The United Fanzine Organization (UFO) is a co-operative of small-press comics and zine publishers who trade their latest releases with each other, offer feedback on the work in the group's newsletter (Tetragrammaton Fragments) and promote them in the UFO Checklist that appears in each member's publication.
Since the 1970s, the UFO has occasionally had a "UFO Awards" for the best material produced in the memberzines during the previous year. The awards are known as "The Saucers" because of the saucer-like shape of the group's UFO symbol. However there is no physical object awarded to the winners. The awards are meant simply to recognize outstanding efforts that were produced by the members and the contributors of their publications.
The 2025 UFO Awards (for memberzines that were published in 2024) was originally scheduled last summer, but was cancelled. I was recently elected UFO Chairman and decided to put them back on the schedule. (Better late than never, right?) As an experiment, I decided to have this year's awards be voted on by the general public, not just the UFO members themselves. It is my hope that by opening up the voting to non-members that the work may receive more exposure -- and more votes.
This page shows the covers of all 35 of the UFO memberzines which were published in 2024 that are eligible for the 2025 UFO Awards.
You can cast your vote in the Comments section below, or over on the official United Fanzine Organization (UFO) Facebook group. (If you prefer that your voting be done in secret, and not in a public forum, then you can email me your selections privately at robimes@yahoo.com )
Vote once for each of the nine categories listed below. Only votes for the below-listed eligible nominee memberzines (and their contributors) will be counted. If you do not want to vote in every category, you can mark the blank ones as "no vote," "none" or "abstain."
Voting will close on January 31, 2026. Results will be announced on February 1, 2026.
The categories are as follows:
1.) BEST PUBLISHER: ____________________________
2.) BEST SINGLE ZINE / COMIC / BOOK: ________________________
3.) BEST COVER: ____________________________
4.) BEST COMIC STORY: __________________________________
5.) BEST ARTICLE / TEXT STORY: ______________________________
6.) BEST COMIC WRITER: _________________________________
7.) BEST TEXT WRITER (FICTION OR NON-FICTION): _________________________________
8.) BEST SEQUENTIAL STORY / ARTIST: _____________________________
9.) BEST ARTIST (COVER / PIN-UP / SPOT ILLUSTRATION): _____________________________________________________
Below are the eligible nominees, listed in alphabetical order according to series/book title, which are all the UFO memberzines that were published in 2024. Click the cover images to view them at larger size. (All of the covers were scanned from my own copies. Every UFO member receives a free copy of the other members' latest releases. So if you were a UFO member throughout the year 2024, you would have received all 35 of these publications in your mailbox. Cool, huh?)
If you are a small-press creator/publisher who is interested in becoming a member of the UFO, you can find out how to join here. Thanks!!
Rob Imes
UFO Chairman
_______________________________________________________
Publisher: Rob Cooley
Cover artist: Rob Cooley
"Past and Present Mind" by Rob Cooley (comics)
Publisher: Rob Imes
Cover artist: Rob Imes
"America First: Fake News" by Rob Imes (text article)
"Captain America and the American Dream" by Rob Imes (text article)
"Captain America's Forgotten 'Companion Comic Book'" by Rob Imes (text article)
"'Hydra Cap' Was Actually Good!" by Rob Imes (text article)
"The United States of Captain America: An Appreciation" by Rob Imes (text article)
Publisher: Tom Fellrath
Cover artist: Tom Fellrath
"Welcome" by Tom Fellrath (text article)
Additional text by Tom Fellrath
Website: https://phoenixprods.wordpress.com/
Publisher: Tom Fellrath
Cover artist: Tom Fellrath
"A Recovering DJ" by Tom Fellrath (text article)
Additional text by Tom Fellrath
Website: https://phoenixprods.wordpress.com/
Publisher: Verl Holt Bond
Cover artist: Verl Holt Bond
"Post-Holocaust Blues Part 1: Crimson Dawn" by Verl Holt Bond (comics)
"Post-Holocaust Blues Part 2: Victims of the Fury!" by Verl Holt Bond (comics)
"Post-Holocaust Blues Part 3: The Far Shore" by Verl Holt Bond (comics)
"Post-Holocaust Blues Part 4: Call of the Nighthawk" by Verl Holt Bond (comics)
Publisher: Larry Johnson
Cover artist: Larry Johnson
"Blossom" by Larry Johnson (comics)
Publisher: Joe Ely Carrales, III
Cover artist: Don Simpson
"The Druid's Secret, Part III" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (comics)
"The New People's Journal" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (text)
Publisher: Joe Ely Carrales, III
Cover artist: Trish Ellis
"Lost on the Trapped Planet" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (comics)
"The New People's Journal" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (text)
Publisher: Joe Ely Carrales, III
Cover artist: Trish Ellis
"Lost on the Trapped Planet, Part II" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (comics)
"The New People's Journal" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (text)
Publisher: Joe Ely Carrales, III
Cover artist: Shane Luttrell
"Candidate Calamity" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (comics)
"The New People's Journal" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (text)
Publisher: Rob Cooley
Cover artist: Rob Cooley
"The Robot Robber" by Rob Cooley (comics)
Publisher: Tom Fellrath
Cover artist: Allen Freeman
"My Best Joke" written by Jim Mackey and drawn by Matt Feazell (comics)
"Doctor Hoot" by Tony Lawrence (cartoon)
"My Best Joke" by Jason DeGroot and Larned Justin (comics)
"With Apologies to Woody Allen" by Nik Dirga (comics)
"My Best Joke" by Teri Sue Wood
"The Laff Book" by Larry Johnson and Larry Blake (comics)
"Miss Lydia's Play Theater" by Molly Durst (comics)
"Tales of the Lion Gazette" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (comics)
"My Favorite Kindergarten Joke" by Matt Levin (comics)
"My Best Joke" by Keith Rogers (fumetti)
"Fun Time With Alan Groening" by Alan Groening (cartoons)
"Bad Joke Funnies" by Dale Martin (comics)
"The Nearside" by Tony Lorenz (comics)
"The Doo-Wop Boys!" by Chuck Bunker
"My Best Joke" by iestyn (comics)
"The Scout Leader's Best Joke" written by Tom Fellrath and drawn by John Muller (comics)
"My Best Joke" by Simon Mackie (comics)
"My Best Joke" by Larned Justin (comics)
Website: https://phoenixprods.wordpress.com/
"Keith Newsome - Renaissance Man" by Tom Fellrath (text)
Illustrations by Keith Newsome
Website: https://phoenixprods.wordpress.com/
Publisher: Kurt Erichsen
Cover artist: Dan Burke
Interior illustrations by Kurt Erichsen, Brad Foster, Larry Johnson and Neil Riehle
"Aergol Talks to Sass O'Frass, and Sass Just Talks" by Kurt Erichsen (prose)
"WorldCon Bound" by Kurt Erichsen (text & cartoons)
"The Museum" by Neil Riehle (comics)
"Out of Sight" by Larry Johnson (comics)
"Valerian the Barbarian" by Kurt Erichsen (comics)
"Git Orf!" by Schirm (comics)
"The Incredible Time Saving Device by Neil Riehle (comics)
"Afterword" by Kurt Erichsen (text & cartoons)
(This issue can be read online here.)
Publisher: Larry Johnson
Cover artist: Larry Johnson
"Nina" by Larry Johnson (comics)
Publisher: Larry Johnson
Cover artist: Larry Johnson
"The Gypsies" by Larry Johnson (comics)
Publisher: Steve Keeter
Cover artist: Tom Fellrath (photo collage)
Back cover illustration by Dan Burke
"Quotations from Chairman Loathly" and "Reprise" by Steve Keeter (text columns)
"Dispatches" by Verl Holt Bond (text column)
"Dollar Box Dilettante" by Heath Row (text column)
"Going to Mass" by Tom Fellrath (text column)
"I'm Trying To..." by Ian Shires (text column)
"Main Lines Revived #2" by Jim Main (text column)
"The New People's Journal" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (text column)
"Noz Notes" by Rob Imes (text column)
"Quick Takes" by John Muller (text column)
"Tales of the UFO" by Larry Johnson (text column)
Publisher: Steve Keeter
Cover artist: Larry Blake
Back cover illustration by Joe Ely Carrales, III
Front inside cover illustration by Rob Cooley
"Quotations from Chairman Loathly" and "Reprise" by Steve Keeter (text columns)
"The Art of the Review: On Making Critiques which Future the Art and Drive the Artists" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (text column)
"Dispatches" by Verl Holt Bond (text column)
"Distorted Transmissions" by Michael Waggoner (text column)
"From the Backwoods" by Joseph Morris (text column)
"Going to Mass" by Tom Fellrath (text column)
"I'm at a Loss for Words..." by David Oliver Kling (text column)
"Springing..." by Ian Shires (text column)
"A Successful Op (Sometimes)" by Rob Cooley (text column)
"Tales of the UFO" by Larry Johnson (text column)
untitled by Kurt Erichsen (text column)
Publisher: Steve Keeter
Cover artist: John Muller
Back cover illustration by Joe Ely Carrales, III
"Quotations from Chairman Loathly" and "Reprise" by Steve Keeter (text columns)
"Dispatches" by Verl Holt Bond (text column)
"Dollar Box Dilettante" by Heath Row (text column)
"Going to Mass" by Tom Fellrath (text column)
"New Member: Ken Bailey" by Ken Bailey (text column)
"The New People's Journal / The World According to Alexandra" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (text column)
"Noz Notes" by Rob Imes (text column)
"Tales of the UFO" by Larry Johnson (text column)
untitled by Kurt Erichsen (text column)
"Updates and Stuff / Quick Takes" by John Muller (text column)
Publisher: Rob Imes
Cover artist: Keith Newsome
Back cover illustration by Keith Newsome
"Dispatches" by Verl Holt Bond (text column)
"Dollar Box Dilettante" by Heath Row (text column)
"Edifice Rox" by Chris Ed Rock (text column)
"Going to Mass" by Tom Fellrath (text column)
"The New People's Journal / The World According to Alexandra" by Joe Ely Carrales, III (text column)
"Reprise" by Steve Keeter (text column)
"A Successful Op (Sometimes)" by Rob Cooley (text column)
"Tales of the UFO" by Larry Johnson (text column)
"UFO Reviews" by Adrian Kresnak (text column)
untitled by Kurt Erichsen (text column)
"Updates and Stuff / Quick Takes" by John Muller (text column)
Publisher: John Muller
Cover artist: John Muller
"The Hunt" by John Muller (comics)
Website: https://solo.to/mostlyretro
(This issue can be read online here.)
Publisher: Heath Row
Cover artist: Larry Johnson
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Publisher: Heath Row
Cover artist: Michael Waggoner
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Publisher: Heath Row
Cover artist: Blaise Moritz
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Publisher: Heath Row
Cover artist: Pete Prodoehl
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Publisher: Heath Row
Cover artist: Brad Simon
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Publisher: Heath Row
Cover artist: Verl Holt Bond
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Publisher: Heath Row
Cover artist: Joe Pearson
Compilation of APAzines by Heath Row (text articles)
Website: https://efanzines.com/HR/index.htm
(This issue can be read online here.)
Publisher: David Oliver Kling
Cover artist: AI generated
"An Editorial" by David Oliver Kling (text)
"Crimson" by Kerry Perdy (prose)
"The Rage of the Stone Chaplain" (prose)
"And The Sky Rained Fire" by Nicholas Macon Hurst (prose)
"Cold Fusion" by Benjamin Norman Pierce (poetry)
"...Of Precious Boreas" by Robert Henry (prose)
"Hands-On Experiment" by Larry Johnson (prose)
"Seven" by Mir Plemmons (prose)
"South Side Tails #1" written by Steve Keeter & drawn by Steve Shipley (comics)
Website: Amazon page.
Publisher: David Oliver Kling
Cover artist: AI generated
"Inside..." by David Oliver Kling (text)
"Ghost of a Chance" by David O'Mahony (prose)
"My Own Private Earth" by Lawrence Dagstine (prose)
"The Purpose of a Military" by Nicholas Hurst (prose)
"Ambrosial's Gargoyle Woes" by Mark Mackey (prose)
"The Boy in the Wood" by Robert Henry (prose)
"Hanging Around" by Anna Ross (prose)
"Whispers from the Abyss" by David Oliver Kling (prose)
"Poems" by Joy Yin (poetry)
"An Editorial" by David Oliver Kling (text)
Website: Amazon page.
Website: Amazon page.
Publisher: Ian Shires
Cover artist: Ian Shires
"The Big and the Small" by Ian Shires (comics)
Backup story by Ian Shires and Jerry Smith (comics)
Website: https://indyfestusa.com/
Good luck to all the nominees!



















































































