The Letters to the Editor department is intended to be a forum for our readers to express their own opinions and ideas. While we appreciate the many complimentary letters we receive each day, you won't find them on this page. Instead, you will find letters that go beyond or even contradict what we have written, letters that offer a different perspective and provide a different view of science fiction.
— Scott Edelman, Editor-in-Chief
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Comics Industry Is Schizophrenic
agree somewhat with the comments ("Marvel Universe Must Be Marvelous") made about the comic industry, specifically Marvel. However, I was unclear about what the writer wants from them. They have been trying to make a number of adjustments and changes in the comics they're producing. Unfortunately, they are having to cater to an older, entrenched and jaded readership.
The industry seems to be suffering from a schizophrenic split, and if it's reacting to society, a bit of a scary one. A number of fans want a return to the silver-age, clear-cut, good vs. bad mentality. Which I feel isn't a wrong move. On the other hand, you've got the dystopic, anti-hero, alienated faction which the industry is trying to please also. All this is a hard line to walk. I feel the comics, as an established American medium, will adjust and has, albeit painfully. What I think will happen and has somewhat is that comics are developing different niches, moreso than in the past. I think American comics are beginning to follow the path that European and Japanese comics have gone in the previous decade, more adult oriented and dealing sometimes less with the super-hero, cartoon character fare.
Comics are, and have to be, a mirror of societal trends to keep readership. I do agree with the other person's comments in that they need to attract a more mainstream crowd. Long-time fans need to understand that Marvel still has to cater to the Pokeman type crowd in order to keep revenue going. Child appropriate comics should be encouraged alongside the teen and adult oriented comics. If anything, this is what Marvel has struggled with and seems to have thrown away as of late. I, as an adult, wouldn't buy or let my child read some of what's produced by the company. This isn't an indictment, I like a number of their titles. I only feel they need to provide more of a model to kids. I'm hoping we'll see more of that in the future.
Brett B
Brettb4842@aol.com
K-Pax Light Years Ahead of Other SF
-Pax is simply the best science-fiction movie in light-years. In fact, it is probably one of the best movies of the year. What is truly amazing that it doesn't have a single car chase, or explosion. It simply shows a psychiatrist and a patient who either has a completely airtight delusional system or else he is what he claims to be, an alien from another world.
I call this one of the best movies of the year because it's a reminder that drama is based on conflict and car chases and explosions are not drama but distractions. Here the drama lies in the conflict of who the stranger really is. Is he an alien or simply an alienated human? I also appreciated the fact that for once a psychiatrist and a mental institution are portrayed with some degree of accuracy. There's no cardboard caricatures here. The ending is deeply satisfying, though it dilutes its effect by going on too long. I can't say anything about the ending without giving a spoiler, but I'd say it's going to generate a whole lot of discussion.
Marian Powell
mepowell@cybermesa.com
Potter Fans Voted Thoughtfully
n his recent interview, Robert Sawyer gives two reasons for his being angry that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire won the Hugo over his novel, Calculating God. First he notes that the Harry Potter book isn't science fiction. Next he argues people voted in a less than thoughtful manner because of the availability of online voting.
Neither of Sawyer's arguments has any merit. First, the constitution of the World Science Fiction Society clearly states that both science fiction and fantasy stories are eligible. Second, Sawyer himself says that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a great book. How can he accuse those of us who voted for it of not voting in a thoughtful manner?
I can understand Sawyer being disappointed about not winning the Hugo with such a good book as Calculating God and I would have had no grounds to complain if it had won. However, I am happy that Harry Potter won because of the amusement that I have gotten watching the "wailing and gnashing of teeth" within the hard science fiction element of the SF community with Potter's victory.
Bill Hussar
Wmcfam@msn.com
Sawyer's Comments Are Misunderstood
ith respect, I think Mr. Raney ("'Novel' Hugo Should Be Separated") has misinterpreted Robert J. Sawyer's comments in his interview. I re-read the interview to confirm
my understanding, and Rob does state that Harry Potter, "is not science fiction." However, I think Mr. Sawyer is trying to state Harry Potter is not the type of novel that should be considered for a Hugo. I am almost sure that he would not have been nearly upset if he had lost to George R.R. Martin's A Storm of Swords, which is clearly a work of fantasy.
(I make these comments based on discussions on Sawyer's Yahoo discussion group. I assure you that he knows the rules for awarding the Hugos. For example, he is the only person I have ever met that could explain the Hugo voting in a way I could understand it!)
The problem that many of us who have read science fiction for decades has is that this selection for Hugo has signaled a change for us. Previous awards suggest that the voters have read many of the nominated books and gave serious thought to which was best in the field. Having read most of the nominated books on the list this year, I just can't bring myself to believe the voters felt any responsibility to become familiar with the field.
So what, you may ask. In my view, such a situation invalidates the awards for serious consideration. If the Hugo is simply confirmation of which book sold the best, who cares? Go check the best-seller list.
Brian Gaston
halcalvin@yahoo.ca
Locus Needs a Challenger
he real problem with the Hugos is those who win year after year. I wish someone would create a semiprozine to give Charles Brown at Locus some competition. It isn't fair for him to win a Hugo when he is the only nominee in that category. Sure, Science Fiction Chronicle was once in the running, and Charles Brown still won, but there's no accounting for taste. SFC is ten times better than Locus.
Lately, it seems that those who win the Hugos are the ones who threw the best parties the previous year. We need less politicking and more quality if we are to have an award worth winning and voting for. Perhaps the reason why voting was light this year was because of the nominees.
James Palmer
jamesandkelleypalmer@yahoo.com
Little Optimism for New X Season
read both opinions ("X-Files Saddens X-Phile," "X-Files is Better than Ever" and "X-Files Has Had Its Day") about how people view The X-Files. I, of course, have to add my two cents worth. The X-Files is a great show. It takes you on an imaginative journey. Up until Season 7, it was great, but you could tell by the quality of the scripts that either the writers had run out of ideas or they were bored with their product. I have always loved The X-Files because it is an intelligent show. Episodes like "X-Cops," "First Person Shooter" and "Fight Club" from Season 7 had no plot and no intelligence to them.
I also feel that Mr. Duchovny's exit could have been handled better. Actors leave series work all the time, it would have only take a little imagination to work out a story line that would make sense. Many of us will miss Mr. Duchovny, but there is life after The X-Files. With the advent of
the baby, Chris Carter has painted himself into a corner. As obsessive as he is, there is no way Mulder would abandon Scully and his child. Frank Spotnitz has said that the reason for Mulder's departure will make sense, but I don't see how. Maybe it is time for The X-Files to wrap. Give the writers time to rest, then come up with decent scripts for feature films. Production values are always better on the big screen.
Anyway, I'm not optimistic about Season 9. I have always seen Mulder and Scully as the core of the program, searching for the truth. No matter who the lead is, that was the core of the show. Mr. Spotnitz has stated that they are going to create a new mytharc and the tagline will be changed. If The X-Files is not about searching for the truth, what is it going to be about. That's my two cents worth. Thanks for letting me vent.
Laura Eklund
lje32677@aol.com
Star Trek Warps Past X-Files
n regards Derek Bagdillo's ("X-Files is Better than Ever") letter comparing The X-Files to the Star Trek franchise. With all due respect, the only similarities between the two is that they are both phenomena of the late 20th century, with Star Trek being the oldest of the two and their audiences' devotion borders on obsessive.
The general theme of Star Trek is about an exchange of ideas and the belief of common ground between species and cultures. In Star Trek, the conflicts are easily resolved, in either a direct or indirect way.
With The X-Files, the themes of the show have been sketchy at best, but basically consisted of Mulder's quest for his sister, his search for truth about the existence of extraterrestrials, and whether the government can be trusted. Conflicts are never resolved as questions are answered with more
questions. After a while, watching a television that never fully resolves anything can get pretty tedious especially when the writers just make it up as they go along.
I believe that letter writer Pamela Jameson ("X-Files Has Had Its Day") was right when saying that a show "needs a blueprint to build upon." Star Trek, despite its flaws, had a solid foundation which has been built in a variety of different ways.
The X-Files is simply not broad enough to have a successful franchise like Star Trek and it won't until the writers map out a basic plan on which direction they want to take the show.
Melody Arneil
webmaster@arneil.net
Enterprise Has Room to Grow
have just caught up on the last few weeks of letters about the newest Star Trek adventure Enterprise. I also have my problems with it but am still giving it a chance to improve.
First of all in the opening of the show with the music I can tolerate the song with it but I see the scenes with it, as usual, very pro USA. It would be nice if they could of included in it some of the Russian firsts in exploring also. Or even a scene from the Apollo-Soyuz mission of reaching over
political barriers.
The show overall is still trying to feel itself out without copying the past shows. I like the idea of the aliens not being peaceful or overly friendly to each other, we are all just getting to know each other out there and trust must be earned over time. Remember this is all Pre-Federation stories. I'd like to know why the aliens we have met so far are so much more advanced than us in technology (like 24th century Federation).
These little quirks are still enough to look past and enjoy the show as I am still giving it a chance to grow on me.
Randy Moisan
rmoisan@salem.mec.edu
Andromeda Makes Modest Proposals
ndromeda—all the fun and cool gadgets aside, I love the Nietzsche-ians.
Wipe out genetic impurities? Only the best shall procreate? Why not—after all it has been proven that thieving is a genetic aberration (they were trying to prove homicide but failed, instead discovering that thieving fathers produced thieving sons).
Impurities? Therein lies the nub of the problem. Andromeda's Nietzsche-ians would likely have disposed of Stephen Hawking long ago but he is a genius beyond Einstein's caliber.
Besides the problem of identifying good vs. bad genes, Andromeda's portrayal of Nietzsche-ians does display one human trait that can never be erased—sectarianism. If the universe were populated by clones, produced in a single day from a single source, then those produced before noon would be at war with those produced after.
Das Uber Gammler
dug.beyond@btinternet.com
I-Man Could Redeem SF Genre
cience fiction is often denounced by the general, uninitiated public as the drivel of poor plotlines, cheap thrills and cheesy special effects. In canceling The Invisible Man, the SCI FI channel is removing one of their only shows that effectively breaks through this stereotype and leaves it in the dust. The Invisible Man utilizes sharp writing, good acting, fun and suspenseful plotlines and incredible character dynamics to create one of the best shows on television.
In a time when the major networks are chockfull of reality shows and crimes against humanity such as Emeril, The Invisible Man is a breath of fresh air for millions of fans every Friday night. The show appeals to both men and women, as well as a wide age range; it isn't bogged down by the need to gear its message towards a particular group.
SCI FI needs to seriously reevaluate what message it is that they want to send out to the world: are they a channel where quality shows can thrive and grow, or are they in it for the cheap thrills and cheesy effects? The Invisible Man is grabbing some fantastic numbers in syndication, and its two-hour pilot episode was the highest-rated original production in the channel's history when it premiered last year. In searching for a reason why the ratings have dipped as of late, the SCI FI Channel would do well to look at their own complete lack of promotion or merchandising for I-Man. You can pretend it isn't there, folks, but the fans won't go away.
The Invisible Man is more than well-deserving of a third season, and the incredible outpouring of support from its fans is testament to how much we treasure the show. If SCI FI proceeds with I-Man's cancellation they will not only be losing a beloved and witty television show but a major stepping stone on the path the genre's redemption.
Charlotte Ruocco
chalie@saintly.com
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