Choose Your Inker: The Inkwell Awards Voting Open From April 1-15

Who’s your favorite inker? The Inkwell Awards, a non-profit organization devoted to public education and promotion of the art of comic book inking, invites all to vote for the industry’s best of the year. The official public ballot will be available on the Inkwells’ homepage from April 1 through April 15.

Voting is open to fans and professionals alike. In addition to “Favorite Inker,” categories include “Most Adaptable,” “PROPS” (inkers deserving more attention), the “S.P.A.M.I.” (Small Press And Mainstream/Independent) and “All-In-One” for pencilers who ink their own work.

As a courtesy, also listed on the ballot are the nominees for the Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame (HoF), a lifetime achievement honor for an outstanding inking career of 25 or more years in American comics, whose winners are chosen by an internal committee (to avoid a “popularity contest” where recent names have more influence than past masters). Two nominees are awarded each year.

Also to be chosen internally is the Special Recognition Award. This lifetime achievement honor differs from the HoF award due to one or more factors such as the artist being out of the “public eye,” having limited name-recognition due to semi- or full retirement or death, limited-yet-influential output, social barriers such as gender/race, or other factors that might otherwise limit them from being nominated for a traditional HoF award. The SRA nominees are not listed on the ballot but will be discussed at the awards ceremony. As announced at last year’s ceremony, the award has been renamed the Stacey Aragon Special Recognition Award (SASRA) in honor of the longtime member of the non-profit who succumbed to cancer a year ago after a 10-year battle.

“We’re as excited as ever for this event, where the best of the best ink artists and their work get the recognition they deserve,” said Bob Almond, founder and director of The Inkwell Awards. “Though inkers have their own fans and followers, many often go unnoticed or are glossed over by most awards events. Ours caters specifically to ink artists and allows them to be recognized and appreciated in various categories. We encourage everyone who appreciates good work to participate; the more voters, the better.”

Once voting ends after April 15, the winners will be announced at the live awards ceremony at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC on Friday, June 15th.

The Inkwell Awards is the only existing official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the public and promote the art form of comic-book inking, as well as annually recognize the best ink artists and their work. Now celebrating its 10-year anniversary, the organization is overseen by a committee of industry professionals and assisted by various professional ambassadors and contributors from within the comics community. They sponsor the Dave Simons Inkwell Memorial Scholarship Fund for the Kubert School and host the Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame Award.

THE BALLOT!!

THE INKWELL AWARDS are for 2017 cover-dated interior American comic-book material.

Favorite Inker: Favorite ink artist over the pencil work of another artist.

A) John Dell: The Clone Conspiracy (Marvel)

B) John Floyd: Wonder Woman/Tasmanian Devil (DC)

C) Jonathan Glapion: Action Comics, Dark Nights Metal (DC); Reborn (Image)

D) Mick Gray: Superman/Justice League (DC)

E) Dan Green: The Sandman Special (DC)

F) Scott Hanna: All-New Wolverine, Black Panther, Black Panther & The Crew, Great Lakes Avengers, Ultimates 2, X-men Blue (Marvel);Booster Gold/The Flintstones Special, DC Holiday Special, Justice League Of America, Legion of Super-Heroes/Bugs Bunny Special, Superman, Trinity (DC)

G) Seth Mann: Batman, Trinity (DC)

H) Bill Sienkiewicz: Batman, Black Racer And Shilo Norman Special, Deathstroke (DC)

Most-adaptable: Artist showing exceptional ink style versatility over other pencil artists. (Every nominee must have at least two sources cited.)

A) Jonathan Glapion: Action Comics, Dark Nights Metal (DC); Reborn (Image)

B) Scott Hanna: Booster Gold & Flintstones Special, DC Holiday Special, Justice League Of America, Legion of Super-Heroes/Bugs Bunny Special, Superman, Trinity (DC); All-New Wolverine, Black Panther, Black Panther & The Crew, Great Lakes Avengers, Ultimates 2, X-men Blue (Marvel)

C) Jay Leisten: Green Lantern, Suicide Squad (DC); Incredible Hulk, Monsters Unleashed, Secret Empire, Weapon X, X-men Gold (Marvel)

D) Mark Morales: Aquaman, Deathstroke, Suicide Squad/Banana Splits Special (DC); Immortal Brothers: The Tale Of The Green Knight(Image); Astonishing X-men, Spider-Man/Deadpool (Marvel)

E) Dexter Vines: Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 11 (Dark Horse),Batman Beyond, Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps, (DC);Invincible, The Wild Storm (Image); Black Panther (Marvel)

F) Walden Wong: All-New X-Men, Astonishing X-men, Black Panther, Inhumans, Kingpin, Star Lord, Venom X-Men Blue (Marvel); Harbinger: Renegade (Valiant)

Props award: Ink artist deserving of more attention for their work over other pencil artists.

A) Marc Deering: All-New Wolverine, Black Panther, Star Wars: Dr. Aphra (Marvel)

B) Michelle Delecki: Catwoman: Election Night, The New Gods Special (DC)

C) Daniel Henriques: Green Lanterns, Justice League, Justice League vs. Suicide Squad, Supergirl (DC)

D) Tony Kordos: Batman & Robin Eternal, Cyborg, Flash, Justice league: Darkseid War (DC)

E) Jason Paz: Deathstroke, Justice League, Wonder Woman (DC)

F) Joe Prado: Justice League Of America: Rebirth, Green Lanterns, Superman (DC)

The S.P.A.M.I: Favorite Small Press And Mainstream/Independent ink work over another pencil artist (non-Marvel or DC work).

A) Sal Buscema: Rom (IDW)

B) Irene Flores: Hi-Fi Fight Club/Heavy Vinyl (Boom Studios)

C) Stefano Gaudiano: Manifest Destiny, Walking Dead (Image)

D) Mark Morales: Immortal Brothers: The Tale Of The Green Knight(Image)

E) Rodney Ramos: Normandy Gold (Titan Comics)

F) Robin Riggs: Black (Black Mask Comics)

G) Ryan Winn: Eternity, Divinity III (Valiant)

All-in-one award: Favorite artist known for inking his/her own pencil work.

A)Mitch Gerads: Mister Miracle (DC)

B) Joelle Jones: Lady Killer 2 (Dark Horse); Batman (DC)

C) David Marquez: Civil War 2, The Defenders, (Marvel)

D) Terry Moore: Motor Girl (Abstract Studios)

E) Dan Panosian: Slots (Image)

F) Stan Sakai: Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)

G) Liam Sharp: Justice League, Wonder Woman (DC)

H) Mico Suayan: Bloodshot Salvation (Valiant)

The Inkwell Awards is the only existing official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and promote the art form of comic-book inking, as well as annually recognize and award the best ink artists and their work. Now approaching its 10-year anniversary, the organization is overseen by a committee of industry professionals, and assisted by various professional ambassadors and contributors. They sponsor the Dave Simons Inkwell Memorial Scholarship Fund for the Kubert School and host the Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame Award.

Web site: inkwellawards.com.