H

HARVEY AWARDS. Named for pioneering artist-writer Harvey Kurtzman and

administered by the publisher Fantagraphics , the Harvey Awards have been given
annually since 1988 for achievement in the fi eld of comic books. Awards are given both
to works (such as Best Continuing or Limited Series and Best Graphic Album) and to
individuals (such as Best Writer and Best Artist or Penciler). Finalists are nominated
through an open vote of comics professionals; winners are then selected by a fi nal round
of voting by these professionals. Th e awards have been given at a variety of diff erent fan
conventions over the years, though in 2004 and 2005, the awards were presented at the
Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in New York City.
M. Keith Booker

HEAVY METAL. Heavy Metal was founded as the English-language edition of the

French comics magazine Metal Hurlant. Its pages featured edgy science fi ction and fan-
tasy comics, and it was an infl uential source for American comics artists to discover
European artists such as Jean Giraud , better known as Moebius.
Heavy Metal was founded in 1977 and published originally by National Lampoon.
Its format was a full-color glossy magazine that featured, in addition to comics content,
traditional magazine content focusing on science fi ction, fi lm, and other areas of related
interest. After originally focusing exclusively on French comics for the fi rst years of its
existence, the focus of the magazine was broadened to incorporate creative contributions
from American writers and artists.
For many Americans, Heavy Metal was their fi rst introduction to the world of
French-language comics. Referred to in Europe as bande-dessinée , they are created
by artists from France, Belgium, and elsewhere. In the late-1970s, while American