Sara Felix joins Christopher J. Garcia and James Bacon for issue 71 of Journey Planet as fans consider the physical Hugo Awards. Download it here.

The construction, the actual bases, the bases that fans contemplated, and aspects about the awards that one may not have thought of are reflected upon and shared.  

The Hugo awards capture the imagination and it is through hard work mixed with imaginative creativity that the physical awards manifest. 

How many fans have had an idea for a Hugo base? We have a number shared in this issue.  

The process is looked at with a level of expertise and experience in a reprinted article excerpt by Peter Weston on “Making the Hugos”, and an article on “Hugo base design” by Vincent Docherty.  

Proposals, anecdotes, imaginings and the experience of designing and making a base all get coverage in this issue that features a beautiful cover by Sara Felix. 

Contributors of articles and art also include David Thayer, Janice Gelb, Constanze Hofmann Steven H Silver, Brad Foster and James Shields. 

The importance of the Hugo Awards, how fandom recognizes great professional and fan work and of course the pride and celebration that come with the awards underpins this issue. 

Eagle eyed fans may notice that the issue cover is numbered 63*, giving a secret insight into the Journey Planet team’s hopes and aspirations and the realities of busy fans enjoying themselves in-between the realities of life. 

Meanwhile a future issue of Journey Planet will be co-edited with Alan Stewart who has undertaken research into the gifts that Hugo nominees have received over the years. Photos are still being sought of: 

• A Moomin mug, presented by Worldcon 75 at MidAmeriCon II. 
• Chicago in 2000 trading cards, presented by Chicon 2000, at Aussiecon Three, 1999
• And the Torcon 3 loser gift at ConJose in 2002 if one was given. 

Contact journeyplanet at Gmail dot com if you happen to have a photo of any of these gifts please.