# Eisner Award for Best Writer

The Eisner Award for Best Writer is an award for "creative achievement" in American comic books.

## Winners and nominees

| Year | Nominee | Titles | Ref. |
| 1980s ||||
| 1988 | Alan Moore | Watchmen (DC) | |
| 1988 | Mike Baron | Nexus (First Comics) | |
| 1988 | Paul Chadwick | Concrete (Dark Horse) | |
| 1988 | Matt Wagner | Grendel (Comico) | |
| 1989 | Alan Moore | Batman: The Killing Joke (DC) | |
| 1989 | Mike Baron | Nexus (First Comics) | |
| 1989 | William Messner-Loebs | Jonny Quest (Comico) | |
| 1989 | Grant Morrison | Animal Man (DC) | |
| 1989 | Ann Nocenti | Daredevil (Marvel) | |
| 1990s ||||
| 1990 | There was no Eisner Award ceremony, or awards distributed, in 1990, due to widespread balloting mix-ups. | There was no Eisner Award ceremony, or awards distributed, in 1990, due to widespread balloting mix-ups. | There was no Eisner Award ceremony, or awards distributed, in 1990, due to widespread balloting mix-ups. |
| 1991 | Neil Gaiman | The Sandman (DC) | |
| 1991 | Steve Gerber | | |
| 1991 | Gilbert Hernandez | Love and Rockets (Fantagraphics) | |
| 1991 | Scott McCloud | Zot! (Kitchen Sink) | |
| 1991 | Frank Miller | | |
| 1991 | Alan Moore | Miracleman (Eclipse) | |
| 1991 | Grant Morrison | | |
| 1991 | Dave Sim | Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim) | |
| 1991 | James Vance | | |
| 1991 | Kate Worley | Omaha the Cat Dancer (Kitchen Sink) | |
| 1992 | Neil Gaiman | The Sandman (DC), Books of Magic (DC), Miracleman (Eclipse) | |
| 1992 | Peter Bagge | Hate (Fantagraphics) | |
| 1992 | Sarah Byam | Billi 99 (Dark Horse) | |
| 1992 | Alan Moore | From Hell (Spiderbaby Grafix/Tundra), Lost Girls (Spiderbaby Grafix/Tundra) | |
| 1992 | Grant Morrison | Doom Patrol (DC) | |
| 1992 | Harvey Pekar | American Splendor (Tundra) | |
| 1992 | Dave Sim | Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim) | |
| 1993 | Neil Gaiman | Miracleman (Eclipse), The Sandman (DC) | |
| 1993 | Peter Bagge | Hate (Fantagraphics) | |
| 1993 | Dennis Eichhorn | Real Stuff (Fantagraphics) | |
| 1993 | Garth Ennis | Hellblazer (DC) | |
| 1993 | Roberta Gregory | Naughty Bits (Fantagraphics) | |
| 1993 | Frank Miller | "Sin City," Dark Horse Presents (Dark Horse) | |
| 1993 | Alan Moore | "From Hell" and "Lost Girls," Taboo (Spiderbaby Grafix/Tundra) | |
| 1993 | Dave Sim | Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim) | |
| 1994 | Neil Gaiman | The Sandman (DC/Vertigo), Death: The High Cost of Living (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 1994 | Peter David | The Incredible Hulk (Marvel), The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect (Marvel) | |
| 1994 | Garth Ennis | Hellblazer (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 1994 | Alan Moore | 1963 (Image), Spawn #8 (Image), A Small Killing (VG Graphics/Dark Horse) | |
| 1994 | Dave Sim | Cerebus (Aardvark-Vanaheim), Spawn #10 (Image) | |
| 1995 | Alan Moore | From Hell (Kitchen Sink) | |
| 1995 | Dwayne McDuffie | Icon (Milestone) | |
| 1995 | Harvey Pekar | American Splendor: A Step Out of the Nest (Dark Horse), Our Cancer Year (with Joyce Brabner) (Four Walls Eight Windows) | |
| 1995 | James Robinson | Starman (DC) | |
| 1995 | Matt Wagner/Steven Seagle | Sandman Mystery Theatre (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 1996 | Alan Moore | From Hell (Kitchen Sink) | |
| 1996 | Kurt Busiek | Kurt Busiek's Astro City (Jukebox Productions/Image) | |
| 1996 | Garth Ennis | Preacher (DC/Vertigo), Goddess (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 1996 | Neil Gaiman | The Sandman (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 1996 | Grant Morrison | The Invisibles (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 1997 | Alan Moore | From Hell (Kitchen Sink), Supreme (Maximum Press) | |
| 1997 | Kurt Busiek | Kurt Busiek's Astro City (Jukebox Productions/Homage), Untold Tales of Spider-Man (Marvel) | |
| 1997 | Neil Gaiman | The Sandman (DC/Vertigo), Death: The Time of Your Life (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 1997 | John Ostrander | The Spectre (DC) | |
| 1997 | James Robinson | Starman (DC), Leave It to Chance (Homage) | |
| 1997 | Mark Waid | The Flash (DC), Impulse (DC), Kingdom Come (DC), Captain America (Marvel) | |
| 1998 | Garth Ennis | Hitman (DC), Preacher (DC/Vertigo), Unknown Soldier (DC/Vertigo), Bloody Mary: Lady Liberty (DC/Helix) | |
| 1998 | Kurt Busiek | Kurt Busiek's Astro City (Jukebox Productions/Homage), The Wizard's Tale (Jukebox Productions/Homage) | |
| 1998 | Scott McCloud | Superman Adventures (DC) | |
| 1998 | John Ostrander | The Spectre (DC), The Kents (DC), Tangent Comics: Nightwing (DC) | |
| 1998 | James Robinson | Starman (DC), The Shade (DC), Tangent Comics: Green Lantern (DC), Leave It to Chance (Homage) | |
| 1999 | Kurt Busiek | Kurt Busiek's Astro City (Homage/WildStorm/Image), The Avengers (Marvel) | |
| 1999 | Jeph Loeb | Superman for All Seasons (DC) | |
| 1999 | Greg Rucka | Whiteout (Oni Press) | |
| 1999 | Steven Seagle | "Drive By," Oni Double Feature (Oni Press), Sandman Mystery Theatre (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 1999 | Matt Wagner | Grendel: Black, White, and Red (Dark Horse) | |
| 2000s ||||
| 2000 | Alan Moore | League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (ABC), Promethea (ABC), Tom Strong (ABC), Tomorrow Stories (ABC), Top Ten (ABC) | |
| 2000 | Ed Brubaker | Scene of the Crime (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2000 | Warren Ellis | The Authority (DC/WildStorm), Planetary, (DC/WildStorm), Transmetropolitan (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2000 | Mark Millar | Superman Adventures (DC) | |
| 2000 | Greg Rucka | Whiteout: Melt (Oni Press) | |
| 2001 | Alan Moore | League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (ABC), Promethea (ABC), Tom Strong (ABC), Tomorrow Stories (ABC), Top Ten (ABC) | |
| 2001 | Brian Michael Bendis | Powers (Image), Fortune and Glory (Oni Press), Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel) | |
| 2001 | Mike Carey | Lucifer (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2001 | Garth Ennis | Preacher (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2001 | Mark Millar | The Authority (WildStorm), Ultimate X-Men (Marvel) | |
| 2002 | Brian Michael Bendis | Powers (Image), Alias (Marvel), Daredevil (Marvel), Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel) | |
| 2002 | Brian Azzarello | 100 Bullets (DC/Vertigo), Hellblazer (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2002 | Grant Morrison | Fantastic Four: 1234 (Marvel), New X-Men (Marvel) | |
| 2002 | Greg Rucka | Queen & Country (Oni Press), Detective Comics (DC) | |
| 2002 | Mark Waid | Ruse (CrossGen) | |
| 2003 | Brian Michael Bendis | Powers (Image), Alias (Marvel), Daredevil (Marvel), Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel) | |
| 2003 | Ed Brubaker | Catwoman (DC), Detective Comics (DC), Gotham Central (DC) | |
| 2003 | Bruce Jones | Incredible Hulk (Marvel) | |
| 2003 | Greg Rucka | Queen & Country (Oni Press), Gotham Central (DC), Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia (DC) | |
| 2003 | Bill Willingham | Fables (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2004 | Alan Moore | League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (ABC), Promethea (ABC), Smax (ABC), Tom Strong (ABC), Tom Strong's Terrific Tales (ABC) | |
| 2004 | Brian Azzarello | 100 Bullets (DC/Vertigo), Sgt. Rock: Between Hell and Hard Place (DC/Vertigo), Batman (DC) | |
| 2004 | Brian Michael Bendis | Alias (Marvel), Daredevil (Marvel), Ultimate Spider-Man (Marvel), Ultimate X-Men (Marvel), Powers (Image) | |
| 2004 | Ed Brubaker | Catwoman (DC), Detective Comics (DC), Gotham Central (DC), Sleeper (DC/WildStorm) | |
| 2004 | Warren Ellis | Orbiter (DC/Vertigo), Global Frequency, (DC/WildStorm), Red, (DC/WildStorm), Planetary, (DC/WildStorm), Planetary/Batman: Night on Earth, (DC/WildStorm) | |
| 2004 | Greg Rucka | Queen & Country (Oni Press), Gotham Central (DC), Wonder Woman (DC), Wolverine (Marvel) | |
| 2005 | Brian K. Vaughan | Y: The Last Man (DC/Vertigo), Ex Machina (DC/WildStorm), Runaways (Marvel) | |
| 2005 | Steve Niles | 30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow (IDW), 30 Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales (IDW), Aleister Arcane (IDW), Freaks of the Heartland (Dark Horse), Last Train to Deadsville (Dark Horse) | |
| 2005 | Greg Rucka | Queen & Country (Oni Press), Gotham Central (DC) | |
| 2005 | Joss Whedon | Astonishing X-Men (Marvel) | |
| 2005 | Bill Willingham | Fables (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2006 | Alan Moore | Promethea (ABC), Top 10: The Forty-Niners (ABC) | |
| 2006 | Warren Ellis | Fell (Image), Down (Top Cow/Image), Desolation Jones (DC/WildStorm), Ocean (DC/WildStorm), Planetary, (DC/WildStorm) | |
| 2006 | Allan Heinberg | Young Avengers (Marvel) | |
| 2006 | Grant Morrison | Seven Soldiers (DC), All Star Superman (DC) | |
| 2006 | Brian K. Vaughan | Ex Machina (DC/WildStorm), Y: The Last Man (DC/Vertigo), Runaways (Marvel) | |
| 2007 | Ed Brubaker | Captain America (Marvel), Daredevil (Marvel), Criminal (Marvel/Icon) | |
| 2007 | Bob Burden | Gumby (Wildcard Ink) | |
| 2007 | Ian Edginton | Scarlet Traces: The Great Game (Dark Horse) | |
| 2007 | Grant Morrison | All Star Superman (DC), Batman (DC), 52 (DC), Seven Soldiers (DC) | |
| 2007 | Bill Willingham | Fables (DC/Vertigo), Jack of Fables (DC/Vertigo), Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2008 | Ed Brubaker | Captain America (Marvel), Criminal (Marvel/Icon), Daredevil (Marvel), The Immortal Iron Fist (Marvel) | |
| 2008 | James Sturm | Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow (Center for Cartoon Studies/Hyperion Books) | |
| 2008 | Brian K. Vaughan | Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Dark Horse), Ex Machina (DC/WildStorm), Y: The Last Man (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2008 | Joss Whedon | Astonishing X-Men (Marvel), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Dark Horse) | |
| 2008 | Brian Wood | DMZ (DC/Vertigo), Northlanders (DC/Vertigo), Local (Oni Press) | |
| 2009 | Bill Willingham | Fables (DC/Vertigo), House of Mystery (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2009 | Joe Hill | Locke & Key (IDW) | |
| 2009 | J. Michael Straczynski | Thor (Marvel), The Twelve (Marvel) | |
| 2009 | Mariko Tamaki | Skim (Groundwood Books) | |
| 2009 | Matt Wagner | Zorro (Dynamite), Madame Xanadu (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2010s ||||
| 2010 | Ed Brubaker | Captain America (Marvel), Daredevil (Marvel), The Marvels Project (Marvel), Criminal (Marvel/Icon), Incognito (Marvel/Icon) | |
| 2010 | Geoff Johns | Adventure Comics (DC), Blackest Night (DC), The Flash: Rebirth (DC), Superman: Secret Origin (DC) | |
| 2010 | James Robinson | Justice League: Cry for Justice (DC) | |
| 2010 | Mark Waid | Irredeemable (Boom!), The Incredibles (Boom!) | |
| 2010 | Bill Willingham | Fables (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2011 | Joe Hill | Locke & Key (IDW) | |
| 2011 | Ian Boothby | Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book (Bongo), Futurama Comics #47-50 (Bongo), Simpsons Comics #162, 168 (Bongo), Simpsons Super Spectacular #11-12 (Bongo) | |
| 2011 | John Layman | Chew (Image) | |
| 2011 | Jim McCann | Return of the Dapper Men (Archaia) | |
| 2011 | Nick Spencer | Morning Glories (Image), Shuddertown (Image), Forgetless (Image), Existence 3.0 (Image), | |
| 2012 | Mark Waid | Irredeemable (Boom!) Incorruptible (Boom!), Daredevil (Marvel) | |
| 2012 | Cullen Bunn | The Sixth Gun (Oni) | |
| 2012 | Mike Carey | The Unwritten (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2012 | Jeff Jensen | Green River Killer: A True Detective Story (Dark Horse) | |
| 2012 | Jeff Lemire | Animal Man (DC), Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown (DC), Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. (DC), Sweet Tooth (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2013 | Brian K. Vaughan | Saga (Image) | |
| 2013 | Ed Brubaker | Fatale (Image) | |
| 2013 | Matt Fraction | Hawkeye (Marvel), Casanova: Avaritia (Marvel/Icon) | |
| 2013 | Brandon Graham | Multiple Warheads (Image), Prophet (Image) | |
| 2013 | Jonathan Hickman | The Manhattan Projects (Image) | |
| 2013 | Frank M. Young | The Carter Family: Don't Forget This Song (Abrams ComicArts) | |
| 2014 | Brian K. Vaughan | Saga (Image) | |
| 2014 | Kelly Sue DeConnick | Pretty Deadly (Image), Captain Marvel (Marvel) | |
| 2014 | Matt Fraction | Sex Criminals (Image), Hawkeye (Marvel), Fantastic Four (Marvel), FF (Marvel) | |
| 2014 | Jonathan Hickman | East of West (Image), The Manhattan Projects (Image), Avengers (Marvel), Infinity (Marvel) | |
| 2014 | Eric Stephenson | Nowhere Men (Image) | |
| 2015 | Gene Luen Yang | Avatar: The Last Airbender (Dark Horse), The Shadow Hero (First Second) | |
| 2015 | Jason Aaron | Original Sin (Marvel), Thor (Marvel), Men of Wrath (Marvel/Icon), Southern Bastards (Image) | |
| 2015 | Kelly Sue DeConnick | Captain Marvel (Marvel), Pretty Deadly (Image) | |
| 2015 | Grant Morrison | The Multiversity (DC), Annihilator (Legendary Comics) | |
| 2015 | Brian K. Vaughan | Saga (Image), The Private Eye (Panel Syndicate) | |
| 2015 | G. Willow Wilson | Ms. Marvel (Marvel) | |
| 2016 | Jason Aaron | Southern Bastards (Image), Men of Wrath (Marvel/Icon), Doctor Strange (Marvel), Star Wars (Marvel), Thor (Marvel) | |
| 2016 | John Allison | Giant Days (Boom!) | |
| 2016 | Ed Brubaker | The Fade Out (Image), Velvet (Image), Criminal Special Edition (Image) | |
| 2016 | Marjorie Liu | Monstress (Image) | |
| 2016 | G. Willow Wilson | Ms. Marvel (Marvel) | |
| 2017 | Brian K. Vaughan | Paper Girls (Image), Saga (Image), We Stand On Guard (Image) | |
| 2017 | Ed Brubaker | Criminal 10th Anniversary Special (Image), Kill or Be Killed (Image), Velvet (Image) | |
| 2017 | Kurt Busiek | Astro City (DC/Vertigo) | |
| 2017 | Chelsea Cain | Mockingbird (Marvel) | |
| 2017 | Max Landis | Green Valley (Image/Skybound), Superman: American Alien (DC) | |
| 2017 | Jeff Lemire | Black Hammer (Dark Horse), Descender (Image), Plutona (Image), Bloodshot Reborn (Valiant) | |
| 2018 | Tom King | Batman (DC), Batman Annual #2 (DC), Batman/Elmer Fudd Special #1 (DC), Mister Miracle (DC) | |
| 2018 | Marjorie Liu | Monstress (Image) | |
| 2018 | Matt Kindt | Grass Kings (Boom!), Ether (Dark Horse), Eternity (Valiant), X-O Manowar (Valiant) | |
| 2018 | Jeff Lemire | Black Hammer (Dark Horse), Descender (Image) | |
| 2018 | Mark Russell | The Flintstones (DC) | |
| 2019 | Tom King | Batman (DC), Mister Miracle (DC), Heroes in Crisis (DC), Swamp Thing Winter Special (DC) | |
| 2019 | Alex de Campi | Bad Girls (Gallery 13), Twisted Romance (Image) | |
| 2019 | Jeff Lemire | Black Hammer: Age of Doom (Dark Horse), Doctor Star & the Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows (Dark Horse), Quantum Age (Dark Horse), Descender (Image), Gideon Falls (Image), Royal City (Image) | |
| 2019 | Mark Russell | Exit, Stage Left!: The Snagglepuss Chronicles (DC), Green Lantern/Huckleberry Hound (DC), Lex Luthor/Porky Pig (DC), Lone Ranger (Dynamite) | |
| 2019 | Kelly Thompson | Nancy Drew (Dynamite), Hawkeye (Marvel), Jessica Jones (Marvel), Mr. & Mrs. X (Marvel), Rogue & Gambit (Marvel), Uncanny X-Men (Marvel), West Coast Avengers (Marvel) | |
| 2019 | Chip Zdarsky | Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man (Marvel), Marvel Two-in-One (Marvel) | |
| 2020s ||||
| 2020 | Mariko Tamaki | Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass (DC), Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me (First Second/Macmillan), Archie (Archie) | |
| 2020 | Bobby Curnow | Ghost Tree (IDW) | |
| 2020 | MK Reed and Greg Means | Penny Nichols (Top Shelf) | |
| 2020 | Lewis Trondheim | Stay (Magnetic Press), Maggy Garrisson (SelfMadeHero) | |
| 2020 | G. Willow Wilson | Invisible Kingdom (Berger Books/Dark Horse), Ms. Marvel (Marvel) | |
| 2020 | Chip Zdarsky | The White Trees (Image), Daredevil (Marvel), Spider-Man: Life Story (Marvel), Afterlift (comiXology Originals) | |
| 2021 | James Tynion IV | Something Is Killing the Children (Boom!), Wynd (Boom!), Batman (DC), The Department of Truth (Image), Razorblades (Tiny Onion) | |
| 2021 | Ed Brubaker | Pulp (Image), Reckless (Image), Friday (Panel Syndicate) | |
| 2021 | Matt Fraction | Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen (DC), Adventureman (Image), November vols. 2–3 (Image), Sex Criminals (Image) | |
| 2021 | Jonathan Hickman | Decorum (Image), Giant-Size X-Men (Marvel), X-Men (Marvel) | |
| 2021 | Jeff Lemire | Barbalien: Red Planet (Dark Horse), Black Hammer (Dark Horse), Colonel Weird: Cosmagog (Dark Horse), The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage (DC), Family Tree (Image), Gideon Falls (Image) | |
| 2021 | Chip Zdarsky | Stillwater (Image/Skybound), Daredevil (Marvel), Fantastic Four/X-Men (Marvel) | |
| 2022 | James Tynion IV | House of Slaughter (Boom!), Something Is Killing the Children (Boom!), Wynd (Boom!), The Nice House on the Lake (DC), The Joker (DC), Batman (DC), DC Pride (DC), The Department of Truth (Image), Blue Book (Tiny Onion Studios), Razorblades (Tiny Onion Studios) | |
| 2022 | Ed Brubaker | Destroy All Monsters (Image), Friend of the Devil (Image) | |
| 2022 | Kelly Sue DeConnick | Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons (DC) | |
| 2022 | Filipe Melo | Ballad for Sophie (Top Shelf) | |
| 2022 | Ram V | The Many Deaths of Laila Starr (Boom!), The Swamp Thing (DC), Carnage: Black, White & Blood (Marvel), Venom (Marvel) | |
| 2023 | James Tynion IV | House of Slaughter (Boom!), Something Is Killing the Children (Boom!), Wynd (Boom!), The Nice House on the Lake (DC), The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country (DC), The Closet (Image)The Department of Truth (Image) | |
| 2023 | Grace Ellis | Flung Out Of Space (Abrams Comicsart) |
| 2023 | Tom King | Batman: Killing Time (DC), Batman: One Bad Day (DC), Gotham City: Year One (DC), The Human Target (DC), Supergirl: The Woman of Tomorrow (DC), Love Everlasting (Image) |
| 2023 | Mark Russell | Traveling To Mars (Ablaze), One-Star Squadron (DC), Superman: Space Age (DC), The Incal: Psychoverse (Humanoids) |
| 2023 | Chip Zdarsky | Stillwater (Image Skybound), Daredevil (Marvel) |