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Kirby Awards

The Kirby Awards were a short lived set of awards given for achievement in comic books. The full name of the awards was the Jack Kirby Awards.

The Kirby Awards were sponsored by Amazing Heroes magazine and were managed by Dave Olbrich. The awards were voted on by comic book professionals and were first given out in 1985. In 1987, a dispute arose when Olbrich and Fantagraphics (the company which published Amazing Heroes) both claimed ownership of the awards. A compromise was reached. Starting in 1988, the Kirby Awards were discontinued and two new awards were created; Olbrich began awarding the Eisner Awards and Fantagraphics began awarding the Harvey Awards.

The categories and winners of the Kirby Awards were:

Best Single Issue

• 1985 Swamp Thing Annual #2, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)
• 1986 Daredevil #227, by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli (Marvel)
• 1987 The Dark Knight Returns #1, by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley (DC)

Best Continuing Series

• 1985 Swamp Thing, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)
• 1986 Swamp Thing, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)
• 1987 Swamp Thing, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)

Best Black & White Series

• 1985 Cerebus by Dave Sim (Aardvark-Vanehiem)
• 1986 Love & Rockets by Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez (Fantagraphics)
• 1987 Cerebus by Dave Sim (Aardvark-Vanehiem)

Best Finite Series

• 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths, by Marv Wolfman and George Perez (DC)
• 1986 Crisis on Infinite Earths, by Marv Wolfman and George Perez (DC)
• 1987 The Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (DC).

Best New Series

• 1985 Zot!, by Scott McCloud (Eclipse)
• 1986 Miracleman, by Alan Moore and various artists (Eclipse)
• 1987 The Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (DC)

Best Graphic Album

• 1985 Beowulf (First)
• 1986 The Rocketeer, by Dave Stevens (Eclipse)
• 1987 The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson (DC)

Best Artist

• 1985 Dave Stevens, for The Rocketeer (Comico)
• 1986 Steve Rude, for Nexus (First)
• 1987 Bill Sienkiewicz, for Elektra: Assassin (Marvel)

Best Writer

• 1985 Alan Moore, for Swamp Thing (DC)
• 1986 Alan Moore, for Swamp Thing (DC)
• 1987 Alan Moore, for Watchmen (DC)

Best Writer/Artist (single or team)

• 1986 Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, for Daredevil (Marvel)
• 1987 Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, for Watchmen (DC)

Best Art Team

• 1985 Steve Bissette and John Totleben, for Swamp Thing (DC)
• 1986 George Perez and Jerry Ordway, for Crisis On Infinite Earths (DC)
• 1987 Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley, for The Dark Knight Returns (DC)

Best Cover

• 1985 Swamp Thing #34, by Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)

Best Comics Publication

• 1985 Comics Buyer's Guide (Krause)

Hall of Fame

• 1987 Carl Barks
• 1987 Will Eisner
• 1987 Jack Kirby