We’re All Him: Comic Book Review, Rorschach by Tom King

When I first read the Watchmen comics a few years ago, I was enthralled with Rorschach. His character design, his principles, his grit—it all was so realistic, which isn’t something you often think when reading a comic book.

But Watchmen isn’t like other comic books, and the sequel, Rorschach, isn’t either. I thought it was only fitting we hop on the mainstream train for a while and do a comic book review of Rorschach, the 10-issue series by Tom King and Jorge Fornés.

Some Background for the Rorschach Comic

Rorschach was a serialized comic book series that lasted for ten issues from October 2020 to July 2021. It was written by Tom King, illustrated by Jorge Fornés, and colored by Dave Stewart.

Tom King is well-known for his work with Batman, Mister Miracle, and from his novel, A Once Crowded Sky. In 2018, he shared the Eisner Award for Best Writer with Marjorie Liu, author of Monstress.

Both Jorge Fornés and Dave Stewart have worked for Marvel and DC comics, most notably for Daredevil, Spiderman, Catwoman, and Captain America comics.

The Rorschach comics occur after the events of Watchmen, Doomsday Clock, and the Watchmen HBO series that aired in 2019. The story is set in 2020, right before a big presidential election where Governor Turley seeks to beat the 5-time president, Robert Redford.

Rorschach Never Dies

I was curious to read this series and do a comic book review on it because unlike some other comics that are merely FLASH and BANG, Rorschach has substance. Like, a lot.

Starting off, I was a bit confused about the concept for the series. At the end of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen, Dr. Manhattan vaporizes Rorschach for threatening to reveal the truth about Veidt. So, Rorschach—the original Rorschach—is dead by the time Tom King’s series starts.

But it quickly becomes clear that there are multiple people impersonating Rorschach, all of whom are vigilantes working to take down the corrupt powers that be and prevent another squid invasion.

The whole premise of Rorschach’s—and the other Watchmen’s—survival was that Dr. Manhattan released their souls into the world to find new bodies and continue their work. But the Walter Kovacs’ Rorschach’s legacy extended far wider than his singular soul. He embodies the rebel, the anarchist, and the idealist.

Rorschach lives on in the hearts of those who need him, of those who believe in a better future, free from tyranny. But those people also see Rorschach’s darker side, including the blood on his hands.

King’s Rorschach takes that idea and runs with it. In many ways, the comic series is as much a political and ethical commentary as it is a hard-boiled detective story.

The protagonist, an unnamed investigator, slowly unravels a vast conspiracy that reeks in the wake of the world the Watchmen left behind. King’s grim vision of 2020 has even more bloodshed and filth than our own 2020, which is really saying something.

Leaving a Legacy

Comic book historian Bradford Wright stated once that the original Rorschach’s intentions were always “a set of black-and-white values that take many shapes but never mix into shades of gray.”

But King’s Rorschach believes in the black, white, the gray in between, and blood red. In many ways, this reflects the worldview we’ve all kind of come to accept (minus, perhaps, the blood).

In the past few years, we’ve seen the break down of American politics. Core principles of democracy that were once firmly black and white, right and left, have slid into the gray areas. We’ve all overlooked things we shouldn’t have, and we’ve all gotten worked up over things that, in retrospect, didn’t matter.

That’s the legacy that King’s Rorschach leaves us. At one point, one of the main characters, Wil Myerson, says “most evil is done by people who never made up their minds to be or do either good or evil.”

And that’s the hard part. To see things as black and white as Walter Kovacs takes a keen sense of self, a set of values that don’t waver under external stress.

Thinking about my own life, I realized this is a lot harder to achieve than it seems. We’ve all told a white lie (which, in this color-coordinated analogy, is really a gray lie) because we felt the truth was irrelevant, or would hurt.

But that hurt is important. Given the truth, we can structure what’s right and wrong, what needs to be done, and what can be saved for later. So, while the original Rorschach might not live in all of us, King’s does. “Some people need masks. Some don’t,” as the book flap of the Rorschach anthology reads. Don the mask, or don’t. Either way, embracing Rorschach is as critical now as it’s ever been.

Comic Book Review of Rorschach: Conclusion

Despite paltry reviews of the 10^th issue, I felt that Rorschach lived up to, and in some ways, far exceeded, my expectations.

King has done more in ten issues to flesh out a philosophy for Rorschach than Moore and Gibbon have ever done.

The art is fantastic, while grimmer than the original Watchmen comics, and I found myself unable to put the book down.

While Monstress might have been the first 10/10 I gave a comic book, Rorschach will be the second. It takes the comic book medium and uses it to tell a truly fabulous story, outlining in it’s pages a path forward for many of us who are confused or conflicted.

Review of This Eden by Ed O’Loughlin

The Speculative Fiction Poetry of Progressive Rock

A few years ago, I attended Confluence, a sci-fi convention in downtown Pittsburgh. I attended a few panels about science topics, and even ran a mini-writing workshop with two of my Alpha graduate colleagues.

But one of the most interesting things I encountered while at Confluence was the filk community. For those who don’t know, filk is a culture, genre, and community based around music and speculative fiction. Filking is a wild experience. The music, which is heavily inspired by Tolkein-esque ballads and high-concept sci fi worlds, is accompanied by elaborate costumes and role playing, almost like LARPing.

After leaving Confluence, I started to consider how music and science fiction were tied together, and began noticing certain similarities between speculative fiction poetry and progressive rock, a genre I’d been listening to for a while before attending Confluence.

In this article, I want to lay out some thoughts about how prog rock takes spec fic themes and runs with them.

What is Progressive Rock?

You have probably heard prog rock before and not even known it! The movement began in the 1960s with the growing popularity of concept albums, introduced by The Beatles and other pop bands of the time.

A few of the core tenets of prog rock include:

Instrumental Experimentation– adding instruments and methods not widely used, like bringing in orchestral instruments and synthesizers. While the latter has become more mainstream as technology has improved, prog is still one of the pioneering genres seeking to use weird, unique sounds and instruments.

Pairing Literature and Lyricism – the idea of the concept album brought about philosophical ideas to mainstream music, as well as literature into lyrics. Prog rock artists often incorporate literary references when crafting their vast—frequently science fiction—masterpieces.

Advanced Musical Theory – Prog rock excels in breaking the bounds of musical theory. Most prog rock bands will tinker with time signatures, harmonies, and length to produce unique, compelling pieces of music.

How Do Prog Rock and Speculative Fiction Overlap?

It’s very easy to compare prog rock and speculative fiction because the two share a lot of the same fundamental values. Speculative fiction, be it sci fi, fantasy, horror, slipstream, or any of the hundreds of sci fi subgenres out there, all work to break the bounds of conventional thought. This could be through a complex story structure that mirrors how we think, or by incorporating fantastical ideas about unexplained phenomena in our world.

Prog rock follows a similar style, albeit more abstract. It pairs unique sounds with complicated, sometimes cryptic, verses all written in a poetic style. I’ve listened to some prog rock albums more than a dozen times, and they always take on a new life and meaning when reading the lyrics.

To show just how closely the two entities are connected, I’ve picked out an example:

Chromaparagon by Moon Tooth

I doubt a lot of people of heard this one, but it stands as one of the most interesting examples of prog rock that I could find.

Moon Tooth is a four-person band originating from Long Island, New York. Chromaparagon is their first full-length album, and is succeeded by Crux, and another album that’s upcoming sometime this year.

What I found particularly compelling about Chromaparagon, and super-relevant to our conversation of science fiction and prog rock, is their focus on the arcane, the weird, and the bizarre.

Take, for example, the first song on the album, Queen Wolf.

If you read the lyrics, you’ll recognize the linear motion of the story, which follows a mysterious, seemingly exiled character only referenced as “I” as they discover and confront the Queen Wolf.

My interpretation of the story is that the “I” character comes to realize the cruel nature of solitude and ostracization, and throws aside their old beliefs (evident by the line “I gathered up my holy books, O, my holy ink and paper and I burned them all). Afterwards, they set out to find the Queen Wolf, who has also been ostracized, and when the character finds her, “there was no denying that we belonged to each other.”

It’s a story of breaking from solitude and old beliefs to be with someone who is equally as shunned for their beliefs, even if they are perceived as a monster.

Keeping with the literary theme of prog rock, the song features a section from C.S. Lewis’ Prince Caspian book, “I am hunger, I am thirst. Where I bite, I hold till I die. I could fast a hundred years, I could lie a hundred nights on the ice and not freeze, I could drink a river of blood and not burst. Now tell me, who comes to disturb me?”

That monologue from Prince Caspian is spoken by a werewolf who had once been a servant of the White Witch and was brought out of exile by Nikabrik, a grumpy dwarf. Pretty fitting, right?

Throughout the rest of the album, the themes portrayed in the first song are built upon. In “Little Witch” the mysterious “I” talks about creating a personal Hell, but not a Biblical Hell. More like a Paradise Lost Hell, a hell of one’s own making.

Vesuvius I and II take us away from the previous themes, replacing them instead with iconography of Aries and the mountain of fire, instilling in listeners a sense of urgency as the ash darkens the sky.

Eventually, we reach “White Stag”, where we finally get a bit of hope. “Clouds dance and weave in infinite potential…He wills in your name on forever in beautiful ways.”

The Poetry of Prog

While this is only one example of how the genre-bending nature of prog rock music ties in with spec fiction, it’s a perfect case study for the abstract and the experimental.

A lot of people don’t listen to prog rock because it is weird and experimental, but us sci fi fans are quite familiar with those things. The music market is a highly competitive place, but progressive rock bands have made it their mission to break the barriers of genre, just like modern sci fi writers.

Moon Tooth, while our primary example, was a band I only discovered in the past two years. Before them, I was introduced to the genre by Caligula’s Horse, whose Bloom album stands as another intersection of spec fic poetry and rock music.

At the end of the day, the writers and musicians who make waves with their work are the ones who will be remembered. And Chromaparagon certainly stands as an album worth remembering.

A Cyberpunk Story About Tequila, Candy, and Barfights

What’s Happened With The Wheel of Time Show?

For those of you that have been keeping up with The Wheel of Time show on Amazon Prime, there’s certainly a lot to unpack.

If you’re a fan of the books, you know that the last few episodes of the new fantasy TV series took a hard left from the source content.

In this article, we’ll break down the biggest departures from the story that we’ve seen in the first season of The Wheel of Time show, as well as predictions for the next installment.

(Spoilers ahead for The Eye of the World and the first season of The Wheel of Time TV show.)

Missing Characters

If you read our previous post on The Wheel of Time, we talked about how there are some characters missing from the first season of the show. And not like Tom Bombadil characters, like, really important characters.

Within the first few episodes, it becomes clear that the showrunners had to make certain choices to omit characters or alter their story arcs to fit into the 8-episode format.

To be fair, The Eye of the World is a big book, and Robert Jordan was notorious for adding plenty of new characters along the journey. Some of which aren’t as critical as others.

However, The Wheel of Time show has hopped and skipped over what should have been at least one episode’s worth of content.

the wheel of time show characters — *Perrin, Egwene, Rand, and Nynaeve at Fal Dara*

After the group separates at Shador Logoth, the doomed city, Rand and Mat travel to the city of Caemyln, having been saved from a Fade by Thom Merrilin.

In the city, we’re introduced to a number of important characters, including:

Elayne Trakand, heir to the kingdom of Andor
Gawyn Trakand, Elayne’s brother
Galad Damodred, half-brother to the Trakand, a strong warrior
Queen Morgase, Elayne and Gawyn’s mother, Queen of Andor
Elaida, an Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah, advisor to the throne of Andor
Gareth Bryne, Captain-General of the Queen’s Guard

Very early on in The Wheel of Time show, we’re introduced to the false Dragons, chief among them Logain Ablar. That storyline was altered because Rand and Mat actually meet Logain in Caemlyn, but in the show he’s gentled at about the midpoint and imprisoned in the White Tower.

The glossing over of Caemyln doesn’t bode well for the rest of the show. Elayne, Gawyn, and Galad are all crucial characters throughout the rest of the books, and Elaida is a long-standing Aes Sedai who becomes more important as revelations at the White Tower unfold.

Plus, we’re missing Elyas Machera, the wolf man who guides Perrin and Egwene to safety after Shadar Logoth. He is a vastly important catalyst for Perrin’s arc, which was woefully forgotten in the show.

What Happened at The Eye of The World?

It’s been some time since I read The Eye of the World, but one thing I never forgot was the importance of that titular element. In The Wheel of Time show, the Eye is portrayed as the Dark One’s prison, when in reality, it is a vault of sorts, as well as a well of untarnished power.

The Eye of the World contains one of the seals to the Dark One’s prison, the shiny stone Moiraine holds at the end of the last episode. It’s known as cuendillar and is extremely rare, coming from the Age of Legends, thousands of years before the show takes place.

Also in the vault are the Dragon Banner of Lews Therin Telamon, which was woefully absent in the show, and the Horn of Valere, which has mysteriously made its way into the throne room at Fal Dara.

Both of these items are of great importance later on in the series, as they call back to the ages past. Hopefully, the Horn of Valere, a major aspect of The Great Hunt, remains so in the show.

But after watching the season finale, you might be wondering, what actually happened at The Eye of the World? Is the Dark One dead? Where will Rand go? Has Moirainne actually been cut off from the One Power?

Let’s break it down:

In the book, the whole group travels to the Eye of the World, where they meet Someshta, essentially a mystic tree man guardian of the vault. The group is attacked by the servants of the Dark One, including the Forsaken Aginor, Balthamel, and Ishamael. (The Forsaken are the Dark One’s top followers, all of which are like semi-undead evil channelers).

the wheel of time show ishamael — *Fares Fares as Ishamael*

Rand uses the One Power to defeat Aginor, and harnesses the power of the Eye to thwart the trollocs and Ishamael, and that’s how Moirainne knows he’s the Dragon Reborn.

But, in The Wheel of Time show, that’s not what goes down.

Rand and Moirainne trek into the Blight, where Rand is confronted by who he thinks is the Dark One. And I hope you didn’t think that was the Dark One too, because you’d be wrong.

That mysterious dream man with the flaming eyes was Ba’alzamon, a disguise worn by Ishamael, the most powerful of the Forsaken. He attempts to trick Rand into freeing the Dark One from his prison, and is eventually blown away by Rand’s sheer power.

But, not before Ishamael seemingly stilled Moirainne. This is perhaps the biggest “oh-no” moment at the end of the series. Moirainne is not stilled in the books, and she continues to channel throughout the series, to critical effect. It’s unclear what the future holds for her, just as it’s unclear how the story will change now that Rand has set out on his own, presumably to travel to the Aiel Waste.

What’s Up Next for The Wheel of Time Show?

A lot of the setup needed for The Great Hunt, the next installment of the book series, was altered in The Wheel of Time show. Though, the Seanchan are revealed at the very end of the season finale, which does hint that they’ll play a part in the second season.

Is Loial dead? He certainly cannot be, because he, too, plays a big role later on. And what about Mat? Did Moirainne really set the Red Ajah on him? Will Egwene and Nynaeve return to Tar Valon to be trained as Aes Sedai?

the wheel of time show red ajah — *Liandrin and other members of the Red Ajah*

Only time will tell, but if the first season of The Wheel of Time show was any hint, I think fans of the books are in for a few frustrating years. The series has great production value and it’s great to see the books finally make it to the big screen, but adapting the first book in any series is always the foundation for the rest of the show.

I hope the showrunners can pull it off, because frankly, I’m a little worried. Glossing over so many important characters (like Elayne, who has a much larger role in the second book) and altering the timelines hasn’t given me confidence that the show will succeed.

But, for the time being, it’s something fun to watch, albeit sometimes infuriating, and I’m anxious to see where the series goes from here.

Cowboy Bebop On Netflix Review

Cowboy Bebop on Netflix is the Classic Anime Re-Imagined

Ever since the live action Cowboy Bebop on Netflix aired November 19^th, 2021, the Internet has been alight with criticism. Wired wrote an article about how the show flops, and other popular news outlets claim the 46% Rotten Tomatoes score as an indicator of the show’s worth.

But, even though the new Cowboy Bebop show on Netflix might anger and frustrated hardcore fans of the classic 1998 anime of the same name, there’s a lot to love in this new show.

Some Background

The original Cowboy Bebop aired in 1998 as a singular season with 26 episodes. It quickly gained a cult following, and its jazz-fueled space noir style brought something new and fun to the cyberpunk genre.

In a world of 900-episode long anime series, Cowboy Bebop was blissfully short, but it packed far more of a punch than most of its counterparts. The anime won countless awards, including the 1^st place at the 1999 Anime Grand Prix.

In 2017, there was talk of bringing the anime to life in a live-action series, and a year later, Netflix announced the show would come to their streaming platform. In 2021, we finally got to see years’ worth of work come to fruition, but fans were relatively unimpressed.

The live-action show hasn’t stayed entirely faithful to the source material, instead opting for a rendition instead of a truthful adaption.

And for many people, this ruffled feathers. Such an acclaimed and loved anime, seemingly defiled in another live-action remake.

However, there’s a lot to love about Cowboy Bebop on Netflix, and when we look at it as an alternative version of the anime instead of a poor adaption, it stands up on its own fairly well.

What’s to Love About Cowboy Bebop on Netflix?

As someone who watched the anime, the live action show took some getting used to. At first, I was a bit confused about the timeline and the story that the show was running with, but after a few episodes I was able to overlook the inconsistencies and view the show as a honoring of the source material.

The characters in the Netflix show are deep, motivated, and fun, more fun, I might say, then the original characters.

Faye Valentine, one of the female leads, has much more depth than in the anime. Her whole story revolves around not knowing her past, having been awoken from a cryogenic sleep with amnesia. Her motivations are realistic and her attitude mirrors the frustration she feels at living half a life.

In the anime, she’s very sexualized, which was a trope of anime of it’s time (frankly, it still is a trope), but the Netflix show re-imagines Faye as a badass bounty hunter with a me-against-the-world attitude.

And the banter that made me fall in love with the anime hits really hard in the Netflix show. I found myself laughing at the grumpy nature of Jet, Spike’s smart ass remarks, and Faye’s pithy one-liners.

For Spike, his transition to the big screen was the most intriguing. In the anime, there’s this duality about him. He’s funny and grim, full of heart and a scoundrel at the same time.

In the Netflix version, he oozes emotion, and is much less of an ass than in the anime. He builds relationships with Jet and Faye, and even though he keeps secrets, he’s much more loyal to his friends than in the anime. And this change made the Netflix show stand out.

They turned surly characters into deep, troubled heroes, but in a way that still follows the main themes of the source material.

What’s Stayed the Same?

One of the most endearing elements of the anime was the bounty-of-the-week style. Yes, there are plot-heavy episodes, but largely the story follows the Bebop’s crew as they hunt down wacky, villainous bounties.

And the Netflix show incorporates that while also running with a larger, underlying conflict.

We see those weird villains, like Mad Pierrot, and we see the more serious villains like Asimov and Vicious.

Vicious’ character in particular is deplorable. In the anime, he appears off and on as a returning antagonist, but in the Netflix show, he’s so full of emotion and violence, coming to life as more than a vague villain.

He has motivations and heartbreak, more than the anime allowed him to have. Despite being much more mad in the Netflix show, Vicious settles into his role of the big baddie very nicely.

cowboy bebop on netflix, vicious and spike

Cowboy Bebop on Netflix is a Must-Watch

At the end of the day, if you are a big fan of the anime, watch Cowboy Bebop on Netflix as a loving rendition instead of an attempt to change the canon.

As a science fiction and fantasy enthusiast, it can suck to see a story you love adapted for screen. Take The Wheel of Time, for example. The first few episodes have changed a lot about the books, and while I’m irked by certain choices, I still enjoy seeing a series I love reach a wider audience.

Same goes with Cowboy Bebop. I guarantee that people who’ve never seen the anime will go back and watch it after binging the Netflix show, and will find something to love in both shows.

I hope we get to see more of Cowboy Bebop on Netflix. While the show hasn’t stayed true to its source material, it reinvents the anime, enriching the characters and making the cyberpunk noir setting really pop out.

Plus, I’m always down for some cowboy banter and Ein, the adorable Corgi sidekick.

Spec Fic Comic Book Reviews: Monstress, Volume 1

In our first installment of spec fic comic book reviews, we discussed Folklords issues 1-5. It was light, fun, and colorful.

Monstress is the antithesis of Folklords. It’s dark, grim, and the pages are splattered with blood.

Now, if you’re a comic book fan, or even a fan of speculative fiction in general, you might have heard of Monstress. It’s highly acclaimed and the first volume, Awakening, has been out since 2015.

Some Background

The first volume of Monstress was written by Marjorie Liu and illustrated by Sana Takeda.

Liu is well known in the spec fic community as well as the comic book scene. She wrote a few series of paranormal romance/urban fantasy novels, including the Dirk & Steele series and the Hunter Kiss series.

In terms of comic books, she sits up there with some of the most popular authors. She’s worked on Dark Wolverine, Black Widow, Star Wars: Han Solo, and a number of X-Men comics.

Takeda is also a well-known name in the comic book community. She’s worked on X-Men comics, Venom, Civil War II, and Ms. Marvel.

Monstress wasn’t the pair’s first collaboration, but it’s definitely the best received. Monstress has won numerous awards, including the Eisner Award, British Fantasy Award, as well as multiple Hugo Awards.

All of that to say, you’re in for a treat.

Pinpointing a Style

Monstress has a unique style, to say the least.

The Known World where Monstress is set is an interesting combination of Art Deco steampunk and deep arcane magic. The garb, weapons, and architecture seem to come straight out of a decadent Victorian steampunk world, while the dark magic has roots in Ancient Egyptian imagery.

While the combination might seem odd, it is executed masterfully. The art alternates between scenes of dark horror and grand, bright forests and temples. It makes for a unique experience.

The inhabitants of Monstress come in a few forms:

Humans – run of the mill humans, some of which are privy to magic powers
The Ancients – A race of master beasts. Some are angels, others are powerful animal archons
The Arcanics – A mixed race of human and Ancients, often with a mix of animal and human physiology
The Cats – Multi-tailed warrior poets (my personal favorite)

The Story

Monstress follows a seventeen-year-old girl, Maika Halfwolf. As she rises out of slavery, she seeks answers surrounding her mother’s death and the Old Gods she was hunting.

While reading the story, I never felt there were slow points. Every scene seemed balanced and the progression of plot was consistent.

From the very beginning, we’re thrust into the conflict, as Maika raises one of the most revered human cities with her bare hands.

That exhilaration carries on throughout the rest of the comic, and there is never a low point.

The chapters are punctuated by brief interludes where the four-tailed cat Tam Tam does some heavy-lifting in terms of worldbuilding. It does a lot to clarify elements from previous chapters and gives some insight into what’s about to go down.

Overall, I felt that the story was very well-paced, and that the art—altering between dark and light—really adds to the tone of the story.

Monstress Comic Book Review Conclusion

I’m definitely a fan of this dark, steampunky fantasy. Something about unexplainable arcane magic tickles my interest, and I’m going to keep reading. As of writing this, there are 6 books in the series, and it’s still ongoing.

I’m interested to see if the plot stands up over the course of so many books, but I have faith that it will.

I’ve had no complaints about Monstress volume 1, and it might be the first time I give something a 10/10.

If you have a comic or graphic novel you’d like us to check out, leave it in the comments! Spec Fic Comic Book Reviews is an ongoing series here at Signals, and we’re always looking for our next favorite book!

Is The Wheel of Time Worth Watching?

You might have seen people talking online about the new Wheel of Time show on Amazon Prime. From what I’ve seen, it’s received mixed reviews.

Diehard fans of the books are prone to nitpicking inconsistencies, while the more open-minded fans are just glad to see the series come to the big screen.

So, is The Wheel of Time worth watching?

What Is The Wheel of Time?

The Wheel of Time is a 14 book series (15 if you count the prequel novel) by Robert Jordan. Unfortunately, Jordan passed away near the tail end of the series, so Brandon Sanderson, another fantasy author, was commissioned to finish the last few books using Jordan’s extensive notes.

Compared to other works of epic fantasy, like The Song of Ice and Fire or The Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time is massive.

By the end of the series, Jordan and Sanderson wrote over 4.5 million words, making it the longest fantasy series of all time. (ASOIAF and Discworld are runners up.)

There’s been a lot of push for WoT to be made into a TV series, and there was even a pilot episode in 2015 from Red Eagle Entertainment as a last-ditch effort to keep the rights to the show.

However, the episode was a flop, and in 2018, Amazon got the rights and ordered a show.

The first three episodes aired on Amazon Prime on November 19^th, 2021, and the Internet has been abuzz with reviews, comparisons, and criticism.

wheel of time moirainne — Moirainne in the Two Rivers

Should You Watch The Wheel of Time?

As a long-time fan of the books, I was skeptical about how Amazon would take a series of such epic proportions and adapt it for television. I knew that a lot of the elements I loved about the books—the prolonged journey sequences of The Eye of the World, the numerous poems and songs, and the rich lore—would probably be glossed over for the same of brevity.

And after watching the first three episodes, I still have my doubts. The show has already changed some things about the story that were completely unnecessary (for example, Perrin never had a wife in the books).

But the acting is fantastic, and the set design is of a grand scale. Visually, the show is excellent. The show captures the small-town vibe of the Two Rivers, and the majesty of the White Tower. And the trollocs (WoT’s equivalent of orcs) are terrifying.

If you’re unfamiliar with The Wheel of Time, the show does a lot to get viewers up to speed with the lore. Plus, Amazon produced an animated side-series that helps explain what’s going on in each episode from a lore perspective. This feature is kind of hidden, though, so I guarantee not everyone will find it.

To access the side series, you have to pause the episode and click on bonus content. From there, you can watch the animated series.

And for fans of the books, people who have been reading them since the 90s, there’s a lot to complain about, sure, but at the end of the day, I think so far the show has stayed fairly true to the story.

The Opening Scene

I’ve already decided that I can find no fault with the production design. The characters were expertly cast, the costumes echo the paintings of Darrell Sweet (the cover artist for the book series), and the music is both pulse-pounding and calming.

the wheel of time cover art — The cover art for *The Eye of the World* by Darrell Sweet

However, I can nit-pick a little bit with the creative liberties the team took with the opening scenes and the timeline.

The prologue of The Eye of the World focuses on Lews Therin Telamon, the previous Dragon. He’s overcome with madness from channeling the One Power, and he comes face to face with Ishamael, a servant of the Dark One. Lews Therin realizes that in his madness, he’s killed his whole family, and he weeps for his misdeeds.

Ishamael assures Lews Therin that they’ll meet again, and Lews Therin consumes so much of the One Power that he is atomized, leaving a massive volcano in his wake.

This scene is so full of emotion and foreshadowing, not only for the Dragon Reborn, but for the servants of the Dark One. I really feel like Amazon made a bad choice when they cut this scene, because it’s an iconic introduction to the series. The book series, at least.

And I’m interested to see how the show handles the timeline. We’ve already seen male channelers be gentled by the hands of the Red Ajah, and Logain’s already in chains, which happens fairly late in the book. As more episodes come out, it’ll give us a better glimpse as to what the timeline will be like.

We know that the last episode of the 8-part first season is title “The Eye of the World”, which happens at the very end of the first novel. So, I doubt the show will delve into the second book’s material at all in the first season.

Yes, Watch The Wheel of Time

If you’re a fan of epic fantasy series full of diverse characters, world-building, and magic, you should watch The Wheel of Time.

The tone of the show is a bit more serious than the books, but so far, we haven’t seen anything that’s been entirely unfaithful (with the exception of Perrin’s wife).

This is definitely a show I’ll be paying close attention to, and I’ll probably have to brush up on my WoT lore, which is always a treat!

If you liked this post, consider checking out some of our other content:

Sci Fi Subgenres: Fired Up on Dieselpunk

The Green Knight Movie Review

Keep Driving: The Importance of Sci Fi Cars

In 2012, George F. Will wrote an opinion piece for The Washington Post about the American dream and the automobile.

While his pithy piece hits on many points, his primary thesis is that cars have a way of identifying a person, as well as establishing a ‘self-image’. He cites Paul Ingrassia’s book, Engines of Change: A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars, which speaks at length about establishing identity through vehicular choice.

It’s certainly an interesting theory. You see a person driving a Prius and you already have this notion of who they are in your head. They’re conscious of their impact on the environment, they value efficiency over style, they’re probably a Democrat, etc. etc.

But the theory works both ways. We can assume things about people based on their choice of car, but we as individuals can also craft our identity through our cars.

For example, my first vehicle was a 2001 Mazda B4000, a small pick-up truck. I was in college, I need a way to move my stuff, and I liked the rugged look of an older truck.

But now, I drive a 2005 Subaru Outback. I still appreciate rugged, older vehicles, but I’ve replaced aesthetic with efficiency.

What I’m getting at here is that we begin to craft stories around our vehicles and identify ourselves through our relationship with vehicles.

The same goes for sci fi cars in movies, TV shows, comic books, novels, etc. Writers often use vehicles as a way to express something about a character, and they often gain a life of their own.

Writing Character With Sci Fi Cars

One of the primary examples I want to touch on here is the 1967 Chevy Impala that Dean Winchester drives in the TV show Supernatural.

It’s an iconic car, and even if you’re not a fan of Supernatural, it’s hard to ignore the fact that one of the strongest visuals of the show is the dark Impala barreling down a foggy, forested road at night. It’s an aesthetic that fits Dean’s character, but it’s so much more than that.

The History of a Character

The Impala was first introduced in 1958 as a top-of-the-line luxury car for the middle-class, and continued to be a high-end vehicle for most of its history.

Today, the Impala is far from a luxury car. Its reputation has shifted from being a sports car to a utilitarian vehicle, a daily driver for the lower to middle class.

But, the 1967 Impala was something special, and it was certainly unique for Dean. We see the history of the Impala in the last episode of season 5, but the car has more history than the show tells us.

The year 1967 was a tumultuous year for Americans. We were fighting on every front, at home and abroad. Racial segregation, the Vietnam War, and political unrest.

But it was also a year of unprecedented scientific growth. Dr. James Bedford became the first person to be cryonically preserved, NASA was making vast strides with the Lunar Orbiter and Apollo programs, and black holes earned their name.

And the car, the 1967 black Chevy Impala, was born amid this era of intense change. And it would live to see a new era of change, carrying Dean and Sam.

However, it’s not all about violence and science. In 1967, McDonald’s introduced the Big Mac and The Doors released their first album. These events are reflected in Dean’s character, as someone who loves cheeseburgers and rock-n-roll.

In many ways, the idea of the Impala is reflected in Dean’s character, and vice versa. Dean’s penchant for classic American muscle and his practical sensibility convenes in the Impala. The muscle car became Dean’s work car, packed with the tools of his trade, like the modern Impala. But it was a vehicle of change (pun intended), and the prime reason Sam was able to resist Lucifer’s power.

Why Sci Fi Cars Are So Important

Dean Winchester’s Impala is only a single example among hundreds. Sci fi cars and trucks and spaceships and boats, etc. etc. are more than just modes of transport. They’re homes and characters in their own right.

Ingrassia and Will claim that Americans purchase cars to fit their self-image. I’ll go a step further to say that cars help define our self-image. It’s an expression of ourselves, kind of like clothing. We buy things to fit a certain aesthetic, but we also start to bend our aesthetic to the things we already own.

As a science fiction writer, the car must be one of the most powerful tools for building character.

Think about it. The Mystery Machine, Scooby and the gang’s iconic 1978 Volkswagen LT 40, is an important part of each of the characters. It’s Fred’s baby, where Velma works on her science projects, where Daphne keeps her extra clothes and accessories, and it’s where Scooby and Shaggy run to hide, nap, or eat snacks. The van is an important part of each of the characters’ personalities, and is a foil for the writers to express those things.

Imagine the Scooby gang riding in anything other than the van. An F-150 perhaps, or a Volkswagen Bug. It’s not the same. Those cars say something different about the characters.

In Conclusion

This article is far from complete. There are so many more examples we could delve into. The DeLorean, K.I.T.T. and the Batmobile, to name a few.

But in just these few examples we’ve discussed, it’s clear that sci fi cars do far more than get the characters from point A to point B. They’re extensions of themselves just as much as the characters are extensions of their cars.

What sci fi cars do you think hold the same weight as the 1967 Impala? Let us know in the comments down below.

And if you liked this article, you might also enjoy our discussion of Kurt Vonnegut and science fiction.

Timequake, Vonnegut’s Sci Fi Autobiography

Spec Fic Comic Book Reviews: Folklords #1-5

I don’t often read graphic novels or comic books. I don’t dislike them, quite the contrary, I find them articulate and full of life. I just, forget about them, I guess?

But, I thought I’d give them another shot, and I decided to start off my journey with Folklords by Matt Kindt, Matt Smith, and Chris O’Halloran. And I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least.

Folklords is a five-issue (for now) comic book series that follows Ansel and his friends as they embark on a quest through enchanted forests and library fortresses, searching for the truth about the mysterious Folklords, the forbidden legends of their land.

Without any further ado, let’s kick off what might become a new series here, Spec Fic Comic Book Reviews!

Some Background

The first issue of Folklords was published in 2019 by Boom Studios, and received such a great response that Boom sold out of the first issue more than once.

The other four issues were released early 2020 and eventually compiled into an omnibus in July 2020.

Author Matt Kindt is no newbie to the comic book world, having written for Darkhorse, DC, and Marvel. He’s worked on many independent projects, as well as contributing to the Spiderman and Suicide Squad universes.

Artist Matt Smith brings Folklords to life with his distinct line art style, which he perfected in the Lake of Fire comics and the Barbarian Lord.

And finally, Chris O’Halloran throws in his splashes of color, bringing the vibrancy to a new level. In the past, he worked as a colorist for Black Panther and Hulk comics.

All in all, a legendary team came together to bring us Folklords, and it shows.

Pinpointing a Style

Whenever I start reading a new comic book or graphic novel, I like to take a moment to think about it’s style.

Because one of the great things about graphic novels, is you’re presented with the plot and characters, but you’re also visually presented with the setting. When you’re reading a regular novel, sure, the setting can be described to you, but in this format the author and artist have worked together to portray a vision, which you’re lucky enough to see.

Anyways. Folklords can best be described as the reverse Chronicles of Narnia with Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Arthurian legend sprinkled in.

In C.S. Lewis’ seminal series, the characters from our world venture into the mystical fairy land of Narnia. But in Folklords, the main character, Ansel, is trying to understand his visions of our world. He even goes so far as to sew his own suit and tie and design gadgets like lighters and air horns.

The combination of the pure fantasy setting with tidbits of modernity thrown in really gives the story life, and it reminds me of my childhood. My brother and I would pretend to venture into Narnia or Middle Earth, dressing up in costumes and sword fighting in the back yard, as cars and power lines framed the background. That’s the nostalgia Folklords sparked in me, and I’m sure it brings up similar memories for other readers too.

comic book reviews folklords — Characters from *Folklords,*
image from Matt Smith’s Twitter

How Does the Story Stand Up?

So far, this review has focused on the art and the setting, which are both fantastic. But, what about the story? The plot? The characters?

Well, all those things are equally as impressive, but I’m not completely in love with them. Here’s why:

I read Folklords in an hour, all five issues in omnibus format. There’s a certain continuity that comes from reading comic books in this way, and I can’t tell if it’s better or worse than reading each individual issue.

For me, Folklords wasn’t balanced. The first issue, as with any introduction, provided some backstory and inkling of conflict. That’s fine, it’s to be expected. But after that, I felt that the story progressed too quickly.

Especially the fifth issue. The conflict seemed to come to a head far too quickly, and within a few minutes of reading, I’d reached the end.

I know there are constraints to the medium, required lengths and whatnot, but the vibrant world and characters passed by too quickly. There was certainly room to build out the conflict a bit more throughout issues three and four, but I understand the need for forward progression.

In Conclusion

At the end of the fifth issue, Kindt teases an addition to the series from another character’s perspective, which would really help to explain a lot of what happened in the fifth issue of Folklords.

But, as of writing this, there is no word on whether a Folklords issue six is in the works. I certainly hope there will be, because this world is worth revisiting.

To bring this comic book review to a close, I rate Folklords #1-5 an 8.5/10. The immersive nature of Kindt’s writing and Smith’s artwork got me excited to explore more of their work, and the premise of Folklords was a fresh take on so many tropes present in the fantasy genre.

Exploration of Sci-Fi Subgenres – Space Westerns

The Best Science Fiction Books For Teens

Young readers are starting to consume sci fi literature with voracious speeds, but for those just getting into the genre, where do you start?

Everyone raves about Divergent, Hunger Games, and Shadow and Bone, but what other science fiction books for teens are out there?

Here’s a selection of the best sci fi books for young adults, old and new alike.

Have Space Suit – Will Travel by Robert Heinlein

Length: 258 pages

ISBN: 9780345324412

Published In: 1958

science fiction books for teens heinlein

Heinlein enthralls readers with the tale of Kip Russell and his dream of traveling to the moon. Russell gets up to all kinds of shenanigans, but it all starts when he participates in an advertising jingle-writing contest in order to win a fully-paid ticket to the moon. Instead, he wins a used spacesuit, which he fixes and names Oscar.

To help pay for college, Kip considers selling the suit but decides to go out with it for one last walk, and suddenly he starts receiving signals from an 11-year-old girl called Peewee and an alien friend called Mother Thing.

Moments later, a spaceship lands almost on top of him, and it is his alien friends, but the three of them are quickly kidnapped by the alien Wormface. The story follows their escape and adventures in space.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Length: 240 pages

ISBN: 9780544336261

Published In: 1993

The Giver is one of those books that people either love or they hate. Some middle/high schools make this book required reading, which might be why it’s loathed by so many. But, it’s a classic in the YA sci fi genre, and a large influence to more recent dystopian sci fi.

The Giver tells the story of 12-year-old Jonas, living in a small community where everyone gets a life-assigned role.

When the day to receive his life assignment comes, Jonas gets an unusual and high-status role called the Receiver. This role requires certain training from the present Receiver of town, which costs him his relationship with his friends and family and a lifetime of abnormal missions and events.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Length: 416

ISBN: 9781250056948

Published: 1962

Another sci-fi classic, Wrinkle follows 13-year-old Meg Murry, the child genius brother Charles Wallace, and Calvin O’Keefe traveling through the universe to find Meg’s father disappeared while studying and working on the scientific phenomenon called the “Tesseract”.

A Wrinkle in Time was recently adapted into a film starring Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Mindy Kaling, and Oprah Winfrey.

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Length:440

ISBN: 9780061969577

Published In: 2010

I Am Number Four is the first book in a seven book series, and it follows the lives of multiple refugee aliens on Earth.

John Smith, who is the titular number Four, is thrust into a galactic battle to avenge his home planet, Lorien, and to protect Earth from the Mogadorians. But, the high school kid can’t do it by himself, so he enlists the help of his fellow students and his few remaining alien compatriots.

If you are looking to start on a saga, maybe you just found it!

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Length: 96 pages

ISBN: 9780756416935

Published In: 2015

science fiction books for teens okorafor

Binti has won multiple awards, and is revered as one of the staples of modern Afrofuturism.

The main character, Binti, is the first of the Himba people to attend Oomza University, a high-status learning institution in the galaxy. But to attend, Binti must abdicate her place with her family to travel the galaxy with strangers who don’t respect her customs and beliefs.

Binti, and it’s subsequent novels, are an in-depth coming of age tale, perfect for anyone just entering middle or high school.

Rabbit & Robot by Andrew Smith

Length: 448

ISBN: 9781405293983

Published In: 2018

This book offers even more space-traveling fun! The main character, Cager Messer, who is transported to the Tennessee, his father’s lunar-cruise ship orbiting the moon, next to his friends Billy and Rowan.

While Earth destroys itself by going through several simultaneous wars, the robots onboard the cruise start becoming more and more insane and cannibalistic, making the boys wonder if they will be stranded alone in space for the rest of their lives.

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada

Length: 464

ISBN: 9781481496346

Published In: 2017

Truly a book for our times, This Mortal Coil tells the story of Catarina, a girl trying to decrypt the clues for a vaccine against a devastating virus developed by her dad, the world’s most renowned geneticist.

This dystopian thriller is one of the best science fiction books for teens because it directly relates to the dangers of the world we’re all living in right now.

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Length: 608

ISBN: 9780553499117

Published In: 2015

Teen romance gets sticky when the end of the world is near! Kady’s planet gets invaded by enemies during a war between two rival megacorporations, and both Kady and Ezra are forced to evacuate together.

While new threats come to the surface, Kady realizes that the only one able to help her is her ex-boyfriend, who she swore never to speak to again.

A sci-fi novel with a touch of teen drama? Sign me up. Plus, there’s plenty to soak in, with a whopping 600 pages!

Did you enjoy our selection of the best science fiction books for teens? Let us know in the comments if you have read any of them or which you’ll be reading next!

And if you want some more great science fiction stories, interviews, and book recommendations, consider subscribing to Galaxy’s Edge Magazine.

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6 Easy DIY Sci Fi Halloween Costumes

With the leaves changing and the nights getting a bit chilly, autumn is in the air. And you know what that means.

All Hallows Eve is right around the corner, and if you’re like me, then you’re probably mulling over sci fi Halloween costume ideas.

Whether you’re planning on attending a Monster Mash, or just want to take some inspired photographs, these simple costumes are great for the DIYer and the science fiction enthusiast alike.

The Easiest Sci Fi Halloween Costume Ideas

These costumes are for the last-minute costume designer. They’re simple to put together, and after a trip to the thrift store or the darkest recesses of your closet, you’ll be ready to rock and roll.

Mulder and Scully from The X-Files

By far the simplest science fiction costumes on this list.

You’ll need:

Navy blue, black, or brown suits (jacket and pants/skirt)
White or blue dress shirt
Black heels or black dress shoes
A drab-looking tie, nothing too flashy
Trench coats, if you’re feeling adventurous
And fake FBI badges. You can make your own, or you can find Mulder/Scully lanyards on Etsy for a few dollars.

sci fi halloween costumes — Mulder and Scully from Season 2

Before you know it, you’ll be ready to hunt down the paranormal while spitting out sunflower seeds.

Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural

Another pop culture Halloween costume idea, but again, super simple. Where Mulder and Scully show the sophisticated side of exploring the paranormal, Sam and Dean are the down-and-dirty type, gritty and grimy.

You’ll need:

A plain black or white t-shirt as an undershirt
A flannel shirt
Bootcut jeans, darkwash preferably
A pair of work or hiking boots
A grungy jacket, either a dark canvas jacket, leather jacket, or a dark denim jacket

sci fi halloween costumes supernatural — Flannels and Jackets, that’s the style

To really spice it up, you could add in some props, like a compendium, Sam’s knife, some pentacle rings, or even a fake anti-possession tattoo.

Star Trek Officers

Whether you’re planning on going as Captain Kirk, Spock, or Uhura, this simple science fiction costume requires very few components.

You’ll need:

A single-color long sleeve shirt (blue, red, yellow—you pick, depending on your character)
A pair of black pants/skirt
Black shoes (could be dress shoes or sneakers)
A Star Trek pin for your shirt. Making one out of cardboard is pretty easy, or you could check Etsy or Amazon for something cheap!

sci fi halloween costumes star trek — Early Star Trek attire

And there you have it, probably the simplest costume on this list, by far.

Sci Fi Halloween Costumes for the Avid DIYer

So if you like to prepare for Halloween weeks in advance, these costume ideas are for you. They still require a few easy-to-find components, but you have a lot for freedom for accessorizing!

The Rocinante Crew from The Expanse

The costume changes in The Expanse are frequent, but perhaps the most iconic look is the jumpsuit that almost every Rocinante crew member wears. With this item, you can then build out any character you please!

You’ll Need:

A workman’s jumpsuit, in a dark grey or green color
A black athletic undershirt
Tactical belts for the waist
An unassuming pair of boots, probably work boots or tactical boots
Some patches to sew or iron onto the jumpsuit. There are some cool ones on Etsy

sci fi halloween costumes the expanse — Jumpsuits from early in the series

That’s most of the look right there. You can branch out into an Amos costume by rolling up the sleeves and adding some painted Nerf guns (tips must be orange, for safety).

Or, you can go for the Nagata look, with the pinned-up collar and neck tattoos.

Rorschach from Watchmen

Whether you’re a fan of the new Watchmen TV show or the original comic book series, the character design for Rorshcach has largely stayed the same, which makes this costume easier. Most of this science fiction costume is about gathering supplies, with a bit of DIY thrown in for the mask.

You’ll need:

A long brown trench coat with a tall collar and a belt
A brown 1950s era Fedora hat. Should match the coat in color
A white scarf
A pair of pinstripe trousers
Plain dress shoes
A pair of brown or black leather gloves
A plain white tank-top or t-shirt
A black fabric marker

sci fi halloween costumes rorschach — Rorschach from the Watchmen comic book

To make the mask, you can fashion a hood out of the white t-shirt or tank top, tying it at the scalp so you can hide it with the hat. Then just use the fabric marker to design the pattern on the mask and you’re done!

A Hardcore DIYer Sci Fi Halloween Costume

So, I had to include this one here, because I’m a big fan of Ghost Rider, especially the new Robbie Reyes Ghost Rider.

But there are a few ways you can take this costume design, but here’s the essentials for a Robbie Reyes Ghost Rider.

You’ll Need:

A black leather jacket without a collar
White leather strips to sew onto the front of the jacket
A white hoodie
Grey or black jeans
Black and white Vans shoes
Black leather, open back gloves
A black balaclava mask
Paper mâché materials (plus black and white paint)
Battery pack with a switch and red LEDs
A small fog machine
A length of dark chain

sci fi halloween costumes robbie reyes — Robbie Reyes from AoS season 4

This costume is kind of complex, but if you have the time and the technical know-how, it could be really cool! I once did a Ghost Rider cosplay, but it wasn’t as involved, and it was super fun.

What sci fi Halloween costumes are you working on? If you post pictures on Facebook or Instagram, be sure to tag us!

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