The Prosh Awards

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Award
Name: The Prosh Awards
Date(s): 1998, 1999, 2001
Frequency: yearly
Format: judging panel
Type: fanfiction
Associated Community:
Fandom: X-Force
URL: Geocities, Archived version
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The Prosh Awards for X-Force fanfiction were held three times, in 1998, 1999 and 2001. They were conceived and organised by Red Monster, with the help of Desert Nomad and various judges and moderators.

They are being documented here as part of the OTW's GeoCities Rescue Project.

History

"While the Monster stumbled about the DC area town of Greenbelt, Maryland, in the stifling heat and humidity into which no one but herself was dumb enough to venture out, she had a vision. "Fan fiction awards, just for X-Force!" Yes. She would put together a set of awards that would put all X-Force stories on equal footing, regardless of popularity or exposure, and honor them for the rare and precious gems that they are. The details of the project took shape in her head. She decided it would be best if she got her Netfriend Desert Nomad in on the project. That way, they could split up the responsibility and share the fun!"[1]

Submission Rules

The Submission Rules for the 1998 and 1999 Awards were similar. These were the 1999 rules:

  1. Story must have past or present X-Forcer, New Mutant, or Deadpool in a major role. If it features a New Mutant, it must be set at the time that the New Mutants were together.
  2. Multi-part stories of twenty chapters or more are not allowed. However, individual chapters of a multi-parter may be submitted as separate stories, as long as no more than twenty are submitted. Unfinished works may not be submitted, except for parts of them submitted as separate stories.
  3. No repeat submissions. If it didn't win last year, it won't win this year, and if it did win last year, what are you trying to prove by submitting it again?
  4. After you have won 3 or more Proshes (total, not per year, and that doesn't include Honoraries) you may submit to no more than one category per year for 2 years. After the 2 years are up, the cycle starts anew.
  5. No story may be submitted to more than one category. If you can't decide which one your story is best for, the organizers will pick one. And if you know exactly what category you want your story in, say so at the beginning of the email. We can't read your mind. (This guideline, however, is not to be confused with "Only one submission per category per author." If you have eight stories to submit and five of them are Comedy, that's fine.)
  6. The "Built Around a Single Character" category has been changed to "Character-Driven." That just opens up more options.
  7. All SC stories will be entered in the SC category.
  8. About the Adult category: this is new and we're rather reticent about including it. If we get at least 3 submissions to this category from at least 2 different authors, we will include it. If not, those stories will have to go to other categories. Please note that this category is not merely for erotica, but also for extreme violence and "don't go there" type stories that deal with issues that you'd rather not talk about in front of children.[2]

For the 2001 Awards there were only two categories, 'Light' and 'Heavy'.

"Light stories include that which you read with your family in the house without locking the door. Comedies, mild adventures, or even serious pieces that aren't too intense. It can go as far as very light violence and mild innuendo. Heavy is what you read behind locked doors. More serious violence, sexual situations, outright depravity, and really toothy mature themes go here."[2]

The rules were also changed to restrict the number of entries to two per person (one for each category).

Judging Procedure

Most stories were judged by at least 3 people. Judges were sent a form to use for judging each submission, which included a list of questions and a point breakdown for scoring. The judges' scores for each story was averaged together to get each story's Official Score (rendered as points out of 100).

Most stories were also given short reviews, based on comments from the judges, on the website.

The Prosh Awards - Front Page

Example Reviews

For one of the stories in the 1998 Drama category:

Playing Catch-Up by Smitty

Category: Drama
Story’s total rating: 80.6

The good: Judge #3 wanted to say that, "I liked this story because it felt complete, like nothing was missed. The characters acted like themselves. I also like the idea of the story, so anyone who's noticed all the changes in X-Force can see how Ric might react coming back."

The Bad: Uhm… Judge #2 wasn’t as pleased as the other two about this story. "Cohesive? What?.... Not much of a plot to speak of, and it ends abruptly. There was really no point to this at all. It didn't tell me anything new." No fear though! Judge #3 did find some things that they wished you would work on, "There were very few spelling errors. I have to say it was a little simple. There wasn't very much description, and that's one of the things that made me think it would fit better as a humor story than as a drama. Really, the first time I read it I thought it was more funny than it was dramatic."


Summary: Rictor comes back from one of him many trips back home to Mexico. As he returns he sees many character changes in his teammates, and must adjust to them.[3]

For one of the winning stories in the 2001 Heavy Category:

The Ties That Bind by Domenika Marzione

Score: 94.3

From Judge #1: Well-written, expanding on a plot previously devised by Marvel canon itself.

From Judge #2: It's so nice to see someone dealing with this particular part of Cable and Domino's past without making Cable look like someone who didn't care who he was sleeping with so long as she looked somewhat like Domino! People forget that when this happened, Cable wasn't a telepath--that retcon came later, and you've managed to adapt it to an examination of this particular period WITHOUT demonizing anyone except the very nasty Tyler. Kudos. Major kudos. :) What I've just outlined is why I think so highly of this fic's originality, plot, and suitability-of-topic. This is a topic that a lot of ficcers have hit, and this fic stands head and shoulders above the rest. You've got Domino's 'voice' down here beautiful, and the minimum of dialogue, mostly on Tyler's part, is quite good. You make him sound like the raving psycho he is without going too far. No technical problems at all, as far as I can see, and the flow of the fic is beautiful. It moves with Domino's emotional state, and the switch in time-frame is done very smoothly. Brilliant job all around. :)

From Judge #3: This is a very well-crafted and well written story. Excellent characterization of Domino and a first rate explanation of why Cable never figured it out. Very well done.[4]

Prosh Awards - 2001 Trophy

[5]1998 Awards

Judges: Tim R, Maggie the Cat, Threnody, Morrioghan, and an anonymous but very helpful X-Force fan.

Awards were given in the following categories (Winners are bolded):

Comedy

  • X-Force and the Movie Stars by Rhona H
  • Baby Boom by Rhona H
  • Strange Happenings by Smitty

Romance

  • Operation: Reciprocity by Samy M
  • Nature's Wish by Red Monster
  • Valentine's Night by Samy M

Adventure

  • Not Your Leader by Samy M
  • In the Shadows of the Future by Samy M
  • New Mutants: Class Reunion by Leary
  • The Hard Way by Perri Smith

Subreality Cafe

Single Character

  • A Flower by Impar
  • 100 Tears Away by MagikKatya
  • X-Force: The New Breed #24 by Red Monster
  • Sunfire by Samy M
  • Leader's Lessons: A Week in the Life of Sam Guthrie by Leary
  • Who's Seducing Stevie? by Samy M

Crossover

* Rootless by Samy M

Drama

  • Playing Catch-Up by Smitty
  • The Sound of One Heart Breaking by Red Monster
  • Past Regrets by Rhona H
  • Tales of the Fallen Angels #1: Magma by Samy M
  • Your Way by Samy M
  • Promise by Alicia McKenzie

Best of the Prosh Awards

1999 Awards

Judges: ?

Best Adventure

Best Comedy

Best Character-Driven

  • Shots by Adriana S
  • Full Circle by Adriana S
  • Water for the Dead by Alicia McKenzie
  • Drowning Sorrows by Alicia McKenzie
  • Clarity by Alicia McKenzie
  • Beyond the Pale by Alicia McKenzie
  • You Only Live Twice: On Shaky Ground by Karen G
  • The Not Knowing is What Gets You by Alystraea
  • Unknown by Binkeee
  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame by JB McDragon
  • Silent Treatment by DuAnn

Best Romance

Best Adult

  • Whip Cream by Lauren E
  • Losing Myself in You by Alicia McKenzie
  • I Left My Heart on Seikosha IX by Alicia McKenzie
  • Underneath a Palm Tree by Samy M
  • Animal Instincts by Dannell Lites
  • Who’s the Boss? by Samy M

Best Drama

  • Rage at Cable by Shockwave
  • Broken by Alicia McKenzie
  • Truth in the Tequila by Alicia McKenzie
  • Colors of Belief by Karen G
  • Live for Me by Darkchilde and Binkeee
  • Death in the Family by Denise K
  • On the Stairs by DuAnn

Best SC

Best Crossover

  • The Thunder Strikes by Quamp
  • Objects in the Mirror by Karen G

Best of the Prosh Awards

2001 Awards

Judges: Jaya Mitai, Alicia McKenzie, Morrioghan
Moderator: Crantz

Best 'Heavy' Story

Best 'Light' Story

  • The Frog Prince by Rhona H
  • Journal by Karen G
  • Eulogy by Denise K
  • Silent Submission by Samy M

Best of the Prosh Awards

Hall of Fame

End of Awards

In 2001 Red Monster put the awards "up for adoption", citing difficulties soliciting submissions and getting the awards out in a timely fashion.[6]

References

  1. ^ Red Monster on the Prosh Awards History page (accessed by Wayback 20 September 2009)
  2. ^ a b Red Monster on the Prosh Awards Submissions page (accessed by Wayback 20 September)
  3. ^ 1998 Prosh Awards - Drama (accessed by Wayback 20 September 2009)
  4. ^ 2001 Prosh Awards - Heavy (accessed by Wayback 20 September 2009)
  5. ^ In the case where an author's full legal name was used on the website, the surname has been replaced with an initial to avoid outing. Those authors whose surnames remain are 1) already known for their fannish work (by use of Google); 2) deceased; or 3) have an extremely common name(s) that are difficult to Google.
  6. ^ The Future of the Prosh Awards (accessed by Wayback 20 September 2009)
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