DECEMBER 14, 2021 — It has been a challenging year, and while this announcement once again comes a little later in the year than usual,  the Canadian Comic Book Awards Association is proud to present the first batch (of 3) nominees for the 17th Annual Joe Shuster Awards and related honours for work published in 2020.

Canada has a rich tradition of supporting our national arts communities with awards that recognize the achievements of our citizens in books, music, stage, television and film – the JOE SHUSTER AWARDS (including the associated Gene Day, Harry Kremer, TM Maple, Dragon and Hall of Fame Awards) are Canada’s national awards program that honour and raise the awareness of Canadians that create, self-publish and sell comic books, digital comics and graphic novels.

Canadian creators have mostly functioned within the American and Franco-Belgian comic-book industry and traditions, which is why we do not restrict nominations to just domestic publications.

Qualifying publications for the awards had to be published and distributed professionally during the previous calendar year (January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020) and are selected by our nominating committee.

Qualifying publications for the Gene Day Awards had to be published in 2020.

The award winners will be chosen by a jury vote to ensure every nominee is given adequate consideration and the winners will be announced online to maintain social distancing procedures.

THE JOE SHUSTER AWARDS

Established in 2004, The Joe Shuster Awards are Canada’s national award recognizing outstanding achievement in the creation of comic books, graphic novels, webcomics and digital comics.

The awards are named after pioneering Toronto-born artist Joe Shuster who, along with writer Jerry Siegel, created the iconic super-powered hero, Superman. The name is used with the approval of the Estate of Joe Shuster – Michael Catron, Estate Agent.

….and the nominees are:

ARTIST

• Jamal Campbell – Far Sector (DC Comics)
• Jeik Dion – Aliss (Alire/Front Froid)
• Jason Fabok – Batman: Three Jokers (DC Comics)
• Keet Geniza – Kimiko Does Cancer: A Graphic Memoir (Arsenal Pulp)
• Scott B. Henderson with Donovan Yaciuk (colours) – The Reckoner Rises Book 1: Breakdown, A Girl Called Echo Vol. 3: Northwest Rebellion (HighWater Press)
• Denis Rodier – La Bombe (Glenat)
• Julie Rocheleau – Traverser l’autoroute (La Pastèque)
• Ty Templeton – Batman: The Adventures Continue (DC Comics)

Writer

• Sophie Bienvenu – Traverser l’autoroute (La Pastèque)
• Jeff Lemire – Ascender, Family Tree, Gideon Falls (Image Comics), Colonel Weird: Cosmagog, Skulldigger and Skeleton Boy (Dark Horse), Immortal Hulk: The Threshing Place (Marvel Comics), The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage, The Joker: Killer Smile (DC Comics)
• Jed Mackay – Black Cat, Spider-Verse, Taskmaster (Marvel Comics)
• Patrick Senécal – Aliss (Alire/Front Froid)
• Tasha Spillett – Surviving the City Vol. 2: From the Roots Up (HighWater Press)
• Kimiko Tobumatsu – Kimiko Does Cancer: A Graphic Memoir (Arsenal Pulp)
• Chip Zdarsky – Daredevil, X-Men/Fantastic Four, Doom 2099 Vol. 2, Incoming, Lords of Empyre: Emperor Hulkling (Marvel Comics), Stillwater (Image Comics), Dark Knights Death Metal Guidebook, Detective Comics 1027 (DC Comics)

Cartoonist

• Kaare Andrews – E-Ratic (AWA)
• Sweeney Boo – Eat, and Love Yourself (Boom! Studios)
• Scott Chantler – Bix (Simon and Schuster)
• Michael DeForge – Familiar Face (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Mélanie Leclerc – Temps Libre (Mecanique Generale)
• Mirion Malle – C’est comme ça que je disparais (Pow Pow) / This is How I Disappear (Drawn & Quarterly – translated in 2021)
• Michel Rabagliati – Paul à la maison (La Pastèque) / Paul at Home (Drawn & Quarterly)
• Mireille St-Pierre – La Brume (Front Froid)