Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for June 12, 2020

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the J.K. Rowling transphobia controversy, The Vast of Night, the various iterations of Star Trek, the various iterations of Star Wars, Doctor Who, Snowpiercer, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, What We Do in the Shadows, Artemis Fowl, Shirley, Stargirl, Ruby Rose leaving Batwoman, the disarmament of Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam in the new Looney Tunes, the latest convention cancellations and virtual conventions due to the corona virus, reactions in the SFF community to the death of George Floyd due to police brutality and much more. 

Speculative fiction in general:

• Bill Capossere wonders if speculative fiction can help to fight racism.
• Maya Gittelman shares fantasy novels by Filipino authors. 
• Amparo Ortiz shares five books by Latino authors featuring mythical creatures. 
• Julie Muncy shares fantasy novels by LGBTQ writers.
• James Davis Nicoll shares five SFF works inspired by roleplaying games.
• Phoebe Low discusses cultural resonance in Jade City by Fonda Lee. 
• Jason Sacks reports about the debut of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, in 1965. 
• Sam Thielman reports that Gerry Conway, creator of the Punisher, is appallled that the Punisher logo has been appropriated by the far right and has responded by turning it into a symbol to promote Black Lives Matter.
• Heidi McDonald reports that DC Comics has ended its distribution agreement with Diamond.
• Alison Flood reports that Neil Gaiman and illustrator Chis Riddell will be collaborating on an illustrated children's book about pirates. 

Comments on J.K. Rowling's remarks about transpeople:

• Charu Sinha reports that J.K. Rowling a.k.a. Robert Galbraith has made several transphobic tweets - again. 
• J.K. Rowling tries to clarify her transphobic tweets and mostly succeeds in digging the hole only deeper. 
• Sian Cain reports about the transphobia controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling. 
• Gabrielle Bellot responds to J.K. Rowling and declares that Rowling betrayed the world she created.
• Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter in the eponymous movie series, responds to J.K. Rowling's tweets about gender identity. 
• Eddie Redmayne, who plays Newt Scamander of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, also responds to J.K. Rowling.  
• Rupert Grint, who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies, has also responded to J.K. Rowling. 
• Adam B. Vary wonders what J.K. Rowling's problematic tweets will mean for the future of the Fantastic Beasts movies, which already suffered from domestic abuse allegations against two of their stars, 
• In the light of J.K. Rowling's recent remarks, the Hugo Book Club looks back at the 2001 Hugo win for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and wonders whether it was truly deserved.
  

Film and TV:

• Jesse Hassenger calls The Last Days of American Crime a bloated science fiction heist movie.  
• Cath Clarke calls Tell Tale Heart a lurid gothic with some fine grisly moments. 
• Alex McLevy shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Agents of SHIELD.
• Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on Bloodshot. 
• Rakib Ahmad Khan shares his thoughts on the South Korean historical fantasy TV series Kingdom.
• Eric Francisco shares everything we know about the upcoming TV series Lovecraft Country so far. 
• Noah Berlatsky rewatches the 2014 apocalyptic film The World's End.
• Edward Tew shares his appreciation for the 2014 horror movie Creep. 
• Eleanor Fye traces the strange career of Allan Smithee, the pseudonym directors use when they want to distance themselves from a film, and takes a look at some of the movies "Allan Smithee" directed over the years.
• Ben Child declares that Bill and Ted should have stayed in the 1990s, because their cultural moment is long past.
• Ben Child wonders about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and whether "Secret Wars" will be the next great crossover.
• Richard Newby complains that superhero movies and comics fail to address police violence.
• Theo Kogod ranks every actor who ever played Superman by comic accuracy.
• Stuart Heritage reports that James Bond will be revealed to have a five-year-old daughter in the upcoming Bond movie No Time To Die.
• Rick Porter and Lesley Goldberg report that actor Hartley Sawyer, who plays Ralph Dibny a.k.a. Elongated Man in The Flash, has been fired after several racist, misogynist and homophobic tweets he made between 2012 and 2014 recently resurfaced.
  

Comments on The Vast of Night: 

• Rosie Fletcher calls The Vast of Night a retro science fiction gem. 
• Tasha Robinson calls The Vast of Night a familiar tale, but superbly well told.
• Christopher Orr calls The Vast of Night the perfect movie for this moment in time.
• Paul Levinson calls The Vast of Night well worth watching, but not as groundbreaking as it has been made out to be. 
• Amy West interviews Jake Horowitz, one of the stars of The Vast of Night (spoilers).
• Jazz Tangcay interviews Miguel Littin-Menz, director of photography for The Vast of Night.
  

Comments on the various iterations of Star Wars: 

• Emmet Asher-Perrin asks if allegory prevents Star Wars from being anti-racist.
• Robert Daniels claims that Star Wars has repeatedly overlooked the black experience.
• Cora Buhlert revisits Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
• Aaron Crouch reports that showrunner Jon Favreau has given an update on the status of season 2 of The Mandalorian.
• Kofi Outlaw explains some mysteries in the timeline of The Mandalorian.
  

Comments on the various iterations of Star Trek:

• S.E. Fleenor points out that Seven of Nine was always LGBTQ.
• James Whitbrook reports that Jason Isaacs who plays Captain Gabriel Lorca in Star Trek Discovery, still hopes that the prime universe version of his character will eventually appear on the show. 
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the Star Trek Voyager episodes "Tuvix" and "Resolutions".
• Alvaro Zinos-Amaro revisits the 2009 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine tie-in novel The Never-Ending Sacrifice by Una McCormack.
  

Comments on Doctor Who:

• Martin Belam discusses how fans and creators have kept Doctor Who running through the corona virus pandemic. 
• Clark Collis interviews Mandip Gill, who plays Yasmin Khan in Doctor Who.
• Jessica Holmes rewatches the 1965 Doctor Who episode "The Chase". 
• Watch the Doctor Who mini-episode "The Best of Days"
  

Comments on Snowpiercer: 

• Charles Pulliam-Moore calls Snowpiercer an apocalyptic Law and Order spin-off set on a train.
• Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Snowpiercer.

Comments on Penny Dreadful: City of Angels:

• Danette Chavez shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.
• Michael Barson interviews John Logan, creator of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.
  

Comments on What We Do in the Shadows:

• Tyler Dean explains how What We Do in the Shadows became the funniest show on television. 
• Ellen E. Jones shares her thoughts on season 2 of What We Do in the Shadows. 
• Katie Rife shares her thoughts on the season 2 finale of What We Do in the Shadows.

Comments on Artemis Fowl:

• Peter Bradshaw calls Artemis Fowl fantasy by the numbers. 
• Roxana Hadadi calls Artemis Fowl a smug and cheesy YA fantasy adaptation.

Comments on Shirley: 

• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw declares that Shirley is more psychological horror than traditional biopic.
• Leah Schnelbach shares her thoughts on the psychological horror movie cum Shirley Jackson biopic Shirley.
• Marah Eakin interviews Elisabeth Moss and Michael Stuhlbarg who play Shirley Jackson and her husband in Shirley.

Comments on Stargirl:

• Caroline Siede shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Stargirl. 
• Nicole Drum shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Stargirl. 
• Nicole Drum interviews Yvette Monreal who plays Yolanda Montez a.k.a. Wildcat in Stargirl.
• Nicole Drum discusses the character of The Shade in Stargirl.

Comments on Ruby Rose leaving Batwoman:

• Michael Ausiello reports that after star Ruby Rose left Batwoman after only season, her role will not be recast, but that she will be replaced by a new character.
• Matt Webb Mitovich reports that Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries considered recasting the role of Kate Kane a.k.a. Batwoman but ultimately decided against it.
• Tor.com has more information on how Batwoman will handle the exit of Ruby Rose.
  

Comments on Looney Tunes and the disarmament of Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam:

• The Guardian reports that Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam will no longer have guns in the latest Looney Tunes cartoon series.
• Kevin Polowy shares various reactions to the disarmament of Elmer Fudd and Yodemite Sam.
• Cameron Bonomolo also shares various reactions and responses to the disarmament of Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam.
• Robert Ito declares that the new Looney Tunes capture the look and feel of the originals - except for Elmer Fudd's and Yosemite Sam's guns, that is.
  

Awards: 

• The finalists for the 2020 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award have been announced.
• The nominees for the 2019 Shirley Jackson Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2020 Kurd Laßwitz Preis have been announced. 
• The winner of the 2020 Premio Urania Short has been announced.
• The winners of the 2019 Australian Shadows Awards have been announced.
• The longlist for the 2020 Sunburst Awards has been announced.
• The shortlist for the 2020 Geffen Awards has been announced.
• The finalists and winners of the 2019 Peabody Awards have been announced.
• The nominees for the 2020 Origins Awards have been announced.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Charlie Jane Anders attempts to tackle the question what to write about in difficult times. 
• Iris Johansen declares that the best way to know a writer is through their characters. 
• M.J. Arlidge explains how to evolve your protagonist.
• Kalynn Bayron points out that marginalised people deserve to be princes, princesses and chosen ones, too. 
• S.K. Barnett explains how advertising taught him the art of the twist.
• Kristine Kathryn Rusch declares that sometimes, it is important to speak out, even if one loses readers or followers over it. 
• Alison Flood discusses the disparate advances paid to white and black authors. 
• Concepción de León and Elizabeth A. Harris also discuss the disparate advances paid to white and black authors. 
• John the Correlator takes a look at racial representation on the New York Times bestseller list.
• The RWA has issued a statement expressing their support for Black Lives Matter and black romance writers in general.  
• Clare Thorp asks what makes an iconic book cover.
• Josephine Wolff reports about the new Associated Press Stylebook. 
• Alex Green interviews various booksellers about their experiences during the corona virus pandemic.
• The BBC reports that Elon Musk has called for Amazon to be broken up as part of his longstanding rivalry with Jeff Bezos after Kindle Direct Publishing rejected an author's book about the corona virus.
• Andrew Liptak reports about the destruction of the Uncle Hugo's and Uncle Edgar's science fiction and mystery bookstores during the riots following the death of George Floyd due to police violence in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  

Interviews:

• Brienne Walsh interviews N.K. Jemisin. 
• Paul Weimer interviews Aliette de Bodard.
• Mary Wang interviews Ken Liu. 
• Locus interviews Tobias S. Buckell. 
• Runalong the Shelves interviews Jeremy Szal.
• Andrea Johnson interviews Lauren Beukes and Fryda Wolff 
• Runalong the Shelves interviews Joyce Chng.
• Hadley Freeman interviews Max Brooks.
• Book Marks interviews Alice Hoffman.
• Andrea Johnson interviews Eboni Dunbar, L.D. Lewis and Brent C. Lambert of FIYAH - Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction.
  

Reviews: 

• Runalong the Shelves reviews Stormblood by Jeremy Szal. 
• Bitter Tea and Mystery reviews The Collapsing Empire by John Scalzi.
• Camestros Felapton reviews The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders. 
• Kelly Lasiter reviews The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling.
• Marion Deeds reviews The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal.
• Joe Sherry reviews The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal.
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
• Andrea Johnson reviews Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. 
• Publishers Weekly reviews The Heirs of Locksley by Carrie Vaughn. 
• Jaime O'Brien reviews Alpha Night by Nalini Singh.
• Leticia Urieta reviews Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova. 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Survival of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson. 
• Kat Hooper reviews The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence.
• Colleen Mondor reviews Infinity Son by Adam Silvera.
• L.A. Young reviews The Nine Realms by Sarah Kozloff 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett. 
• Publishers Weekly reviews Ten Arrows of Iron by Sam Sykes. 
• Paul Weimer reviews Savage Legion by Matt Wallace.
• Publishers Weekly reviews Savage Legion by Matt Wallace. 
• Kat Hooper reviews Tomorrow, the Killing by Daniel Polansky.
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Dragon Physician by Joyce Chng. 
• Kelly Lasiter reviews Thirteen Doors, Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby. 
• Alex Brown reviews A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow. 
• Katharine Coldiron reviews Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi. 
• Ian Mond reviews Temporary by Hilary Leichter.
• Jana Nyman reviews Catalyst by Sarah Beth Durst.
• Mahvesh Murad reviews The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins.
• Tadiana Jones reviews The Iron Flower by Laurie Forest.
• Mark Yon reviews The Hollow Tree by James Brogden. 
• Publishers Weekly reviews Vampires of Portlandia by Jasaon Tanamor.
• Gary K. Wolfe and Rich Horton review Avatars Inc., edited by Ann VanderMeer.
  

Classics reviews:

• Ruthanna Emrys and Anne M. Pillsworth revisit the 1939 horror story "Far Below" by Robert Barbour Johnson. 
• Cora Buhlert revisits the 1944 adventure fantasy novella "A God Named Kroo" by Henry Kuttner.
• Don Briago reviews the 1944 historical fantasy novel The Golden Fleece a.k.a. Hercules, My Shipmate by Robert Graves. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1966 science fiction novel Rocannon's World by Ursula K. Le Guin. 
• Sean Guynes also revisits Rocannon's World by Ursula K. Le Guin. 
• Paul Fraser revisits the 1970 anthology The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Vol. 1, edited by Robert Silverberg.
• Judith Tarr revisits the 1978 children's science fiction novel Star Ka'at World by Andre Norton.
• Gillian Polack revisits the 1992 time travel novel The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. 
• Rich Horton revisits the 2000 science fiction novel The Coming by Joe Haldeman.
• Nisi Shawl revisits the 2005 science fiction novel Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler.

Con and event reports:

• Norman Cates and Kelly Buehler, the chairs of CoNZealand, the virtual 2020 Worldcon in Wellignton, New Zealand, answer questions.
• Frank Catalano points to the Nebula Awards Conference as a model for what virtual conferences should be like.
• MileHiCon in Denver, Colorado, is going virtual due to the corona virus. 
• COSine in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been postponed due to the corona virus. 
• Luke Plunkett reports that the virtual Origins Games Fair has been cancelled due to black games creators pulling out because of the Game Manufacturers Association failing to make any kind of statement in support of Black Lives Matter.
• Mike Glyer offers an update on the cancellation of the 2020 NASFIC in Columbus, Ohio, and the refund policy. 
• Lynzee Loveridge reports that Dave Henkin, chair of the San Japan anime convention in San Antonio, Texas, has resigned following problematic remarks on Twitter. 
• Khan Ng shares several cosplay photos taken by Jay Klein at Tricon, the 1966 Worldcon in Cleveland, Ohio.

Science and technology:

• N'dea Yancey-Bragg reports that former NASA astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan, the first American woman to do a spacewalk, is about to become the first woman to reach the deepest point of the ocean. 
• Jonathan Amos reports that new SkySat satellites will be launched soon to offer an even sharper view of Earth.
• Gideon Marcus reports about the Gemini 4 mission in 1965 
• Bobby Allyn reports that IBM has abandoned facial recognition and condemns racially biassed surveillance. 
• Bobby Allyn reports that Amazon has halted police use of its facial recognition technology as well. 
• Kevin Jiang discusses how sleep deprivation kills.
  

Free online fiction:

• "Single Malt Spacecraft" by Marie Vibbert in Lightspeed.
• "Danae" by Megan Arkenberg in Lightspeed.
• "Girls Without Their Faces On" by Laird Barron in Nightmare Magazine.
• "A Dead Djinn in Cairo" by P. Djèlí Clark at Tor.com. 
• "We Chased the Sirens" by Suzanne Walker in Uncanny Magazine.
• "Undine Love" by Kathleen Jennings at Tor.com
• "How Long the Shadows Cast" by Kenji Yanagawa in Clarkesworld. 
• "On the Island" by Ellen Kushner in the New Decameron Project.
• "Root-Light" by Michael Wehunt in The Dark. 
• "Mouse, Crow, Cockroach, Valkyrie" by Tiffany Meuret in Luna Station Quarterly.
• "The Midwife" by Carol Scheina in Luna Station Quarterly.
• We're Here, We're Here" by K.M. Szpara at Tor.com.
• "Oathbreaker" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
  

Odds and ends: 

• Watch a trailer for season 2 of Doom Patrol.
• Watch a trailer for Lovecraft Country.
• Watch a trailer for Bill and Ted Face the Music.
• Watch a trailer for Major Grom: Plague Doctor. 
• Watch a trailer for Tell Tale Heart.