Pikachu – Viz Media, The Life and Legend of Wallace Wood Volume 2 – Fantagraphics Books, The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia – Dark Horse Comics, Marvelocity: The Marvel Art of Alex Ross – Pantheon Books, The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Volume 48 – Gemstone Publishing, and Batman Secrets Sam Kieth Gallery Edition – DC Comics.
Game Manufacturer of the Year: IDW Games, Paizo Publishing, and WizKids/NECA.
Game Product of the Year: Marvel Heroclix: Avengers Infinity War Colossal Booster Brick – WizKids/NECA, Batman: The Animated Series Gotham Under Siege – IDW Games, My Hero Academia: The Card Game – Shinobi 7, and Pathfinder Playtest Rulebook – Paizo Publishing.
Toy Manufacturer of the Year: Dark Horse Comics, DC Collectibles, Diamond Select Toys, Good Smile Company, Beast Kingdom, Mezco Toys, and Funko.
Toy Product of the Year: Batman: The Animated Series Batman Expressions Pack – DC Collectibles, DC Essentials Batman Action Figure – DC Collectibles, Iron Giant Diecast 1/12 Scale Action Figure – 1000 Toys, Avengers Legends Gear Infinity Gauntlet – Hasbro Toy Group, Marvel Select Thor: Ragnarok Gladiator Hulk Action Figure – Diamond Select Toys, and POP! Rick and Morty Pickle Rick No Limbs PX Vinyl Figure – Funko.
Toy Line of the Year: DC Essentials, DC Artist Alley, One:12 Collective, Funko POP, Marvel Gallery, and Nendoroid.
Collectible Statue of the Year: Batman Black and White The Batman Who Laughs Statue – DC Collectibles, DC Core: Batman PVC Statue – DC Collectibles, Marvel Gallery Avengers 3 Thanos PVC Figure – DC Collectibles, Lady Death La Muerta Statue – CS Moore Studio, Marvel Animated Style Spider-Man and Mary Jane Statue – Gentle Giant Studios, Overwatch Mercy 12 Inch Statue – ThreeZero, and DC Supergirl Returns Bishoujo Statue – Kotobukiya.
Best FCBD 2018 Book: Barrier – Image Comics, Avengers Captain America – Marvel Comics, Disney Princess Ariel Spotlight – Joe Books, BOOM! Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Special: Shattered Grid – BOOM! Studios, Invader Zim Floopsy Bloops Shmoopsy – Oni Press, Dark Horse Overwatch and Black Hammer – Dark Horse Comics, Riverdale – Archie Comics, Comics Friends Forever – First Second Books, Transformers Unicron #0 – IDW Publishing, Doctor Who #0 – Titan Comics, Pokemon Sun and Moon and Horizon – Viz Media, and DC Comics DC Super Hero Girls #1 – DC Comics.
Best All Ages Series: Bully Wars – Image Comics, DC Super Hero Girls – DC Comics, Marvel Super Hero Adventures – Marvel Comics, Steven Universe – BOOM! Studios, Invader Zim – Oni Press, Nightmare Before Christmas: Zero’s Journey – Tokyopop, Plants VS Zombies – Dark Horse Comics, and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic – IDW Publishing.
Best All Ages Original/Reprint Graphic Novel: Moonstruck Volume 1 – Image Comics, Venom Adventures Digest – Marvel Comics, Sci-Fu Graphic Novel – Oni Press, Steven Universe Volume 2: Punching Up – BOOM! Studios, Walt Disney’s Donald Duck Volume 11: Lost Peg Leg Mine – Fantagraphics Books, Goosebumps: Monsters at Midnight – IDW Publishing, Disney/Pixar’s Incredibles 2: Heroes at Home – Dark Horse Comics, and DC Super Hero Girls: Date With Disaster – DC Comics.
Best New Comic Book Series: Gideon Falls – Image Comics, Green Lantern – DC Comics, Catwoman – DC Comics, Immortal Hulk – Marvel Comics, Cosmic Ghost Rider – Marvel Comics, Rick and Morty Presents – Oni Press, Firefly – BOOM! Studios, Elvira Mistress of the Dark – Dynamite Entertainment, She Could Fly – Dark Horse Comics, and Marvel Action Spider-Man – IDW Publishing/Marvel Comics.
