Charlie Jane Anders, Author at Gizmodo

10 Tips And Tricks For Creating Memorable Characters

Science fiction and fantasy are built on cool ideas and fascinating worlds — but those things are only as good as the people who live around and inside them. How do you create compelling fictional characters? It’s a huge challenge. But here are some tips that might make it easier. There’s no silver bullet or…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders Aug 5 '14

Comics Artist Uses DMCA To Silence Critics Of His Contortionist Ladies

Comics artist Randy Queen draws women whose spines and bodies can twist into some really unusual poses. This has drawn the attention of the Escher Girls Tumblr, which we’ve featured before — and he’s responded by sending DMCA takedowns to get their posts (not just the art) removed.

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Aug 5 '14

Getting To The Planet Turned Out To Be Easy, Compared To Living There

Concept artist Yohann Schepacz has a great knack for depicting spacecraft and other advanced technology in the middle of desolate or untouched alien landscapes. He works at Eidos Montreal but also has his own design studio, OXAN. Check out some more of his astonishing concept art below. This artwork comes via Concept Art World —…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Aug 4 '14

Tom Mason’s Egomania Finally Costs Him, On Falling Skies

You know, there’s probably a historical precedent for a leader who overreaches and over-promises, while hypocritically protecting his own family from the consequences of their actions. Napoelon, maybe? In any case, last night’s Falling Skies finally showed Tom Mason falling short. Thank goodness. Spoilers ahead… One constant rule about Falling Skies has always seemed to…

Television Charlie Jane Anders Aug 4 '14

All The Amazing Must-Read Science Fiction And Fantasy Books For August

This month’s books really do have something for everyone. There are new books by John Scalzi, Haruki Murakami, Robin Hobb and Lev Grossman. There’s magical realism, far-future adventure, and high fantasy. Here are the 22 brand new science fiction and fantasy books you absolutely must not miss. Lock In by John Scalzi (Tor Books) A…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders Aug 4 '14

All The Boldest Cosplay From Star Trek Las Vegas 2014!

Nobody parties like Star Trek fans. And with nearly 50 years of rich storytelling to choose from, there’s no cosplay as clever and far-ranging as Star Trek cosplay. This past weekend, Star Trek Las Vegas played host to some of the best cosplayers in this quadrant, and Jordan Hoffman was there. In addition to taking…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Aug 4 '14

A Galaxy Far, Far Away

This is an uncommonly beautiful image of M101, the Pinwheel Galaxy, captured by photographer John Purvis on a clear night. It’s a rare gem, because M101 is especially difficult to photograph, being so far away and so faint. It requires long exposures, and a lot of patience. As Purvis explains on his Flickr page: The…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Aug 1 '14

Queen Of The Tearling Is Pure Tasty Fantasy Candy

Writers like Joe Abercrombie have done a lot to bring dirty realism to fantasy books, while people like Jacqueline Carey have added dark sexuality and complex politics. But sometimes you just want an upbeat fantasy where women kick ass. And The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen is the perfect sunny fantasy book. Some…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders Aug 1 '14

What’s The Best (Or Worst) Voiceover Monologue At The Start Of A Movie?

Some movies just drop you in the deep end, and let you figure out what’s going on. And some movies talk you through it. Opening voiceovers are a major component of science fiction and fantasy movies (see 50 of them here) and they can be wonderful. Or just god-bananas-awful. But what are the best? And…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders Aug 1 '14

Tour The Dark Side Of L.A. With Sandman Slim Author Richard Kadrey

Few fantasy series have as strong a sense of place as Richard Kadrey’s L.A.-set Sandman Slim books. And here’s your exclusive first look at a video where Kadrey takes you to the real-life locations where his books take place, filmed by Brady Hall. Plus read a chapter of the next Sandman Slim Book, The Getaway…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders Aug 1 '14

Watching Guardians Of The Galaxy Is Like Getting Back Part Of Your Soul

Guardians of the Galaxy isn’t just one of the year’s best movies. It’s also a really interesting experiment with form — it blends hilarious comedy, utterly sincere classic-rock corniness, and massive hold-onto-yourself cosmic adventure. The result might make you look at classic adventures a new way. NO SPOILERS ahead… So yeah, Guardians of the Galaxy…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders Aug 1 '14

Back In 1937, People Worried That Science Fiction Was Going Downhill

Most of us have been seeing convention panels about the “Death of Science Fiction” for years now — it’s become sort of a jolly cliche. Everybody laments the loss of some earlier, greater age for the genre. But back in 1937, British fans were pretty worried that SF was in permanent decline. Top image: Thrilling…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders Jul 31 '14

The Real Reason Why Joss Whedon Named His Space Western Show Firefly

Nathan Fillion auditioned unsuccessfully for the part of Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And years later, he had five troubled auditions for the role of Mal on Firefly, before he finally clicked. That’s just one of the amazing facts from a new biography of Joss Whedon. Read an exclusive excerpt below. Joss Whedon: The…

Television Charlie Jane Anders Jul 31 '14

What’s The Greatest “F*@% Yeah” Moment Of All Time?

We root for heroes who are underdogs, who suffer unimaginable setbacks and misery. But sometimes, we root the hardest for heroes who bounce back and do something incredibly awesome. Philosopher/sage Dave Campbell calls this the “F*@% Yeah” moment. But what’s the greatest fist-pumping scene of all time? Please include a picture, clip, book cover, comics…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders Jul 31 '14

12 Sequels That Completely Change How You View The Original Story

Most of the time, sequels are at best entertaining, and at worst an affront to the memory of the original. But once in a great while, a sequel comes along that makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about the original story. Here are 12 sequels that pull back and show you the bigger…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Jul 31 '14

Comic-Con Wrap-Up: The Shiniest Things We Saw In San Diego!

Comic-Con 2014 was chock full of amazing costumes, cool art, mind-blowing TV pilots and fascinating encounters. Because even a weak Comic-Con is better than most other events. Here’s our complete roundup of all the most incredible things we saw last weekend. Superheroes As usual, Comic-Con was full of amazing superheroes. Including a glimpse at Avengers:…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders Jul 30 '14

How Soon Could Grant Ward Find Redemption On Agents Of SHIELD?

Agent Grant Ward went to some really dark places in the tail end of Agents of SHIELD’s first season. Can he come back from that? We caught up with actor Brett Dalton and he told us his hopes for Grant’s future. Plus J. August Richards told us what’s in store for the killer cyborg Deathlok.…

Television Charlie Jane Anders Jul 30 '14

Who Started As A Love Interest, But Then Became A Fully Fledged Hero?

Heroes need sidekicks, enemies and mentors — but most of all, every hero needs a love interest. And sometimes, the love interest helps out here and there. But which love interest shook off that role and managed to become a completely formidable hero in her or his own right? Please include a picture, book cover,…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders Jul 30 '14

What Secrets Are Hidden In The Wildlings’ Costumes On Game Of Thrones?

Here’s some concept art showing Sam and Gilly approaching the Wall from the North, exclusively at io9. It shows the scale and the magnificence of the Wall — and how daunting it is to climb. This comes from the book Inside HBO’s Game of Thrones, and we’ve also got an exclusive look at the Wildling’s…

Television Charlie Jane Anders Jul 30 '14

The 13 Greatest Science Fiction Comedies Of All Time

On Friday, Guardians of the Galaxy hits theaters, with its unique blend of space-opera and insane comedy. Which classic films must Guardians defeat to take its place among the greatest science fiction comedies? Here are the 13 greatest (live-action) science fiction comedies of all time. 13. Mystery Men The Particulars: The film flopped on its…

Movies Alasdair Wilkins and Charlie Jane Anders Jul 30 '14

Charlie Jane Anders

10 Tips And Tricks For Creating Memorable Characters

Comics Artist Uses DMCA To Silence Critics Of His Contortionist Ladies

Getting To The Planet Turned Out To Be Easy, Compared To Living There

Tom Mason’s Egomania Finally Costs Him, On Falling Skies

All The Amazing Must-Read Science Fiction And Fantasy Books For August

All The Boldest Cosplay From Star Trek Las Vegas 2014!

A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Queen Of The Tearling Is Pure Tasty Fantasy Candy

What’s The Best (Or Worst) Voiceover Monologue At The Start Of A Movie?

Tour The Dark Side Of L.A. With Sandman Slim Author Richard Kadrey

Watching Guardians Of The Galaxy Is Like Getting Back Part Of Your Soul

Back In 1937, People Worried That Science Fiction Was Going Downhill

The Real Reason Why Joss Whedon Named His Space Western Show Firefly

What’s The Greatest “F*@% Yeah” Moment Of All Time?

12 Sequels That Completely Change How You View The Original Story

Comic-Con Wrap-Up: The Shiniest Things We Saw In San Diego!

How Soon Could Grant Ward Find Redemption On Agents Of SHIELD?

Who Started As A Love Interest, But Then Became A Fully Fledged Hero?

What Secrets Are Hidden In The Wildlings’ Costumes On Game Of Thrones?

The 13 Greatest Science Fiction Comedies Of All Time

The ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ Reboot Snags an Exciting Director

Meta Plans to Turn Its Employees’ Clicks and Keystrokes into AI Training Data

Physicists Now Understand Why a Weird Quantum Gas Refuses to Heat Up

Watch the Lego ‘Project Hail Mary’ Set (Almost) Go to Space

Shark Glam Ceramic Multi-Styler Is Nearly Half the Price of Dyson Airwrap at an All-Time Low on Amazon

OpenAI Unveils New Image Generator to Usher in an AI Slop ‘Renaissance’

Xbox Game Pass Now Costs Less, but That Doesn’t Mean It’s a Good Deal

The Trailer for ‘Affection’ Teases a Medical Mystery From Hell

So How Did Artemis 2’s Heat Shield Hold Up? The First Results Are In

Watch a Guy Fabricate Functioning Micron-Scale RAM Cells in His Garden Shed

I’ve Tested a Lot of Bad Smart Glasses and These Are the Worst Yet

Roborock’s Qrevo Curv 2 Flow Is the Ultimate Robot Mop—If You Don’t Have Corners or Walls

Alienware’s $350 QD-OLED Gaming Monitor Nixes Everything for a Pretty Screen

Sony Inzone H6 Air Review: A Perfect Case for Open-Back Gaming Headsets

Anker’s EufyMake E1 Finally Brings Printers Out of the Dark Ages

The Soundboks Mix Is Going to Make You the Most Popular Guy at the Park

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go