Well it is now all live:
http://britishcomicawards.com
They have a number of awards, which will be handed out at ThoughtBubble:
Best Comic
Best Book
Emerging Talent
Hall of Fame
Young People's Comic Awards
You can make your nominations through the site.
One of the committee has posted about it on the Forbidden Planet blog:
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2012/the-british-comic-awards-are-go/
We even have a committee member who is a long-standing (if now rare-visiting) member of this here forum.
The Best Comic is an interesting one:
QuoteThe Best Comic award is open to short-form, self-contained stories published between 1st September 2011 and 31st August 2012.
This category may include one-off stories, single issues of ongoing series, graphic novellas, short stories from anthologies and web-comic strips.
This would tend to suggest they aren't looking for
2000AD or
Strip to be nominated there (I assume Strip counts even though it is published in Bosnia) but the stories within it, which should make for more interesting and relevant results.
I also like the way the Young People's Award, will be selected by actual young people - none of us old farts trying to second guess what would appeal.
Would the self-contained bit not discount multipart 2000AD stories?
Though seeing webcomics there makes me wonder if they'd allow ones that posted the story a page a day.
Quote from: briantm on 29 June, 2012, 09:05:45 PM
Would the self-contained bit not discount multipart 2000AD stories?
The key there seems to be "short stories from anthologies" - the self-contained bit could refer to a storyline within a series.
So if we consider everything from prog 1750 onwards as eligible:
http://2000ad.org/?zone=prog&page=profiles&choice=1750
You could have:
- Indigo Prime: "Everything and More"
- Low Life: "The Deal"
- Ampney Crucis Investigates: "The English Assassin"
- Angel Zero
- Indigo Prime: "Anthropocalypse"
- Absalom: "Ghosts of London"
- Grey Area, except for the most recent story
- Nikolai Dante: "The Wedding of Jena Makarov"
- Age of the Wolf: "She is Legend"
- Flesh: "Midnight Cowboys"
- The Zaucer of Zilk
also possibly bit of Day of Chaos too... although I suspect Strontium Dog wouldn't count.
Otherwise it'd be odd to have a category that excludes a lot of the best British comic stories. ;) Although it might be a lot would be eligible under Best Book as that includes collected editions - Cradlegrave and Insurrection would count, the former almost definitely being a dead cert for one of my nominations.
Anyway, yes the Best Comic is something I'd need to doublecheck with them to work out what does and doesn't count. Unless Vicky comes on and clarifies it for us.
From the FP article:
QuoteThere are just five categories for the British Comic Awards, deliberately keeping it small, focused, without distinguishing between print or digital, big publisher backed or self-published
That's an interesting way to go about it. As much as I like to see a small press category so that they get that extra bit of promotion - their goal of simply showcasing the best is straightforward.
Would be nice to see some small press stuff do well in this over the next few years.
I asked Richard Bruton about it on the FP blog and he reckons just throw it and let them worry about it, as far as he is concerned Nikolai Dante would be eligible under Best Comic and Best Book:
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2012/the-british-comic-awards-are-go/#comment-274279
Now I have to work out what and who I want to nominate...
They're going by a pretty strict definition of "British Comic"; has to be an all-Brit creative team to qualify:
QuoteNominees for the British Comic Awards must be the work of a wholly British* creative team, and the rights to such work should belong either to creators or a UK publisher. If you aren't entirely sure if something qualifies, suggest it to us anyway and the committee will debate it.
* Where we refer to British we're referring to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Which excludes anything with Carlos Ezquerra on art for a start. (And leaves me in the rather bewildering position of wondering whether Judge Dredd qualifies as British under these rules. Does his co-creator credit render it ineligible?)
Surely the rights are owned by Rebellion so that would still count?
Quote from: Daveycandlish on 30 June, 2012, 10:32:30 PM
Surely the rights are owned by Rebellion so that would still count?
True, I was really just pondering how they're defining creative team, and whether it extends to everyone who's credited. I can't imagine Dredd really would be ineligible, but it boggled me for a few moments to even be contemplating the question. :o
Quote from: a chosen rider on 30 June, 2012, 10:07:08 PM
They're going by a pretty strict definition of "British Comic"; has to be an all-Brit creative team to qualify:
QuoteNominees for the British Comic Awards must be the work of a wholly British* creative team, and the rights to such work should belong either to creators or a UK publisher. If you aren't entirely sure if something qualifies, suggest it to us anyway and the committee will debate it.
* Where we refer to British we're referring to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Which excludes anything with Carlos Ezquerra on art for a start. (And leaves me in the rather bewildering position of wondering whether Judge Dredd qualifies as British under these rules. Does his co-creator credit render it ineligible?)
It also excludes John Wagner, who was born in the USA... So that means Dredd, Strontium Dog and Robo-Hunter (co-created with José Ferrer) are all excluded!
-- Mike
You too Mike, I suppose I wont be getting any either :P
Quote from: Mike Carroll on 30 June, 2012, 11:25:16 PM
Quote from: a chosen rider on 30 June, 2012, 10:07:08 PM
They're going by a pretty strict definition of "British Comic"; has to be an all-Brit creative team to qualify:
QuoteNominees for the British Comic Awards must be the work of a wholly British* creative team, and the rights to such work should belong either to creators or a UK publisher. If you aren't entirely sure if something qualifies, suggest it to us anyway and the committee will debate it.
* Where we refer to British we're referring to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Which excludes anything with Carlos Ezquerra on art for a start. (And leaves me in the rather bewildering position of wondering whether Judge Dredd qualifies as British under these rules. Does his co-creator credit render it ineligible?)
It also excludes John Wagner, who was born in the USA... So that means Dredd, Strontium Dog and Robo-Hunter (co-created with José Ferrer) are all excluded!
I'd imagine they'd allow a non-Wagner/Ezquerra Dredd, as long as it has British creators.
Interesting. Its easier to qualify for a British Olympic team!
Not that it matters, but does John Wagner have British Citizenship?
Bit late to this, but I think it is a step in the right direction as far as a British awards go.
To my mind there is nothing wrong with Dedd being nominated as it is published by a Bristish company and is also commissioned by that company.
Going to have a nice long thing about what to nominate- as I'm not sure what category 2000AD falls into, here.
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 01 July, 2012, 07:13:33 AM
Interesting. Its easier to qualify for a British Olympic team!
Not that it matters, but does John Wagner have British Citizenship?
I'd have thought British citizenship ought to be enough for a creator to qualify, surely? Or it's even more strict than I thought! Of course, "Day of Chaos" as a whole would still be disqualified because of Michael Carroll's "Downtime" episode, and I'm not sure it would be kosher to nominate individual stories within the arc when they all bear the "Day of Chaos" banner. A fair few of this year's Meg Dredds are out of the running due to non-Brit creators too. (Ooh, I just realised "Strange & Darke" falls within the eligibility window, though. Loved that series.)
So, who else among current 2000AD creators is disqualified by these rules? Can't say I've ever done much background research into everybody's nationalities...
Minefield...
But I am gonna nominate some people anyway n let them work out if, they, are acceptable
Humm... in the context of The New Deadwardians and Resident Alien what's a 'creative team' - letterers and colourists too? Editors? Holy cow, has Tharg taken out Citizenship yet?*
(* and is he running a 1% income tax scam out of Betelgeuse?)
Quote from: a chosen rider on 30 June, 2012, 10:07:08 PM
They're going by a pretty strict definition of "British Comic"; has to be an all-Brit creative team to qualify:
QuoteNominees for the British Comic Awards must be the work of a wholly British* creative team, and the rights to such work should belong either to creators or a UK publisher. If you aren't entirely sure if something qualifies, suggest it to us anyway and the committee will debate it.
* Where we refer to British we're referring to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Which excludes anything with Carlos Ezquerra on art for a start. (And leaves me in the rather bewildering position of wondering whether Judge Dredd qualifies as British under these rules. Does his co-creator credit render it ineligible?)
Shame Claremont and Byrne aren't working on the X-Men these days - both Brits originally.
I really wouldn't worry too much about whether something qualifies or not - you don't need to check someone's passport and comics contracts, if it seems reasonable then nominate it, I think they just want to make sure there aren't too many obviously ineligible entries.
Also no need to make a single nomination in each category, this isn't like the Eagles in which you have to nominate one - throw them a list of what you think were good British comics this year and they'll work through them:
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2012/the-british-comic-awards-are-go/#comment-274281
Quote from: BPP on 01 July, 2012, 04:48:28 PM
Humm... in the context of The New Deadwardians and Resident Alien what's a 'creative team' - letterers and colourists too? Editors?
New Deadwardians is published by Vertigo and the contract there isn't completely creator-owned (it's complex), but again I wouldn't worry too much about it (I'm pretty sure something won't be thrown out for having a Canadian letterer) - if it seems to qualify then nominate it and let the judges decide.
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 01 July, 2012, 09:25:00 AMGoing to have a nice long thing about what to nominate- as I'm not sure what category 2000AD falls into, here.
From the phrasing they seem to be angling the Best Comic towards stories within an anthology, but if you want to nominate 2000AD then why not? If it doesn't qualify then they'll just not add it to their shortlist.
Qualifying 2000AD trades published between 1st September 2011 and 31st August 2012 (according to the books page (http://www.2000adonline.com/books/)):
- Flesh: The Dino Files
- Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 18
- Defoe: Qyeen of the Zombies
- Cradlegrave
- Mazeworld
- Blackhawk
- Insurrection
- Ampney Crucis Investigates: Vile Bodies
- Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth Saga
- Judge Anderson: The PSI Files, Volume 2
- Kingdom: Call of the Wild
- Mega-City Undercover, Volume 2
- Judge Dredd: The Day the Law Died
- Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files 19
- Slaine: Treasures of Britain
- Absalom: Ghosts of London
- The Complete DR & Quinch (reprint)
- Slaine: The Horned God
- Mean Machine: Real Mean (reprint)
- Savage: The Guv'nor
- Strontium Dog: The Life and Death of Johnny Alpha
- Shakara: The Destroyer
- Judge Dredd: The Restricted Files 04
Necroposting this back to life as the JUDGES have been announced today.
Can someone explain this to me, it seems like a huge fucking joke
http://britishcomicawards.com/judging-panel-2013/
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 08 July, 2013, 10:59:54 AM
Necroposting this back to life as the JUDGES have been announced today.
Can someone explain this to me, it seems like a huge fucking joke
http://britishcomicawards.com/judging-panel-2013/
Umm... Okay...
QuoteThe Judges were selected by the BCA Committee and chosen for their interest or involvement in comics and for their ability to view the medium critically as works of art and entertainment from their point of view as successful professionals in their respective creative fields.
Paraphrase: celebrities sell celebrities sell celebrities sell celebrities sell
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 08 July, 2013, 11:18:51 AM
QuoteThe Judges were selected by the BCA Committee and chosen for their interest or involvement in comics and for their ability to view the medium critically as works of art and entertainment from their point of view as successful professionals in their respective creative fields.
Paraphrase: celebrities sell celebrities sell celebrities sell celebrities sell
so your invitation is still in the post?
Hi Owen
On behalf of the BCA Committee I'll just let you know that we do have a feedback form on our website if you wish to use it http://britishcomicawards.com/nominate/contact-us/
cheers
Stace
Darn, there was me all fired up ready to have a rant about the judges... and I can't really. Think it's a pretty good set overall- the only name that is totally new to me is Gareth David. Think it 'could' provide a very interesting final choice, but then if a book isn't nominated it won't be considered.
How would one get a comic nominated?
Quote from: maryanddavid on 08 July, 2013, 12:24:49 PM
How would one get a comic nominated?
It's the same link as the one I posted before, you have until the 30th August to get all your nominations in. :-D
I guess they're trying to be the Bookers of Brit comics, but I don't care which comics celebrities read and so don't really see these awards as valid.
Last year's awards didn't help either, they were completely unrepresentative.
I want the Eagles back.
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 08 July, 2013, 06:08:59 PM
I want the Eagles back.
What so Paul Cornell can win best newcomer some 15 years after he started his career and the like?
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 08 July, 2013, 07:06:58 PM
What so Paul Cornell can win best newcomer some 15 years after he started his career and the like?
Spiderman winning favourite colour UK comic was another good one!
The Eagles had a shambolic voting system but did at least try to be comprehensive. The BCA appeared interested only in a tiny niche last year, and based on the list of judges this time I don't have much confidence that the best in UK comics is going to be genuinely reflected in the results.
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 08 July, 2013, 10:59:54 AM
Necroposting this back to life as the JUDGES have been announced today.
Can someone explain this to me, it seems like a huge fucking joke
http://britishcomicawards.com/judging-panel-2013/
Wtf. I think those people agreed to judge what they thought was a stand up comic awards. I bet they have no idea it's for comics.
For the last few years it ran the Eagles was a total shambles. I say that with the best will in the world, as I think that we as a nation deserve a decently organised and run comics award.
The current set up is different, but in my opinion its a step in the right direction. The judging panel appears to be a fairly widely read group, and what would be the alternative? We already know that 'most votes' just leads to people voting for friends, regardless of the quality of the work.
Good luck to the current system and let's give it a few years to settle down before judging it.
(And just to say, as far as I know that nothing I have produced has been nominated)
It would be good to have some goodwill spread about, lots of people putting lots of time into their projects, as do a lot of folk here.
This kinda addresses the whole thing:
http://hannahberry.co.uk/?p=71 (http://hannahberry.co.uk/?p=71)
Huff- top find. Really enjoyeble article and a lot of sense spoken.
I saw Hannah Berry do a lecture in Bristol recently she's bloody brilliant.
And in terms of " let's give it a few years to settle down before judging it"
I'm not a TV comedian, would my opinion still be valid?
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 09 July, 2013, 03:20:30 PM
I'm not a TV comedian, would my opinion still be valid?
Don't be ridiculous, this is the internet. The only valid opinion is
MINE!
Quote from: sheldipez on 08 July, 2013, 07:52:18 PM
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 08 July, 2013, 10:59:54 AM
Necroposting this back to life as the JUDGES have been announced today.
Can someone explain this to me, it seems like a huge fucking joke
http://britishcomicawards.com/judging-panel-2013/
Wtf. I think those people agreed to judge what they thought was a stand up comic awards. I bet they have no idea it's for comics.
Breakin' it down...
Gareth David : Knows pretty much nothing about comics.
Lenny Henry : Huge fan of (mainly American) comics, wrote graphic novel illustrated by Steve Parkhouse, devised Neverwhere with Neil Gaiman and even wrote a Green Lantern dream sequence into his telly programme in the '80s so he could get to dress up as him.
Stephen L. Holland : Co-owns and manages a comic shop.
Jamillah Knowles : Seemingly a huge comics fan who really knows her stuff (http://jemimahknight.com/2013/07/08/british-comic-awards-very-exciting/).
Graham Linehan : Fan of comics who even has a cameo in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, being thrown out of a comic shop by Bernard Black (https://twitter.com/britesparc/status/215782846843994112/photo/1).
Josie Long : Fan of comics who has been known to contribute to fanzines. You just have to look at her website (http://www.josielong.com/) to see there's an interest there.
Sarah McIntyre : Draws comics and illustrates for a living.
Gareth David is the only person who doesn't seem to be too familiar with the medium.
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 09 July, 2013, 03:20:30 PM
I saw Hannah Berry do a lecture in Bristol recently she's bloody brilliant.
And in terms of " let's give it a few years to settle down before judging it"
I'm not a TV comedian, would my opinion still be valid?
why would it be invalid? Does being a comic stop you being a comic fan?
I believe Lenny has been a fan for years, can't say for the others, but why not get behind this or better get involved? I'd imagine they need all the help they can get. I'm sure a man of your talents would be most welcome.
I believe Lenny Henry was behind the original BBC version of Neverwhere, in some capacity, so he has form....of sorts.... :-\
(I think that's pretty good, to be honest).
Good rundown M.I.K. with the exception of GD they're looking all a bit more valid although just cameoing in LOEG doesn't really say owt. I mean that's a long arse list, surely?
Particularly liked Josie Long's comics had no idea about that - !
(http://www.josielong.com/images/another_planet/2012-01-14-another_planet.jpg)
Not questioning their legitimacy as fans or even comic creators in their own way. I'd just love to see comic celebs like Mark Millar and Grant Morrison put on the judging panel for the Edinburgh Comedy Awards (http://www.comedyawards.co.uk/thePanel.asp). I'm sure they've seen some comedy in their time, probably got some opinions.
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 09 July, 2013, 08:29:13 AM
For the last few years it ran the Eagles was a total shambles. I say that with the best will in the world, as I think that we as a nation deserve a decently organised and run comics award.
Absolutely, but I don't have any faith the BCA are the answer. One disastrous year already written off, with another to be decided by the caprice of a handful of celebrities rather than reflecting the views of comic fans or comic creators.
Still, you never know. Lenny Henry, Josie Long et al might not hate 2000AD or Alan Moore or Bryan Talbot, etc., etc., quite as much as last year's panel...
I've no idea where my copy of the Lenny Henry book he did with Steve Parkhouse has gotten to, but it was great stuff.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quest-Woof-Penguin-graphic-fiction/dp/0140146725/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t/277-4666580-6902309
My favourite bit was where he's struggling to write something and has to make it into the Kitchen to make a cup of tea and it all goes Dark Knight Returns. It's a pitch perfect Miller pisstake - dude knows his stuff.
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 09 July, 2013, 06:18:41 PMalthough just cameoing in LOEG doesn't really say owt. I mean that's a long arse list, surely?
I know Linehan did something for Alan Moore's Dodgem Logic, so guessed the comic shop and Torquemada t-shirt was based on something said during an actual conversation between the two of them. Googling "Graham Linehan Nemesis 2000ad" confirms he's a fan of that at least.
According to Pat Mills' blog Linehan told Kevin O' Neill that he used to daydream about Nemesis swooping down in his Blitzspear to rescue him from his school playground.
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 09 July, 2013, 06:38:15 PM
Still, you never know. Lenny Henry, Josie Long et al might not hate 2000AD or Alan Moore or Bryan Talbot, etc., etc., quite as much as last year's panel...
I was on the panel last year.
Quote from: stacey on 09 July, 2013, 08:45:40 PM
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 09 July, 2013, 06:38:15 PM
Still, you never know. Lenny Henry, Josie Long et al might not hate 2000AD or Alan Moore or Bryan Talbot, etc., etc., quite as much as last year's panel...
I was on the panel last year.
Why, of why do you hate 2000AD so much, Stace!??
Quote from: stacey on 09 July, 2013, 08:45:40 PM
I was on the panel last year.
John Freeman, too. Hardly one o' them high-falutin' comics elitists.
Must've been you, Whittle — talking the rest round in some comic-book-based version of Twelve Angry Men...
Cheers!
Jim
QuoteMust've been you, Whittle — talking the rest round in some comic-book-based version of Twelve Angry Men...
Y'know, I'd buy the shit out of that.
The decision to totally overlook 2000AD / Rebellion / big name 2000AD alumni last year was very, very odd. For me it tainted the awards even more so than this year's Celebrity Masterchef approach.
A few extra categories might help.
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 09 July, 2013, 08:53:05 PM
Y'know, I'd buy the shit out of that.
Still working on the title, but I've nailed the tagline: "One by one, she whittled them down..."
Cheers!
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 09 July, 2013, 11:06:21 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 09 July, 2013, 08:53:05 PM
Y'know, I'd buy the shit out of that.
Still working on the title, but I've nailed the tagline: "One by one, she whittled them down..."
Cheers!
Jim
:-D