Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for August 23, 2024

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the 2024 Hugo Awards, the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland, season 2 of House of the Dragon, Deadpool and Wolverine, Masters of the Universe in general, Alien Romulus, Doctor Who past, present and future, The Walking Dead and its spin-offs, the director's cut of Rebel Moon, Batman: Caped Crusader, trouble inside SFWA and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Lisa Tuttle shares a round-up of the best recent science fiction and fantasy novels.
• Ellen Datlow, Brian Keene, Lisa Wood, Lisa Kröger, Maxwell I. Gold and Angela Yuriko Smith.discuss the state of the horror genre.
• Scott Hocker profiles several black female SFF writers. 
• John Mauro talks about materials science in science fiction
  
• Veronica G. Henry shares five SFF novels set in real or imagined national parks.
• Holly Kybett Smith shares twelve poems that remix and reimagine fairy tales
• James Wallace Harris recounts when and how he first encountered certain science fiction concepts. 
• R.R. Virdi discusses almost invulnerable heroes from various mythologies. 
• Louise Mumford explains how she went from writing dystopian fiction to locked room mysteries
  
• Nick Ripatrazone recalls that poetry used to be an Olympic discipline.
  
• Chris Hughes profiles Gabino Iglesias. 
• Maya St. Clair shares her appreciation for the works and unusual vocabulary of Clark Ashton Smith. 
• Malcolm Edwards and William Gibson look back on the publication of Neuromancer. 
• Daniel Kreps reports about the latest sexual assault allegations against Neil Gaiman.
  
• SFF poet Deborah P. Kolodji has died aged 64.
  
• SFF writer M.J. Engh has died aged 91. 
• SFWA remembers M.J. Engh. 
  

 

Comics and Art:

• Robin Marx reviews Conan the Barbarian #13 by Jim Zub and Doug Braithwaite
  
• Robert Mammone reviews The Deviant #6 by James Tynion and Joshua Hixson
• Alex Puncekar reviews When the Blood Has Dried #4 by Gary Moloney and Daniel Romero 
• George Marston reports about a new Marvel Comics for Dummies series that condenses 85 years of Marvel Comics history for new readers. 
  
• Vanessa Thorpe reports about the James Bond newspaper comic strips by John McLusky published from 1958 to 1966, which served a visual precursor to the James Bond movies. 
• Germain Lussier reports that Rob Liefeld's original art for the cover of New Mutants #98, which contains the first appearance of Deadpool, is now for sale for a record-setting price
  
• Heidi MacDonald reports that former American football player and activist Colin Kaepernick has launched a comic publisher using generative AI to predictable outrage.
  
• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon about choose your own adventure stories for writers.
• Comic writer Joyce Brabner has died aged 72.
• Locus remembers Taral Wayne.
  

 

Film and TV:

• Vance Kotrla calls Scavenger's Reign a fantastic animated series that deserves a wider audience. 
• Aaron Jones calls Godzilla Minus One a budget monster movie with a heart
  
• Joel Golby calls Slip like a TV version of Everything Everywhere All At Once 
• Adrian Horton calls Jackpot! a stunt-heavy dystopian action comedy. 
• Benjamin Lee calls the new The Crow an unfathomably awful goth remake
  
• Wendy Ide calls Tuesday a fatalistic fairytale 
• Wendy Ide calls Borderlands an incoherent science fiction action comedy
• Leslie Felperin calls Hostile Dimensions a goofy no-budget horror about a portal to a parallel world
  
• Peter Bradshaw calls The Deliverance a movie about a real life exorcism case that succumbs to tired horror tropes 
• Phil Hoad calls Lore a British horror anthology film featuring gruesome stories told around the campfire 
• Benjamin Lee calls Cuckoo a stylish but incoherent horror film. 
• Arturo Serrano shares his thoughts on Harold and the Purple Crayon 
  
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Snowpiercer.
  
• Diana Keng shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Orphan Black: Echoes. 
  
• Catherine Bray calls Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie another enjoyably madcap SpongeBob adventure 
• Phil Hoad calls Ozi: Voice of the Forest a film whose excellent animation is let down by underdeveloped characters and blind faith in social media activism 
• Cath Clarke calls Noah’s Ark a biblical animated film for kids full of unoriginal gags.
  
• Alasdair Stuart discusses the character of Brasso in Andor.
  
• Camestros Felapton notes that medical dramas like House M.D. function like portal fantasies. 
• Mark Kermode shares his appreciation for the works of Hayao Miyasaki.
  
• Jonathan Carey shares eleven horror film location you can visit. 
• Ryan Gilbey wonders whether audiences have had enough of movie Easter eggs. 
• David Smith interviews James Cameron, director of Terminator 1 and 2, Aliens, The Abyss, True Lies, Titanic and the Avatar movies.
• Gabrielle Paiella interviews Michael Keaton, star of Batman, Beetlejuice, Birdman and many others.
  
• Scott Simon interviews voice actor Hank Azaria, best known for voicing multiple characters in The Simpsons. 
• Zoe G. Phillips and Borys Kit report that the Star Wars show The Acolyte has been cancelled after one season. 
  
• Yohei Matsuo reports that Japan's anime exports are poised to rival steel and computer chips.
  
• Sian Cain reports that actor Michael Madsen has been arrested on domestic violence charges. 
• Andrew Pulver reports that director Guillermo Del Toro encountered a ghost in a hotel in Aberdeen, Scotland. 
  

  

Comments on Deadpool and Wolverine and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general: 

• Rebecca Rubin interviews Shawn Levy, director of Deadpool and Wolverine.
  
• Germain Lussier wonders about the background of Chris Hemsworth cameo appearance in Deadpool and Wolverine. 
• Zack Sharf reports that the credits of Deadpool and Wolverine contain a tribute to Henry Delaney, the late son of  Rob Delaney, who plays Peter in Deadpool and Wolverine.
  
• Rebecca Rubin reports that Deadpool and Wolverine continues to do very well at the box office.
• Pamela McClintock reports about the marketing campaign for Deadpool and Wolverine.
  
• Zack Sharf shares the reaction of Jeremy Renner who plays Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to Robert Downey Jr.'s return to Marvel.
• Zack Sharf reports that actress Jamie Lee Curtis has announced that she will no longer engage in bashing Marvel movies for clickbait. 
• Germain Lussier takes a look at Marvel's movie release schedule and speculates about movies not yet announced.
  

 

Comments on season 2 of House of the Dragon: 

• Tom Huddleston shares his thoughts on "The Queen Who Ever Was", the season 2 finale of House of the Dragon. 
• Kayleigh Dray shares her thoughts on "The Queen Who Ever Was", the season 2 finale of House of the Dragon.  
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on "The Queen Who Ever Was", the season 2 finale of House of the Dragon.   
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on "The Queen Who Ever Was", the season 2 finale of House of the Dragon. 
  
• Melody McCune shares her favourite moment from "The Queen Who Ever Was", the season 2 finale of House of the Dragon.  
• Saloni Gajjar interviews Geeta Patel, director of "The Queen Who Ever Was" 
• Cheryl Eddy also interviews Geeta Patel.
  
• C.T. Phipps shares his thoughts on the House of the Dragon episode "Regent". 
• C.T. Phipps shares his thoughts on the House of the Dragon episode "Smallfolk".  
• Haley Zapal shares her thoughts on season 2 of House of the Dragon.
  
• Cheryl Eddy notes that Daemon Targaryen has the strangest arc in season 2 of House of the Dragon.
• Mary Kate Carr reports that House of the Dragon will end, when it runs out of book material to adapt, unlike Game of Thrones.
  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general: 

• Dad-at-Arms hosts a roundtable discussion with various fans about what they would like to see in season 3 of Masters of the Universe Revelation/Revolution.
  
• Cora Buhlert reviews the Masters of the Universe Revolution Prequel comic #3 by Ted Biaselli, Rob David, Tim Sheridan and Daniel HDR
• The Battle Ram Blog shares some quick facts about the character of Battle Cat in Masters of the Universe. 
• James Eatock discusses the meaning of some coordinates briefly seen in the He-Man and She-Ra Christmas Special 
  

 

 Comments on Doctor Who past, present and future:

• Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies reports that Doctor Who will continue to break the fourth wall going forward.
• James Whitbrook reports that the BBC has pulled the 2006 Doctor Who episode "Fear Her" from streaming due to an appearance by former BBC news anchor Huw Edwards following Edward pleasing guilty to child pornography charges. 
• Caroline Frost reports that the BBC has also pulled a Doctor Who charity clip from 2018, when it turned out that the suspect in the fatal stabbings of three young girls in Southport, UK, was featured in the clip as an eleven-year-old. 
  

 

Comments on Alien: Romulus: 

• Peter Bradshaw declares that Alien: Romulus covers the same old ground we've seen covered many times before. 
• Arturo Serrano declares that Alien: Romulus is okay and that's not okay.
  
• Pamela McClintock reports that Alien: Romulus has had a strong opening, dethroning Deadpool and Wolverine from the top spot at the US box office.
  

 

Comments on the director's cut of Rebel Moon: 

• Jesse Hassenger wonders what Zack Snyder's director's cut adds to Rebel Moon. 
• Rory Doherty declares that the Rebel Moon Director’s Cut is not an expanded version of a finished film, it’s the finished version of an incomplete one.
  

 

Comments on Batman: Caped Crusader:

• Arturo Serrano calls Batman: Caped Crusader a clever reinvention of the costumed crimefighter for the Defund the Police era
  
• Diana Keng shares episode by episode reviews of Batman: Caped Crusader.
  

 

Comments on The Walking Dead and its various spin-offs: 

• Lucy Mangan calls The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon finally a spinoff you can actually care about 
• Graeme Virtue calls The Walking Dead: Dead City a hugely fun spin-off that rattles along like a disreputable B-movie
  

 

Awards:

• The winners of the 2024 Hugo Awards have been announced.
  
• The finalists for the 2024 World Fantasy Awards have been announced.
  
• The shortlist for the 2024 British Fantasy Awards has been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2024 Dragon Awards have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 Sidewise Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2024 Mythopoeic Awards have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 Aurora Awards have been announced.  
• The winners of the 2024 Nommo Awards have been announced.  
• The winners of the 2024 Alfie Awards have been announced.
  
• The winner of the 2024 Munsey Award has been announced. 
• The winners of the 2024 ESFS Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2024 Subjective Chaos Kind of Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2024 Analog AnLab Award and Asimov’s Readers’ Award have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 Bulwer-Lytton Contest have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2024 Splatterpunk Awards have been announced
• The winners of the 2024 First Fandom Awards have been announced.
  
• The finalists for the 2024 Harvey Awards have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 ENnie Awards have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2024 Gamescom Awards have been announced.
  
• The 2024 inductees into the SFF Hall of Fame have been announced
• The 2025 Worldcon in Seattle, Washington, has announced a special Hugo Award for Best Poem.
  
• The administrators of the Otherwise Award, formerly the Tiptree Award, have announced how they plan to proceed with the award, which is currently on hiatus. 
• The British Fantasy Society responds to criticisms that members of the committee have made the shortlist for the British Fantasy Awards. 
  

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Priya Chand talks about finding time to write in unexpected places.
• Austin Conrad talks about discovery writing through gaming.
• Mike Glyer discusses the current trouble inside SFWA. 
• Jason Sanford discusses the current trouble inside SFWA.
  
• Jim Milliot reports about a controversial marketing campaign by St. Martin's Press. 
• Locus reports about the group "Authors Against Book Bans".
  
• Ella Creamer reports that the US state of Utah has banned thirteen books, including titles by Margaret Atwood, Judy Blume and Sarah J. Mass, from every public library and school in the state.
  
• Ella Creamer reports that several school librarians in the UK have been asked to remove LGBTQ themed books from school libraries. 
• The American Chemical Society reports about nineteenth and early twentieth century book bindings containing toxic arsenic dyes. 
  

 

Interviews:

• Arturo Serrano interviews John Wiswell.
  
• Locus interviews Sarah Langan.
• Locus interviews Moniquill Blackgoose.
• Paul Weimer interviews David Flin.
  

 

Reviews:

• James Davis Nicoll reviews Countess by Suzan Palumbo. 
• Marlene Harris reviews Navigational Entanglements by Aliette de Bodard 
• Mark Yon reviews The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey  
  
• Bill Capossere reviews The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey   
• Clara Cohen reviews The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey
  
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews A Dirge for Cascius: Part 1 by Calum Lott 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Space Unicorn Blues by T.J. Berry
  
• Marlene Harris reviews The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djeli Clark 
• Paul Weimer reviews The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon 
• Paul Weimer reviews Road to Ruin by Hana Lee
• Alex Wallace reviews The Infinite Miles by Hannah Fergesen. 
  
• Alex Brown reviews The Dragonfly Gambit by A.D. Sui  
• Mark Yon reviews Deep Black by Miles Cameron.
  
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Lake of Darkness by Adam Roberts  
• Rob Bedford reviews The Dark We Know by Wen-yi Lee.
  
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Saturation Point by Adrian Tchaikovsky  
• Clara Cohen reviews The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Rider, The Ride, The Rich Man's Wife by Premee Mohamed 
• Adrienne Martini reviews The Daughters’ War by Christopher Buehlman 
• Rob Bedford reviews How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler.
  
• Carrie Chi Lough reviews Times Never Change by John R. Fultz 
  
• Adrienne Martini reviews The Knife and the Serpent by Tim Pratt 
  
• C.T. Phipps reviews Lair of the Crystal Fang by S. A. Sidor 
• Marlene Harris reviews The Nightingale’s Castle by Sonia Velton  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Masquerade in Lodi by Lois McMaster Bujold 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Penric and the Bandit  by Lois McMaster Bujold 
  
• Alex Wallace reviews The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan. 
• Roseanna Pendlebury reviews A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher  
• Fiona Denton reviews A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher  
  
• Colleen Mondor reviews Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender
• Colleen Mondor reviews Remedial Magic by Melissa Marr 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee, translated by Sandy Joosun Lee 
• Fiona Denton reviews The Dissonance by Shaun Hamill 
• Robin Marx reviews Conan: City of the Dead by John C. Hocking
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Hunters by David Wragg 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews An Exile of Water & Gold by Joshua Walker  
• Alex Puncekar reviews Songlight by Moira Buffini
  
• Paul Weimer reviews The Naming Song by Jedediah Berry.
• Blue Book Balloon reviews The Last Song of Penelope by Claire North  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Last Song of Penelope by Claire North  
  
• Anthony Cummins reviews The Voyage Home by Pat Barker 
  
• Jake Casella Brookins reviews The West Passage by Jared Pechaček 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Other Shore by Hoa Pham 
  
• Liz Bourke reviews These Deathless Shores by P.H. Low  
• Paul Di Filippo reviews In the Belly of the Whale by Michael Flynn  
• C.T. Phipps reviews Dragons of Eternity by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
  
• Alexandra Pierce reviews The Feast Makers by H.A. Clarke  
• Grimdark Magazine reviews Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Club Ded by Nikhil Singh 
  
• Ian Mond reviews The Ragpicker by Joel Dane 
• Russell Letson reviews Morphotrophic by Greg Egan  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Implanted by Lauren C Teffeau  
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews Asunder by Kerstin Hall
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews This World Is Not Yours by Kemi Ashing-Giwa 
  
• Ian Mond reviews The Underhistory by Kaaron Warren
  
• Gabino Iglesias reviews The Malachi Covenant by Dee Kelly, Jr. 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  
• Abergale Shep reviews A Mask of Flies by Matthew Lyons
  
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews A Voice Calling by Christopher Barzak 
• Anneke Schwob reviews Haunt Sweet Home by Sarah Pinsker 
  
• Jake Casella Brookins reviews Weird Black Girls by Elwin Cotman 
  
• Gabino Iglesias reviews This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances by Eric LaRocca 
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews The Collapsing Frontier by Jonathan Lethem  
• Arley Sorg reviews The Crawling Moon: Queer Tales of Inescapable Dread, edited by Dave Ring
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Nova Scotia Vol. 2, edited by Neil Williamson and Andrew J. Wilson 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Gallus: A Glasgow SF Writer’ Circle Anthology, edited by Neil Williamson, Brian M. Milton and E.M. Faulds
     
  

Classics reviews:

• Olivia Rutigliano revisits the 1897 stage play version of Dracula by Bram Stoker.
  
• James Wallace Harris revisits the 1950 science fiction story “Enchanted Village” by A. E. van Vogt 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1957 Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw science fiction mystery The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov. 
  
• Brian Collins revisits the 1959 science fiction story “No Life of Their Own” by Clifford D. Simak 
• Joachim Boaz revisits the 1959 post-apocalyptic novel Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1961 science fiction novel A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke
  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1967 dystopian novel The Eskimo Invasion by Hayden Howard  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1967 tie-in novel Star Trek by James Blish.
  
• David Levinson revisits the September 1969 issue of If: Worlds of Science Fiction.
  
• Rich Horton revisits the 1979 science fiction collection An Infinite Summer by Christopher Priest 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1983 science fiction collection The Man From Earth by Gordon R. Dickson 
  

 

Reports about the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland:

• The 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland, has released its convention guide.
  
• Chris M. Barkley shares photos of the 2024 Hugo Awards ceremony at the 2024 Worldcon.  
• Daniel Roman reports about the 2024 Hugo ceremony at the Glasgow Worldcon.
  
• James Bacon and Team Journey Planet report about their adventures at the 2024 Worldcon.
• Jason Sanford shares his experiences at the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland.
  
• Runalong the Shelves shares his experiences at the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland. 
• Kelly Sue DeConnick shares her experiences at the 2024 Worldcon.
  
• ErsatzCulture shares photos of the Tianwen event created by people involved in the 2023 Worldcon in Chengdu, China, which was held adjacent to the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland.
  
• Chris M. Barkley shares photos of the 2024 Nommo Awards ceremony at Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland. 
• Chris M. Barkley reports about the first, second, third and fourth day of the WSFS Business Meeting at the 2024 Worldcon
• Cora Buhlert shares photos of the File 770 meet-up at the 2024 Worldcon.
  
• Mike Glyer shares photos of the Rotsler Award display at the 2024 Worldcon.  
  

 

Other con and event reports: 

• Nicky Woolf shares their experiences at the 2023 Midwest Furfest in Rosemont, Illinois.
  
• Jason Katz shares his experiences at the Great Florida Bigfoot Conference in Ocala, Florida.
• Locus reports about the 2024 Readercon in Quincy, Massachussetts.
  
• Locus reports about the 2024 Academic Conference on Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy in Toronto, Canada.
  
• LACon V, the 2026 Worldcon will take place in Anaheim, California.
  
• Mike Glyer reports that the 2024 Worldcon bid for Kampala, Uganda, has changed its location to Kigali, Rwanda, following criticism of Uganda's harsh anti-LGBTQ laws. 
• Poseidon Entertainment worries about the future of the US Disney Parks following recent announcements.
  
• Jess Weatherbed reports that Disney has stopped trying to use the Disney Plus user agreement to repeal a lawsuit brought against the company by a widower whose wife died after suffering an anaphylactic shock at a restaurant in Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
  

 

Science and technology:

• Georgina Rannard reports that scientists have discovered a cave on the Moon, which might house a manned moon base one day.
  
• Jacopo Prisco reports that Mercury might contain an underground layer of diamonds.
• Sharon Adario reports that the Boeing Starliner spacecraft seems to have failed completely and that the astronauts it left stranded aboard the International Space Station may have to return aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. 
• Kaye Dee reports about the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing of 1969.
  

 

Gaming: 

• Keza MacDonald shares the latest videogame news from the 2024 Gamescom in Cologne, Germany.
  
• Joe DelFranco reviews the video game Pentiment by Obsidian Entertainment   
• Aaron Jones reviews the video game  Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga 
  
• Marc Cieslak reports about the SAG-AFTRA of video game voice actors and how AI threatens their livelihood.
  

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Pixel Dan discusses the announcement that Mondo will produce 1:12 scale Masters of the Universe action figures based on the 2002 He-Man cartoon.
• Pixel Dan discusses the proposed crowdfunded Mattel Masters of the Universe Snake Lair playset, which Mattel postponed following fan criticism. 
  
• For Eternia reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Masterverse Movie Beast-Man action figure. 
• For Eternia reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Origins Cartoon Collection Spikor and Clawful action figures. 
• Pixel Dan reviews the Mondo Thundercats Lion-O action figure.
  
• Denise Dutton reviews the Folkmanis Jabberwock puppet
  
• James Whitbrook reports about a new toy model of the Starspeeder 3000 from the Star Tours ride at the US Disney parks.

 

Free online fiction: 

• "The Quality of Mercy Is Not Strain’d" by Archita Mittra in Lightspeed
• "Mud Maidens Rise" by K.A. Wiggins in Lightspeed.
  
• "The Darkness Between the Stars" by Richard Thomas in Lightspeed.  
• "Look at the Moon" by Domique Dickey in Lightspeed.
  
• "Resistance" by Cat Rambo in Lightspeed.
  
• "What’s in a Name" by Matthew Hughes in Lightspeed.
• "Conversation with a Dragon" by Cat Rambo in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
• "At the Stopping Place" by Grace Seybold in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
  
• "Queen of the Rodeo" by Cody Goodfellow in Nightmare Magazine.   
  
• "Once There Was Water" by Katie McIvor in The Dark.
• "Tola’s Waft" by Ranylt Richildis in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
  
• "Molum, Molum, Molum the Scourge" by Rich Larson in Clarkesworld
  
• "The Sort" by Thomas Ha in Clarkesworld. 
• "Trigger Snowflake and the Con Guests" by Ingvar in File 770.
• "Trigger Snowflake and the Categories" by Ingvar in File 770.
  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Agatha All Along.
  
• Watch a trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
• Watch a trailer for The Substance.
  

 

 

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for August 2, 2024

 

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with all the news, announcements and trailer from the 2024 San Diego Comic Con,  season 2 of House of the Dragon, Deadpool and Wolverine and the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Masters of the Universe in general, Star Trek in general, the new Time Bandits, Batman: Caped Crusader, more sexual assault allegations against Neil Gaiman and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Natalie Zutter shares the best science fiction and fantasy books coming out in August. 
• Cheryl Eddy shares 61 science fiction, fantasy and horror books coming out in August
  
• Nicola Griffth talks about identity and speculative fiction.  
• Camestros Felapton points out that science fiction is political, but not necessairly progressive. 
• Patton Oswalt discusses how geek culture became mainstream and what might happen next. 
• Wole Talabi talks about African speculative fiction. 
• Tobi Ogundiran shares five books featuring smaller West-African deities
  
• James Davis Nicoll shares five entertaining SFF stories with fairly low stakes.
  
• Jill Baguchinsky shares seven LGBTQ YA horror novels.
• Heather Chavez lists six crime and horror novel with unusual narrators. 
• James Davis Nicoll shares five science fiction stories where people find themselves the last living people on Earth.
  
• Michael Seidlinger shares novel about obsession, addiction, and disease 
• Sara Driscoll shares her favourite books with unreliable narrators.  
• Elisa Shoenberger shares six science fictional closed circle mysteries. 
  
• Leah Blaine shares five poems about dragons. 
• Nicholas Belardes talks about writing ecological horror fiction. 
• Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi talks about her issues with the term "speculative fiction". 
• Josh Winning discusses how celebrity culture influences horror fiction. 
• Molly Templeton wonders when it's time to change your reading habits.
  
• Myles Burke discusses how the shadow of World War I hangs over The Lord of the Rings.
  
• Nev Fountain explains how his experiences with obsessive fans via his relationship with former Doctor Who star Nicola Bryant inspired him to write a fandom mystery 
• Christopher Golden responds to Thomas Monteleone's dismissal Bram Stoker Lifetime Achievement Award winners who happen to be women and writers of colour.  
  
• Lynne M. and Michael Damian Thomas share a touching tribute to their late daughter Caitlin. 
• Francine Pascal, writer of the Sweet Valley High YA novel series, has died aged 92.
  

 

Discussion of the allegations against Neil Gaiman: 

• Mike Glyer reports that a third woman has accused Neil Gaiman of sexual assault. 
• Mike Glyer reports that two more women habe accused Nail Gaiman of sexual assault, bringing the total to five.
  
• Muccamukk shares a round-up of discussion of the sexual assault allegations against Neil Gaiman. 

 

Comics and Art:

• Bryan Reesman reviews Deathstalker by Tim Seeley and Jim Terry. 
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Kiva Vol 1 by Motoki Tomatsu, Yumiko Fujiwara and Bashar Ahmed
• Joseph Dominguez reviews Gyo by Junji Ito 
  
• Daniel Dern reports that the characters from Wilstorm's Planetary series will return in the new DC Comics series Outsiders.
  
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1971 horror comics magazines Tales of the Zombie.
• Fan artist Taral Wayne has died aged 73.
  

 

Film and TV:

• William Hughes calls Scavenger's Reign a truly unique series.
• Emmet Asher-Perrin shares their thoughts on season 6 of The Dragon Prince. 
• Ann Michelle Harris calls Supacell the black Heroes remake you didn’t know you needed 
• Haley Zapal calls Twisters a fun popcorn movie with a greta cast and epic disaster special effects
  
• Alex Wallace discusses how setting helps tell the story in Longlegs
  
• Alex Wallace calls Fly Me to the Moon a very strange beast, a romantic comedy that is also something of an alternate history and a film about fictional characters themselves fictionalizing a real historical event. 
• Cindy White calls Chicken For Linda! an animated feast for the eyes and soul
  
• Peter Bradshaw calls Kensuke’s Kingdom a family friendly animated adventure.
  
• Joel Golby shares his thoughts on The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and wonders why the Walking Dead franchise refuses to die. 
• Phil Hoad calls A Place Called Silence a Chinese Malaysian horror thriller literally dripping in sin 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Snowpiercer 
  
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Ark 
• Diana Keng shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Orphan Black: Echoes  
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the season 2 finale of The Lazarus Project 
  
• Avery Kaplan shares her thoughts on the season 12 premiere of Futurama   
• Ben Child asks if trailer are spoiling movies and TV shows too much.
• Lorna Wallace shares six underrated summer horror movies.
  
• Rich Juzwiak discusses how horror movies solve the cell phone problem. 
• Lee Weinstein revisits the 1943 superhero serial Batman.
  
• Kali Wallace revisits the 1983 monster movie King Kong.
  
• Martin Edwards revisits the 1983 James Bond movie Never Say Never Again.
• Peter Bradshaw revisits the 1984 fantasy film The Neverending Story. 
  
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1994 Babylon 5 episode "Legacies".
• Jarrod Jones revisits the 1994 fantasy comedy The Mask. 
  
• Natalia Keogan revisits the 1999 science fiction horror film Deep Blue Sea. 
• Peter Bradshaw revisits the 2000 dystopian film Werckmeister Harmonies
  
• Steven Weintraub interviews Ronald D. Moore, showrunner of Outlander, For All Mankind and the new Battlestar Galactica. 
• Germain Lussier interviews M. Night Shyamalan, director of The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, The Village, Signs, Trap and many others.  
• Rich Pelley interviews Malcolm McDowell, star of Time After Time, Star Trek: Generations, Clockwork Orange, Blue Thunder and many others.
  
• Ann Lee interviews Joan Chen, star of Twin Peaks, A Murder at the End of the World and many others.
  
• Adrian Horton discusses the impact of AI on filmmaking.
  
• Andrea Laford reports that the Doctor Who spin-off  The War Between the Land and the Sea has been officially announced. 
• Esther Kang shares some information and photos from the new Star Wars series Skeleton Crew.
  
• Nadia Khomami reports that more than half of film and TV workers in the UK are still unemployed after last year's WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes shut down film and TV productions worldwide.
  
• Raven Brunner shares director Kevin Smith's memories of the late Shannen Doherty 
• British actress Ysanne Churchman, best known for her roles in The Archers, Doctor Who, The Flipside of Dominick Hide, Sara and Hoppity, Gallows Glorious and many others, has died aged 99. 
• Chinese actress Cheng Pei-pei, star of Come Drink With Me, Golden Swallow and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, has died aged 78.
  

  

Comments on Deadpool and Wolverine and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general: 

• Ben Child calls Deadpool and Wolverine an endless series of mostly impressive set pieces connected only loosely by anything approaching an actual plot
  
• Emmet Asher Perrin declares that Deadpool and Wolverine is good for a laugh, but sadly not much else. 
• Guy Lodge calls Deadpool and Wolverine a business merger disguised as a movie and criticises the queerbaiting humour.
• Jordan Moreau and Katcy Stephan list forty-five Easter Eggs from Deadpool and Wolverine.   
  
• Germain Lussier discusses the ending of Deadpool and Wolverine. 
• Germain Lussier shares all the questions he has after Deadpool and Wolverine. 
• Esther Zuckerman shares a guide to all the cameo appearances in Deadpool and Wolverine.
  
• Nick Romano interviews Chris Evans about his cameo appearance in Deadpool and Wolverine. 
• Nick Romano interviews Wesley Snipes about his cameo in Deadpool and Wolverine.
  
• Diego Ramos Becchara reports that James McAvoy, who played the young Charles Xavier in several X-Men movies, was not asked to put in a cameo appearance in Deadpool and Wolverine. 
  
• Actress Blake Lively, who plays Lady Deadpool in Deadpool and Wolverine, recounts how she met her husband Ryan Reynolds who plays Deadpool on the set of Green Lantern and first learned about the existence of Deadpool. 
• Sabina Graves notes that Deadpool and Wolverine offers a possible explanation for Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a different role. 
• Matt Donelly discusses Deadpool and Wolverine's eulogy for 20th Century Fox.
  
• Tatiana Siegel reports that Robert Downey Jr as well as Joe and Anthony Russo received large payouts for returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 
• Inspired by the huge paycheck for Robert Downey Jr., Jesse Hassenger asks if Hollywood stars are being paid too much.
  
• Emma Keates reports that Jonathan Majors, who played Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before being fired, following abuse and assault allegations, has heartbroken that Robert Downey Jr. will play a major villain going forward.
  
• J. Kim Murphy reports that Deadpool and Wolverine had the highest ever opening weekend for an R-rated film and the sixth highest of any film ever. 
• Matt Schimkowitz also reports that Deadpool and Wolverine had an excellent opening weekend. 
• Germain Lussier reports that Deadpool and Wolverine is about to pass The Passion of the Christ as the highest-grossing R-rated film ever. 
  
• Sabina Graves reports about some Deadpool and Wolverine themed offerings at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. 
•  Angelique Jackson, Meredith Woerner and J. Kim Murphy report about the Deadpool and Wolverine panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con which included appearance by several actors making cameos in the movie.    
• Justin Crarter declares that Guardians of the Galaxy still rocks a decade after its debut.
  
• Keith R.A. DeCandido calls The Marvels genuinely fun and declares that the film deserves to be a much bigger hit than it was.
  
• Ben Travis interviews Jac Schaeffer, showrunner of WandaVision and Agatha All Along.  
• Ryan Britt and Jake Kleinman interview Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios.
• Mary Kate Carr reports about Harrison Ford, who plays General Thunderbolt Ross in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, giving baffled responses to trivia related questions.
  
• William Hughes reports about the Marvel Studios panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. 
• Melody McCune also reports about the Marvel Studios panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. 
• Borys Kit, Aaron Couch and Ryan Gajewski report about the Marvel Studios panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Watch a video of the Marvel Studios panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California.
  

 

Comments on season 2 of House of the Dragon: 

• Tom Huddleston shares his thoughts on "The Red Sowing", the latest episode of House of the Dragon. 
• Tyler Dean shares his thoughts on "The Red Sowing", 
• Kayleigh Dray shares her thoughts on "The Red Sowing",  
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on "The Red Sowing",    
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on "The Red Sowing", 
• Melody McCune shares her favourite moments from "The Red Sowing",   
• C.T. Phipps shares his thoughts on the House of the Dragon episode "The Burning Mill". 
• C.T. Phipps shares his thoughts on the House of the Dragon episode "The Red Dragon and the Gold".
  
• James Hibberd interviews Tom Bennett who plays Ulf White in House of the Dragon.
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Abubakar Salim who plays Alyn of Hull in House of the Dragon.
• Saloni Gajjar analyses the parallel arcs of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon.
  
• James Hunt reports that the House of the Dragon episode "Smallfolk" is being review bombed over a scene of two women kissing. 
  

 

Comments on Star Trek in general:

• Avery Kaplan shares her ten favourite episodes of Star Trek: Lower Decks.
  
• James Whitbrook reports that a new Star Trek live-action comedy series is in the works.
• Mercedes Milligan repors that Star Trek Lower Decks will continue in comic form.
  
• Avery Kaplan reports about the Star Trek panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.  
• William Hughes also reports about the Star Trek panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Diana Keng reports about the Star Trek Prodigy panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Watch a clip from season 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. 
• Watch a trailer for season 5 of Star Trek: Lower Decks.
  
• Watch a trailer for Star Trek: Section 31.
  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general: 

• Dad-at-Arms reports that according to Mattel vice president of creative content Rob David more animated Masters of the Universe is planned.
  
• James Eatock shares some information on Octuss, a proposed character in the Filmation He-Man cartoon who never made it on screen.
  

 

Comments on the new Time Bandits:

• Meredith Hobbs Coons shares her thoughts on episode 1 of the new Time Bandits.
• Meredith Hobbs Coons shares her thoughts on episode 2 of the new Time Bandits.
• Meredith Hobbs Coons shares her thoughts on episode 3 of the new Time Bandits. 
• Meredith Hobbs Coons shares her thoughts on episode 4 of the new Time Bandits.
  
• Diana Keng shares her thoughts on episode 3 of the new Time Bandits.
• Diana Keng shares her thoughts on episode 4 of the new Time Bandits.
  

 

Comments on Batman: Caped Crusader:

• Jarrod Jones calls Batman: Caped Crusader a moody echo of Batman: The Animated Series 
• Justin Carter declares that Batman: Caped Crusader gets the Dark Knight his animated groove back 
• Graeme Virtue calls Batman: Caped Crusader a refreshing reboot.
  
• Diana Keng shares her thoughts on season 1 of Batman: Caped Crusader.
  

 

Awards:

• The winner of the 2024 Phantastikpreis der Stadt Wetzlar has been announced. 
• The shortlist for the 2024 Glass Bell Award has been announced. 
  
• The winners of the 2024 Scribe Awards have been announced, 
• The winners of the 2024 Trigon Awards have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 Eisner Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2024 Inkpot Awards have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 Diana Jones Award have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 Dream Foundry Contest have been announced. 
• The shortlist for the 2024 Premio Italia has been announced.
  
• The longlist for the 2024 Booker Prize has been announced. 
  
• Nnedi Okorafor and Nicola Griffith have been inducted into the SF&F Hall of Fame
• Mike Glyer reports that the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland, is holding a consultative vote about two proposed new Hugo categories.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Scott Lyerly shares advice for writing better neurodivergent characters in fiction.
  
• Robert Ito chronicles the collapse and bankruptcy of the Romance Writers of America.
• Michael Capobianco shares a brief history of the Science Fiction Writers of America.
  
• Victoria Strauss lists pitfalls to be aware of when evaluating publishing contracts.
  
• Jackson Ryan talks about the danger of scientific journals being hijacked by scammers. 
• Winston Cho shares an update about the lawsuit brought by several writers against OpenAI for copyright infringement.
  
• Locus reports that book sales have grown in the US.
  
• The Reading Agency reports about the decline of reading in the UK.
  

 

Interviews:

• The New York Times interviews Stephen Graham Jones.
• Arley Sorg interviews Nnedi Okorafor. 
  
• Scott Edelman interviews Chuck Tingle.
  
• Fabienne Schwizer interviews Katrina Kwan.
• Runalong the Shelves interviews Victoria Hayward. 
• John Mauro interviews Ryan Skeffington. 
• Arley Sorg interviews Jonathan Strahan.
  

 

Reviews:

• Adrian Collins reviews These Fragile Graces This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein 
• Maura Krause reviews The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei
• Adrian Collins reviews Ghost of the Neon God by T.R. Napper 
  
• Carrie Chi Lough reviews Immaculate Scoundrels by John R. Fultz 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews A Dirge for Cascius: Part 1 by Calum Lott
  
• Bill Capossere reviews The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Ninth Life by Stark Holborn 
  
• Liz Bourke reviews The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons
  
• Paul Weimer reviews Lost Ark Dreaming by Suyi Davies Okungbawa 
• Russell Letson reviews Beyond the Light Horizon by Ken MacLeod 
  
• Marlene Harris reviews Lost to Eternity by Greg Cox
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews In Ascension by Martin MacInnes
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks 
• Mark Yon reviews Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare.
• Paul Weimer reviews The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond. 
• Ian Mond reviews The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman 
  
• Tobias Carroll reviews Keepers of the Stones and Stars by Michael Barakiva. 
• Ratika Deshpande reviews Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson.
  
• Roseanna Pendlebury reviews Queen B by Juno Dawson 
• Roseanna Pendlebury reviews A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon, translated by Anton Hur. 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Mirrored Heavens by Rebecca Roanhorse
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews In the Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran
  
• Marlene Harris reviews In the Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran
  
• BOLO Books reviews Shady Hollow by Juneau Black.  
  
• Marlene Harris reviews Summers End by Juneau Black
• Tadiana Jones and Rebecca Fisher reviews Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo  
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews Cursed Under London by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch   
• Colleen Mondor reviews Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear by Robin Wasley
  
• Mahvesh Murad reviews Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Dirt Upon My Skin by Steve Toase
  
• Kit Power reviews You Like It Darker by Stephen King. 
• Gabino Iglesias reviews Greatest Hits by Harlan Ellison 
     
  

Classics reviews:

• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1926 horror story Wolfhead by Robert E. Howard. 
• Sam Reader revisits the 1930 Southern Gothic story “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner 
• Brian Collins revisits the 1968 science fiction story “They Are Not Robbed” by Richard McKenna 
  
• Mark Yon revisits the August 1969 issue of New Worlds. 
• Gideon Marcus shares his thoughts on the August 1969 issue of Analog. 
• Brian Collins revisits the 1969 ghost story“The Movie People” by Robert Bloch  
  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1977 fantasy novel The Grey Mane of Morning by Joy Chant
  
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1978 gothic horror novel The Castle of Dark by Tanith Lee.
• James Davis Nicoll reviews the 1982 historical horror novel Fevre Dream by George R R Martin 
  
• Judith Tarr revisits the 2016 horror novel The Jersey Devil by Hunter Shea.
  

 

Crowdfunding:

• Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki needs some help to be able to attend the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland.
  

 

Reports about the 2024 San Diego Comic Con:

• James Whitbrook shares an overview of all the news, trailers and cosplay photos of the 2024 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. 
• Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin share their experiences at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Jay Glatfelter, Ryan Doell and Dan Larson share their experiences at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. 
• io9 shares the winners and losers of the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Mike Glyer reports about Marvel's Next Big Thing panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California.
  
• Germain Lussier reports about the Marvel Fanfare panel featuring Kevin Feige and C.B. Cebulski at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
• Melody McCune reports about the Doctor Who panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• James Whitbrook reports about the joint Doctor Who and Star Trek panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
  
• Germain Lussier reports about the Transformers One panel at San Diego Comic Con.
• Germain Lussier reports about the Alien: Romulus panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Cheryl Eddy reports about the What We Do In the Shadows panel at San Diego Comic Con. 
• Tracy Brown and Allen J. Schaben accompany the cast of What We Do In the Shadows to the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Melody McCune reports about The Boys panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Diana Keng reports about the Percy Jackson and the Olympians panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Sabina Graves reports about the Interview with the Vampire panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Diana Keng reports about the Batman: The Caped Crusader panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Diana Keng reports about the Arcane panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Brian D. Bradley reports about the Silo panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con
  
• Cheryl Eddy reports about The Wild Robot panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Cheryl Eddy reports about the Futurama panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Justin Carter reports about the Image Massive-Verse’s panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic-Con  
• Cheryl Eddy reports about the Rick and Morty panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.  
• Watch a video of the Toy Tubers Unite! panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Ryan Gajewski reports that US presidential candidate Kamala Harris put in a surprised appearance at The Simpsons panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Lexy Perez reports that actress Jennifer Garner got stuck in an elevator in the convention center at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con and nearly missed her panel. 
• Carly Thomas reports that fourteen people were arrested at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California, in connection with sex trafficking.
  
• Katcy Stephan reports that a fire broke out in the building housing an immersive experiences for the movie The Penguin, leading to an evacuation.
  
• Sabina Graves shares her favourite cosplay at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Sabina Graves shares more cosplay photos from the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• Sabina Graves shares even more cosplay photos from the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Germain Lussier shares some photos of a recreation of the Winchester Tavern pub from Shaun of the Dead presented at San Diego Comic Con. 

 

Other con and event reports: 

• The programme for the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland, is now online.
  
• James Whitbrook reports that the Disney park union has ratified a new contract offering higher wages and benefits to employees working in Disney parks and hotels.

 

Science and technology:

•  Shamila Kuthunur reports that NASA's Perseverance Mars rover has found possible signs of ancient life on Mars. 
  

 

Gaming: 

• Keza MacDonald wonders why Candy Crush is still popular twelve years after it was launched.
  

 

Toys and collectibles:

•  Toy Habits share photos of the Mattel Masters of the Universe Origins Snake Lair playset.
• Mattel is running a survey about the Masters of the Universe crowdfunded Snake Lair playset. 
  
• Pixel Dan shares a look at the new Mattel Street Sharks toys revealed at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con.
  
• Pixel Dan shares a look at the new toys on display at the NECA booth at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. 
• Pixel Dan shares a look at the new toys on display at the McFarlane Toys booth at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. 
• Pixel Dan shares a look at the new toys on display at the Diamond Select booth at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. 
• Pixel Dan interviews the team behind Hasbro's Marvel Legends toys. 
• Pixel Dan interviews the team behind Hasbro's G.I. Joe Classified toys.  
• James Whitbrook shares the coolest Hasbro Star Wars, Marvel and Transformers toys revealed at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con 
• Iain Delaney reviews the Men in Black Neuralyzer replica from Factory Entertainment. 
• Robert Tilendis reviews the Folkmanis Snow Leopard Cub Puppet 
• James Whitbrook shares a look at new and upcoming Lego Sets.
  
• The Battle Ram Blog shares a timeline for the original She-Ra: Princess of Power toys.
  
•  Wailin Wong and Adrian Ma reports about the curious rise of novelty popcorn buckets.
  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "We Are All Made of Stars" by Robert Bagnall in Wyldblood. 
• "Him beneath the water, whom I love" by Alex Sandground in Strange Horizons.  
• "Between Above and Below" by Carrie Vaughn in Lightspeed. 
  
• "Cicadas, and Their Skins" by Avra Margariti in Strange Horizons. 
  
• "Artists and Fools" by Paolo Bacigalupi in The Sunday Morning Transport.
• "Joy’s Soul Lies in the Doing" by Todd Honeycutt in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
• "The Ecological Impacts of Resurrection: A Field Study" by Corey Farrenkopf in The Deadlands.
• "The Time Capsule" by Alice Towey in Clarkesworld.
  
• "The Green Wall Plot" by Nick Mamatas in Interzone Digital.
  
• "The Dead Line" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a preview of "Joy to the World", the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special.
  
• Watch a trailer for season 2 of The Rings of Power.
• Watch a trailer for The Penguin.
  
• Watch a trailer for Creature Commandos. 
• Watch a trailer for season 3 of The Legend of Vox Machina. 
• Watch a trailer for Terminator Zero.
  
• Watch a trailer for Wynonna Earp: Vengeance. 
• Watch a trailer for Hellboy: The Crooked Man. 
• Watch a trailer for Sweetpea.
  
• Watch a trailer for Bagman. 
• Watch a trailer for The 4:30 Movie. 
• Watch a trailer for Slingshot.
  
• Watch a trailer for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon - The Book of Carol. 
• Watch a trailer for The Walking Dead: Dead City. 
• Watch a trailer for Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Cosmos The Movie
  
• Watch a trailer for season 5 of Solar Opposites.