The Comics Nexus Awards 2006 – part 1

Interior: Comics Nexus Auditorium

-rustle-

-CURTAIN PULLS BACK-

Voiceover: Welcome one and all to our Grand Unveiling of the Comics Nexus Awards 2006

NEXTWAVE tried once again to nab something but fell short, possibly because of being distracted by a Skrull goat farmer. SECRET SIX gave it a shot too but were perhaps a shade too secretive for their own good. With no other close competition left, the coast was clear for RUNAWAYS to take the last award home…

WINNER: BEST TEAM/GROUP: RUNAWAYS

Iain Burnside:

The Marvel Universe will soon be fifty years old. Fifty! It’s hard to imagine that when people first started picking up books like FANTASTIC FOUR and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN back in the ‘60s that they could ever have imagined the characters could go on to become the pop-culture mainstays they are. While the long-lasting success of those initial creations has most definitely been A Good Thing for millions of people the world over across several generations it has had a downside; the Marvel Universe is tied to the past. Any attempts at significantly updating, re-inventing or adding to it have long since fallen by the wayside. The ‘70s saw a B-movie inspired burst of new characters that, outside of the ‘all-new, all-different X-Men’, proved to be unnecessary, while the ‘80s and ‘90s toed the line of the tawdry action movie instead, bankrupting creativity with the admission bill. Now, in the 21st century, Marvel throws the bulk of its hype behind teenage girl versions of Spider-Man and Wolverine as though Arana and X-23 are startling innovations. The only new material the readers have shown a consistent interest in are books that tell exactly the same stories as their predecessors did, only with contemporary dialogue and the word ‘Ultimate’ plastered on the cover. Some people say that there are but a finite number of stories in the world, to be retold over and over again in new ways. Perhaps these people feel that the Marvel Universe is in danger of running out of ways to repeat itself. Perhaps they would be right.

Except…

For RUNAWAYS offering a refreshing, bright, exciting, involving, engaging, energising, revitalising, gasping counterpoint that strives to make its voice heard by a passive world with all the glorious volume of kids who want nothing more than to somehow be alright.

Brian K. Vaughan, as you’ll have seen by now, has amassed a fine body of work. In time, if the future pays attention, his creation of and persistence with the Runaways should come to be seen as being far more important to the Marvel Universe than whatever silly spat Iron Man and Captain America are having. Any new generation of Marvel readers have only ever known Spider-Man as a married adult, the Fantastic Four as a two-point-four children household, the X-Men as a sprawling mess impossible to maintain as a team. Why should they not have fresh young characters like the Young Avengers and the Runaways to follow from the ground up? Why should Marvel not ensure that the titles of such characters do not talk down to their audience but treat them with respect in the same way that TV shows like The O.C. and Buffy did? Well, they should and, miraculously, they do. The Young Avengers are their own beast of course but it’s the Runaways who have made a clean break from the past, following a self-constructed mythology and offering a unique perspective on establishing Marvel characters in their occasional interaction. We’ve had 47 issues so far, if you include the CIVIL WAR mini-series, with Joss Whedon due to take the helm with the 48th and shoot the book up to its biggest sales level yet. Not bad for something initially launched in the Marvel Tsunami imprint alongside such non-entities as VENOM, NAMOR and HUMAN TORCH. Marvel has a tremendous chance to build a bright future for themselves and for us with Nico, Molly, Gert, Chase, Victor and Old Lace. Fingers crossed!

Voiceover: Paul Beasley walks on the stage to present the second award, for BEST SUPPORTING CHARACTER

Peter David’s revamped X-FACTOR cast has been a real highlight of the superhero genre and gets a much-deserved piece of recognition here, thanks to the enigmatic Layla Miller. Nobody else came close to winning but we’ll give honourable mentions to Black Adam, Bigby Wolf, Foggy Nelson and Deputy Mayor Wylie and Kremlin Tereshkov from EX MACHINA anyway. Oh, and Wicker Sue. Can’t forget her. Quick! Beadle!

WINNER BEST SUPPORTING CHARACTER: LAYLA MILLER!

Beadle:

“Laaaaayyyyyyyyy-laaaaaa, you’ve got me on my knees. Laaaaayyyyyyyyy-laaaaaa, I’m begging, darling please. Laaaaayyyyyyyyy-laaaaaa, darling won’t you ease my worried mind.”

The immortal words of Eric Clapton; and let’s face it, they mean bugger all. Just some hastily-written lyrics that sounded quite good against one of the most famous guitar riffs ever. But when a certain Mr Brian Michael Bendis decided that what the world really needed was more M, he introduced a new character to the Marvel Universe. And he called her Layla Miller. In the course of that first arc, she was widely ignored (at best) by the comic-reading public, and written off as more of a plot advancement
mechanism than a character in her own right. The definitive Deus Ex Machina (and that’s something you never tire of reading, is it? A comics journalist using the phrase “Deus Ex Machina”? You just don’t see that enough, do you?).

So when Peter David announced that Layla Miller was going to be central in his new X-Factor ongoing series, there was a collective groan from journos and fanboys(/girls) alike. Why waste good panel time on this non-entity when it could be much better spent on Madrox, Guido etc? Stupid, stupid, stupid. But PAD assured us all that within a very short time, Layla would be a fan favourite. Were we sceptical at the time? Oooooooh yes. Was he right? Definitely. Have we all been forced to eat humble pie? With a huge dollop of custard and cinammon sprinkled liberally on top. Because the little girl who “knows stuff” has indeed become one of, if not THE most fascinating and fun characters in the series.

Because knowing stuff can be really handy. These days they don’t even have to show us the whole process that Layla goes through to make things happen. Such has been her effect in the book that now we just see her ordering a whole lot of pizza, and then calling in a favour to get a set of boltcutters, and then later in the issue out of nowhere a hostage has been rescued. It’s obvious really. Kinda. She also has a fantastic talent for getting up the nose of everybody else in the team, just because she knows stuff before they do. Like who’s on the phone before anyone answers it. She’s become not only a great character in her own right, but also the cause of some classic reactions from her teammates. She’s crucial to the team chemistry. And at some point in the future she may or may not marry Madrox only to be killed on her wedding night by Wolfsbane.

In just a few short issues, Peter David has been true to his word and made Layla Miller into a real fan-favourite, and the Comics Nexus Supporting Character of 2006.

Voiceover: Peter David walks up to the podium to accept the award on behalf of Layla, through the cheers of everyone in the room. How does Layla feel about winning this award, mr David?

Peter David:

“She knew she would.”

Voiceover: As Peter David retreats backstage to thunderous applause, Paul Sebert approaches to present the award for BEST VILLAIN

It’s not easy being bad. From all of the nominated villains, only two characters managed to rise above the competition. All-STAR Lex Luthor was the bookies’ favourite from day one for our awards, but he was never meant to win this year due to the appearance of a surprise contender in Tony Stark, Iron-Man, who managed to become the unwilling villain in the eyes of the fans because of his politics during Marvel’s CIVIL WAR.

WINNER BEST VILLAIN: TONY STARK, IRON-MAN (CIVIL WAR)

Paul Sebert:

It’s been a real bad year for Tony Stark. I mean in the finale of Warren Ellis’s Extremis storyline he was essentially forced to use himself as a living guinea pig to the titular virus and had to resort to lethal tactics against the seemingly unstoppable villain Mallen. Later in “Execute Program” written by Daniel & Charlie Kauf he was brainwashed by a young psychotic genius into assassinating a list of politically sensitive targets. On top of all that his former chauffer and best friend Happy Hogan ends up in a vegetative state after being brutally attacked by the Spy Master.

AND YOU VOTED HIM VILLAIN OF THE YEAR!

Not Captain America who teaches our children that it’s “cool” to openly break the wall. Not Peter “Benedict Arnold” Parker! Not even Sue Storm for abandoning her loving husband and children! No the liberal fan boy media at Comics Nexus showed their thinly veiled anti-registration agenda by voting for Tony Stark?

Why? Just because a somewhat malfunctioning Thor Clone accidentally killed Bill “Goliath” Foster? Seriously who heard of Foster before Civil War? Superboy was a clone, and everyone loves him now despite all of his earlier flaws because Infinite Crisis martyred him, so why not a little compassion for “Clor?

The so-called “Main Stream Comic Fandom Media continues to lambaste for allegedly “strong-arming” Peter Parker into revealing his secret identity to the public, while ignoring how Parker endangered his own family by abandoning the Pro Registration forces. They attack him for taking a hard line on so-called heroes like Young Avengers while bolstering the pro-registration ranks with the likes of an even newer allegedly “deadlier” Thunderbolts. Well keep in mind those Thunderbolts are being kept in line by high tech nanobots which most certainly can never go wrong. Also if young superhero wannabees like the Runaways and Young Avengers realized this Superhuman Registration Act was written specifically with them in mind pro registration forces wouldn’t have to resort to forcibly drafting Araña.

Are you comic fans oblivious to the harsh realities of a post Stamford world? Do you realize that the Superhuman Registration Act makes us all safer? Do you not care that there hasn’t been a massive-scale super-villain attack on American soil since Stamford? Don’t you realize that the only alternative is an all out ban on Superhuman Powers? Don’t you see that Iron Man is the only thing standing between us and a coming SUPER ROBOT APOCALYPSE!

Well fine comics fans. Tony Stark may be Villain of the year… BUT YOU’RE ALL ON NOTICE!

Voiceover: Iron-Man refused to accept this award, so the mic moves directly on to our next presenter, Matt ‘Starman’ Morrison for the award for BEST HERO

Sheesh. Trust me; choosing one hero above all others in the world of comic books takes a lot of doing. Matt Murdock was a popular choice of course, but let’s not forget Yorick Brown, Richard Fell, Robin, Jamie Madrox and Milo from HERO SQUARED, among countless others. In keeping with the popular theme of these awards, however, the accolade went to a former superhero currently running New York City.

WINNER BEST HERO: MAYOR MITCHELL HUNDRED (EX MACHINA)

Matt Morrison:

For years superheroes have strained under the yoke of local civil authority. It didn’t matter what good deeds one had done or if the police commissioner trusted you implicitly. All it took was one angry councilman or one uppity mayor to turn public opinion and the people against you.

But one hero fought back and determined that he would try and make the world a better place – not with a jetpack and smile, but from behind a desk at city hall. He would abandon his power to talk to and control machines in order to tackle the most difficult machine of all – the political machine of New York City. This man is Mitchell Hundred – the current mayor of New York City and former superhero The Great Machine.

Why? Many reasons, but mostly because despite some rough times in the past year (including a flashback tale where we got to see Mitchell fight an honest-to-goodness supervillain), he has remained the same man. Despite the death of a close friend and a number of scandals, Mitchell is still the same likable man we fell in love with who became an unlikely (and for the most part unwanted) superhero simply because he felt he had to do something with the amazing power that had been granted him. And yet despite his great power and his high position, Mitchell is a relatable character. He is every idealistic geek who ever wondered what they would do if they were suddenly granted an amazing power. And it is that spirit – the desire to try and make things better with or without superpowers – that make Mitchell Hundred worthy of the title Hero of the Year.

Voiceover: We’re proud to have Mayor Hundred with us, and he is now on his way to the mic for his acceptance speech!

Mayor Hundred:

“I’m only a small part of a great machine, but I truly appreciate this honor, which I never would have been able to achieve without the help of my staff, especially Deputy Mayor Dave Wylie, Chief of Staff Candy Braving, and my official staff photographer, Mr. Tony Harris, who always shoots my good side.”

Voiceover: Thank you Mayor Hundred! Matt Morrison stays on stage to present our next award, for BEST WRITER

As you no doubt ascertained from the above, this one was little more than a two-horse race between Vaughan and Brubaker – though we’d like to take this opportunity to pay homage to the wonders of Brian Azzarello, Geoff Johns and Pete Milligan as well. Now, back over to Matt!

WINNER BEST WRITER: BRIAN K. VAUGHAN

Matt Morrison:

Brian K. Vaughn.

*exhales a bit slowly*

You know, there’s not much I can say about Brian K. Vaughn that hasn’t already been said in every review of Y THE LAST MAN, EX MACHINA, RUNAWAYS, ULTIMATE X-MEN PRIDE OF BAGHDAD, DOCTOR STRANGE: THE OATH and THE ESCAPISTS in the last year. Not just in Comics Nexus, mind you. I mean every single review ever written in the last year by anyone anywhere.

I mean, look at the list of award winners for this year! Half of them are for books Brian K. Vaughn wrote. Go ahead. Scroll down. My words aren’t going anywhere.

*waits and waits*

See? Five out of Eleven! And he got nominations for more than that!

In fact, to tell a professional secret – we had given him the Artist of the Year award before Mathan quietly pointed out that Brian K. Vaughn is not a pencil and ink kind of artist. I wanted to give it to him anyway. Sure, he has an Eisner, a Harvey and a Shuster – but how many writers can say they got the Comics Nexus Award for Best Artist?

Well, nobody now… but if I had my way, we’d give it to Brian K. Vaughn!

In all seriousness, it’s not hard to see why Mr. Vaughn has become the red-hot star that he is. Not only does he write well – he writes well in a variety of genres. Science-fiction? Does it. Political drama? Does it. Old-fashioned tights-and-capes? Does it. Magical mystery tours? Does it. Talking animal parables? Does it with style.

I cannot think of any writer since Stan Lee himself who has shown the sheer versatility that Brian K. Vaughn does. And that is why, for sheer quality and quantity, we have given him the prestigious Comics Nexus Writer of the Year Award for 2006.

Voiceover: The audience stands in applause as Brian K. Vaughan stands, accepts congratulations from Mayor Hundred who is already flouting his award and walks towards Matt to give his acceptance speech.

Brian K. Vaughan:

“By the hoary #%*-ing hosts! I can’t tell you guys how much it means to the creative teams of all of these books that you recognized the new characters we helped to create. On behalf of all the many collaborators who make me look good, thank you so much for supporting our books.”

Voiceover:Thank you Brian for your words, but please mind that language, we have underage characters in the audience. Thankfully Layla had already advised us to ready our profanity filter. For the final award of tonight, Tim Stevens will announce the winner for BEST ARTIST

Nominations for this one came thick and fast, with Chiang facing some stiff competition from Tony Harris and Frank Quitely for their work on a couple of award-winning titles, EX MACHINA and ALL-STAR SUPERMAN respectively. There’s just no denying the might of the Chiang though, as Tim will attest!

BEST ARTIST – CLIFF CHIANG

Tim Stevens:

Sometimes, the most important thing to remember in comics is “show, don’t tell.” This is Artist of the Year and I think that that is a pretty damn good philosophy for this category, don’t you?

Thus, without further adieu, I give you…CLIFF CHIANG!!!!!

Voiceover:Thank you Tim for all your hard work introducing Cliff Chiang. Cliff is here with us tonight to accept his Nexus Award! –applause-

Cliff Chiang:

Thanks to everyone at Comics Nexus for such a wonderful and truly unexpected honor. You people know your comics, and to be recognized by a group that so clearly loves and is devoted to comics as art and entertainment is a real compliment. Keep up the good work!”

VoiceoverThank you Cliff!

Have a good night!