The 2012 Eisner nominations are in!

The folks at Comic-Con International have posted the nominees for the 2012 Eisner Awards. This year was an exceptionally good one for kids’ comics; kid-friendly titles were nominated in categories across the board, from Best Single Issue to Best Continuing Series. Better still, the panel of judges — which included our own Brigid Alverson — created a special category for young readers, nominating five titles for the honor of Best Publication for Early Readers (Up to Age 7).

Below is a quick run-down of all the kid- and teen-friendly titles that got the nod from the Eisner judges. Which ones are you rooting for? And which titles were unjustly neglected? Inquiring minds want to know!

Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
Princeless #3, by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin (Action Lab)

Best Continuing Series
Usagi Yojimbo, by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)
Beauty and the Squat Bears, by Émile Bravo (Yen Press)
Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking, by Philippe Coudray (Candlewick/Toon Books)
Dragon Puncher Island, by James Kochalka (Top Shelf)
Nursery Rhyme Comics, edited by Chris Duffy (First Second)
Patrick in a Teddy Bear’s Picnic, by Geoffrey Hayes (Candlewick/Toon Books)

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8-12)
The All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold, by Sholly Fisch, Rick Burchett, and Dan Davis (DC)
Amelia Rules: The Meaning of Life … And Other Stuff, by Jimmy Gownley (Atheneum)
The Ferret’s a Foot, by Colleen AF Venable and Stephanie Yue (Graphic Universe/Lerner)
Princeless, by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin (Action Lab)
Snarked, by Roger Langridge (kaboom!)
Zita the Space Girl, by Ben Hatke (First Second)

Best Publication for Young Adults (Ages 12-17)
Anya’s Ghost, by Vera Brosgol (First Second)
Around the World, by Matt Phelan (Candlewick)
Level Up, by Gene Yang and Thien Pham (First Second)
Life with Archie, by Paul Kupperberg, Fernando Ruiz, Pat & Tim Kennedy, Norm Breyfogle et al. (Archie)
Mystic, by G. Willow Wilson and David Lopez (Marvel)

Best Anthology
Nursery Rhyme Comics, edited by Chris Duffy (First Second)

Best Humor Publication
Chimichanga, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)

Best Archival Collection/Project – Strips
Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse vols. 1-2, by Floyd Gottfredson, edited by David Gerstein and Gary Groth (Fantagraphics)

Best Graphic Album
Sarah Oleksyk, Ivy (Oni)

Best Writer/Artist
Sarah Oleksyk, Ivy (Oni)

Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
Ramón K. Pérez, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand (Archaia)

Best Lettering
Deron Bennett, Billy Fog, Jim Henson’s Dark Crystal, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, Mr. Murder Is Dead (Archaia); Helldorado, Puss N Boots, Richie Rich (APE Entertainment)
Jimmy Gownley, Amelia Rules! The Meaning of Life … And Other Stuff (Atheneum)
Laura Lee Gulledge, Page by Paige (Amulet Books/Abrams)
Stan Sakai, Usagi Yojimbo (Dark Horse)

Best Comics-Related Book
Archie: A Celebration of America’s Favorite Teenagers, edited by Craig Yoe (IDW/Yoe Books)

Best Publication Design
Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand, designed by Eric Skillman (Archaia)

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