Details on the 2026 Eisner Award ceremony have been announced. As the first ceremony to be run under the auspices of the new Eisner Award administrator Laura Jones, this should be an interesting year!
As is tradition, the awards will be presented Friday night, July 24 in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront. The awards will once again be hosted by voice actor Phil LaMarr (Futurama, Samurai Jack, Justice League) and actor/writer/director Thomas Lennon (Reno 911, Balls of Fury, Night at the Museum) – so that’s great news! Lennon made my dreams come true when he mentioned Caroline Cash’s award-winning Peepee Poopoo on the stage, and though it isn’t nominated this year, that moment will always live in my heart.
Presenters include a squad of nerdlebrities who are mostly Comic-Con vets or have some ties to the community – that’s right, these folks are professionals at banter.
- Doug Jones and Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labyrinth)
- Jim Cummings (Winnie the Pooh) and Candi Milo (Dexter, Dr. Nora Wakeman)
- Sung Kang and Tamara Braun (Drifter)
- AJ Lee and Aimee Garcia (Day of the Dead Girl, Blade of the 47 Ronin)
- Felicia Day, Jeff Lewis, and Vincent Caso of The Guild
- Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson (writer of The Mandrake Project graphic novel)
- David Dastmalchian (Suicide Squad, Murderbot, Count Crowley)
- Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano; Her Universe Fashion Show) and Michael James Scott (the Genie in Broadway’s Aladdin)
- Thomas Jane (The Punisher, The Expanse, The Lycan comics series)
- CBLDF director Jeff Trexler
- Mark Buckingham (Fables, Miracleman, Dead Boy Detectives.)
The major sponsor of the 2026 Eisner Awards is Lunar Distribution. The pre-show sponsor is ComicsPro. The principal sponsors are Arsenal Comics & Games, Cape & Cowl Comics, Comic Shop Assistant, Comixology Originals, DSTLRY/Neon Ichiban, Fantasy Books Inc, mycomicshop.com, and Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide. Supporting sponsors are Alternate Reality Comics (Las Vegas), Atlantis Fantasyworld (Santa Cruz, CA), and Midwest Tape/Hoopla Distribution. The print sponsor is Tiny Onion. The afterparty is sponsored by HarperAlley/Morrow.
Other awards that will be presented:
- The Eisner Hall of Fame: The Will Eisner Hall of Fame awards will be presented in a special ceremony on Friday morning at 10:00 in Room 29CD. Trophies will be presented for 19 judges’ choices inductees and 4 inductees chosen by voters.
- The Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award (to be presented by Bob’s daughter Ruth): Richard and Wendy Pini.
- The Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award, which has been handed out since 1982, will be announced by past Russ Manning assistant Bill Stout.
- The Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailing Award, presided over by Joe Ferrara.
- The Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing. The 2026 recipients are Jenny Blake Isabella (Black Lightning, Luke Cage, Ghost Rider) and Martin Pasko (Dr. Fate, Metal Men, Justice League of America). The Finger Awards will be presented by Mark Evanier and Bill Finger’s granddaughter Athena Finger. The major sponsors for the Finger Award are DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Supporting sponsors are Heritage Auctions and Maggie Thompson.
If you’re planing to attend, the doors of the ballroom will open at 7:45, and the ceremony will get underway at 8:00. Attendance at the event is free to all Comic-Con members, but you will need your badge to enter. VIPS and nominees will be allowed to enter at 7 pm.
Another big change this year: The awards will be preceded by a “Blue Carpet” presented by ComicsPRO. That’s right! Arrivals and “What are you wearing?” Even though The Beat is not a nominee, we’ll be too flustered to do arrivals, but we’re excited to see that practice brought to the Eisners! Time to gussy up, people!
