The winners of the 1945 Retro Hugos have been announced via ConZealand, the 78th Worldcon, which is being held entirely via virtual means.
Winners include H.P. Lovecraft for The Cthulhu Mythos, Ray Bradbury for his short story “I,Rocket”, Theodore Sturgeon for his influential novella ‘Killdozer!’ and John W. Campbell, Jr for Best Editor, Short Form.
Campbell’s Retro Hugo Award is especially notable. Another award associated with Worldcon and the World Science Fiction Society is the Astounding Award for Best New Writer. This was formerly known as the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. However it was renamed following 2019 winner Jeannette Ng’s acceptance speech for the Campbell Award, in which she referred to Campbell as a fascist. The subsequent response from the community led to the award being renamed to the Astounding Award.
The 1945 Retro Hugos recognise works created or published in 1944. Worldcon began in 1939, but Hugo awards weren’t presented until 1953. In 1996, Worldcon committees were given the option of presenting Retrospective Hugo Awards to honour works published at times when the Hugo Awards weren’t available.
Winners of the 1945 Retrospective Hugo Awards are below
Best Novel
“Shadow Over Mars” (The Nemesis from Terra), by Leigh Brackett (Startling Stories, Fall 1944)
Best Novella
“Killdozer!”, by Theodore Sturgeon (Astounding Science Fiction, November 1944)
Best Novelette
“City”, by Clifford D. Simak (Astounding Science Fiction, May 1944)
Best Short Story
“I, Rocket”, by Ray Bradbury (Amazing Stories, May 1944)
Best Series
The Cthulhu Mythos, by H. P. Lovecraft, August Derleth, and others
Best Related Work
“The Science-Fiction Field”, by Leigh Brackett (Writer’s Digest, July 1944)
Best Graphic Story or Comic
Superman: “The Mysterious Mr. Mxyztplk”, by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (Detective
Comics, Inc.)
Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
Tie:
The Canterville Ghost, screenplay by Edwin Harvey Blum from a story by Oscar Wilde, directed by Jules Dassin (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM))
The Curse of the Cat People, written by DeWitt Bodeen, directed by Gunther V. Fritsch and Robert Wise (RKO Radio Pictures)
Best Editor, Short Form
John W. Campbell, Jr.
Best Professional Artist
Margaret Brundage
Best Fanzine
Voice of the Imagi-Nation, edited by Forrest J Ackerman and Myrtle R. Douglas
Best Fan Writer
Fritz Leiber
