Mon Feb 25, 2008 — by Glenn Hauman

Nebula Nominations Announced, Plus A Comment

Back of the line for you, comic boy

The Science Fiction Writers of America have announced the final ballot for the 2007 Nebula Awards. As a paid-up SFWA member, I'd like to point out two items:

â–º The movie adaptation of V For Vendetta has been nominated as one of best science-fiction scripts of the year.

â–º The original comic book on which it's based is not considered a sufficient work to qualify the authors for membership in SFWA.

In fact, you could combine all of Alan Moore's comics work -- including Watchmen, one of Time's 100 Books of the 20th Century -- and it wouldn't be deemed worthwhile. Yet the movie script adapting the work is considered sufficient work to join SFWA.

Nor is this the first time this has happened. Last year, Batman Begins was up for the same award. X-Men was nominated for 2002. The comics on which they were based? Not worthy as membership credentials.

My written response to this logic would trigger a lot of web-filtering software. My preferred response would be seen as deriviative of the movie.

And folks wonder why SFWA is considered a laughing stock by so many people. Let's not even get started on the candicacy of Andrew Burt...

(Artwork by John C. Worsley. Take a look at his site, there are some very neat illustrations there.)

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