Star Trek: The Original Series — Why I Think It’s (Still) the Best

Just look at that beautiful ship! Exquisite! Perfect! Star Trek. "The Original Series." It's a cultural icon, and I've written about it on this blog before. It retains its relevance after more than fifty years. It still has die-hard fans. Why? This is not a question that can be answered simply, but I'd like to … Continue reading Star Trek: The Original Series — Why I Think It’s (Still) the Best →

That Was the Year That Was, My Personal 2024 Retrospective

Well, I suppose I'm glad that's over. I made a resolution in 2023 to try living for the good stuff, instead of expecting to have another twenty years or so to doodle around. Three score and ten, after all. I'm not so sure how well I'm doing, but it beats the alternative. First, let's take … Continue reading That Was the Year That Was, My Personal 2024 Retrospective →

Artist Retrospectives XXV – Mike Hinge

Mike Hinge (1931-2003) was a New Zealander who moved to the United States circa 1958. Here is some of his early work. He had some big mainstream hits. But I'm more interested in his science fiction work. Here's a cover he did for Wally Wood's Witzend periodical. This is a similar one. So what do … Continue reading Artist Retrospectives XXV – Mike Hinge →

Runequest Heresies

I'm a gamer. I first played Chaosium's Runequest role-playing game in about 1983. It was rollicking good fun, truly gonzo. A flat world, plenty of anthropomorphic monsters you could talk to, nomads riding ridiculous creatures like llamas and rhinos, and just about anyone could use at least minor magic. Kill stuff and take the treasure. … Continue reading Runequest Heresies →