Thanks to the people that nominated the Fantastic Four for awards. I really do appreciate it. They are a real joy to write and the feedback you all give me keeps me going when I feel like I've fallen into a bit of a rut. 

Alright, enough of that. Here's what you really opened the OOC thread for:

[hider=My Hider][b]Best Character:[/b] [@Sep] – Iris West/The Flash

It's been said already but I don't think there's a single character that nails the spirit of the game better than Iris West as the Flash. Sep has done a fantastic job of reimagining a much-loved character while staying true to the spirit of the mantle. He's gone above and beyond to incorporate "One Universe" concepts into his run as Iris, such as using Hydro-Man as a Flash villain which I thought worked really well, and the contribution that makes to making the game feel real and grounded can't go unremarked upon. UOU would be much less believable [i]and[/i] enjoyable without Iris around.

[b]Best Character Concept:[/b] [@Eddie Brock] – Steve Rogers/Captain America

Having Billy Batson become Captain America was a bold decision on Eddie's part but I think it's clear from all the love that move has received from other posters that it was [i]unquestionably[/i] the right decision. 

...

Alright, fine. I'll concede, Eddie's grizzled, retired Steve Rogers is one of the most interesting takes on the character I've read in a long while. As someone that has played Cap before (albeit with a different character under the cowl) I know how difficult it can be to reinvigorate the mythos around him. Eddie has done all of that and more – there's a real cinematic feel to his posts and each time I sit down to read them, I come away more and more intrigued by Cap's world.

[b]Best Character Development:[/b] [@HenryJonesJr] – Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman

It almost feels like cheating nominating Gwen for this award because it's not so much Gwen's development that I'm invested in, but the entire ensemble cast that Henry has managed to put together in his posts. Peter, Aunt May, Mary Jane, Captain Stacy ... the [i]whole[/i] cast feels so real and their interactions feel warm and realistic. It's a real pleasure to watch them interact and to see Gwen interact with the world around her. As with Sep's Flash, you really get the feeling reading Henry's Spider-Woman that they [i]are[/i] the definitive version of the character and having Peter in a supporting role has almost enhanced his character in a lot of ways. 

All in all, as someone that is kind of juggling an ensemble myself, I look forward to reading Henry's posts because I think he does the little character moments that make an ensemble feel like a whole better than almost anyone else.

[b]Best Story:[/b] [@Lord Wraith] – Blake Donaldson/Thor

It's been a real pleasure to watch Blake Donaldson grapple with godhood – and to watch his understanding of it evolve in real time. Is he Thor? And if he is Thor, is he no longer Blake Donaldson? That dynamic has been really interesting to see play out and I'm really excited to see where else Wrath goes with it. I'm really emotionally invested in Blake Donaldson as a person – more so than I am Blake as "Thor", actually – and seeing how the mythology has been interwoven into small-town America has been fascinating. So, keep up the good work.

[b]Best Post:[/b] [@Byrd Man] – [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4700344]"In The Time Before Time"[/url]

I think it's pretty well established that Byrd and I write together a lot. In the past couple of years, we've been in more games together than I can count – and run several 1x1s that have been a little more serious in tone. What I'm saying is that I've read a shit lot of Byrd's work – we're talking probably in the hundreds of thousands of words. And yet this motherfucker still manages to catch me off-guard. The first section of this Constantine post was some of the most poignant shit I've ever read. I'm not ashamed to admit I got a little choked up reading it.

So well done, you crotchety bastard, you've still got it.

[b]The John Lees Memorial MVP Award*:[/b] [@Master Bruce]

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't sceptical when Byrd told me MB was thinking of starting up another comic game. In truth, I damn near had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the game after last time around, but I couldn't be more thankful that MB forced us all out of retirement and into a game that has been really enjoyable to be a part of. MB has been a patient and even-handed GM – who has been a pleasure to work with behind the scenes – and his contributions in the IC thread have been frequent and, as always, of a different class.

When I was first getting involved in RPing, lurking on the Hype under half a dozen different usernames, MB was the gold standard. He churned out these seemingly novel length posts that felt like an event unto themselves. That he has taken some time away and returned to breathe some life into the comic games on this forum all while maintaining those lofty standards speaks volumes to his ability as a writer.[/hider]