Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album – New

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best Graphic Album – New is presented annually for the finest original graphic novel or graphic album published in American comics during the preceding year. Established in 1988 as part of the broader Eisner Awards programme—named in honour of pioneering cartoonist and writer Will Eisner—the award is widely regarded as the most prestigious honour in the comic book industry, often described as the 'Academy Award of comics.' The awards ceremony has been held at San Diego Comic-Con every year since 1991. Nominations in each category are generated by a five-to-six-member jury, then voted on by comic book professionals across the industry. The jury typically includes at least one comics retailer, one librarian, and one academic researcher, ensuring a broad perspective on the field. The Best Graphic Album – New category specifically honours standalone graphic novels rather than collected editions of previously serialised work. Over the decades it has recognised works ranging from literary graphic novels to genre fiction, reflecting the medium's growing artistic and cultural range. Notable past winners include Building Stories by Chris Ware, My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris, This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki, and American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.