Here’s me, writing my award nominations when I [i]really[/i] need to be working on my next post.

Before I start in on specific awards, I just gotta say, it’s been incredibly difficult to choose. I [i]love[/i] reading the IC. We have some genuinely amazing, powerful stories going on here, and many characters brought to life in ways I’ve never seen before. I usually find myself wishing we had a full length novel from each of you about your characters. Trust me, even if I don’t mention you below, I’m sure I’ve got something great to say about your character.

Best Character: [@Morden Man] as The Fantastic Four
Technically this isn’t a fair contest. Where everyone else writes one great character or another, Morden pulls off [i]four[/i]. My only real exposure to the FF has been the mid-2000s cartoon, the live action movies, and Reed Richards time as The Maker, but Morden’s posts have me itching for any kind of great FF story I can get my hands on. Despite relatively little screen time for each member, as they need to share the space, I get a real feeling of distinct character from each one, even in supporting characters like Guy Gardner and Hill.

Best Character Concept: [@Eddie Brock] as Captain America
When coming upon this thread to apply, the first exemplar sheet I looked at was Eddie’s Cap. The idea and the possibility space of it was incredible. Most incarnations of the Captain that I’m familiar with see him as a big Boy Scout fighting for truth, justice, and the American way, but this is a Cap that I think fits this RP much more than the standard version would. UOU presents a world that has had its information ruthlessly policed by two overarching international organizations for decades, almost like 1984. It wouldn’t feel quite right to have a more traditional Cap in a world like that, so instead Eddie gives us an incredible take on the character perfectly suited for this world. I’m chomping at the bit for more Cap posts, I can’t wait to see more of this character.

Best Character Development: [@HenryJonesJr] as Spider-Woman
I’m biased in favor of this character, as someone finally starting the crawl out of his teenage years. HJJ captures what it’s like to be a teenager better than most actual teenagers. Gwen bleeds believability, it’s no stretch at all to imagine someone like her walking around the halls of my old High School. It’s fascinating to watch her grow in all the little ways, dealing with her mixed emotions around Peter, her increasingly complicated relationship with her Dad, [i]and[/i] juggling all of her responsibilities as a freakin’ superhero. Gwen’s story has all the character focus of the best Spider-Man stories, and I’m excited to see where HJJ’s writing takes her next.


Best Story: [@Simple Unicycle] as Punisher
One of the first comics I ever read was Punisher MAX. Garth Ennis writes the Punisher with unrelenting ferocity, brutalizing his opponents in ways that often made me turn away in horror. To me, [i]this[/i] was The Punisher at his core, a deeply damaged person exacting his revenge on the Universe for dealing him a bad hand in the most violent way possible. I’ll sing Garth Ennis’ praises until I die, but damn if Simple doesn’t give him a run for his money. It can be extremely difficult to appropriately communicate action in writing, since it’s usually more given to visual media, but Simple writes Punisher with such unrelenting force that I can practically see Punisher leaping off of the screen and annihilating bad guys before my eyes. It’s just as good as watching John Wick, and it doesn’t let up, issue to issue, I can’t get enough. My one wish is that at some point, we get to see Frank square up against Barracuda.

Best Post: [@Byrd Man] as John Constantine;  [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4713540]The Curse of Frederick Waltham[/url]
I sat here for too long looking at the blank space below this choice. I went for this link immediately once I saw a “Best Post” category, but I find myself without any idea where to begin. There’s so much to love here, from Waltham’s desperation to Stowe’s abject terror. Perhaps the most amazing part is that this post doesn’t even focus all that much on Constantine himself. 10/10, would read again.

The John Lees Memorial MVP Award*: [@Nightrunner]
This was a  contentious category, but y’all be sleepin’ on Nightrunner. This guy takes all the abuse and jokes for his edginess like a champion, and I’ve felt that he provides a certain color to the OOC that no one else can quite bring out. Cheers to the Forget-Me-Not squad.