1. Dystopian science fiction comics – call for submissions

    16 december 2009 by Adam

    The message below is great news.
    I hope the series is a great success – there is really a need for good science fiction comics.
    Mattias Elftorp is one of the few people that could actually pull it off.

    DYSTOPIA

    From Wikipedia:
    A dystopia is the often futuristic vision of a society in which
    conditions of life are miserable and characterized by poverty,
    oppression, war, violence, disease, pollution, nuclear fallout
    and/or the abridgement of human rights, resulting in widespread
    unhappiness, suffering, and other kinds of pain.
    More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dystopia

    In short, DYSTOPIA is a series of comic short stories about the dark
    future that may be coming, or the one that is already here. These books
    will contain science fiction, cyberpunk, horror, current political
    subjects and other stories that fit into the concept.

    We want these stories to move their readers and we want them to matter. To
    warn us and help us chose a better future for ourselves.

    SUBMISSIONS
    We accept submissions from anyone who has something interesting to say on
    the subject, after the following specifications:
    -Each book can be one story (24 pgs max) or be done as a split, a flip
    book between two artists if the stories are shorter.
    -The format is 140x182mm.
    -Both color and black & white is acceptable.
    -DYSTOPIA will be made in two editions (Swedish and English). If you can’t
    do both versions yourself, we can help you with the translation.
    -Send digital material. Line art should be 1200dpi. Gray or color should
    be at least 300dpi.
    -.TIF is a good file format. .JPG is bad (don’t use if avoidable). If you
    aren’t sure, ask us for advice.
    -Questions, submissions or ideas for submissions to mattias @ elftorp .
    com (delete the spaces).

    Unfortunately, we can’t pay anyone for their contributions at this stage.
    Participants will get 5 copies for a full book and 3 copies each for a
    split. Language optional.

    There are no deadlines. Simply send us stories and if we accept them we
    will publish them as we go along, depending on our situation when it comes
    to time and money.

    PUBLISHER
    DYSTOPIA is a cooperation between Wormgod and the Swedish Comics
    Association. Editor is Mattias Elftorp.

    http://www.wormgod.net
    http://www.serieframjandet.se

    Facebook-event:
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189666498883&ref=nf


  2. William Gibson, godfather of Cyberpunk!

    18 oktober 2009 by Adam

    Here’s a cool clip about William Gibson and Cyberpunk. It’s really old, but that makes it even better.

    Thanks to: Mattias Elftorp!


  3. Robotskiss|Robot sketch

    10 oktober 2009 by Adam

    robot-skiss

    Här är en skiss av en robot som jag gjorde till en serie för länge sedan.

    This is a sketch of a robod I drew quite some time ago…


  4. 2 skäl att hata bilar lite mindre

    28 september 2009 by Adam

    elbilar

    1. Det blir fler el-bilar.

    2.

    Ett japanskt konsultbolag har exempelvis tagit fram ett ljud som liknar ljudet från de flygande bilarna i science fiction-filmen Bladerunner

    Elbilarna ska låta mer – di.se

    (Fråga inte varför jag var på di.se…)



  5. Sci-fi terrorists

    24 september 2009 by Adam

    I recently found an ancient issue of Wired Magazine. Before sending it to be reincarnated as newspaper I reread the article on the Aum Shinrikyo cult and the 1995 sarin gas attack in Tokyo.

    Apparently the cult was strongly influenced by Isaac Asimovs science fiction classic, the Foundation series in its view of the world.

    ”The Empire will vanish and all its good with it. Its accumulated knowledge will decay and the order it has imposed will vanish.” It could be Shoko Asahara talking. But it is Hari Seldon, a science fiction figure 10,000 years in the future. Seldon is the key character in the Foundation series – Isaac Asimov’s classic sci-fi epic – and he would give Murai and Aum their high-tech blueprint for the millennium and beyond.

    The Cult at the End of the World page 3

    This kind of reminds me of the discussion about whether Al-Qaeda is inspired by the same series of books. The main reason for this claim seems to be the fact that the name of the organisation can be translated into ”basis” or ”foundation”.

    A 2002 article in the Guardian sums up the debate well.

    On the surface, the most improbable explanation of the name is that Bin Laden was somehow inspired by [ … ] the world’s most prolific sci-fi novelist [ … ] But the deeper you dig, the more plausible it seems that al-Qaida’s founders may have borrowed some rhetoric from Foundation [ … ]

    War of the worlds

    The article also discusses other SF and Fantasy influences on terrorist organisations, which makes me wonder why there aren’t more groups that are inspred by William Gibson’s Panter Moderns. I guess that’s a good thing…

    Also see: immanentization of the eschaton