2015 Diamond GEM Awards announced

By pghhead -

from the official press release . . . . . .

Image Comics Named Publisher of the Year in Annual Industry Awards Voted on Exclusively by Comic Book Retailers

(BALTIMORE, MD) – (January 5, 2016)- Diamond Comic Distributors proudly announces the winners of its 2015 Diamond Gem Awards, selected exclusively by comic book specialty retailers and recognized within the industry as the pinnacle of sales achievement for publishers, industry executives, and creators.

 

ImaImage Comics logoge Comics was voted by retailers as the 2015 Comic Book Publisher of the Year (Over 4% Market Share). Image also took home five Gem Awards overall, including 2015 Comic Book of the Year (Under $3.00) and Best New Comic Series for Paper Girls #1 from Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang; Reprint TP of the Year for The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 3, and Anthology of the Year for Island #1.

DC Entertainment took home five Gem Awards, including Backlist Publisher of the Year and Best Original Graphic Novel of the Year for Batman: Earth One HC Volume 2, among others. Marvel Comics received three Gem Awards, including Star Wars #1 voted as Comic Book of the Year (Over $3.00).  Dark Horse was recognized as 2015's Best Free Comic Book Day Title for Fight Club/The Goon/The Strain. 

Gem Awards were also presented to BOOM! Studios (Comic Book Publisher of the Year, Under 4% Market Share, Best All-Ages Series for Lumberjanes, and Best All-Ages Graphic Novel for Lumberjanes Volume One TP); VIZ Media (Manga Publisher of the Year), Oni Press, Funko, Wizards of the Coast, and others.

"The Gem Awards give retailers an opportunity to recognize and congratulate the suppliers, titles, and products that served to help grow their businesses in 2015," said Diamond President & CEO Steve Geppi. "Our suppliers produced and published an enormous amount of top-quality titles and products that really supported retailers and the entire industry, and we thank all of the retailers who took the time from their busy schedules to vote and acknowledge those efforts."

Nominees for the Diamond Gem Awards were chosen by a panel of Diamond product specialists based on their overall impact on the industry, while comics and related merchandise were chosen on the merits of their sales performance and quality from 2015. Winners were then selected by members of the most critical segment that serves the comic book-buying public — comic book specialty retailers across the United States and worldwide.

2015 Diamond Gem Award Suppliers of the Year 

2015 Comic Book Publisher of the Year Over 4%:  Image Comics
2015 Comic Book Publisher of the year Under 4%: BOOM! Studios
2015 Backlist Publisher of the year: DC Entertainment
2015 Top Dollar Comic Book Publisher of the Year: Marvel Comics
2015 Manga Publisher of the Year: Viz Media
2015 Game Manufacturer of the Year: Wizards of the Coast
2015 Toy Manufacturer of the Year: Funko


Paper Girls 12015 Diamond Gem Award Products of the Year 

2015 Comic Book of the Year Under $3.00: Paper Girls #1, Image Comics
2015 Comic Book of the Year Over $3.00: Star Wars #1, Marvel Comics
2015 Top Dollar Comic Book of the Year: Star Wars #1, Marvel Comics
2015 Licensed Comic Book of the Year: Rick & Morty #1, Oni Press
2015 Anthology of the Year: Island #1, Image Comics
2015 Best New Comic Book Series: Paper Girls, Image Comics
2015 Best All-Ages Series: Lumberjanes, BOOM! Studios
2015 Original GN of the Year: Batman: Earth One Volume 2 HC, DC Comics from DC Entertainment
2015 Indie GN of the Year: We Can Never Go Home Again, Black Mask Comics
2015 Reprint TP/HC of the Year: The Walking Dead Compendium Volume 3, Image Comics
2015 Licensed TP/HC of the Year: Mad Max: Fury Road TP,  DC Comics from DC Entertainment
2015 Manga TP of the Year: Attack on Titan Volume 16 GN, Kodansha Comics
2015 All-Ages Original/Reprint GN TP of the Year: Lumberjanes TP Volume 1, BOOM! Studios
2015 Magazine of the Year: MAD Magazine from DC Entertainment
2015 Trade Book of the Year: Darth Vader & Friends HC, Touchstone Books
2015 Best Free Comic Book Day Book: FCBD 2015 Fight Club/The Goon/The Strain, Dark Horse Comics
2015 Game Product of the Year: Magic: The Gathering TCG 2015 Origins Expansion Deck, Wizards of the Coast
2015 Toy Product of the Year: POP! Guardians of the Galaxy: Dancing Groot Vinyl Figure, Funko
2015 Toy Line of the Year: POP! Figures, Funko
2015 Collectable Statue of the Year: DC Comics Bombshells: The Joker and Harley Quinn Statue, DC Collectibles from DC Entertainment

Batman Earth One Volume 2

Star Wars 1

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Robert Kirkman: Invincible, Walking Dead, Wolf-Man

By -
Image
I wasn't actually a huge fan of Robert Kirkman when I first started reading his books.  He was competent, sure, but I didn't see the appeal-- The Irredeemable Ant-Man was a boring side story in the middle of  Civil War and  The Initiative (although I've since changed my mind about this), and his  Ultimate X-Men run was, in many places, a mixed bag (although I did very much enjoy his "Phoenix?" storyline).  And  Marvel Zombies  just seemed like a ridiculous idea--not that I bothered to try it at the time. Now, though?  I've completely reevaluated my opinion on his work, and when his name is attached to a project, I'm far more likely to give it a look.  I don't know if I'd classify him as a master storyteller or a comics icon--but he's very skilled, he has an incredible knack for dialog, and he writes stories that, no matter how ridiculous, seem real .  In a medium where characters frequently violate the rules of physics, that's not alway
Read more

more random readings from May 2009

By pghhead -
Image
What else did I finish reading last month?  Here’s a cross-section of various titles . . . . . . . . . WITCHBLADE #126 “War Of The Witchblade Part 2” by Ron Marz and Stejepan Sejic  (Top Cow/Image) Preface:  Now here’s an interesting concept! = In order to attract new readers to its’ titles Top Cow is giving out free books each month as part of it’s Let Us Win You Over project.  ( www.topcow.com/freecomics )  Every month it’s a different title. And they work through different comics shops each month as well.  In April the title was Witchblade #126 and one of the participating dealers was Captain Blue Hen Comics in Newark, DE (my preferred supplier) so voila! - - - I find a copy in my hands. Since the last time I explored the Witchblade series the mythology has expanded to a battle between the forces of light and dark with each side choosing its agents on Earth, hence the Darkness vs. the Witchblade.  I’m still not overly interested in this type of fare on a regular basis, but
Read more

INDIE COMICS: Huffin’ & puffin’ B.B. Wolf’s got the blues

By pghhead -
Image
BB WOLF AND THE THREE LPs  (Top Shelf, May 2010 hardcover, black & white, 86 pages,   $12.95)  As told by JD Arnold with illustrations by Richard Koslowski What got my attention immediately was the pairing up of a classic fairy tale with musical motifs.  That’s a combination that pushes two of my “hot buttons” - -  so I made it a must-read.  I was not disappointed.  This is a very entertaining and cleverly designed work that rivals Bill Willingham’s  creativity on the long-running FABLES series from Vertigo. As if taking the classic tale of the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs and turning it upside down wasn’t enough to interest, BB WOLF AND THE THREE LPS  serves as an allegory for the oppression of  the black population in the deep South (Mississippi) in the 1920’s.  While they may be free (wolves),  the governing bodies (pigs) have the power to deny them their land, homes and possessions and even own the businesses and clubs they patronize as well as the shops they d
Read more