Space oddities: why the Futurama reboot went from sci-fi to sci-why

The show was axed and remade, moving to Comedy Central and leaving its comedic legacy behindMatt Groening could do no wrong in 1999. The Simpsons was still both witty and money-spinning, and he could get any project he wanted greenlit – even a sci-fi comedy cartoon called Futurama. The show began with New Year’s Eve 1999, when disillusioned pizza delivery boy Philip J Fry fell into a cryogenic vat, only to awaken 1,000 years later in “the world of tomorrow!”. His excitement at his new life was tempered by finding out everyone in the future has a career assigned by the government, and his job was to be a delivery boy for Planet Express – motto: “Our crew is replaceable, your package isn’t!”On board the Planet Express spaceship with the immature and slovenly Fry were cyclops orphan Leela, drunken robot Bender, clumsy intern Amy and incompetent alien medical lobster Dr Zoidberg: a crew of misfits seemingly designed to connect directly to the types of misfits who watch cartoon science fiction. Every mission was an adventure, whether it be discovering a parallel universe in a cardboard box or battling parasites in Fry’s bowels. Present-day celebrities made cameos as preserved heads in jars, which was a lot more satisfying than how The Simpsons handled them. Everyone from Stephen Hawking (“That physicist who invented gravity”) to Al Gore (“Inventor of the internet”) was willing to be decapitated to appear on the funniest show on TV. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-06-10 12:00:09 UTC ]
News tagged with: #connect directly #stephen hawking

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BookCon 2018: Four Sci-Fi Authors Talk Reality, Identity, And #Fearlesswomen

Four sci-fi authors—Charlie Jane Anders, Seth Dickinson, S.L. Huang, and V.E. Schwab—will appear in not one but two panel discussions. Riffing on the panel titles, we asked them how reality, identity, and fearless female characters influence their work. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #seth dickinson #panel discussions


Amazon Publishing signs 'exhilarating' new sci-fi trilogy from Maxwell

Amazon Publishing’s science fiction and fantasy imprint, 47North, has signed a new series of books from author James Maxwell. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon publishing #science fiction #fantasy imprint


Amazon and Virgin Media back sci-fi series of The Feed

Nick Clark Windo's The Feed (Headline) is being turned into a high-end sci-fi TV drama by Amazon and Virgin Media. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #virgin media


BookCon Adds Sci-Fi, Mystery and Thriller Authors to Adult Lineup

ReedPOP has unveiled a lineup of science fiction, mystery and thriller authors for BookCon 2018, which includes such authors as David Baldacci, Sandra Brown, Brad Meltzer, and Walter Mosley. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #thriller authors #science fiction #david baldacci #sandra brown #brad meltzer #walter mosley


Murder and sci-fi hit rights spot at Frankfurt

S K Vaughn’s blockbuster space-set survival thriller Across the Void (Sphere) and Stuart Turton’s murder mystery The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle are among the titles bagging numerous foreign-rights deals at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #murder mystery #stuart turton #evelyn hardcastle


'The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy' series editor John Joseph Adams shares how sci-fi is evolving

'Trying to achieve change through something like science fiction seems like a pipe dream,' Adams says. 'But it also feels like the only thing that writers can hope to do.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2017-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction


Why Sci-Fi Novels Are the New Comic Books For Streaming TV

TV creators are raiding the sci-fi section like never before—for some obvious, and not-so-obvious, reasons. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2017-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sci-fi novels #comic books


How sci-fi from China became a global proposition

Nicolas Cheetham looks at how Chinese science-fiction made its way to the West, with the help of some celebrity backers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-08-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Segel's sci-fi series sells to Oneworld for six figures

Oneworld has paid six figures for a YA trilogy by US actor and screenwriter Jason Segel and his writing partner Kirsten Miller. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ya trilogy


Seminal sci-fi magazine 'Galaxy' is now free online

The next time you watch a big blockbuster sci-fi film like Alien: Covenant, you can thank the original pulp magazines. The written form of the popular genre got its start in comic book-sized magazines like Amazing Stories, Astounding Science Fiction,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #free online #amazing stories


HoZ signs four books in sci-fi series

Head of Zeus has signed Ada Palmer’s science fiction debut Too Like the Lightning, book one of four in the Terra Ignota Quartet. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hoz signs #sci-fi series


At the Huntington, see the inspirational note black sci-fi writer Octavia Butler wrote to herself

Before her first novel sold in 1975, before she won her MacArthur grant, sci-fi writer Octavia Butler fought years of rejection by writing inspirational notes to herself. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #macarthur grant


Author Ahmed Khaled Towfik on the Outlook for Arabic Sci-Fi

Better times are ahead, says writer Ahmed Khaled Towfik, who recently appeared at Dubai’s festival: the Arab world is readier for science fiction, he says. By Dennis Abrams | @DennisAbrams2 ‘Looking Good for Science Fiction’ t The National, Hala Khalaf asserts that “Arab readers don’t like... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #recently appeared #arab world #science fiction #sci-fi novels #biggest names


WIRED Book Club: OK, Let’s Get Weird With Some Future-Paleo Sci-Fi

Relying on nothing but our sense of adventure and reckless spirit, we announce the August pick. The post WIRED Book Club: OK, Let's Get Weird With Some Future-Paleo Sci-Fi appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2016-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Manga at Comic-Con 2016: Pokemon, Titans, Sci-Fi Take Charge

Manga and anime aren't the main focus of Comic-Con, but the show featured an abundance of Japanese pop culture for manga and anime fans including a visit by the Pokemon manga creators. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #main focus #show featured


With new venture capital funding, Loot Crate looks beyond comics and sci-fi

Loot Crate has built a business supplying comic book and sci-fi fans with monthly shipments of goodies typically only found at specialty shops or conventions. Soon, Loot Crate could apply the same formula to sports, music and more corners of entertainment -- getting fans to purchase merchandise... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Newfound Popularity of Sci-Fi Books Has a Dark Side

Big publishers are starting to put out genre books. On this week's "Geek's Guide to the Galaxy" the panel discusses whether or not that's good for writers. The post The Newfound Popularity of Sci-Fi Books Has a Dark Side appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2016-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dark side #big publishers #panel discusses


Microsoft gets into sci-fi publishing with research-inspired short stories

Microsoft is taking a novel approach to marketing its research projects with a series of free sci-fi short stories.The “Future Visions” anthology, available as a free ebook, includes stories from eight prominent science fiction authors, along with a short graphic novel and original... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2015-11-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #end result


Black Mirror Is Almost as Smart as a Good Sci-Fi Book

In the latest episode of the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast the panel discusses why Black Mirror is better than most other sci-fi TV. The post Black Mirror Is Almost as Smart as a Good Sci-Fi Book appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #black mirror #latest episode #panel discusses


Virtual Sci-Fi Book Festival Makes Backlist Sexy Again

Sam Missingham explains how HarperCollins UK's recent Virtual Sci-fi Festival leveraged new platforms to connect backlist authors with new readers. The post Virtual Sci-Fi Book Festival Makes Backlist Sexy Again appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harpercollins uk