Ghibli Park finally opens it doors in Japan: it's like, an anime DisneyLand (news).

Ghibli Park finally opens it doors in Japan: it’s like, an anime DisneyLand (news).

The long-awaited tourist destination of this year for anime fans – and lovers of Studio Ghibli in particular – is the new Ghibli Park in Japan, which is situated inside the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park close to Nagoya (in the middle of the country, more or less). In line with Studio Ghibli’s emphasis on nature and the outdoors, it has a lot of outdoor space. Today (November 1st 2022 for…

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Dragoncon Atlanta 2022: the cosplay roundup (video format).

Dragoncon Atlanta 2022: the cosplay roundup (video format).

Cosplay video creator and photographer Mineralblu drops by to show off the cosplay wonders that were on display at Dragoncon Atlanta 2022. Some fab work out there, this year. Dragoncon Atlanta 2022: the cosplay roundup (video format).

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What are the requirements for humanity to reach Type 1 Civilisation-status on the Kardashev Scale? (science video)

What are the requirements for humanity to reach Type 1 Civilisation-status on the Kardashev Scale? (science video)

On the Kardashev scale, a type 1 civilisation is one that has mastered climate control, continental relocation, and the manipulation of the planet’s rotation. Is there a time frame for when humanity might expect to develop into a “type 1” culture? How close are we to it, or how far off are we? What are the requirements for humanity to reach Type 1 Civilisation-status on the Kardashev Scale?…

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His Dark Materials: 3rd season of the HBO fantasy/SF TV series (trailer).

His Dark Materials: 3rd season of the HBO fantasy/SF TV series (trailer).

Arriving on December 5th, 2022 is the 3rd season of the HBO fantasy/SF TV series His Dark Materials. In this last instalment of this epic fantasy series, based on Philip Pullman’s award-winning trilogy, Lyra (Dafne Keen), the foretold child, and Will (Amir Wilson), the bearer of The Subtle Knife, must venture to a dark region from which no one has ever returned. They will soon discover that…

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David Brin 2022: the science fiction author interview (video format).

David Brin 2022: the science fiction author interview (video format).

Is it possible that the planet was saved by science fiction? Dr. David Brin, a scifi author and a space physicist, talks to Tim V. about his work and how science fiction can teach us about the wonders and perils of technology without preaching either way. The Postman, David’s post-world war three novel, was filmed in 1997 with Kevin Costner in the lead role. David Brin 2022: the science fiction…

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Pretty Young Things by Dominic McDonagh (book review)

Pretty Young Things by Dominic McDonagh (book review)

‘Pretty Young Things’ by Dominic McDonagh is, according to the blurb, a horror novella about a nest of lesbian rave–bunny vampires, an advertising line that may attract a certain sort of reader. They would be disappointed because there isn’t any sex here. Oh, there are plenty of descriptions of ‘Pretty Young Things’ in fetish clothing but the book is more dedicated to violence. Chelsea is a…

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Black Tide by Del Stone Jr. (book review)

Black Tide by Del Stone Jr. (book review)

Fred Miller is a paunchy professor of phytoplankton pathology at the University of Florida and his wife left him three months ago for a younger man. Graduate student Helena is an attractive blue-eyed blonde. His cunning plan to take her on a research trip to a spoil island in the Santa Rosa Sound goes awry when she brings her boyfriend along, a handsome hunk called Scotty. It goes even more awry…

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Foam armour: a cosplayers' creation guide (video tutorial).

Foam armour: a cosplayers’ creation guide (video tutorial).

Svetlana is here with a handy cosplayers’ guide to creating realistic-looking fantasy/scifi armour from scratch. She was tasked for bringing the Erazer Girl, Medion’s brand mascot, to life. This is the ideal time to demonstrate to you how to use this fantastic material. The finished outfit is quite comfortable, light, and the fabric itself is even reasonably priced. Svetlana hopes that this…

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Superman Returns (2006) a superhero movie retrospective (video format).

Superman Returns (2006) a superhero movie retrospective (video format).

The production of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, the next big-screen appearance of the Man of Steel, was plagued by tragedy and hardship following its disastrous debut. Eventually, after more than 19 years, Superman made a comeback in 2006, with Superman Returns.

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'So THAT was BristolCon 2022... (convention report)

‘So THAT was BristolCon 2022… (convention report)

Before BristolCon 2022! BristolCon is a now annual one-day friendly Science Fiction and Fantasy convention held on the last Saturday in October at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel. This is, according to their website (https://www.bristolcon.org), 400 metres away from Bristol Temple Meads railway station. Yes, the one Brunel helped build! The convention comprised two streams of panels, readings and…

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UFO/UAP news roundup (30th October 2022).

UFO/UAP news roundup (30th October 2022).

Here’s the weekly round-up of all the best new content that is fit to print, and some that probably isn’t, concerning the topic of UFOs, UAPs, and a sugary side-dollop of woo. The latest NY Times article’s low point, which dashes hopes for what the upcoming UAP report might hold.  Are UFOs becoming more popular? It’s encouraging that NASA is looking into it for both believers and sceptics.…

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Editorial – October 2022: Armageddon Or Bust.

Editorial – October 2022: Armageddon Or Bust.

Hello everyone, There is so much dictator sabre-rattling and even worse across the world right now, you do have to wonder where sanity has gone with specific world-leaders when the world has enough problems. Not just one but a few, some of whom might take advantage of a distraction elsewhere in the world, which has happened last month. It’s more surprising that hasn’t happened yet, but sometimes…

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176 Years: Coming Ready Or Not : a short story by: GF Willmetts

176 Years: Coming Ready Or Not : a short story by: GF Willmetts

My computer flagged up an old space mission. The only manned flight left. Every 176 years, the outer planets line up for a low speed flight to visit them. Unlike the previous two flights, I think they were called Voyagers that never came back, this was a manned flight returning home. It was also expected back. Not a wake one, of course. The supplies would never last that long. Different to the…

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Ray-Guns Don’t Stun : an article by: GF Willmetts

Ray-Guns Don’t Stun : an article by: GF Willmetts

The use of the ray-gun was essentially a trope to identify a futuristic weapon with fatal results and not use old-fashioned bullets as if they were ever used in the future. HG Wells was the first to use it giving the Martians a deadly beam weapon in ‘War Of The Worlds’. Over the decades, it was brought down to pistol-size, with no one really giving thought to its power source. Come to that, no…

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Reviewer Recruitment

I’m going to try an experiment to see if you have the potential to be a reviewer. If you’re the type of person who will read everything, especially here, then you might have the quality needed to be a reviewer. Ergo, read on. If you don’t, then this kind of work might not be for you. So I’m writing to the rest of you who are. I should be asked what other qualities makes a good reviewer than being…

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Cixin Liu's The Circle: A Graphic Novel (The Worlds of Cixin Liu) by Xavier Besse

Cixin Liu’s The Circle: A Graphic Novel (The Worlds of Cixin Liu) by Xavier Besse

Adapted into graphic novel format by Xavier Besse, Cixin Liu’s ‘The Circle’ is unusual among this series of adaptations and, from what I’ve read of his other short stories, in that it is set wholly back in history and does not give the impression of being a Science Fiction story. Of course, I’ve only read his works that have been translated into English, so there could be other similar stories…

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Small Ghosts by Paul Lewis (book review)

Small Ghosts by Paul Lewis (book review)

‘Small Ghosts’ is a novella in the horror genre. Paranormal or supernatural might be better labels in this case but horror seems to be the umbrella term for all that so let it be. The first-person narrator is Tom Maitland, a journalist who quit work after his wife died and hasn’t been doing much for the last three months. Now his grandfather, David Maitland, is in hospital, expected to die soon…

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