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3×3 Illustration Annual #13 Now Available

3×3 Illustration Annual #13 Now Available

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One of my most cherished annual purchases is the Spectrum anthology of Contemporary Fantastic Art, which collects some of the finest SF, fantasy, and comic art created every year. It’s a gorgeous volume that’s well worth a leisurely browse on a Sunday morning.

Volume 23, edited by John Fleskes, was released last November. We’ve previously covered Spectrum 20, with a Donato Giancola cover that’s a companion piece to his Red Sonja cover for Black Gate 15, and Spectrum 16, which contained Malcolm McClinton’s cover to Black Gate 13.

I know that Spectrum is unique in celebrating the best fantastic art every year, but I also knew — at least theoretically — that there had to be other illustration anthologies out there. But it was still a surprise to stumble on a copy of 3×3 Illustration Annual #13 in the magazine rack at Barnes & Noble last week. It’s a thick magazine printed on heavy stock, 400 pages crammed full of full color art. And such art!

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A Tale of Three Covers: Allen Steele Resurrects Captain Future

A Tale of Three Covers: Allen Steele Resurrects Captain Future

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Captain Future was created by editor Mort Weisinger way back in 1940, but it was the great pulp writer Edmond Hamilton who made him popular. Hamilton wrote dozens of stories featuring the futuristic adventurer between 1940 and 1951, such as “Captain Future and the Seven Space Stones,” which appeared in the Winter 1941 issue of Captain Future: Man of Tomorrow (above left, cover by Earle K. Bergey). Most of Hamilton’s short novels were reprinted in paperback in the 60s, and there was even a 1978-79 anime production that brought the Captain some fame in markets like Spain and Germany, but in general the character was long forgotten here in the US by the mid-80s.

In 1995, Allen Steele wrote “The Death of Captain Future,” a fond homage to Hamilton’s classic tales. It was the cover story for the October 1995 issue of Asimov’s Science Fiction, with a stellar retro-pulp cover by Black Gate cover artist Todd Lockwood (click the image above left to see Todd’s original painting). “The Death of Captain Future” was nominated for a Nebula Award, and won the Hugo Award for best novella of the year. Steele returned to the same characters four years later with “The Exile of Evening Star” (Asimov’s SF, January 1999).

Fast forward nearly 20 years, and we find Steele’s brand new novel Avengers of the Moon on sale at bookstores across the country. It returns once again to Hamilton’s Captain Future milieu, but with a more ambitious tale, and this time Steele hews much closer to the original source material, right down to Captain Future’s colorful cast of sidekicks, and the villainous U1 Quorn, a half-Martian renegade scientist. Avengers of the Moon was published in hardcover by Tor Books this week; the cover artist is uncredited.

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Interzone #269 Now on Sale

Interzone #269 Now on Sale

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Interzone 269-smallThe March-April issue of Britain’s longest running science fiction and fantasy magazine has new fiction by Sean McMullen, Tim Akers, Richard E. Gropp, Christien Gholson, and Steve Rasnic Tem, plus David Langford’s Ansible Link, film reviews by Nick Lowe; book reviews, columns by Jonathan McCalmont and Nina Allan, and a guest editorial by Steve Rasnic Tem. Kat Day, writing at Tangent Online, had lots of good things to say about the issue.

This issue of Interzone brings us five substantial short stories… The illustrations in this magazine also deserve a mention – Richard Wagner has created some absolutely gorgeous images to accompany the first three stories in particular….

In “Still Life With Falling Man,” by Richard E. Gropp… we meet Julian, whose job is to hunt down “nexûs” — places where time has inexplicably slowed so much that it almost seems to be frozen, sometimes trapping people with it. We learn that ten seconds for such victims would last a little over twenty-seven million years, giving them (from their point of view) a speeded up journey to end of the universe. This story is a really clever take on the notion of relativity, and also tackles themes of relationships and the difficult idea of accepting oneself as a tiny part of an infinite reality. This was very much my favorite story in this issue…

“The Common Sea,” by Steve Rasnic Tem (who also writes the editorial in this issue) is set in a near-future where sea levels have risen so much that Tom and his extended family are living in a house sitting in water, raised up on stilts. The only form of travel is by boat. One day he sets off the “the Dock” — a collection of floating barges and platforms connected to a small strip of land. The normal trajectory of such a tale would be to describe a hopeless, dystopian future where everything is awful and everyone is downtrodden and depressed. It’s refreshing that Rasnic Tem doesn’t take this route — instead choosing to reflect on the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. A pleasing end to this issue of Interzone.

Read Kat’s complete review here.

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A New Magazine of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Lovecraftian Horror, and Sword & Sorcery: Gathering Storm

A New Magazine of Fantasy, Science Fiction, Lovecraftian Horror, and Sword & Sorcery: Gathering Storm

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Gathering Storm is a brand new magazine with an interesting twist: every issue contains fiction themed according to popular idioms. The editor, Michael McHenry, explained his unique approach in an interview with the Northwest Arkansas Community College paper Eagle View.

Gathering Storm Magazine is a brand new Fayetteville based publication focused on short stories under 2,000 words. GSM will publish stories in a wide variety of genres, including fantasy, horror, science fiction, steampunk, weird, lovecraftian, sword & sorcery. The magazine will also include art, poetry, comics, and more… McHenry said the inspiration for Gathering Storm Magazine came one day when he kept hearing different idioms people used. “For some reason, I heard quite a few that day and kept thinking, Hmmm, that would make a good story,” McHenry said. “The idea caught on like wildfire and I thought that a dedicated magazine to showcasing these types of stories sounded amazing.” Michael McHenry started the magazine with his mother, Cinda McHenry…

GSM is different from other magazines because every time a submission is sent to the magazine, it is categorized according to a certain theme… Issue #1 will contain four stories. First, “Revenge is a dish best served cold,” second, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” third, “Knock on wood,” and finally, “Break a leg.”… “The themes change throughout the year for every new issue but all relate to a particular old saying, proverb, or adage that people know so well,” McHenry said… GSM will be published every two months.

The first issue was published in February 2017; issue #2 arrived right on time earlier this month. Issues are available in digital formats for $4.99, and in print for $11.99. The editors sent us a PDF copy of the first two issues, and I must say I was immediately impressed with the professional layout and design, and the interior artwork. Here’s a few samples.

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Julius Schwartz on A. Merritt, Amazing Stories, and the First Worldcon

Julius Schwartz on A. Merritt, Amazing Stories, and the First Worldcon

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The first Worldcon, July 1939. Left to right: Jack Darrow, Jack Williamson,
Julius Schwartz, unknown, and Conrad Rupert. Photo by Bill Dellenback

While letters from and to Otto Binder made up the majority of the correspondence I acquired from the estate of Clifford Kornoelje (aka in science fiction circles as Jack Darrow), Binder wasn’t the only science fiction notable that Darrow corresponded with. One of his other correspondents was Julius Schwartz, remembered today for his roles in both the science fiction and comics fields. I thought I’d post two of those letters from Schwartz — along with some related material — today.

The first letter from Schwartz to Darrow is dated December 12, 1932. The Mort that he refers to in several places is their mutual friend, Mort Weisinger. It has a mention of Astounding, a mention of a dinner that Schwartz (and presumably Weisinger as well) will be having with pulp author David H. Keller. And most particularly, it has an interesting bit resulting from an interview that Schwartz had conducted with A. Merritt two weeks earlier. I don’t know if Merritt actually sued Amazing, as Schwartz claims, or whether he just threatened them, but Amazing did run an apology in their June 1933 issue.

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March/April 2017 Analog Now on Sale

March/April 2017 Analog Now on Sale

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Analog Science Fiction and Fact March April 2017-smallI’m getting used to Analog and Asimov’s new bimonthly publication schedule. For one thing, the magazines have added an additional 16 pages, which is a substantial bonus.

Here’s Analog editor Trevor Qachari on the impact of the change, and what we can look forward to in the March/April issue.

Effective immediately, with the very magazine you hold in your hands, Analog will be publishing only double issues — six of them per year. Right off the bat, you’ll see more novellas, longer book review columns, and more variety in the themes that thread through the stories. (For example, our next issue will have both the usual lighter April fare as well as a selection of time-travel pieces.)

The main advantage is that this format allows us to hold current subscription prices a bit longer. (You may have already noticed that this issue is 208 pages instead of our customary 192 for double issues; we worked hard to make sure that there wouldn’t be any loss of content.)

So, what kinds of things can you expect in this brave new world? Well, we have two novellas: “Nexus” by Michael F. Flynn, and John Alfred Taylor’s “Plaisir d’Amour”; “Sustainability Lab 101,” our fact article from Stanley Schmidt; and a trio of novelettes — “Europa’s Survivors” by Marianne J. Dyson; “Host” by Eneaz Brodski; and “The Human Way” by Tony Ballantyne — as well as almost a full “single” issue’s worth of short stories, some light-hearted, like “Ecuador vs. the Bug-Eyed Monsters” by Jay Werkheiser, and “Concerning the Devastation Wrought by the Nefarious Gray Comma and Its Ilk,” by Tim McDaniel; and some that involve a relative rarity in these pages: time travel. “Eli’s Coming,” by Catherine Wells; “Grandmaster” by Jay O’Connell; “Alexander’s Theory of Special Relativity” by Shane Halbach; “Time Heals” by James C. Glass; and “The Snatchers” by Edward P. McDermott — all struck a chord with me (for different reasons), and I bet at least some of them will for you, too.

The cover art this issue is by Tomislav Tikulin. Here’s the complete Table of Contents.

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Weirdbook 34 Now Available

Weirdbook 34 Now Available

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Weirdbook editor Douglas Draa shares some good news in his editorial in the latest issue.

It’s hard to believe that we started this endeavor over a year ago. If you look closely, you might just spot a trend:

2015: One Issue
2016: Two Issues
2017: Four issues and one themed annual!!

That’s correct, Weirdbook has gone quarterly this year! As a thank-you to all the readers who made this possible, we will be putting out a themed “2017 Annual” special issue this October. Just in time for Halloween! I hope themed Weirdbook Annuals will become a yearly tradition that everyone looks forward to. This year’s theme will be “Witches.”

Good news indeed! Weirdbook — alongside Skelos, Cirsova, and Grimdark — is leading the recent Weird Fantasy wave, developing talented new writers in its pages and providing a center for this thriving new genre. It’s great to see it thriving, and I’m looking forward to that themed Halloween issue.

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Galaxy, October 1968: A Retro-Review

Galaxy, October 1968: A Retro-Review

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An issue of Galaxy from fairly late in Fred Pohl’s tenure. There’s one fairly notable story here, and a couple more good ones, but to me the most interesting feature was Algis Budrys’ book review column.

But let’s begin at the beginning. The cover is by Douglas Chaffee. Interiors are by Jack Gaughan, Joe Wehrle, Jr., Dan Adkins, Virgil Finlay, Larry S. Todd illustrating his own piece (not surprising, as Todd, then just 20, became fairly well-known later for his comics work), and two artists whose full names I didn’t know: Brand and Safrani. Buddy Lortie identified them for me: Brand was Roger Brand, a fan artist who became a pro, and did comics work as well; and Safrani was Shehbaz Safrani, who seems to still do fine art. I should note that the magazine was very thick in this era — 196 pages (including covers). My copy has staples: I don’t know offhand if that was normal.

The features include Willy Ley’s long-running science column, “For Your Information,” discussing Explorer-1. Fred Pohl contributes an editorial, discussing the upcoming Presidential election (the one in which Nixon beat Humphrey and Wallace), and speculating about computerized voting from one’s home (even on laws, declaration of war, etc. — i.e. direct democracy). There is a Bio feature, Galaxy’s Stars, giving tidbits about a few of the authors. One piece, “The Warbots,” by Larry S. Todd, is designated a “Non-Fact Article,” and it discusses the history of tanks, basically, far into the future.

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The Late March Fantasy Magazine Rack

The Late March Fantasy Magazine Rack

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Asimovs-Science-Fiction-March-April-2017-rack Clarkesworld-March-2017-rack Lightspeed-March-2017-rack The-Digest-Enthusiast-January-2017-rack
Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine January February 2017-rack The-Dark-March-2017-rack The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction April May 2017-rack Sword and Sorcery Magazine February 2017-rack

Lots of great reading for short fiction fans in the back half of March. As usual, Michael Penkas did most of the heavy lifting on our magazine coverage, with in-depth reviews of recent issues of the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (two issues), Nightmare, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, and Asimov’s Science Fiction (two issues!). Fletcher Vredenburgh checked in with his regular February Short Story Roundup, plus reviews of two vintage SF novels originally serialized in Astounding SF/Analog: H. Beam Piper’s Space Viking and Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement. Matthew Wuertz contributed the latest installment in his long-run project to review every issue of the legendary Galaxy magazine, with a report on the September 1953 issue. And finally, we had a look at what happens when cats read science fiction magazines.

Check out all the details on the magazines above by clicking on the each of the images. Our early March Fantasy Magazine Rack is here.

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March 2017 Lightspeed Magazine Now Available

March 2017 Lightspeed Magazine Now Available

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Lightspeed March 2017-smallI don’t get to read Lightspeed magazine as often as I like, but the March issue looks like a good place to play catch up. Here’s Charles Payseur at Quick Sip Reviews on “The Worldless” by up-and-coming author Indrapramit Das.

This is a lovely and complex story that unfolds in a port, in a place between places, where gravity isn’t quite high enough and Dunyshar, those without a world, live and work and die and dream of something more. The story focuses on two people, NuTay and their offspring Satlyt, as they scrape a life together. And I love the way that the story evokes place and the feeling of being detached from place. Orphaned in some important way. Without a culture because culture is associated with planets and not with ports, the place that ships are only ever moving through. It’s obvious from the story that some not-great-s#!t is happening and I like that this is revealed slowly, revealed with all the terrible weight of it… An amazing read!

Read Charles’ complete review of the March issue here.

This month’s Lightspeed offers original fantasy by Marta Randall and Greg Kurzawa, and fantasy reprints by Eileen Gunn and Caitlín R. Kiernan. It also has original science fiction by Indrapramit Das and Adam-Troy Castro, plus SF reprints by Rachel Swirsky and Julian Mortimer Smith. The non-fiction includes an editorial from John Joseph Adams, author spotlights, TV reviews by Joseph Allen Hill, Book Reviews by Amal El-Mohtar, and a feature interview with Nnedi Okorafor.

The exclusive content in the ebook version this month includes an exclusive reprint of Holly Phillips’ novella “Proving the Rule,” and an excerpt from Taiyo Fujii’s novel Orbital Cloud.

The cover this month is by Reiko Murakami, illustrating Indrapramit Das’s story, “The Worldless.” Here’s the complete contents for the March issue.

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