The Eisner Award for Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team is an award for "creative achievement" in American comic books. It is awarded to an individual or team involved with pencilling and inking a comic.

Award merging and name changes In 1993 two awards were given out: "Best Penciller/Inker, Black & White Publication" and "Best Penciller/Inker, Color Publication." These awards were merged in 1994 after one year. Since then the official name of the award has changed depending on the nominees. It has been "Best Penciller/Inker" 5 times (1996, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2015, ) and "Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team" 22 times (1994-1995, 1997–2004, 2007–2012, 2014, 2016–present).

Related awards The Eisner Awards have presented separate awards for "Best Penciller" and "Best Inker," though neither has been awarded since the 1990s.

Winners and nominees

Best Penciller/Inker, Black & White Publication

Year Nominee Titles 1993 in Dark Horse Presents (Dark Horse Comics) (Tundra Publishing) (Fantagraphics Books) (Fantagraphics Books) (Tundra Publishing) (Kitchen Sink Press) in Dark Horse Presents (Dark Horse Comics) and Gerhard (Aardvark-Vanaheim)

Best Penciller/Inker, Color Publication

Year Nominee Titles 1993 (NBM Publishing), Robin 3000 (DC Comics), "Hothouse" in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (DC Comics) (DC Comics) (DC Comics) in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (DC Comics) in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (DC Comics)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team

Year Nominee Titles 1990s 1994 #50 (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) and Mark Buckingham (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) and Kevin Nowlan (Dark Horse Comics) and Al Williamson (Marvel Comics) and Gerhard (Aardvark-Vanaheim) and Karl Story (DC Comics) (DC Comics) 1995 (Dark Horse Comics) (Dark Horse Comics) and Wade von Grawbadger (DC Comics) (Avon Books) and Rick Burchett (DC Comics) , vol. 2 (NBM Publishing) 1996 (Dark Horse Comics) (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) (NBM Publishing) (Marvel Select) #70-72: "The Wake" (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) 1997 (Green Man Press), The Sandman #75 (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) /Will Blyberg vol. 2 (Jukebox Productions/Homage Comics) /Wade von Grawbadger (DC Comics) /Kevin Nowlan (DC Comics) (Homage Comics) /Richard Bennett (WildStorm/Image Comics/Marvel Comics) 1998 (Dark Horse Comics/Topps Comics), Dr. Strange: What Is It That Disturbs You, Stephen? (Marvel Comics) /Will Blyberg (Jukebox Productions/Homage Comics) /Terry AustinRich Burchett was the sole artist on Batgirl Adventures. (DC Comics), Superman Adventures (DC Comics) #1 (Dark Horse Comics) (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics), The Little Sister (Byron Priess Visual Productions) (Homage Comics) 1999 (DC Comics), Grendel Black, White, and Red #1 (Dark Horse Comics) in Dark Horse Presents #137 (Dark Horse Comics) #46 (DC Comics) (Oni Press) /Al Vey (Marvel Comics) 2000s 2000 in Tomorrow Stories (America's Best Comics) /Richard Friend (DC Comics/WildStorm) (Dark Horse Maverick) (Dark Horse Maverick) (America's Best Comics) /Mick Gray (America's Best Comics) 2001 (Dark Horse Maverick) (Image Comics) /Trevor Scott (WildStorm/DC Comics) (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) /Mick Gray (America's Best Comics) 2002 (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) (DC Comics/WildStorm) (CrossGen) /Zander Cannon (America's Best Comics) /Sandra Hope (DC Comics/WildStorm) (NBM Publishing) 2003 (America's Best Comics) (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics), The Flash: Time Flies (DC Comics) /Andrew Currie (Marvel Comics) (DC Comics), Gotham Central (DC Comics) /Mick Gray (America's Best Comics) 2004 (WildStorm/DC Comics), Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth (WildStorm/DC Comics), Hellboy: Weird Tales (Dark Horse Comics) (DC Comics), JLA #91 (DC Comics) (Marvel Comics) /Scott Williams (DC Comics) (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics), Batman (DC Comics), Boy Vampire: The Resurrection (Strip Art Features) 2005 There was a tie between John Cassaday and Frank Quitely in 2005. (Marvel Comics), Planetary (WildStorm/DC Comics), I Am Legion: The Dancing Faun (Humanoids Publishing/DC Comics) (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) (Image Comics) (Burlyman Entertainment) & Thomas Yeates (Dark Horse Comics) 2006 (Marvel Comics), Planetary (WildStorm/DC Comics) (America's Best Comics) (Top Cow Productions/Image Comics) (DC Comics) (America's Best Comics), Desolation Jones (WildStorm/DC Comics) 2007 /Steve Leialoha (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) /Tom Feister (WildStorm/DC Comics) (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) /Stefano Gaudiano (Marvel Comics) (Slave Labor Graphics) /Dexter Vines (Marvel Comics) 2008 /José Marzan Jr. (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) /Butch Guice/Mike Perkins (Marvel Comics) (Marvel Comics) (Viz Media), Hikaru no Go (Viz Media) (DC Comics) 2009 (Dark Horse Comics) (Dark Horse Comics) /Steve Leialoha (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) /Mark Morales (Marvel Comics) /Richard Friend (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) (Groundwood Books) 2010s 2010 (DC Comics) #11-15: "Exodus Noir" (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) /Dexter Vines (Marvel Comics) (WildStorm) (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) 2011 (Marvel Comics) (Dark Horse Comics) , vol. 1 (Fantagraphics Books) (Image Comics) (IDW Publishing) 2012 (Archaia Entertainment) (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics), Madman All-New Giant-Size Super-Ginchy Special (Image Comics) (Marvel Comics), Ultimate Spider-Man #155 (Marvel Comics) (Marvel Comics) /Joe Rivera (Marvel Comics) 2013 There was a tie between David Aja and Chris Samnee in 2013. (Marvel Comics) (Marvel Comics), The Rocketeer: Cargo of Doom (IDW Publishing) (Dark Horse Comics), The Mire (self-published) (MonkeyBrain Books) (Image Comics) (ZIP Comics/Top Shelf Productions) 2014 (DC Comics/Vertigo Comics) (Image Comics) (Image Comics) (Top Shelf Productions) (Image Comics) (Bantam Books) 2015 (Image Comics) (Marvel Comics) (Marvel Comics), Madman in Your Face 3D Special (Image Comics) (DC Comics) (Alaxis Press) (DC Comics) 2016 (Image Comics) (Marvel Comics), Art Ops (Vertigo Comics/DC Comics) (Archie Comics), The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (Marvel Comics) (Dark Horse Comics), Brides of Helheim (Oni Press) (Top Shelf Productions) 2017 (Image Comics) (Marvel Comics) (Boom! Studios) (Grand Central Publishing) (IDW Publishing) (Marvel Comics) 2018 (DC Comics) (Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press) (Dark Horse Comics) (Archaia Entertainment) #9 & #12 (Dark Horse Comics), Ether (Dark Horse Comics), Sherlock Frankenstein #1–3 (Dark Horse Comics), Beowulf (Image Comics) 2019 (DC Comics) (Boom! Studios) (Image Comics) (DC Comics) (Image Comics), My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies (Image Comics) , vol. 2 (DC Comics) 2020s 2020 (First Second Books/Macmillan Publishers) (Image Comics) (Dark Horse Comics) (DC Comics) (IDW Publishing) (DC Comics) 2021 (Insight Editions) (Marvel Comics) (Image Comics) (Magnetic Press) /Evan “Doc” Shaner (DC Black Label) (Image Comics) 2022 (DC Comics) (Boom! Studios) (DC Comics) (Marvel Comics) (Dark Horse Comics) 2023 The Human Target (DC) Killadelphia, Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog (Image) The Nice One on the Lake (DC) Follow Me Down, The Ghost in You (Image) Nightwing (DC) 2024 Roaming Detective Comics (DC), Killadelphia (Image) Barnstormers: A Ballad of Love and Murder (Comixology Originals/Best Jackett) Gozilla: Here There Be Dragons (IDW) Batman/Superman: World's Finest, Shazam (DC) Fire Power (Image Skybound)2025 Bilquis Evely Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse)Felipe AndradeRare Flavours (BOOM! Studios)Nick DragottaAbsolute Batman (DC)Manu LarcenetThe Road (Abrams ComicArts)Javier RodriguezZatanna: Bring Down the House (DC)LeUyen PhamLunar New Year Love Story (First Second/Macmillan)2026Javier Rodriguez Absolute Martian Manhunter (DC)Elsa Charretier The City Beneath Her Feet (DSTLRY)Sean PhillipsGiant Size Criminal #1, The Knives: A Criminal Book (Image)Chris SamneeBatman and Robin: Year One (DC)Hayden ShermanAbsolute Wonder Woman, Batman: Dark Patterns (DC)Eric ZawadzkiAssorted Crisis Events (Image)

Multiple awards and nominations

The following individuals have won Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team two or more times. When an individual has won or been nominated as part of a team that has been noted.

Artist Wins Nominations P. Craig Russell Includes win for "Best Penciller/Inker, Color Publication" in 1993. 4 5 John Cassaday 3 4 Fiona Staples 2 3 Mitch Gerads Won by self in 2018 & 2019. Nominated with Eric "Doc" Shaner in 2021. 2 3

The following individuals have received two or more nominations but never won Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team. When an individual has been nominated as part of a team that has been noted.

Artist Nominations Gene Ha With Zander Cannon in 2002. 4 Sean Phillips 4 François Schuiten 3 Michael Lark With Stefano Gaudiano in 2007. 3 Mick Gray With J. H. Williams III in 2000, 2001, & 2003. 3 Tony Harris With Wade von Grawbadger in 1995 & 1997 and with Tom Feister in 2007. 3 Al Williamson With John Romita Jr. in 1994. 2 Brent Anderson With Will Blyberg in 1997 & 1998. 2 Butch Guice With Steve Epting & Mike Perkins in 2008. 2 Dexter Vines With Steve McNiven in 2007 & 2010. 2 Gary Gianni 2 Nate Powell 2 Paul Smith 2 Richard Friend With José Marzan Jr. in 2008. 2 Rick Burchett With Mike Parobeck in 1995 and Terry Austin in 1998. 2 Sonny Liew 2 Steve McNiven With Dexter Vines in 2007 & 2010. 2 Thomas Yeates With Cary Nord in 2005. 2 Wade von Grawbadger With Tony Harris in 1995 & 1997. 2 Will Blyberg With Brent Anderson in 1997 & 1998. 2 Dave Sim Nominated with Gerhard in 1994. Includes nomination for "Best Penciller/Inker, Black & White Publication" with Gerhard in 1993. 2 Gerhard Nominated with Dave Sim in 1994. Includes nomination for "Best Penciller/Inker, Black & White Publication" with Dave Sim in 1993. 2 Steve Pugh Includes nomination for "Best Penciller/Inker, Color Publication" in 1993. 2 Nick Dragotta 2 Bruno Redondo 2 Dan Mora 2

Notes

References