Happy New Year to you all, even those who don’t celebrate the new year on Jan. 1 (you know who you are). I’m glad to start 2019 off with Column 245, which will mark the beginning of my sixth year writing this column for Amazing Stories. (And don’t forget to check out my film column in the print version as well!) Also, about my baby drawing: I couldn’t make it look like a baby with rainbow colouring. So I stuck with pinkish-orangy. But I welcome babies of all colours including ones we haven’t seen yet (Martians, I’m looking at you!) for the New Year.
Anyway, here we are starting off 2019 with number 245; I hope that those of you who’ve stuck with me will still find something interesting in my ramblings and reviews. Obviously, those who didn’t won’t be reading this anyway. Last year, I succeeded in making the week’s top columns most weeks, despite my column appearing on Friday and the list coming out on Sunday; I also had four columns appear in the “50 Most Popular of 2018” list that Steve Davidson put out. I hope I can continue this trend! I won’t mark the Time Machine columns, but I’ll put a flibbet (¤) to the left of the four that made the top 50, for your convenience. Shall we?
2018 AMAZING STORIES ONLINE COLUMNS
Jan 5 #207 https://amazingstories.com/2018/01/happy-new-year-2018-list-2017-columns. A list of all 2017 columns.
Jan. 12 #208 https://amazingstories.com/2018/01/book-review-autonomous-2017. A review of Annalee Newitz’s Autonomous.
Jan. 19 #209 https://amazingstories.com/2018/01/chris-van-allsburgs-jumanji/ A review of Chris Van Allsburg’s Jumanji (remake with Dwayne Johnson).
Jan. 26 #210 https://amazingstories.com/2018/01/movie-review-creature-shape-water/ Movie review of The Shape of Water, tying it in with other “creature” movies.
Feb. 2 #211 https://amazingstories.com/2018/02/lather-live-rinse-die-repeat-deja-vu/ Review of Happy Death Day movie.
Feb. 9 #212: https://amazingstories.com/2018/02/studio-ghibli-take-2-ponyo-red-turtle/ A column about Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo and The Red Turtle movies.
Feb. 16 #213 https://amazingstories.com/2018/02/film-reviews-flatliners-flatliners/ Reviewing both the original and remake Flatliners movies.
Feb. 23 #214 https://amazingstories.com/2018/02/movie-review-eat-locals-2017/ a review of the humourous horror movie Eat Locals
Mar. 10 #215 https://amazingstories.com/2018/03/book-reviews-systems-red-destiny-nowhere/ Two book reviews: All Systems Red by Martha Wells; and Matthew Hollis Damon’s Destiny Nowhere.
Mar. 16 #216: https://amazingstories.com/2018/03/magazine-review-magazine-fantasy-science-fiction-mar-apr-2018/ My March-April 2018 F&SF review.
Mar. 23 #217 https://amazingstories.com/2018/03/bit-alice-spoilerful-review-annihilation/ My spoiler review of Annihilation and a very old Alice in Wonderland (silent) movie review.
Mar. 30 #218 https://amazingstories.com/2018/03/movie-reviews-tomb-raider-2018-and-i-kill-giants/ Two movie reviews: the Tomb Raider reboot, and I Kill Giants.
Apr. 6 #219 https://amazingstories.com/2018/04/short-book-tv-reviews-black-lightning-z-risen-outbreak/ Reviews of TV’s Black Lightning and the book Z-Risen: Outbreak, by Timothy W. Long.
Apr. 13 #220 Missing!? Well, I’m not gonna sweat it. Just continue with the wrong numbers.
Apr. 21 #221 https://amazingstories.com/2018/04/lost-in-time-lost-in-space-and-meaning/ My review of Lost In Space (Netflix TV) series reboot.
Apr. 27 #222 https://amazingstories.com/2018/04/2018-sf-f-on-tv-my-personal-take/ What I think about SF/F on television.
May 4 #223 https://amazingstories.com/2018/05/steve-does-dave-barry-its-column-29-all-over-again/ I edit and republish an old column about some of my early days in fandom.
May 11 #224 https://amazingstories.com/2018/05/modesty-blaise-strips/ A retraction of my “diss” of the comic strips Modesty Blaise by Peter O’Donnell.
Jun. 1 #225 https://amazingstories.com/2018/06/the-devil-you-say-reviews-and-comments/ A look at the TV series Lucifer and another look at Peter O’Donnell’s Modesty Blaise.
Jun. 8 #226 https://amazingstories.com/2018/06/book-reviews-artificial-condition-and-walkaway/ A review of the second “Murderbot” book by Martha Wells, and Cory Doctorow’s Walkaway.
Jun. 15 #227 https://amazingstories.com/2018/06/review-stephen-kings-the-outsider/ I review Stephen King’s new book The Outsider.
Jun. 22 #228 https://amazingstories.com/2018/06/retro-review-quatermass-and-the-pit/ A look at an old British SF film, Quatermass and the Pit.
Jul. 6 #229 https://amazingstories.com/2018/07/r-i-p-review-a-boy-and-his-dog/ a retro review of A Boy And His Dog in honour of the late Harlan Ellison.
Jul. 13 #230 Looks like I missed another number! Sorry ‘bout that!
Jul. 20 #231 https://amazingstories.com/2018/07/reviews-where-theres-a-willett-theres-a-way/ I review two books (one fiction, one SF poetry) by Edward Willett.
¤Jul. 27 #232 https://amazingstories.com/2018/07/the-amazing-mark-hogancamp/ A column about the real guy under the film Welcome to Marwen (See Figure 2).
Aug. 10 #233 https://amazingstories.com/2018/08/fun-filk-and-a-film-review-jurassic-world-fallen-kingdom/ A take on filk, and a review of the new Jurassic World film.
Aug. 24 #234 https://amazingstories.com/2018/08/the-man-of-bronze-returns-what-he-left/A review of Will Murray’s new “Doc Savage” book.
Sept. 7 #235 https://amazingstories.com/2018/09/vampires-werewolves-and-plicemen-oh-my/ A review of Kiwi TV horror-comedy film What We Do In The Shadows.
Sept. 14 #236 https://amazingstories.com/2018/09/a-sad-farewell-and-sept-oct-fsf-review/ A tribute to late fan Beth Toerne and the Sept.-Oct F&SF.
¤Sept. 28 #237 https://amazingstories.com/2018/09/review-murderbot-diaries-concluded-by-martha-wells/ A review of Martha Wells’ Murderbot series and its conclusion (See Figure 3).
¤Oct. 12 #238 https://amazingstories.com/2018/10/my-convention-views-award-news-and-short-reviews/ A blurb about VCON, and reviews of movies Venom and Hereditary.
Oct. 19 #239 https://amazingstories.com/2018/10/halloween-review-the-shining-1997-miniseries/ A review of the old TV miniseries The Shining.
Oct. 26 #240 https://amazingstories.com/2018/10/happy-halloween-micro-reviews/ A Halloween compendium of some favourite horror movies.
Nov. 9 #241 https://amazingstories.com/2018/11/movie-review-the-incredibles-2/ I review the new Incredibles 2 movie.
Nov. 16 #242 https://amazingstories.com/2018/11/the-predator-review-good-bad-and-ugly/ Review of new movie The Predator.
Dec. 7 #243 https://amazingstories.com/2018/12/book-reviews-murder-on-millionaires-row-and-19-gates-of-hell/ Two book reviews: Murder on Millionaires’ Row by Erin Lindsay; and 19 Gates of Hell by various.
¤Dec. 14 #244 https://amazingstories.com/2018/12/end-of-year-review-fsf-for-nov-dec-2018/ Last review of the year: F&SF for Nov./Dec. 2018.
Comments are welcome. Comment here, or on Facebook page, or wherever you see this. All comments are welcome, good or bad, positive or negative. My opinion is, as always, my own, and doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of Amazing Stories or its owner, editor, publisher or other columnists. See you next time!
