[Op-Ed] Good Riddance To The Eisner Awards

Last week, the Eisner Nominations Committee announced it would be doing away with a dedicated category for Comics Journalism. Instead, Comic News sites and publications will be rolled into the “Comic-Related Book” category, which effectively eliminates the possibility of a journalism site or publication ever winning. To which I say, “Good riddance to the Eisner Awards.”

Why say, “Good riddance to the Eisner Awards?”

I’m not a salty old curmudgeon. Well, I may be old to some, but salty? Never.

I am, however, a cynic when assessing comics and the industry that produces them. You have to be. You can’t write an effective comic review (I’ve written more than most) with rose-colored glasses on. 

Reviews are admittedly opinion pieces, but the good or great ones look at a comic with some amount of clinical detachment to make sure the review is as honest and fair as possible. The same holds for the broader category of Journalism, of which comic reviews are a subset.

Yes. Believe it or not, I consider myself a journalist, so the Eisner Committee’s decision has a direct bearing on Comical Opinions, as well as me directly. Therefore, I’m completely comfortable seeing the Comics Journalism category get flushed because I keep an eye on the reporters who are technically my peers. I see who has been nominated and won in the past. I read what regular winners produce. And I have a fairly complete idea about why certain sites/publications get nominated and win.

To be blunt, the Comics Journalism category of the Eisners is a corrupt, broken, shameless award based on glad-handing and cronyism. I don’t make that assessment lightly, nor do I make it out of a misguided bitterness that the prospects of winning are now gone.

I make that assessment because the vast majority of the Comics Journalism sites and individuals who regularly win nominations are as honest and trustworthy as a honey jar full of poisonous vipers.

The Modern State Of Comics Journalism

Useless. The modern state of comic journalism is useless. Comical Opinions was started because we couldn’t find one credible site where we could read reliably honest comic reviews. 

I’ve lost count of the number of times creators were caught saying and doing reprehensible things, only to turn around and get a puff-piece interview with softball questions from AIPT or The Beat.

I’m continually frustrated by watching the Western Periodical Comics market spiral into the worst sales slump in decades while “respected” Comics Journalism sites declare, “Comics are doing better than ever” or “Comics are raining money.”

I shake my head when longtime news sites regularly give voices to creators who are known as agitators rather than successful creators or publish regular opinion pieces by LCS owners who employ business practices that are years behind the times.

The modern state of Comics Journalism sites and publications are not interested in investigating, getting at the truth, or presenting multiple points of view from the best experts around. Modern Comics Journalism is overrun by opportunistic shills, clickbait provocateurs, and cheerleaders for whichever Comics Publisher is willing to pay the site’s ad revenue this month.

The modern state of Comics Journalism isn’t worthy of recognition or praise because there isn’t a trustworthy site around, Comical Opinions excluded, of course.

Will Comics Journalism Ever Be Worthy Of Recognition?

Anything is possible. There’s always a chance to turn things around, but it will take time and a collection of individuals who can’t be bought, sold, or see journalistic integrity as a luxury.

Maybe there are opportunities to go further. Could Comics Journalists form a collective (NOT a union) to hold each other to account against a standard of integrity? Yes, that would be a good start.

Perhaps Comics Journalism sites could devise a rating system as a sign of quality and journalistic integrity. Boy, that would certainly separate the wheat from the chaff.

Regardless, there’s no easy answer to this problem. The modern state of Comics Journalism is a broken, corrupt, untrustworthy collective of sites and “journalists” who can’t commit to accuracy in reporting further than I can throw them, so the Eisners are better off not sullying its already weak reputation further.

On second thought, maybe I am a bit salty, but at least I’m not dishonest about it.

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