Chip Zdarsky, the creative mind behind the current Daredevil storyline for Marvel Comics as well as the writer of Image Comics’ Stillwater is in the running to bring home two of the comic industry’s version of the Oscars. Every year, the Eisner Awards highlight the best of the best in annual comic publication. While everyone nominated has rightfully earned their spot for a chance to be publicly awarded for their creative work, Zdarsky is the only one who has an extra leg up in the competition with Marvel and Image assuredly biting their nails hoping the writer will bring one home for their respective teams.
So far in the ongoing Marvel Comics series Daredevil by Chip Zdarsky with art by Marco Checchetto, Daredevil has been pitted against his greatest adversary thus far in his comic book career: his own morality. Daredevil accidentally kills a low-level thug at the beginning of the series, and while he has battled many throughout his career, that inadvertent murder is the defining moment in this saga. At the time of this article’s publication, Daredevil is currently sitting in a jail cell, paying for the death he caused, hoping that by following the rules of law established within the justice system he will then find the strength to forgive himself for what he has done.
While Marvel Comics’ Daredevil questions the titular character’s morality, Image Comics’ Stillwater by Chip Zdarsky with art by Ramon K Perez questions the very fabric of mortality. The horror comic explores the possibility of a small town possessed with the power to extend immortality to its residents. Fans are swept into this world as suddenly as the main character, Daniel, who is an outsider peeling back the eerie mystery of the town. As staying hidden is becoming more of a challenge for the town in the current era of GPS and global connectivity conflicts are forced to arise bringing to light the perks of immortality and perhaps even the value of death.
The two Eisner Awards Chip Zdarsky is nominated for this year are Best Continuing Series and Best Writer. If Zdarsky wins for best writer, both Image and Marvel can share in his glory as he is nominated for both Daredevil and Stillwater in that category. The writer’s chances are significantly higher in the Best Continuing Series category, however, as the two comics for which he writes are nominated separately.
If Chip Zdarsky wins either award this year it won’t be his first. Since 2014 Zdarsky has won a total of four Eisner Awards for his work in the comic book industry ranging from Best Digital Comic with Afterlife to Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man earning him an award for Best Single Issue/One Shot. This year, Zdarsky could for the first time take home two Eisner Awards in a single year, and based on the content he and the creative team behind him for each book including Marco Checchetto and Ramon K Perez for Daredevil and Stillwater respectively, Chip Zdarsky has a good shot at making personal Eisner Awards history.