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Ever since I took over the reins at Desties, I've been meaning to set up an "Oscars" style award. Well, now I have - voting is already underway for the inaugural "SAUCER AWARDS" - here's what they're all about and how you can have your say...
The Saucer Awards are named for our flying saucer logo, and are voted on by our customers - click the logo on the left to go to the voting form before 11.59pm on 19th December 2018 to have your say!
We're keeping it simple to get things started, asking you to tell us what you thought were the Best Ongoing Series, Best Limited Series, Best Major Publisher, Best Small Publisher, and who you thought were the Best Writer and Best Artist.
So, why are we doing this, and who's in the frame?
Well, as this edition of the Wednesday Waffle drops the races for Best Ongoing Series, Best Limited Series and Best Artist are too close to call - with every voter so far voting for somebody different - meaning they're all dead heats. Brian Michael Bendis has a slim lead in the Best Writer contest, while Marvel is a whisker ahead of DC in the battle for the Best Major Publisher gong, and Aftershock keeping its nose in front of the other small publishers.
By the time you read this, that might well have changed...
But what's the point? I mean we're not going to hold an actual awards ceremony, and even if you did it seems unlikely that Bendis and the head of Marvel Comics would come all the way to Harrogate to attend. So why bother?
Well, there are a couple of reasons. First of all, the world can be a pretty relentlessly negative place these days. Everyone seems very keen to bang on at length about what they don't like - we'd like to get back to the days when fandom was about talking about the things you did like. That might introduce other people to the things you like, which might make them like it too. Winner!
Awards like this are also a way to show the creators of the comics you enjoy some love. If you've spent any time at all on Twitter you'll have seen how much negative comment - sometimes bordering on abuse, and indeed sometimes crossing that border - writers and artists get all day long. It would be nice to be able to send some creators an email telling them that they won a Saucer because our customers love their work. Even if we only brighten their day for a second, it's a nice thing we have the power to do, so let's do it.
And of course, if enough of you vote, it gives us a fair idea about what you're really enjoying, and THAT might help us serve your comics buying needs a little better than we currently do - which must be a good thing right?
Anyway. We're keeping it short this week because we're busy with the order for February delivery, so until next time we'll just encourage you to cast your votes wisely!