ci-Fi Guys is a Web site and newsletter offering science-fiction news and rumors. That's hardly anything new on the Internet, which has hundreds, if not thousands, of fans who do the same thing. But
no one does it with quite the same mix of humor and geeky insight as the Sci-Fi Guys.
A roughly twice-a-month e-mail newsletter is the driving force behind Sci-Fi Guys. Each one starts off with "Long Range Scans," which features news and rumors coupled with geek-friendly punchlines and inside jokes. The news roundup is followed by the "Issue Arena," which lets readers sound off on topic thrown out by the Guys—the best two responses appear in the next newsletter. After that come movie and book reviews, followed in turn by editor commentary. Also good is the "Sci-Fi Guru," who attempts to answer all manner of science-fiction questions, ranging from "Did Tolkien invent hobbits?" to "Was Ashley Judd on Star Trek?"
Those who choose not to subscribe to the newsletter can still get their Sci-Fi Guys fix by visiting the Web site, which features news from the latest addition, as well as an extensive archive dating back to 1998.
— Ken Newquist
Site of the Week—March 10, 2003
hile Ghostbusters 3 may be deader than the ghosts that the boys in gray usually chase, loyal fans will find that the franchise lives on at Ghostbusters.net.
The fan site opens with a news page carrying all of the latest rumors about the Ghostbusters, many of which originate on its own discussion boards. Recent speculation revolves around a new cartoon or comic book that promises to return the focus back to the original four Ghostbusters. The news is backed up with prototype art, so folks can check it out and decide for themselves whether it's really going to happen. The news page also includes announcements about rare memorabilia that's up for bid on eBay and announcements of new GB-inspired software.
Separate sections represent all of Ghostbusters' incarnations, from the original movie to its sequel, the "real" Ghostbusters cartoon and its own "extreme" Ghostbusters follow-up. Each section includes links to related news items, fan fiction and props, and the two cartoons' home pages even include links that let fans watch episodes online via RealVideo. The quality isn't spectacular, but for those who missed out on a particular episode of one of the series, it's a godsend.
The site offers interviews with writers, actors, artists and others associated with the Ghostbusters legacy, links to all manner of movie and TV merchandise, numerous links to other GB Web sites and even a Doom II conversion that lets players recreate the original movie. The props section is worthy of special note—it includes not only photos of props created by fans, but also plans and tips so that visitors can build their own reproductions.
— Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week—March 3, 2003
bsolutely one of the best webzines for devotees of monster movies, Horror-Wood offers extensive and serious coverage of everything and anything related to horror films. With news, a "digital dungeon" containing information on DVD releases, an extensive series of minireviews, convention listings and an archive of great horror links, this site is packed with everything fans need to know about horror films new and old.
The site's look is as retro as its content is cutting-edge, finding an appealing middle ground between the sterility of many HTML 'zines and the cheese of a horror print magazine like Fangoria. Large photos and screen captures from classic scare flicks abound, illustrating the first-rate text content, such as the current issue's feature article on filmmaker Coleman Francis, its review of Italian vintage horror flick Atom Age Vampire and a behind-the-scenes expose on the making of a lurid 1974 cannibal movie called Welcome to Arrow Beach.
Horror-Wood also offers a section for those seeking collectors' items and horror-themed toys, no matter how obscure. It lists the best places to find and order horror videos, and its links are well indexed and intriguing. The magazine's archived articles go back to 1997, offering hours of absorbing reading. The letters section—called Gore-respondence—answers reader questions thoughtfully and in detail.
With first-rate writing and a dedication to thorough coverage of the horror field, Horror-Wood reveals itself to be a cut above most movie-related Web sites, a genuine gem of the Internet that will draw readers back with every new issue.
— A.M. Dellamonica
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