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Nominations Begin for 1st Graphic Novel Hugo Award (Updated)

The Anticipation convention, this year's World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), has moved to add a Hugo Award category just for manga and other forms of graphic novels at its annual business meeting. Although the category will not be made permanent until 2010, the Anticipation convention exercised its power to add the category ahead of schedule. The convention will be held in Montréal from August 6 to August 10. People who purchase a standard or ing hip in the convention become of the World Science Fiction Society — and thus are eligible to nominate candidates for the Hugo Awards.

Although there were no graphic story categories in previous Worldcons, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' acclaimed Watchmen graphic novel won a Hugo Award in the "Other Forms" category in 1988. Watchmen, which is being made into a movie, is the only graphic novel to have won the award. Antcipation Guest of Honor Spirited Away film, have already been eligible for Hugo Awards in the Best Dramatic Presentation categories. Pictured above is the award design — complete with the Japanese hero Ultraman — for 2007's 65th World Science Fiction Convention. That year was the first time that a Worldcon was held in Japan.

Update: Forum member DavidShallCross, notes that the new category includes not just graphic novels, but "any science fiction or fantasy narrative in graphic form." Petrea Mitchell notes (as the ANN's original article WFS business meeting at this year's convention.