The Bram Stoker Awards Superior Achievement In Graphic Novel Nominations Announced

Welcome to the table,

 

Every year, the Horror Writers Association presents the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement. This epic award is, of course, named in honor of Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, and has been part of the literary cultural conversation since the mid-1980s.

Even as a kid, the connection to Stoker — by name — made this award seem like something magically bestowed by a secret cabal of ancient wizards or monster hunters or some such who also, much like myself, enjoyed the heck out of a good book.

 

Any work of horror first published in the English language can be considered for an award during the year of its publication. Over the years, the categories have grown to novel, first novel, short fiction, long fiction, young adult, middle grade, fiction collection, poetry collection, anthology, screenplay, nonfiction, short nonfiction, and the reason we are here today: graphic novel.

I’m pretty delighted about the graphic novel offerings, as a lot of these books are ones I have covered for Comicon.com and, moreover, have been personal favorites of mine. I’m also going to put it out there right now that when the names dropped on who was being considered for Superior Achievement in Graphic Novel, I texted my pal Cullen Bunn to congratulate him on his nomination. He’s my friend, but that does not color my opinions of his work. If anything, it makes me an even harder critic because I know that man is capable of greatness and will accept nothing less. To my joy, he has yet to let me down.

Jumpscare

 

First up is Dark Horse Comics’ Jumpscare from Cullen and artist Danny Luckert. I really enjoyed this book. It’s a really fun fusion of anti-hero chaos mixed with horror trivia night randomness, and somehow coupled with Luckert’s art and Cullen’s ability to spin a yarn, this whole thing feels fresh and fun.

The Autumn Kingdom

 

 

Next up is another offering from Cullen, this time with artist Christopher Mitten. Oni Press’s The Autumn Kingdom is a fearsome fantasy story following the daughters of novelist Andrew Kier, who find their parents kidnapped by ancient forces during what was supposed to be an idyllic vacation.

Ghostbox

 

 

Next on the stack is Ghostbox from Mad Cave Studios. While I have not read this one, I know there is a ton of buzz around it. Written by Mike Carey and illustrated by Pablo Raimondi, the story follows Chloe and Jan, who come into an unexpected inheritance. Chloe is strapped for cash, so she advertises her late uncle’s possessions online, and in that collection is a strange little box that immediately finds a motivated buyer who causes the whole order to go south as Chloe is arrested for murder and Jan vanishes…

Buried Long, Long Ago

 

 

Mad Cave also received a nomination for Buried Long, Long Ago. Written by Anthony Cleveland with art by Alex Cormack, this is one moody book. Based on real-life events, it follows the story of Belle Gunness, who lured dozens of lonely men to her Indiana farm and savagely murdered them for their money. Because Belle managed to avoid capture and face trial, much of this story remains untold. But the title dives into a fairy-tale retelling of her brutal crimes from the perspective of her three young children, who discover there is something far worse — and far more evil — than their mother on the farm.

John Carpenter’s Tales for a HalloweeNight Vol. 11

 

 

John Carpenter’s Tales for a HalloweeNight Vol. 11, from Storm King Comics, is also up for the award. Multiple creators have come together on this one, crafting a collection of horror stories to surprise and delight.

Athanasia

 

Vault Comics’ Athanasia has been on my read pile for a bit. Written by Daniel Kraus with art by Dani, it tells the story of Forrest Molson. She works with her father as assistant groundskeeper at Athanasia Cemetery, the final resting place of fallen members of the Dynamic Guild, Venture City’s resident superheroes. At her lowest point, Forrest discovers the cemetery soil bleeds a substance created from the ooze of rotting superheroes. It soon becomes Forrest’s new drug and she’s hellbent on using the unpredictable powers it bestows to be judge, jury, and executioner of Venture City’s evil citizens.

Bowling With Corpses and Other Tales from Lands Unknown

 

Bowling With Corpses and Other Strange Tails from Lands Unknown is by Mike Mignola and Dave Stweart and, honestly, it is one of the greatest comics of my lifetime. As I stated in my original review:

“There was this feeling I got as a kid when I found a new book of folklore that I have been chasing since childhood. It was this combination of wonder and excitement as each story felt like it connected me to a hidden history written by a scribe who had seen a far more mystical world than what I saw in my day to day life. Bowling With Corpses and Other Strange Tails from Lands Unknown fills reconnects me to that wonder.”

You can read the full review at this link.

William of Newbury

 

 

Another fantastic Dark Horse Comics release, William of Newbury by Michael Avon Oeming captures the wonder of those Brian Jacques Redwall books I loved as a kid with the worry and anxiety-inducing horror only Oeming can deliver. It is a really solid storybook horror that I think works for slightly younger readers than the other nominations on this list.

Let This One Be a Devil

 

 

Dark Horse Comics and Tiny Onion Studios brings us Let This One Be a Devil from James Tynion IV, Steve Foxe, and Piotr Kowalski. Set in the early 1900s, it follows Henry Naughton, who returns home to his family farm in the swampy Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey and encounters a strange predator stalking the woods. This sends the young scholar on a research project, where he uncovers the legend of Mother Leeds and the terrible birth of folklore icon the Jersey Devil.

Exquisite Corpses

 

Last up is Exquisite Corpses from Image Comics & Tiny Onion Studios. Another offering from Tynion with art by Michael Wlash, this is a story of a game played every year on Halloween. It is, of course, deadly and meant for the wealthiest families in America. It involves twelve of the most murderous people in the world being dropped into a small town with the goal of being the last one standing. Any town they are dropped into is fair game, so the those caught in the crossfire have to figure out how to survive the night.

I’ve not read this one yet but it is also on my To Be Read list.

Until next time, I’m super stoked that books I read and loved from last year are showcased on this list and I am inspired to catch up on the ones I have not read before the winners are announced in June.