The SF Site: Letters to the SF Site

Letters to the SF Site

We love letters. They make us think. They make us laugh. They make us sit up and take notice, and get a payment in before service is disconnected.

Mostly, though, we enjoy hearing what you have to say about the SF Site. No publishing enterprise can survive long without paying close attention to its audience, and we're no different. If you've got a comment or thoughtful suggestion, or if you just want to complain about that durned dead link, we want to hear about it.

Why not Comics?

From: mikeyt@home.com

The Book of Ballads and Sagas,
Issue #3. By Charles Vess
I noticed that every blue moon or so, I see a comic book review. I was wondering if you ever thought of making these reviews more 'frequent' and possibly focus on comics that are more streamed for a larger audience, or even to showcase smaller titles...

Now, I know that it'd be a HUGE task to review comics, but, to focus on a few here and there... The Sandman Graphic Novels, Books of Magic, Aria from Image Comics, The Mighty Thor, various Vertigo Titles, and even some independent titles.

Just a idea, but, the site is fantastic, I almost wish it was updated daily, but, I suspect you all need lives. =)

Mike
Canada.

Mike,
Thanks for the suggestion. We're big fans of comics -- including several of the ones you mentioned, as well as such independents as Dave Sim's Cerebus, Jeff Smith's Bone, and Charles Vess' The Book of Ballads and Sagas. But to do the job the way we'd like would require more resources, and a dedicated editor -- neither of which we have at the moment -- and might also blunt some of the current focus of the SF Site. We're still working on the idea, though, and will try and cover additional worthy comics in the future.

West End Story

From: Keenan0738@aol.com

I was looking at your list of companies at depts/rpg01.htm - it says that there isn't an official page for West End Games, but there is one, at http://www.westendgames.net/webweg.htm. (Looks pretty official to me, anyway.) Just thought maybe you should add it to the list.

Star Trek: The Adventure Game (1985)
Designed by Greg Costikyan

Right you are -- West End Games publishes some of our favourite SF games and RPGs (including Greg Costikyan's Star Trek: The Adventure Game, and the lunatic classic Paranoia). Thanks for pointing out the oversight. And just in time to catch the big clearance sale on their website, too!

Looking For Submissions

From: Chris Sellars

We are trying to raise interest in submissions for a Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror CD ROM that we are compiling. Would it be possible for you to pass this mail on to your contacts/mailing lists?

Submissions are invited from both professionals and amateurs alike. We are looking for Artwork, Comic Strips, Short Animations & Films, Demonstrations, Interviews, Stories, Articles etc. In fact, we are looking for anything which may relate to the themes already outlined and could be included on a CD ROM magazine.

Please visit our website for further details http://www.c60.ndirect.co.uk/EV.htm

Thanking you in advance,

Chris Sellars
Diskzine@c60.ndirect.co.uk

Nice Job!

From: t3346875@strato.net

To: editor@sfsite.com
Subject: Your SF Site

Nice job!

Thanks!

The Incredible Shrinking Author?

From: dcobb@ju.edu

Art by The Chopping Block
I have to tell you, I love the links your site provides to author webpages. My question is: Has anybody seen Richard Matheson?

I've done a little searching using the various engines and only found bios. Are there any fan sites? It would be very hard to believe that there aren't any -- a man who has had such a profound effect on multiple science fiction media (film - shoot, just check out Spielberg's FIRST film "Duel" - and TV, short and long fiction) and multiple genre (horror, SF and fantasy). Has he become such a small figure? And what has become of the "I am Legend" film project I was hearing so much about a couple of years ago? Too much bad SF is making it to celluloid, we need good stuff like that to fight Hollywood's Great Kipple (q.v., Phillip Dick) Projects. Please, somebody, help me find Richard Matheson!

Sorry to say, we're not aware of any fan sites devoted to Richard Matheson, the author of (among many others) The Shrinking Man (the basis for the movie The Incredible Shrinking Man), the vampire classic I Am Legend (basis for several movies, most recently The Omega Man starring Charleton Heston) and Hell House. With the recent release of the movie based on his book What Dreams May Come, we suspect there will a resurgence of interest, and a few websites in the offing. We'll keep you posted.

As for the proposed re-make of I Am Legend, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by Ridley Scott, there are several reports on its demise. Depending on who you believe, it looks like the project was scrubbed when the projected cost topped $100 million and the backers got nervous.

Norman Spinrad's "The National Pastime"

From: Halme Jukka-Petteri

Greetings from Finland!

I want to thank you for a truly superb netsite. It has become a regular thing in our home to tune in every 1st and 16th. Great work!

Regarding Brian Kibble-Smith's question about "The National Pastime" -short story, I was wondering whether it could be Norman Spinrad's one, from his book Star-Spangled Future? I read it quite a few years back, but I have this strong feeling that the story was like the one Brian describes. Good story and an excellent collection, too!

From: Greg L. Johnson

The story, "The National Pastime" is by Norman Spinrad. It was first published in Nova 3 in 1973, and is included in the collection The Star-Spangled Future (1979) by Spinrad, and in the anthology Run to Starlight (1975), edited by Martin Harry Greenberg, Joseph D. Olander, and Patricia Warrick.

Hope this helps Mr. Kibble-Smith.

Thanks to everyone who wrote in with an answer to Brian Kibble-Smith's question. For those of you who thought it was too easy, we've got a tougher one below.

From: Tatianna

I have no idea if you are right person to send this too. But I can not lose for trying.

In the eighties there was a trilogy of books (horror) about these blond haired blue eyed children (that was the way they were drawn on the cover, no whites to their eyes either. I think). Based somewhere in the upper north east (New York, Connecticut area).

I think the title of one of the books was "Children of the Island" or something like that. The children were not human, born of the earth to get back at those who were hurting their mother (the earth). I read this when I was very young even though they were not for children, the story goes on to describe how the children attack and kill unsuspecting parents and children.

I know, long long shot... Please tell me if you can help me though. I would really appreciate it, since even my book guru Scot at Uncle Hugo's in Minneapolis can not help me.

Thank you in advance for your time.

Next issue

In the March issue of the SF Site we'll have plenty of reviews of exciting recent releases, including:

A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
Of Swords and Spells by Delia Marshall Turner
Outward Bound by James P. Hogan
Dragon Ultimate by Christopher Rowley
The Hallowed Isle by Diana L. Paxson
Green Shadows, White Whale by Ray Bradbury

Plus a feature interview with Neil Gaiman, the next installment of our Mark V. Ziesing Book List, and our usual columns and detailed New Arrivals features. Be sure to join us on March 1st. We'll be here.