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The This Time Next Year Game: The Entries!
Hello, and welcome back to the blog after my post-Christmas break. I'm feeling rather wonderfully rested, and ready for what I hope will be an exciting 2012 (the new novel!) From this Friday I'll be starting a new feature on the blog, Casual Fridays, which will hopefully continue the spirit of the 12 Blogs of Christmas all year round, with music, guests and regular writing advice (because that was the really popular bit).
A couple of things have happened in that gap. Stormwatch #5 is out on Wednesday, and you can see a five page preview of the issue (where the format we've been working towards comes clearly into view, I think) here. And if you were after a Harry Tanner/Midnighter fight scene, this is the issue for you.
And Vaneta Rogers at Newsarama interviewed me about Saucer Country, wherein I reveal a lot of detail about what that title will be aiming for.
And Vaneta Rogers at Newsarama interviewed me about Saucer Country, wherein I reveal a lot of detail about what that title will be aiming for.
Now, we come to the matter of our This Time Next Year Game. On the first of the 12 Blogs, on December 13th, I set a number of speculative questions, for one point each if the entrants got them right, about what might happen in the 365 days between that blog and December 13th 2012 (which is when we'll tot up a final score and declare a winner). I'm delighted at how many of you took up the challenge. We have 27 entrants, namely:
@kendersrule.
Jennifer Kelley.
Adarnallen. (Ads.)
Tom.
B-Guymer.
L.L.
Adam Short.
RunIago. (Ed H.)
C.A. Young.
Matthew Hyde.
Psmithsonian.
Soru.
Uther Dean.
NickPheas.
Fizzle. (Lee Sailor.)
Phil Hansen.
Paul F.
Liz.
Michael Lee.
Unknown. (Which is a bit steep, since I asked for a name, but this is the only one.)
Rheitzmann.
L.M. Myles.
N.J.
David Bishop.
Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre. (Kev F Sutherland.)
Dean Hazell.
Penny Heal & Jason Stevens.
And here, to remind you, are the questions, and some of the more interesting responses we got for each...
1: Name *one* musical act, other than any that took part in (that is, was a contestant in) TV talent show The X Factor, that will have a UK Number One single (on the standard chart the BBC use) between February 1st, 2012 and December 13th, 2012.
Rihanna was your most popular choice, for obvious reasons, and stranger things have happened than The Wombles or GWAR making it back to the top spot.
2: Who will be the British Prime Minister at midnight on December 12th, 2012?
Everyone but three of you went with David Cameron. (Two for Boris Johnson, one for Alan Moore.) But twelve months is a long time in politics.
3: Who will be credited as writer on the last issue of Action Comics that comes out before December 13th, 2012?
Again, in a similar way, Grant Morrison is widely seen to be staying put, with outside bets on me and, again, Alan Moore. (I should think it's more likely he'll become Prime Minister. If he does both, I think that's proof magic works.) Joe Casey, Si Spurrier, JMS and Garth Ennis are all interesting middle-odds punts.
4: Name *one* writer (apart from Steven Moffat) who will write a script in the next season of Doctor Who (specials and charity episodes don't count).
Mark, Gareth and Toby were your recurring obvious bets, with one thoughtful punt on John Fay and a surprising long shot on Geoff Johns.
5: Will life on another planet (not necessarily intelligent life) be generally regarded by the scientific community as having been discovered before December 13th, 2012?
N.J. and Dean Hazell are the only ones of you that say yes.
6: Which book will win Best Novel at the 2012 Hugo Awards?
A Dance With Dragons, Embassytown and Reamde are your most popular choices. Some of you have picked interestingly-plausible alternatives (Vernor Vinge, Jo Walton), some of you seem to be promoting your friends' books, or know something I don't.
7: What about Best Dramatic Presentation: Short Form at the same Awards?
'The Doctor's Wife' or 'The Wedding of River Song' are your runaway favourites, with interesting side bets on 'The Pointy End' from Game of Thrones and the last episode of Misfits. Just specifying a series title (as a few of you did with Doctor Who) isn't good enough to get you a point.
8: Will any of the 2012 Academy Award (Oscar) nominees for Best Picture be (within a generous description) in the genres of science fiction, fantasy or horror?
Most of you think so. I'm really tempted to go with the literal wording of the entrant who said 'all of them', but actually I'll just take that as a yes.
9: Name *one* historical figure (apart from H.G. Wells) whose name will be mentioned in a new episode of Warehouse 13 broadcast in the UK before December 13th, 2012.
Jules Verne, JFK and Abraham Lincoln each got two votes among a varied and almost entirely plausible field. Unfortunately, I forgot that the agents' weapon of choice is called a 'Tesla', and so the several who said that are almost guaranteed a point. But fair enough, I missed that and you took advantage. The game is the game.
10: In the three Test Matches played between England and the West Indies in May and June 2012, which England bowler will take the most wickets?
Onions, Tremlett, Finn, Anderson, Swann, Broad, Rashid or Tredwell (two nice long shots those last ones), sure, Kevin Pietersen... well, what sort of match are you anticipating, Ed? (And you just copied Ed, didn't you, RHeitzmann?) To many of you this was one question too far. Sorry.
11: Will any more missing episodes of Doctor Who be discovered before December 13th, 2012? (I know some of you are just going to say 'I hope so', but only concrete answers get you points.)
The episodes that were discovered before the game started don't count, so I hope those of you who voted Yes didn't think you were guaranteed a point. You're pretty evenly split either way, but I do like the courage of the people who guessed they'd be from 'Reign of Terror' and found in Zambia. (I won't hold you to the details.)
12: Name *one* author with a story in the June 2012 cover dated edition of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.
Many of you think that was my coy way of saying I'd sold another story (it wasn't), but amongst several plausible choices (and some mad ones: a Mark Millar career change?) Connie Willis and Allen M. Steele were mentioned a couple of times.
13: Name *one* (with all episodes existing) Doctor Who story that will still not have been released on DVD (in the UK) by December 13th, 2012.
'The Ambassadors of Death', 'The Mind of Evil' and 'Terror of the Zygons' are your leading bets. I feel very sorry for the (quite a few of you) who went for 'Invasion of the Dinosaurs' (and then presumably saw the release schedule for next week) or 'The Sensorites', and I think that 'Dimensions in Time' is a clever punt on Kev's part, so I'm allowing it.
14: Name *one* (new, not reprint) Marvel Essentials volume that will be released (in the USA) between June 1st, 2012 and December 13th, 2012. (You don't have to give a volume number, just name a series.)
Many interesting and informed long shots (Excalibur, Warlock, New Mutants) and someone who just liked the idea of more giant-sized Man Thing.
15: Which musical act will provide the main title theme song of the 2012 James Bond movie, Skyfall?
Adele, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Coldplay are your favourite guesses, with Kendersrule intriguing me by opting for Queen. Hmm, that can't be, can it?
16: Will the physics community generally accept (to what they call a 5-sigma level of uncertainty) the discovery of the Higgs Boson before December 13th, 2012?
Surprisingly many of you bet against.
17: And for that matter, will they, in the same way, before the same date, accept that neutrinos (in that particular well- reported experiment or any other) can travel faster than the speed of light?
Six of you went for yes. Hopeful people.
18: Name a DC New 52 comic (one of the 52 launched under that banner) that won't have an issue released in August, for whatever reason. ('They'll all have one' is allowed, and what I'd hope for.)
Pleasingly many of you think they'll all have one.
19: Other than The Lizard, name another villain who'll appear in the movie The Amazing Spider-Man. Or will there not be any other?
The Rhino, Vulture, Green Goblin, Mysterio, and one vote for the Man-Wolf. No, Flash Thompson doesn't count, and I've decided those of you who put that are actually voting for 'no other'.
20: In what month of 2012 will the Archbishop of Canterbury retire? Or not this year at all?
February, March, April, June, July, August, October and November are where that roulette ball's run will attract your attention. But most of you think he'll stay put.
21: Name *one* song performed or heard in Glee in a new episode shown between March 1st 2012 and December 13th, 2012. (Let's go with UK broadcast dates, which are just a couple of days after the US ones.)
I'm assuming, L.L., that you're betting on Rage Against The Machine rather than insulting the person who will decide on your points. 'Edge of Glory' by Lady Gaga and 'Price Tag' by Jesse J attract a few votes among a field of interesting options ('Rocket Man' with William Shatner, I can see it now!) Those of you who voted in a witty vein, oh no, I'm taking your bets absolutely seriously.
22: Of the actors who have played the Doctor (in any medium), who will have the most Twitter followers at midnight on October 1st, 2012? (Genuine accounts only. Anyone within 100 either way gets a point.)
Yes, Colin Baker, obviously, but many of you bet on Matt Smith or David Tennant opening an account (and one thought Matt already had). I'm counting those who went for Joanna Lumley or Mark Gatiss, because 'in any medium' could be taken to include comedy sketches.
23: And how many Twitter followers will I have at midnight on August 1st, 2012? (Don't be rude, now. Same rule as for question 20.)
From 15,000 (Soru thinks I'll be losing two thousand followers this spring) to 1.3 million (no pressure), most of you are guessing somewhere around 20K.
24: Which country will top the official medal table at the end of the London Olympic Games in 2012?
'Top the medal table' is very specific, so I've taken Nick's 'to get the most overall medals' as his answer. Most of you said the USA, then China, with individual bets on Jamaica (!) and one on the UK (thanks, Tom).
25: Will Captain Britain appear in at least a single panel of any new Marvel (US) comic released in September 2012?
A pretty even split there. David Bishop said NO in block capitals.
26: Who will get the Republican nomination for US President? (Just a name, please, not an essay.)
Romney leads Gingrich, with single votes for Perry, Palin and Bachmann.
27: Will Kate Bush release any new music (that is to say, any track that has so far been unreleased) between January 1st 2012 and December 13th, 2012?
Most people think not. ('Sorry,' says Nick.)
28: Will Peter Dinklage's character Tyrion Lannister slap anyone onscreen in Season Two of Game of Thrones?
Most of you think so and look forward to the prospect. Those who know the books well tell me this isn't likely, but this being an adaptation, they may well decide to repeat such a popular move. We shall see.
29: Will the makers of the upcoming (2013) Star Trek movie reveal that the character of Khan will be appearing in that movie before December 13th, 2012?
Sorry, I did say '2013' in the original question, but most of you think not. No, it hasn't happened already, there's just an internet perception that it has, hence the luring question.
30: Who will win this year's Boat Race? Oxford or Cambridge? Or will both sink?
Most of you think Oxford. If Adam Short's bet on an underwater victory for Cambridge happens, I'll suspect sabotage.
Thanks, everyone, for taking part. Whenever a point is scored, I'll post about it here, and put up a league table as soon as possible. The earliest that points will definitely be scored is January 24th, when it's the Academy Award nominations announcement.
Good luck, and until Wednesday (when I'll remind you about Stormwatch), Happy New Year and Cheerio!
Thanks, everyone, for taking part. Whenever a point is scored, I'll post about it here, and put up a league table as soon as possible. The earliest that points will definitely be scored is January 24th, when it's the Academy Award nominations announcement.
Good luck, and until Wednesday (when I'll remind you about Stormwatch), Happy New Year and Cheerio!
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Unfortunately, I forgot that the agents' weapon of choice is called a 'Tesla', and so the several who said that are almost guaranteed a point. But fair enough, I missed that and you took advantage.
I skimmed the wikipedia entry and made a guess! Makes up for the point I've just lost for Invasion of the Dinosaurs, I suppose.
I sense you may have a future in this game.
Darn...I had meant to enter, but things were pretty busy in the week leading up to Christmas (all my time off came afterwards), and I figured there'd be far too many entrants for me to bother. I ignored a sign from the fates too...I happen to be re-reading A Clash of Kings at the moment, and I did make note of a scene where Tyrion slaps someone (not completely certain, but I think it was his cousin Lancel). Shame on me. I blame a busy work schedule.
I saw you like only connect, Maybe you will like my blog http://thequizaddict.blogspot.com
Sorry about that, Word. And Daniel: yes, interesting. Cheers.
Arg, sorry! The unnamed person was me, because I'm a dope and don't understand the blogger comment system. Apparently computer science degrees aren't worth much. I'll try something diferent this time.
James Fairlie
No problem, I've added your name to my records now. Cheers.
How lenient are you being on typos? Because if you'll forgive the fact that I typed 'Hawk and Dice' rather than shifting my hand a key to the right for the correct 'Hawk and Dove' its recently announced cancellation gets me a glorious life giving point.
I'll allow that. But we'll count those points when we get to the month in question. Cheers.