Last Saturday I was inducted into the
Canadian Cartoon Creators Hall of Fame...
and received an award named after Joe Shuster...
the co-founder of Superman!
It was for work I did in 1971 and 1972
for a satirical comic magazine called Fuddle Duddle...
which I am still very proud of today.
It was a wonderful evening shared with
many good friends... both old and new.
To read more about the award...
joeshusterawards.com/story.asp?storyID=122
I have always loved comics...
especially creating them.
I plan on soon returning to my comic roots
with a new blog that will be devoted to my characters of old...
and include a new on-line strip that will
update them into today's world.
To James Waley, John Bell and the
rest of the Shuster selection committee...
(as well as the legions...all 3 of you...
of Captain Canada, Beaver Boy and Pamela fans...)
again, my deepest thanks!
___________________________________
The results of the 2008
Canadian comic book creator
honours — the Joe Shuster Awards
Joe Shuster Award Winners. From Left to Right:Lar De Souza, Jeff Lemire, Pierre Fournier, Cecil Castellucci,
Stanley Berneche, David Watkins, Walter Durajlija & Marc Sims
Outstanding writer:
Cecil Castellucci
Outstanding artist:
Dale Eaglesham
Outstanding cartoonist:
Jeff Lemire
Outstanding colourist:
Dave McCaig
Outstanding web comics creators:
Ryan Sohmer and Lar De Souza
Outstanding cover:
Steve Skroce for Doc Frankenstein #6
Outstanding publisher:
Drawn And Quarterly
Fan-favourite International creator:
Ed Brubaker
Fan-favourite Canadian creator - English:
Faith Erin Hicks
Fan-favourite Canadian creator – French:
PhlppGrrd a.k.a. Philippe Girard
Hall Of Fame inductees:
John Byrne, Stanley Berneche,
Pierre Fournier and Edwin “Ted” McCall.
Outstanding achievement
by a Canadian related to comic books:
David Watkins
Harry Kremer Award for outstanding retailer:
Big B Comics, Hamilton, Ont.
More Coverage
Lucid Comics June 18th
Written by Adam A. Donaldson
The Shuster Awards
Typically the Shusters Awards are part of the Paradise Comic,
but a date change on that event forced the annual Canadian comic
awards to go it alone this year. Well not alone per se, as
organizers put together a Sequential Art Symposium,
this had particular emphasis on the history and impact of
Superman, this year being the 70th anniversary of his creation
by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. But that wasn’t the only
change this year as the typically fan chosen awards were
limited to a few categories while a jury of professionals
chose the main winners for the evening.
The venue was also different, taking place at the
Lillian H. Smith Branch of the Toronto Public Library.
The ceremony took place in the Library’s basement
auditorium, which was a little more upscale but still,
you know, in the basement.
But the host was the same this year though one short.
Rick “That’s Commander Rick” Green flew solo after
his regular co-host Rob Salem couldn’t attend
(presumably for reasons not related to the
“drinkie, drinkie” motion that Green made
with his hands.)
The 2008 Hall of Fame Inductees
Edwin R. "Ted" McCall, a journalist and editor
that created two of the most recognizable Canadian
comic strips in the first half of the 20th century:
Freelance and Men of the Mounted.
Unfortunately, no one from McCall’ family
could be found to accept the honour on his
behalf, so the Shusters committee will hold
on to his plaque until someone can be found.
Stanley Berneche became a legend after
working as an artist on the counterculture
humour magazine Fuddle Duddle, where he
created Captain Canada and his iconic catchphrase,
“Beavers Up!”
“Imagine telling your kids that you’re responsible for ‘Beavers Up!’” he joked while accepting the award.
Pierre Fournier, the creator of the satirical Adventures
of Capitaine Kébec humorously wondered if the plaque
was all he got for going into the Hall of Fame, forcing host
Green to observe, “Is it just me or do people from Quebec
always want more?”
John Byrne, whose runs on Uncanny X-Man and Superman:
Man of Steel are legendary, couldn’t be in attendance,
but he did send in an acceptance speech. Presenter Tom
Grummett said that Byrne was an example to him and that
“it is possible” to make a career in comics.
