swear that this closes the issue and not come back to him, I do not like to be tiring and also gives the matter is not so bad. But hey, since today we will not save any whales, Concerned at least something that touches us closely, something from home that concerns us all. Because there is interest to discuss this thing, which, though Ficomic is a private entity, in a way we all feel represented by it-and that is something that promotes Ficomic own-and therefore awards are our awards, prizes throughout the world of the English comic. Or that is intended, although it seems that for some years there are some doubts about its legitimacy, and this year have been reissued with the announcement of nominations. But not enough to say that the awards should be changed or upgraded or updated, or give them to me all to me, you have to be constructive and to propose any specific reform. Well, although not a topic that I would have taken many turns, with everything that has been commented on Twitter, among other sites, some ideas have been left of how we might make some appropriate prizes today. Here I leave some proposals to begin planting:
1) Who voted? This idea has placed particular emphasis Entrialgo Mauro (@ Tyrexito) and no doubt it is the first step to take. Ficomic should make public the list of everyone who has participated in the voting and the number of votes received by each work, and those elected have been left out. It is the only way to dispel the doubts that always surround these awards and to begin to provide them with prestige.
2) Who votes? And not just mean access to a reliable list of eligible work-exists but is not divided into categories, such as English and foreign works, works that can be eligible for award disclosure, reissues, etc. .- but the lack of clarity regarding certain concepts. How many threads and lapses have occurred in recent years in the category of "New Author"? How many fanzines and which have in the history of candidates for this category? Even more, why choose a category English works produced for the French or American market and later translated into English, buying the rights to the foreign publisher that has been funded? Why authors are English? By the same logic, Jorge González Darío Adanti or more that would not be eligible for best foreign labor, and yet the works produced here are much more representative of current English comics that are made from our country for Dargaud, Casterman or Marvel. And before anyone thinks I pose this question because I am an author who publishes directly to Spain and, of course, a coward who wants to be out of the way the competence of their best, those who themselves are capable of working for major international publishers I would say that as far as I'm concerned, I feel very good that we all continue choosing the same category, I have no problem. I just do not quite understand the logic behind this award, I'm not sure what we want to reward. And I'm not going to discuss it more reasonable, because, after all, if my reform proposal become reality, this issue national disappear completely. See next point:
3) What categories? This is, I think, one of the most urgent and necessary reforms. The categories are rewarding now are obsolete, belong to another world of comics is no longer current. For starters (and now refers to point 2), we should not make a distinction between national and foreign works works. This division always reminded me of the classification of ACB League scorers: one foreign and one English. It is as if we assume that the English never be able to be top scorers in general, so you create a special category where they are by themselves so they can stand out from the mediocrity to which they naturally aspire. No, gentlemen, comics are comics, and makes no sense to assess their quality by nationality. What good is good, whether here or in France, Japan and Mozambique. And the bad thing is not going to be less bad because it is a domestic industry that stands out about other things even worse. If we take seriously, we will measure ourselves against each other with the same yardstick, period. But more serious are the artificial Awards for "Best Screenplay" and "Best Picture", which are a legacy of the production chain model American (especially) and the great traditional industry (in general), but not under the dominant model of production between cartoonists working in our country, are the authors of On Thursday or graphic novel. I think the awards are to recognize primarily the uses and models of the country where they are granted, and that makes no sense to a poor translation of Eisner or Harvey to our comics. Much closer to our reality, especially today, is the model of Angouleme where you choose a series of works by different criteria, works that walk to the media as the outstanding from the annual supply. I have not raised exactly what names should be given to those comic highlights of the year, but I think that some awards such as 'Heritage' (a reissue unique) "Youth" (a comic book for kids), "Revelation" (a authors below a certain age, without other conditions doubtful), 'Document' (reality-based comic, etc.)., etc. (Again, he would issue to discuss how to realize them) could give an overview of fifteen or twenty titles that deserve recognition by the media and the public as the selection of best of the year. And, secondly, under what criteria objective quality can judge whether to have a reissue as The 12 Labors of Hercules Calatayud, a national graphic novel Winter Rock cartoonist or a large number Blacksad international and Diaz Canales and Guarnido? Each occupies its own space and defines its own characteristics. At the end of the day is with the intention of promotion and prestige with which prizes are awarded, and perhaps the promotion and prestige that are most useful if spread among a variety of works that do not compete, but cooperate in drawing a map full of comics today. Although, of course, always have to choose a work of the year, because we need that close strong and because the media need, but the work of the year, English or foreign, again, would the same thing, would be accompanied by an extensive suite of works highly recommended. From here and abroad, again, it matters. All that matters is that in the given year have been published in Spain.
4) secondary categories. Although the main thing is to choose the best comics of the year, a number of awards around the central court which also must be careful. And urgent to create an award for best webcomic, or, by now, almost be more appropriate for the best digital comic. The reason I do not consider the digital comic as a competitor for the overall prize is that I believe strongly in the value of comic material, and therefore consider that the digital comic is a comic book than through traditional and digital photography is something different conventional photography. A medium directly related, but different, neither better nor worse, and that it is time to recognize. Similarly, the category that I'm running this year, disclosure "would benefit from greater precision: competing authors of theoretical works with journalists and cultural figures? How you can compare the work with each other? The cultural dimension is increasingly comic aspects: exposure, testing, research, media, festivals, cataloging. They are all together, but should not be scrambled.
Term: do not go crazy with the awards. Have the value of, and authors like the same Entrialgo Mauro (as I've mentioned before) have been able to make a very long and brilliant career, with sales of the most enviable and prestigious, be without any of those awards. But why can not dismiss its value. May have little media coverage, but so far, the awards of Barcelona are determining who wins the National Comic Award, and that's another thing: it gives prestige, fame and awards grants sales. We could say that every major award carries a great responsibility.
And I repeat, I have come here. The issue is not given to me more and I will not extend it until exhaustion. Today was the day of the awards and that's it, that's it. We'll meet again on April 15, we congratulate the winners and we'll drink a drink to celebrate or to console. Tomorrow, for now, have to continue with the same: making comics, reading comics, writing about comics. As each day. Like every fucking day, thank God.
Disclaimer: I Entrialgo Mauro corrects itself, warning that it does actually won one of these prizes, just the New Author award in 1994.
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