(1) SHE WAS ON WHAT KIND OF TRIP? The Mirror knows we can’t resist looking: “Woman ‘photobombed by alien’ during selfie on passenger jet on business trip”.
A woman has posted a selfie taken on a plane in which she claims she was photobombed – by an alien.
Olesya Podkorytov from the city of Kurgan in south-central Russia’s Kurgan Oblast region said she took the picture during the flight on a whim but when she posted it on social media friends pointed out something strange a few seats behind.
(2) BEFORE THERE WERE FOREHEAD CLOTHS. Movie bracket maven Hampus Eckerman pointed to this LA Times story, “’Young Frankenstein’ has new life on 40th anniversary”.
Director Mel Brooks spent a lot of money on white handkerchiefs while making his 1974 tour de farce, “Young Frankenstein.”
“I gave everybody in the crew a white handkerchief,” said the 88-year-old comedy legend during a recent phone interview. “I said, ‘When you feel like laughing, put this in your mouth.’ Every once in a while, I’d turn around and see a sea of white handkerchiefs, and I said, ‘I got a hit.'”
“Young Frankenstein” was more than a hit. It is a comic masterpiece.
(3) ‘TWAS CHITTY. Joined by Conan O’Brian, Dick Van Dyke and his a capella group, The Vantastix, sing the title song from his 1968 movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Van Dyke recently turned 90 but he can still belt out a tune.
(4) THE TRANSOM IS SHUT. Tor.com will no longer consider unsolicited short fiction submissions effective January 7, 2016 reports Locus Online.
(5) C. S. LEWIS. Matthew David Surridge is doing a read-through of C.S. Lewis works at Black Gate. The first two parts are —
“Wandering the Worlds of C.S. Lewis, Part I: Boxen”
I have read some, though far from all, of Lewis’ non-fiction; I intend to talk about it only insofar as I see a bearing on his fiction. I’m interested in seeing what images, tones, ideas, and approaches unite a fairly disparate corpus of writing. I want to see how Lewis’ approach to storytelling developed over his life, and how motifs and themes recurred in his work. I hope that by doing this I’ll better understand his individual books. At any rate, I’ll begin here with a look at Lewis’ published juvenilia…
“Wandering the Worlds of C.S. Lewis, Part II: Spirits in Bondage”
Today, I want to go through Lewis’ first book, a collection of lyric poems called Spirits in Bondage, published in 1919 when Lewis was still an atheist.
Yesterday I quoted Lewis’ judgement in his 1955 autobiography Surprised by Joy that the Boxen tales are novelistic and not poetic. If that’s so, what did the older Lewis think about the poetry he wrote in his youth? Did he find wonder and romance in the verse of Spirits in Bondage and Dymer? Hard to judge. Lewis doesn’t mention either volume in Surprised by Joy. Which strikes me as a little odd.
(6) CAREER GUIDANCE. David Gerrold responded on Facebook to Dr. Mauser (thought not actually by name). Between his very funny lines about being a so-called internet blowhard and his thoroughly serious rebuttal comes good advice for writers about dealing with controversy.
1) Never never never never never get into feuds. Whatever credibility you might have, you are automatically lending it to anyone you feud with because you are implying they are of equal validity, when most of the time they are not. People who enjoy feuds are automatically downgrading their credibility.
2) If you must respond, focus solely on the issue. Do not get into any personal remarks of any kind. Discuss issues only, not personalities. (This is because everyone has issues, not everyone has a personality.)
3) Never vilify a whole class or group of people — this generalization assumes that everyone in that class or group thinks and acts alike, that they are a monolithic army of clones. They are not. (I have stumbled here, more than once, and have now learned this lesson very well.)
And finally,
4) Always demand evidence.
(7) COMICS HUGO. George R.R. Martin has “More Hugo Ruminations” at Not A Blog.
I really don’t think we needed to add a Graphic Story category to the Hugo Awards. Comics have their own awards, the Eisners, they don’t need the Hugo too. Besides, most SF fans do not follow comics closely enough to make informed judgements in this area.
That being said, however, I have to concede that the fans did pretty damned well nominating in this category last year. SAGA was the only one of the finalists that I had actually heard of before Sasquan announced last year’s ballot… but I dutifully read all the others before I voted, and for the most part, I was impressed (okay, not by the Puppy nominee, which was several notches below the other four)… especially by MS. MARVEL, a whole new take on the character (actually a whole new character with an old name), a charming new addition to the Marvel universe, and the eventual winner.
So… I still don’t love Graphic Novel as a Hugo category, but it exists, and those who follow the field more closely than me should nominate Good Stuff here again, and maybe I’ll have more comic books to discover and delight in when the final ballot comes out.
Meanwhile, I do have one truly outstanding graphic novel to suggest… I am not totally disconnected from the world of comics, y’see… and that’s a book called THE SCULPTOR, by Scott McCloud….
(8) TOWERING TRAILER. The movie High-Rise is based on a J.G. Ballard novel.
(9) Today In History
- December 21, 1963 – This is the annual International Dalek Remembrance Day, in honor of the first day that Daleks appeared on Doctor Who in 1963.
Doctor Who fans may not be surprised to discover that those forceful characters the Daleks appear to be the only one of the Doctor’s enemies to have been given their own celebratory day. Dalek Day is held on 21st December each year. This date was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the Daleks because they made their first TV appearance in Doctor Who on 21st December 1963. The official title of Dalek Day is the International Dalek Remembrance Day. There does not appear to be any regular organised celebrations each year to commemorate Dalek Day and it is unclear whether Dalek supporters meet or actually even dress up in Dalek costumes. Many of their fans appear to celebrate Dalek Day at home by having a Doctor Who marathon and watching again their favourite episodes with the Daleks battling against the Doctor.
- December 21, 1937 — Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length animated feature film, opened in Los Angeles.
- December 21, 1984 – Don’t Open ‘Till Christmas opens slightly before Christmas.
(10) NO ROOM IN THE FUTURE FOR RANDY GARRETT. The Traveler at Galactic Journey reviews the January 1961 Analog in a manner that makes a reader wonder if this blog theme is a good fit for somebody who hates a prolific author for the most popular prozine of its time. Not because The Traveler ought to like something he doesn’t, but who’s going to want to hear about it every month?
Thus, it is too early to tell whether or not Analog is ever going to pull itself out of its literary doldrums. I had such high hopes after December’s issue; January’s has dashed them.
It doesn’t help that Randall Garrett is still one of Campbell’s favorite writers. I’m not sure if Garrett’s stories are lousy because Campbell tells Garrett what he should write, or if they’re lousy because Garrett writes what he knows Campbell will take. Or maybe Garrett and Campbell independently share awful taste. In any event, the long long lead novella, The Highest Treason, is a one-star drek-fest if ever there was one.
(11) TIX FOR RADIO PERFORMANCE OF WYNDHAM. Tickets are available to attend a live recording of John Wyndham’s The Kraken Wakes by BBC4 with the BBC Philharmonic. The event will be Friday, January 8, 2016 at MediaCityUK in Salford. Ticket applications are open until December 27.
Join the BBC Philharmonic and BBC Radio 4 for radio drama, The Kraken Wakes. This modern retelling of John Wyndham’s 1953 apocalyptic novel, is adapted by crime writer and dramatist Val McDermid and stars Tamsin Greig, Paul Higgins and Richard Harrington.
This is a rare chance to see a radio drama recorded for Radio 4 with a live orchestral accompaniment from the BBC Philharmonic.
Composer Alan Edward Williams has created a brand new orchestral score that will ‘play the part’ of the great sea monster during the performance.
The Kraken Wakes will be recorded as a live performance in two parts. The drama will then be broadcast later in the year on BBC Radio 4.
(12) CLASSIC RADIO SF. Open Culture helps you “Hear 6 Classic Philip K. Dick Stories Adapted as Vintage Radio Plays”.
As you can probably tell if you’ve interacted with any of his hard-core fans, the science fiction of Philip K. Dick has a way of getting into readers’ heads. What better way to adapt it, then, than in the medium of radio drama, with its direct route into the head through the ears? Science fiction in general provided radio drama with a good deal of bread-and-butter subject matter since pretty much its inception, and suitably so: its producers didn’t have to bother designing distant worlds, alien races and elaborately futuristic technologies when, with the right sound design, the listeners would design it all themselves in their imaginations.
From the series Mind Webs, which ran on Wisconsin public radio, “The Preserving Machine,” “Impostor,” and “The Builder.” From X Minus One, “Colony” and “The Defenders.”From Sci-Fi Radio, “Sales Pitch.”
(13) FRANCHISE SF. The Documentary, on BBC’s World Service, has posted its 56-minute feature “Homer, Hagrid and the Incredible Hulk”.
Ben Hammersley meets creators and fans to investigate how extended fictional universes, from Star Wars and Harry Potter to Game of Thrones, took over global culture. He examines the huge financial success of the world’s biggest franchises, and argues that their stories – the identity of Luke Skywalker’s father, for example – have become common cultural touchstones around the world.
To understand how these expansive fictional universes are created and maintained, Ben visits professor Dumbledore’s office to talk to Stuart Craig, production designer on the Harry Potter films. He goes to Los Angeles to meet Lauren Faust, creator of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. And, he travels to San Diego Comic Con where he discusses a number of different universes with Marc Zicree, writer on numerous film and TV series, including Star Trek.
Ben also speaks to authors Robin Hobb and Warren Ellis, and to Axel Alonso and Ryan Penagos from Marvel. He hears from numerous fans, including Game of Thrones super-fans Linda Antonsson and Elio Garcia about the joys of fandom.
(14) NON-REALISTIC SF ART. Joachim Boaz’ “Adventures in Science Fiction Cover Art: Jack Gaughan’s Covers For Walker & Co. (1969-1970)” revisits covers of books I remember borrowing from the library when I was in high school.
Some famous novels are graced by his covers: James Blish’s A Case of Conscience (1958), Stanislaw Lem’s Solaris (1961), Silverberg’s Nightwings (1968), Ursula Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness (1969), and Norman Spinrad’s Bug Jack Barron (1969).
Titles in this art sequence without suitable images online: A Gift from Earth (1968), Re-Birth (1955), All Judgement Fled (1968), Trouble with Lichen (1960), The Midwich Cuckoos (1957).
(15) MAGIC NUMBER. Obviously I must mention something titled “Five for 2015: 5 TV Characters of the Year”, Jon Morgan’s post on Pornokitsch. Under discussion are Agent Carter, Phyrne Fisher, Jessica Jones, Kimmy Schmidt and Cat Grant.
(16) HE SLEIGHS ME. At Whatever, John Scalzi has an “Interview With Santa’s Reindeer Wrangler”.
Q: We could talk about that. I mean, the general violation of physics that goes on around the whole Santa’s sleigh thing.
A: Look, I don’t pretend to know the science of the flying sleigh thing, okay? That’s not my job. You can ask Santa’s physicists about it if you want.
Q: Santa has physicists on staff?
A: Of course he does. He’s one of the largest recruiters of physicists outside of NASA. What, you thought all this happened because of magic?
Q: Well, now that you mention it, yes. Yes, I did.
(17) MALCONTENT WARNING. Darth Santa…. Great production values for a video whose humor may leave you a little ill. Or laughing your ass off, depending on what meds you’ve taken today.
[Thanks to John King Tarpinian, Nigel, Martin Morse Wooster, and Andrew Porter for some of these stories. Title credit goes to File 770 contributing editor of the day redheadedfemme.]
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Bitty: I thought Nimona was ineligible. The book may have been printed in 2015, but the content was previously published online and finished in 2014.
I think that’s the same situation as Digger, though? Perhaps our wombat can weigh in on that.
A question for Filers: what would you recommend for a generally non-fantasy reader who did like the Gentleman Bastard series?
@Laura Resnick
I think GRRM is projecting his own experience on to other people. From my end, I don’t know anyone who reads comics that doesn’t at least dip their toe into some area of SF/F.
Well, I’m not a writer but my commiserations to those affected by the closing of open submissions; I hope the new year will bring better fortune.
Loved the Kingfisher short story; it’s a short short, whilst my impression has been that shorts seem to have got longer. I may well be wrong on that.
As for the joys of the Reindeer Wrangler, I’d say it’s most definitely a keeper; the subtext is pretty funny as well…
@James Davis Nicoll
Flashman?
I’m currently in the middle of reading The Corn King and the Spring Queen, by fantasy and science fiction author Naomi Mitchison — although for some reason, this particular book is generally regarded as historical fiction instead of SFF; I have no idea why, since one of the main characters is a witch who’s casting magic spells all over the place. Possibly it’s simply that it was written in 1931, before historical fantasy was a Thing.
Mitchison herself appears to be a pretty fascinating character. She campaigned for women’s rights and many other causes, and lived to the age of 101, with a prolific writing career that spanned from a first book in 1923 to a final book in 1998! She was also, incidentally, a friend of Tolkien’s and one of the proofreaders for The Lord of the Rings.
@James Davis Nicoll
Brust’s Dragaera – probably the Book of Jhereg collection?
James said: A question for Filers: what would you recommend for a generally non-fantasy reader who did like the Gentleman Bastard series?
From there, I think Douglas Hulick’s Tales of the Kin novels would suit.
JJ –
From what I can tell poking on Google, the final page of Digger, the web comic, was posted on March 17, 2011 and Volume 6 of Digger, the book, was published in June of 2011.
I don’t think it’s in the same situation that Nimona is in.
Hugo Awards say:
And comments on the Nimona website suggest that it was taken offline because of the pending publication of the paper edition in November 2014.
James Davis Nicoll, you might sic them onto a copy of the ROGUES anthology. Stories they enjoy in that book may lead them to other writers’ longer works.
And, of course, I will always recommend Leiber’s Lankhmar stories with Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser to just about everyone.
@Stevie – I wouldn’t rejoice for story lengths just yet–I sold it to ’em as flash fiction!
James Davis Nicoll –
Abercrombie’s First Law series, A Crown For Cold Silver, The Crimson Campaign series, The Emperor’s Blades, Low Town by Polansky, for fantasy stuff.
For non-fantasy fiction about two friends who give each other crap and get in a lot of trouble together the Hap and Leonard books are great.
Also want to second the Rogues Anthology recommendation.
Hap and Lenard is a great suggestion as well as the Grey Mouser. Possibly Nift the Lean or Cudgel the Clever ?
Cugel. He’s a noodle casserole, not a blunt instrument.
@Kyra
Lol true ! Thanks for the correction.
Politico has a fascinating essay today about politics in Star Wars which provides a glimpse into the mind of a viewer who used to actually prefer message fiction.
In Star Wars news, here is great clip of the characters from the first 6 films singing Stayin Alive by the Bee Gees. Spoiler free.
http://youtu.be/5QKRKfg6kpA
Standback said:
Here are my potentially award-worthy anime recommendations for the first half of the year with links to legal online streams; I’ll have an updated list for the full year in my January 7th post.
I know Fallon only from short clips 🙂
Last week’s Star Wars Medley a capella – no spoilers, either (just don’t read YouTube comments… as usual)
I love that medley – thanks for sharing that. I missed it before.
James Davis Nicoll –
I’d suggest the Garrett PI novels by Glen Cook. Crime from the other side in a generic fantasy world that’s actually more complex than it seems.
RedWombat
Rats! Oh well, it’s still a really great story, and I feel that Esme would approve.
On the webcomics side of things Strong Female Protagonist just finished a big arc, so I’m guessing that will be Hugo-eligible.
According to my wife, we evidently received our Hugo PINs today in the mail. Heads up!
I’m glad to hear that MAC II is on top of things.
JN :
Currently in the middle of these, which would seem to fit the bill
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riyria_Revelations
If they want non-Fantasy, second the “Flashman” recommendation.
James Davis Nicoll on December 22, 2015 at 6:29 am said:
I’ll take a step away from fantasy and suggest Hannu Rajaniemi’s Quantum Thief trilogy.
I’ll have more later. But also aim them at Carl Hiaasen’s stuff.
It would be cool if Nimona is elgible, and is Noelle Stevenson eligible for a Campbell Nomination? I assume so, as I think all her professional writing credits are 2015.
I’m really enjoying Abby Howard’s The Last Halloween but it is still in mid-flow, so probably a nomination for another time http://www.last-halloween.com/posts/94
It would be cool if Nimona is elgible, and is Noelle Stevenson eligible for a Campbell Nomination? I assume so, as I think all her professional writing credits are 2015.
I think that she is eligible for the Campbell. Unless someone points me to a bushel of better options, I’m probably going to nominate her for it.
James Davis Nicoll on December 22, 2015 at 6:29 am said:
And back. I’m going to suggest the Rogues of the Republic series by Patrick Weekes. Yes, it’s weaker than Lies, but sometimes close is good enough.
And another one in an SF vein: The Golden Globe by John Varley. If you can like Locke, then you’ll love Sparky.
I second @RDF:
Both Riyria Revelations and Riyria Chronicles by Michael J. Sullivan are great fantasy books following a couple of thieves with a diverse cast, cool magic, swords & sorcery, goblins, elves, humor, interesting villains, multiple journeys, a number of coming of age stories, friendship, and the latest book, Death of Dulgath, in the Chronicles was Kickstartered and published this year.
While Revelations came out first, Chronicles is a prequel series. I’m a big fan.
Michael is a hybrid author and the series is hybrid – Orbit republished the Riyria Revelations, published 1st 3 of Riyria Chronicles, 4th Chronicles is self-published.
FCC obligatory info: I’m tuckerized in Death of Dulgath the 4th book in Riyria Chronicles. I’ve backed 2 of Michael’s Kickstarter’s: Hollow World (SF time travel) and Death of Dulgath (Epic Fantasy/Sword & Sorcery).
A question for Filers: what would you recommend for a generally non-fantasy reader who did like the Gentleman Bastard series?
You could always haul out Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond books if they really want to dive in the deep end.
Petréa,
I loved Death Parade. It took a good one off story and made it better. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.
What did you think of the second Little Witch Academia installment? I do wish Trigger would get their act together and get a series of that going.
James Davis Nicoll on December 22, 2015 at 6:29 am said:
Last one I promise. Crappy Internet CoThe Scroll of Years and The Silk Map by Chris Willrich. A pair of thieves in a sort of mythic China have adventures. And a child. Similarly, Barry Hughart’s Master Li and Number Ten Ox series are wonderful. Master Li has a small flaw in his character. And if Ox doesn’t remind you of Jean, there is no hope.
Because I reflexively count such things (and know that James does too), is there something ineluctably masculine about the Gentleman Bastard series such that an overwhelming preponderance of recommendations are by male authors? (Not all, of course — I give credit to the female-authored works I’ve seen going by.) Just asking.
Actually, it’s not “just asking”. If I see books and authors being circularly-recommended in an “If you like X, try Y” fashion and the set of authors in that circle has this high a preponderance of male authors, I’m likely to write off the entire circle. So rec-trends like this not only affect whether I’m likely to try the original title, but whether I’m likely to try any of the titles being proposed as similar.
I’m also keen on Lumberjanes, Ms. Marvel, and Strong Female Protagonist. And I’m picking Nimona, unless we get a ruling otherwise (pub date is 2015); then a promotion from the longlist happens. And I was not raised an uber-comic geek like GRRM, either, yet I manage to nominate!
While the second book (Red Seas Under Red Skies) is infamous for having a middle-aged mother of two as a ferocious sea captain, I would say yes, there is something very masculine to the Gentleman Bastard Series as a whole. Not inaccessible, but definitely written by a man about men with an assumption that a significant percentage of his audience will be male. (Lynch is aware of and encouraging of fans of any gender, but knows his focus.)
Lynch is also dating Elizabeth Bear, and some of her work might also appeal, but more Dust than Karen Memory, say, and more Undertow than Ink and Steel.
Apropos of which, a moderately obscure rec that might appeal to a fan: Thunder Road and sequels, by Chadwick Ginther. Urban fantasy where the Norse mythology is the magical source, but despite not being caper books or secondary world, they have a bit of the same feel.
Oooh, SFP came out in the previous year. To the longlist! And which volume of Ms. Marvel? Decisions, decisions.
Slightly off on a tangent, but among the things that were recommended to me at the same time as the Gentleman Bastard series awhile back, was Sorceror to the Crown by Zen Cho, and I think A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan was part of the same thread, too. Fantasy of manners was the shared element. The Temeraire books by Naomi Novik and Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton also fit into that category, as well as Shades of Milk and Honey (and sequels) by Mary Robinette Kowal. It depends what they liked about Gentleman Bastard, really, but that’s the company they shared (amongst other things) when I asked for recs – lots of women with those parameters. 🙂
The Sculptor is at the top of my Graphic Work nomination list right now. Other strong contenders are Ms. Marvel Volume 2 — Generation Why, and Strong Female Protagonist Issue 5.
I have a real problem finding graphic works to nominate because I have a policy of not nominating a volume of an ongoing series. So sadly no SSSS. The list of standalones and completed miniseries I have found this year is short; I would really appreciate suggestions, especially tips on foreign work translated for the first time.
Starting with what I’ve decided against nominating: Jay Hosler’s Last of the Sandwalkers was cute and amusing but too juvenile for me (although the bits of accuracy mixed into the depiction of various beetle species were enjoyable to see). Matt Kindt’s MIND MGMT wrapped up its eight-volume run this year, but I just don’t care for it. Nimona didn’t quite do it for me, much though I adore Ballister Blackheart; too much superhero parody and the art’s a bit crude.
The Divine, by a team of three Israeli authors, follows an ambivalent tecnician employed by an American black ops team in a fictional location based on Karen State, Burma, where they run afoul of dragons and child soldiers with magical powers. It’s not half bad, but I’m a bit wary of outsiders who add fantasy and folkloric elements to stories based on real-world atrocities, as if to put them at a remove.
And as for what will be on my ballot: the aforementioned Lovelace and Babbage and The Sculptor, along with Emily Carroll’s ultra-creepy short story “The Groom”. Also, almost certainly, The Oven by Sophie Goldstein, a work which doesn’t seem to have gotten much attention despite winning an award. The artwork’s amazing for one thing; check out the opening pages here. It’s the haunted, troubled story of a couple who move to a very ragged back-to-the-land community in the middle of a blazing desert because the totalitarian government has declared them ineligible to have children.
One book I haven’t read, but am eager to, is The Infinite Loop by Pierrick Colinet and Elsa Charretier.
What else am I missing?
Heather Rose Jones –
Only inherently masculine I can think of is that while the first books is more of an Ocean’s Eleven heist in a fantasy setting, the others are this odd sort of cynical action buddy comedy in a fantasy setting. So while I’d personally consider Uprooted my favorite fantasy book this year it’s more of a straight up storybook Fantasy book.
What weird is I could easily name a bunch female authors who write fantasy about criminals against an urban backdrop but can’t think of many that write about urban criminals in a fantasy setting if that makes sense. Robin Hobb would be close. Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear would be as well, but steampunk isn’t my thing so that didn’t come to mind. Maybe that’s a limitation of my selected reading.
> “I could easily name a bunch female authors who write fantasy about criminals against an urban backdrop but can’t think of many that write about urban criminals in a fantasy setting if that makes sense.”
I know you were addressing someone else, but I for one honestly have no idea what distinction you’re making here. Could I ask you to perhaps unpack this a bit?
I think issue #1 of Lumberjanes was in 2014? Campbell eligibility is for 2 years, though, so either way, Noelle Stevenson should qualify.
@Kyra
I’m not certain, but I believe the distinction was being drawn between criminals in urban fantasy and criminals in more traditional alt-world fantasy settings.
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I think the bromance element is quite strong in the Gentleman Bastards series.
It’s an interesting observation, how our unconscious biases work. It’s writers like Robin Hobb who got me back into fantasy a few years back, and I’m sure that if I were asked for recommendations similar to her my answers would skew female.
Re: female authors, criminal + urban + fantasy
Top of my list would be Jennifer Estep’s “Elemental Assassin” books. The protagonist used to use her magical abilities as a hit woman, but now she’s more of a vigilante. Her “Bigtime” superhero romances are fun, too… in fact, I’ll read damn near anything she writes. There are side references between her various series – such as a major EA character wearing suits designed by Bigtime’s Fiona Fine, or the Mythos Academy kids getting takeout from EA’s Pork Pit – but they’re only just-for-fun cameos. She’s not putting all the series into the same world. (I asked.)
Then there’s Richelle Mead’s succubus series, and I should at least mention Stacia Kane’s Downside Ghosts series and Carolyn Crane’s Disillusionists trilogy. They might not be quite on target, but they might be close enough to scratch that itch.
And I will be nominating Oglaf for Best Graphic Story.