Comments | kevin_standlee: Graphic Novel Hugo: Don't Celebrate Prematurely

kevin_standlee

Graphic Novel Hugo: Don't Celebrate Prematurely

Aug 22, 2008 17:10

My standing searches have turned up a number of people celebrating the addition of a Best Graphic Story Hugo Award. As you may know, the WSFS Business Meeting gave first passage to an amendment creating such a category, and Anticipation, next year's Worldcon, has agreed to a request from the Business Meeting to use its Special Category authority ( Read more... )

worldcon, business meeting, anticipation, hugo award

Comments 12

laminahospes August 23 2008, 01:16:23 UTC

I'll go ahead and chime in, and don't mind this being spread around, that this was my first year going to the Business Meeting. While some of the proceedings, particularly around the Graphic Story Hugo, got dense, they were by no means incomprehensible. Also, when folks got confused, they were able to ask clarifying questions, which were answered. I recall asking questions myself. I could have argued for or against anything I so pleased, and could my votes counted the same as anyone's. There was nothing secret going on. Really. I may be a little more motivated than most folks to get involved in these sorts of things, but there was no barrier other than taking the time to show up.

kevin_standlee August 23 2008, 02:17:10 UTC

I don't mind a bit! Thank you for the kind words. Yours is just the sort of reaction I'm always hoping for in my ongoing attempts to keep the process open for anyone willing to make a reasonable effort.

(The comment has been removed)

kevin_standlee August 23 2008, 04:30:04 UTC

Worldcons are allowed to add a category but not required to do so. Over the years, a number of categories were added to the nominating ballot but failed to get sufficient interest to make the final ballot.

I'm going to try and do this from memory, because I don't think we have listed it anywhere. I may end up missing some in this list.

2002 and 2005: Best Web Site; in both cases, this worked and was on the final ballot.

2006: Best Interactive Computer Game; failed
1995: Best Music; failed
1993: Best Translator; failed
1989: Best Young Adult Novel wasn't actually on the Hugo Ballot, but was proposed informally; insufficient interest to justify placing on ballot.

1988: Other Forms; this worked, and it's why one keeps reading that Watchmen is the only graphic novel ever to have won a Hugo Award. Assuming Anticipation's experiment is successful, that's going to change ( ... )

chocolatescifi August 23 2008, 17:23:41 UTC

I think you're forgetting 1966 -- Best All-Time Series.

kevin_standlee August 23 2008, 17:42:17 UTC

I wasn't trying to be that comprehensive. Besides, the rules in the 1960s were much looser than they are now. I was dealing with the period since I personally became familiar with Worldcon, that being 1984-onward.

Thread 8

Oops... buddykat August 23 2008, 04:21:28 UTC

And, as you know, I'm one of the people heavily participating in the affairs of the World Science Fiction Society, including chairing next year's WSFS Business Meeting in Toronto, where this proposed change must be ratified if it is to become permanent.

So have you told Tech that you need an extra-extra-extra long (about 502 kilometres) mic cable?

Re: Oops... kevin_standlee August 23 2008, 04:36:16 UTC

*blush* Well, I chaired the 2003 meeting in Toronto as well. It's not like I don't know the difference between them! Thanks; I've fixed it now.

redneckotaku August 23 2008, 17:47:14 UTC

I am going to be there and will nominate for Best Graphic Novel. I will be posting to get people to join as supporting members and nominate. I don't want this to fail like LA's Best Video Game experiment did.

I am not a member of ANN's Forums, so I will post this thread on my LJ to help people understand what is happening.