The major event of August 2005 was my first Worldcon, Interaction in Glasgow. I had a whale of a time, met many people who I had previously known only online, shared a room with Alaskan writer David Marusek, spoke on several panels, attended many more. The two best pictures of me were taken at a panel with Harry Turtledove, by Elizabeth Patrick, and just hanging around, by Anna Feruglio Dal Dan.
For our summer in Northern Ireland, the kids were able to use a trampoline:
At the end of the month, back at work, I went to an exceptionally fun conference in Macedonia, afterwards meeting with the famous Baba Tahir Emini of the Bektashi sect (who sadly died a few months later).
Books I read in August 2005:
Non-fiction 6 (YTD 29)
Getting Things Done: How To Achieve Stress-Free Productivity, by David Allen
A Very British Genre, by Paul Kincaid
The Last Journey of William Huskisson, by Simon Garfield
Peace Without Politics? Ten Years of International State-Bulding in Bosnia, International Peacekeeping vol 12, no 3, Autumn 2005; ed. David Chandler
Knowledge, Power and International Policy Coordination, ed. Peter M. Haas
The Orientalist: In Search of a Man Caught Between East and West, by Tom Reiss
Non-genre 1 (YTD 7)
The Black Tor, by George Manville Fenn
sf 9 (YTD 51)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowling
The Prize in the Game, by Jo Walton
Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell
The World Inside, by Robert Silverberg
Imperial Earth, by Arthur C. Clarke
City, by Clifford D. Simak
Cultural Breaks, by Brian Aldiss
A Mirror for Observers, by Edgar Pangborn
King of Morning, Queen of Day, by Ian McDonald
comics 1 (YTD 6)
Like A Velvet Glove Cast In Iron, by Daniel Clowes
4,900 pages (YTD 30,900)
2/17 (YTD 23/94) by women
None by PoC
The two books from this month that have lingered with me are Ian McDonald's King of Morning, Queen of Day, which you can get here, and the seminal international relations book which I still swear by, Knowledge, Power and International Policy Coordination, which you can get here. I was disappointed by Daniel Clowes' Like A Velvet Glove Cast In Iron, but you can get it here if you want.
So I decided to nominate some comics for Best Graphic Story, since 1940 was a banner year for comics. However, I doubt that the category will get the 5 required ballots to count, so I’m trying to raise awareness. After extensive research and reading, I’ve narrowed it down to 5 comics that I believe are worthy candidates, and that I strongly urge every voter here to consider nominating:
WHOSTILLUSESLJFebruary 11th, 2016, 04:08 pm
TO EVERYONE VOTING FOR THE 1941 RETRO HUGOS: Best Graphic Story
Hey, so I just realized that categories behind 5 ballots will get ignored. Which is a HUGE bummer, because 1940 had some great comics, and I’d like to see them honored. So, to my fellow voters, I put these forward for your consideration: my Best Graphic Story ballot for the 1941 Hugos:
Captain America Comics #1
Written by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
Illustrated by Jack Kirby
Timely Publications (Timely Comics?)
It’s the one with Cap punching Hitler on the cover. It says March 1941 but the comic came out in December of 1940. One of the finest of the Golden Age, and quite possibly one of the most important. It publicly denounced the Nazis BEFORE the US entered WWII, and while there was still some strong pro-Nazi sentiment in the states. Simon and Kirby’s creation, for all its Golden Age goofiness, still stands out as a work of bravery.
The Spectre!/The Spectre Strikes! (More Fun Comics #52/#53)
Written by Jerry Siegel
Illustrated by Bernard Baily
National Allied Publications
A shockingly mature story for the 40’a that holds up pretty damn well. Joe Corrigan being denied heaven after his death and being forced to eradicate all evil is an excellent backstory, and makes all his actions understandable.
Batman #1
Written by Bill Finger
Illustrated by Bob Kane, Sheldon Moldoff, and Jerry Robinson
National Allied Publications
There’s a reason historians call this the best single issue of the Golden Age…well, two reasons, actually: the Prince Clown of Darkness and the Princess of Plunder. Not only was this Batman’s first solo comic, it also had the first appearances of The Joker and Catwoman, in stories that perfectly demonstrate why they’ve had lasting appeal. There’s also a pretty good Hugo Strange story here.
Introducing Captain Marvel! (Whiz Comics #2)
Written by Bill Parker
Illustrated by C.C. Beck
Fawcett Comics
The first appearance of Billy Batson and his older Captain Marvel alter-ego. It’s an engaging, simple story executed really well, with underpinnings of mysticism that only reveal themselves upon re-reading. It just works.
The Origin of the Spirit
Written by Will Eisner
Illustrated by Will Eisner and Joe Kubert
Register and Tribune Syndicate
Why would I forget Eisner? This is probably the one that’s aged the best, with the art looking strikingly modern, even well into the 21st century. While not at the height of its post-war years, The Spirit still came swinging from day one, with its chronicling of Denny Colt’s rebirth as the titular character that gradually became a superhero. Extremely influential to the medium. (Also, Ebony White’s only in it for one panel. So there’s that.)