As the mind behind the Static Shock TV series and the writer of over a dozen comic titles, Eisner Award-winning Dwayne McDuffie was an inspiration to many in the industry and a champion of diversity in comics. To honor his legacy, the first ever Dwayne McDuffie Award will soon be awarded to a title that represents inclusiveness and diversity. Believe me, you’re going to want to check these finalists out.
In no particular order, here are the nominees:
- Hex11, a digital comic about witches in a futuristic world by Lisa K. Weber and Kelly Sue Milano
- M.F.K., a free-to-read webcomic by Nilah Magruder
- Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson and Adrien Alphona, which I believe you are already familiar with
- The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Lieuw, about an Asian American superhero in the 1940s
- and Dynamite Comics’ Shaft, by David F. Walker and Bilquis Evely, about the ’70s action hero.
The winner will be announced at the first ever Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity ceremony as part of Long Beach Comic Expo in California on February 28th. The selection committee boasts some awesome names such as Ben 10‘s Glen Murakami, Bitter Girl creator Joan Hiltry, DC Comics Senior Editor Len Wein, and The Beat‘s Editor in Chief Heidi McDonald, all of whom were close with McDuffie. Black filmmaker and House Party director Reginald Hudlin will be the ceremony’s keynote speaker.
“The nominees for the first ever Dwayne McDuffie Award reflect the best of what a comic book can be,” award director Matt Wayne said in a press release. “These five titles, as different as they are, reflect Dwayne’s aspirations for the comic book industry. They are diverse, inclusive and forward looking.”
So, now for the real question: who do you think should win?
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