The Jack Kirby Comics Industry Award was an award for achievement in comic books, presented from 1985-1987. Voted on by comic-book professionals, the Kirby was the first such award since the Shazam Awards ceased in 1975. Sponsored by Amazing Heroes magazine (which was published by Fantagraphics), and managed by Amazing Heroes managing editor Dave Olbrich, the Kirby Award was named after the pioneering writer and artist Jack Kirby.
Nominations for the Kirby Awards were made by Amazing Heroes editors and warehouse employees, with the final ballots printed in issues of Amazing Heroes. The awards themselves were distributed at the annual San Diego Comic-Con, with Jack Kirby himself on hand to congratulate the winners.
In 1987, a dispute arose when Olbrich and Fantagraphics, publisher of Amazing Heroes, each claimed ownership of the awards. A compromise was reached, and starting in 1988, the Kirby Award was discontinued. Two new awards were created: the Eisner Award, managed by Olbrich and named after Will Eisner; and the Fantagraphics-managed Harvey Award, named for Harvey Kurtzman. Both of the new awards allowed voting only by comics industry professionals.
1985 Swamp Thing Annual #2, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC Comics)
1986 Daredevil #227, by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli (Marvel Comics)
1987 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1, by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley (DC)
1985 Swamp Thing, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)
1986 Swamp Thing, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)
1987 Swamp Thing, by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)
1985 Cerebus by Dave Sim (Aardvark-Vanaheim)
1986 Love & Rockets by Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez (Fantagraphics)
1987 Cerebus by Dave Sim (Aardvark-Vanaheim)
1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths, by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez (DC)
1986 Crisis on Infinite Earths, by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez (DC)
1987 Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (DC).
1985 Zot!, by Scott McCloud (Eclipse Comics)
1986 Miracleman, by Alan Moore and various artists (Eclipse)
1987 Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (DC)
1985 Beowulf (First Comics)
1986 The Rocketeer, by Dave Stevens (Eclipse)
1987 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson (DC)
1985 Dave Stevens, for The Rocketeer (Comico)
1986 Steve Rude, for Nexus (First)
1987 Bill Sienkiewicz, for Elektra: Assassin (Marvel)
1985 Alan Moore, for Swamp Thing (DC)
1986 Alan Moore, for Swamp Thing (DC)
1987 Alan Moore, for Watchmen (DC)
1986 Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, for Daredevil (Marvel)
1987 Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, for Watchmen (DC)
1985 Steve Bissette and John Totleben, for Swamp Thing (DC)
1986 George Pérez and Jerry Ordway, for Crisis On Infinite Earths (DC)
1987 Frank Miller, Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley, for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (DC)
1985 Swamp Thing #34, by Steve Bissette and John Totleben (DC)
1985 Comics Buyer's Guide (Krause)
1987 Carl Barks
1987 Will Eisner
1987 Jack Kirby
