UPDATE: Polls for Round 1 closed at 9 PM EDT Sunday night. Vote in Round 2 now!
The people have spoken, and the brackets are ready for the Mix March Madness 2013 Webcomics Tournament!
Thanks to the thousands of people who voted in the seeding process, as well as all of you who added your favorite webcomics to the list. Weâre adding all of the webcomics you suggested to our directory.
But now, the challenges start!
First, some housekeeping details: Both Tom Siddell of Gunnerkrigg Court and Tarol Hunt from Goblins have asked that their strips not be included in this year’s contest. As such, we honor their wishes and raise their retired jerseys into the rafters.
Second, we’ve had $458.40 in bought votes, or an additional 4584 votes. Of particular note was a write in vote for Leftover Soup, donating $10 to the cause, although it wasn’t enough to get it into the final 128. Again, all money goes to the Hero Initiative.
Third, once again, poll traffic has overwhelmed our site, with additional people trying to horn in. To help alleviate the problem, we’re offloading our polling to Opinion Stage. Yes, this does mean that you’ll need a Facebook ID to vote, although anyone can still purchase as many votes as you like.
Finally, here are the brackets. As usual, we’re dividing the 128 candidates into four divisions. This year’s divisions are Bradbury, Kubert, Sendak, and Washington.
Bradbury Division
|
|
 |
|
Winner of 1
Game 17
Winner of 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 17
Game 25
Winner of 18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 3
Game 18
Winner of 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 25
Game 29
Winner of 26 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 5
Game 19
Winner of 6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 29
Game 31
Winner of 30 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 19
Game 26
Winner of 20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 7
Game 20
Winner of 8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 9
Game 21
Winner of 10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 21
Game 27
Winner of 22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 11
Game 22
Winner of 12 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 27
Game 30
Winner of 28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 13
Game 23
Winner of 14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 23
Game 28
Winner of 24 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 15
Game 24
Winner of 16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kubert Division
|
|
|
|
Winner of 1
Game 17
Winner of 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 17
Game 25
Winner of 18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 3
Game 18
Winner of 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 25
Game 29
Winner of 26 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 5
Game 19
Winner of 6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 29
Game 31
Winner of 30 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 19
Game 26
Winner of 20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 7
Game 20
Winner of 8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 9
Game 21
Winner of 10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 21
Game 27
Winner of 22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 11
Game 22
Winner of 12 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 27
Game 30
Winner of 28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 13
Game 23
Winner of 14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 23
Game 28
Winner of 24 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 15
Game 24
Winner of 16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sendak Division
|
|
|
|
Winner of 1
Game 17
Winner of 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 17
Game 25
Winner of 18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 3
Game 18
Winner of 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 25
Game 29
Winner of 26 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 5
Game 19
Winner of 6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 29
Game 31
Winner of 30 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 19
Game 26
Winner of 20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 7
Game 20
Winner of 8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 9
Game 21
Winner of 10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 21
Game 27
Winner of 22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 11
Game 22
Winner of 12 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 27
Game 30
Winner of 28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 13
Game 23
Winner of 14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 23
Game 28
Winner of 24 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 15
Game 24
Winner of 16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Washington Division
|
|
|
|
Winner of 1
Game 17
Winner of 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 17
Game 25
Winner of 18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 3
Game 18
Winner of 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 25
Game 29
Winner of 26 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 5
Game 19
Winner of 6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 29
Game 31
Winner of 30 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 19
Game 26
Winner of 20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 7
Game 20
Winner of 8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 9
Game 21
Winner of 10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 21
Game 27
Winner of 22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 11
Game 22
Winner of 12 |
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 27
Game 30
Winner of 28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 13
Game 23
Winner of 14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 23
Game 28
Winner of 24 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winner of 15
Game 24
Winner of 16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Again, we’re letting you support your favorite strips by paying for additional votes, with your money going to charity. Simply click on the Donate button below, and during checkout, click on “Which comic are you donating for?” and tell us who you’re voting for. It’s still 10¢ a vote for this round with a minimum of ten votes purchased at a time, and all proceeds from paid votes will go to the Hero Initiative, an organization that helps comic book creators in need. At the close of the round, we’ll add the paid votes to the totals and announce the winners who move on to the brackets. (And yes, your donations to Hero are tax deductible.)
UPDATE: Polls for Round 1 closed at 9 PM EDT Sunday night. Vote in Round 2 now!
Why is the Donate button taking me to my PayPal account, and not to a page to buy votes?
Donations are via Hero Initiative’s Paypal. If you aren’t logged in there at the time, you’re asked to log in before it takes you to the donations page.
You have to enter your info, and when you confirm it, there’s a message box where you enter the name of the webcomic you want the votes to go to.
Aw yiss, my favorite webcomics all made it in.
Not that I doubted any of them.
What the hell why do I need a friggin’ facebook account to vote? This is shit.
Yeah, it’s a pity. I always voted in these and would have loved to do so again. But if having a Facebook account is what it needs to vote, then I’m out, sorry. I won’t give myself that big a target surface for the sake of voting alone.
Heck, I couldn’t even write an own comment without an account! Only through the reply function was I able to post this!
We switched polling methods because:
1. The polling method we were using was overloading our server and taking the site down. We needed to offload the traffic.
2. There were allegations of cheating and gaming the system last year. Switching to a method that incorporated Facebook verification was a way to minimize that. If you’re going to push your favorite strip to the top, you’re going to have to pay for the privilege.
We agree that the pop-up windows are a pain, and we’re going to get those out ASAP.
OH I understand. I know with running my own site how people cheat and the server load issue as well. I know one way people cheat is voting from several computers with different ips. So this is a good idea.
Keep up the good work.
I understand why you came to this solution. And there’s certainly good reason, especially in your second point. I’m still not happy with it though and must wonder whether there might have been another viable option on how to do this.
Should add this though: After my first reply to another comment here, the standard box to write comments reappeared. Don’t know if the page loaded in a faulty way before, giving me only the comment through facebook option or what was the case. But it does work again normally.
I’m really annoyed that i won’t get to vote this year.
But Facebook is NOT something i have anything to do with.
We’re working with Opinion Source on other forms of logging in, while trying to keep spammers and cheaters down.
I agree. It was a poor decision by comicmix to choose to use opinion stage! stupid popup facebook windows everytime i want to vote!!!
We got that taken care of.
Aye, the Facebook thing was a bit annoying, but at least we had the option to make it anonymous. I don’t really want my private Facebook info out there in the world of webcomics. Site still seems to be getting pretty overloaded. Pity, it’s a cool idea.
Just another way of forcing us to join the social media and let everyone examine our dirty underwear.
Me? I plan on keeping my skidmarks to myself.
I voted last year and thought it was a great idea. Not going to use Facebook to vote this year, so no more voting for me (unless I donate-vote which, I might).
At least I got a vote in the beginning.
Someone else here who’s going… what the hell, Facebook? Count me out. I am not going anywhere near that mess.
Congratulations, guys, you just made the contest even more meaningless than it was last year.
We’ve raised a lot of money for charity to help comic creators in need. We don’t consider that particularly meaningless.
This year I will be reading every comic that goes up against my favourite before I vote.
I would like to as well, but I can’t even vote now without a facebook account.
I’ve been meaning to read Hanna’s not a boy’s name though, after I finish Gunnerkrigg. Anyone recommend it?
Also, go Homestuck!
I wouldn’t HINABN if only because it was abandoned by its creator before it reached something that could pass as a satisfying conclusion. So it’s a frustrating read.
It is pretty awesome though. A pity.
Read it, but don’t get too attached. The author has fantastic artwork, but tends to ditch every single project she starts.
I’d vote for Grrl Power, but not if I have to get a facebook account. Sorry Dave B. 🙁
I think you can vote anonymously (there’s a checkbox on the vote forms), and it just makes note of your IP address to prevent people from abusing it.
It still requires a facebook login, it just doesn’t prompt you to post your vote on facebook.
I can’t imagine that in the whole of the webiverse, Facebook was the only viable option to relieve your server load issues. Add me to the list of non-voters this year, along with a suggestion to other frustrated non-Facebook members that we all contact our favorite webcomics, and let *them* know why they aren’t getting our votes. Maybe if enough of the *artists* complain to comicmix, somebody will figure out a more fair, equitable solution to the server and voter fraud issues.
I can’t imagine that in the whole of the webiverse, Facebook was the only viable option to relieve your server load issues.
We’re open to suggestions.
Facebook and the option of buying votes.
I don’t even have a snarky remark left.
I would’ve voted for Grrl Power against most other comics, but… PRAISE BE TO THE CORN GOD
Yow. This page loads like a monkey feather!
I have no helpful input, but to offer that observation!
Vote for Commander Kitty!
Not rocket science. Right. Good one. I still think it’s chickenshit to exlude people for not having facebook accounts, but it’s your ball.
I just donated $5.00 for Grrl Power to the Hero Initiative, but there was no “Which comic are you voting for” that I could see. So, I feel like my favorite comic and I just got screwed. Maybe you could offer some better instructions on how to buy votes instead of telling folks not to complain.
Did you use the same email address to donate as you did to post this comment? If so, we’ll connect your payment.
I did, as a test. The donate button took me to Paypal, but no further. I tried going directly to Hero Initiative while logged in with Paypal, but I got no prompts. No questions. No boxes to check. No votes for my donation. It would be nice if Grrl Power could get the votes I thought I was buying. It would be even nicer if you could give a clearer example of how it’s supposed to work, since I’d like to donate more in the next few rounds. Or would you rather that people like me stay ignorant so that facebook members can feel superior and tell us we’re dumb whiners?
There was a glitch during a server crash (volume again) that broke the Paypal button. We’ve fixed it.
Why is Dresden Codak here? They haven’t updated since December.
Diaz is still active, but he’s busy with his Kickstarter to print a Dresden Codak book. Plus, slow updates are the norm for DC.
You know what’s a great way to be able to vote without really having to have a facebook? just make one under the name john smith or whatever and never use it again. voila, problem solved, stop whining.
Don’t like Facebook? When you click to use it, choose “Don’t let anyone but me see the posts that this makes for me.”
Fuck you and your fucking facebook requirement. Fuck you right in the facebook.
I voted last year, but I won’t this year because of the Facebook requirement.
It’s not because I don’t want people to see what I posted. It’s because I completely and wholeheartedly refuse to get a Facebook account.
Lame. My tablet has trouble loading the page, trouble noticing my ‘tap to vote’ and worst of all?
It looks like I gotta sign up with ‘popularity contest r us’ (aka ‘Facebook’ for you youngins) to vote – not happening.
If you can, put me down for Schlock Mercenary, Grrl Power, and Supernormal Step.
Good day to you sirs.
I think that’s the first ever draw that I’ve ever seen. Who will advance now? Sakana or Something Positive?
We’ll see. There’s still six hours to vote, and there are paid votes to count as well.
Right. Misread the closing time for voting myself.
Still will be interesting to see. And there were a good number of duels with less than ten votes a difference, last time I checked.
I don’t have a Facebook account. I don’t want a Facebook account. What I do want is to participate in a competition to fairly select the best webcomic, while discovering new reading material and more creators to whine at to update more and contributing to charity. A voting fee is…acceptable. Buying votes? Hell no.
You bring up an interesting question: should we cap the number of votes a person can buy per round? We’re a bit loath to do that since the money is going to charity, but we’re willing to listen to other points of view.
And we’re working on other forms of logging in, while trying to keep spammers and cheaters down.
How come we can’t see the final tally’s of each poll for the first round?
Searches on Opinion Stage show no response to Comixmix, grrlpower, and no relevant hits on Bradbury.
Is this an intelligence test to filter mere mortals out of the voting?
Round 1, 2, and 3 have already closed– but Round 4 will be opening up tomorrow.