The NCS Divisional Awards process

This is an update to an earlier post in which I was evidently a little to quick on the trigger in praising the NCS. I assumed that since the screening committe wasn't mentioned in the call for entries (like it was last year), that they had done away with it.

Unfortunately, that was not the case.

I have altered the original post, below, with the updated information.

The National Cartoonist Society has been the subject of some of the biggest, most passionate debates on this site. First, it was the fact that the NCS wasn't recognizing webcomics at all. Then, after the NCS added an "on-line" category, we debated the need for a special screening committee to determine the "professionalism" of the webcomics submitted. And there were strong feelings on both side.

I wasn't a fan of the screening-committee method -- although after my interview with one of the members of the screening committee, my position softened somewhat. But, in my heart, I've always felt that webcomics couldn't have equal standing in the NCS until they were treated equally.

In the call for entries for the 2013 NCS Divisional Awards, I almost missed the fact that the section explaining the screening committees was missing. Instead, the category states that each on-line category will be judged by a chapter of the NCS...

Just like most of the other Divisions.

Since I was pretty loud in my dissent, it's only fair that I'm equally loud when I see the NCS make a step in the right direction.

Well done, NCS!

... after being screened by a six-person committee. For more information on the inner workings of that committee, check out my interview with charter committeeman, Gary Tyrrell.

Now, please... for the love of God... "online" is one word. You're making me crazy with that stuff.