FORMATION OF THE SHUSTERS, CANADIAN COMIC BOOK AWARDS ANNOUNCED

[MattBrady]

Press Release

1st Annual CANADIAN COMIC BOOK CREATOR AWARDS: The SHUSTERS

Canada's own comic book award to be launched in 2005

Initial presentation scheduled for gala Toronto ceremony in April

Canada is about to get its own 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.


The nomination process is now under way to select and honour the best work by Canadian comic book creators in 2004. Results will be announced and awards will be presented at a gala ceremony 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.



About Joe Shuster

The SHUSTER Award is named in honour of the great artist, Joe Shuster (1914-1992), whose clear, dynamic style and inventive visual flourishes set the standard for graphic storytelling during the infancy of the North American comic book industry. It was Superman, a co-creation of Shuster and Siegel, that electrified the industry in 1938 and, almost overnight, transformed comic books into an enormous pop-cultural phenomenon.


In 1924, at the age of 10, Joe and his family moved from Toronto to Cleveland, Ohio, where he met Cleveland native Jerry Siegel. During the early 1930s, the friends collaborated on producing science-fiction fanzines and contributing cartoons to local publications. After devising and polishing the basic concept of Superman in the mid-'30s, Siegel and Shuster tried to sell their creation to newspaper syndicates as a comic-strip character, but to no avail. However, they did manage to break into comic books -notably, the forerunner of today's DC Comics - with many memorable characters, including Dr. Occult, Slam Bradley and the Radio Squad.


Finally, in 1938, DC decided to take a chance on Superman, who debuted in Action Comics #1, the June issue. In an interview shortly before his death in 1992, Shuster told Toronto Star reporter Henry Mietkiewicz that Toronto's skyline had served as the inspiration for Superman's home town, Metropolis. In addition, Superman's alter-ego, Clark Kent, worked for a newspaper that in the earliest adventures was named the Daily Star, a tip of the hat to the Toronto Daily Star (as the paper was then called). In fact, Shuster had been a Star paperboy and had grown to love comics while sitting on his father's knee and listening as his dad read the Star's comic strips aloud.


Joe Shuster and his studio along with writer Jerry Siegel produced Superman comics until 1947, when Jerry and Joe, over well-publicized differences with their publisher, left the series. Failing eyesight eventually led to Joe's retirement from comic books and strips but years later, due to the efforts of a number of the industry's major talents, the incredible accomplishments of Jerry and Joe were finally duly acknowledged with well-deserved compensation; co-creator credit on all subsequent Superman stories and a resurgence of public recognition that they had not seen for decades.


Even Canadian novelist Mordecai Richler once counted himself among Superman's fans. He noted that the Man of Steel hides extraordinary strength, speed, and stamina behind the bland, self-effacing guise of the weak and clumsy Clark Kent. He takes no credit for his own heroism, content simply to live his daily life in horn-rimmed glasses and blue suits. For this reason, Richler called Superman the perfect expression of the archetypal Canadian personality - a man whose modest exterior hides a "universal hero", famed throughout the world as the champion of everything virtuous.


Past honours for Joe Shuster

Joe Shuster and his famous co-creation were honoured in 1995 when Canada Post (the Canadian postal service) officially acknowledged the Man of Tomorrow's Canadian roots by issuing a commemorative 45-cent stamp featuring Superman. The stamp was based on the cover that Shuster had drawn for the third issue of Superman comics, published in winter 1939.


In addition, a whimsical, one-minute film about Shuster's early years aired extensively on Canadian television and in Canadian in movie theatres the late 1990s. The film, produced by the federal government's TeleFilm agency, was part of the Historical Minute series that celebrated major milestones and personalities in Canadian history.


The SHUSTER Awards

The name of this award has been approved by the executors of Joe Shuster's estate -his sister, Jean Shuster Peavy, and her son, Warren.


Categories for the 2004 awards include:


· Outstanding Achievement Award
· Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Writer
· Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Artist
· Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Cartoonist
· Outstanding Canadian Comic Book Publisher
· Canadian Comic Book Retailer Recognition Award
· Canadian Comic Book Hall of Fame Awards


The SHUSTERs' nominating committee is selected by the awards committee and will be newly reconstituted for each year of the awards. The nominating committee consists of a cross-section of comic book journalists and experts from across Canada. They can submit any comic book, graphic novel or comics-related publication featuring work by a Canadian creator that was shipped to retailers between January 1 and December 31, 2004. Nominations will be announced in late February online and the nominated entries will then be open for a public vote by ballot and/or by email ballot.


For the purposes of the first SHUSTER Awards, a Canadian is defined as a native or inhabitant of Canada, or an individual who was born in Canada and now resides elsewhere (possessing either Canadian or dual citizenship). However, this is a fluid definition which is likely to be re-evaluated by the nominating committee in the coming years. The awards also will be expanded in the future to include additional categories, as suggested and determined by the awards committee.


Although these awards will be chosen, in their first incarnation, by a public vote, the process is open to change in the future to ensure that selection remains as fair and efficient as possible. In addition, five individuals will be selected for Hall of Fame awards in the first year, but these will not be open to a public vote. Instead, they will be chosen by a panel of Canadian comic book experts and historians. Also, a special tribute will be given in the first year of the SHUSTERs posthumously to Harry Kremer, the original owner of Now & Then Books in Kitchener-Waterloo --- a true pioneer in the industry and a constant and tireless promoter of the medium --- in the category of Canadian Comic Book Retailer Recognition Award. This has been chosen by the awards committee and will serve to usher in the Harry Kremer Memorial Award for Canadian Comic Book Retailer in the second year of the SHUSTERs in 2006.

[CoreyB]

Nice. And appropriately named.

I guess the late Dreamwave will win all of the awards since they were the one and only publisher in all of Canada.

[Egg]

Hey, this is great as Arcana Studio is based out of Canada! With British Columbia's Sean O'Reilly writing Kade and Ezra (and he even owns the place), while BC resident Todd Demong draws 100 Girls. All three were book available in 2004.

And for 2005, we're adding Dead Men Tell No Tales artist, Fernando Acosta, to the roster of Canadians!

Really happy ya'll decided to do this!

Thank You,

Egg Embry
Editor - www.ArcanaStudio.com

[kevthemev]

And appropriately named.

I guess the late Dreamwave will win all of the awards since they were the one and only publisher in all of Canada.

Thanks!

There are actually a few more publishers in Canada than Dreamwave, although they are definitely eligible even though they are now defunct. Drawn & Quarterly and 88MPH two other examples of Canadian publishers. Too bad Speakeasy didn't put out a book in 2004.

But the other awards all go to Creators, and there are many Canadians working in the industry. A small cross section of some high profile Canadians in comics: Darwyn Cooke, Dale Keown, Cary Nord, Seth, Steve Skroce, Tom Grummett, Chester Brown, J. Torres, Yanick Paquette, Dave Sim... I could go on.

Kevin Boyd

[Jason Sorrenti]

Hey Kevin,

How do you decide who gets nominated? Is it from the work that is out in the mainstream or work that is submitted to you by the publisher?

Just curious.

[CoreyB]

Originally posted by kevthemev
Thanks!

There are actually a few more publishers in Canada than Dreamwave, although they are definitely eligible even though they are now defunct. Drawn & Quarterly and 88MPH two other examples of Canadian publishers. Too bad Speakeasy didn't put out a book in 2004.

But the other awards all go to Creators, and there are many Canadians working in the industry. A small cross section of some high profile Canadians in comics: Darwyn Cooke, Dale Keown, Cary Nord, Seth, Steve Skroce, Tom Grummett, Chester Brown, J. Torres, Yanick Paquette, Dave Sim... I could go on.

Kevin Boyd

Well I was being sarcastic, but I appreciate your response. I didn't realize 88MPH was Canadian too, but I knew about Drawn & Quarterly (which definitely deserves some recognition).

Never knew much of the creators you listed were Canadian either. So thank you for that as well! Steve Skroce's Doc Frankenstein was pretty cool. Chester Brown's Ed the Happy Clown was amazing in terms of placement of plot points and recalling and utilizing them later (although it didn't come out in 2004). I still need to read his Louis Riel biography but I guess that didn't come out in 2004 either. I guess it was end of 2003 in the collected hardcover.

Anyway, definitely lots of talent. Can non-Canadians vote?

[kevthemev]

How do you decide who gets nominated? Is it from the work that is out in the mainstream or work that is submitted to you by the publisher?

Hey Jason,

Basically, we leave it up to the Nominating Committee, which is made up of 5 individuals selected from across the country and representing the following provinces - BC, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Their names and bios will eventually be up on the site (after they have finished selecting the candidates). These are all fellows who are involved in comics - convention organizers, radio hosts, online comic reviewers, writers, and so on.

They each select up to five candidates for each candidate, then we assemble all of the nominees and ask them to narrow the list down to five in each category. If we notice that someone we think should be considered has been left off we will bring that person to the committee's attention but ultimately it is their choice as to what the final nominees list will consist of.

It's also our hope to make the ceremony a floating ceremony that can be moved to our other cities in Canada over time, not just held in Toronto every year.

Kevin

[kevthemev]

A spin off of this project will be the assembly of a working directory of Canadians to assist future nominating committees in identifying Canadian creators.

Who can vote has been of great discussion. Since there are many Canadians who live abroad it's going to be extremely difficult to narrow voters down to being Canadians only. However, our current plan is to send ballots out to all Canadian Diamond accounts, but there will be an online ballot that can be sent in. So I don't see why non-Canadians couldn't vote - we'll have the final decision on the ballot and on the website when voting commences in the first week of March.

Kevin

[Scott Chantler]

Great idea, Kevin, and a nice touch naming the award for Joe Shuster. Classy.

Now how much money do I have to slip you to ensure a victory?

[innocentboy]

you must all respect Toronto and every Torontonian for the rest of your comic collecting lives.

God bless,
innocentboy

my visual art: http://www.innocentboyproductions.com next update Jan. 31, 2005
Song of Songs the Comic Book: http://www.songofsongsthecomicbook.com next update by Jan. 31, 2005
nosebleed, nosebleed, rain, nosebleed, nosebleed, yawn

[Blackbeard]

I can't believe that someone said the only publisher in Canada was Dreamwave!
Arcana Studio has published some wonderful books, and as mentioned above... the publisher himself is a Canuck... I mean Canadian.
I definitely believe that Arcana has a great chance of taking some of these awards... and I hope they do.

[lukabeast]

Yes, let's hear it for my fella canucks at Arcana. It would be nice to see them in the running for some of these.
Actually as well, I didn't even realize that Fernando Acosta was Canadian. Go figure.

As well another mention should go to Cameron Stewart, who among other things, illustrated Grant Morrison's Sea Guy in '04.

[firehazard]

Bryan Lee O'Malley should win outstanding canadian comic book cartoonist for Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life and/or Scott Pilgrim vs The World.
that's all i have to say about this.

[Egg]

Originally posted by lukabeast
Yes, let's hear it for my fella canucks at Arcana. It would be nice to see them in the running for some of these.
Actually as well, I didn't even realize that Fernando Acosta was Canadian. Go figure.

Lukabeast,

I should say, Fernando is Columbian... but he's attending school in Canada.

Sorry for the confusion,

Egg Embry
Editor - www.ArcanaStudio.com
Writer - www.KamenComic.com

[lukabeast]

Originally posted by Egg
Lukabeast,

I should say, Fernando is Columbian... but he's attending school in Canada.

Sorry for the confusion,

Egg Embry
Editor - www.ArcanaStudio.com
Writer - www.KamenComic.com

Ah, that's close enough for us.

[Blackbeard]

Originally posted by lukabeast
Ah, that's close enough for us.

Okay... half my family lives in Ontario and I have spent a lot of time in Canada. Is that close enough to make ME Canadian? Eh? Eh?

[Fernando Acosta]

Hey guys,

Thanks for talking about me. Yeah I'm actually from Colombia, South America. But in 2 weeks I'm going to be living in Vancouver and hopefully get to collaborate a lot more with Arcana.

Arcana is a great company and I hope it wins a lot of the categories for these awards. I'll do my best to help'em out.

take care.

Fernando

[ssscomics.com]

SSS COMICS is also not only proudly Canadian but our flagship book ECLIPSE & VEGA actually takes place in Canada!

I think this award is a great idea. Canada has a rich comic book history with some incredible creators!

I look forward to seeing who is nominated!

saul
www.ssscomics.com

[lukabeast]

Originally posted by Blackbeard
Okay... half my family lives in Ontario and I have spent a lot of time in Canada. Is that close enough to make ME Canadian? Eh? Eh?

2 minutes for excessive use of "eh", but after that you're in.

[Blackbeard]

Originally posted by lukabeast
2 minutes for excessive use of "eh", but after that you're in.

Beauty, eh!
I don't see a category for "Newly-christened-Canadian writer," though.

[lukabeast]

Originally posted by ssscomics.com
SSS COMICS is also not only proudly Canadian but our flagship book ECLIPSE & VEGA actually takes place in Canada!

I think this award is a great idea. Canada has a rich comic book history with some incredible creators!

I look forward to seeing who is nominated!

saul
www.ssscomics.com

I'll definitely check you out. I'm familiar with Zen, but not your other books I'm afraid (I'll take care of that though). Where are you based out of?

[amaraswen]

Originally posted by MattBrady
Canada's own comic book award to be launched in 2005

Has Quebec become an independent nation and I didn't notice?

Since 1988, the "Festival de la bande dessinée francophone de Québec" gives its Annual BD Quebec Awards.



Michel Rabagliati, awarded with the best professional album of 2002 Prize for "Paul Has a Summer Job".

Also, another Quebecois organization, Promo 9e Art have its own comic awards: thePrix "Bédélys", since 1999.

[kevthemev]

Both are both quite prestigious french-language Quebecois awards, but Canada is a bi-lingual, multi-cultural country and has more than one province.

The Shusters are NOT the "Ontario English language comic book awards". They are national awards and eligible comics could be in any language, originating from any province - the only set rule being that they person creating them has to be a Canadian and the work had to have been originally distributed in the calendar year 2004.

Kevin

[J. Torres]

Let's not forget these artists...

Scott Chantler ("Scandalous")
Eric Kim ("Love as a Foreign Language")
Takeshi Miyazawa ("Mary Jane")
Arthur Dela Cruz ("Kissing Chaos")
Francis Manapul ("Witchblade")
Steve Rolston ("Queen & Country")
Adrian Alphona ("Runaways")
Karl Kerschl ("Majestic")

Plus all the Canadians involved with Image's "Flight" anthology and not to mention the creators working at Udon and Graffiksismik...

J.

[CoreyB]

Originally posted by Blackbeard
I can't believe that someone said the only publisher in Canada was Dreamwave!

I'm not sure if people don't understand sarcasm, or don't understand what I'm referencing.

It was Dreamwave themselves that claimed they were "the only Canadian independent comics publisher" in their press release announcing they were shutting down. I was mocking their own statement.

Considering I contribute to DivergingComics.com (Canadian-based comics site), and also was one of the winners of SSS Comics' free comics contest from last year, I'm at least moderately aware of Canada's contributions to the industry. Although, I admit there's always room to learn more.

Speaking of SSS Comics, Eclipse & Vega is a pretty funny book. You should check it out. Saul is awesome!