As we near the end of 2011, I’m starting to get some requests such as “how do I get my book nominated for a Joe Shuster Award?” and “how can I get the Nominating Committee to consider my work?”

Well, this post will hopefully answer all of your questions.

THE NOMINATION PROCESS

The nominating committee is selected by the Executive Administrative committee and is newly reconstituted for each year of the awards. The nominating committee for the majority of awards consists of a cross-section of comic book journalists and experts from across Canada. Nominating is a three step process.

>>> Note: We’re in the process of putting the 2012 Nominating Committee now so they can begin work on choosing the nominees for 2011 in January through to end of March 2012.

STEP ONE – the Association prepares an eligible publications list with input from creators, publishers, retailers. This list is published on the website to gather feedback and identify missing work.

The list will be of Canadian citizens or permanent residents (3 years minimum current residency) and the books they worked on that were professionally distributed first printing periodicals or books that debuted between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 in one of the following professional roles:

- Artist (illustrating a writer’s script, excluding cartoonists, can include an artist team if both are Canadian),

- Cartoonist (writing and/or adapting a story that they also illustrated),

- Cover Artist (primary cover artist, can include an artist team if both are Canadian)

- Writer (producing a script that is given to an artist, excluding cartoonists).

Books containing collections of previously published strips or comics and/or translated works into English from another language published in a previous year are not eligible.Original works in ANY language are accepted, but the primary emphasis of our investigations will be those first run books in either French or English.

Limited release books available at special events and mailed or hand-delivered to a small number of booksellers but not widely distributed to all booksellers during the eligibility time period are not eligible until they are professionally distributed by, say, Diamond Comics Dist.

STEP TWO – using the eligible comics list, the Nominating committee members are asked to submit individual “top five” lists for each category, in order of preference. Each vote is weighted based on order of preference. In other words. a first choice selection is given five points on the overall score and a fifth choice was given one point to be added to the cumulative score.

STEP THREE – the results are then logged. Selection is made initially by Majority Vote – if a creator receives a majority (50% or higher) of individual votes in a specific category they proceeded to the final ballot.

If enough nominees in a specific category have not advanced by majority vote, then we turn to the Cumulative Point Score – based on the rankings provided on each list. In the case of a tie, the number of votes received and their position on the lists submitted is taken into consideration.

OTHER AWARDS

Webcomics: please check out our Webcomics list, and your webcomic link along with your name is NOT present then we don’t know about your status. Please email andrew@joeshusterawards.com to get added to the list before March 1st, 2012. We visit every website on that list to see the new content added in 2011, so if your entries are not dated with the date first posted, there is a possibility you may be overlooked.

Gene Day Self-Publishing Award: Please send us a copy of your original, first published in 2011 comic to the address below before March 1st, 2012.

The Joe Shuster Awards
PO Box 67031 – 2300 Yonge St.
Toronto, Ontario
M4P 3C8

Harry Kremer Award for Retailers: please send an email to robert@joeshusterawards.com for more information.

Comics for Kids follows a procedure similar to the artistic award categories in that they look over all potential works which could be considered suitable material for younger readers, but you can notify robert@joeshusterawards.com if you want to ensure your work is considered for the award. You will need to notify us before March 1, 2012.

Finally, PUBLISHERS if you want to ensure that the Canadian creators you work with are on the eligible works list for consideration, please send an email with a list of Canadian creators in your employ and a list of their 2011 published and distributed works to allison@joeshusterawards.com before March 1, 2012.