| Year |
Nominee |
Titles |
Ref. |
| 1990s |
| 1992 |
Brian Bolland |
Animal Man (DC) |
[1] |
| Simon Bisley |
Batman/Judge Dredd: Judgment on Gotham (DC), Doom Patrol (DC) |
| Dave Dorman |
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (Dark Horse), Star Wars (Dark Horse) |
| Brendan McCarthy |
Shade, the Changing Man (DC Comics) |
| 1993 |
Brian Bolland |
Animal Man (DC), Wonder Woman (DC) |
[2] |
| Simon Bisley |
Grendel: War Child (Dark Horse), The Terminator: Enemy Within (Dark Horse), Doom Patrol (DC) |
| Glenn Fabry |
Hellblazer (DC), The Spectre (DC) |
| Dave Sim/Gerhard |
Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim) |
| Brendan McCarthy |
Shade, the Changing Man (DC Comics) |
| Dave McKean |
Cages (Tundra), The Sandman (DC) |
| Steve Rude |
World's Finest trade paperback (DC), Nexus: The Origin (Dark Horse) |
| Matt Wagner |
"Faces," Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (DC) |
| 1994 |
Brian Bolland |
Animal Man (DC), Wonder Woman (DC), Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #50 (DC) |
[3] |
| John Bolton |
Aliens/Predator: The Deadliest of the Species (Dark Horse) |
| Glenn Fabry |
Hellblazer (DC/Vertigo), Vertigo Jam (DC/Vertigo) |
| Alex Ross |
Marvels (Marvel) |
| Dave Sim/Gerhard |
Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim) |
| 1995 |
Glenn Fabry |
Hellblazer (DC/Vertigo) |
[4] |
| Tony Harris |
Starman (DC) |
| Terry Moore |
Strangers in Paradise (Abstract Studio) |
| Don Rosa |
Uncle Scrooge (Gladstone) |
| Rick Veitch |
Roarin' Rick's Rare Bit Fiends (King Hell) |
| Charles Vess |
The Books of Magic (DC/Vertigo) |
| 1996 |
Alex Ross |
Kurt Busiek's Astro City (Jukebox Productions/Image) |
[5] |
| Frank Miller |
X #18-21 (Dark Horse), Sin City: The Big Fat Kill (Dark Horse), Silent Night (Dark Horse) |
| Charles Vess |
The Books of Magic (DC/Vertigo), Ice Age on the World of Magic the Gathering (Acclaim/Armada), The Book of Ballads and Sagas #1 (Green Man Press) |
| Chris Ware |
Acme Novelty Library (Fantagraphics), BLAB! #8 (Kitchen Sink) |
| Phil Winslade |
Goddess (DC/Vertigo), Vamps: Hollywood & Vein (DC/Vertigo) |
| Jim Woodring |
Jim (Fantagraphics), Jim Special (Fantagraphics) |
| 1997 |
Alex Ross |
Kingdom Come, (DC), Kurt Busiek's Astro City (Jukebox Productions/Homage) |
[6] |
| Mark Chiarello |
Terminal City (DC/Vertigo) |
| Tony Harris |
Starman (DC) |
| Michael Kaluta |
The Books of Magic (DC/Vertigo), Vermillion (Helix) |
| Jerry Ordway |
The Power of Shazam! (DC) |
| Steve Rude |
Nexus: Executioner's Song (Dark Horse), Nexus Meets Madman (Dark Horse) |
| 1998 |
Alex Ross |
Kurt Busiek's Astro City, (Jukebox Productions/Homage), Uncle Sam (DC/Vertigo) |
[7] |
| Mike Allred |
Red Rocket 7 (Dark Horse) |
| Mark Crilley |
Akiko (Sirius) |
| Glenn Fabry |
Preacher (DC/Vertigo), Preacher Specials (DC/Vertigo) |
| Jerry Ordway |
The Power of Shazam! (DC) |
| Steve Rude |
Nexus: Nightmare in Blue (Dark Horse), Nexus: God Con (Dark Horse) |
| Ty Templeton |
Batman & Robin Adventures (DC) |
| 1999 |
Brian Bolland |
The Invisibles (DC/Vertigo) |
[8] |
| Glenn Fabry |
Preacher (DC/Vertigo), Hellblazer (DC/Vertigo), Aliens vs. Predator: Eternal (Dark Horse) |
| Dave McKean |
The Dreaming (DC/Vertigo) |
| Frank Miller and Lynn Varley |
300 (Dark Horse) |
| Joe Quesada/Jimmy Palmiotti |
Daredevil (Marvel), Painkiller Jane/DarkChylde (Event), Painkiller Jane/Hellboy (Event) |
| 2000s |
| 2000 |
Alex Ross |
Batman: No Man's Land (DC), Batman: Harley Quinn (DC), Batman: War on Crime (DC), Kurt Busiek's Astro City (Homage/DC/WildStorm), ABC alternate #1 covers (ABC) |
[9] |
| John Cassaday |
Planetary (DC/WildStorm) |
| Frank Cho |
Liberty Meadows (Insight Studios) |
| Glenn Fabry |
Preacher (DC/Vertigo) |
| Dave McKean |
The Dreaming (DC/Vertigo) |
| 2001 |
Brian Bolland |
Batman: Gotham Knights (DC), The Flash (DC), The Invisibles (Vertigo/DC) |
[10] |
| Duncan Fegredo |
Lucifer (Vertigo/DC) |
| Phil Hale |
Swamp Thing (Vertigo/DC), Vertigo Secret Files (Vertigo/DC), Flinch #11 (Vertigo/DC) |
| Dave Johnson |
Detective Comics (DC), 100 Bullets (Vertigo/DC) |
| Chris Ware |
Acme Novelty Library (Fantagraphics), Jimmy Corrigan (Pantheon), Drawn & Quarterly vol. 3 (Drawn & Quarterly) |
| 2002 |
Dave Johnson |
Detective Comics (DC), 100 Bullets (Vertigo/DC) |
[11] |
| Tim Bradstreet |
Hellblazer (DC/Vertigo) |
| J. G. Jones |
Codename: Knockout (DC/Vertigo), Transmetropolitan (DC/Vertigo) |
| Jae Lee |
Our Worlds at War specials (DC), Fantastic Four: 1234 (Marvel) |
| Mike Mignola |
Hellboy: Conqueror Worm (Dark Horse Maverick) |
| 2003 |
Adam Hughes |
Wonder Woman (DC) |
[12] |
| Kaare Andrews |
The Incredible Hulk (Marvel) |
| Dave Johnson |
Detective Comics (DC), 100 Bullets (DC/Vertigo) |
| Terry Moore |
Strangers in Paradise (Abstract Studio) |
| J. H. Williams III |
Promethea (ABC) |
| 2004 |
James Jean |
Batgirl (DC), Fables (Vertigo/DC) |
[13] |
| Dave Johnson |
Batman # 620-622 (DC), 100 Bullets (DC/Vertigo) |
| Scott McKowen |
1602 (Marvel) |
| Joshua Middleton |
NYX (Marvel), X-Men Unlimited (Marvel), New Mutants (Marvel) |
| Sean Phillips |
Sleeper (WildStorm/DC) |
| Brian Wood |
Global Frequency (WildStorm/DC) |
| 2005 |
James Jean |
Fables (Vertigo/DC), Green Arrow (DC), Batgirl (DC) |
[14] |
| Kieron Dwyer |
Remains (IDW) |
| Tony Moore |
The Walking Dead (Image) |
| Frank Quitely |
Bite Club (Vertigo/DC), We3 (Vertigo/DC) |
| Michael Turner |
Identity Crisis (DC) |
| 2006 |
James Jean |
Fables (Vertigo/DC), Runaways (Marvel) |
[15] |
| Frank Espinosa |
Rocketo (Speakeasy) |
| Tony Harris |
Ex Machina (WildStorm/DC) |
| Jock |
The Losers (Vertigo/DC) |
| Eric Powell |
The Goon (Dark Horse), Universal Monsters: Cavalcade of Horror (Dark Horse) |
| 2007 |
James Jean |
Fables (Vertigo/DC), Jack of Fables (Vertigo/DC), 1001 Nights of Snowfall (Vertigo/DC) |
[16] |
| John Cassaday |
Astonishing X-Men (Marvel), Conan (Dark Horse), The Lone Ranger (Dynamite) |
| Tony Harris |
Conan (Dark Horse), Ex Machina (WildStorm/DC) |
| Dave Johnson |
100 Bullets (DC/Vertigo), Zombie Tales (Boom!), Cthulhu Tales (Boom!), The Black Plague (Boom!) |
| J. G. Jones |
52 (DC) |
| 2008 |
James Jean |
Fables (Vertigo/DC), The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse), Process Recess 2 (AdHouse), Superior Showcase 2 (AdHouse) |
[17] |
| John Cassaday |
Astonishing X-Men (Marvel), The Lone Ranger (Dynamite) |
| J. G. Jones |
52 (DC) |
| Jae Lee |
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born (Marvel) |
| Jim Lee |
All Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder (DC), World of Warcraft (WildStorm/DC) |
| 2009 |
James Jean |
Fables (Vertigo/DC), The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse) |
[18][19] |
| Gabriel Bá |
Casanova (Image), The Umbrella Academy (Dark Horse) |
| Jo Chen |
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Dark Horse) |
| Amy Reeder Hadley |
Madame Xanadu (DC/Vertigo) |
| Matt Wagner |
Zorro (Dynamite) |
| 2010s |
| 2010 |
J. H. Williams III |
Detective Comics (DC) |
[20][21] |
| John Cassaday |
Irredeemable (Boom!), The Lone Ranger (Dynamite) |
| Salvador Larroca |
The Invincible Iron Man (Marvel) |
| Sean Phillips |
Criminal (Marvel/Icon), Incognito (Marvel/Icon), 28 Days Later (Boom!) |
| Alex Ross |
Astro City: The Dark Age (WildStorm), Project Superpowers (Dynamite) |
| 2011 |
Mike Mignola |
Hellboy (Dark Horse), Baltimore: The Plague Ships (Dark Horse) |
[22][23] |
| Rodin Esquejo |
Morning Glories (Shadowline/Image) |
| Dave Johnson |
Abe Sapien: The Abyssal Plain (Dark Horse), Unknown Soldier (Vertigo/DC), Punisher Max (Marvel), Deadpool (Marvel) |
| David Petersen |
Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard (Archaia) |
| Yuko Shimizu |
The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC) |
| 2012 |
Francesco Francavilla |
Black Panther (Marvel), The Lone Ranger (Dynamite), Lone Ranger/Zorro (Dynamite), Dark Shadows (Dynamite), Warlord of Mars (Dynamite), Archie Meets Kiss (Archie) |
[24][23] |
| Michael Allred |
iZOMBIE (Vertigo/DC) |
| Viktor Kalvachev |
Blue Estate (Image) |
| Marcos Martín |
Daredevil (Marvel), The Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel) |
| Sean Phillips |
Criminal: The Last of the Innocent (Marvel/Icon) |
| Yuko Shimizu |
The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC) |
| 2013 |
David Aja |
Hawkeye (Marvel) |
[25][23] |
| Brandon Graham |
King City (Image), Multiple Warheads (Image), Elephantmen #43 (Image) |
| Sean Phillips |
Fatale (Image) |
| Yuko Shimizu |
The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC) |
| J. H. Williams III |
Batwoman (DC) |
| 2014 |
David Aja |
Hawkeye (Marvel) |
[26][23] |
| Mike del Mundo |
X-Men: Legacy (Marvel) |
| Sean Murphy/Jordie Bellaire |
The Wake (DC/Vertigo) |
| Emma Ríos |
Pretty Deadly (Image) |
| Chris Samnee |
Daredevil (Marvel) |
| Fiona Staples |
Saga (Image) |
| 2015 |
Darwyn Cooke |
DC Comics Darwyn Cooke Month Variant Covers (DC) |
[27][23] |
| Mike del Mundo |
Elektra (Marvel), X-Men: Legacy (Marvel), A+X (Marvel), Dexter (Marvel), Dexter Down Under (Marvel) |
| Francesco Francavilla |
Afterlife with Archie (Archie), Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight (Dark Horse), The Twilight Zone (Dynamite), Django/Zorro (Dynamite); X-Files (IDW) |
| Jamie McKelvie/Matthew Wilson |
The Wicked + The Divine (Image), Ms. Marvel (Marvel) |
| Phil Noto |
Black Widow (Marvel) |
| Alex Ross |
Astro City (Vertigo/DC), Batman '66: The Lost Episode, Batman '66 Meets Green Hornet (DC/Dynamite) |
| 2016 |
David Aja |
Hawkeye (Marvel), Karnak (Marvel), Scarlet Witch (Marvel) |
[28][23] |
| Rafael Alburquerque |
EI8ht (Dark Horse), Huck (Image) |
| Amanda Conner |
Harley Quinn (DC) |
| Joëlle Jones |
Lady Killer (Dark Horse), Brides of Helheim (Oni) |
| Ed Piskor |
Hip Hop Family Tree (Fantagraphics) |
| 2017 |
Fiona Staples |
Saga (Image) |
[29][23] |
| Mike del Mundo |
Avengers (Marvel), Carnage (Marvel), Mosaic (Marvel), The Vision (Marvel) |
| David Mack |
Abe Sapien (Dark Horse), B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth (Dark Horse), Fight Club 2 (Dark Horse), Hellboy and the BPRD 1953 (Dark Horse) |
| Sean Phillips |
Criminal 10th Anniversary Special (Image), Kill or Be Killed (Image) |
| Sana Takeda |
Monstress (Image) |
| 2018 |
Sana Takeda |
Monstress (Image) |
[30][23] |
| Jorge Corona |
No.1 with a Bullet (Image) |
| Nick Derington |
Mister Miracle (DC), Doom Patrol (DC/Young Animal) |
| Brian Stelfreeze |
Black Panther (Marvel) |
| Julian Totino Tedesco |
Hawkeye (Marvel) |
| 2019 |
Jen Bartel |
Blackbird (Image), Submerged (Vault) |
[31] |
| Nick Derington |
Mister Miracle (DC) |
| Karl Kerschl |
Isola (Image) |
| Joshua Middleton |
Batgirl variants (DC), Aquaman variants (DC) |
| Julian Totino Tedesco |
Hawkeye (Marvel), Life of Captain Marvel (Marvel) |
| 2020s |
| 2020 |
Emma Ríos |
Pretty Deadly (Image) |
[32][33] |
| Jen Bartel |
Blackbird (Image) |
| Francesco Francavilla |
Archie (Archie), Archie 1955 (Archie), Archie vs. Predator II (Archie), Cosmo (Archie) |
| David Mack |
American Gods (Dark Horse), Fight Club 3 (Dark Horse), Cover (DC) |
| Julian Totino Tedesco |
Daredevil (Marvel) |
| Christian Ward |
Machine Gun Wizards (Dark Horse), Invisible Kingdom (Berger Books/Dark Horse) |
| 2021 |
Peach Momoko |
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #19 (Boom! Studios), Mighty Morphin #2 (Boom! Studios), Something Is Killing the Children #12 (Boom! Studios), Power Rangers #1 (Boom! Studios); Die!namite (Dynamite Entertainment); The Crow: Lethe (IDW Publishing); Marvel Variants (Marvel Comics) |
[34][35] |
| Jamal Campbell |
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (Boom! Studios); Far Sector (DC Comics) |
| Simone Di Meo |
We Only Find Them When They’re Dead (Boom! Studios) |
| Mike Huddleston |
Decorum (Image Comics) |
| Dave Johnson |
Butcher of Paris (Dark Horse Comics) |
| Ramón K. Pérez |
Stillwater (Image Comics/Skybound Entertainment) |
| 2022 |
Jen Bartel |
Future State Immortal Wonder Woman #1&2 (DC), Wonder Woman Black & Gold #1 (DC), Wonder Woman 80th Anniversary (DC), Women’s History Month variant covers (Marvel Comics) |
[36] |
| David Mack |
Norse Mythology (Dark Horse Comics) |
| Bruno Redondo |
Nightwing (DC Comics) |
| Alex Ross |
Black Panther, Captain America, Captain America/Iron Man #2, Immortal Hulk, Iron Man, The U.S. of The Marvels (Marvel Comics) |
| Julian Totino Tedesco |
Just Beyond: Monstrosity (Boom! Studios/KaBoom!); Dune: House Atreides (Boom! Studios); Action Comics (DC Comics); The Walking Dead Deluxe (Image Skybound) |
| Yoshi Yoshitani |
I Am Not Starfire (DC Comics); The Blue Flame, Giga, Witchblood (Vault Comics) |
| 2023 |
Bruno Redondo |
Nightwing (DC) |
[37] |
| Jen Bartel |
She-Hulk (Marvel) |
| Alex Ross |
Astro City: That Was Then... Image, Fantastic Four, Black Panther (Marvel) |
| Sana Takeda |
Monstress (Image) |
| Zoe Thorogood |
Joe's Hill's Rain (Syzygy/Image) |
| 2024 |
Peach Momoko |
Demon Wars: Scarlet Sin (Marvel) |
[38] |
| Jen Bartel |
DC Pride 2023, Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville #1 (DC); Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest #1, Demon Wars: Scarlet Sin #1, Scarlet Witch #9, Sensational She-Hulk (Marvel) |
| Evan Cagle |
Detective Comics (DC) |
| Jenny Frison |
Alice Never After #1, BRZRKR: Fallen Empire #1 (BOOM! Studios); Knight Terrors: Harley Quinn #1–2, Poison Ivy #8, #12 (DC) |
| E. M. Gist |
Expanse Dragon Tooth #1, Something Is Killing the Children #28 & #34, Wild’s End, vol 2 #4 (BOOM! Studios); Amazing Spider-Man #23, Doctor Aphra #36, Moon Knight #3, Nightcrawlers #1, Wolverine #38 (Marvel) |
| Dan Mora |
Coda #3, Damn Them All #4, MMPR 30th Anniversary Special #1, Rare Flavours #3 (BOOM! Studios); Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, Outsiders #1, Poison Ivy #9, Shazam!, Titans #1 (DC) |
| 2025 |
Tula Lotay |
Helen of Wyndhorn #1, Count Crowley: Mediocre Midnight Monster Hunter #3, Dawnrunner #1, Barnstormers TPB (Dark Horse); Somna and other titles (DSTLRY); The Horizon Experiment (Image) |
[39] |
| Juni Ba |
The Boy Wonder (DC); Godzilla Skate or Die, TMNT Nightwatcher and others (IDW) |
| Evan Cagle |
Dawnrunner (Dark Horse); New Gods (Detective Comics) |
| Bilquis Evely |
Animal Pound (BOOM!); Helen of Wyndhorn (Dark Horse) |
| Hayman Sherman |
Absolute Wonder Woman, Batman: Dark Patterns, Superman, Ape-ril, Batman: The Brave and the Bold (DC) |
| 2026 |
Javier Rodriguez |
Absolute Martian Manhunter, Batman & Robin: Year One #7, The New Gods #8 (DC) |
[40] |
| Juni Ba |
The Boy Wonder (DC); The Fable of Erkling Woods (Goats Flying Press); TMNT Nightwatcher, TMNT Godzilla (IDW); Monkey Meat Summer Batch (Image) |
| Nick Dragotta |
Absolute Batman, Absolute Batman 2025 Annual, Batman #1, Batman/Deadpool (DC) |
| Francesco Francavilla |
Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars: Tales from the Nightlands (Dark Horse); Absolute Batman, Absolute Martian Manhunter, Batman: Full Moon, Nightwing variants (DC); Green Hornet/Miss Fury (Dynamite); Star Trek: The Last Starship, Twilight Zone (IDW); Dick Tracy (Mad Cave) |
| Mateus Manhanini |
Absolute Superman, Absolute Wonder Woman, Mr. Terrific: Year One variants (DC); Doctor Strange, Ironheart: Bad Chemistry, Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Phases of the Moon Knight, Star Wars: The High Republic, Storm, The Ultimates (Marvel) |
| Hayden Sherman |
Absolute Wonder Woman, Batman: Dark Patterns #3-12 (DC) |