Books & Comics

Urban fantasy author’s novel gets a great book deal — after 50 agents turned it down

A night nurse goes to work at a secret ward, where she treats supernatural creatures, and gets involved in a 300-year vampire feud. Cassie Alexander’s Nightshifted has an intriguing premise… and the story of its road to publication is inspirational. According to Publishers Marketplace, Cassie Alexander’s first novel got a three-book deal with St. Martins,…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

Relish 33 tales of dystopia in the new anthology “Brave New Worlds”

What better time to reflect on the many faces of dystopia than during this season of forced cheer and celebratory masks? That’s why we’re reading io9 podcast host John Joseph Adams’ latest anthology, Brave New Worlds. Here’s an excerpt. John’s put up a website where you can learn more about the book, as well as…

Books & Comics Annalee Newitz

The Clarke Award needs your help!

Over the past several years, the Arthur C. Clarke Award has honored some of science fiction’s most provocative, mind-expanding novels, among its winners as well as its finalists. Now the award’s funding is running out. The award was established by Clarke himself in the 1980s, to honor the best science fiction book published in the…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

OK, So Maybe Sometimes TSA Profiling Is Appropriate

Say what you will about targeting specific people in airport security lines; at some point, you just can’t ignore the signs. Although to be fair, the guy in front of Bomberman looks enough like the Chronicles of Riddick main bad guy that I’d want him checked out too. Yes, Chronicles of Riddick. [Virtual Shackles]

Books & Comics Brian Barrett

Watch every single 2000 AD cover fly by in 4 minutes

In honor of Britain’s most venerable science fiction comic magazine, a 2000 AD superfan has made a video collage of every single issue from February 1979 to December 2010. That’s over 1500 issues — a veritable thrill power overload! In this video, 7.5 covers zip by every second. Here’s the the soundtrack listing from videographer…

Books & Comics Cyriaque Lamar

Ron Gilbert Delivers the Deathspank in Episode 27 of The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy

Ron Gilbert, creator of The Secret of Monkey Island video game, joins us this week on io9’s Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy podcast to talk about the Monkey Island series, fantasy marauding game Deathspank, and parodies of adventure games. The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy is hosted by John Joseph Adams and David Barr Kirtley.…

Books & Comics Johnjosephadams

10 Amazing Science Books That Reveal The Wonders Of The Universe

If you’re looking for a perfect holiday gift for science lovers, consider these ten amazing books. They prove science is awesomer than fiction, and are packed with beautiful pictures too. On the Origin of Species: The Illustrated Edition by Charles Darwin with David Quammen Darwin’s original book didn’t just kick off the fiercest scientific debate…

Books & Comics Alasdair Wilkins

Universal is rebooting Firestarter as a possible franchise

Universal wants to reboot the 1984 paranormal thriller starring young Drew Barrymore as the girl who can start fires with her mind. The reboot, based on the Stephen King novel, will have “more edge” and franchise appeal. [Variety]

Books & Comics Meredith Woerner

In comics, Black Panther takes over NYC and it’s the end of Star Wars Legacy

What’s in your comic book store this Wednesday? New adventures for Black Panther and Cade Skywalker and reprints of old gems from awesome artists like Moebius, Amanda Conner, and Stan Sakai. It’s always comic book Wednesday somewhere. In the epic team-ups column, there’s a new printing of El Topo director Alejandro Jodorowsky and Moebius’s graphic…

Books & Comics Cyriaque Lamar

Read an unfinished Roald Dahl story — and write the ending for yourself

An never-finished story by Roald Dahl, the master of haunting fiction, has turned up, and you could own the original manuscript. Plus the project he wrote it for, a finish-it-yourself story collection featuring Madeleine L’Engle, could still come out. According to Publishers Weekly, Dahl wrote the first two pages of “The Eyes Of Mr. Croaker”…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

CoasiHome Bio “Helios” Fireplace Has a Shelf Fit for Fahrenheit 451

What better way to display your dry, incredibly flammable collection of first editions than on a trendy bookshelf that also happens to be fireplace? Called the CosiHome Bio “Helios” fireplace, this $4,755 piece of kit is exactly what it appears to be. For safety’s sake there’s also 8mm thick safety glass for protection and a…

Books & Comics Jack Loftus

KISS vs. Doctor Doom is the best and/or worst comic you’ll read today

In 1977, famed make-up rockers KISS teamed up with Marvel Comics to produce KISS, the only comic book in history to feature Paul Stanley psychoanalyzing Dr. Doom. Also, the comic was printed using the band’s blood. Literacy, ahoy! Remember the arpeggios of excitement that zipped up your spine the first time you read Watchmen? Chances…

Books & Comics Cyriaque Lamar

Here’s one of the most disturbing sea monster stories you’ll ever see

Did the parasites from Cloverfield wig you out? If so, you probably don’t want to read Junji Ito’s manga tale The Thing That Drifted Ashore. What’s worse than a giant rotting oceanic kaiju? Find out here. [Via Monster Brains]

Books & Comics Cyriaque Lamar

How #FollowFriday Is SUPPOSED To Work

Every Friday, many of us will watch our Twitter streams fill up with lists of users and variations of #ff and #followfriday hashtags. Is this really how that whole thing is supposed to work? What would be better? Republished with permission from Matthew Inman aka “The Oatmeal,” a former web designer turned comic artist. You…

Books & Comics Matthew Inman

The Best Tic-Tac-Toe Moves In Any Situation

The good news is that with this chart of optimal Tic-Tac-Toe moves, you’ll never lose another match. The bad news is that this would’ve made War Games a whole lot less suspenseful. I admit it took me a second to to get the hang of reading it, but once you do it’s a piece of…

Books & Comics Brian Barrett

Afghanistan’s strangest gift to one U.S. soldier: an awareness of the dead in our midst

A soldier comes home from Afghanistan with a strange gift — she can see ghosts. How did Deborah Coates’ Wide Open manage to win a three-book deal with Tor? Here’s how Publishers Marketplace describes Coates’ first book, which convinced Tor to ante up for her whole trilogy: Deborah Coates’s WIDE OPEN, in which a woman…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

Visit the Manhattans of Our Wildest Imaginations

New York. Gotham. Metropolis. We’ve all been there, either in real life or in our dreams. And these gorgeous travel posters from Justin Van Genderen invite us there again, with an elegant beauty that makes me want to believe. Available for $18 each at ImageKind, along with Neo Tokyo. I hear the view from 4…

Books & Comics Brian Barrett

Why Some Emails Go Unanswered

At some point in his or her life, every person winds up being stuck in a highly uncomfortable situation involving an unanswered email. But just how do those situations develop? Here’s a breakdown. Republished with permission from Matthew Inman aka “The Oatmeal,” a former web designer turned comic artist. You can see more of his…

Books & Comics Matthew Inman

Foursquare Could Take Down Even Batman

I’m convinced that social networking services are more powerful than any supervillain. After all, they can take down any superhero who doesn’t think twice about every single click in an instant. I’m just wondering if revealing the location of one’s secret lair on Foursquare is better or worse than friending one’s mother on Facebook. [Agent…

Books & Comics Rosa Golijan

What Happens Right Before You Take Your Clothes Out Of The Dryer

That annoying little zap—it happens nearly every time you open your dryer and take some clothing out. But what causes it? What happens right before you reach for your clothes and leads to that shock? [Abstruse Goose]

Books & Comics Rosa Golijan

Urban fantasy author’s novel gets a great book deal — after 50 agents turned it down

Relish 33 tales of dystopia in the new anthology “Brave New Worlds”

The Clarke Award needs your help!

OK, So Maybe Sometimes TSA Profiling Is Appropriate

Watch every single 2000 AD cover fly by in 4 minutes

Ron Gilbert Delivers the Deathspank in Episode 27 of The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy

10 Amazing Science Books That Reveal The Wonders Of The Universe

Universal is rebooting Firestarter as a possible franchise

In comics, Black Panther takes over NYC and it’s the end of Star Wars Legacy

Read an unfinished Roald Dahl story — and write the ending for yourself

CoasiHome Bio “Helios” Fireplace Has a Shelf Fit for Fahrenheit 451

KISS vs. Doctor Doom is the best and/or worst comic you’ll read today

Here’s one of the most disturbing sea monster stories you’ll ever see

How #FollowFriday Is SUPPOSED To Work

The Best Tic-Tac-Toe Moves In Any Situation

Afghanistan’s strangest gift to one U.S. soldier: an awareness of the dead in our midst

Visit the Manhattans of Our Wildest Imaginations

Why Some Emails Go Unanswered

Foursquare Could Take Down Even Batman

What Happens Right Before You Take Your Clothes Out Of The Dryer

Artemis 2 by the Numbers: Breaking Down NASA’s Big Return to the Moon

Apple Removes iPhone Vibe Coding App from App Store

China’s Biggest Social Media Celebrity Is… Kris Jenner?

Up to $1,550 Off on pCloud: Pay Once, Protect Data Forever for World Backup Day

National Film and Sound Archive of Australia Adds ‘Succulent Chinese Meal’ Guy

Feds Sniffing Around Polymarket After Suspicious Bets

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Don’t Get Too Attached to Any AI App

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

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