Voting is open for the 2009 Hugo Awards, the World Science Fiction Society‘s annual bestowal of honor, and the most prestigious awards in Science Fiction.
This year there is an additional category, a one-time-only Award for “Best Graphic Story,” and after a careful perusal of the rules it appears that Schlock Mercenary: The Body Politic is eligible for nomination.
But is it worthy? I invite you to re-read it! And for your convenience, here is Schlock Mercenary: The Body Politic as a PDF. It is a 35mb download, but it should be much more convenient than re-reading the archives on the web. Feel free to pass it around, too.
In order to nominate works for the Hugos you must have an Attending membership to either Denvention or Anticipation (WorldCon 66 from ’08 or WorldCon 67 in ’09), or a Supporting membership. The details are here. Obligatory Ethical Note: I feel confident that my web presence and active fanbase will NOT result in ballot-stuffing, since the right to nominate costs a minimum of $50. My purpose in this exercise is to ensure that those who can vote know what’s eligible, and have the opportunity to easily review it.
Now… as long as you’re nominating things for Hugos, you should know that you can nominate up to five works for each category. There are other works equally worthy if not far worthier of the “Best Graphic Story” Hugo, and at the tippity-brass-top of that list is Phil and Kaja Foglio’s Girl Genius Volume 8: Agatha Heterodyne and the Chapel of Bones. The Foglio’s are friends of mine, yes, but their work trancends that. Girl Genius is one of the few things on the web or in print that I look at and say to myself “Wow… I wish I could do that.”
But is it worthy?
I am not eligible to vote but .. yes, it is.
also non-vote-eligible, but the motion is heartily seconded.
But is it worthy?
I am not eligible to vote but .. yes, it is.
also non-vote-eligible, but the motion is heartily seconded.
I’d vote for it. But I’m not eligible.
I’d also say that while I love Girl Genius, the ONLY area in which the Foglios beat you is drawing style, in which they have considerably more practice and, I would suspect, actual training, while you’ve been doing this work from the seat of your pants.
YOU at least don’t interrupt our regularly-scheduled Schlock with maundering side-stories and self-parody.
Oh, c’mon, Maxim in a dress was hilarious.
I’ve been wondering when the next chapter is gonna get going :-). Although cinderalla was amusing, briefly.
Howard: I’m darn tootin’ I’m not able to nominate either you or GG much as I’d like to. Not to mention the Whiteboard, which I read regularly as well – although whether that qualifies as a “story” is open to question, I suppose.
However, if there is any opportunity to vote or something, do let us know.
BTW, I’ve been playing a game called 18 Wheels of Steel: American Long Haul. I’m currently (virtually) parked in a gas station on I70 on the way to Salt Lake City with an A-double full of vegetables. I’ll wave as I pass by 🙂
it’s a very good game, you can do cool stuff like taking corners too tight and knocking down lamp posts with back end of the trailer 🙂
Well, you still have ten days (as I write this) to become eligible, since you have until the end of January to join Anticipation as at least a supporting member in order to be eligible for this year’s Hugo Award nominating.
I’d vote for it. But I’m not eligible.
I’d also say that while I love Girl Genius, the ONLY area in which the Foglios beat you is drawing style, in which they have considerably more practice and, I would suspect, actual training, while you’ve been doing this work from the seat of your pants.
YOU at least don’t interrupt our regularly-scheduled Schlock with maundering side-stories and self-parody.
Oh, c’mon, Maxim in a dress was hilarious.
I’ve been wondering when the next chapter is gonna get going :-). Although cinderalla was amusing, briefly.
Howard: I’m darn tootin’ I’m not able to nominate either you or GG much as I’d like to. Not to mention the Whiteboard, which I read regularly as well – although whether that qualifies as a “story” is open to question, I suppose.
However, if there is any opportunity to vote or something, do let us know.
BTW, I’ve been playing a game called 18 Wheels of Steel: American Long Haul. I’m currently (virtually) parked in a gas station on I70 on the way to Salt Lake City with an A-double full of vegetables. I’ll wave as I pass by 🙂
it’s a very good game, you can do cool stuff like taking corners too tight and knocking down lamp posts with back end of the trailer 🙂
Well, you still have ten days (as I write this) to become eligible, since you have until the end of January to join Anticipation as at least a supporting member in order to be eligible for this year’s Hugo Award nominating.
I am eligible, and I’d be happy to nominate both you and the Foglios… when the online form gets set up, anyway.
— Steve suspects he’ll be doing a lot of reading over the next couple of months; he’s slacked a bit the past year.
The online Hugo Nominating Ballot is now up and running.
I am eligible, and I’d be happy to nominate both you and the Foglios… when the online form gets set up, anyway.
— Steve suspects he’ll be doing a lot of reading over the next couple of months; he’s slacked a bit the past year.
The online Hugo Nominating Ballot is now up and running.
I may get eligible to vote, just because of this. Problem is, you or Phil & Kaja…? 🙂
Besides Best Graphic Story, I reckon you could nominate them all for Best Professional Artist. Phil was one of the nominees in the category last year, and, as you may know, has won for Best Fan Artist in the past.
I may get eligible to vote, just because of this. Problem is, you or Phil & Kaja…? 🙂
Besides Best Graphic Story, I reckon you could nominate them all for Best Professional Artist. Phil was one of the nominees in the category last year, and, as you may know, has won for Best Fan Artist in the past.
Just to be clearer, you get to nominate up to five works per category. Also, the final vote is done by Australian ballot, where instead of voting for only one item on the ballot, you rank the items by your preference. The way the tabulation works is that first all votes for an item that list it as “1” get counted. The last place finisher in that round is eliminated. Another round of counting happens, but this time all the ballots whose “1” choice was eliminated have their “2” choice counted. Repeat until an item has a majority.
(yes, that’s a somewhat simplified explanation leaving out a number of edge and special cases)
Anyway, what it gets down to is that you can nominate several things you like, and if multiple things you really like make the final ballot, you can still vote them above other items on the ballot and likely still impact the vote totals for all your favorites.
Just to be clearer, you get to nominate up to five works per category. Also, the final vote is done by Australian ballot, where instead of voting for only one item on the ballot, you rank the items by your preference. The way the tabulation works is that first all votes for an item that list it as “1” get counted. The last place finisher in that round is eliminated. Another round of counting happens, but this time all the ballots whose “1” choice was eliminated have their “2” choice counted. Repeat until an item has a majority.
(yes, that’s a somewhat simplified explanation leaving out a number of edge and special cases)
Anyway, what it gets down to is that you can nominate several things you like, and if multiple things you really like make the final ballot, you can still vote them above other items on the ballot and likely still impact the vote totals for all your favorites.