Manga Review: Urusei Yatsura Vol. 1

Manga Review: Urusei Yatsura Vol. 1 by Rumiko Takahashi Have you ever had a day when a pint-sized Buddhist monk looks you in the face and tells you you have terrible luck? Ataru Moroboshi has. Repeatedly. While he’s had poor luck all his life, the young lecher’s problems really kicked into high gear when aliens… Continue reading Manga Review: Urusei Yatsura Vol. 1

Book Review: Star Trek 2

Book Review: Star Trek 2 adapted by James Blish Once upon a time, Star Trek was not a cultural touchstone. It was, instead, a short-lived television series that was much beloved by a slice of the audience that would form the core of fandom, but with relatively poor ratings and considered soon to be forgotten… Continue reading Book Review: Star Trek 2

Magazine Review: Galaxy Science Fiction November 1973

For reasons unknown to me, this issue had two different covers. There was a standard painting cover, and the one on the copy I have, which shows the contents with a few of the interior illustrations.

Magazine Review: Galaxy Science Fiction November 1973 edited by Ejler Jakobsson The last issue of this magazine I reviewed was from the 1950s, so there’s a considerable time gap, and we can see some definite changes in the science fiction field. “Think Only This of Me” by Michael Kurland opens the issue. Humanity has gone… Continue reading Magazine Review: Galaxy Science Fiction November 1973

Book Review: The Complete Stories of Robert Bloch Volume 3

Book Review: The Complete Stories of Robert Bloch Volume 3 by Robert Bloch Robert Bloch (1917-1994) was a prolific author of horror, science fiction and mystery works. (You may have seen, read or at least heard of Psycho.) This volume, originally “Selected Stories” and by no means complete, features 39 stories published between 1960 and… Continue reading Book Review: The Complete Stories of Robert Bloch Volume 3

Comic Book Review: Essential Spider-Man Vol. 5

Comic Book Review: Essential Spider-Man Vol. 5 created by various people. It turns out I’ve never reviewed a Spider-Man comic book on this website before, so let’s quickly go over his origin. Peter Parker is a nerdy high school student, bullied by the “popular kids.” One day while visiting a science exhibit, Peter is bitten… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Essential Spider-Man Vol. 5

Magazine Review: Analog June 1967

Magazine Review: Analog June 1967 edited by John W. Campbell Let’s take a look at another issue of this venerable science fiction magazine. It’s towards the end of Mr. Campbell’s editorial run (he died in 1971.) The opening editorial is about interstellar communication, and points out that while we Earthlings have not yet received any… Continue reading Magazine Review: Analog June 1967

Comic Book Review: Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman Volumes 1&2

Comic Book Review:  Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman Volumes 1 & 2 edited by Kristy Quinn Wonder Woman is a favorite character of many comics readers, but her regular series often disappoints.  The powers that be will assign writers that are a poor fit, or a promising storyline will be derailed by needing to tie… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman Volumes 1&2

Movie Review: The Day the Earth Stood Still

Mr. Carpenter finally explains himself to Helen.

Movie Review: The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) dir. Robert Wise The humans of Earth are a fractious lot. Why, just six years ago, they had an entire World War, as a result of which they created and used atomic weapons. You’d think they would have learned their lesson, but instead they went right into… Continue reading Movie Review: The Day the Earth Stood Still

Book Review: The Rise of Io

Book Review: The Rise of Io by Wesley Chu Note: This review contains SPOILERS for the previous Tao trilogy, of which I have previously reviewed The Deaths of Tao. It has been a decade since the end of the Alien World War, when nations under the influence of either the Genjix or Prophus factions of… Continue reading Book Review: The Rise of Io

Magazine Review: Wonder Stories January 1934

Magazine Review: Wonder Stories January 1934 editor-in-chief Hugo Gernsback Wonder Stories was one of the first dedicated science fiction magazines, started up after Hugo Gernsback lost control of Amazing Stories.  It started in 1929 as two magazines titled Air Wonder Stories and Science Wonder Stories before being consolidated in 1930. He held onto it until 1936 when financial considerations made him sell it to Beacon Magazines. They… Continue reading Magazine Review: Wonder Stories January 1934