When Eisner approached Comic-Con about initiating the award in the early 1990s, he wanted to acknowledge the important role that comics retailers play in the industry, nurturing the relationship between creators and readers. Comic book retailers provide a vital link of getting creators and publishers work out to the public.

The award is given out annually to retailers who have done an outstanding job of supporting the medium both in the industry at large and in their local community.  Comic fans around the world can nominate their favorite stores on the Comic-Con International website. The store must have been in business for at least two years. Previous winners are not eligible for nomination.

The nominees are:

• Amazing Stories, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
• Big Bang Comics, Dublin, Ireland
• Big Red Comics, Orange, CA
• Collector’s Comics, Port St. Lucie, FL
• Collectors Corner, Parkville, MD
• Comic Hero University, Fullerton, CA
• Comiczone, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• Comikaza, Tel Aviv, Israel
• Drawn To Comics, Glendale, AZ
• Escape Pod Comics, Long Island, NY
• Fourth World Comics and Toys, Smithtown, NY
• Jesse James Comics, Glendale, AZ
• La Revisteria Comics, Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Legends Comics & Books, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
• Orbital Comics & Gallery, London, UK
• SGR: SoundGoRound, Vestal, NY
• A Shop Called Quest, Redlands, CA
• Space Cadets Collection Collection, Oak Ridge North, TX
• Time Warp Comics and Games, Boulder, CO
• Trickster, Berkeley, CA