Tagged: Science Fiction

FARMER ESTATE HOLDS AUCTION SPECIAL FOR MAGICK4TERRI!

Seller: The Philip José Farmer Estate


Every item in the Philip José Farmer Estate Sale is now 20% off and 25% of all sales through December 15, 2011 will be donated to Magick 4 Terri!


Four days ago we announced here that 25% of all sales through December 15, 2011 would be donated to Magick 4 Terri. So far the response has been. . .underwhelming to say the least. But we think we know the problem. When you go to the Estate Sale page, the first item you see, a rare signed hardcover of A Feast Unknown costs $450, and the next book is a $100 paperback!


So we’d like to take a moment to point out that while there are very expensive books: $4,500 for The Lake Regions of Central Africa: Volumes 1 and 2 (1860) by Sir Richard Francis Burton, or $1,500 for a signed harcover first edition of Farmer’s The Fabulous Riverboat for examples, there are many affordable books as well.


There are over forty different titles under $50, many of them signed paperbacks, and other cool stuff like this:


Charles M. Doughty. Travels In Arabia Deserta. Heritage Press, 1953. Hard Cover. Near Fine hardcover in slipcase. Decorated beige linen cloth binding, pictorial endpapers, map, illustrated throughout by Edy Legrand. Introduction by T.E. Lawrence. $40.00


Nothing Burns in Hell. Advance Uncorrected Proof. Trade Paperback. Near Fine From the estate of Philip José Farmer. Advanced Uncorrected Proof in Near Fine condition. One of three author copies. These copies are NOT signed. $30.00


Dark is the Sun. Blackstone Audio, Multiple copies of this new audio book were sent to Philip José Farmer’s heirs. This unabridged audio book is 14.5 hours on 12 cds. We’re selling these for about half of the list price. Five author copies are currently available for $30 each.


There are almost another seventy titles between $50 and $100 that would make a great gift for any science fiction fan:


Forrest J Ackerman (ed), Best Science Fiction for 1973. Very Good+ Signed by Philip José Farmer on page 56. Contains a reprint of the short story “Seventy Years of Decpop.” $50.00


Byron Preiss (ed), Weird Heroes Vol 1. Very Good+ Signed by Philip José Farmer on page 194. Contains the first publication of the short story “Greatheart Silver in Showdown at Shootout.” $60.00


Robert Frazier (ed), Burning with a Vision: Poetry of Science and the Fantastic. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good+ Signed by Philip José Farmer on page 52. Contains a reprint of the poem, “The Pterodactyl.” $75.00


Fritz Leiber, Ervool. Roanoke: Chapbook. Very Good+ Pictorial wrapper. First edition. Number 158 of 200 numbered copies signed by Leiber on special limitation page. This publication was prepared for distribution at the Sixth World Fantasy Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, October, 1980. $75.00


Brian Ash (ed), The Visual Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Oversized Paperback. Very Good+ Signed “Property of Philip José Farmer” on the first page and signed again on page 223 at his entry on Religion and Myths. $85.00


You get the idea — and don’t forget, now everything is 20% off! — but only through December 15th.


So, do yourself, and more importantly Terri, a favor, and spend a little time browsing the list. There is bound to be something you suddenly realize you can’t live without.

Review: “Spaceman” #1

Review: “Spaceman” #1

We all know Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso work well together. Uttering the duo’s name automatically triggers thoughts of quality. I know for me, the pair rests near the top of creative teams of the last decade. Sometimes, though, I believe we forget how truly great these guys are together. We acknowledge their high esteem in the medium, but after a while we get into the habit of just accepting without truly seeing. We lack the sort of realization you can only experience when you’re sitting down with one of their comics–the sensation that as you turn the page, you know you’re reading something special because your mind is being blown.

Azzarello and Risso do comics how they should be done. These men, along with colorist Patricia Mulvihill, construct sophisticated worlds and atmospheres and then tell you all about in just as sophisticated a fashion. The approach is reserved and cool. The necessary hints are subtly placed, and the reader’s own effort tells the tale. Azzarello/Risso books are, simply said, confident, independent and sexy.

And Spaceman #1 held the crown as the single best comic book of October. Easily.

With Spaceman, we’re told the story of a genetically engineered man who’s life-long purpose was to go to Mars. In reality, his goal was never reached, and when we meet him he’s simply a junkie trapped in a world of decay.

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Ten Reasons Why Science Fiction Writers are Like Porn Stars

Ten Reasons Why Science Fiction Writers are Like Porn Stars

 

1991 Hugo Award

Why Science Fiction Writers are Like Porn Stars from io9.

Our list:

  • First you do it for love, then you do it for a few friends, and finally you do it for money.
  • You can look like Ron Jeremy and still have a good career.
  • Each of them lust after phallic objects; in the case of the SF writers, it’s the Hugo award.
  • The more exotic the characters, the better.
  • Both have devoted groupies that you don’t always want to be around.
  • Both get flattering offers from fans that are rarely followed up on.
  • When they get censored, they know they’re doing something right.
  • Both are respected by Playboy and Penthouse.
  • Most of them hope to get picked up by the real movies for a big payday. Few of them are.
  • You don’t have to be a big dick to be successful, but it can’t hurt.

Knightraven Studios Reduces eBook Prices

Press Release: Knightraven Studios Reduces eBook Prices

Effectively immediately, and running throughout the entire upcoming holiday season, Knightraven Studios has reduced the prices of all the ebook-format epic-sized Infinite Horizons novels from $4.95 down to $2.99. This includes the popular Pulp Heroes novels written and illustrated by Wayne Reinagel, More Than Mortal and Khan Dynasty, and Modern Marvels – Viktoriana. This limited time offer ends January 2.

These books can be purchased at the following locations.
http://www.amazon.com/shops/knightravenstudios
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/knightravenstudios
http://wwwpulpheroesmorethanmortal.webs.com/InfiniteHorizonsStore.html.

About More Than Mortal:
In this completely original action story, four champions of justice, Doc Titan – The Ultimate Man, The Darkness – The Master of Shadows, Guardian – Steel and Ice Justice, and The Scorpion – The Deadliest Man Alive, are brought together for the first time to battle a deadly threat and save the Earth and mankind from absolute destruction.

More information about More Than Mortal can be found at:
http://wwwpulpheroesmorethanmortal.webs.com/

About Khan Dynasty:
Beginning in Cairo, Egypt, nearly a century in the past, a series of seemingly random events lead to danger and intrigue, as two generations of heroes race to stop a diabolical duo from unleashing a devastating wave of death and destruction. Four champions of justice, Doc Titan – The Ultimate Man, The Darkness – The Master of Shadows, Guardian – Steel and Ice Justice, and The Scorpion – The Deadliest Man Alive, race to unravel a century old mystery, and prevent the destruction of England and America, while the nations of the Earth teeter on the brink of another world war.

More information about Khan Dynasty can be found at:
http://wwwpulpheroesmorethanmortal.webs.com/

About Modern Marvels – Viktoriana:

A secret fellowship of nine incredibly unique individuals.
Trapped in a deadly battle between an ancient evil and the vampire nations.
Mankind’s last hope.
† † † †
Featuring an all-star gallery of the world’s greatest Viktorian era heroes, including:
Henry Rider Haggard as the Warrior – author of Allan Quatermain & King Solomon’s Mines
† † † †
Arthur Conan Doyle as the Doctor – author of Sherlock Holmes & Professor Challenger
† † † †
Jules Verne as the Merovingian – the Father of Science Fiction & author of the Voyages Extraordinaires series
† † † †
Herbert George Wells as the Scientist – author of The Time Machine & War of the Worlds
† † † †
Mary Shelley as the Oracle – author of Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus
† † † †
Harry Houdini as the Mage – the Handcuff King
† † † †
Bram Stoker as the Juggernaut – author of Dracula & The Lair of the White Worm
† † † †
Nikola Tesla as the Inventor – the Master of Electricity
† † † †
Edgar Allen Poe as the Raven – author of The Raven & The Pit and the Pendulum
† † † †
And Mark Twain as Himself – author of Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn
† † † †
Also starring:
Countess Elizabeth Báthory
aka The Blood Countess
† † † †
Varney the Vampire, progenitor of the undead species
&
Aleister Crowley
† † † †
And Special Guest Star:
Count Vlad Dracula, the Prince of Darkness & Lord of the Vampires
† † † †
Paranormal investigators and adventurers.
Archaeologists of history.
Vampire slayers!!

More information about Modern Marvels – Viktoriana can be found at:
http://wwwpulpheroesmorethanmortal.webs.com/

For those folks interested in buying paper versions of these books, please feel free to visit our stores at:
http://stores.ebay.com/Knightraven-Studioshttp://www.amazon.com/shops/knightravenstudios,
and for best prices, check out our new online store at http://wwwpulpheroesmorethanmortal.webs.com/InfiniteHorizonsStore.html

Effectively immediately, and running throughout the entire upcoming holiday season, Knightraven Studios has reduced the prices of all the ebook-format epic-sized Infinite Horizons novels from $4.95 down to $2.99. This includes the popular Pulp Heroes novels written and illustrated by Wayne Reinagel, More Than Mortal and Khan Dynasty, and Modern Marvels – Viktoriana. This limited time offer ends January 2.

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season!!

Vanguard Publishing announces Strange Worlds of Science Fiction – The Science Fiction Comics of Wally Wood

The Science Fiction Comics of Wally Wood

PRESS RELEASE:

Vanguard Publishing announces
Title: Strange Worlds of Science Fiction
Subtitle: The Science Fiction Comics of Wally Wood
Series: Vanguard Wally Wood Classics

Tales from the Crypt and Weird Science publisher Bill Gaines
called Daredevil, THUNDER Agents, and Mars Attacks co-creator,
Wally Wood “the greatest Science Fiction artist of all time.”
Strange Worlds collects rare 1950s Wood sci-fi comics Strange Worlds,
Space Detective, Capt. Science, Space Ace, and more. If you like Vanguard’s Frazetta Classics, try Vanguard’s Wood Classics.

Partial list of Contents:
The Flying Saucers,
An Earthman On Venus,
Spawn of Terror,
Winged Death On Venus,
The Monster God of Rogor,
The Martian Slayers,
The Insidious Doctor Khartoum,
Time Door of Throm,
Death in Deep Space,
Bandits of the Starways,
The Opium Smugglers of Venus,
Trail to the Asteroid Hideout,
The Weapon Out of Time,
Kenton of the Star Patrol,
Sirens of Space,
Rocky X: Operation Unknown

Author-Illustrator: Wallace Wood
Editor: J. David Spurlock
Cover: Steranko & Wood
Hardcover: 200 color 8.5 x 11 pages
HC Retail: $39.95
Publisher: Vanguard
Release: October 31, 2011
Language: English
HC ISBN-10: 1934331406
HC ISBN-13: 978-1934331408
Printed in: China
http://www.vanguardpublishing.com

The 2011 Hugo Awards Winners Announced

The 2011 Hugo Awards Winners Announced

Hugo Award circa 2005

Image via Wikipedia

UPDATE 8/21: So much for hotel wi-fi, which also limited our Harvey Awards coverage.

A recording of the full Hugo Awards Ceremony is still up at http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/16783348 Two caveats: there’s a commercial ad that you have to watch before the actual recording, and the ceremony starts some 35 minutes or so into the stream.

There were 2100 valid voting ballots were counted, 2086 electronic and 14 by postal mail.

Best Novel (1813 ballots)
[[[Blackout/All Clear]]] by Connie Willis (Ballantine Spectra)

Best Novella (1467 ballots)
The Lifecycle of Software Objects by Ted Chiang (Subterranean) – Read Online

Best Novelette (1469 ballots)
“The Emperor of Mars” by Allen M. Steele (Asimov’s, June 2010) – Read Online

Best Short Story (1597 ballots)
“For Want of a Nail” by Mary Robinette Kowal (Asimov’s, September 2010) – Read Online

Best Related Work (1220 ballots)
[[[Chicks Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who by the Women Who Love It]]], edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Tara O’Shea (Mad Norwegian)

Best Graphic Story (1263 ballots)
[[[Girl Genius, Volume 10: Agatha Heterodyne and the Guardian Muse]]], written by Phil and Kaja Foglio; art by Phil Foglio; colors by Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment) – Read Online

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (1755 ballots)
[[[Inception]]], written and directed by Christopher Nolan (Warner)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (1466 ballots)
Doctor Who: “The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang,” written by Steven Moffat; directed by Toby Haynes (BBC Wales)

Best Editor, Short Form (983 ballots)
Sheila Williams

Best Editor, Long Form (898 ballots)
Lou Anders

Best Professional Artist (1304 ballots)
Shaun Tan

Best Semiprozine (1112 ballots)
Clarkesworld, edited by Neil Clarke, Cheryl Morgan, Sean Wallace; podcast directed by Kate Baker

Best Fanzine (870 ballots)
The Drink Tank, edited by Christopher J Garcia and James Bacon

Best Fan Writer (814 ballots)
Claire Brialey

Best Fan Artist (993 ballots)
Brad W. Foster

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (1138 ballots)
Lev Grossman

The winners of these categories are first-time Hugo winners:

Best Short Story
Best Related Work
Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
Best Editor, Long Form
Best Semiprozine (Baker only)
Best Fanzine
Best Fan Writer

Of the 23 named people in Hugo winning categories, 9 are female and 14 male. A PDF with the nominations and final ballot statisitcs is here: http://www.renovationsf.org/download…hugo-stats.pdf

Congratulations to all the winners!


The Hugo Award is the leading award for excellence in the field of science fiction and fantasy. The Hugos are awarded each year by the World Science Fiction Society, at the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), which is taking place now in Reno, Nevada.

Voting for the Hugos takes place in two stages. The first stage, nomination, is open to anyone who has a supporting or full (adult or young adult) membership of Renovation as of January 31, 2011 and to all supporting and attending members of Aussiecon 4, the prior year’s Worldcon. Nomination is a write-in process where members can put forward any eligible work or person.

The second stage of voting is the final ballot. This stage is only open to Renovation members. In the final ballot, members choose between the five finalists in each category.

The Awards themselves are presented in a public ceremony which is always one of the highlights of the Worldcon, and we expect Renovation to be no different. The Renovation ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 20, 2011 in the Tuscany Ballroom at the Peppermill Hotel.

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The 2011 Chesley Award Winners

This is a busy weekend for awards, and the first major awards have just been handed out. The winners of the 2011 Chesley Awards were announced today at Renovation, the WorldCon going on right now in Reno, Nevada. The Chesleys are given by the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists each year for excellence in genre art.

  • Paperback: Jason Chan, for [[[Geist]]] by Phillipa Ballantine (Ace)
  • Hardcover: Michael Whelan, for The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (Tor)
  • Magazine: Nick Greenwood, for Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show #17
  • Three-Dimensional: Mark Newman, Eel Walker; bronze
  • Interior: Donato Giancola, [[[Middle Earth: Visions of a Modern Myth]]]
  • Unpublished Color: Julie Dillon, “Planetary Alignment”
  • Unpublished Monochrome: Ian Miller, “Triptych”
  • Product: Sam Weber, [[[Shadow Rising]]] by Robert Jordan, promo art for Tor ebook
  • Gaming: Lucas Graciano, [[[Amorphous Drake]]] (Legends of Norrath) (Sony Online Entertainment)
  • Art Director: Jon Schindehette — Wizards of the Coast
  • Lifetime Achievement: Boris Vallejo

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees! And check ComicMix tomorrow for the results for the Harvey Awards from Baltimore Comic-Con and the Hugo Awards from WorldCon!

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NOTED PULP AUTHOR/HISTORIAN ON FARMER CON/PULPFEST!

From Win Scott Eckert-

FarmerCon VI and PulpFest 2011!

From the PulpFest site:

PulpFest 2011 is pleased to announce that FarmerCon VI will be held concurrently at our convention. An annual gathering for fans of Grand Master of Science Fiction Philip José Farmer, FarmerCon is rooted in Peoria, Illinois, the late author’s home town.

It all started soon after Phil had won the Grand Master award at the 2001 Nebula Awards ceremony. To honor the event, the Peoria Public Library staged a Living Legend Reception for the author. Farmer enthusiast Michael Croteau spread the word about the event through his website, The Official Philip José Farmer Home Page, resulting in fans coming to Peoria from across the country.    

In 2006, no longer able to travel to science fiction conventions as they had done in the past, Farmer and his wife Bette decided it was time for the mountain to come to Mohammed. Thus FarmerCon was originally conceived to be a gathering of fans in Peoria, figuratively, and literally, right outside Phil’s back door. With programs, speeches, panels, dinners, and picnics at the author’s house, the convention quickly became a great success. After the passing of Phil and Bette Farmer in 2009, it was decided to take FarmerCon on the road, giving fans of the author an opportunity to meet other Farmer devotees unable to travel to Peoria. And by holding FarmerCon alongside events like PulpFest, Farmer fans get a weekend full of programming (including several Farmer-related presentations on Friday, July 29th) and a room full of pulp and book dealers to enjoy. It also keeps Philip José Farmer’s name in the public eye, reminding fans of his long and amazing body of work.

Please welcome FarmerCon VI to PulpFest 2011. We hope they’ll be back again and again.”

In conjunction, Meteor House will have a table in the PulpFest Dealer’s Room, and I’ll be helping man the table, along with my friend, fellow FarmerCon organizer, and Meteor House cohort, Mike Croteau. As one of the organizers and participants in FarmerCon, I’d like to thanks the fine folks at PulpFest for agreeing to co-host us this year. This will be our 6th annual gathering, and the second since Phil Farmer and Bette Farmer passed away.
We will have some cool Farmer/Pulp/Wold Newton presentations for the programming, and we’ll have a selection of books still available from Phil Farmer’s estate, as well as some copies of the latest Farmer books for sale (last summer’s THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSE FARMER 1: PROTEAN DIMENSIONS, Meteor House), and the forthcoming THE WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSE FARMER 2: OF DUST AND SOUL, featuring new works from Phil’s files, non-fic essays about his work, new authorized fiction set in his various worlds, and cover art by Laura Givens.
Of course, I’ll also bring copies of my latest non-Farmerian books and will be selling those at our table as well. Fingers crossed I’ll have the forthcoming THE GREEN HORNET CASEFILES on hand, as well as THE AVENGER: THE JUSTICE INC. FILES. CROSSOVERS 2 was not out in time for last year’s FarmerCon, so that’s also something to keep in mind.
I’ll be discussing Phil’s pulp universe/timeline, known as the Wold Newton Universe, and hopefully I’ll have copies on hand of Titan Books’ reissue of Phil’s Sherlock Holmes-Lord Greystoke mashup novel, THE PEERLESS PEER, to which I’ve contributed a new afterword.
Some other regular FarmerCon attendees who I know will be there are my pals Art
Sippo, John Small, and Doc Savage/Shadow chronologist Rick Lai. Some other online pals who I’m looking forward to meeting in person are writer Greg Gick and All Pulp’s Tommy Hancock.
Meteor House is also running a Book Bonanza for authors:

“If you are an author coming to FarmerCon VI, here is your chance to tell the rest of us which books of yours you have available. Then fellow attendees may request that you bring copies of certain books for them to purchase directly from you.”

Follow The Official Philip Jose Farmer Home Page, Meteor House, BookTour.com, and this site for more details.
We’re looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Nebula Awards

2010 Nebula Award Nominees Announced

Nebula AwardsThe Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America have announced the nominees for the 2010 Nebula Awards, including a nomination for ComicMix contributor Adam-Troy Castro for his short story “Arvies“.

The Nebula Awards are voted on, and presented by, active members of  SFWA. The awards will be announced at the Nebula Awards Banquet on Saturday evening, May 21, 2011 in the Washington Hilton, in Washington, D.C.. Other awards to be presented are the Andre Norton Award for Excellence in Science Fiction or Fantasy for Young Adults, the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation and the Solstice Award for outstanding contribution to the field.

Congratulations and good luck to all the nominees!

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