- The end of the year always brings about many lists recognizing accomplishments, and quite a few sites make note of fans. VH-1 cited the Best Shipped Relationships of 2012 including both het and slash couples. “Maybe we just spent too much time on Tumblr over the last twelve months (we really, really did!), but 2012 seemed like a year where shipping was front and center. From New Girl to Sherlock, everywhere we looked shippers were building onto the fictional universes they loved, mostly with smooching. So we decided to pay homage to the most passionately shipped relationships of this year as part of our Best of 2012.”
- OTW staffer Aja Romano wrote various “top 2012” articles for The Daily Dot including The Top 10 Events in Fandom. “What events, people, and fandoms seemed to create larger discussions about fandom within pop culture? What and who created shifts in how the mainstream viewed and interacted with fandom? What were the far-reaching decisions and moments that will continue to impact fans long after 2012? Four of our most notable events this year involve fans fundraising. That three of them involved Kickstarter campaigns is interesting to say the least, and it suggests that in the future, even more creators may turn directly to their fanbases to fund projects instead of waiting on a studio or a publisher. Moreover, fans may seize even more control over projects in order to make their voices heard and have the shows they want.”
- For more formal recognition, the Hugo Awards have long been known for honoring scifi and fantasy works, but somewhat less known is that they also honor fanworks. The Hugos have awards for Best Fanzine, Best Fancast, Best Fan Writer, and Best Fan Artist and their nomination period is underway. “Any person who was or is a member of the 2012, 2013, or 2014 Worldcons as of January 31, 2013, is eligible to nominate for the 2013 Hugo Awards…If you are not a member of any of those conventions, you may join LoneStarCon 3 or Loncon 3, the 2014 Worldcon, before January 31, 2013 to become eligible.”
What fandom events, people, and fanworks did you find worth celebrating in 2012? Record them for posterity in Fanlore! Contributions are welcome from all fans.
We want your suggestions! If you know of an essay, video, article, podcast, or link you think we should know about, comment on the most recent OTW Fannews post. Links are welcome in all languages! Submitting a link doesn’t guarantee that it will be included in a roundup post, and inclusion of a link doesn’t mean that it is endorsed by the OTW.