2018 is drawing to a close and you know what that means – it’s time to look back at the year that was and celebrate the highs and lows – awards style! Yep, it’s time for the It’s A Stampede! Awards 2018.
Who will come away with an award? Read on to find out!
First up…
Best Newcomer of 2018
Each year brings newcomers – 2018 has been no different. The six heaviest hitters from the world of film, TV and comics are shortlisted below. Will they stand the test of time? Let’s hope so!
And the nominees are…
- Miles Morales (Into the Spider-Verse)
- The 13th Doctor
- Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
- The Fab Five – Queer Eye
And the winner is…
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
If you’ve not watched She-Ra and the Princesses of Power yet, switch on Netflix and give it a go – you won’t be disappointed. The series – a modern re-imagining of the classic ’80s cartoon – is simply a sheer delight to watch.
From the empowering opening credits to the show’s theme of inclusiveness, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is one of the best shows of 2018. In a year when the world seems to be getting less tolerant, it’s great to see a series that looks to challenge this stance.
Plus, who doesn’t love Catra?
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Next up…
The Simply Awesome Award for Being Simply Awesome 2018
- Henry Cavill
- Power Rangers: Shattered Grid
And the winner is…
David Schwimmer
Earlier this year Blackpool Police posted a message on social media asking for assistance in tracing someone they wanted to speak to in connection with a theft. The message was accompanied by an image of a man who just happened to look like former Friends actor, David Schwimmer.
Of course, it wasn’t Schwimmer, but that didn’t stop the story winging its way across the Atlantic to where the actor responded in humorous fashion. Taking to social media, and with tongue firmly in cheek, Schwimmer made it clear it wasn’t him.
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And the next award is for…
Biggest Disappointment of 2018
Can you smell that? *Sniffs the air* It smells like disappointment, doesn’t it?
There have been many bad things throughout 2018 and some have been truly AWFUL. But which was the worst?
And the nominees are…
- Disenchantment
- Reboot: The Guardian Code
- Fox for rescheduling its X-Men/New Mutants movies
- DC dithering about with Superman
- The Eaglemoss customer service department
- The Star Wars/She-Ra/ThunderCats/Batwoman backlash
And the winner is…
All those backlashes
Over the course of the year, the backlashes have come thick and fast, from all the hullabaloo over Star Wars to the pure hatred for ThunderCats Roar.
Were all the backlashes the result of Russian interference or were they simply caused by trolls with too much time on their hands? Who knows – but it’s been a big sticking point this year and it’s ended up with actors quitting social media, regretting being involved with projects and a general feeling that some fandoms are toxic.
Let’s sort this out for 2019, please.
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Next up, get those fists at the ready, it’s time for…
The Fist Pump Moment of 2018
Who doesn’t love a good fist pump moment? Am I right, or am I right? 2018 had plenty of them – here are six of the best.
And the nominees are…
- Batman: The Animated Series getting a HD makeover
- Simon finding true love in Love, Simon
- Now That’s What I Call Music finally reaching Volume 100
- Neighbours making TV history with its gay wedding episode
- Marvel regaining the rights to The X-Men & Fantastic Four
- Grimmfest 2018 being a total blast
And the winner is…
Batman: The Animated Series getting a HD makeover
In 1992, Batman: The Animated Series hit TV screens and became a landmark show – reinventing Batman villains, demonstrating what could be achieved with cartoons and showcasing superb storytelling. This year that same show received a FANTASTIC HD upgrade and an excellent Blu-ray release, keeping the series as fresh today as it was back in ’92.
Throughout November I wrote more than 20 posts about the Batman: The Animated Series Blu-ray boxset because it is THAT good. If ever there was a genuine fist pump moment this year it was when Batman: The Animated Series made its way onto Blu-ray and into my arms.
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And the next category is…
Best Comic Book Movie of 2018
2018 has been an amazing year for comic book movies, but which movie was the best?
And the nominees are…
And the winner is…
Avengers: Infinity War
This one was very close – all six nominees were SO good. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse nearly took the crown, but in all honesty there could only be one winner and it HAD to be Infinity War.
Earlier in the year I talked about just how insanely popular the movie was, resulting in 24-hour screenings at my local cinema. If any comic book movie deserves to win this award, it’s this one.
Plus – it was a HUGE talking point for comic book fans and those who rarely venture out to the cinema.
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Next up…
Non-Comic Book Movie of the Year 2018
Comic book movies weren’t the only movies released in 2018. Here are the best of the rest.
- A Quiet Place
And the winner is…
Love, Simon
Heartwarming, funny and just downright enjoyable, Love, Simon was a stand out film this year and easily one of the most important pictures to hit cinema screens. The movie – about a young gay teen falling in love – received rave reviews and is my movie of the year.
Not watched it yet? Well, now is the time to give it two hours of your time. With its John Hughes vibe and likeable cast I promise you’ll find much to enjoy about this teen romance.
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And the next category is…
The Stop the World I Need to Get Off Moment of 2018
Always expect the unexpected. If you don’t expect the unexpected then you end up with a genuine WTF(?!) moment. 2018 had a few.
And the nominees are…
- The great crumpet shortage
- The X-Files Season 11 finale
- Shangela NOT winning RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 3
- Roseanne Barr’s Ambien racism excuse
- The whole James Gunn situation
And the winner is…
‘Carnage’ at Build-a-Bear
In July, Build-a-Bear launched a special ‘pay your age’ promotion to allow youngsters to buy a bear for a very small fee. Understandably, the promotion was very popular.
How popular? Well, according to various reports some customers queued for up to six hours (SIX HOURS!) to get a cheap bear.
The promotion may have increased footfall, but it also left many customers feeling frustrated when the retailer had to cut the offer short due to overwhelming demand. The Mirror described the whole event as “carnage”.
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This next award is a special one for 2018…
The Award for the Worst Part of Venom
Venom was a very bad movie. Sure, it’s made a wedge at the box office, but that didn’t stop it from being a huge turd of a movie.
It seems only fitting to award the worst part of the film accordingly.
And the nominees are…
- Tom Hardy’s drunk acting
- The script
- Woody Harrelson’s wig
- The (not so) special effects
- The criminal misuse of Michelle Williams
- The whole bloody thing
And the winner is…
Woody Harrelson’s wig in Venom
Wow – a tough category! With so many strong contenders, this could have easily gone to any of the shortlisted names above, but ultimately there could only be one winner and it had to be THAT wig.
Sadly I don’t have a picture of the wig, but if you’ve seen Venom (and you bothered to stick around for the mid-credit scene) then you’ll know what I’m talking about. Basically, it was the shittest red wig you could ever imagine.
Imagine a shit red wig. Got it pictured in your mind? Yeah? Well, it was shitter than that!
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Moving on…
Hero(es) of the Year 2018
There are good guys, there are bad guys and there are heroes.
And the nominees are…
- Netflix
- Jane Foster – Thor
- The marketing department for Deadpool 2
- Teri Hatcher for cosplaying as Lois Lane
And the winner is…
The marketing department for Deadpool 2
From a duet with Céline Dion and a discussion about Eurovision, to a Golden Girls inspired video and a unicorn poster, the team behind Deadpool 2‘s marketing campaign have done themselves proud. Marketing campaigns can go either way, but this one was spot on.
Take a bow team, you deserve this award!
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And now for a very, VERY special award…
The It’s A Stampede! Legacy Award 2018
This year, the It’s A Stampede! Legacy Award is posthumously presented to Stan Lee, who sadly passed away on 12th November 2018.
Editor, publisher, writer and king of cameos, Stan Lee was a source of inspiration to millions. Without Stan – and his fellow co-creators – we wouldn’t have Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men and both the comic book industry and the movie industry would be in a very different place right now.
There simply aren’t enough words to describe how important Stan Lee was. All that can be said is, thank you, Stan.
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And finally…
The It’s A Stampede! Special Achievement Award 2018
This award is presented to a movie/TV show/comic/person who has truly stood out from the crowd throughout the year. After weighing up a few possible winners, there really could only be one lucky recipient.
And the winner is…
The Greatest Showman
Released at the tail-end of 2017, The Greatest Showman was a mainstay of UK cinemas throughout the first half of 2018, remaining on screens until June. Earlier this month the movie returned to cinemas for a one-off sing-a-long screening and this was in addition to various outdoor screenings which took place throughout the summer.
But that was just the film!
The official soundtrack album has also been incredibly successful this year, appearing in the official UK album charts for 52 consecutive weeks. In fact, as of today the album is No.1 in the charts – making it the No.1 album for Christmas.
WOW!
*Claps hands together continuously*
And that’s your lot for the It’s A Stampede! Awards 2018. Same time next year?
Congratulations to all the winners. A genuine, no-frills, no-physical-award is winging its way to you now… via magic.
Feel proud. Feel very, very proud.
It's A Stampede! 
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