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John W. Campbell

John W. Campbell: "John Wood Campbell, Jr. (June 8, 1910 – July 11, 1971) was an influential figure in science fiction. As editor of Astounding Science Fiction (later called Analog Science Fiction and Fact), from late 1937 until his death, he is generally credited with shaping the so-called Golden Age of Science Fiction.

Isaac Asimov called Campbell 'the most powerful force in science fiction ever, and for the first ten years of his editorship he dominated the field completely.'"

Space Opera

Space opera: "Space opera is a subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing powerful (and sometimes quite fanciful) technologies and abilities. Perhaps the most significant trait of space opera is that settings, characters, battles, powers, and themes tend to be very large-scale."

Astounding Science Fiction

Astounding Science Fiction: "Analog Science Fiction and Fact is an American science fiction magazine. As of 2009, it is the longest continually published magazine of that genre. Initially published in 1930 in the United States as Astounding Stories as a pulp magazine, it has undergone several name changes, primarily to Astounding Science-Fiction in 1938, and Analog Science Fact & Fiction in 1960. In November 1992, its logo changed to use the term 'Fiction and Fact' rather than 'Fact & Fiction.'"

Planet Stories

Planet Stories: "Planet Stories was a pulp science fiction magazine, published by Fiction House with a total of 71 issues appeared between 1939 and 1955. It featured a particular kind of romantic, swashbuckling adventure in a science fiction context, and was renowned for its colorful covers, typically featuring a young woman in (for the time) rather scanty apparel. For a brief time it was edited by Jerome Bixby. Twenty years later many of these stories were reprinted in paperback as space opera or science fantasy."

Startling Stories

Startling Stories: "Startling Stories was a pulp science fiction magazine which also published a lot of science fantasy. A companion magazine to Thrilling Wonder Stories and Captain Future magazine, it published 99 issues from 1939 to 1955. It was edited by Sam Merwin, Jr. from 1945 to 1951.

It featured a novel in each issue, several of which were written by Henry Kuttner. Among the classic stories which were published in it were The Black Flame by Stanley G. Weinbaum, The Last Days of Shandakor and The Star-Men of Llyrdis by Leigh Brackett, and Against the Fall of Night by Arthur C. Clarke. From 1940 to 1952 it featured covers by Earle Bergey. After Captain Future magazine ceased publication, some of the final stories about the eponymous character were published in Startling."

Golden Age of Science Fiction

Golden Age of Science Fiction: "The first Golden Age of Science Fiction — often recognized as the period from the late 1930s through the 1950s — was an era during which the science fiction genre gained wide public attention and many classic science fiction stories were published. In the history of science fiction, the Golden Age follows the 'pulp era' of the 1920s and 30s, and precedes New Wave science fiction of the 1960s and 70s. According to historian Adam Roberts, 'the phrase Golden Age valorises a particular sort of writing: 'Hard SF', linear narratives, heroes solving problems or countering threats in a space-opera or technological-adventure idiom.'"

Ethan Van Sciver - Behind the Lanterns' Looks

It's not Marvel Zombies with the whole tacky thing they do, where you see Peter Parker like, eating Aunt May. You just want to shower and cry and go talk to your minister. We're not going to do that.

First Look At: The Web...

A Brief History of Roleplaying Games

Definitely an interesting read. I think that a historical perspective is often lost among both gamers and designers.

Indy Planet :: A Whole New World of Comics!

I just found this interesting looking small press online comic shop. Anyone every use it and have any feedback? There's some fun looking books.

The Georia Guidestones

Looking for guidelines on how to rebuild after an apocalypse? Look no further than the Georgia Guidestones.

A massive granite monument espousing the conservation of mankind and future generations. Sources for the sizable financing of the project choose to remain anonymous. The wording of the message proclaimed on the monument is in 12 languages, including the archaic languages of Sanskrit, Babylonian Cuneiform, Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Classical Greek, as well as English, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic Hindi, Chinese, Spanish, Swahili

the words are exactly as the Sponsors provided them:

1. Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.
2. Guide reproduction wisely - improving fitness and diversity.
3. Unite humanity with a living new language.
4. Rule passion - faith - tradition - and all things with tempered reason.
5. Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.
6. Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.
7. Avoid petty laws and useless officials.
8. Balance personal rights with social duties.
9. Prize truth - beauty - love - seeking harmony with the infinite.
10. Be not a cancer on the earth - Leave room for nature - Leave room for nature.

Kicking It Old Style

Well, I like the old school approach to gaming and I like Fudge...so maybe I should give a shot to combining them? Imagine an alternate 1976 where Fudge was the system created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson for this little tiny fantasy game.

Back in Blackmoor - Out of the Box with Ken Hite

This column occasionally takes a little heat for being head over heels in love with the hippie elves of the 'indie gaming community,' to which charge this columnist pleads emphatically guilty. But a year after Gary Gygax’ final leveling up, it’s time to look back at the original indie gaming community, which is to say at modern-day players of the original indie game: Dungeons & Dragons, B.C. (Before Corporatism). Forget 4e vs. 3.5 vs. Pathfinder — in the “old school” community, AD&D is still just a little bit too slick and citified for some folks.

I’ll have more to say on the storied rivalries — and eerie similarities — between indie elves and old-school dwarves in later columns, but I figured I should start out with an introduction to the whole concept. And who better to introduce me, and through me you good people, to it than James Maliszewski? James has written a lot of gaming material, of which I might select the Gear Krieg RPG as one of my personal favorites, but is perhaps best known now for his retro imperial-SF game Thousand Suns and — the reason he’s here now — his tetchy, diamantine, opinionated, finely-researched, downright amazing blog Grognardia. From that pulpit, he’s become, if not the Pope of Old School, certainly its William Phillips, and he’s been generous enough to answer us some questions.

Fresh Blood for Wild Cards

From George R.R. Martin's Livejournal:

The Wild Cards series began in New Mexico in the mid-80s with a group of writers and friends who all gamed together, players in an epic years-long campaign of the role-playing game SUPERWORLD. That gaming group included me, Melinda Snodgrass, Walter Jon Williams, John Miller and Gail Gerstner Miller, Parris, Chip Wideman, and Victor Milan... but when we decided to pitch Wild Cards as a shared world anthology, I reached out to some other writers who shared our love of comic books and superheroes, and Roger Zelazny, Steve Leigh, Lew Shiner, Bud Simons, Pat Cadigan, Edward Bryant, Leanne C. Harper, Arthur Byron Cover, and Howard Waldrop came aboard. So did Steve Perrin, the creator of the SUPERWORLD game that had inspired us. That core group of writers and creators produced the first seven books in the Wild Cards series.

It's always been my feeling, however, that any long-running series risks growing stagnant after awhile unless it's freshened up from time to time... and the best way to do that is by regularly adding new characters, new concepts, new conflicts... new writers. Wild Cards has had a long tradition of dragging new inmates into the asylum (some of them kicking and screaming). Over the years, the original founding members of the Wild Cards consortium were joined by others: William F. Wu, Michael Cassutt, Chris Claremont, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Bob Wayne, Laura J. Mixon, Sage Walker, Daniel Abraham... and most recently the Class of 2007, made up of Caroline Spector, Christopher Rowe, Carrie Vaughn, Ian Tregillis, and S.L. Farrell.

Renewal is a never-ending process, however. With SUICIDE KINGS in the pipeline and the Committee triad wrapped up, the time was ideal to go out and recruit some more poor damned fools for the Wild Cards projects to come (which I can't talk about, not just yet, but watch this space, we'll have news for you soon).

So let me introduce all you Wild Cards fans (and those who aren't yet, but soon will be) to the Wild Cards Class of 2009.

First Look At: The Hangman...

It’s been a Red Circle kind of week, huh? Well, we’re not only publishing The Shield and Inferno, friends, so why stop there? As some of you might recall, The Hangman is one of the key Red Circle heroes making his DCU debut in August. He’s also one of the characters superstar artist J.G. Jones took a pass at when asked to tinker with a few of the RC characters. So, to continue to show you an inside look at the creative process here at 1700 Broadway, I’ve included J.G.’s initial Hangman sketch and artist Jesus Saiz’s final cover.

Here's a link to some info about the original Hangman on a fansite.

First Look At: Inferno...

Here's a link to some information on the original Inferno from a fansite.

Hackmaster Basic

Note the way cool Erol Otus cover (in homage to the old D&D cover images).

Take your next step out of the ordinary with the new edition of the HackMaster fantasy role-playing game! Play as a dwarf, elf, halfling, or human, and take the role of a fighter, thief, mage, or cleric, in an epic saga filled with danger and endless excitement.

The HackMaster Basic rulebook has everything you need to start playing, with easy to read rules for new players, and information for GameMasters - including descriptions of over 75 monsters - all with that award-winning, classic HackMaster feel. Come answer the call – adventure awaits!

(160-176 pgs est., b&w; ISBN 1-59459-103-2)

First Look At: The Shield...

As most of you know, come August, we’ll be publishing a number of books spotlighting the Red Circle characters, specifically The Shield, The Web, The Hangman and Inferno, under the watchful eye of writer J. Michael Straczynski. But before we get into all the specifics, let’s look at some cool art, shall we? Here’s a peek at THE SHIELD, from artist Jesus Saiz. Check back tomorrow for more. Enjoy the commute.

Here's a link to some information on the original Shield from a fansite.

GAMA Trade Show Attendance Down 18%

Despite a scaled down exhibitor roster and buyer attendance that dropped 18%, attendees and exhibitors at GAMA Trade Show were surprisingly optimistic over-all, with upbeat hopes for the hobby game business in 2009.

'The show was awesome for us,' Anthony Gallela of Bucephalus Games told us. 'We made 80 or more orders. I had seven salespeople here who were constantly busy. People were very excited, very optimistic about what was going on this year. I didn’t hear any pessimism at all. And they were excited about our line, but they were just excited in general about what they were doing.'

Mongoose to Publish RedBrick Games

Mongoose Publishing has announced that beginning in July it will add games from two other companies, RedBrick Limited and Cubicle 7, to its line. Games from New Zealand company RedBrick Limited will be published under its Flaming Cobra imprint. RedBrick titles planned for release by Mongoose include new editions of the Earthdawn, Fading Suns, Blue Planet, Age of Legend 4E, and Equinox lines. First up is Earthdawn Third Edition, which will be released in July. RedBrick retains full creative control.

Cubicle 7 titles will also be sold by Mongoose, beginning in July. Two releases are planned for July, Victoriana 2nd Edition Core Rulebook, and Starblazer Adventures: The Rock and Roll Space Opera Adventure Game.

KODT Tribute to Dave Arneson

Hasbro 1st-quarter profit falls 47 percent

Hasbro Inc. said Monday that first-quarter profit fell 47 percent as retailers cut back on their inventory, but the toy maker said products tied into new movies like the upcoming Transformers film should boost future results.

The maker of board games such as Clue and Scrabble also said it instituted a salary freeze and is hiring only for critical positions in an effort to cut costs.

'We don't believe these results are a reflection of the underlying strength of our brands,' Chief Executive Brian Goldner said in a conference call. Instead, he said, they were a by-product of retailers cutting inventory levels in the poor economy.

Cult author JG Ballard dies at 78

More than any other, it was Ballard who showed me that SF could be more than just genre fiction. That his death happened without being screamed from the rooftops is a shame for both fans of SF and literature.

The author JG Ballard, famed for novels such as Crash and Empire of the Sun, has died aged 78 after a long illness.

His agent Margaret Hanbury said the author had been ill 'for several years' and had died on Sunday morning.

Despite being referred to as a science fiction writer, Jim Ballard said his books were instead 'picturing the psychology of the future'.

His most acclaimed novel was Empire of the Sun, based on his childhood in a Japanese prison camp in China.

Cult of Done

Cult of Done, originally uploaded by spatulated.

Done.