Fandom: Fantasy

Our assortment of commentary on tales from “Once upon a time” and the Edda-inspired works of Tolkien, to Avatar Korra’s Republic City and all points in between.

  • Authors of the Amorphous: Neil Gaiman

    Authors of the Amorphous: Neil Gaiman

    Navigating the Bleeding Edge: Gaiman’s works don’t smack you in the face and tell you they’re “weird and cool.” Instead, they show you their weirdness in a search for meaning. Don’t be surprised if you’re riveted to his works; if Gaiman finds something interesting enough to write about, chances are it’s fascinating, horrifying and breathtakingly…

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  • Genres Collide: Clashing Realities Don’t Play Fair
  • Authors of the Amorphous: John DeChancie
  • I Ain’t Your Barbie Girl

    I Ain’t Your Barbie Girl

    The lack of options for female character design can not only frustrate players but can also lead to unrealistic expectations for young people. Sexualization of female characters, impractical armor, and lack of options for avatars can turn off a large section of the gaming population and there is no reason for designers to not do…

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  • Evolution of Queerbaiting

    Evolution of Queerbaiting

    Welcome back to our post-millennial analysis of the current state of fandom. Today we’ll discuss queerbating. While we’ve come a long way since the time where “gay” was a dirty word, even today, pop culture carries unfortunate baggage regarding homosexuality, especially when it comes to women.

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  • The Night’s Watch, Warders and the Citadel
  • The Sandman, Part 2

    The Sandman, Part 2

    In this instance, we’ll explore how Gaiman revitalizes the roles of women and trans/queer characters (a segment of the comic book population which has been trampled by sexist expectations in the comic book medium previously). We will also explore how he resuscitates the roles of family identity (an age-old and worn-out theme in the hands…

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  • The Sandman, Part 1

    The Sandman, Part 1

    We owe one of the greatest sea changes in comic book history to the “British Invasion” of the 1980s and ’90s, from the likes of Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman. Watchmen and The Sandman ushered in a new era of comics as a legitimate storytelling medium, not just a shallow arena for tights-clad muscle men…

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  • The Mind of a Metahuman

    The Mind of a Metahuman

    What would be the psychological and sociocultural consequences of the emergence of a population of metahumans with a large and infinite variety of traits?

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  • Beyond the Stone Table: Aslan Before & After Martyrdom

    Beyond the Stone Table: Aslan Before & After Martyrdom

    In today’s An Algebra of Archons, we explore how C.S. Lewis’ world of Narnia is both inspired by and interwoven with Christianity, and how its symbolism merges with scientific doctrine, philosophical and ethical questions of morality—and unpack, what that all means in the context of its narrative.

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