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Subject: 25th Annual CBG Fan Awards: The nominations are now closed

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Brent Frankenhoff Posts: 3930	Posted: 1/2/2007 9:20:46 AM
	Until March 2, you, the fans, had the chance to nominate your favorites of the past year for the *Comics Buyer's Guide's* annual Fan Awards. The nominations are now in, and you can cast your votes on the final ballot here. For the 25th annual presentation (and after numerous requests), we're again offering a nominating round and ballot with nominations coming exclusively from visitors to CBGXtra.com! Nominators are invited to tell us their favorites from 2006 in 12 categories: Favorite Editor Favorite Writer Favorite Penciller Favorite Inker Favorite Colorist Favorite Letterer Favorite Artist Favorite Comic-Book Story (arc or individal issue) Favorite Comic Book Favorite Original Graphic Novel or Album (no TPB collections) Favorite Character Favorite Publishing Company The final ballot will be available online shortly with a print version appearing in CBG #1630, shipping in early April. As usual, only one entry per name and address. If you vote more than once, all your votes will be thrown out. Only vote in the categories you want, entering "none" in the ones you don't. Please only one nominee per category. To see who won in the previous 24 years, click here: CBG Fan Awards Archives
Lee Houston, Junior Posts: 1036	Posted: 1/2/2007 5:27:10 PM
	Brent: I know I have brought this issue up before, but I would like to take this opportunity to do so again because I honestly feel it needs to be addressed. I still feel that some distinction should be made in the "Favorite Letterer" category since there is more usage of lettering programs today. For me, a true letterer is the classic definition of the term, someone who did everything by hand in the past like John Workman today, or the late Ben Oda. I'm not saying anything against current lettering methods, just that maybe, until such programs become an industry wide standard, they should have a different category like "Favorite Typographical System". I have been, and will continue to, vote my conscious on this and all the other categories on the ballot. Hope raising this issue again doesn't cause you too much trouble. Sincere-Lee, me. A comic book reader, and I do stress the R word, since Action Comics #434, May 1974! Editor-In-Chief of The Free Choice e-zine. Associate Editor at Large Affinity Storm Press.
Brent Frankenhoff Posts: 3930	Posted: 1/2/2007 8:37:11 PM
	We appreciate the input, Lee, but you have to realize that lettering has evolved to include the computer as well as the human element. The fonts designed by Richard Starkings and Comicraft still have to initially be created by hand, albeit on a computer. In addition to dialogue effects, there are also sound effects and even balloon designs available now that weren't available a decade ago. If you look at the past several years' results, you'll see that while Starkings and his company have taken the award several times, such "traditional" letterers as John Workman and Todd Klein have also claimed the title of "favorite" in that same timeframe with Klein tying with Starkings one year. (I can tell you that the voting is very close in this category year in and year out.) Taking your point further, would you say that the favorite colorist category should also be split between those who color by hand (a very small minority these days I would think, if there even are still colorists who do so by hand) and those who use the latest computer software to do their job? I think it ultimately comes down to technique, not the equipment used to do the job that should determine a fan favorite.
WLLilly Posts: 1284	Posted: 1/2/2007 10:12:05 PM
	...Why not include Newpaper/Syndicated Strip as a category ??????????? Includ newspapers other than " standard " dailies , hey , and Web-only strip features , for that imprinuer (?) of hipness...No , too , I realize that there are , probably , those who check out Web-only strips , I don't have the time to...All syndicated strips can be found on the Web somewhere ( Except OPUS , I'm told . ) , so , really , the concepts are identical... The old fogy demographic wishes to be heard !!!!!!!!! ( I think , were that a category , I might go for PEARLS BEFORE SWINE...Mebbe I'd do a sentimentalist vote for FOXTROT , or BOONDOCKS...Except that last one r e a l l y went downhill in its , " MacGruder Enterprises " , last two yearsish --- Yo , it was really played out !!!!! It was wack !!!!! Like Eric B. without the 'Kim . It fell off , like gravy off of rice and biscuits...Enough " pseudo-hipness " from Whitey here ??????? Well , anyhowsssss...)
Lee Houston, Junior Posts: 1036	Posted: 1/2/2007 11:47:52 PM
	Brent: I had considered mentioning colorists in my original post but decided against it. After all, they create guidelines for the printers and have never worked directly upon the original art/pages like the letterers used to. From what I've heard, the modern colorists, if not the techno-savy letterers of today as well, work on/from jpegs of the orignal art. Correct? I certainly am not against technology, otherwise we would not even have this forum. The way I am looking at this issue: writers, pencilers, and inkers are still valid titles/positions [unless someone comes up with machines for those occupations ], but can you still call someone a letterer who is not doing it by hand? A comic book reader, and I do stress the R word, since Action Comics #434, May 1974! Editor-In-Chief of The Free Choice e-zine. Associate Editor at Large Affinity Storm Press.
Brent Frankenhoff Posts: 3930	Posted: 1/3/2007 8:12:08 AM
	Can you call someone a letterer even when they're not doing it by hand? Sure you can! They're just using different equipment than ink and a brush to do the job. They have to choose what font or fonts to use to best convey the writer's intent. The writer may have some input into the process, but ultimately, it's up to the letterer to make the writer's words come alive, much the same way the penciller and inker do with their illustrations.
Lee Houston, Junior Posts: 1036	Posted: 1/3/2007 4:28:05 PM
	Brent: I have been thinking a lot about what you said and have come to the conclusion that I have been misled in regards to the modern letterers and their systems. Short version: when credits for companies like Comicraft first started appearing in the comics, I asked about the new listings. My local retailer of the time told me that there was a lot more automation and a lot less human input involved than what you are saying. Guess I'm just not too keen on automation from an employment perspective. I see those self-check registers in stores and realize that some poor cashier is out of work. I go to gas stations and see the automated pumps, and yet still remember the days of my folks driving to full service stations with their friendly attendants willing to check the fluids under the hood; and I miss all those other people friendly interactions in businesses that you just do not see as much of now than you used to. Of course there's also my own situation, but that's a personal matter. If my comments gave the wrong impression, let me just clarify that I never had anything against the lettering systems themselves. It was just what I honestly believed to be the lack of the human element involved in each individual issue's creation. But depending upon the title, they do add an extra story telling element just as you said. Thanks for clarifying the situation for me. A comic book reader, and I do stress the R word, since Action Comics #434, May 1974! Editor-In-Chief of The Free Choice e-zine. Associate Editor at Large Affinity Storm Press.
georgehagenauer2 Posts: 13	Posted: 1/14/2007 9:54:54 AM
	I guess like most folks I used to look at colorists as well second string players in the comics biz. After all at one point or the other we have all played with coloring books right? Well about 25 years ago when I was younger and not as wize, I saw other artists at shows coloring their original art and it looked pretty neat in full color, Back then Gold Key and whitman Disney covers were $25 each . What better stuff to colorize after all the Ducks are white! Fortunately I did a full size photocopy first to try it out. It isn't easy and it was good I didn't succeed since I sold those covers years later for $400 each (before Heritage flooded the market and dropped the price) and coloring would have dropped the value. Anyhow I would suggest that folks give it a try- find a photocopy or scan of a piece of art and color it- without looking at the published version (Notethere are a numebr of scans of art in my section of this website and if there is enough interest I can do some high res ones specifically for trying coloring on). I would think interior pages would be especially hard to do given the need to hold the page together chromatically while dealing with recurring colors of individual characters clothing or costumes
Brent Frankenhoff Posts: 3930	Posted: 2/26/2007 2:31:22 PM
	Just a reminder that the deadline for voting is drawing near. Have you picked your favorites of 2006 yet?
Gary Dunaier Posts: 542	Posted: 2/27/2007 12:22:48 AM
	I added my votes. Too bad trade paperback reprint collections aren't included... I'd have nominated the Superman Chronicles collections. It's a great opportunity for those who want to read the historic first stories of an American icon to do so without having to spend big money on an Archives hardcover. With all of these $50 hardcover Archive and Masterwork collections, it's nice to have something those of us with flunky civil service gigs can afford.

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