Why the 2013 crop of summer blockbusters has sucked

A sign of the times: the new Man of Steel (Photo credit: Ed Yourdon)

Once again, I am called upon by my fellow SF Signal podcast irregulars to snark my way through a topic better left to professionals: What's up with the not-so-hot lineup of 2013 summer movie blockbusters?

Fortunately, Jeff Patterson, Patrick Hester and actual honest-to-Grodd film critic Derek Johnson are on hand to wrangle my even-more-nerdy-than-usual snivelings about film and genre. (How these guys got nominated for a Hugo with me on the line is beyond explanation.)

In the course of the podcast, we go deep on the flagship blockbuster of the season -- Man of Steel -- and sort of back into a treatise on why the "midlist movie" is so desperately necessary to save Hollywood from itself. There are worse ways to spend an hour of your time, especially if you fast forward through all my speaking parts. Those of you that tuned into my appearance on Shooting the WISB wherein I savaged Star Trek Into Darkness have heard most it already, anyway.

You can listen to the complete SF Signal podcast here.

As always, the chronicle of my previous SF Signal podcast atrocities is available here.

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The most horrible things in science fiction

Image via WikipediaThere are two ways of interpreting the post title:

• A clever pun on mashing the horror and sci-fi genres
• The description of my contribution to SF Signal podcasts

Both are likely true, as those poor, foolish fools at SF Signal had me on their podcast again discussing the best examples of science fiction horror stories. Don't worry, it's not just me blathering about Ridley Scott and David Cronenberg (that happens, but there's other stuff, too). Lee Thomas, Ashley Crump, Derek Johnson, Jeff Patterson, and Patrick Hester make legitimate statements about genre that tend to drown out my own sonic idiocy.

My content will horrify. Their content will edify. Either way you win, assuming horror is of interest to you. Give it a listen.

As always my chronicle of past SF Signal podcast atrocities is available here.

Are comic books a legitimate media for science fiction?

Image via WikipediaThe title denotes the topic of the latest SF Signal podcast to be corrupted by my audible contributions.

The likes of myself, Jeff Patterson, Jessica Strider, Derek Johnson and Patrick Hester combine into a virtual voice-only Voltron and wage war on the notion that there ain't no stinkin' sci-fi in your four-color funnybooks. Give a listen if that's of interest.

As always my litany of past SF Signal podcast misdeeds is available here.

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Is Robert Heinlein still relevant?

Image via WikipediaRobert A Heinlein is considered one of the most influential writers in the history of science fiction -- but are Heinlein's works still relevant today? Thus is the question posed (and, ostensibly, answered) in my latest SF Signal podcast appearance.

Not to worry, my inane babblings are more than compensated for by contributions from Fred Kiesche, Derek Johnson, John DeNardo, Jeff Patterson, Patrick Hester and the music of John Anealio.

As always, you you can hear my previous SF Signal audiocrimes here.

Related articles

• Robert Heinlein's Experience with Political Ignorance (volokh.com)
• Since I cannot reread Heinlein, I should not read a biography of Heinlein (marginalrevolution.com)
• How Robert A. Heinlein became one of science fiction's giants [Book Review] (io9.com)