Comics writer/artist Erica Eng is now the second Malaysian to ever win an Eisner Award, the comics industry’s equivalent of the movie industry’s Academy Award or the Oscars. The Eisner Awards is presented at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) every year, and this year is no exception, despite taking place virtually (Comic-Con At Home).

In a post on her Twitter account earlier today, Eng thanked her parents, family and friends for her success, as well as to all fellow Malaysians for inspiring her. She initially received her Eisner Award nomination on 5 June 2020 for her Fried Rice webcomic.

Won an Eisner today!

small note: the correct name of my comic is Fried Rice. I didn’t inform the Eisners admin quickly enough hence the error. pic.twitter.com/e1rDhKaz6J

— Erica Eng (@paprikapeprica) July 25, 2020

Fried Rice follows the story of a young girl from named Min from Batu Pahat, Johor, who visits her cousin in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur while applying for admission to an art school in New York.

It’s best known for depicting daily Malaysian life from the perspective of Min, and the webcomic is described by Eng herself as “a work of autobiographical fiction”.

According to her FAQ, she is now studying with the San Francisco Academy of Art University. Congratulations to Eng, who is also the third Malaysian to receive an Eisner nomination after Reimena Yee for her graphic novel The Carpet Merchant Of Konstantiniyya in 2018.

Previous local Eisner nominees include Seremban-born but Singapore-based comics artist Sonny Liew, who received six nominations for his graphic novel The Art Of Charlie Chan Hock Chye in 2017.

The first-ever Malaysian to win an Eisner Award was Tan Eng Huat, who received the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award back in 2002.

Fried Rice managed to beat fellow Best Webcomic nominees Cabramatta by Matt Huynh, Chuckwagon at The End Of The World by Erik Lundy, The Eyes by Javi de Castro, and reMIND by Jason Brubaker to the award.

Do yourselves a favour and check out Erica Eng’s Fried Rice by heading to her website here.

You can also watch the entire one-hour Eisner Awards ceremony below, hosted by Phil LaMarr (best known for voicing Samurai Jack and Green Lantern in the Justice League animated series).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSUgRvQPdj0&w=560&h=315]