Comments on: Hugo Awards to add graphic novel category

By: Kevin Standlee

Kevin Standlee — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:18:40 +0000

As I wrote in more detail here, this new category is not a done deal, and anyone who cares about it, either in favor of it or opposed to it, should join next year's World Science Fiction Convention, Anticipation, either to nominate works for the (in effect) trial category they've established, or to plan to vote No Award on the final ballot to register displeasure with the category. In addition, anyone who cares about this subject and who can attend Anticipation should be planning to attend the World Science Fiction Society Business Meeting (every member of Worldcon is a member of WSFS; in fact, it's the only way you can join WSFS) to debate and vote upon the ratification of this award as a new permanent category.

By: Kevin Standlee

Kevin Standlee — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:15:07 +0000

Stephen:

Though what do they comsider Science Fiction?

1. It doesn't matter. The Hugo Awards are for works of science fiction and fantasy. It says so right in the rules and on the Official FAQ. 2. Aside from technical matters such as when or where a book was published, the administrators of the Hugo Award almost never get involved in trying to determine whether a work is "sufficiently SF/F" to qualify for the awards. Because all of the thousands of members of the World Science Fiction Convention (anyone can join, and you don't have to attend the convention to buy the less-expensive "supporting membership") are eligible to nominate for the Hugo Awards, the rules take the attitude of "vox populi, vox dei," meaning that if the members think a work is SF/F by the act of nominating it, then it must be SF/F.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:12:02 +0000

That is awesome news. Since most superhero novelization(either based on movies or original novels) are considered Science Fiction.

Though what do they comsider Science Fiction? The Sandman:Dream Hunters is more Fantasy than Science Fiction. And I would consider that most graphic novels fall under more of the Fantasy catagory instead of Science Fiction.