There’s a new Hugo Award category this year. It’s called “Best Art Book” — not to be confused with “Best Graphic Story”.

And yet, I suspect some will confuse the two, so I’ll offer how I’m clarifying my own ballot selections, choosing from works released in 2018.

If a book tells a story with pictures carrying the narrative (with or without words) — whether that be comics, big illustration / word spreads, pictures and words as call-and-response, or pictures alone — then consider it under “Graphic Story”.

If a book is a folio of pictures without story, and the words are nothing more than museum text stating the title of the picture and not much more — then consider it under “Best Art Book”.

So for instance, Shaun Tan’s Tales from the Inner City (published by Scholastic / Arthur A. Levine Books) and Jeffrey Alan Love’s The Thousand Demon Tree (published by Flesk) both tell complete visual stories. Tan’s features more prose, but the interplay with his pictures is essential to the storytelling. Remove either, and you have a very different animal. On the other hand, Love’s story is wordless and builds a dynamic, evocative tale. Both works belong under “Best Graphic Story”.

Meanwhile, illustration annuals such as Infected By Art, Volume 6 (edited by Todd Spoor and Bill Cox / published by Art Order) fit perfectly in the Best Art Book category. So do single artist folios such as Beyond Science Fiction: The Alternative Realism of Michael Whelan (published by Baby Tattoo Books), which is essentially a ‘greatest hits collection’ of the one of sf/f’s most influential visual artists. These books are not works of storytelling, so much as essential visual showcases. So go with “Best Art Book” for selections like these.

Hopefully that helps!

I’ve got a couple of other Hugo-related suggestions, in other categories.

THE JOHN W. CAMPBELL AWARD FOR BEST NEW WRITER: Remember that there is a growing wave of creators who are both artist and author, debuting with dynamic and deserving story works. Gregory Manchess’ Above The Timberline released in 2017, but because it’s his debut as a writer, that would mean 2019 is his final year of eligibility for this award because new writers have two years of eligibility for this recognition. Same goes for Armand Baltazar’s Timeless, a 600-page(!!) graphic epic. Both stories required years in the making, and are singular works poised to stand the test of time. Both writers are deserving of consideration in the John W. Campbell category and shouldn’t be forgotten because they wrote stories that weave pictures with words.

BEST RELATED WORK: Finally, I will humbly offer that on the morning after Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio became only the second Mexican woman to ever be nominated for the Best Actress Oscar, the 2019 Hugo Awards have a chance to make history as well. Editor Julia Rios has curated an amazing website: www.mexicaninitiative.com / The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76. It crystallizes the groundbreaking Mexicanx Initiative that brought 42 all-star creators together for the first time, opening the door to a new wave of Mexicanx sf/f. That website grants (free of charge) access to exclusive words and images from these creators, as well as Libia Brenda’s stunning anthology A Larger Reality / Una Realidad Más Amplia, which debuted at Worldcon 76.

THE OFFICIAL ENTRY BEING OFFERED FOR HUGO AWARD CONSIDERATION IN THE BEST RELATED WORK CATEGORY IS:
www.mexicanxinitiative.com / The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76
(Julia Rios, Libia Brenda Castro, Pablo Defendini, John Picacio)

Full disclosure: Julia and Libia have asked that Pablo and I be included in the entry because Pablo created the site, and I founded the M.I.

If nominated, Libia would become the first Mexican woman ever nominated for a Hugo Award in its 77-year history — a ceiling long overdue to be shattered.

BEST PROFESSIONAL ARTIST: And yes — in case you’re wondering if I’m eligible for Best Professional Artist — I am! But I’m curious who else you’re considering in this category. I’m wondering if I should do a blog post down the road on this.

On that note — any suggestions in the Best Art Book and Best Graphic Story categories? Any other artist / authors that should be considered for the Campbell? Let me know. Happy Nominating! 🙂