The Language of Sci-Fi

A look back on last year’s resolution with possibly some insight on cultural trends in the music industry. Or maybe just 15 minutes of me plugging my playlists. Either way, happy 2021!

I’m more hesitant than usually because this one wasn’t scripted. I hope you don’t mind. The music is GarageBand loops except for the song which is my take on the song in Middlewest #10. Thank you.

This is not what I was supposed to do this week but that’s because it’s more fun than anything I had to say on the other thing. And I really needed to do something fun this week. So here’s a presentation on a few instances of weird fantasy in comics and what they bring to the genre and why they’re so fun and you should totally read them! Bibliography: The Ludocrats by Kieron Gillen and Jim Rossignol (writers), Jeff Stokely (artist), Tamra Bonvillain (colorist), Clayton Cowles (letterer) I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young (writer and artist), Jean-François Beaulieu (colorist), Nate Piekos (letterer) Coda by Simon Spurrier (writer), Matías Bergara (artist), Michael Doig (colorist), Colin Bell (letterer) All music by me. Image by Julieta Mascarella: https://pixabay.com/users/julieta_masc-5768105/

Science-Fiction has long been written off as a runt of literature, a place for immature geeks to put all their weird fetishes or whatever. Let’s try and correct that. Sci-Fi is literature. Here are two proofs of that. Everythingography Fine Prey by Scott Westerfeld (novel I analysed) Bruna Husky by Rosa Montero (book series I analysed) Archeologies of the Future by Frederic Jameson (essay I mentioned) Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang (short story collection I recommended) Blade Runner by Ridley Scott (movie I quoted 42 words from) Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (novel I used as introduction) Off to the Races by Lana del Rey (song quoting the incipit of former for fun please don’t sue me for copyright infringement) Music credits All music by me (including a brand new theme, yay!) except the two seconds of Lana Del Rey’s Off to the Races for the Lolita quote.

Taking a closer look at harsh vocals in metal and one specific example (of many potential ones) of it being used brilliantly to express a positive message of social change. Song credits: - Atreyu - “Do You Know Who You Are” - Within Temptation - “Enter” - The Agonist - “The Tempest (The Siren’s Song; The Banshee’s Cry)” - Veil of Maya - “Mikasa” - Slipknot - "Duality" (used as a joke every time I say the word “duality”) Main theme by me.

I used to think The Cicada and the Ant was a pro-capitalist fable. Now I don't think so anymore. Here are a few good reasons to like Jean de La Fontaine in 2020. Quoted text: - La Cigale et la fourmi by Jean de La Fontaine - The Cicada and the Ant by Jean de La Fontaine, translated by Robert Thomson. Image: La Cigale et la Fourmi, illustrated by Boutet de Monvel.

Snape = Bad. You may not agree with that, but hear me out before getting mad. And if you’re not convinced, by all means get mad, I love a Potterfight! Contains quotes from books by J.K. Rowling : - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire All music performed by me, the main title is my composition and everything else is a personal take on themes written for the Harry Potter films by John Williams.

The third and final episode in a trilogy reviewing my participation in the Pumpkin Autumn Challenge, a reading challenge for which I decided I could only read comics. Last week: Spooky Autumn. A thriller, polar, horror, spooks and betrayal: • Nalbiter by Joshua Williamson (writer), Mike Henderson (artist), Adam Guzowski (colorist), John J. Hill (letterer) A book about gothic, creatures of the night, vampires: • The Crow by James O’Barr A book with a black cover: • Batman: Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller (writer and penciller), Klaus Janson (inker), Lynn Varley (colorist), John Constanza (letterer) A book about ghosts, the past, family, historical and classical themes: • From Hell by Alan Moore (writer), Eddie Campbell (artist) All music by me.

The second in a trilogy reviewing my participation in the Pumpkin Autumn Challenge, a reading challenge for which I decided I could only read comics. Second week: Witchy Autumn. Dreams of Aurora - a book about LGBT+ themes: • Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O’Neill Sarah Bernhardt - a book about drama or the theatre: • The Backstagers by James Tynion IV (writer), Rian Sygh (artist), Walter Baiamonte (colorist), Jim Campbell (letterer) Scales of Melusine - a book about feminism, transformation, metamorphosis: • Coyotes by Sean Lewis (writer), Caitlin Yarsky (artist) And Nausicaä of the valley of the wind - a book about environmental issues or a post-apocalyptic world: • Saga of the Swamp Thing by Alan Moore (writer); Steven Bissette, Rick Veitch (artists and guest writers); Alfredo Alcala, Tom Mandrake, Shawn McManus, Ron Randall, John Totleben, Stan Woch, Berni Wrightson, Tom Yeates (artists); Tatjana Wood (colorist); John Constanza (letterer) All music by me.

The first in a trilogy reviewing my participation in the Pumpkin Autumn Challenge, a reading challenge for which I decided I could only read comics. First week: Sweet Autumn. A book about autumn/Halloween: • Batman - Haunted Knight by Jeph Loeb (writer), Tim Sale (artist), Gregory Wright (colorist), Todd Klein (letterer) A book about anthropomorphic animals/childhood/feel-good/cocooning: • Kennel Block Blues by Ryan Ferrier (writer), Daniel Bayliss (artist), Adam Metcalfe (colorist), Colin Bell (letterer) A book about legends and myths, fairies and legendary creatures: • Mouse Guard by David Petersen And a book about witches and wizards, magic, Sci-Fi and Fantasy: • Mirror by Hwei Lim and Emma Ríos All music by me.