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Sci Fi

Discussion: Do We Need Relationships?

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Today’s topic comes from QSFer Heather Rose Jones: Are relationships necessary? What does it mean for a character to be LGBTQI if the story doesn’t involve sex or romance? (Yes, this is meant to be deliberately provocative.) It’s a great question. This actually came up at Rainbow Con panel I was on discussing LGBTY sci fi. One of the audience members asked if it was really LGBT fiction of the character(s) didn’t have a relationship or ever get together. In other words, what then distinguished the character from a straight protagonist? It’s a valid question. My own answer is that … Read more

News: A Second Star Wars Trailer… From Japan

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By now we’re used to seeing a second trailer for a hotly anticipated movie and being, well, disappointed. Too often there’s very little new tid-bits to actually warrant a watch. Not so with the new trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And that may have something to do with the fact that this latest trailer comes from Japan. Feel the force grow stronger. Full Story at Towleroad.com

News: Which Jobs Will Robots Take?

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Robot

We’re used to thinking that the jobs that are most likely to be taken over by automation are low-skilled ones: clerks, lowly paper pushers, assembly line workers. In contrast, those on the very high end of the wage scale – doctors, CEOs and hedge fund managers – seem like they will be comfortably insulated from the robot revolution. But new research from McKinsey & Company, a consultancy, shows that that isn’t quite right. While there is a connection between a job’s skill level and the likelihood it will be automated, there are a lot of jobs that don’t fit that … Read more

Director Mike Buonaiuto Discusses How ’Credence’ Redefines LGBT Cinema

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Credence

A new sci-fi film launching today on Vimeo On Demand has its sights set higher than galaxies far, far away. Credence, directed by Mike Buonaiuto, is aiming to redefine portrayals of gay characters in cinema. It may sound like a lofty goal, but if there’s anyone equipped to pull it off successfully, it’s Buonaiuto. His previous work includes highly successful viral campaigns focused on LGBT parents, the military and the Sochi Olympics. He knows a thing or two about building momentum for a movement using online content. It’s that spirit that helped Credence rocket beyond their Indiegogo funding goals, eventually … Read more

Announcement: Extraterrestrial Anthology, by Perie Wolford

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Extraterrestrial Anthology

QSFer Perie Wolford has a new sci fi book out: 2 ALIEN ENCOUNTER STORIES IN 1 PACKAGE ENCOUNTER In an attempt to prove it to the world that crop circles are man-made and aliens donít really exist, Ricky and his team of young enthusiasts (including one particular enthusiast, Josh, who is hopelessly in love with Ricky) start falsifying the phenomenon by creating their own crop circles. Their endeavors prove successful, pretty much so, but only until the day when Ricky sees his unique circle design replicated throughout the country by the force unknown. LIGHTS Coming home for summer break, two … Read more

News: Is Deadpool the First Queer Superhero Film Lead?

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Deadpool

Ryan Reynolds’ upcoming anti-hero X-Men spinoff film Deadpool has been a long time in the making. But with a release date only three months out, Reynolds and the film’s director, Tim Miller, are letting their guards down and speaking candidly about the challenging film and its lead character. And one topic that’s sure to spark further dialogue is Deadpool’s sexuality. In the Marvel Comics character’s mythology, Deadpool has been portrayed as an omnisexual flirt who will go after any gender that happens to strike his fancy at any particular time. Deadpool’s co-creator Fabian Nicieza has said “Deadpool is whatever sexual … Read more

Discussion: Gay Speculative Fiction in Other Languages

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Language Word Cloud

Is speculative fic (especially the LGBT variety) essentially an English language thing? Our gay Italian friends are here, and one of the LOVES sci fi, but he mostly knows it from films – many English Language sci fi books simply aren’t available in Italian. Do we need to make more of an effort to have our works translated into other languages?

NASA Releases Incredible Ultra-HD Video of the Sun

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NASA has released an incredible 4K video of the Sun, which is not only a jaw-dropping achievement, but would also make a damn fine screensaver. Writes NASA Goddard: It’s always shining, always ablaze with light and energy. In the ubiquity of solar output, Earth swims in an endless tide of particles. Every time half of the Earth faces the Sun, we experience the brightness of daytime, the Sun’s energy and light driving weather, biology and more. But in space, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) keeps an eye on our nearest star 24/7. SDO captures images of the Sun in 10 … Read more

Announcement: Vicious Circle, by Elle E. Ire

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Vicious Circle

QSFer Elle E. Ire has a new FF Sci Fi book out: Kicked out of the Assassins Guild for breach of contract, hunted by its members for killing the Guild Leader, and half-hooked on illegal narcotics, Cor Sandros could use a break. She accepts a freelance job to eliminate Kila T’ral’s brother, Jaren. Kila claims her politically powerful brother has sexually abused her, and Cor has always been a sucker for helping the helpless. The plan doesn’t include Cor falling in love with Kila, but as the pair struggles to reach Kila’s homeworld, pursued by assassins from the Guild, Cor … Read more

Trans Representation in Speculative Fiction

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Today’s topic comes from QSFer Freddy MacKay: It would be also great to have a discussion on trans* characters in the different genres. How they are handled. How the world/tech/magic/nature works for them or against them. SF could be interesting because technology could be developed enough you wouldn’t ever know the difference unless a trans* person wanted you to. What kind of society would that be? How would trans* people identify themselves and why? A parallel (though not the same) would be looking at the deaf community and how they feel about cochlear implants. Some are all for them, others … Read more