Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for July 30, 2021

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con, 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 many versions of Star Trek, Doctor Who past and present, The Green Knight, The Suicide Squad, Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Old, Settlers, Jungle Cruise, Space Jame: A New Legacy, tributes to William F. Nolan and Stephen Hickman and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Alex Brown lists all the new YA speculative fiction coming out in July and August.
  
• K.T. Howard notes that there seems to be a lot more speculative fiction that features lesbian relationships than speculative fiction that features gay relationships. 
• Brenda Peynado shares five SFF books about love across boundaries. 
• Patty Janssen discusses the portrayal of fertility in science fiction.
  
• James Davis Nicoll shares five SFF supporting characters who outshine the protagonist.
  
• James Davis Nicoll shares five classic SFF novels about environmental disasters. 
• James Davis Nicoll shares five SFF novels about Britain in chaos.
  
• Sylvain Neuvel shares five alternate histories of WWII and the space race.
• Will Slocombe is troubled by the fact that militaries around the world plunder science fiction for ideas, while ignoring the social commentary. 
• Molly Templeton asks what we talk about when we talk about our favourite books. 
  
• Miguel Esteban recalls how he persuaded Octavia E. Butler to write an article for his fanzine in 1979, when he was only 13 years old. 
• Aigner Loren Wilson explores the Afrofuturist works of Nnedi Okorafor.
  
• C.D. Covington talks about interspecies relations in the Foreigner series by C.J. Cherryh.
  
• Judith Tarr declares that the dragons of Anne McCaffrey's Pern series are basically horses by another name. 
• Sarah Gailey wonders whether hippos count as dragons. 
• Richard Lange explains how he came to write a vampire revenge thriller set in the US Southwest in the 1970s. 
• Tina Jordan shares some vintage ads for SFF books that appeared in the New York Times in the 1940s and 1950s.
• Gary Romeo asks whether the movement to publish completely unedited editions of Robert E. Howard's fiction wasn't a mistake, since some earlier editions removed the more racist bits.
  
• Michael Curtis profiles Lord Dunsany. 
• Stephen Milton profiles Randal Plunkett, the current Lord Dunsany and descendant of the fantasy writer. 
• Sarah Butler reports that Games Workshop, the Warhammer retailer, has seen its sales surge during the covid pandemic. 
  
• Horror writer C. Dean Anderson a.k.a. Asa Drake has died.
• Fanzine editor Ed Meskys has died aged 85.
• Belgian SFF writer Henri Vernes, creator of Bob Morane, has died aged 102.
• SFF writer and music critic Patricia Kennealy-Morrison has died aged 75.
  

 

Tributes to William F. Nolan: 

• Marc Zicree remembers William F. Nolan.
• Mark Gottlieb remembers William F. Nolan.

 

Tributes to Stephen Hickman:

• Science fiction and fantasy artist Stephen Hickman has died aged 72.
• Deuce Richardson remembers Stephen Hickman.
• Davide Mana remembers Stephen Hickman.
  

 

Comics and Art:

• Tim Adams reports that Titan Comics will adapt Michael Moorcock's Elric stories.
• James Whitbrook offers a look at the upcoming arc of Once and Future by Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain and Ed Dukeshire. 
• Brigid Alverson reports about the Puerto Rican superhero comic La Borinqueña by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez.  
  
• Mike Glyer reports about Marvel’s Voices: Comunidades!, a comic which will unite Marvel's Latinx superheroes.
• Charles Pulliam-Moore reports about the X-Men panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.
• Charles Pulliam-Moore reports about the Superman panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Valerie Complex reports about the Blade Runner comics panel at the virtual San Diego Comic Con. 
• Joshua L.H. Burnett profiles the legendary Tarzan and Prince Valiant writer and artist Hal Foster. 
• The Geeky Nerfherder shares his appreciation for the artwork of Lucas Graciano.
  

 

Film and TV:

• Bill Capossere calls The Tomorrow War a failure on every level. 
• Leah Schnelbach declares that A Quiet Place I and II are filled with bad choices and brazen stupidity. 
• Paul Levinson calls Blood Red Sky outstanding.
  
• Paul Levinson calls Gemini Man a missed time travel opportunity. 
• Noel Murray calls Nine Days a bold vision of the great beyond. 
• Juan Barquin shares his thoughts on the latest episode of American Horror Stories.
  
• Cheryl Eddy declares that the documentary Hail to the Deadites pays a loving tribute to The Evil Dead and its fans.
  
• Robin Rose Graves revisits the 1955 science fiction film This Island Earth. 
  
• Talking Pulp revisits the 1983 fantasy film Krull. 
• Jason Ray Carney and Nicole Emmelhainz-Carney revisit the 1983 fantasy film Krull.
  
• Ryan Parker revisits the 1986 comic book movie Howard the Duck and interviews cast and crew.
  
• Talking Pulp revisits the 1987 fantasy movie The Princess Bride. 
• Rob Freeman revisits the 2009 action film G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra and finds it better than its reputation.
  
• Steve Palace shares some facts about the original Twilight Zone TV series. 
• Inverse interviews Henry Golding, star of Snake Eyes. 
• Michael Hogan interviews David Thewlis, who appeared in the Harry Potter movies, Wonder Woman, Fargo and many others.
  
• Ben Child wonders whether Neill Blomkamp's proposed District 9 sequel will ever happen.
• Germain Lussier reports that there will be a new Exorcist trilogy.

 

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

• Bill Capossere calls Black Widow enjoyable, but not the best Marvel movie. 
• Sam Barsanti reports that Scarlet Johansson is sueing Disney over the simultaneous release of Black Widow in cinemas and on streaming.
  
• Jeremy Mathai reports that Hawkeye and Ms. Marvel will premiere on Disney Plus later this year.
• Molly Templeton reports that Hawkeye will debut around Thanksgiving. 
• Watch a trailer for What If?
  
• Watch a trailer for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
  

 

Comments on the various DC Comics based TV Shows:

• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw reports that John Constantine, as played by Matt Ryan, will be written out of Legends of Tomorrow, because J.J. Abrams wants to make yet another Constantine film.
• Sam Barsanti reports that even though John Constantine is leaving Legends of Tomorrow, Matt Ryan will stay on to play a new character.
• Beth Elderkin and Valerie Complex report about the Legends of Tomorrow panel at the virtual San Diego Comic Con. 

Comments on The Bad Batch and Star Wars in general:

• James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on "Infested", the latest episode of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. 
• Jarrod Jones shares his thoughts on "Infested".
  
• Tom Breihan revisits Rogue One and finds it the best Star Wars movie of the Disney era.
• Watch a trailer for the Forsaken Mandalorian and Drunken Jedi Master fan film.
• Watch an unfortunate 1977 TV spot for Star Wars.
  

 

Comments on the many iterations of Star Trek: 

• Keith R.A. DeCandido offers an overview of season 6 of Star Trek Voyager.
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the Star Trek Voyager episode "Unimatrix Zero, Part 2".
  
• David Marchese interviews LeVar Burton who played Geordi LaForge in Star Trek: The Next Generation. 
  
• Martin Holmes reports that Levar Burton, who played Geordi LaForge in Star Trek: The Next Generation, is hosting the game show Jeopardy!
• Watch a trailer for season 2 of Star Trek: Lower Decks.
• Watch a trailer for Star Trek Prodigy.
  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe: Revelation:  

• NPR declares that Masters of the Universe: Revelation brought something new to a familiar story.
• Leah Schnelbach calls Masters of the Universe: Revelation the Last Jedi of He-Man cartoons.
  
• Anthony Lund reports that there is a backlash from disgruntled fans against Masters of the Universe: Revelation. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw also reports about the Masters of the Universe: Revelation backlash.
  
• Matt Schimkowitz reports about the Masters of the Universe: Revelation panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.
• Rob Bricken interviews Bear McCreary, who composed the score for Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
  

 

Comments on Doctor Who past and present: 

• The BBC reports that star Jodie Whittaker and showrunner Chris Chibnall will be leaving Doctor Who after series 13 and a trio of specials in 2022.
  
• Huw Fullerton reports that series 13 of Doctor Who will be a single serialised story.
• Louis Moorhouse interviews Tom Baker who played the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who. 
• Mark Lawson wonders whether gender swapped TV has gone too far, considering that Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes and Rumpole of the Bailey are all being played by female actors now.
  
• Watch a trailer for series 13 of Doctor Who.

 

Comments on The Green Knight:

• Charles Bramesco calls The Green Knight a masterful and visually sumptuous adaptation of the Arthurian legend that upends expectations.
• A.A. Dowd calls The Green Knight an artisanal fantasy epic.
• Emily Temple declares that The Green Knight unmakes a classic to glorious and unsettling effect.
• Marah Eakin interviews Dev Patel and Joel Edgerton, stars of The Green Knight.
  

 

Comments on The Suicide Squad:

• Peter Bradshaw calls The Suicide Squad an eyeball blitzing supervillain film.
• Katie Rife calls The Suicide Squad vulgar, immature and gratuitous, which is what's great about it.  
• Charles Pulliam-Moore declares that The Suicide Squad has put the DC Cinematic Universe back on track after the lackluster first movie.
  
• Tara Brady interviews James Gunn, director of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and The Suicide Squad. 
  
• Charles Pulliam-Moore interviews Beth Mickle, production designer for The Suicide Squad.

 

Comments on Old:

• A.A. Dowd and Katie Rife discuss Old and declare that there is more to M. Night Shyamalan's films than just twist endings. 
• Matt Schimkowitz delcares that Old is about parenting rather than aging.
  
• Brian Davids interviews Alex Wolff, star of Old.
  
• Charles Bramesco explains how M. Night Shyamalan, director of Old, got his groove back.
• Germain Lussier ranks M. Night Shyamalan's science fiction and fantasy films.
• Louis Chilton reports that actor John Barrowman has received backlash for tagging M. Night Shyamalan in his negative Twitter remarks about Old.
  

 

Comments on Settlers:

• Peter Bradshaw calls Settlers an audacious science fiction western set on Mars.
• Cheryl Eddy calls Settlers a harrowing science fiction thriller. 

 

Comments on Jungle Cruise:

• Peter Bradshaw calls Jungle Cruise a predictable action film. 
• Jesse Hassenger calls Jungle Cruise and effects heavy African Queen remake based on a Disney theme park ride. 
• Valerie Complex praises the chemistry between Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in Jungle Cruise.
  
• Mara Renstein interviews Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, stars of Jungle Cruise.  
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw declares that Disney is still mishandling gay characters in Jungle Cruise.

 

Comments on Space Jam: A New Legacy:

• Arturo Serrano calls Space Jam: A New Legacy an act of violence upon the viewer. 
• Joe Pytka, director of the original Space Jam shares his issues with Space Jam: A New Legacy.

 

Awards: 

• The shortlist for the 2021 British Fantasy Award has been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2020 Ladies of Horror Fiction Awards have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2021 Seiun Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2021 Eisner Awards have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2021 Mike Resnick Memorial Award have been announced.
• The 2021 inductees into the Canadian SF&F Hall of Fame have been announced.
• The longlist for the 2021 Booker Prize has been announced with some love for genre novels.
• Stewart Hotston takes a look at diversity in the Arthur C. Clarke Award submissions.
  

 

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Ann Langley explains how summer influences her writing. 
• Scott Oden talks about writing and hope.
  
• Lincoln Michel asks if characters necessarily have to change. 
• Dea Poirier explains how she builds fictional worlds, even though she has aphantasia.
  
• Barry Hoffman, publisher of Gauntlet Press, explains how they handle limited editions signed by the author.
  

Interviews:

• Arley Sorg interviews Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
  
• Paul Weimer interviews Jennifer Estep.
• Joe Stuber interviews David Gerrold. 
  
• John Plotz interviews Kim Stanley Robinson. 
• Locus interviews Shelley Parker-Chan.
• The Astounding Analog Companion interviews Rosemary Claire Smith.
• Cat Luria interviews Maeghan Klinker.
• The Guardian interviews Michael Lewis.
• Stephen J. Golds interviews Chandler Morrison.

Reviews:

• Bitter Tea and Mystery reviews All Systems Red by Martha Wells. 
• Kat Hooper reviews Machine by Elizabeth Bear.
  
• Tobias Carroll reviews Midnight, Water City by Chris McKinney.
  
• Adrienne Martini reviews How to Mars by David Ebenbach and Questland by Carrie Vaughn. 
• Paul Weimer reviews Empress of Eternity by L.E. Modesitt Jr. 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Barbarians of the Beyond by Matthew Hughes.
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Servant Mage by Kate Elliott. 
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Return of the Sorceress by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Black Water Sister by Zen Cho. 
• Liz Bourke reviews Black Water Sister by Zen Cho and Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley.
  
• Track of Words reviews The Black Hawks by David Wragg. 
• Cassie Schulz reviews Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim.
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews The Past is Red by Catherynne M. Valente. 
  
• Paul di Fillippo reviews The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker. 
• Molly Templeton reviews Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian.
  
• Camestros Felapton reviews Legendborn by Tracey Deonn.
  
• J.C. Kang reviews She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker.Chan.
• Lee Mandelo reviews She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. 
  
• Colleen Mondor reviews All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O'Donoghue. 
• Alexis Ong reviews Strange Beasts of China by Yan Ge, translated by Jeremy Tiang.
  
• A.M. Justice reviews Horns of the Hunter by Frank Dorrian.
  
• Stephen Hunt reviews Tempest Blades: The Cursed Titans by Ricardo Victoria.
  
• Martin Cahill reviews The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig. 
• Sean Dowie reviews Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente.
  
• Molly Templeton reviews Summer in the City of Roses by Michelle Ruiz Keil.
• Blue Book Balloon reviews A Strange and Burning Light by Eli Lee.
• Blue Book Balloon reviews Notes from the Burning Age by Claire North.
• T. Kent reviews Ariadne, I Love You by J. Ashley-Smith.
  
• Paula Guran reviews Wendy. Darling by A.C. Wise. 
• Tadiana Jones reviews The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins.
  
• Steve J. Wright reviews Beowulf: A New Translation by Maria Dahvana Headley.
• Lara Pawson reviews English Magic by Uschi Gatward.
• Ian Mond reviews The Little Devil and Other Stories by Aleksey Remizov. 
• Arley Sorg reviews Far Out, edited by Paula Guran.
  
• Helon Habila reviews Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi.

 
Classics reviews:

• James Maliszweski revisits the 1908 proto sword and sorcery story "The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth" by Lord Dunsany.
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1911 apocalpytic novel The Second Deluge by Garrett P. Serviss.
  
• James Reasoner revisits the 1913 planetary romance The Monster Men from Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. 
• The Elder Sign podcast revisits the 1931 horror story "The Black Stone" by Robert E. Howard. 
• The Appendix N Book Club revisits the 1944 Pellucidar novel Land of Terror by Edgar Rice Burroughs. 
• Joachim Boaz revisits the 1952 science fiction story Stardust by Chad Oliver. 
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1966 gothic romance The Secret of Haverly House by Carolyn Bauman.
  
• Mark Yon revisits the August 1966 issues of New Worlds and Impulse.
  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1968 science fiction anthology Orbit 4, edited by Damon Knight. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1970 historical fantasy novel Derenyi Rising by Katherine Kurtz.
• The PorPor Books Blog revisits the 1979 shares world anthology Thieves' World, edited by Robert Asprin.
  

Con and event reports:

• Jill Pantozzi shares some highlights from the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con and declares that overall it was a letdown.
  
• Cheryl Eddy reports about the Lucifer panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.
• Cheryl Eddy reports about the Chapelwaite panel  at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.   
• Beth Elderkin reports about the panel for the Wheel of Time TV series at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.  
• Germain Lussier reports about the Fear Street panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.
• Valerie Complex reports about the Gen: Lock panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.
• William Hughes reports about The Walking Dead panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.   
• Germain Lussier also reports about The Walking Dead panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.   
• Germain Lussier also reports about Fear the Walking Dead panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.   
• Germain Lussier also reports about The Walking Dead: World Beyond panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.   
• Cheryl Eddy reports about the Day of the Dead panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Cheryl Eddy reports about the Creepshow panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con.   
• Cheryl Eddy reports about the Slasher: Flesh and Blood panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Cheryl Eddy reports about the V/H/S 94 panel at the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Liz Groen Trombi and Arley Sorg report about the virtual 2021 Locus Awards ceremony.
  
• Tim Bolton shares his thoughts on the virtual 2021 Summer Seminar of the Tolkien Society and the backlash against it. 
• James Bacon reports about the 2021 Fantasy Forest Festival in Sudely Castle, Gloucestershire.
• Mike Glyer reports about the ceremony to unveil the Ursula K. Le Guin commemorative stamp in Portland, Oregon.
• Martin Morse Wooster reports about a visit to Planet Word, a museum in Washington DC dedicated to words and language.
• Mike Glyer reports that the University of Massachussetts in Amherst is evicting an almost 60-year-old SFF library compiled by students.
  

 

Crowdfunding:

• Uncanny Magazine is looking for funding for its eighth year in business.
  
• The Robert E. Howard Art Chronology, a four volume art history about the artistic representations of Robert E. Howard's characters by Michael Tierney, is looking for funding.
  
• The sword and sorcery RPG Hyperborea 3E is looking for funding.  
  

 

Science and technology:

• Isaac Schultz reports about the continuing issues with the Russian module Nauka, which is headed for the International Space Station.
  
• Hannah Sparks reports about Space Perspectives, a new space tourism venture which will take you to the edge of space in a hydrogen balloon. 
• The BBC reports that Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson are not considered astronauts, in spite of flying to the edge of space.
  
• Kaye Dee reports about the Gemini 10 space mission in 1966.
  
• George Dvorsky reports that researchers have analysed the last meal eaten by Tollund Man, a Danish bog body, who was executed 2400 years ago.
• Ben Blum asks why the infamous Stanford prison experiment persists, even though it has been debunked time and again. 
• Alison Flood reports that a 3600-year-old tablet, which contains part of the epic of Gilgamesh, has been seized from the owners of US chain Hobby Lobby, who wanted to display it in their Bible Museum and has been returned to Iraq.
  

Free online fiction:

• "The God Skrae Eats Death" by Stephen Case in Beneath Ceaseless Skies. 
• "Faithful Delirium" by Brent Lambert in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
  
• "Last Nice Day" by Rich Larson in Clarkesworld.
• "The Falling" by M.V. Melcer in Clarkesworld. 
• "Them Oranges" by Nicole M. Wolverton in Luna Station Quarterly. 
• "T-E-E-T-H-" by Imogen Archer in Fireside Magazine. 
• "The Hunt at Rotherdam" by A.C. Wise in Bourbon Penn. 
  
• "The Other Side" by Ifeanyichukwu Peter Eze in The Dark.
• "The Returned" by Stephanie M. Wytovich in Nightmare Magazine.
• "Amber Dark and Sickly Sweet" by Lulu Kadhim in Lightspeed.
  
• "No Lies Detected" by Russell Nichols in Lightspeed.
  
• "How To Be Good" by R. Gatwood in Apex Magazine. 
  
• "I Would" by Benjamin C. Kinney in Fantasy Magazine.
  
• "The Diviner" by V.H. Ncube in Omenana. 
• "So You Want to Reach the Witch at the Edge of the Void" by Mari Ness in Daily Science Fiction.
  
• "Eat You Up" by Shannon Fay in Daily Science Fiction. 
• "Dependency Graph" by L.M. Lu in Daily Science Fiction. 
• "Halfers" by Chris Hobson in Daily Science Fiction. 

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Ghostbusters: Afterlife. 
• Watch a trailer for season 2 of See. 
  
• Watch a trailer for La Brea. 
• Watch a teaser for Army of Thieves. 
• Watch a trailer for Mad God.
  
• Watch a trailer for Evangelion 3.0 + 1.01 Thrice Upon a Time. 
• Watch a trailer for Blade Runner: Black Lotus.
• Watch a trailer for Chucky.
• Watch a trailer for Lamb.
• Watch a trailer for Vivo.