2013 Comic Book Awards Pt 2: Best Writing, Art, Design etc

Best Writer: Jonathan Hickman for East of West, Manhattan Projects, New Avengers and others – Azzarello loses this award (by the barest margin) to Hickman -- whose work is dark and brainy, out of the ordinary, complex and a bit cold, but incredibly transfixing. Nominees Brian Azzarello (Wonder Woman, Brother Lono), Kelly Sue DeConnick (Pretty Deadly, Ghost, Captain Marvel), Jeff Lemire (Trillium, Animal Man, Green Arrow), Ed Brubaker (Fatale, Velvet)

Best Artist: Esad Ribic for Thor: God Thunder - His work was breathtaking in its epic scope. Nominees: Steve Epting (New Avengers), Andrea Sorrentino (Green Arrow), Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman, Witching Hour), Colleen Coover (Bandette, Batman ‘66)

 Best Colorist: Ive Svorcinca for Thor: God of Thunder  - Adds so much atmosphere and personality to Ribic's pencils. Nominees: Laura Allred (FF, Daredevil), Mark Englert (Revival), Rico Renzi (FPB), Rod Reis (JL)

Best Writer/Artist: Becky Cloonan for her self published comics like Demeter – I adore her tragic supernatural love stories and I feel she excels as an artist when she draws her own scripts. Nominees: Dan Boultwood (It Came), Tony Cliff (Delilah Dirk), Jeff Lemire (Trillium), Jamal Igle (Molly Danger), Francisco Francavellia (Black Beetle), Terry Moore (Rachel Rising) 

Best Panel/Sequence: The death of War – “God Down”, Wonder Woman #23 (DC) Drawn by Cliff Chiang, written by Brian Azzarello

Best Dialog: Charles Soule for several quotable lines in Swamp Thing (“Feels like I’m prying my kneecap off with a spoon”, Issue 23) and Red Lanterns (Guy saying that Zilius Zox looks like a testicle with teeth) to name 2 examples.

Best Cover Artist: Mike Del Mundo for his imaginative work on X-Men Legacy and others 
Nominees: Jenny Frison, Adam Hughes, Cliff Chiang, David Aja, Brian Bolland, Amanda Conner, Ryan Sook

Best Cover (Issue): Revival #6 (Image) by Jenny Frison - I like the subtle chilliness of it -- that creepy look in Em’s eyes. The muted colors juxtaposed to the splashes of blood red in the clothes etc. Nominees: Batgirl #23, Daredevil #26, Miss Fury #1 (Ross), Collider #1 to name 4 of many

Best Series Covers: Fearless Defenders

Funniest Cover: Deadpool Killistrated #4 by Mike Del Mundo

Best Character designs: Wonder Woman by Chiang and Akins - Clever, colorful and distinct: These Gods have never looked so amazing (Nominees: Rat Queens & Edison Rex)

Best set and object design: East of West by Dragotta - Nice blending of futurism with classic Eastern & Western style. 

Best Look - Hero: It has always been and always will be Batman, no matter the design or color tweaks. Batman, forever. (#2 is classic Spider-Man (not that thing they have him wearing in the current film series or the comic Superior Spider-Man)

Best Look - Villain: Cerebella from Edison Rex was my female villain of the year and she looks uber cool. Rex writer Chris Roberson names it as his favorite design from artist Denis Culver, and I agree.



Links
Part 1: 2013 Best Comic Book Characters 
Part 2: 2013 Best Writing, Art, Designs
Part 3: 2013 Best Stories, Arcs, Events, etc