Boldy Going … forward. The range of Science Fiction content, from classics such as Clark and Asimov, to Space Operas and futurist expanses, and beyond.
Sonata of the Screen and Grid is an exposition on film and animation directors’ work and compositional comparison of the musicians and composers who scored them. For this piece we’ll look at the evolution of speculative fiction cinema scores and “Rise of the Synths”, dissecting their flirtation with cyberpunk style synthesizer riffs.
Dune is a legendary piece of science fiction. Much as Tolkien did for Lord of the Rings, Herbert created several new languages, adding richness to his fictional universe.
Join philosophy student and avid gamer Ben Steiz in his examination of the various ethics, world views and metaphysics encoded across much of pop culture. This will include both a broad survey and robust analysis of the numerous speculative fiction works and franchises.
A trained linguist and sci-fi/fantasy enthusiast guides us through an examination of the various languages and surrounding cultural effects of numerous ‘constructed’ societies throughout speculative fiction, from Dothraki to Klingon, with a side of Fus Roh Da!
While some of the 50-plus languages in the Star Wars universe exist only as fun-to-say phrases, others are impressively constructed with consistent phonology and syntax.
Having poured over the “who,” “what” and “why” of this endeavor, we shift focus inward a bit towards the training, recruitment, revision of process which comprise “how.”
An overview of otaku and gamer fandoms, their interrelations, and engagement with pop culture. From GamerGate to syncretic mythology, to the underlying social justice issues, this telescopic lens will be aimed through the prism of intersectional feminism that pulls no punches and takes no prisoners. From Amazons to Zelda, we’re going to get gritty with it.
Representation matters, and how People of Color are presented in speculative fiction and pop culture matters even more. Join a former Naval electrician, father, cosplayer and African-American public speaker as he delves deep. From pulp and comic-inspired blockbusters to the heights of sci-fi, we’ll examine the many ghoulish caricatures and celebrated victories along the way.
It’s about far more than merely the swords and sorcery that make up your favorite fictional universe. Join us for our inaugural look into the motives, tropes and ethics of various controversial speculative fictions, and the historic context of their presentation.
An editorial blog “behind the scenes” of The Unconventional. A look at the sweat, blood and tears, techniques and ethos behind this journey. The raison d’être, DNA and agenda of this intellectual Mecha.
