Eisner Award

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are awards for creative achievement in American comic books. They are regarded as the most prestigious and significant awards in the comic industry and often referred to as the industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards. The first Eisners were conferred in 1988, for works published in 1987. The Eisner Awards ceremony has been held at San Diego Comic-Con every year since 1991. The awards are named in honor of pioneering cartoonist and writer Will Eisner, who was a regular participant in the ceremony until his death in 2005. The nominations in each category are generated by a five- to six-member jury, then voted on by comic book professionals. The jury often consists of at least one comics retailer, one librarian (since 2005), and one academic researcher, among other comic experts.

From the Wikipedia article “Eisner Awards”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Check the official rules of the Eisner Award for the current eligibility window, accepted formats, residency or language requirements and any entry fee. For most established prizes the publisher submits on the author's behalf, often with a limit on entries per imprint.

If you are self-published, look for an explicit statement that independently published books are accepted, and budget for entry fees and copies for judges.