Eric Awards

## A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ERIC AWARDS

The 'Eric' Awards, for outstanding achievement in New Zealand comic book creation, has been for many years now. As the quality and quantity of New Zealand comic production grows, so too the Awards grew in distinction and importance.

The first 'Eric' Awards were nominated and voted on in 2000 - entirely electronically, via the online New Zealand comics discussion group hosted by Black River Digital.

The 'Erics' derived its name from New Zealand comic book pioneer Eric Resetar - initiator of the artist-operated mode of comic book publishing that continues in New Zealand to this day. In 1943 Resetar self-published his first comic at age 13. He went on to publish numerous comics of his own through the 1940s, 50s and 60s, including the fabled : An All Black on Mars - which today are prized collectors' items.

## WINNERS

WINNERS

2010 BLACK RIVER DIGITAL ERIC AWARDS

Best Comic:

Love Stories by Mat Tait

Best Strip:

Western Park by Tim Kidd

Best Anthology:

Radio as Paper by Jerome Bihan

Best Webcomic:

TIE

Drawing Silence by Draw

and

How to Understand Everything and Not Hate Yourself by Meredith Van Halen

Best Art:

Utopia Now by Margaret Silverwood

Best Writing:

The Inhabitants writen by Kelly Sheehan

Best Debut

Hotpools by Ned Wenlock

Best Short Piece:

Under the Bed (single issue) by Tim Molloy

Best Comics Related Website:

From Earth's End by Adrian Kinnaird

Best Distribution:

NZCC-New Zealand Comics Creators (Isaac Freeman, Claire Harris, et al.)

'ERIC' AWARDS 2006

When? APRIL 29th, from 7pm

Where? ARO VALLEY COMMUNITY HALL, ARO ST, WELLINGTON

The Black River Digital New Zealand Comics Awards, aka the Eric Awards, occurred in 2006, as part of the New Zealand Comics Weekend: 29th-30th of April (same weekend as Armageddon) in Wellington, with the Awards held on the Saturday night. For a full list of the finalists in 2006 see Eric Award Nominations, the winners are listed below

(For NZ Comics published 2004 and 2005)

Best Comic:

Jared Lane, Progress #5

Best Anthology:

Funtime Comics, Unau Prolepsis

Best Short Piece:

Sophie MacMillan, Speed is Fast, Sound is Loud

Best Strip:

James Squire, Fishing for Orphans

Best Web-Comic:

Grant Buist, Jitterati

Best Debut:

Samuel Kileen-Chance

Best Art:

Clayton Noone and Stefan Neville, Win Tanes Bra

Best Writing:

Timothy Kidd, Came the Dawn

Best Comics Related Website:

http://www.comics.org.nz

Best Distribution:

Moon Rocket

'ERIC' AWARDS 2004

(for NZ comics published in 2003)

Announced and presented at the Aotea Centre, Auckland on 17 April 2004.

1. Staedtler/Gotham Comics Best Comic:

Awarded to the best comic book produced in NZ or by a New Zealander living overseas.

Ant Sang's The Dharma Punks #8

2. The Package Best Comics Related Web-site:

Awarded to the best NZ comic appearing on the world wide web or NZ comic-related website

Mat Tait http://www.mattait.com/

3. Gordon Harris Best Anthology:

Awarded to the best comic book featuring stories from more than one creator:

Clayton Noone and Stefan Neville City of Tales: Pipis.

4. Comics Compulsion Best Short Piece:

Awarded to the best comic story in an anthology or other publication:

Tim Kidd At Home with the Rabbits Pavement Magazine

5. Best Strip:

Awarded to the best published comic strip in NZ or by a NZer living overseas

No Award

6. Gordon Harris Best comic design:

Acknowledging novel and orginals format, layout and design:

Karl Wills Jessica vs. Megapotomus

7. Pavement Debut Prize

For new talent making waves in 2003:

G.C.R Bip Bip

8. Tony Gibson Award For a work deserving of special mention.

Tony Gibson was the proprietor of Gotham Comics in Auckland, and a long time supporter of NZ comix, who passed away at an early age in 2001.

Cornelius Stone and Roger Langridge and various No More Mrs Nice Nun

The Black River Digital NZ Comic Awards Site

NO AWARDS IN 2003

'ERIC' AWARDS 2002

(for comics Published in 2001)

1: Best Comic:

Tie between Atlas #1 by Dylan Horrocks

and Dreamboat Dreamboat #1 by Toby Morris.

http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com

http://www.hicksville.co.nz/

http://www.hotelfred.com/

http://www.comicbookfactory.net/

3. Best Anthology:

Officer Pup - Editor Toby Morris.

4. Best Short Piece:

Tie between Te-Kanawa and the Fairies by Jared Lane (Officer Pup)

and Your Love Story by Toby Morris (Officer Pup).

5. Best Ongoing Serialized Story:

The Dharma Punks by Ant Sang.

6. Best Strip:

Tie between Meantime by Anthony Ellison

and Jessica Of The School Yard by Karl Wills

7. Best Journalistic Coverage of Comics:

Pavement's Comics Column by Tim Bollinger.

8. Best Design of a Comic:

Jessica's Good Deed by Karl Wills.

9. Hall of Fame:

Eric Resetar.

Colin Wilson .

10. Best Cover Award:

Dreamboat Dreamboat by Toby Morris.

11. Best Comics Related Event

Cartoon Show.

Convener: Tony Scanlan

'ERIC' AWARDS 2001

(for comics published in 2000)

1: Bet Comic:

World Without Gravity: The Last Day on Earth by Brendan Philip.

2. Best Comic Related Website:

http://www.hicksville.co.nz/

3. Best Anthology:

No Award.

4. Best Short Piece in an Anthology:

Colour Field Theory by Brendan Philip.

5. Best Serialised Story in an Ongoing Title:

Disgraceland by James Merritt.

6. Best Strip:

Connie Radar by Karl Wills.

7. Best Journalistic Coverage of Comics:

A tie between The Cartoonist

and Tim Bollinger's article.

8. Best Design of a Comic:

No Award.

10. Best Editorial Cartoon:

No Award.

12. Hall of Fame:

Barry Linton.

Eric Resetar.

Cornelius Stone.

13. Best Cover Award:

No Award.

14. Best Artist Award:

Dylan Horrocks.

15: Best Writer Award:

Dylan Horrocks.

Convener: Tony Scanlan