The 74th World Science Fiction Convention (

Worldcon Worldcon, or more formally the World Science Fiction Convention, the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), is a science fiction convention. It has been held each year since 1939 (except for the years 1942 to 1945, during ...

), also known as MidAmeriCon II, was held on 17–21 August 2016 at the

Bartle Hall Convention Center The Kansas City Convention Center, originally Bartle Hall Convention Center or Bartle Hall, is a major convention center in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, USA. It was named for Harold Roe Bartle, a prominent, two-term mayor of Kansas City in t ...

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

, United States. The convention's name, by established Worldcon tradition, follows after the first

MidAmeriCon The 34th World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as MidAmeriCon (abbreviated "MAC"), was held on 2–6 September 1976 at the Radisson Muehlebach Hotel and nearby Hotel Phillips, Phillips House hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, Unit ...

, the 34th

World Science Fiction Convention Worldcon, or more formally the World Science Fiction Convention, the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), is a science fiction convention. It has been held each year since 1939 (except for the years 1942 to 1945, during ...

, held in Kansas City in 1976. The convention was organized by Mid American Science Fiction and Fantasy Conventions, Inc., and was chaired by Ruth Lichtwardt and co-chaired by Diane Lacey.

Participants

Guests of Honor

* artist Kinuko Y. Craft * author

Tamora Pierce Tamora Pierce (born December 13, 1954) is an American writer of fantasy fiction for teenagers, known best for stories featuring young heroines. She made a name for herself with her first book series, '' The Song of the Lioness'' (1983–1988), w ...

* author

Michael Swanwick Michael Swanwick (born 18 November 1950) is an American fantasy and science fiction author who began publishing in the early 1980s. Writing career Swanwick's fiction writing began with short stories, starting in 1980 when he published "Ginungagap ...

* editor

Patrick Nielsen Hayden Patrick James Nielsen Hayden (born Patrick James Hayden January 2, 1959), is an American science fiction editor, fan, fanzine publisher, essayist, reviewer, anthologist, teacher and blogger. He is a World Fantasy Award and Hugo Award winner ...

* editor

Teresa Nielsen Hayden Teresa Nielsen Hayden (born March 21, 1956) is an American science fiction editor, fanzine writer, essayist, and workshop instructor. She is a consulting editor for Tor Books and is well known for her weblog, ''Making Light''. She has also work ...

Pat Cadigan Patricia Oren Kearney Cadigan (born September 10, 1953) is a British-American science fiction author, whose work is most often identified with the cyberpunk movement. Her novels and short stories often explore the relationship between the human ...

(toastmaster)

Programming and events

Masquerade

The MidAmeriCon II masquerade was held on Friday, 19 August, with 34 entrants. Gregory de Danann was the Masquerade Director and the master of ceremonies was John Hertz. The judges were Tanglewyst de Holloway, Karen Schnaubelt, and Kathy Pepmiller for performance, and Jill Eastlake and Aurora Celeste for workmanship. The winners, across four experience-based categories, were:

Young Fan division

* Most Adorable: "Young Sherlock" by Zachary Rohwer * More Most Adorable: "Ding" (''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'') by Grayson Rohwer

Novice division

Workmanship awards: * Honorable Mention for Carving: "Mystogan" (''

Fairy Tail ''Fairy Tail'' is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima. It was serialized in Kodansha's ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from August 2006 to July 2017, with the individual chapters collected and published into 63 '' ...

'') by Jacob Lemon-Rogers, Jonathan Kunkee, Loren Kunkee, and Lyndsey Luther * Honorable Mention for Puff Patterns: "Rambo Brite" by Gene Bennett * Honorable Mention for Puppetry: "Sarabi, the Gryphon" by Ashley Bilke. ** Ashley Bilke was also awarded the Silicon Web Costumers Guild Dreamcatcher Award at this event. * It Lights up and Spins Award: "Raymond J. Stanz, Apparition Eliminator" (

Steampunk Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era or ...

Ghostbuster) by Zachary Miles * Best Fur Work: "Pooch" by Kathy Hinkle * Best in Class: "Mythological Loki" by Sarah Sanders Performance awards: * Best Novice Humor: "Rambo Brite" by Gene Bennett * Best in Class: "Victorian Twilight Sparkle" ('' My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic'') Rosemary Williams

Journeyman division

Workmanship awards: * Painting the Roses Red Award: "When Queens Collide" (The Red Queen from ''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatur ...

'' and the Queen of the Night from Mozart's ''

The Magic Flute ''The Magic Flute'' (German: , ), K. 620, is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work is in the form of a ''Singspiel'', a popular form during the time it was written that inclu ...

'') by Janine Wardale, Theresa Halbert and Thor Halbert * Best in Class: "Cinderella" (based on artwork by Kinuko Y. Craft) by Sheryl Nance-Durst Performance awards: * Best Humor: "Flight of the Valkyries" by Sharon Bass, Christine Brockway, Chris O'Halloran and Sara Vanderbroek (singing). * Best in Class: "When Queens Collide" by Janine Wardale and Theresa Halbert

Master division

Workmanship awards: * Honorable Mention for Beadwork: "A Paid Political Announcement" (

Flash Gordon Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''Buck Rogers'' adve ...

for President) by Kevin Hewett and Rebecca Hewett * Best Execution of Concept: "Boots Upgraded" (

Cyberman The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme '' Doctor Who''. The Cybermen are a species of space-faring cyborgs who often forcefully and painfully convert human beings ...

) by Jennifer Skwarski * Best in Class: "Tri Morrignae" (Irish mythology) by Jennifer Old-d'Entremont, Bethany Padron and Megan McQueen Performance awards: * Best Master Humor: "

Sharknado ''Sharknado'' is a 2013 American made-for-television science fiction comedy disaster film directed by Anthony C. Ferrante. It tells about a waterspout that lifts sharks out of the ocean and deposits them in Los Angeles. It is the first install ...

" by Amanda Arthur-Struss and Joe Struss * Honored for Excellence in Presentation: "Tri Morrignae" (Irish mythology) by Jennifer Old-d'Entremont, Bethany Padron and Megan McQueen * Best in Class: "Flights of Fantasy" (history of flight in SF literature) by Tim Morgan, Lorretta Morgan, Iain Miller, Meredith Hines and Russ Miller

Overall

* Judges' Choice Award: "Spirits of the Tea" (based on artwork by Kinuko Y. Craft) by Sallie Abba, Greg Abba, Robert A. Cook, Rachelle Hrubetz, Leslie Roth and Tal Roth * Best in Show: "Troll Bridge" by Susan Eisenhour, Joyce Blakesley, Isabell Robinson, Quincy Robinson, Paul Elmer, Kate Elmer, Freya Elmer, Juliet Elmer, Darrin Blom, Richard Blom and Margaret Blom

Awards

MidAmeriCon II also presented

Retro-Hugo The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...

s for the calendar year 1940, on the 75th anniversary of the 3rd World Science Fiction Convention held in Denver because, having not yet been established, no Hugo Awards were presented in 1941.

2016 Hugo Awards

The 74th World Science Fiction Convention, MidAmeriCon II, announced the winners of the 2016 Hugo Awards at a ceremony on the evening of Saturday, 20 August 2016. The ceremony was hosted by Toastmaster,

, assisted by Jan Siegel. 3,130 valid final ballots were received and counted. The 2016 Hugo Award trophy base was designed by Sara Felix. * Best Novel: '' The Fifth Season'', by N. K. Jemisin (Orbit) * Best Novella: " Binti", by

Nnedi Okorafor Nnedimma Nkemdili "Nnedi" Okorafor (formerly Okorafor-Mbachu; born April 8, 1974) is a Nigerian-American writer of science fiction and fantasy for both children and adults. She is best known for her ''Binti Series'' and her novels ''Who Fears ...

(Tor.com) * Best Novelette: " Folding Beijing", by

Hao Jingfang Hao Jingfang (; born 27 July 1984) is a Chinese science fiction writer. She won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette for '' Folding Beijing'', translated by Ken Liu, at the 2016 Hugo Awards. Biography Hao Jingfang was born in Tianjin, on July 27, 19 ...

, translated by

Ken Liu Ken Liu (born 1976) is an American author of science fiction and fantasy. His epic fantasy series ''The Dandelion Dynasty'', which he describes as silkpunk, is published by Simon & Schuster. Liu has won Hugo and Nebula Awards for his short fic ...

(''

Uncanny Magazine ''Uncanny Magazine'' is an American science fiction and fantasy online magazine, edited and published by Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, based in Urbana, Illinois. Its mascot is a space unicorn. The editors-in-chief, who originally ...

'', Jan-Feb 2015) * Best Short Story: " Cat Pictures Please", by

Naomi Kritzer Naomi Kritzer is an American speculative fiction writer and blogger. Her 2015 short story " Cat Pictures Please" was a Locus Award and Hugo Award winner and was nominated for a Nebula Award. Her novel, ''Catfishing on CatNet'' won the 2020 Lod ...

(''

Clarkesworld ''Clarkesworld Magazine'' (ISSN 1937-7843) is an American online fantasy and science fiction magazine. It released its first issue October 1, 2006 and has maintained a regular monthly schedule since, publishing fiction by authors such as Elizabet ...

'', January 2015) * Best Related Work: no award * Best Graphic Story: '' The Sandman: Overture'', written by

Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gr ...

, art by

J.H. Williams III James H. Williams III (born 1965), usually credited as J. H. Williams III, is an American comics artist and penciller. He is known for his work on titles such as ''Chase (comics), Chase'', ''Promethea'', ''Desolation Jones,'' ''Batwoman'', and ' ...

(Vertigo) *

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form The Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation is given each year for theatrical films, television episodes, or other dramatized works related to science fiction or fantasy released in the previous calendar year. Originally the award covered both ...

: '' The Martian'', screenplay by

Drew Goddard Andrew Brion Hogan Goddard (born February 26, 1975) is an American filmmaker. He began his career writing episodes for the television shows ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', ''Angel'', ''Alias'', and ''Lost''. After moving into screenwriting in fi ...

, directed by

Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades thr ...

(Scott Free Productions; Kinberg Genre; TSG Entertainment;

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

) * Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: ''

Jessica Jones Jessica Campbell Jones Cage is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appeared in ''Alias'' #1 (November 2001) ...

'': "AKA Smile", written by Scott Reynolds,

Melissa Rosenberg Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American television writer, television producer, and screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has won a Peabody Award. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of A ...

, and Jamie King, directed by

Michael Rymer Michael Rymer (born 1 March 1963 in Melbourne) is an Australian television and film director, best known for his work on the re-imagined '' Battlestar Galactica'' TV series, for which he directed the pilot miniseries and several episodes of the ...

(Marvel Television; ABC Studios; Tall Girls Productions; Netflix) * Best Professional Editor, Short Form:

Ellen Datlow Ellen Datlow (born December 31, 1949) is an American science fiction, fantasy, and horror editor and anthologist. She is a winner of the World Fantasy Award and the Bram Stoker Award (Horror Writers Association). Career Datlow began her career ...

* Best Professional Editor, Long Form: Sheila E. Gilbert * Best Professional Artist: Abigail Larson * Best Semiprozine: ''

'', edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, Michi Trota, and Erika Ensign & Steven Schapansky * Best Fanzine: ''

File 770 ''File 770'' is a long-running science fiction fanzine, newszine, and blog site published/administered by Mike Glyer. It has been published every year since 1978, and has won a record eight Hugo Awards for Best Fanzine, with the first win in 1 ...

'', edited by

Mike Glyer Mike may refer to: Animals * Mike (cat), cat and guardian of the British Museum * Mike the Headless Chicken, chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off * Mike (chimpanzee), a chimpanzee featured in several books and documen ...

* Best Fancast: no award * Best Fan Writer: Mike Glyer * Best Fan Artist: Steve Stiles

Other awards

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer The ''Astounding'' Award for Best New Writer (formerly the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer) is given annually to the best new writer whose first professional work of science fiction or fantasy was published within the two previous ...

Andy Weir Andrew Taylor Weir (born June 16, 1972) is an American novelist and former computer programmer. His 2011 novel '' The Martian'' was adapted into the 2015 film of the same name directed by Ridley Scott. He received the John W. Campbell Award fo ...

Site selection

The location was selected on 17 August 2014 by the members of the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. By the February 2014 deadline, only two committees had announced bids to host the 74th World Science Fiction Convention: "KC in 2016" for 17–21 August 2016, at the

in downtown

, and "Beijing in 2016" for 14–19 August 2016, at the

China National Convention Center The China National Convention Center, previously known as the Olympic Green Convention Center () is a convention center located in the Olympic Green in Beijing. History It was designed by RMJM and was originally used for the 2008 Summer O ...

. Kansas City bid co-chairs Diane Lacey, Ruth Lichtwardt, and Jeff Orth represented the non-profit Mid American Science Fiction and Fantasy Conventions, Inc. Of the 758 votes cast by

Loncon 3 The 72nd World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as Loncon 3, was held on 14–18 August 2014 at the ExCeL London in London, United Kingdom. The convention committee was co-chaired by Alice Lawson and Steve Cooper and organize ...

members, Kansas City won the contest with 651 votes over Beijing with 70 votes. "None of the above" received 4 votes while other sites, including

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...

, and

Sitka, Alaska russian: Ситка , native_name_lang = tli , settlement_type = Consolidated city-borough , image_skyline = File:Sitka 84 Elev 135.jpg , image_caption = Downtown Sitka in 1984 , image_size ...

, received 1 or 2 votes each. If Beijing had been selected, this would have been the first Worldcon in China and the first in mainland Asia.

References

External links

MidAmericon II official website
*
"KC in 2016" bid site
*
"Beijing in 2016" bid site

Worldcon official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:World Science Fiction Convention 074 2016 conferences 2016 in Missouri 2016 in the United States Culture of Kansas City, Missouri Science fiction conventions in the United States Worldcon