A Fan’s History – Part 4 – A Visit with Heinlein
Let’s give cons a rest for a bit and talk about one of science fiction’s greatest writers. Terms like “greatest writers” are usually somewhat subjective, but in this case my opinion is backed by a […]
Wonder Woman’s Foreign Successors
I’ve been reading Mike Madrid’s The Supergirls, a really fantastic look at the history of superheroines in mainstream American comics. I just reached the 1970s, and the karate-chopping, white-pantsuit-wearing, depowered Wonder Woman era that came with […]
Sequential Wednesdays #16 – San Diego Comic-Con 2013
It’s finally here! I’ve attended San Diego Comic-Con in mid-July for about the past 11 years and it’s never been stale. Sure, there are lines out to Tijuana and back, but there’s really nothing wrong […]
Hugo Award by the Numbers
With the Hugo Award voting coming to a close at the end of July, I find my attention being pulled towards the historical data surrounding the Hugo. The Hugo Award started in 1953 at the […]
Who Got Cultural Studies In My Fandom?
Bendições from Brazil! By the time this post goes live, I will have been in this lovely country for two whole weeks, and will be getting ready to head back Stateside. But being here has […]
Against the Boycott of Ender’s Game
When I returned to reading science fiction as adult I discovered a whole new generation of authors:Greg Bear, David Brin, William Gibson, Octavia E. Butler, and Orson Scott Card. In each case I would read a recommended book and […]
A Fan’s History – Part 3
And I’m still not done talking about cons! Continuing with our talk about cons that have grown out of the SF con, we have things like Steampunk and Anime cons. Steampunk arose from the idea […]
Dinosaurs are NOT Bulletproof!
As I watched a repeat episode of Mythbusters the other night, I was reminded of one of my pet peeves in Science Fiction and Fantasy- the ineffectiveness of firearms. The Mythbusters were testing why so […]
Weeaboos of the Renaissance
Weeaboos? Weeaboos? If you don’t know what a weeaboo is, you probably aren’t one. If you’d rather be quite sure, visit this link and play weeaboo bingo with yourself! The checklist to the right is […]
Interview with SFWA Grand Master James Gunn
Today we are joined by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) Grand Master James Gunn (also James E. Gunn). James writes, edits, and anthologizes science fiction and related scholarly books. In 1969, Paramount […]
There Will Be Girls There: A Few Notes on the Changing Face of Fandom
As I begin writing this, it pains me that such a post is even necessary here in the early years of the twenty-first century, to a group that purportedly celebrates things like the future, science […]
You Might be Interested in This…
I have hardly had time haven’t quite finished the novel I was reading to review, so this is going to be a short post this week. One of the things that’s great about blogging for […]
Review: Man of Steel Novelization by Greg Cox
The novelization of Man of Steel by Greg Cox is a book looking for an identity. The obligation to remain loyal to a script while remaining faithful to the character is an improbable task – one reader’s must realize if they are to accept the work.
A Fan’s History – Conventions (Part 2)
This blog is not a fan history, although I will cite some fan history. There are actual fanhistorians who guard our culture. If you want to read about early fan history, see the following books: […]
AFTER THE CON: Derby City Comic Con 2013 Report
Louisville, Kentucky has grown by leaps and bounds when it comes to conventions. Just a few years ago, the only Con I was aware of in the area was Wonderfest– a great model-making convention/flea market […]
Evolution of an Otaku: Conflict of Identity
If you had asked me at the age of fourteen if I considered myself an otaku, I would have raised one snarky eyebrow at you and said, “Obviously.” And it was pretty obvious, too, what […]
Sam Gunn – What a Character
As a master of expressing the true nature of human existence through realistic characters who strive to succeed for the betterment of man in a world often ruled by power hungry individuals, Bova remains true to form with the Sam Gunn character.
ASM Blog Horde Interview with Matt Mitrovich
Welcome to the Amazing Stories BLOG HORDE INTERVIEWS! The ASM Blog Horde is a diverse and wonderful species. I have the privilege of talking with all of them, and I get to share those chats with […]
A Fan’s History, Part 1
I’m going to assume that you are a science fiction reader of some kind, since you’re here at Amazing Stories magazine’s website. Are you a science fiction fan? (I’m going to abbreviate it “SF” to […]
Finding a Path to the Stars at the 2013 Campbell Conference
Friday, June 14, 2013, arrived without much fanfare. My yard gnomes were chained and securely staked in my garden, while the lazy, overweight alligators lounged at the edge of the moat with their mouths open, […]
Ciencia ficción desde el extremo occidente
Ciencia ficción desde el extremo occidente En el año 2002, se publicó en el Perú un volumen que recopilaba una serie de cuentos fantásticos escritos por Rodolfo Hinostroza. Tuvo a bien publicarlos bajo el título […]
Save Our Stereotypes
I don’t want to destroy the damsel in distress. I don’t want to destroy the sleeping beauty. Or the femme fatale. Or the pollyanna. Or the ditz. Or the girl next door. I watch attempts […]
Star Trek- Communism in Space?
I’ll start this week’s thought-provoking commentary with a statement: I like Star Trek. Mostly. I’m no Trekkie/Trekker, but I greatly enjoyed TOS and TNG. DS9 had a few good moments. I refused to watch Voyager, […]
The Artful Collector: On Sensitivity to Negative Reviews
How many times have we read negative reviews by (mainly) newspaper- employed critics about books or films in the science fiction/fantasy genre that either were completely off base, once we read the book, or which […]
“I Cannot Live Without Books”
The genre of science fiction followed Thomas Jefferson’s famous quote “I cannot live without books” by almost a century, but what does the rest of his message mean to today’s fandom?
Deep in the Heart of Texas, Part 1
Before I really get into the meat and potatoes of this entry, allow me to apologize for being absent a few months. Since some readers might know me – which on this website may not […]
FEMME FATALES: The Most Overused Device in Modern SFF?
Of late, I’ve been reading a lot of articles that hint at a simmering feud between men and women in Science Fiction & Fantasy fandom. Accusations of Sexism and Misogyny have been flying. Some very […]
Conventional Wisdom
Any hobby worth its weight in storage space should have a convention. For example, comic book fans have gathered famously during the years in ever-larger facilities with agendas that have expanded to multi-media-focused events with […]
The Cautionary Tale of ZellaCon -or- How to Hoax and Still End Up Hosting a Convention
Once in a while, I enjoy a good hoaxing. I’ve done Hoax Newsletters (https://efanzines.com/DrinkTank/PorkAuthority.pdf) and various Hoax bids, notably the Hollister WorldCon Hoax (https://www.bovil.com/Conventions/hollister2008/PachecoProgress1.pdf) and AhwahneeCon (https://www.bovil.com/Conventions/ahwahneecon/HalfDome2.pdf) which were both great successes when all was […]
A Case for Courtesy
The controversy over the SFWA Bulletin that erupted from the SFWA forums onto the wider internet this week brought to mind something that’s been bothering me for quite some time. The total lack of courtesy […]
Latest Posts
Recent Comments