Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for December 3, 2021

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the best SFF books of 2021, Hawkeye and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, Star Trek Discovery and  Star Trek in general, Doctor Who, the various DC Comics based TV shows, Masters of the Universe: Revelations, The Wheel of Time, Silent Night and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Tor.com shares all the new science fiction books coming out in December.
  
• Tor.com shares all the new fantasy books coming out in December. 
• Tor.com shares all the new YA SFF books coming out in December. 
• Cheryl Eddy shares fourteen new science fiction and fantasy books to read this December.
  
• James Davis Nicoll lists four SFF Best Of... anthologies we may have missed.
  
• James Davis Nicoll shares five spellbinding military fantasy novels.
  
• Carly Silver shares eleven modern fantasies based on classic mythology. 
• Kali Wallace explores the darker side of found families. 
• C. Brandon Ogbuno explains how Afrofuturism can help to mend the world. 
• Katrhyn Finch discusses the race essentialism of hybrids in science fiction. 
• Ian Douglas talks about telling the truth in science fiction. 
• Molly Templeton talks about a year of unread books. 
• Don Herron talks about Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and Gray Mouser series.
  
• Deuce Richardson shares his appreciation for the works of Poul Anderson. 
• Jeff Goad profiles L. Sprague de Camp.
  
• Bobby Derie discusses the conflict between H.P. Lovecraft and others in his circle with Hugo Gernsback and whether Lovecraft's Antisemitism played into it. 
• Leah Schnelbach celebrates the sheer weirdness of Madeleine L'Engle's fantasy novels for children.
  
• Cole Rush discusses the evolution of Brandon Sanderson's fantasy worlds. 
• Issue 60 of Journey Planet is available.
  
• David Barnett reports that the 1972 children's ghost story The Amazing Mr. Blunden by Antonia Barber is back in print due to an upcoming TV adaptation by Mark Gatiss.
• Andy Hazel reports how RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons can provide a safe haven for people suffering from social anxiety.
  

Best of 2021:

• Waterstones share their favourite science fiction, fantasy and horror books of 2021.
  
• AudioFile shares the best science fiction and fantasy audiobooks of 2021.
• The New York Times has announced its favourite books of 2021 with some love for genre books.
  

 

Comics and Art:

• James Bacon reviews Black by Tobias Taitt and Anthony Smith.
  
• Alison Flood reports that Danny DeVito has written a Batman story in which the Joker beats covid by vaccinating Gotham City.
  

 

Film and TV:

• Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on season 1 of Foundation.  
• nerds of a feather share their thoughts on the live action Cowboy Bebop.
  
• Jennifer Ouellette praises the performance of David Tennant in the latest adaptation of Around the World in Eighty Days. 
• Cath Clarke calls Red Snow a cheery vampire holiday comedy. 
• Roxana Hadadi calls Encounter a disappointing science fiction horror film.
  
• Lucy Mangan calls the Danish horror series Elves ET meets The Wicker Man. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw calls Hellbound a brilliant supernatural thriller from South Korea. 
  
• Arturo Serrano explains what Encanto means to him as a Columbian. 
• Phuong Le calls Night Raiders a mix of social issue drama and dystopian science fiction that's not very effective as either.
  
• Phuong Le calls Chhorii an Indian horror remake that falls prey to its own failings.
• Leslie Felperin calls Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City an unpretentiously gory horror film.
  
• Anya Stanley calls The Scary of Sixty-First a gleefully offensive horror movie.
• Phil Hoad calls The Last Matinee a voyeuristic slasher horror film.
• Mike D'Angelo calls Wolf a thin and iffy horror parable. 
• Luke Buckmaster calls Back to the Outback a ho-hum animation. 
• Anthony Breznican explains how the ending of Ghostbusters: Afterlife came to be (massive spoilers). 
• The Hugo Book Club Blog share their thoughts on the documentary Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time. 
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the season 1 finale of La Brea.
  
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Invasion. 
• Leila Latif shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Yellowjackets. 
• James Whitbrook shares some speculations about The Book of Boba Fett.
  
• Stuart Heritage ranks all episodes of Black Mirror with regard to how well they predicted the future.
• Cole Rush shares five unskippable TV title sequences.
  
• Eric Piepenburg wonders when a horror movie is not a horror movie. 
  
• Ben Child wonders which fantasy films of the 1980s are ripe for a remake.
• Phil Ford and J.F. Martel revisit the 1982 sword and sorcery movie Conan the Barbarian.
• Germain Lussier revisits the 1989 adventure film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and specifically its ending.
  
• Charles Pulliam-Moore revisits the 2000 animated film Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins.
• Benjamin Lee interviews Ann Dowd who plays Aunt Lydia in The Handmaid's Tale.
• James Whitbrook explains the major fractions of the underworld in Star Wars. 
• Ben Pearson explains why movie dialogue is getting more and more difficult to understand.
  
• Clark Collis recounts how an appearance at the 2004 San Diego Comic Con gave the zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead a boost in the US.
• Vanessa Armstrong reports that Guillermo del Toro might adapt At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft after all. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw reports about a serious pay gap between the writers of animated shows and live action shows.
  
• Adrian Horton reports that Alec Baldwin claims he did not pull the trigger on the set of Rust, where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot. 
  
• Myungchul Lee reports that a man who smuggled copies of the South Korean dystopian series Squid Game in North Korea has been sentenced to death by firing squad, while several students and their teachers who have been caught watching the show have received prison sentences.
• Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim has died aged 91.
  

 

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

• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on "Never Meet Your Heroes", the series premiere of Hawkeye.
• Annika Rollock shares her thoughts on "Echoes", the latest episode of Hawkeye. 
• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on "Echoes".
  
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw shares her thoughts on "Echoes". 
• Caroline Siede shares her thoughts on "Echoes".  
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on "Echoes".
  
• Sam Barsanti explains how the legcy of Hawkeye's violent alter-ego Ronin sits at the heart of the Hawkeye series. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw wonders whether Wilson Fisk a.k.a. Kingpin will appear in Hawkeye.
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw explains how a brief moment in Hawkeye of Clint Barton spotting a "Thanos was right" graffitti in a bathroom has become a meme.
• David Grossman explains how Rogers: The Musical, a fake Broadway musical featured in Hawkeye, came to be.
• David Betancourt interviews Hailee Steinfeld who plays Kate Bishop in Hawkeye.
• Brian Davids interviews Vera Farminga and Tony Dalton, who play Eleanor Bishop and Jack Duquesne in Hawkeye.
• Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on Black Widow.
  

 

Comments on Star Trek Discovery and Star Trek in general: 

• Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on "Anomaly", the latest episode of Star Trek Discovery.
• Zack Handlen shares his thoughts on "Anomaly".
• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on "Anomaly".
• Keith R.a. DeCandido revisits the Star Trek Enterprise episode "Strange New World".
  

 

Comments on Master of the Universe: Revelation (spoilers):

• Matt Fowler declares that Masters of the Universe: Revelation continues to offer great twists to the He-Man formula and also offers plenty of characterisation for secondary characters.
• Luke Y. Thompson calls Masters of the Universe: Revelation a rollicking adventure. 
• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on part 2 of Masters of the Universe: Revelation. 
• Rob Bricken shares his thoughts on part 2 of Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
  
• Matthew Catania shares his thoughts on part 2 of Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
  
• Lauren Abrams explains why Masters of the Universe. Revelation changes the rules under which the Sorceress operates.
• Watch a behind the scenes video of Mark Hamill and Lena Headey recording their lines as Skeletor and Evil-Lyn in Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
  

 

Comments on Doctor Who past and present:

• Martin Belam shares his thoughts on "Survivors of the Flux", the latest episode of Doctor Who. 
• Emmet Asher-Perrin shares their thoughts on "Survivors of the Flux". 
• Caroline Siede shares her thoughts on "Survivors of the Flux". 
• James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on "Survivors of the Flux".
  
• Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on series 13 of Doctor Who to date.
  
• James Whitbrook reports that British Conservative MP has blamed the Jodie Whittaker version of Doctor Who for young British men committing crimes.
  

 

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

• Scott von Doviak shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Flash.
• Watch a trailer for Beebo Saves Christmas.
  

 

Comments on The Wheel of Time (spoilers): 

• Zack Handlen shares his thoughts on "The Dragon Reborn", the latest episode of The Wheel of Time.
• Sylas K. Barrett shares his thoughts on "The Dragon Reborn".
• Camestros Felapton declares that the first few episodes of The Wheel of Time series look good. 
• Bill Capossere declares that The Wheel of Time spins a little too slowly for his taste.
  
• Meghan O'Keefe reports about the struggle to keep the "Weep for Manetheren" scene in The Wheel of Time TV show. 
  

 

Comments on Silent Night:

• Cheryl Eddy calls Silent Night a downbeat blend of Christmas and doomsday.
• Jason Shawhan calls Silent Night a hateful lump of holiday coal.
• Peter Bradshaw calls Silent Night an arrestingly strange apocalyptic holiday comedy.
  

 

Awards: 

• The finalists for the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2021 Wonderland Book Awards have been announced.
  
• The finalists of the 2021 Dream Foundry Contest have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2021 Kaguya Sci-Fi Contest have been announced.
  
• The winner of the 2021 Royal Society Science Book Prize has been announced.
• The winners of the 2021 Golden Joystick Awards have been announced.
  

 

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Valerie Valdes explains why marginalised writers like using second person POV. 
• Elysia Whisler recounts how her female protagonist was called "too strong" and "unlikeable".
  
• Nick Kolakowski explains how to resurrect an inconveniently dead character.
  
• Ella Syverson shares some tips for building a magic system. 
• Kristine Kathryn Rusch looks back on her writing year.
• Ailbhe MacMahon reports about the Zhongshuge bookstore in Shenzhen, China.
  

Interviews:

• Derek Garcia interviews Michael Moorcock. 
• BBC Radio 4 interviews Neil Gaiman. 
• Joseph Hurtgen interviews Cat Rambo.
  
• Wrong Place, Write Crime interviews Sarah Gailey. 
• Lisa Morton interviews Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson.
  
• Scott Edelman interviews Lawrence M. Schoen.
  
• Janna Miller interviews Phoenix Roberts. 
• Arley Sorg interviews Diana M. Pho.
  
• Arley Sorg interviews Tarun K. Saint.

Reviews:

• Adrienne Martini reviews Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher. 
• Alex Brown reviews Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. 
• Rob Bedford reviews Forging a Nightmare by Patricia A. Jackson.
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart. 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart.
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong. 
• Tadiana Jones reviews Aurora's End by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. 
  
• Tobias Carroll reviews Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
  
• Natalie Zutter reviews The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal.
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews Beyond the Hallowed Sky by Ken MacLeod. 
• Molly Templeton reviews Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson.
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Exposure by Louis Greenberg.
  
• Ian Mond reviews This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno.  
• Jenny Hamilton reviews A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske. 
• Carolyn Cushman reviews The Sapphire Ring by C. Dale Brittain.
  
• Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett reviews Chouette by Claire Oshetsky. 
• Adrienne Martini reviews The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik. 
• Richard Marpole reviews Spirits of Vengeance by Rob J. Hayes.
  
• Gabino Iglesias reviews The Seven Visitations of Sydney Burgess by Andy Marino.
• Marion Deeds reviews Home Before Dark by Riley Sager. 
• Hephzibah Anderson reviews Greek Myths: A New Retelling by Charlotte Higgins and Medusa: The Girl Behind the Myth by Jessie Burton.
• Sally Adee reviews Even Greater Mistakes by Charlie Jane Anders.
• Amy Walker reviews Sinopticon: A Celebration of Chinese Science Fiction, edited by Xueting Christine Ni.
• Runalong the Shelves reviews A Universe of Wishes: A We Need More Diverse Books Anthology, edited by Dhonielle Clayton
• Arturo Serrano reviews Speculative Fiction for Dreamers: A Latinx Anthology, edited by Alex Hernandez, Matthew David Goodwin and Sarah Rafael Garcia.
  
• Jessica Rydill reviews The Alchemy Press Book of Horror 3, edited by Peter Coleborn and Jan Edwards.
  

 
Classics reviews:

• Runalong the Shelves revisits the 1897 horror novel Dracula by Bram Stoker.
• Bitter Tea and Mystery revisits the 1897 science fiction novella The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells.
  
• MarzAat revisits the 1917 fantasy story "A Touch of Pan" by Algernon Blackwood.
• M. Porcius revisits the August 1934 issue of Weird Tales. 
  
• G.W. Thomas revisits the 1941 Barsoom story "The City of the Mummies" by Edgar Rice Burroughs. 
• G.W. Thomas revisits the 1941 Barsoom story "Black Pirates of Barsoom" by Edgar Rice Burroughs. 
• Robert Davidson revisits the 1943 horror novel Malpertuis by Jean Ray. 
• Matt Mikalatos revisits the 1943 religious science fiction novel Perelandra by C.S. Lewis.
  
• Nick Toches revisits the 1946 surreal thriller Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham. 
  
• Digital Bibliophilia revisits the 1965 science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert.
  
• Mark Yon revisits the December 1966 issues of New Worlds and SF Impulse.
• Gideon Marcus revisits the December 1966 issue of Analog.
  
• Kat Hooper revisits the 1966 science fiction novel Moon of Three Rings by Andre Norton. 
  
• Joe Kenney revisits the 1969 non-fiction book A Fire on the Moon by Norman Mailer. 
• Kat Hooper revisits the 1971 science fiction novel Exiles of the Stars by Andre Norton.
  
• J.W. Wartick revisits the 1972 science fiction novel Dying Inside by Robert Silverberg.
  
• James David Nicoll revisits the 1974 science fiction anthology Orbit 13, edited by Damon Knight.
  
• Vincent Czyz revisits the 1975 science fiction novel Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1980 fantasy collection The Green Gods by Nathalie Henneberg, translated by C.J. Cheryh.
  
• Jess Zimmerman revisits the 1980 post-apocalyptic novel Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban. 
• Lis Carey revisits the 1983 alternate history novel The Dragon Waiting by John M. Ford. 
• Paul Weimer revisits the 1988 dystopian novella Journals of the Plague Years by Norman Spinrad.
  
• James Maliszewski revisits the 1999 fantasy story "A Traveler in Desert Lands" by Gene Wolfe.
  
• Fletcher Vredenburgh revisits the 2009 sword and sorcery novel Blood of Ambrose by James Enge.
  

Crowdfunding:

• Changa and the Jade Obelisk 2, a sword and soul comic by Robert Jeffrey II and Matteo Illuminati, is looking for funding.
• WisCon, the longrunning feminist science fiction convention in Madison, Wisconsin, has financial difficulties and needs help.
  

 

Con and event reports:

• Louis Monteagudo Jr. reports about the Comic-Con Special Edition in San Diego, California, and shares some highlights. 
• Hailey Branson-Potts reports about the Comic Con Special Edition in San Diego, California. 
• Ken and Chris Stone offer a look inside the Comic Con Museum in San Diego, California. 
• Neil Clarke explains where to find him at DisCon III, the 2021 Worldcon in Washington DC.
  
• John Coxon, Alison Scott and Marguerite Smith discuss the 2021 Novacon in Buxton, UK. 
• Mike Glyer reports that Westercon 75, which is to be held in 2023, still has no home. 
• The 2021 Smofcon in Lisbon, Portugal, shares its program. 
• The Speculative Literature Foundation has announced that the deadline for applying to its convention support grants has been extended until December 15, 2021.
  
• James Bacon reports about the Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival in Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK.
  
• Richard Man shares some photos of the Rotsler Award exhibition at the 2021 Loscon in Los Angeles, California.
  
• Sarah A. Duke shares some highlights from the Stephen A. Geppi collection of comic art at the Library of Congress in Washington DC.
  
• Frank DeCaro explains how a balloon version of Baby Grogu came to take part in the famous Macy's Thanksgiving parade in New York City. 
• The Gothamist shares photos of the 2021 Macy's Thanksgiving parade in New York City.
• Alison Flood reports that the robotic artist Ai-Da will perform AT generated poetry written in response to Dante's Divine Comedy in Oxford, UK.
  

 

Science and technology:

• The Planetary Society share their favourite moments of space exploration in 2021.
  
• Robin McKee reports about NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.
  
• Eric Berger reports that an incident occurred with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope at the Ariane 5 launch site in Kourou, French Guyana. 
• Eric Berger reports that the Russian space agency Roscosmos is threatening criminal charges against a NASA astronaut over a hole in a Soyuz capsule discovered in 2018.
• Michael Miscione reports how the urban legend of alligators living in the sewers of New York City came to be.
  

Free online fiction:

• "The Tinder Box" by Kate Elliott in Tor.com. 
• "And a Piece of Coal Where Her Heart Once Beat" by Suzanne J. Willis in The Dark.
  
• "The Watchtower Bell" by Alcuin Fromm in Sword and Sorcery Magazine. 
• "The Cold Calculations" by Aimee Ogden in Clarkesworld. 
• "Beneath the Earth Where the Nymphs Sleep" by Meghan Feldman in Clarkesworld. 
• "When Sri Left the Ruined City" by Donyae Coles in Lightspeed.
  
• "Fairy Tale" by Adam-Troy Castro in Lightspeed.
  
• "I Call Upon the Night As Witness" by Zahra Mukhi in Apex Magazine. 
• "The Fox's Daughter" by Richard Parks in Beneath Ceaseless Skies. 
• "Fall to Rise" by David Tallerman in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
  
• "Odudu's Gambit" by Albert Nkereuwem in Omenana. 
• "Roar, Sweet Child, Roar" by Sydnee Thompson in Fireside Magazine. 
• "Murder Tongue" by Jayaprakash Satyamurthy in Nightmare Magazine.
• "Ride" by Linda Nagata in Slate Future Tense.
  
• "Look to the Future" by Louise Hughes in Luna Station Quarterly.
  
• "Ocean's 6" by Elsa Sjunneson in Mermaids Monthly.
• "Tomatoes" by Eugenia Triantafyllou in khoreo.
• "Cons of Time Travel" by A. Rector in Daily Science Fiction.
  
• "An Update on the Prime Directive" by William C. and J.W. Armstrong in Daily Science Fiction. 
• "Last Text" by Ephiny Gale in Daily Science Fiction.
  
• "Where Lies the Final Harbor" by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam in Daily Science Fiction.
• "Midnight Trains" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for The Book of Boba Fett.
• Watch a trailer for The Silent Sea.
• Watch a trailer for The Matrix Resurrections. 
• Watch a trailer for Station Eleven.
  
• Watch a trailer for For Auld Lang Syne.
  

 

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for August 6, 2021

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the return of The Shadow, Black Widow, What If...? and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, 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, Free Guy, Jungle Cruise, the Ghostbusters Afterlife trailer, a controversy involving the 2021 Vivian Awards, tributes to J.W. Rinzler and Elizabeth Anne Hull and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Cheryl Eddy shares new science fiction and fantasy books to read this August. 
• Leah Schnelbach shares the best new science fiction and fantasy books for August. 
  
• Joe Sherry also shares some new SFF books coming out in August. 
• Tor.com lists all the new science fiction books coming out in August.
  
• Tor.com lists all new fantasy books coming out in August. 
• James Grainger shares new horror books coming out this month. 
• Tor.com shares all the new young adult SFF books coming out in August.
  
• Charles Payseur shares a list of more than fifty LGBTQ+ SFF short stories published in July. 
• Ratika Deshpande shares six SFF comfort reads.
  
• Gita Trelease shares five intrusive fantasy novels to enjoy.
  
• Ausma Zehanat Khan shares five fantasies drawn from neglected parts of history. 
• Zoe Hana Mikuta shares five SFF books featuring cutthroat female characters.
  
• Abi Silver talks about the power of fairytales.
  
• Linda H. Codega shares tabletop games to pair with recent horror novels. 
• Molly Templeton wonders whether it is possible to have too many books on your to be read pile.
  
• Tanner Greer wonders why young adult SFF is so popular at the moment.
• Carrie Sessarego takes a look at the popular YA SFF heroines Bella Swann, Buffy Summers and Katniss Everdeen. 
• Meghan Ball explains why the 1990s YA fantasy series Animorphs by K.A. Applegate deserves a revival. 
• Robin Anne Reid shares her appreciation for the feminist mythopoeic fantasy of T. Kingfisher.
  
• Scott Oden attempts to define sword and sorcery and traces the history of the subgenre.
  
• Scott Oden explains how sword and sorcery grew out of mythological fiction. 
• R.H. Lossin profiles William Morris.
  
• Deuce Richardson shares his appreciation for the works of Poul Anderson.  
  
• Deuce Richardson remembers David Gemmell for the 15th anniversary of his death.
• Locus remembers the late horror author C. Dean Andersson.
  
• Roberto Calasso, Italian writer of mythology retellings, has died aged 80.
• J.W. Rinzler, who wrote various Making of books for Lucasfilm, has died aged 58. 
• Berkeleyside remembers J.W. Rinzler. 
• Locus remembers J.W. Rinzler.
  
• SFF academic, editor and author Elizabeth Anne Hull has died aged 84.
• Locus remembers Elizabeth Anne Hull.
  

 

Comments on the return of The Shadow: 

• Steven Thompson reviews The Shadow by James Patterson and Brian Sitts.
  
• Don Herron declares that James Patterson's and Brian Sitts' take on the classic pulp hero The Shadow has nothing in common with the character we all know and love.
• William Lampkin laments that the new Shadow proves that Condé Nast neither understands nor values the Shadow and the other pulp heroes they hold the right for.
  

 

Comics and Art:

• Amy Fleming reviews the graphic novel Sleeper by Jed Mercutio, Prasanna Puwanarajah and Coke Navarro. 
• Max Funky revisits the 1997 comic adaption of Michael Moorcock's Elric story Stormbringer by P. Craig Russell.
• Natalie Zutter revisits volumes 3 and 4 of the comic series Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra. 
• Cole Hornaday talks about orientalism and the genesis of Doctor Strange. 
• Scott Edelman interviews comics writer Tom King. 
• Deuce Richardson shares his appreciation for the art of Tom Barber.
  
• William Patrick Maynard and Mike Chomko profile the legendary Weird Tales cover artist Margaret Brundage.
  

 

Film and TV:

• Phil Hoad calls The Boys from County Hell a vampire comedy that's a bloody good laugh. 
• Jennifer Ouellette calls Post Mortem the Norwegian vampire show we need right now.
  
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw explains how costume design shapes the worldbuilding of The Expanse. 
• Germain Lussier calls Nine Days a fascinating film about the afterlife.
  
• Alex McLevy declares that the producers of Dawn of the Beast should have called their movie Bigfoot vs. Wendigo instead. 
• Cath Clarke calls Teddy a wince-inducing French werewolf film. 
• Juan Barquin shares his thoughts on the latest episode of American Horror Stories.
  
• Leslie Felperin calls Moonbound a children's fantasy featuring a mishmash of folklore.
  
• Phuong Le calls Mission Galaxy an animated space adventure for kids that lacks energy. 
• C.L. Clark shares her appreciation for Xena: The Warrior Princess.
  
• David Vineyard revisits the 1929 horror film Seven Footprints to Satan.
  
• Germain Lussier revisits the 1966 Batman movie.
• Leslie Felperin revisits the 1977 giallo thriller The Psychic. 
• Peter Bradshaw revisits the 1995 dystopian drama Welcome II the Terrordome. 
• Rob Bricken revisits the 2001 historical horror movie The Brotherhood of the Wolf.
  
• BuzzFeed shares 34 fascinating and consistent details from the Back to the Future trilogy. 
• Danny Leigh interviews Prano Bailey-Bond, director of Censor. 
• Alex Mokakis interviews Shailene Woodley, star of the Divergent series among others.
  
• Germain Lussier reports that Taika Waititi, director of Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit, What We Do in the Shadows and others, is planning to live action Flash Gordon film.
  
• James Whitbrook reports that the studio wanted Peter Jackson to kill off a Hobbit in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
• Justin Kroll reports that actor Regé-Jean Page will star in the latest version of The Saint.
• Desmond Davis, cinematographer and director of Clash of the Titans, has died aged 81. 
  

 

Comments on Black Widow, What If...? and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general (spoilers):

• Arley Sorg and Josh Pearce share their thoughts on Black Widow and The Tomorrow War.
  
• Benjamin Lee calls Scarlett Johansson's lawsuit against Disney over Black Widow debuting simultaneously in theatres and on streaming the latest round in a difficult battle.
• Germain Lussier shares the latest updates and escalations on Scarlett Johansson's lawsuit against Disney.
• Pat Saperstein reports that Women in Film, Los Angeles, ReFrame and Time’s Up have issued a joint statement calling Disney’s characterization of Scarlett Johansson a “gendered character attack.”
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw reports that Scarlett Johansson's lawsuit against Disney illuminates a larger problem regarding the fair compensation of actors.  
  
• Sam Barsanti interviews the creators of the animated show What if...? 
• Charles Pulliam-Moore also interviews the creators of What If...? 
• Charles Pulliam-Moore interviews Alex Bradley, headwriter of What If...?
  
• Josh Weiss reports that Clark Gregg, who played Agent Phil Coulson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will appear in What If...? 
• Watch a clip from What If...?
  

 

Comments on Free Guy:

• Germain Lussier calls Free Guy an unexpectedly great videogame movie.
• Peter Bradshaw calls Free Guy a cherrfully silly riff on The Truman Show. 
• A.A. Dowd calls Free Guy a Truman Show for the Fortnite age.
  

Comments on The Bad Batch and Star Wars in general:

• Jarrod Jones shares his thoughts on "War Mantle", the latest episode of Star Wars; The Bad Batch.
• James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on "War Mantle".
• Germain Lussier attempts to answer the question just how Palpatine managed to survive the end of Return of the Jedi.
• Molly Templeton reports that The Bad Batch will return for a second season.
  

 

Comments on the many iterations of Star Trek: 

• Jordan Hoffman explains why the one-of character Tuvix from Star Trek Voyager remains popular 25 years later. 
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the Star Trek Voyager episodes "Imperfection" and "Drive".
  
• H&I lists ten minor goofs and continuity errors in the original Star Trek. 
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Jack Quaid, Tawny Newsome, Noël Wells and Eugene Cordero, the voice actors of Star Trek: Lower Decks.
• Alex McLevy compares LeVar Burton, who played Geordi LaForge in Star Trek: The Next Generation and now hosts the game show Jeopardy, to previous Jeopardy hosts.
  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe: Revelation (spoilers):  

• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on Masters of the Universe: Revelation and its links to the sword and sorcery genre.
  
• Marie Bilodeau declares that Masters of the Universe: Revelation celebrates the origins of He-Man.  
• Arturo Serrano declares that focussing on characters other than He-Man was exactly what Masters of the Universe: Revelation needed. 
• George Daniel Lea discusses the character of Scareglow in Masters of the Universe: Revelation and the use of horror tropes.
  

 

Comments on Doctor Who past and present: 

• James Whitbrook lists eleven actors who should play the next Doctor in Doctor Who.
  
• Huw Fullerton reports that the replacements for Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall will be announced soon.
  

 

Comments on The Green Knight:

• Leah Schnelbach calls The Green Knight so beautiful it's painful.
• Germain Lussier interviews Ralph Ineson, one of the stars of The Green Knight.
  

 

Comments on The Suicide Squad:

• James Brogan wonders whether The Suicide Squad is the beginning of the end for superhero movies.
  
• Cameron Scheetz interviews David Dastmalchian who plays Polka-Dot Man in The Suicide Squad.
  
• William Hughes reports that David Ayer, director of the 2016 Suicide Squad movie, is still not happy with how Warner Bros handled his film.
• Valerie Complex declares that David Ayer has every right to be upset, since Warner Bros edited his version of Suicide Squad without his approval.

 

Comments on Jungle Cruise:

• Inspired by Jungle Cruise, Caroline Siede revisits earlier adventure romances.
• Germain Lussier reports that Jungle Cruise sits at the top of the US box office.
  

 

Comments on the Ghostbusters: Afterlife trailer:

• Alasdair Stuart shares his reaction to the Ghostbusters: Afterlife trailer.
  
• Ben Child wonders whether Ghostbusters: Afterlife has forgotten that it's supposed to be funny.
  

 

Awards: 

• The shortlist for the 2021 Mythopoeic Awards has been announced.  
• The shortlist for the 2021 Goldboro Books Glass Bell Award has been announced.
  
• The finalists for the 2021 Silver Falchion and Killer Nashville Readers Choice Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2021 Claymore Award have been announced.
• The winners of the 2021 Vivian Awards have been announced, again to controversy.
• Sarah Nicolas reports about the 2021 Vivian Award controversy. 
• Mike Glyer reports about the 2021 Vivian Award controversy.
  
• Romance author Sara Whitney returns her Vivian Award in protest of the controversy.
  
• The RWA shares a statement on a problematic 2021 Vivian Award winner.
• The RWA has withdrawn the Vivian Award win and no awarded the religious and spiritual romance category.
• The Conversation interviews Lizzy Attree and Mukoma Wa Ngugi, founders of the Nyabola Prize for Science Fiction in Kiswahili.
  

  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Greta Hayer shares naming strategies for science fiction and fantasy.  
• Lincoln Michel talks about plotting.
  
• Adam Simcox discusses the differences between writing scripts and writing novels. 
• Kristine Kathryn Rusch talks about writing streaks and the ground effect.
  
• Scott Oden discusses his process for writing pastiches (Conan pastiches in this case).
  
• Kameron Hurley explains how to evaluate editorial feedback and when to compromise. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw reports that erotica author Romilly King has been caught plagiarizing a Supernatural fanfic.
  
• Katie Sehl reports that Twitter is artificially throttling tweets with links or images, which disproportionately affects writers and artists. 
• Alex Hern reports that Twitter accidentally verified a fake Twitter account of Cormac McCarthy.
  
• Walker Caplan reports that the legendary independent bookstore Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon, is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary.
  

Interviews:

• Martha Wells and Becky Chambers interview each other.
  
• Arley Sorg interviews Adrian Tchaikovsky. 
  
• Arley Sorg interviews S. Qiouyi Lu. 
• The Qwillery interviews John Appel.
  
• Jason Sizemore interviews Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam. 
• Lisa Haselton interviews Elizabeth Price. 
  
• Paul Weimer interviews J.P. Oakes.
  
• Cat Luria interviews B. Zelkovich.
  

Reviews:

• Blue Book Balloon reviews Catalyst Gate by Megan E. O'Keefe. 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brissett. 
• Carolyn Cushman reviews Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs and A Wolf After My Own Heart by MaryJanice Davidson.
  
• Paul di Filippo reviews City of Iron and Dust by J.P. Oakes. 
• Bill Capossere reviews The Tangleroot Palace by Marjorie M. Liu.
  
• Colleen Mondor reviews A Complicated Love Story Set in Space by Shaun David Hutchinson.
• James Davis Nicoll reviews A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry.
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Amok by Anna Tan.
  
• Mark Yon reviews The Hand of the Sun King by J.T. Greathouse. 
• Joe Sherry reviews Invisible Sun by Charles Stross. 
• Liz Bourke and Alex Brown review She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. 
• Hunxi reviews She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan.
  
• The Hugo Book Club Blog reviews When the Sparrow Falls by Neil Sharpson. 
• Nick Richardson reviews The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again by M. John Harrison.
  
• Bill Capossere reviews The Empire's Ruin by Brian Staveley.
• Rob Bedford reviews The Justice in Revenge by Ryan Van Loan.
  
• Alex Brown reviews A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee. 
• Richard Marpole reviews Mermicide by Mina Rose.
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews The Somebody People by Bob Proehl.
• Ian Mond reviews The High-Rise Diver by Julia von Lucadou, translated by Sharmila Cohen. 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Hell by Yasutaka Tsutsui, translated by Evan Emswiler.
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews Tower Block Ghost Story by T.S.J. Harling and The Elevator by Imogen Reid. 
  
• Marion Deeds and Tadiana Jones reviews Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark. 
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo.
• Doris V. Sutherland reviews Blood Relations by Kristopher Triana. 
• Bill Capossere reviews Dreaming in Quantum and Other Stories by Lynda Clark.
  
• Brandon Crilly reviews Never Say You Can't Survive: How to Get Through Hard Times by Making Up Stories by Charlie Jane Anders.
• Veronica Esposito reviews The Letters of Shirley Jackson, edited by Laurence Jackson Hyman.
  

 
Classics reviews:

• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1925 science fiction thriller Thus Far by J.C. Snaith.
  
• Player None revisits the 1928 horror story "The Dunwich Horror" by H.P. Lovecraft. 
• Doris V. Sutherland revisits the July 1929 issue of Air Wonder Stories. 
• Judith Tarr revisits the 1947 children's fantasy Rogue Reynard by Andre Norton. 
• Alan Brown revisits the 1953 YA science fiction novels Space Platform and Space Tug by Murray Leinster.
  
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1959 paranormal spy novel Brain Twister by Mark Phillips a.k.a. Randall Garrett and Laurence M. Janifer. 
• Joe Kenney revisits the 1963 James Bond novel Doctor No by Ian Fleming. 
  
• Gideon Marcus revisits the August 1966 issue of Analog. 
• David Levinson revisits the September 1966 issue of If: Worlds of Science Fiction. 
• Young People Read Old SF revisit the 1966 science fiction story "Neutron Star" by Larry Niven.
  
• Tim DeForest revisits the 1968 sword and sorcery novel Conan of the Isles by Lin Carter and L. Sprague de Camp.
  
• Fletcher Vredenburgh revisits the 1974 Dying Earth science fantasy novel A Quest for Simbilis by Michael Shea. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1975 fantasy novel The Broken Citadel by Joyce Ballou Gregorian.
  
• M. Porcius revisits the 1978 sword and sorcery novel Vazkor, Son of Vazkor by Tanith Lee. 
• M. Porcius also revisits the 1978 sword and sorcery novel Quest for the White Witch by Tanith Lee.
  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1979 space opera novel Space Angel by John Maddox Roberts.
• Brian Evenson revisitis the 1980 science fantasy novel The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe.
• Anne M. Pillsworth and Ruthanna Emrys revisit the 1984 horror story "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut" by Stephen King.
  

Con and event reports:

• DragonCon in Atlanta, Georgia, shares their health and safety policies and will also offer virtual panels in addition to the in person convention.
  
• Pax West in Seattle, Washington, shares a health and safety update regarding anti-covid measures. 
• Walker Martin shares eight reasons to attend PulpFest in Mars, Pennsylvania. 
• Arturo Serrano reports about the virtual 2021 San Diego Comic Con. 
• The 43rd International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts in Orlando, Florida, has shared a call for papers.
  
• Terrence McCauley shares some tips for attending conventions in general.
  
• Radio Poland reports about the Lem Festival to honour Stanislaw Lem in Vienna, Austria.
• Aaron Grunfeld reports about the 1966 Broadway musical It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s Superman!

 

Crowdfunding:

• The anthology Death in the Mouth: Original Horror by People of Color, edited by Sloane Leong and Cassie Hart, is looking for funding.
  

 

Science and technology:

• Seth Borenstein reports that the Nauka lab module has finally docked with the International Space Station.
• US News wonders whether the use of robot dogs for police purposes is dehumanising or useful.
• Stephen Kurczy talks about life inside the so-called "quiet zone" in West Virginia, where people are not allowed to have cellphones, WiFi and other things which make life tolerable because it might disturb the Green Bank Oberservatory.
• John Tresch explains how Edgar Allan Poe exposed scientific hoaxes and perpetrated them.

Free online fiction:

• "Now You See Me" by Justin C. Key in Lightspeed. 
• "Before the Haze Devours You" by Nelly Geraldine García-Rosas in Lightspeed.
  
• "A Thousand Tiny Gods" by Nadia Afifi in Clarkesworld. 
• "Candide; Life" by Beth Goder in Clarkesworld. 
• "Immortal Coil" by Ellen Kushner in Uncanny Magazine. 
• "Collateral Damage" by Justine Ireland in Slate: Future Tense.
  
• "Feathers or Stones" by Aaron Carr in Black Gate. 
• "There Will Be No Alien Invasion" by Sam F. Weiss in Fireside Magazine. 
• "Where Things Fall From the Sky" by Ally Wilkes in Nightmare Magazine.
  
• "Aptitude" by Cooper Shrivastava in Tor.com.
  
• "Swallows (or How the Men Lost Their Magic)" by E.A. Fowler in Luna Station Quarterly. 
• "Shapeshifter" by Vanessa McKinney in Fantasy Magazine.
  
• "Eating Kaolin" by Dare Segun Falowo in Omenana. 
• "Lace, Comb, Apple" by Y.M. Pang in The Dark.
• "In Good Taste" by A.E. Smith in Daily Science Fiction.
• "Sometimes They Call Me Human" by Victoria L. Brun in Daily Science Fiction.
• "Find Soulmates Near You" by Emma-Rive A. Nelson in Daily Science Fiction.
• "Form Rejection" Eric S. Fomley in Daily Science Fiction.
  
• "Blasters of Forever" by Cora Buhlert.
  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Venom: Let There Be Carnage. 
• Watch a trailer for Post Mortem.
  
• Watch a trailer for Brand New Cherry Flavor.
• Watch a trailer for yet another Cinderella.
  

 

Odds and ends:

• Jean-Paul Garnier shares freeware solutions to build your podcasting studio.
  

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.