Charlie Jane Anders

What would Batman do if Gotham City passed the death penalty?

Batman doesn’t kill his enemies — that’s like the bedrock of his heroism. Instead, he hands his foes over to the authorities, who lock them up in Arkham and Blackgate… until they escape again. But what would Batman do if Gotham City passed the death penalty and started executing his rogues gallery? Especially, what if…

Must Watch: The BBC’s hard-hitting interview with Cookie Monster

Cookie Monster has been getting around lately. First he engaged in a battle of wits with Loki, and now he’s gone on the BBC’s Newsnight as their “last word,” discussing his decision to come appear on a new show on CBBC. Watch as Cookie Monster has the perfect answer to everything. [Thanks, Tony!]

Watch pill-popping prodigies every week? Relativity Television is developing Limitless, the Bradley Cooper film about a smart drug with a major downside, into a weekly TV series.

The Queer Comics Anthology We’ve Been Waiting For!

LGBT characters have made great strides in comics lately — we even had a same-sex wedding in the X-Men — but it’s about time there were more stories focusing on queer protagoninsts. Enter Beyond, a brand new anthology of comics about LBGT heroes who save the day. With an amazing set of contributors… possibly including…

It’s official: A “number of” previously missing Doctor Who episodes have been “returned to the BBC,” and we’ll find out how many, and which ones, later this week.

A novel about a dystopian future China wins the Chinese Nebula Awards

The winner of the Best Novel category in this year’s China’s Xingyun (Nebula) Awards is a book that paints a pessimistic, dark view of a corrupt near-future China. The Waste Tide by Chen Qiufan takes place in the 2020s, and depicts a dystopian future China. Workers in an “economic zone” in Guangdong Province are turned…

Which actor has done the most to improve the image of science fiction?

There was a time when people thought science fiction (and fantasy) required over-the-top acting and scenery-chewing. Many actors didn’t entirely take these roles seriously. That time is past. But which actor, in particular, has done the most to improve the credibility of genre film and television? Please include a picture or clip showcasing this acting…

Why Maze Runner‘s James Dashner abandoned dystopia for virtual reality

James Dashner made a huge impact with The Maze Runner, his dystopian young-adult novel which is being turned into a major movie by Fox. Now he’s back witha novel about virtual reality, The Eye of Minds. We talked to Dashner about why virtual reality could replace dystopia in young-adult novels. The Eye of Minds is…

Journalist desperately seeks an “expert” who says tattoos cause cancer

There’s a ton of awful science reporting out there… but at least most of it comes from people misinterpreting scientific papers and skimming actual press releases. Meanwhile, there’s one journalist, who went out looking for an “expert” to say that tattoos cause cancer. Top image: Beatrice Murch/Flickr. From Private Eye Magazine comes this gem, in…

This Week’s TV: American Horror Story, Walking Dead, and 7 More Shows!

This week, American Horror Story makes a bid to out-crazy its first two seasons. Really. The Walking Dead features its biggest zombie set piece yet. But there are also a ton of other premieres this week, including super-mutants, Wonderland, and superhero craziness. Check out clips and details for all this week’s TV! Top image: American…

Vampire Diaries has run into 4 crucial problems of long-lived TV shows

Last night, we got a generous helping of two hours of The Vampire Diaries, or technically one hour of TVD and one hour of its spinoff, The Originals. There were some lovely moments — but also a sense that the wheels are coming off the vampire bus. The Vampire empire is running into four lethal…

Halle Berry will play an astronaut whose baby might be an alien

Extant is an early contender for “show with the most complicated premise of 2014.” The TV show about a female astronaut whose husband made a robot baby, and who’s pregnant with a possibly alien baby, sparked a network bidding war. And now it has a high-profile star: Halle Berry. Berry has signed on to star…

What do you think this goblin is saying on Jim C. Hines’ book cover?

We’re stoked to present the first exclusive look at the cover for Jim C. Hines’ new story collection, The Goblin Master’s Grimoire. But when you see the full cover (below), you’ll be left with a pressing question: What exactly is the goblin in the picture saying? Answer it, and you could win a signed copy…

An Exclusive Look at Rare and Never-Before-Seen Star Wars Concept Art

You’ve seen a ton of Star Wars concept art before — but this galaxy still contains endless marvels that your eyes have not beheld. A brand new book called Star Wars Art: Concept features loads of artwork, selected by George Lucas himself, that tells the story of Star Wars from the beginning up to now.…

Several Reasons Why Gravity is Amazing (That You Haven’t Already Heard)

Gravity is the kind of movie that only comes along once in a blue moon: a heart-stopping work of art, that conveys the terror and beauty of space. You’ve already heard a lot about why this movie rules — but you still don’t know all the reasons why Gravity is a must-see movie. Minor spoilers…

Guillermo del Toro’s Simpsons couch gag is the best thing ever

Can you name all the classic horror movies in this amazing title sequence that Guillermo del Toro directed for this Sunday’s Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episode? There is just so much greatness in this three-minute clip. Can’t stop watching.

Jumping bananas! The new Middleman graphic novel will rock your world

The Middleman only aired for one season, back in 2008, but it remains one of our most beloved pieces of pop culture. And now, at last the Middleman and Wendy Watson are back in action. Both pairs of them. Creator Javier Grillo-Marxuach has come up with a brand new graphic novel, and here’s our spoiler-free…

Which hero did you want to be when you grew up?

Most of us grew up mainlining heroic stories of brave exploits and fantastical sacrifice. And we dreamed of becoming a version of our most beloved heroes. But which epic hero or champion did you dream that you could grow up to be, when you were a little kid? Please include a picture or clip of…

Best, Sluttiest and Weirdest Store-Bought Halloween Costumes for 2013

Cosplay is for all year round — but dressing up in weird store-bought approximations of your faovrite characters only happens once a year. Spirit Halloween has rolled out this year’s prefab costumes. So here’s our annual look at the best, weirdest and trashiest Halloween costumes you can buy. Iron Man 3 Lone Ranger – Note…

11 Fearsome Warrior Races (That Would Be Ridiculously Easy to Defeat)

An entire species of warriors is one of the most thrilling tropes from science fiction and fantasy. Bred only for combat, with a culture based entirely on war and destruction. But sometimes that single-minded focus on slaughter can actually have its drawbacks. Here are 11 fictional warrior races that would be easy to beat. 1)…