Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for July 9, 2021

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Loki, Black Widow and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, the various DC Comics based movies and TV shows,, The Bad Batch and Star Wars in general, The Tomorrow War, Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, Fear Street Part 2: 1978, Independence Day at 25, Terminator 2: Judgment Day at 30, tributes to Richard Donner, the LGBTQ implications of Lord of the Rings and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Tor.com shares all the new science fiction books coming out in July.
  
• Tor.com shares all the new fantasy books coming out in July. 
• Tor.com shares all the young adult SFF books coming out in July.
  
• Leah Schnelbach shares five science fiction and fantasy books to enjoy this July.
  
• Tor.com shares ten extensive SFF worlds to get lost in.
  
• James Davis Nicoll discusses four SF works featuring a far future USA. 
• Kalynn Bayron discusses how marginalised authors are transforming gothic fiction.
  
• Molly Ostertag points out that LGBTQ readings of Lord of the Rings are no accident. 
• Ben Child declares that future Lord of the Rings films should acknowledge the gay undertones in the books.
• Mame Bougouma Diene talks about the links between A Song of Ice and Fire and the historical Mongol Empire.
  
• Hannah Marder shares some questions she still has about Harry Potter. 
  
• Steve J. Wright shares his thoughts on the shortlived fantasy magazine Unknown. 
• G.W. Thomas revisits the 1930s occult detective Dr. Muncing by Gordon MacCreagh.
  
• Howard Andrew Jones and James Enge share their ten favourite Jack Vance stories and novels.
• Podcaster and SFF fan Chris Hale has died aged 52.
  

 

Comics and Art: 

• Mike Glyer shares Marvel covers celebrating the 80th anniversary of Captain America. 
• James Whitbrook takes a look at the many iterations of Spider-Woman.
  
• Charles Pulliam-Moore is not happy with the way the gay X-Men character Prodigy was handled in X-Factor #10. 
• Charles Pulliam-Moore also discusses the fate of Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. Scarlet Witch in the recent "Hellfire Gala" X-Men mega crossover. 
• G.W. Thomas takes a look at Canada as portrayed in the Marvel Comics of the 1970s and 1980s.
  
• Charles Pulliam-Moore takes a look at Batgirl's latest costume in the comics. 
• James Bacon shares his thoughts on the 2000AD Sci-Fi Special: Global Justice,
  
• Arley Sorg interviews SFF artist Tommy Arnold. 
• Really Dicey interviews Jim Zub, current writer of the Conan comic.
  

 

Film and TV:

• Leslie Felperin calls Operation Rainfall cool-looking science fiction nonsense.
  
• Steve Rose calls Kindred an unnerving pregnancy horror film. 
• Steve Rose calls Son a creepy gothic horror movie.
  
• Juan Barquin shhares his thoughts on the latest episode of Lisey's Story. 
• Lucy Mangan calls Monsters at Work a subpar Monsters Inc. spin-off. 
• Shannon Miller feels that Schmigadoon wastes its talented cast in spite of good musical numbers.
  
• Cath Clarke calls Tove an impassioned biopic of Moomins creator Tove Jansson.
  
• Jason Kehe shares his dislike for the science fiction shows produced by Amazon Prime.
  
• Django Wexler shares five epic robot and mecha battles from anime.
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the Star Trek Voyager episode "Muse".
  
• Victoria Silverwolf revisits the 1960s gothic soap opera Dark Shadows and traces its connection to the gothic romances popular during the same era.
  
• Ryan Parker interviews William F. Nolan and Michael York, writer and star of the 1976 dystopian movie Logan's Run for the movie's 45th anniversary.
  
• Timothy S. Brannan revisits the 2007 sword and sorcery film Pathfinder.  
• Alex Brown shares her favourite SFF movies from the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. 
• Joe Sherry ranks all Godzilla movies of the so-called Showa era. 
• Ryan Gilbey interviews Rainn Wilson who played Harry Mudd in Star Trek Discovery and a Thermian in Galaxy Quest.
  
• Rich Pelley interviews the creators of the animated series Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds. 
• Charles Pulliam-Moore interviews Jeff Rosenstock, creator of Craig of the Creek. 
• Charles Bramesco explains why the American sitcom endures.
  
• First Fandom Experience chronicles Ray Harryhausen's involvement with the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society. 
• April Snellings profiles French actress Paula Maxa, star of the Theatre du Grand Guignol and the woman who was murdered the most times on stage.
  
• Louise McCreesh reports that Olly Alexander has refuted rumours that he will play the next Doctor Who. 
• Tom Dillane reports about a series of stunt accidents and injuries on the set of the upcoming Lord of the Rings TV series.
  
• Valerie Complex reports that Lovecraft Country has not been renewed for a second season.
• Borys Kit reports that Zack Snyder's next movie will be a space opera called Rebel Moon. 
• Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar has died aged 98.
  
• Director Robert Downey Sr., father of actor Robert Downey Jr., has died aged 85.
  

 

Tributes to Richard Donner:

• Richard Donner, director of Superman, The Omen, Lethal Weapon, Ladyhawke and The Goonies, has died aged 91.
• Ryan Gilbey shares an obituary for Richard Donner.
• Jeff Cohen, who played Chunk in The Goonies, shares a tribute to Richard Donner.
  
• Tim Robey chronicles the troubled production of Richard Donner's 1978 movie Superman.
  

 

Comments on Loki and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general (spoilers):

• Emmet Asher-Perrin shares their thoughts on "Journey into Mystery", the latest episode of Loki. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw shares her thoughts on "Journey into Mystery". 
• Andy Welch shares his thoughts on "Journey into Mystery". 
• Caroline Siede shares her thoughts on "Journey into Mystery". 
• Sam Barsanti shares his thoughts on "Journey into Mystery". 
• James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on "Journey into Mystery". 
• Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on "Journey into Mystery". 
• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on "Journey into Mystery".
  
• Font Folly shares his thoughts on "Journey into Mytsery".
  
• Charles Pulliam-Moore discusses the relationship between Loki and Sylvie in Loki.
• Germain Lussier discusses the character of Alligator Loki in Loki. 
• Rachel Paige also discusses Alligator Loki and how the team made him work on set. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw sheds some light on the characters introduced in the mid-credits scene in episode 4 of Loki.
• Watch a trailer for What If?
  

 

Comments on Black Widow: 

• Cath Clarke interviews Cate Shortland, director of Black Widow. 
• Marah Eakin interviews Cate Shortland, director of Black Widow.
• Alexi Duggins interviews David Harbour who plays Red Guardian in Black Widow.
• Meredith B. Kile interviews Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios.
• James Whitbrook reports that Black Widow was supposed to set up a connection to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
  

 

Comments on the various DC Comics based movies and TV Shows:

• Scott von Doviak shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Flash.
  
• Eva Wiseman interviews Margot Robbie, who plays Harley Quinn in the various DC Comics based movies.
  

 

Comments on The Bad Batch and Star Wars in general:

• Jarrod Jones shares his thoughts on "Common Ground", the latest episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on "Common Ground".
• Watch a trailer for Star Wars: Visions.
  

 

Comments on The Tomorrow War: 

• Barry Hertz calls The Tomorrow War Starship Troopers for dummies.
• Brian Lowry calls The Tomorrow War an uninspired time travel tale. 
  
• Bob Mayer declares that The Tomorrow War has great ideas, but is lacking in execution.
• Paul Levinson actually enjoyed The Tomorrow War.
  
• Valerie Complex interviews Chris Mckay, director of The Tomorrow War.
• Marah Eakin interviews Sam Richardson, one of the stars of The Tomorrow War.
• Anthony D'Alessandro reports that The Tomorrow War will be getting a sequel.-
  

Comments on Fear Street Part 2: 1978:

• Benjamin Lee calls Fear Street Part 2: 1978 another winner.
• A.A. Dowd calls Fear Street Part 2: 1978 a gory but plodding Friday the 13th riff.
• Watch a trailer for Fear Street Part 2: 1978.

 

Comments on Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway:

• Sam Barsanti praises Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway for actually giving its protagonist a choice whether they want to be a hero or not.
• James Whitbrook declares that the human characters of Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway shine brighter than the mechas.
  

 

Comments on Independence Day at 25:

• Germain Lussier revisits the 1996 science fiction film Independence Day for its 25th anniversary and finds that it has aged very well.
• Aaron Crouch interviews the cast and crew of the 1996 science fiction movie Independence Day for the movie's 25th anniversary.

 

Comments on Terminator 2: Judgment Day at thirty:

• Charles Bramesco revisits the 1991 science fiction film Terminator 2: Judgment Day for its 30th anniversary.  
• Alan Siegel interviews the cast and crew of Terminator 2: Judgment Day for the movie's 30th anniversary.

Awards: 

• The finalists for the 2021 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2021 Eugie Foster Memorial Award for Short Fiction have been announced.
  
• The nominations for the 2021 ESFS Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2021 SFF Rosetta Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2020 Aurealis Awards have been announced.
  
• The finalists for the 2021 Dwarf Stars Award have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2021 Scribe Awards have been announced.
• The recipients of the 2021 Bill Finger Award have been announced.
• The first annual Self-Published Science Fiction Competition is open for submissions.
• Nicholas Whyte shares his thoughts about the Hugo Award for Best Related Work.
• Stuart Hotston, one of the judges of the Arthur C. Clarke Award, discusses the books submitted for the award and what they illustrate about the state of British genre publishing.
  

 

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Greta Hayer tells authors to write what they know, but remember what they don't.
• Sarah Chorn talks about writing with an emotional landscape.
• T.J. Newman explains how she handled 41 rejections on the same novel.
  
• Victoria Strauss points out that publishers claiming copyright for edits is not legit.
• Tishani Doshi reports about the persecution of poets and writers around the world.
• Alison Flood reports that a Hungarian bookshop has been fined 250000 florint for selling a children's book featuring LGBTQ+ families without a warning label.
  
• Mark Athiakis wonders whether organising your book collection is worthwhile.
• The Guardian shares photos of the best new public libraries.
  

Interviews:

• Paul Weimer interviews Cat Rambo. 
• Runalong the Shelves interviews Stark Holborn.
  
• Arley Sorg interviews Sheree Renée Thomas. 
• Archaic Media interviews Jack Dann. 
• Alex Preston interviews Robert Harris.
  
• The Horror Writers Association interviews Norman Prentiss. 
• The Qwillery interviews J.P. Oakes.
  
• Cat Luria interviews Georgia Cook.
• Scott Edelman interviews Joshua Bilmes.
  

Reviews:

• Publishers Weekly reviews The Scavenger Door by Suzanne Palmer.
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen.
  
• New Scientist reviews A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers.
• Publishers Weekly reviews Oaths of Legacy by Emily Skrutskie.
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews Day Zero by C. Robert Cargill.
• James Davis Nicoll reviews After the Dragons by Cynthia Zhang.
• Liz Bourke reviews Soulstar by C.L. Polk. 
• L.A. Young reviews The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner. 
• Leah Schnelbach reviews Bright and Dangerous Objects by Anneliese Mackintosh.
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Extraordinary by K.L. Noone.
  
• Mark Yon reviews Seven Deaths of an Empire by G.R. Matthews.
  
• Gabino Iglesias reviews Later by Stephen King.
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Queen of the Cicadas by V. Castro.
  
• No More Grumpy Bookseller reviews Queen of the Cicadas by V. Castro.
• Lara Feigel reviews Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder. 
• Ian Mond reviews Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. 
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews The Impossible Resurrection of Grief by Octavia Cade.
  
• Maya C. James reviews Prayer for the Living by Ben Okri. 
• Matthew Keeley reviews Big Dark Hole by Jeffrey Ford.
  
• Bill Capossere reviews The Rock Eaters by Brenda Peynado. 
• John O'Neill reviews The Red Man and Others by Remco van Straten and Angeline B. Adams.
  
• Luke E. Dodds reviews Thune's Vision by P. Schuyler Henstrom. 
• J. Thomas Howard reviews The Eye of Sounnu by Schuyler Henstrom. 
• Publishers Weekly reviews We're Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2020, editec by C.L. Clark and Charles Payseur.
  
• Steven Poole reviews The Greatest Adventure: A History of Human Space Exploration by Colin Burgess.

 
Classics reviews:

• G.W. Thomas revisits the 1940 horror story "Spotted Satan" by Otis Adalbert Kline and E. Hoffman Price. 
• Alan Brown revisits the 1949 YA science fiction novel Red Planet by Robert A. Heinlein.
  
• Young People Read Old SFF revisit the 1965 short story "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman" by Harlan Ellison. 
  
• David Levinson revisits the August 1966 issue of If - Worlds of Science Fiction.
• Gideon Marcus revisits the August 1966 issues of Galaxy. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1968 science fiction collection So Bright the Vision by Clifford D. Simak.
• Matthew J. Constantine revisits the 1972 Chronicles of Amber science fantasy novel The Guns of Avalon by Roger Zelazny. 
• M. Harold Page revisits the 1973 non-fiction books Imaginary Worlds 3: Tricks of the Trade and Reflections by Lin Carter. 
• Joachim Boaz revisits the 1974 dystopian novel Twilight Country by Knut Faldbakken, translated by Joan Tate.
  
• Judith Tarr revisits the 1976 science fiction collection Perilous Dreams by Andre Norton. 
• Joe Kenney revisits the 1976 Six Million Dollar Man tie-in novel The Secret of Bigfoot Pass by Mike Jahn.
  
• Nocturnal Revelries revisits the 1977 collection Don't Dream: The Collected Fantasy and Horror of Donald Wandrei.
  
• James Maliszewski revisits the 1978 sword and sorcery story "The Pit of Wings" by Ramsey Campbell.
• Terhali's Particular Satisfaction revisits the 1978 historical fantasy novel Gloriana or The Unfulfill'd Queen by Michael Moorcock.
  
• Paperback Warrior reviews The Quest, a 1981 novel in The Survivalist post-apocalyptic men's adventure series.
• Ken Lizzi revisits the 1985 fantasy anthology  Isaac Asimov’s Magical Worlds of Fantasy 5: Giants, edited by Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 2001 science fiction novel The Chronoliths by Robert Charles Wilson.
  

Con and event reports:

• Arley Sorg reports about the virtual 2021 SFWA Nebula Conference.  
• Rogues in the House report about the 2021 Robert E. Howard Days in Cross Plains, Texas.
• Mike Glyer shares some news for the 2023 Westercon site selection.
• Germain Lussier interviews David Glaser, spokesman for San Diego Comic Con, about their upcoming virtual and in-person events. 
• The Cromcast shares a recording of the Porchlight Poetry event at the 2021 Robert E. Howard Days in Cross Plains, Texas, including a multilingual reading of Robert E. Howard's poem "Cimmeria".
  
• Andrew Pulver reports about the return of the Cannes Film Festival as a physical event.
  

 

Crowdfunding:

• Chaosium Inc. is looking for funding to bring its classic Call of Cthulhu RPG from the 1980s back into print.
  

 

Science and technology:

• Kenneth Chang reports that the UAE's Hope Mars orbiter has captured a picture of the aurorae of Mars.
  
• Phys.org explains why Mercury has such a big iron core. 
• Juan Siliezar reports about the comet that killed the dinosaurs.
• Chloe Gordon shares IKEA's new assembly manuals which feature aliens.
• Jordan Tannahill reports about a mysterious hum that has been heard first in the Bristol area and then elsewhere in the UK.
• Josephine Wilkinson talks about the mystery of the so-called "Man in the Iron Mask" and how Voltaire helped to spread this early conspiracy theory.

Free online fiction:

• "Promises We Made Under a Brick-Dark Sky" by Karen Osborne in Clarkesworld.
  
• "The Spelunker's Guide to Unreal Architecture" by L. Chan in The Dark. 
• "Now We Paint Worlds" by Matthew Kressel in Tor.com.
• "At the Periphery" by Benjamin Peek in Nightmare Magazine. 
• "The Graveyard" by Eleanor Arnason in Uncanny Magazine. 
• "The Wishing Pool" by Tanarive Due in Uncanny Magazine.
  
• "To My (Final) Girl" by Dustin Katz in Fantasy Magazine.
  
• "Lady Fortune" by Archita Mittra in Anathema Magazine.
• "Vegoia" by Patrice Rivara in Luna Station Quarterly.
• "How to Become an Ancestor" by Nicole D. Sconiers in Lightspeed.
  
• "Miss the Zen, But Miss You More" by Everdeen Mason in Lightspeed.
• "Friendship Is Magic" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman in Daily Science Fiction.
• "Seven Unbreakable Rules for Robot Butlers" by Christopher Zerby in Daily Science Fiction. 
• "Total Lockdown" by Andy McKell in Daily Science Fiction. 
• "Nightcrawlers" by Zack Lux at Daily Science Fiction.
  
• "The Sphere That Ate the Mississippi Delta" by Cora Buhlert.
• Download issue 0 of Occult Detective Magazine for free.
  

 

Trailers and videos: 

• Watch a trailer for Masters of the Universe: Revelation. 
• Watch a trailer for Transformers: War for Cybertron.
• Watch a trailer for Sharks of the Corn.
• Watch a trailer for Encanto.
  

  

Odds and ends:

• Elizabeth Lim shares two recipes from her fantasy novel Six Crimson Cranes.