“Brick Bradford is a science fiction comic strip created by writer William Ritt, a journalist based in Cleveland, and artist Clarence Gray. It was first distributed on August 21, 1933 by Central Press Association, a subsidiary of King Features Syndicate which specialized in producing material for small-town newspapers. The strip ended in 1987.
“Brick Bradford achieved its greatest popularity outside the United States. The series was carried by both newspapers and comic books in Australia and New Zealand.
“In France the strip was known as Luc Bradefer (“Luke Ironarm”) and was published in many newspapers. The strip was also widely published in Italy where it was known variously as Giorgio Ventura and Marco Spada and in Greece in the newspaper Ethnos (as Princess Palona) during the 1960s.
“Brick Bradford was an athletic and adventurous redheaded (later blond) aviator from Kentucky who continually encountered fantastic situations. … As the strip developed, Brick Bradford increasingly featured fantastic elements in the manner of Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon.
“Ritt was an admirer of science fiction writers H. G. Wells, EdgarRiceBurroughs and AbrahamMerritt, and drew on some of their ideas when writing Brick Bradford. Brick Bradford now became more of a space opera/adventure story, with its tales of dinosaurs, lost civilizations, intergalactic villains, robots and subatomic worlds.” [Wikipedia]
Face to face : You are invited to an in-person Nova Mob meeting at: Wednesday 7 February 2024, 8.00pm – 9.15pm or so, first floor Conference Room Kensington Town Hall, 30 – 34 Bellair St, Kensington Melbourne VIC 3031
For Doctor Who-lovers they are the missing crown jewels: lost episodes of the first series of the TV sci-fi drama, shown in the 1960s. But now film recordings of not just one, but two of the early BBC adventures, both featuring the first doctor, William Hartnell, has been found in Britain by amateur sleuths.
The episodes, one featuring the Daleks, would offer viewers a chance to travel back in time without the use of a Tardis. But the Observer has learned that the owners of the rare, rediscovered footage are not prepared to hand it over to the BBC, even as the clock ticks down to the 60th anniversary of the show’s launch this month.
Veteran film collector John Franklin believes the answer is for the BBC to announce an immediate general amnesty on missing film footage.
Seven episodes from 1963 have been colourised and woven together into a 75-minute long monster show, The Daleks in Colour, which will be shown on BBC Four on 23 November.
I feel like studios keep learning the same lesson over and over again: shared universes are great for movies, under the right circumstances—but they tend to drag TV shows down a bit, over time. And a TV show that exists in the same universe as movies will always be secondary at best to the bigger budget, higher-stakes films. At worst, TV shows that tie in with movies will tend to become glorified bonus material for fans of the film franchise.
Jeff Harris will be discoursing on the topic. It is recommended persons attending Critical Mass re-read or read for the first time, Lem’s Solaris. A pleasure not to be missed.
English translation
Various translations of Solaris, including the English one
Murray notes the comments in wikipedia:
“Both the original Polish version of the novel (published in 1961) and its English translation are titled Solaris. Jean-Michel Jasiensko published his French translation in 1964 and that version was the basis of Joanna Kilmartin and Steve Cox’s English translation (Walker and Company, 1970; Faber and Faber, 1971).[8] Lem, who read English fluently, repeatedly voiced his disappointment with the Kilmartin–Cox version.[9]
In 2011, Bill Johnston completed an English translation from the Polish. Lem’s wife and son reviewed this version more favorably: “We are very content with Professor Johnston’s work, that seems to have captured the spirit of the original.”[10] It was released as an audio book and later in an Amazon Kindle edition (2014, ISBN978-83-63471-41-5). Legal issues have prevented this translation from appearing in print.[10]“
November 22nd, 6:15 for a 6:30 start at Christie Walk Common Room, 101 Sturt Sttreet
Zoom details: Nov 22, 2023 6:30pm Adelaide; 7pm Melbourne & Sydney; 8am London
Everyone’s favourite lethal SecUnit is back in System Collapse, the next installment in Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries series—out from Tordotcom Publishing on November 14th.
Following the events in Network Effect, the Barish-Estranza corporation has sent rescue ships to a newly-colonized planet in peril, as well as additional SecUnits. But if there’s an ethical corporation out there, Murderbot has yet to find it, and if Barish-Estranza can’t have the planet, they’re sure as hell not leaving without something. If that something just happens to be an entire colony of humans, well, a free workforce is a decent runner-up prize.
But there’s something wrong with Murderbot; it isn’t running within normal operational parameters. ART’s crew and the humans from Preservation are doing everything they can to protect the colonists, but with Barish-Estranza’s SecUnit-heavy persuasion teams, they’re going to have to hope Murderbot figures out what’s wrong with itself, and fast!
This weekend, the winners of the 2023 World Fantasy Awards were announced at the World Fantasy Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. The 2023 awards recognize work published in 2022. This year’s judges were Dale Bailey, Kelly Robson, Ginny Smith, A. C. Wise, and Ian Whates. Along with the awards below, Life Achievement Awards were given to Peter Crowther and John Douglas.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees!
NOVELWINNER: Saint Death’s Daughter by C. S. E. Cooney (Solaris)
NOVELLAWINNER: Pomegranates by Priya Sharma (Absinthe Books
SHORT FICTIONWINNER: “Incident at Bear Creek Lodge” by Tananarive Due (Other Terrors: An Inclusive Anthology)
ANTHOLOGYWINNER: Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction, eds. Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight (Tordotcom Publishing)
Details of all categories, winners and nominees, at tor.com
Ian Mond’s best books of genre not packaged as genre
Face to face meeting, simulcast in Zoom
A great pleasure of the Nova Mob is Ian’s annual talk on the year’s best books, selected from those that aren’t marketed as genre SF but instead typically have the words “A Novel” somewhere on the cover for the discerning book shop browser to be certain as to what it is they are buying.
Ian again has selected 10 books for your reading delight. Hear about them, and why #10 is good and his #1 pick is better, at our meeting on 1 November.
As usual with Nova Mob talks there’s lively discussion, so attendance in person is recommended. The Zoom option as always is available.
Many thanks to Julian and Lucy who will be chairing November’s Nova Mob meeting.
Kensington Town Hall, 8.00pm, Wednesday 1 November, address below.
Please share this Zoom invitation with like-minded friends and fans
Face to face
You are invited to an in-person Nova Mob meeting at:
Wednesday 1 November 8.00pm – 9.30 pm or so, first floor Conference Room Kensington Town Hall 30 – 34 Bellair St, Kensington Melbourne VIC 3031
By Zoom – simulcast
For those who prefer not to travel or are unable to attend face-to-face. This’ll be close to a webcast or radiocast in style, broadcast from the Kensington Town Hall. Questions or comments typed into the Zoom chat will be passed through to Ian as the opportunity permits.
The standard unchanging web link, deserving of a bookmark in your browser.
About Ian Mond
Ian has just won the 2023 Atheling Award for his reviews in Locus!
Locus says, “Ian Mond loves to talk about books. For eight years he co-hosted a book podcast, The Writer and the Critic, with Kirstyn McDermott. Recently he has revived his blog, The Hysterical Hamster, and is again posting mostly vulgar reviews on an eclectic range of literary and genre novels. You can also follow Ian on Twitter (@Mondyboy) or contact him at mondyboy74@gmail.com.
The 2023 Hugo Awards were presented October 21 during a ceremony at the Chengdu Worldcon.
BEST NOVEL: Nettle & Bone, by T. Kingfisher (Tor Books)
BEST NOVELLAWhere the Drowned Girls Go, by Seanan McGuire (Tordotcom)
BEST NOVELETTE “The Space-Time Painter”, by Hai Ya (Galaxy’s Edge, April 2022)
BEST GRAPHIC STORY OR COMICCyberpunk 2077: Big City Dreams, by Bartosz Sztybor, Filipe Andrade, Alessio Fioriniello, Roman Titov, Krzysztof Ostrowski (Dark Horse Books)
BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, LONG FORMEverything Everywhere All at Once, screenplay by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Sheinert (IAC Films / Gozie AGBO)
BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, SHORT FORMThe Expanse: “Babylon’s Ashes”, written by Daniel Abraham, Ty Franck, Naren Shankar, directed by Breck Eisner (Alcon Entertainment)
Yes, it’s time to enjoy an old SF movie. This one also happens to be an Ealing comedy…
Wednesday, October 25th
6:15 for a 6:30 start at Kappys, 22 Compton St.
We’re not screening the film over zoom. While kappys has the rights to screen old films, we doubt screening it over zoom would endear us 😉
If you’re familiar with the film, you’re welcome to join us for a brief post film discussion. Time: Oct 25, 2023 8pm Adelaide, 8:30 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Our next guest at the Nova Mob is a multiple winner of the Hugo Award!
As reported by David Langford in Ansible’s Fanfundery column: _GUFF:_ Alison Scott, the 2020 winner, is at last making her delayed Australian trip — arriving in Sydney on 24 September, flying home from Perth on 30 October.
Alison is our guest in person at the Nova Mob on Wednesday 4 October, along with her husband Steven Cain. Amid a whirl of Melbourne fannish socialising, of which more below! Expect adrenalin highs and mirth.
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MOB CALENDAR
4 October – Alison Scott, GUFF Winner “Zines and Me”
1 November – Ian Mond’s Mondial best books of the year: the world of sf, horror, and fantasy in 2023
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Alison Scott – GUFF Winner “Zines and Me”
Anzapa member and Hugo winner tells all (or much of it, anyway)
She is a member of the League of Fan Funds and won the 2020 GUFF trip, but had to postpone her trip because of the Covid-19 epidemic. She ran a virtual trip and is waiting for the moment when it’s safe to travel to Australia and New Zealand. [Ednote: that time has arrived]
She was married to UK fan Mike Scott from 1986–95 and has been married to UK fan Steven Cain since October 1998.
Meeting details Nova Mob Wednesday 4 October 2023 –
Alison Scott – A Life in Fanzines
Face to face
You are invited to an in-person Nova Mob meeting at: Wednesday 4 October 2023 8.00pm – 9.15pm or so, first floor Conference Room Kensington Town Hall 30 – 34 Bellair St, Kensington Melbourne VIC 3031
By Zoom – simulcast
For those who prefer not to travel or are unable to attend face-to-face. Zoom session broadcast from the Kensington Town Hall. Questions or comments typed into the Zoom chat will be discussed as the opportunity permits, and you’ll have as much airtime as the other Mob members at the venue.
You are invited to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Wednesday 4 October 8.00pm – 9.00/9.30 pm Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney time 7.30pm – 8.30/9.00pm Adelaide time 11:00am UK London time, 3.00am USA Mountain View
Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 417 758 3193 Passcode: nova
This is the wholly reliable web link. By now one surely has added it to one’s bookmarks.
Tubi’s business model is that you get the movie for free but they ask you to sit through adverts. The TV and film studios pay for the adverts, rather than the consumer paying for the film.
The ARIA-award winning soundtrack by the Grigoryan Brothers is available here. Click on TIDAL and wait to see the track listing. Flamenco versions of out-of-copyright classics and it all just works.
Lucy Sussex and Julian Warner will be reprising their quarter-century-long role as Nova Mob co-ordinators for the night of 1 November. That’s the night of Ian Mond’s annual talk. I apologise for my absence on that night, I regret missing Ian, he always delivers a fine informative entertaining evening.
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Vale Helena Binns
Helena Binns died on the night of 18 September, at the age of 82. She was a Life Member of the Melbourne Science Fiction Club and I remember her delight at being nominated and awarded that status (I was the MSFC President at that time and nominated her). She spoke well and with feeling about what it was like in the 1950’s believing that amazing things were about to happen in science, space, and technology, and the opprobrium that those days had for science fiction fans and for female science fiction fans in particular. As Dick ‘Ditmar’ Jenssen wrote at the time, the bestowal recognised Helena individually and wimmen’s voices in the Melbourne fannish narrative generally. Helena was conscious of both aspects. Rest in peace.
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Gillian Polack shortlisted for Sideways Award, World Fantasy Con
Fingers crossed for Gillian – announcement on 29 October AEST
Here’s the shortlist and the link to the Sideways Awards. That Mr Turtledove is pretty good company… Shortlist with thanks to Dave Langford at Ansible. Gillian’s in Melbourne in October!
Sidewise (alt-history) finalists: LONG Appliance by J.O. Morgan; Babel by R.F. Kuang; Beat the Devils by Josh Weiss; Begin the World Over by Kung Li Sun; The Peacekeeper by B.L. Blanchard; Three Miles Down by Harry Turtledove.
SHORT ‘Kingsbury 1944’ (9/22 Analog) by Michael Cassutt; ‘A Sky and a Heaven’ (Other Covenants ed. Andrea D. Lobel and Mark Shainblum) by Eric Choi;‘Why the Bridgemasters of York Don’t Pay Taxes’ (ibid) by Gillian Polack;It’s Real Life by Paul Levinson; ‘Dreams of Electric Mothers’ (Africa Risen ed. Sheree Renee Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and Zelda Knight) by Wole Talabi.
“Hi Murray, Does this give me an excuse to talk to Nova Mob? I haven’t been asked any questions by anyone at all about that short story and I’d so love an excuse. I don’t think I’m going to win either the Sidewise or the William Atheling Jr (I think my book is suitable for the Atheling, but no-one’s read it!) so I’m rejoicing in being shortlisted and not thinking beyond that. But I’m an actual Medieval historian (I know my first PhD was decades ago, but I’ve kept up that side of my life) and the story in Other Covenants is a Medieval one and it would be so much fun to chat about.
In other news, I’ll be in Melbourne for a few days in October for a conference. I can’t do things with big crowds, but am very happy to meet with small groups of friends for dinner, especially if it’s outside. I’m still COVID-vulnerable but being a bit daring… my health is just a little better than it has been and it’s time to find out if there still is a world outside my loungeroom.
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