The latest round of voting takes place here.
April 28, 2018
Greatest Science Fiction Hero Tournament: Week Seven, Round One
W. Blaine Dowler GSFH Ask The Bureau
April 26, 2018
Comic Television Discussion – Week beginning April 23th
`Lex Pendragon Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Arrow, Superman/Smallville, The Flash, TV Series
There’s a big name documentary about how conflicts continue forever because groups of people are constantly seeking to address wrongs that didn’t actually happen to them coming out in theater this week, and I have been distracted by that. However, their Dark Cousins are still on television. Our favorite devil takes in a ballet, our second favorite Girl of Steel takes on her boss’s dad’s mind, one of the speedsters invites a favorite guest star back to keep up the strongest pun/title game since Legends’ season finishes, Supergrandpa sings lead for a Guns ‘n Roses hit, and Arrow has to find some new teammates.
The Marvelous shows give us more trippy confusion on Legion (this time, from Syd) and the Agents face Die Hard in a Lighthouse. The teens who borrowed their names from Archie comics have a violent manhunt and rage against the police.
[All synopses (and titles) from Trakt.tv below the cut. (If a show’s synopsis is a spoiler to you, do not click More…)]
April 26, 2018
Novel Review: Autonomous
He accessed his memory of Eliasz saying “I am not a faggot” for the seven hundred and sixteenth time. “Faggot” was a word for something that only humans cared about. Maybe Eliasz really was like the sprinkler system at Arcata Solar Farm, mistaking Paladin for something he was not.
Finally, Paladin considered the possibility that his own feelings were also an illusion. Every indentured bot knew that there were programs running in his mind that he could not access, nor control– and these programs were designed to inspire loyalty. But were they also supposed to make him care this much about small physiological changes in Eliasz’ body? (128)
Annalee Newitz is no stranger to readers of SF, and she has penned some fine non-fiction. Her first novel, Autonomous, appeared in September 2017 to accolades. We finally get around to reviewing this provocative work, which addresses ownership, patent piracy, indentured servitude, pharmaceutical availability, personal autonomy, and (as in the section quoted above) love, friendship, and sex between natural and artificial beings, who may (both) be at the mercy of their programming.
April 24, 2018
The Terror Review: “A Mercy”
This strange, surreal episode so entirely changes the direction of the show it requires a stand-alone review.
The ships remain trapped, madness encroaches, and the men party like it’s the last night of their lives.
April 24, 2018
“Dreamland” and “Dreamland II”: X-Files Retrospective Podcast #132
W. Blaine Dowler Podcast, xfrp The X-Files
The latest episode of the X-Files Retrospective podcast, covering Dreamland and Dreamland II, is now available here for your listening pleasure. Intro and outro music attribution is below. You can also follow the show from its own feed (RSS, iTunes, Stitcher) or through the Bureau 42 Master Audio Feed (RSS, iTunes, Stitcher).
April 22, 2018
Weekly New Releases – April 24, 2018
This is a week with a lot of good releases, but few great releases.
April 21, 2018
Newspace
Deep in the Borneo jungles live exploding ants, who self-sacrifice for their colony while having a bit of a blast.
They’re no Atlanteans, but the Bajou people may have a genetic advantage when it comes to sea-diving.
If you’ve been following one of the creepier celebrity stories making the rounds this year, you may know that Allison Mack, best known as Chole from Smallville, has been arrested this week for complicity in crimes allegedly committed by a bizarre sex cult. Earlier, the investigation looked at Kristin “Lana Lang” Kreuk’s involvement, but she left the group years ago, and claims the activity at that time was less legally and ethically troubling.
If you want something less serious or scientific, we’ve got two recent cosplay videos by Youtubers, below.
April 21, 2018
Greatest Science Fiction Hero Tournament: Week Six, Round One
W. Blaine Dowler GSFH Ask The Bureau
You can vote on the latest batch of heroes here.
April 20, 2018
Comic Book Review: Action #1000
Back in 1938, Action Comics #1 turned up at the newsstands and drugstores of America. The cover featured a man in a blue and red suit and a cape running while holding up a green late model automobile.
The comic-book cost ten cents.
In 2014, one of the few remaining copies sold for over three million dollars.
In 2018, DC Comics published issue #1000. It’s an 80-PAGE GIANT, making it about the length of its famous predecessor. Whereas that Depression-era funnybook only devoted its first story to the Man of Steel, 2018’s is all about the Superman.
April 29, 2018
Weekly New Releases – May 1, 2018
W. Blaine Dowler WDDP DVD
This is another light week, likely because studios expect the audience to still be in Avengers: Infinity War theaters on Tuesday. (That review will come later today.)
More…