They're Not "Cowards," No Matter What Bush Thinks.

No. I'm sorry. I don't buy this scene.

It's not often that I feel I have one up on Warren Ellis, but he's stretched suspension of disbelief just a little too far here. Captain America diving into the ocean from 600 feet? Hey sure. Swimming in for five miles before reaching the hostages? Why not. Mowing down multiple guards who are armed with machine-guns? That's what he's FOR...

But bluffing and intimidating a cadre of hostage-taking jihadists?

No. Way. In Hell.

The Nazi credo was that German strength was insuperable, that racial superiority and sheer cussed determination would allow them to yoke the world. When this was proven false, the German spirit broke, and it's never completely recovered. So the scenes of Captain America making Nazis mewl in terror were radical oversimplifications, but not totally divorced from reality. How would YOU feel if you thought you were the Ubermensch, and then met him?

But Islamic terrorists are not Nazis. Repeat: Islamic terrorists are not Nazis. Bush doesn't get this, but Ellis should know better.

Islamic terrorists are the kind of people who blow up themselves, their girlfriends and as many of the enemy as they can get with the same reflex action with which most of us hit the snooze button.

Not all of them are like this, of course-- the self-preservation instinct is stronger than we realize. But in a group setting, ALL of them laying down their arms and forfeiting their 70 virgins for Jahannum?

No. No way in Hell. Captain America has to work harder than that. So does Ellis. So do we.

I look forward to his antiwar statement, but this is a shaky foundation on which to build it. (And as long as I'm feeling disagreeable, can you give me five minutes in a room with every news editor who thinks it's a good idea to begin an article about comic books with cute Adam West sound effects-- so I can punch them repeatedly in the mouth? K? Thx.)

The New York Times has some great reviews of two SF novels and an anthology, including Fred Pohl's latest effort.

Also from the Times: The globalization of the American movie, and its downside, with implications for SF as well as any other kind of movie. I think it's a bit unfair to the global market, focusing too heavily on what's been lost. It seems to me that in this age of war and tension, an art form with an appeal that penetrates all borders is more good for us than bad. But my old friend Charles has been saying the things in this article for years--

From another Times: Terrible article on "What We Still Don't Know," a BBC documentary. It manages to completely miss the point of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and acts like the average person will be utterly astonished by the concept of "virtual reality,"even though it rightly points out that the idea is at least 2,300 years old and gets trotted out in movies and TV shows every damn year. We just finished the Matrix trilogy, for Pete's sake! It's also flat wrong in its discussion of philosophy-- the notion of "life as a dream" still has a lot of traction, but it's not growing; it peaked with Descartes. This piece's chief virtue is that it-- unintentionally-- warns you to stay the hell away from the program.

From the same publication, a much better piece on the escalating console wars. Microsoft pulls out the brass knuckles.

Ed Kemmer is dead at 84. Almost forgotten by today's mainstream audiences, he starred as the Buck Rogers or Captain Kirk of 1950s TV, in the seminal progam Space Patrol. Worth knowing about for any student of media SF.

Wow. I don't know what's gotten into me with this one. Tomorrow, let's try focusing on articles that make me smile, eh?

Pok! Pok! Pok!

My old Science Fiction Club makes the campus news, and it only took four years of virtually nonstop dart-gunnery.

In Greece, the Mickey Mouse comic is up to issue #2,000. Suck that, Cerebus and Superman. A few words with the oldest living artist in the Carl Barks tradition.

Mad theories on the future prime-time lineups of the Sci Fi Channel, which could affect YOUR Friday night. So BE WARNED.

From the same site, more plausible theories on why Sarah Michelle Gellar just can't stake Buffy.

Part theremin, part electric guitar. I want this played at my entirely hypothetical wedding! (Oops! Link fixed. Thanks, Wednesday!)

Slow news day at National Geographic means an interview with the writer of The Science of Superheroes and The Science of Supervillains, a guy who bends over backwards to explain how even though teleportation is impossible, Lex Luthor might have created the ILLUSION of teleportation, then turns right around and says that the decision to adopt Superman and keep mum about his origins is just not logical. Does this sound like anyone you know?

SF author Jim Kelley contemplates the end of copyright as we know it.

Another Dead Redshirt brings us "Shatner's Finest Moment." (Sound file...)

And finally, the end times are here. Dave Belmore has found the Blue Screen of Death in Times Square.

Fans News Here, Too, But Without The Silver Lining.

The Incredibles' Tomatoscore is 97%. 97%. Go see it.

Futurefeedforward is back, and Boing Boing is calling it the best SF website, period. Onion meets Futurama.

Ouri Maler finds yesterday's cited essay kinda disturbing, and I have to admit I see his point-- is it wrong to lead an atheist who's losing his wits to a belief in God? I don't know. I do know that Alzheimer's is a horrific thing for anyone to deal with, so I'm inclined to be sympathetic, but other opinions are always welcome.

Philip K. Dick isn't done with Hollywood yet. "The Golden Man" was about as close as he got to a straight-up superhero story, but this is Dick we're talking about here, so don't expect bright primary colors.

I'm not a Stargate fan; never could get past the haven't-I-already-seen-this feeling. But even I'm intrigued by the idea of Ra coming back.

And speaking of unlikely comebacks, Jeffrey Tambor reflects on how close he came to dying-- and worse, getting no role in the sequel.

If the Wachowski brothers were trying to recover a little of their street cred by putting actual CRITICISM on their Ultimate Matrix DVD set-- then with me at least, they've succeeded. I mean, can you imagine GEORGE LUCAS doing that?

Finally-- my best wishes to Kara Dennison, voice actress, musician, cartoonist and frequent Fans contributor, as she prepares for surgery. Go to this page and scroll down to the last few paragraphs to read her summing-up statement.

Big Fans News At The End Of This One.

Really honest essay on one woman's deep faith and her grandfather's lack thereof. It's so honest that it weakens its own central argument-- you may have a different perspective on the end of "Daddy Pete's" life than she does. But it's nice to see someone other than Rikk Oberf find continuity, rather than disconnect, between faith and science fiction.

If you're anywhere near Athens, New York, Steven Spielberg is looking for extras. "Yes, I've worked with Steven, dahling. He's such a NICE man, but driven. Very driven. So what have YOU done?"

The SF RPG Xenosaga is coming to anime!

The Baltimore Sun has a profile (free subscription) on the theme park that's as close as we can get to Jurassic Park, which isn't all that close at all.

So what's prolific DS9 writer and 4400 creator Ira Stephen Behr up to these days? Putting together 26 more 4400s, from the looks of it.

Spotlight on the indie SF spoof Martians from Venus. If this sounds like your kinda thing, the creators' website has previews and contact info.

The Star Wars real-time strategy game is coming.

After mentioning Allen's enthusiasm in yesterday's entry, I'm glad to see he's getting more work, even as I worry we may have one or two superhero parodies too many in film these days.

And finally... bad news and good news.

Jason Waltrip has drawn Fans over three months in advance, but he will not be able to finish "The Ways The World Ends." He's been tapped by Tokyopop for an upcoming manga, and I urged him to take the opportunity-- because while I think we'll work together again, it'll probably not be as regular as Fans was; our goals are diverging. More about his new project as it becomes public.

However, I was able to secure my #2 choice, an absolutely HURRICANE-FORCE visual storyteller. In the absence of Jason, who will always be #1 on Fans for me, I couldn't ask for better. This guy has the talent, the drive, and the highly unusual sensibility to bring Fans to its conclusion, plus an absolutely sparkling resume including a history with the characters and the Waltrips. In fact...

...maybe you know him from his other work.

It's Wednesday!

And it's Wednesday White with a white trinity of links relating to that radical-Christian-SF Left Behind series that has sold so many copies and scared so many non-fundie SF fans! Here's a bit on what "creator" Tim LaHaye is "creating" next, with commentary by Wednesday herself, as well as a review of the first 66 pages of Left Behind by Slacktivist.

In space there are no reference points, so you can easily mistake a moon for a space station, unless you, like Monique MacNaughton, know about Starship Dimensions. The site is the only place where a Vorlon Planet-Killer looks like a phytoplankton.

Off Tom the Fanboy's earlier link to The Dionaea House, Tim Tylor recommends another pseudo-real horror story using Web tropes, Ted's Caving Page.

Joss Whedon's Firefly movie, Serenity, is intended to alienate the too-few people who saw the TV series as well as the casual moviegoer who has no idea why this isn't a movie about yoga. "I'm going to make the fans feel betrayed and confuse the hell out of everyone else," he says. Okay, not really. Actually, Whedon's dedication surprises even him. IGN visits the set.

Jai Arjun Singh reviews David Mitchell's insanely ambitious epic Cloud Atlas, which has been racking up praise from all corners.

You know, every once in a while, I get cynical about storytelling. Ugh, the INDUSTRY, it's all money, money, money, the focus group says we should change the ending, our lead actor's doing lines, the artist ignored my script, ugh, ugh. And then I see something like Tim Allen just gushing-- gushing-- over the Toy Story films, and I think, "My God. This IS important."

Finally, from Muttley, Justin B. Rye's various pages on various things science-fictional, from Star Trek to xenolinguistics...

No, Mom, It's Not About Those Angels That Sit On People's Shoulders.

Halo 2 is out.

The reviews look good. The BBC has thoughts for non-gamers on why we care so much.

Dreamworks continues its quest to be the #1 animation studio, landing distribution rights to Casshern, an aggresive mix of live-action and animation techniques. But reviews have called it mixed at best and incomprehensible at worst. I don't think Pixar is sweating about this.

Speaking of which, memo to the makers of the Fantastic Four film: give up now. The bad ideas just keep COMING, from the Human Torch's inability to fly to Michael Chiklis' papier-maiche Thing suit to Doctor Doom trying to bag Jessica Alba as Sue Storm. And besides, you've just been beaten to the punch. Nothing you can possibly do will be better than this.

So I was thinking about that SF club's quest for tax exemption I mentioned yesterday, and how I couldn't say whether they were really "educational" without more data. Then I realized there was this thing called the "Internets" where I could look them up. Sure 'nuff, their mission statement seems to be more along the lines of "have a good time together" than "bring Culture to the unwashed, unmanicured masses." But maybe that's just me.

Hey, if Threshold IS a "science fiction show for people who don't like science fiction," then is it only intended for the people who don't like it? Huh? Curse your oxymorons, David Goyer!

Another survey of real-life robots with a few models I hadn't heard of. No, I never get tired of robots.

Finally, Andrew Roswell-Jones has a stirring perspective on the future of "mentats," programs named for-- and with the same function as-- the human computers in Dune. Aimed at businesspeople but with implications for us all.

Tomorrow, Wednesday. Tomorrow!

P.S.: Happy birthday, Graham!

Concluding the Buffy Roundup.

Ooops. Contrary to earlier reports, Emma Caulfield was not in Chance. I trusted a bad source. BAD source! BAD, BAD source!

Also, apologies for some trouble with TalkAboutComics.com, where a couple of recent links have pointed. It should be up again shortly.

A new six-book novel series is beginning, described as "Star Wars meets Lord of the Rings." If that intrigues you, try the first chapter (PDF).

In the world of video games, twenty-twenty-twenty-four hours to go-o-o-o...

The Baltimore Science Fiction Society is seeking exemption from taxes, claiming it's an educational institution. I have no comment at this time... I'd need to know what their activities were before I could defend their claim, or mock it.

Hungary is bringing back Galaktika, a legendary SF magazine that was once one of the few outlets for criticism of a communist regime, with a circulation peak nearly 1% of the nation's entire population. But it folded in 1995, after the Berlin Wall fell. Will its place in history mean a new place in the market?

Great, short New Yorker piece on an sociology professor who teaches SF in the broadest possible sense. “What If? The Art and Science of Imagining a Society That Never Was?” Sign me up!

Back to Buffy.
Marc Blucas' acting resume has been respectable if nondescript since Buffy, which some would say is rather like his Buffy character. His other big love-interest role was in this year's First Daughter, and if you haven't heard of it... you're not alone. (Even there, the poor guy's getting typecast as a "Ken," with the character name "James Lansome"-- rhymes with "handsome.")

Emma Caulfield's other notable work last year was Darkness Falls, and general consensus is that she was the best thing in it-- by too wide a margin.

Man, you know Buffy was big when even Michelle Trachtenberg, who played the show's answer to Wesley Crusher, has her own fan site. Or two. Her biggest claim to fame since the series has been a couple of select appearances on Six Feet Under, as a spoiled pop princess. (Must... resist... cheap... shot.)

And finally, poor Kristine Sutherland's acting career seems to be deader than her character. Even her alleged fan site is pretty much just a photo-montage and some links that could as easily have been for Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera. Let this be a lesson to you actresses-- make sure that your most riveting performance is not the one where you portray a corpse.

See you tomorrow!

What's The Best Webcomic I'm Not Reading?

I'm curious. My current list (in NO particular order) is Clan of the Cats, Narbonic, College Roomies from Hell, General Protection Fault, Penny Arcade, PvP, Sluggy Freelance, Something Positive, Sore Thumbs, Wapsi Square, Gaming Guardians, Luann, Zebra Girl and of course everything on Graphic Smash, plus David Willis' Roomies at the former site of It's Walky. I catch up with the Modern Tales and Girlamatic archives every so often. There are other comics I read sporadically, but I don't make a habit of them. Send your recommendations here.

And if you're still feeling civic-minded about webcomics, try helping out with the Webcomics Wikipedia Project. I'm in there with R&T and P&A... and so are other Graphic Smashers... but under the rules of Wikipedia, I can't write articles about my own comics. Only YOU can. And YOU. And YOU. And HIM.

Alexander Danner recommends an anthology of SF short stories by people who have actual experience with alien invasions.

Arryn Heath comes into the field from historical fiction, and the premise of her first book shows the influence. Here's an excerpt.

The Matrix as Muslim metaphor.

It turns out that Tim Mitts may be in perfect shape to go into space.

And finally, Ursula K. Le Guin is keeping mum, but as Lisa Kremer says, it's not that hard to guess how happy she is with the casting on Earthsea.

Tomorrow, let's wrap up the Buffy survey once and for all, shall we?

"Yes, Master."

The Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith trailer is here.

Thanks to Hamilton Clower for helping me fix the Livejournal feed.

Mmmmm... either don't get the buzziest video game of the year, or get it and give Microsoft a foothold in the market, which you know they'll use for evil? Hmmmm.

Doom 3 won twice, but nobody really dominated The Golden Joystick Awards, which is probably the sign of a healthy video-game industry.

"SCI-FI" becomes an acronym. An exciting program for those interested in the future of architecture and how it may relate to the motion picture industry.

The authors of the popular Christian apocalyptic SF Left Behind series are feeling betrayed by their publishers, and not because of money...

Also from The Dallas Morning News, a local Lego expo.

Engadget has a feature called Movie Gadget Friday, ideal for fans of SF gizmos.

There's a Hello, Kitty MMORPG. Yes. Yes.

And finally, Cory Doctorow calls this one of the best science-fiction stories of the year, and he's probably right. Read the first paragraph and see if you can stop.

I'm In Love!

Snapping me out of the post-election doldrums, Graphic Smash has come to life as a "tan," a chibi representing an inanimate object. And it's not the only one.

NPR radio piece on Arkham House, the little publishing shack that broke in obscure writers Ray Bradbury and Greg Bear, and inspired the dinky li'l RPG Dungeons and Dragons. You know. Unimpressively.

How not to compare real science to science fiction. First of all, don't call a transporter a teleporter. Second of all, don't vague up your tech to make your weak argument stronger. The Laser Microdissection and Pressure Catapulting (LMPC) microscope is a marvelous device, but it only works over the distance traversible by a focused beam of light. So you still have to take the subway through New York City. Not to mention they're using it for, you know, microscopic stuff. This is a great STEP, guys, but we're not there yet.

MUCH more fun: the U.S. Air Force just did a teleportation study. Seriously.

The Sci Fi Channel has given Tom Vitale a largely ceremonial position as senior VP of programming and original movies. Seriously, this doesn't mean much more than the authority he already has, which is considerable. But if it comes with a raise, well, he deserves it. So who is this guy, and why does he deserve such praise?

Sci Fi's been busy lately. Here's something about their new initiative to help persuade Luddites like YOU to go broadband. BRAWWWWWWWWWWDBAAAAAAAAAAND. You know you want to.

Wednesday White worries that I'll be depressed again by the opening buzz surrounding the Transformers live-action movie. But I'm not... not yet. Live-action CAN work for that property-- when I was a kid, I used to look at REAL cars and imagine them turning into robots, and thinking how cool that would be. And that's really most of the point of Transformers, cool-looking robots with strident personalities. Yeah, this CAN work, and SF adaptations have had more hits than misses lately. I'm cautiously optimistic. Right now.

Anime News Network thinks it may have found a rare anime that's "low in [number of fans] but high in quality."

Monique MacNaughton points to some free downloads available from Baen Books.

And finally, video-game piracy hits the Big Three.

[Melancholy Sigh]

Regarding recent posts... no, life is NOT universally good, and if I *did* use this blog to denounce the political situation, now would be the time to do so...

Mostly, I feel guilty. Like when I read reports of people quitting their jobs to help dig survivors out of the rubble of the World Trade Center... why didn't *I* think to do that? And why didn't I do more to prevent... this? Am I so locked in my mental studio that I can't get out and join the world, even when it really NEEDS me to? I suppose most artists feel that way, some time or other, but that doesn't mean it isn't right to feel it.

My apologies to Republican readers, but... this is hard for me to swallow.

Other news: I Love Bees, the most successful phone-based RPG of all time, ends today.

Longtime reader Gwalla presents Will Shetterly's alternate reality squared that dares to ask, "What if George W. Bush had become President in 2000?" Too implausible, he answers...

For bad-movie lovers, the wandering Wednesday White offers a follow up to yesterday's Manos article: whatever happened to "Debbie?"

Tom the Fanboy has spotted a store that sells DVDs of anime conventions that seems to have a serious identity crisis about its URL.

Interesting piece from The Republican on the decline of convention attendances. Article may not account for all factors, but it is true that fan activism is not what it was. (I could have tried to organize an "SF Fans Against Bush" campaign. Or an "SF Writers Against Bush" campaign. That makes a nice acronym. Guilt, guilt, guilt...)

Picking up the Buffy thread, Seth Green is all over the place. Probably his best-known role is Scotty Evil, for which he has a small fanlisting. But even Scotty's devoted fans were largely disappointed with his transformation in Goldmember, and it's hard to see a fourth Austin Powers movie in the offing as long as Mike Myers is owned by Shrek. Seth himself seems to think it isn't likely. Still, in solid box-office second-stringers like Without a Paddle and Scooby-Doo 2, he's carving out a solid career as a character actor. At least one good thing came out of Scooby-Doo 2.

James Marsters appeared recently with David Boreanaz in London, but for the most part his post-Buffy career has been quiet guest appearances in in-production British shows. Around the time Buffy was wrapping, though, Marsters and Emma Caulfield starred in this little project called Chance, written, directed and starred in by one Amber Benson. This movie's is Benson's magnum opus... a meditation on cynicism and Generation Why. It's probably the biggest reason there are over 2,000 registered Amberholics. It's just crying out for me to say "you really should see it if you get the chance," but I resist. For you.

And finally... geez, this must be the season or something... another SF rock opera is out called In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3. Official site and sample tracks here.

What The Constituents Think.

I've been getting a lot of contributions from intrepid volunteers. Let's spend a bit more time with them...

Mark Mekkes is looking to flesh out the Executive Committee of the Web Cartoonist's Choice Awards. He needs officers in every position he cites that doesn't have an officer, but also needs good solid committee members. Bonus points if you're good at finding quality webcomics that other people haven't heard of.

Speaking of which, Graphic Smash has a new comic!

Pixie worries that the eugenics-run society of Gattaca may be just around the corner.

Hey, Tycho and Gabe! Ravenswood has a book you oughtta read! Poetry in Playstations!

Tom the Fanboy has found an epistulary horror story that borrows some of the good ideas from The Blair Witch Project and applies them to a MUCH scarier concept. Beware the Dionaea House...

And the waycool Wednesday White has sent me a passel of links. Among them: an article on one of the most-renowned bad SF movies of all time...

And a piece on the biological basis for false memories (paging Philip K. Dick).

Tomorrow, more Wednesday pieces, more Buffy actors, and more news! Life is good, eh?

Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote!

I promised you an Election Day blog, and here it is!

I've done my best to restrain my political opinions in this blog-- my feeling is that there are already way too many blogs where shrill conservatives or shrill liberals set themselves up on a pulpit and denounce, denounce, DENOUNCE. So let's find a silver lining here. I have to give props to BOTH candidates for their last-minute efforts to pump up voter turnout. Traditionally that's something only Democrats do, when it should be something all democrats do. Mind, I don't have any illusions that either candidate would sob over a low turnout from supporters of the other guy. But sometimes it's NOT the thought that counts.

It appears the Sims don't get everything right. After all, no one would stand for a voting machine like this in real life. Wait... ohhhhhhh...

Cobra Commander for President! Can Starscream be his veep?

Its reviews have been lukewarm at best, but I like Sore Thumbs, darn it, and its Election Day special is a prime example. Most political cartoons in the paper and out of it seem to be one beer away from a chair-throwing rage or a convulsive fit of sobs. Sore Thumbs is having FUN! It's so ZESTY! We can STAND a few goofy grins when we think about our political situation. It can make us cry all by itself.

Well, that's one way to get into the fantasy/science-fiction section.

Alternate-history fans, especially those whose candidate loses the election, may get a buzz out of Alternate Presidents. What if the losers won?

Patrick Farley starts with a similar premise-- a Gore administration that fights terrorism with technology-- in his excellent and still, frustratingly, incomplete The Spiders, one of the best webcomics of... whichever year it started coming out. FINISH IT, PATRICK! I BEG YOU!

And finally, a list of fictional presidents, courtesy of Wikipedia.

P.S.: The redoubtable Wednesday White has set up our live feed on Livejournal! How cool is this??? Look for more WW contributions... soon!

Reflections On My Power.

Eric Burns named a planet after me. A freaking planet. Yes, okay, a fictional planet, but STILL. A FREAKING PLANET. "So what did you do today, guys? Get any planets named after you? No? That's so sad."

A prominent reader of this blog wrote me to say that she bought We3 #2 on my say-so. That makes me happy, but as I told her, "I probably should warn people that it's not for the squeamish... parts are VERY violent, and it looks like it's heading for a tragic ending. But it's the kind of action story that I look for on Graphic Smash all the time-- it has compelling ideas, likable characters and a basic story concept you won't see ANYWHERE else."

But also, with great power comes et cetera, and I feel terribly guilty that it has taken me this long to inform you all about Fright Night, a lovely six-year tradition of "competition webcomics" continued through the offices of Comixpedia. Had I been quicker, you could have voted to elect your favorite. So you better believe I'm going to be screaming to get out the vote in TOMORROW's election.

Not that I think you're not bright enough to vote in THAT one without me. There are limits, yea, even to MY awesome influence. It's just karmic payforward, that's all.

So in recent posts we discussed what Sarah Michelle Gellar's doing, and what Joss Whedon's not doing. What about the rest of the cast...?

This will have to be the work of two or three days, because we're talkin' a LOT of cast members.

Aside from joining Whedon for the fundraiser (fan account here), Alyson Hannigan has done a turn on the stage in When Harry Met Sally. (Hint: she didn't play Harry.) There was the American Pie stuff, and there are reports of a fourth movie... but Hannigan's involvement is uncertain at best. An NBC sitcom pilot has also gone nowhere yet. Better luck catching her guesting on That 70s Show.

Nicholas Brendon did a fanzine interview recently, and still has a devoted fan following who don't care how hard it is to spell his name. But he's been pretty much invisible aside from a brief role in Celeste in the City. In fact, ABC Family seems eager to put old Buffy actors in its TV movies: see Charisma Carpenter. Carpenter, though, is doing a bit better on TV than her "ex-boyfriend," showing up repeatedly on Charmed and at least once on LAX, as reported best on her fan site. The rumor mill has it that she's even under consideration as Lois Lane.

Anthony Stewart Head's just going by Anthony Head these days, and he's keeping busy, thanks, though on fare that doesn't get a lot of exposure in the U.S. But that's just fine with him... family first.

David Boreanaz has got a few projects in post-prod, including the fourth Crow movie, which really should have been out by now. He seems a bit skittish about returning to Angel for TV movies, citing that "family first" thing, though one suspects typecasting fear also has something to do with it. He's tested for The Thing and Superman, though (unsuccessfully in both cases), so clearly some of Joss Whedon's comic-book-influenced ethos has rubbed off on him.

More later. Tomorrow, election stuff!

Halloween! So What Are You Going To Be?

The Washington Post has some good suggestions for Halloween reading here. To their list, I'd add We3 #2, available now at your local comic shop.

"THANKS A BUNCH:" witches and their cats pardoned 300 years after execution. Or as they'd say in We3, "ST!NK BOSS."

Good clean fun or Satanistic evil fun? The great Halloween debate will probably rage on long after today's kids are nonagenarians. Fort Wayne shows some hints of sanity about it.

Despite the debate, though, Halloween is actually growing in popularity, to the point where it has its own version of Wal-Mart.

8 PM? 8 PM? I had no idea Schenectady was such a dangerous little burg. I mean, kids gotta be safe and all, but 8 PM?? Paranoia hits Canada, too.

South Park's Cartman dressed in a Hitler costume, as did the Jewish adolescent Ben Kurtzman in the film Liberty Heights. Well, guess what.

If Hitler's too offensive, you can always go out as a pimp like thousands of others. I wonder how real pimps feel about this.

If you're allergic to eggs, the FDA wants you to stay away from "Jelly Candy Pops Sour Zip Kids." Doesn't that sound like a spam header?

Okay, I want a REAL hero in Brian Bendis' Avengers. I want Rescue Rick, the Grass Cut Man and his faithful sidekick, Tripod the Dog! "GUD DOG!" (Look, just buy We3, already.)

Finally, the top ten costumes of '04. Hey, Spider-Man, princess, witch, vampire, monster, Sponge Bob, ninja, athlete, ghost, and the Power Rangers? That's a pretty good Avengers lineup, too! Okay, no, it isn't. But I'd buy it!

Looking In On Old Friends.

In the world of webcomics, my old compadres have been doing notable things: David Willis has ended It's Walky in a way that gives me something to shoot for with Fans. Although... it is a bit jarring that he immediately-- immediately-- started up with the resurrected series Roomies, set at the absolute BEGINNING of Joyce's character development, one day after her (presumably) chronologically-last appearance. No matter what format they're in, comics characters have a way of cheating death and dodging cancellation.

Meanwhile, Maritza Campos just completed her best action sequence to date, and the REALLY wrenching part comes AFTER the fight is over.

And meanwhilier, Stephen Notley does his best to get out the vote.

On other fronts...

Ravenswood the Modest tips us off to news about the upcoming Narnia movies.

The wackiness-watcher Wednesday White has found a treat and a trick: Doc Martens for each member of Neil Gaiman's Endless (just in time for Halloween!), and William Shatner's latest album, legally downloadable (just in time for you to let your eardrums know you always hated them!).

Yes, The Incredibles is based on a true story. Or two.

"Elektra is lethal!" You know, until she gets killed. By a self-aggrandizing dipwad. Whom Daredevil will then beat up 4,378 times.

Hitchhiker's radio show already has one million web listeners. This time, why not follow the crowd?

In no science fiction movie, TV show, comic, website, play, radio show or pantomime ever produced, people control computers by moving their noses. Well, guess what. I officially love the word "nouse."

Primer is getting the attention from reviewers that it deserves. If only general audiences were as fair.

It is not often that I wish I lived in Britain, but the overseas buzz about Battlestar Galactica is so good that I'm almost ready to stop making jokes about the sex-change operations. Wait. Whom are we kidding? That will never happen.

Speaking of buzz from Britain, Iain M. Banks is back with another freewheeling parade of ideas, The Algebraist.

Finally, the Episode III trailer is coming!

Question of Blogging Ethics...

I always credit individuals who send me links (unless I forget). But should I credit sites that I often check out for their cool links? Because I keep repeating the words "Boing Boing" a LOT.

Lurk, But Don't Touch saw my meditations on Scrabble and reminded me of this video, which takes a lot of the character traits from Word Freak to their irrational conclusion. It's the kind of video that scares the Hell out of Shanna Cochran...

The witty and wise Wednesday White peers ahead to 2007, which apparently will see the birth of "the world's first hypoallergenic cats." I'm a little nervy about their claim that removing the allergen won't harm the cats in any way-- they may feel sure of that, but they can't really pre-test it, can they? Still, let's give 'em the benefit of the doubt. In fact, I'll even say that Shanna's future-cat from Fans is hypoallergenic.

This man made one of Arthur C. Clarke's dreams come true. No, not that one, or that one. Satellite TV. Yes, that was one of his.

It's looking like 2005 might be the year for videoconferencing. It's looking like it won't be the year for nanotubes. But, y'know, we've got Apple iPhotos and FLYING RAT NEURONS. It's a more interesting than not time to be alive, y'know?

The Economist reviews two comic books on my wish list.

Well, if he's not doing TV, and he's not directing X-Men 3, what is Joss Whedon doing? Stumping for Kerry, that's what.

Woodites rejoice. Art-porn fans rejoice. Ed Wood's last movie is available now.

Who needs all those whizzy, headache-inducing 3-D graphics? Play Grand Theftendo, the back-to-BASIC-basics version of Grand Theft Auto!

Think you've got a good costume for Halloween this year? Check out this multiple-award-winning Gimli... and WEEP. (Last two links via Boing Boing. See?)

Commentate!

Catching Up!

From Comixpedia, The Comics Reporter is the heir apparent to the much-missed comics weblog Journalista, even though the writers of these two blogs don't always see eye to eye on issues like "The New New New Marvel."

From the wondrous Wedneseday White, "robot pets from Gundam who talk to you when you type."

William Shatner can't do it. Brent Spiner-- I love Brent Spiner-- but he can't do it either. But this episode is making me consider breaking my Star Trek embargo. "Who invented the transporter-- and what if he wanted to take it to the next level?" See, I was braced against stuntcasting, but... that's such a good idea... ohhhhhhh, I know they're going to screw it up somehow... be strong, be strong...

Thanks to Brian Daniel for the Yoda fart rumor. Of course, we all know that George Lucas is far too accomplished a storyteller to so tastelessly sully his own mythic creatioHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA(sob)

400 pages on The Making of The (eleven-octillion page) Dark Tower series. No matter how big a Stephen King fan you are, Bev Vincent is bigger.

Frustrated Pilot is even more frustrated now that they're teaching rat neurons to fly. This article also has a link to the SF work that best anticipated it, as reported on the previously-linked Technovelgy, one of THE BEST SF SITES ON THE INTERNET, PERIOD. If you're not paying attention to this one, START!

Camper van Beethoven is back in music with a science-fiction rock opera called New Roman Times. Read what the critics are saying. If you like your SF with a bit of political commentary and you feel we've gotten back the worst of the Eighties, you'll probably enjoy it.

Birth is a harder call. This reincarnation romance has its supporters, but those who hate it reeeeeeeeeeeally hate it. If your story features an attraction between a Nicole Kidman character and a 10-year-old she believes to be her long-dead husband, "boring" is probably not a good word for a reviewer to use. But draw your own conclusions...

...because any film that takes too many chances is bound to be in a similar situ (well-loved and well-hated). Just ask genre-bender Brad Anderson.

Not that science-fiction fans pay any attention to critics anyway, apparently.

Also from Frustrated Pilot, hobbit skull found. Really! Sort of.

Finally, from The Internet Review of Science Fiction, the state of Israeli science fiction. Subscriptions are still free for another five weeks, so you have no excuse!

Said Every Day. Just Didn't Say When.

Seriously, apologies aplenty. Computer glitch cost me my usual update time, and a few entries which I'll have to restore tonight. So today's is short, but tomorrow's will be long.

At the... suggestion... of ravenswood, we've added a shiny new suggestion thread!

Stephen R. Donaldson has a new "Covenant" book out. And it's one of four. W00t! Read the first chapter.

I'm happy she got that "#1 in America" title while she still could. Because. I hate to say it, but Sarah Michelle Gellar's days in any kind of role for young people are numbered. Don't believe me? Look at that Beeb photo.

And on the subject of diminishing prospects for a Buffy revival, Joss Whedon flees TV because of the reality craze. Just like so many viewers!

Painkiller Jane was actually a better comic than its title would have you believe. Though that isn't saying much, admittedly. Still, high hopes for this Sci Fi series.

More soon!

Commentate!

Back to Stay.

An entry every day for the next YEAR. This is my promise to you.

During that year, I'll be getting serious about supporting this blog (independently of my work on Graphic Smash) so that I can continue it beyond that year. Look for an "advertise" page to go up this weekend. Other suggestions for sources of revenue-- and for content-- are always welcome.

One thing I miss about now-distant friends is, I no longer have anyone to play Scrabble with regularly. Scrabble has its own division of geekdom, celebrated and lampooned in the book Word Freak and its film adaptation Word Wars. There are tournaments in Oman and literary festival, and among its fans are singers like Christina Aguilera and Sting. And there are lots of Scrabble fans nearby. Yet for me, it's just not the same unless it's played with someone I know closely and like well. (Sigh) At least Uncle Arthur's still big into it at family reunions.

Is there a tabletop game you guys would like to see me cover? Yes, I'm taking suggestions all over the place.

Warhammer Online is back on. And there was much rejoicing.

Because other network reality shows just don't SUCK enough, NBC is actually airing Scare Tactics this Halloween. Okay, it's not as bad as The Swan, but it's too close for freakin' COMFORT.

It's been, what, TWO WEEKS since the last time William Shatner made the news? After doing the kind of cheesy promotional campaign they mocked in GalaxyQuest, Bill wants to go to space for real. Slashdot responds to this news item by observing that he is fat. Hilarity ensues, only not really.

And finally, 9-year-olds put the screws to the Church of Scientology.

Commentate!

Blog Returns Monday.

Gonna have to take the next few days off. I know, I'm sorry... but y'know, ten comics a week takes it out of you. (Yes, I can apologize and boast in a single breath. It's a rare talent, and I'm sorry for flaunting it.)

I'm working on a long-term solution to this problem which should go into effect next week. Wish me luck...

Just Think If Arlen Staranka Had Adopted Him.

In Fans today (Thursday): yes, that is a nod to J.G. Ballard, and not the first in the series. (But no, it was some other Ballard who adopted Will.) Check under the graphic for footnotes.

Robots set to take over the world in 2007, sort of, according to the United Nations. The long version of their report is here. While we wait, the first robot telescope! Perceptor would be proud.

(By the way, am I the only one repelled by the recent Transformers series? The animation's more TECHNICALLY proficient, but it seems like both characterization and aesthetics dropped off a bit in Generation 2 and then took a nose-dive. I can't even LOOK at the Energon series without getting a headache. Is it just me? Am I missing something? Anyone out there like it?)

The UK has some early word on the regular Battlestar Galactica series. Premiere has a kicky conceit (crisis every 33 minutes!) that bodes well. On the other hand, I hope Sci Fi's new version of The Wizard of Oz is better than it sounds like.

How do you make the UK's best SF film? Director Simon Cox knows you start with a business plan. So, want to invest?

Steve Butts (don't giggle) is trying to contain his enthusiasm for the upcoming Nexus: The Jupiter Incident. But it does sound like mecha done right...

Biotech-themed SF on pay Canadian TV. You may never see it, so get your vicarious thrills.

Neal Stephenson: The Slashdot Interview.

SF cons as a dating service. (I dunno, depends on the con. Trinoc*coN is a pretty sedate affair. But if you can't get laid at DRAGON*CON...) Similarly, geek pickup lines.

Video games start bringin' the sexay. I'm sure you'll join me in mulling the most important question here: "How will Tycho and Gabe explain this to their wives?"

About that Superman post yesterday: the rumors are true. Who cares, really, as long as Brian Singer is directing it, I'm in. This is the director who made Rebecca Romijn-Stamos behave like a good actress, after all. I'm less sanguine about the Fantastic Four film after listening to Doctor Doom talk about how he wants to bag Sue Richards.

Finally, when we threw amnesia pills into Fans, I honestly thought I was indulging my wildest imaginings. Maybe we'd have those in 25 years. Well... say it with me... guess what.

Commentate!

Farscalpers.

The kind of yellow journalism we need more of, concerning some Save Farscape campaigns. The writer also makes the very good point-- which no one else seems to want to admit-- that the producers of Farscape have to bear a fair amount of responsibility for the show's cancellation. I mean, yes, TV executives can be stupid, but not that stupid. Considering the calisthenics NBC went through to keep Friends and ER on the air, it's highly unlikely that Sci Fi would have gone through with the cancellation if they could have afforded to keep the show around. They had to know what the fan reaction would be...

From Anakin Darth Ferret (like I don't know who THAT is, CG), a fun Dr. Who song. And from Gwalla, a fun Dr. Who slash film.

Almost unremarked in the media is the death of Tetsu Yano, Japanese translator of just scads of books by SF luminaries like Heinlein, Herbert and Pohl.

Speaking of Heinlein, didjaknow his stories kept the inventor of the waterbed from getting a patent?

Video game avatars exhibited as post-ironic art.

Well, the writer kind of misses the point of Minority Report, but the idea of data caves is still fascinating. And no, I can't decide whether the cool factor outweighs the scary factor or not.

"Deep Impact" spacecraft launches. Because calling it "the Armageddon spacecraft" might give people the wrong idea.

All we have about the next actor playing Superman are rumors.

I've never heard of this guy before now, but you gotta respect the gall of anyone whose press release announces him as the future of science fiction.

Commentate!

Rocketing Through This One...

Sebastian gets the biscuit.

Fans reader Cather Steincamp writes: "I'm currently kicking around a novel that was indirectly inspired by Fans. (The only thing it actually has in common is a group of science fiction fans-- but, well, not the same kind. That's all I'm gonna say-- but I'm betting were you to read it you'd see a bit of Rikk, Tim, and Guth.) One of the characters will be named Campbell, in tribute."

I love my readers.

Godzilla academic convention. Seriously. From Sci-Fi News Blog. Also, one of the attendees has written this book.

George Lucas's lifetime achievement award.

From Boing Boing, live-action women's D&D show.

Criticdoctor reports on Invasion Iowa, and reports that the Iowans aren't all that upset. That somehow doesn't make me feel better about the whole thing, though.

From J. Lehmann: Techie finds a crueler name for firstborn than "Junior."

FBI gets Stargate SG1 webmaster. Submitted without comment... I'm too conflicted on this one.

Green Arrow's first sidekick got a drug habit. Now his new sidekick's getting AIDS. The moral? As a father figure, Green Arrow sucks. (Okay, not fair. Actually, she gets AIDS before meeting him. And if anyone can do this kind of story right, it's Judd Winick, whose AIDS-centered Pedro and Me should be required reading. But seriously, as a dad Green Arrow does suck.)

One more Blake's 7 link which thoughtfully provides filmographies of the actors so I don't have to.

And finally, four Thors: Dangerous and Fluffy creators Adam Cuerden and Timmeryn have cobbled up the most historically accurate Thor in comics history. And if you want to make Adam mad, bring up this image from Marvel's ever-expanding TPB line. It's "Teen Thor," and I'm not kidding. The mainstream comic book just had its "final issue," a claim which is fooling absolutely nobody; the question is not whether Thor will be brought back, but how, and by whom. One of comics' legendary writers has had his name mentioned repeatedly...

Commentate!

Still Catching Up.

The comics are comin' out on schedule, but the blogging's going to have to back up a little today too. I'll make it up to you with a doozy of a news&links roundup tomorrow.

Meantime, a tasty, tasty biscuit to the first one who can tell us where Shanna's two figurines come from. The pistol, of course, comes from here.

Commentate!

Dag.

I hate to do this, but an unforeseen technical issue makes it necessary. The final page of "Others" will be airing Monday, along with the first page of "TWTWE." Thanks for your implied patience...

Commentate!

Armagedda Are Upon Us...

This Monday begins the ginormous wrap-up Fans storyline, "The Ways The World Ends." You heard it here first.

This blog will take the weekend off while I mosey on down (incognito) to a Jersey convention and get caught up on scripting for Penny and Aggie. The Fans storyline "Others" will continue through Sunday.

No, the Liberator is no Enterprise or Millennium Falcon in the annals of popular culture, but Blake's Seven has earned itself a fan film. Devotees, getcher episode reviews here, yer comprehensive Wikipedia entry here, and yer encyclopedia devoted entirely to the show here. As they did for Star Trek, fans are trying to continue the series on their own yet also panting for a possible official revival. It's been four years since that was officially announced, but the producers keep that site updated, and hope springs eternal. You know us.

Piece on the soldiers of the future mocks Captain America way too much for my taste-- yes, he wears chainmail spandex into warzones, okay, OKAY-- but has valid points about the "Captain DARPAmericas" we're envisioning. Christopher Priest, I hope you're reading this.

Wow, I never expected the newspaper of my birthplace to endorse Team America.

Article on Farscape's new season has a list of other shows given a stay of execution by fanac.

As here, so there (apologies if you're reading from there): Taiwanese gaming firms get ready for the "hot season."

Want some free e-mailed horror stories that have nothing to do with the size of sexual organs? You'd be supporting the fight against cancer, despite the stories being free. No, really, you would.

This administration has driven William Gibson back to the blog.

Finally, Wil Wheaton has a book out, and he's got a reading from it available here. If you still think of him as just "the actor who dragged down Star Trek: NextGen," then you really need to give this one a listen. (Besides, *no* actor could have rescued that character from the lines he was given in his worst episodes...)

Commentate!

I Get A Little Mean In This One.

Gee, Star Trek producers are tired of being kicked around, just like Richard Nixon. Didn't see THAT coming. Poor babies.

Look, guys, I know it feels like you can't win, but that's only because YOU CAN'T WIN. Seriously, reread these entries: I gave you every chance in the world. You've burned all your bridges with the fans who care about primo SF, and you've wasted years trying to appeal to a demographic that can get pr0n much more easily elsewhere. You have destroyed or neglected virtually every likable trait about your characters. The only audience you have LEFT are the hardcore Trekkers, and despite how #$%@ing dumb you think they are, they are smart enough to know that the bottle may say "Chateaubriand 1989" but the contents are ketchup. Don't complain about the complainers, guys. Worry about the silence that comes when people stop complaining and just GIVE UP.

NPR discusses the RFID tag, a universal locator which could really have helped those guys on Lost.

And speaking of Lost, what ABOUT that damn polar bear?

The reviewed-as-much-better-than-it-should-be TV movie Thoughtcrimes plays this weekend.

EverQuest II has a couple of star voices, this time out. (So THAT'S what happened to Saruman!)

I'm starting to think Batman Begins might just work after all, despite another pair of incongruous villains.

This excerpt from Digital People gives you its flavor. Publishers Weekly sez it works best as a history of our fascination with robotics-- but doesn't do so hot when dealing with problems of engineering or philosophy.

Boudreaux, the robot space-dog.

And finally... Hey, if sexy pseudo-lesbian film fights can't convince you to vote, I can't help you.

Next ep, we'll look in on Blake's Seven...

Commentate!

Zz.

2001 introduced the concept of the "hibernaculum," where "hibernating" astronauts crawl in for a nap. We're not there yet, but we're thinking about it.

Also on the drawing board, picture-pigeons.

Still in only limited release, but Primer sounds fascinating.

Video gamers design their own roller coasters, picking among several themes including (gasp) an SF one.

For his next trick, George Lucas is sniffing around TV. Could do worse. Has.

Oh, another of Harry Potter's characters is gonna die in the next book. On the one hand, that's potentially touching, but on the other hand, well, there are eleven octillion characters in those things. Rowling at least admits that Harry will survive until Book Seven. Daniel Radcliffe says, "Outlook Not So Good."

Wow, despite lukewarm reviews, Shark Tale is doing great.

NY Times (free subscription) has a great piece on Anne Rice's customer relations.

And finally, testing to make sure your local candidate isn't a replicant.

Commentate!

Believe He's Flying Now. No. Believe He's Walking.

Christopher Reeve passed yesterday. There are pieces about his work on behalf of the handicapped, the impression he left as Superman, his last work, his brief suicidal depression following his accident, and the fact that his death should not have been totally unexpected for a man with his type of injury.

I was not aware of that-- and recently wrote a Fans page that implied he would still be alive and well in 2010. Time to revise that one. :-(

If you're feeling down about it, keep your eye out for airings of his appearances on "The Practice" and "Smallville," or look for his remake of Rear Window. The guy was having a lot of fun, right up to the end.

They were going to give Team America an NC-17 rating? I love this country. It's so insane.

From Boing Boing, The Fighting Perverts Power Ranger porn (this link is work-safe).

The Motley Fool gives some perspective on Midway's recent buyout of-- oh, excuse me-- "mini-merger with" Inevitable Entertainment. Also in gaming, the January '05 release Scrapland looks cool, and MMORPG master Mythic Entertainment is maturing mightily.

Slashdotters interview Neal Stephenson, one of the few people who might write fast enough to keep up with them.

A ghost play inspired by Arthur C. Clarke and a harrowing real-life haunting. Of course, it's not showing anywhere near me, and the interesting plays that do show near me, I hear about too late.

Nudist camp has its own SF con called "Spock-toberfest" where individuals cover their naked bodies in silvery paint. You think I'm kidding, don't you?

Finally, if the presidential debate were moderated by SF fans... tee-hee!

Commentate!

Say Cheese!

For the few readers not coming to this site from my comic Fans, that comic has begun its photocomic storyline. As ever, I'm excited about playing with new forms and variations on comics, and this time out I've been aided by a very able troupe of actors.

Also from the world of webcomics, Keentoons has gone live, shortly after the Keenspot newspaper strips launched. I hope these initiatives mean nothing but good things for my colleagues, though I'm reserving judgment until they've had a few months to prove their worth.

Not much news from the rest of the SF world today. A few quick items...

Cory Doctorow has some nice things to say about Terry Pratchett's latest book.

On the drawing board: A Princess of Mars, a film adaptation of the "John Carter of Mars" stories. No, it's not going to pull a Battlestar Galactica and transgender its protagonist. I don't think.

And finally, cyberkinetics are coming... you can now just about play Pong with your mind.

Commentate!

Percolating Through the Blogosphere...

People are talking about my performance as moderator of the SPX webcomics panels here and here. I have to agree with Joe Zabel that there were some built-in problems, but I think I learned from the experience and hope to get another crack at it before too long.

Eugene Roddenberry feels the world has room for one more Star Trek documentary.

Hilarious quote of the day: "Because the theater often gets movies several weeks after they're released, Anzalotti stays away from science fiction, horror and other movies that normally attract teenagers hungry to see the newest movies. Instead, the theater shows a mix of mainstream movies like Harry Potter"... which doesn't atract any teenagers at all, right? Dumdums.

SF artists, caveat emptor with this client!

Robert Heinlein inspires a journalist.

Whoa, you mean someone might actually sue over Scare Tactics? Promise?

Farscape fans, payday is here!

The National Book Festival adds an SF section.

Disparaging use of term "science fiction" #49: Humiliating failures of allegedly science-fact shows.

Finally, at times I find this dystopian essay shrill and quick to demonize, but have patience with it: it's got its points...

Commentate!

It's A Con! It's A Kahhhhhhhhhhn!

Enterprise finds YET ANOTHER icon of Star Trek history to strip-mine and ruin for future generations.

Jeopardy master Ken Jennings don't know his 17th-century SF, which cost him a Final Jeopardy... but not his winning streak.

Anarchy Online is FREE for two solid weeks??! Thats... ANARCHY!

Appleseed, the "3D Live Anime" from the creator of Ghost in the Shell, is coming. See the trailers.

NBC Universal reports double-digit profits for the Sci Fi Channel. Must be those crazy movies they produce.

One semi-legendary ufologist seeks to resolve the energy crisis-- with help from the aliens in his head.

New inductees, factual and fictional, to the Robot Hall of Fame. Similarly, the 2004 Intelligent Robotics and Systems conference (with video clips!).

Reasons to read SF other than fun.

Finally, too cool for WORDS: a treasury of science-fiction ideas and inventions.

Commentate!

Slow Day.

The only thing that really pops out at me is a link to a cool poem. It's at the bottom, because I needed something to give us a sense of closure. I'm a drama queen like that.

Trekkies creator Roger Nygard speaketh.

Captain Kirk influences local politicians. (Subscription required, but free.)

Greg, this Star Trek Andorian arc scoop is just for you. Don't say I never did nothin' for ya.

I'm as anti-censorship as the next guy, but if you're going to protest, get your facts straight. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is a feminist dystopian SF novel, and a damn good one. The Handmaid's Tail by Toni Morrison... well, it's not. Unconfirmed reports suggest it's porn, but I can't actually find a copy for sale anywhere. Anybody?

Nintendo's latest push to own all your spare time.

The man who took the Czech flag to the moon.

What do you do after reinventing Doctor Who? Reinvent Casanova, of course.

The Final Cut: hi-tech SF, hi-tech filmmaking, hi-tech projection booths.

Alan Moore and other British writers bring Brit-created comics characters to American audiences. Twenty-plus years after it began, the "British invasion" is complete.

Finally, the SFPA's favorite poem of late: The Metaphysics of Force. Read!

10010011 10011111!

I been Websnarked again! Puny hu-mon Eric Burns exposes me as a robot in the latest of a string of write-ups about comics I've written or edited on Graphic Smash. Fills my soulless central processing unit with joy.

Loose talk about William Shatner getting on Enterprise after all, along with Brent Spiner. They certainly could only improve the scenery, from what I can tell. (No, I'm still not watching Enterprise, but I have my sources.) Meanwhile, other classic Trek actors join a more enjoyable Trek series.

Halloween's a-comin', and Franklin Harris has obligingly provided a cable guide to scary movies.

Missisippi begins to take notice of SF-inspired band Atomship. Unique rock sound-- but an SF-inspired band from Mississippi would have to have one.

Along similar lines, check out the Massachusetts-based, musical-degree-holding, prog-rock band Eoband, with MP3 samples like "Attack of the Martians" and "Forbidden Planet."

Geeks in Space: A look at the culture that produces things like SpaceShipOne.

I can't take it: TrekWeb reports on Sci Fi Weekly's review of the Enterprise season premiere. Up next, TV Guide reports on TrekWeb's report on Sci Fi Weekly's review, then puts it in a top ten list.

Iraqi mega-blogger Salam Pax's confrontation with fame.

Antimatter weapons have been featured on Star Trek and Crisis on Infinite Earths. Well, guess what.

Finally, here's hoping the Penny Arcade bwahs pay attention to The New Games Journalism Manifesto. (Thanks to Boing Boing.)

I'm Back!

Great time at the Expo. Fun had by all. American Elf nailed the 2004 Ignatz Award for Webcomic, to the surprise of maybe two people. The Washington Webtoonists' first meeting was a decent success, with Chris Impink and Barb Fischer of Fragile Gravity and Matt Boyd of Mac Hall coming in. I'll sprinkle in notes about the comics I discovered there later, as appropriate, but let's get back to the SF scene and see what we missed...

Speaking of awards ceremonies-- I know there are too many-- but how can you not relish something called The Ig Nobel Awards? Rewarding those who "make us laugh, then make us think," and sponsored in part by the Harvard-Ratcliffe Science Fiction Association, which once had me and Greg as guests.

Disembodied Brain reports that Enterprise is at least going to get rid of that damned Temporal Cold War plot before it's put out of its misery.

Let the World Cyber Games begin!

Darth Vader reduced to holding up his pizza deliveryman. Unsuccessfully. How do you use a stun gun on somebody and they STILL get away? This is... this is just... Darwin-level criminal incompetence.

One of Buck Rogers' most faithful and illustrious disciples passes on.

Zionist and reactionary reviews of The Plot Against America have better titles than the actual novel. Yet the actual GOOD review from The New York Times has a rather dull title.

Dr. Who weddings still happen.

Oh my God, Tron is back.

And finally, another giant leap for all mankind.