Alan Moore disavows V for Vendetta Movie

As reported by Comic Book Resources, noted writer Alan Moore sets the record straight on the movie adaptation of his graphic novel, V for Vendetta. I guess it was too much to ask when the producers spoke as if they had Moore's complete approval. Directors and producers of major movies rarely treat writers with any respect. Now the game becomes a question of how many changes are made, how the changes affect the story, and whether the political statements get toned down.

Zimbabwe Police Target Street Vendors

This has nothing to do with culture, but everything to do with liberty. I hope Robert Mugabe ends up in front of a firing squad at dawn for destroying a country. This latest crackdown shows yet again how a government has gone mad.

Can color the sky

A glimpse at the forthcoming Serenity comic books from Dark Horse Comics. Scroll down the page. Via Claire Wolfe. Additional info from Scifi.com. Comic books due out July 6.

New Victor Milan novel

Via Victor Milan's website some news about a new novel, Deathlands. It's a series adventure novel, published under a pseudonym, but might be of interest to any Milan fans out there.

Conversation with James Hogan

Discovered an audio interview with James P. Hogan called Voices in Your Head, at IT Conversations. The interview can be downloaded or streamed (MP3 and MSWin). The site includes several other audio programs and interviews and seems well-worth some additional browser time.

New Libertarian roots

Tom Knapp reports on his "Google Bomb" efforts to reclaim Sam Konkin III's origin and meaning of new libertarian from some so-called neo-libs. An old interview with Konkin (who dies in 2004) can be found here. His "New Libertarian Manifesto" used to be available online, but now seems to have 404'd.

RebelFire

Claire Wolfe and Aaron Zelman's new joint fictional effort appears interesting. Zelman collaborated on two novels with L. Neil Smith (The Mitzvah and Hope). Wolfe is more known for her non-fiction books. More info on Wolfe's blog.

Who celebrates libertarian fiction writers?

In Wendy McElroy's book review of Stephen Cox's recent Isabel Paterson biography, "Isabel Paterson and the Idea of America," she wonders:

Why has Paterson been so neglected? Or, more broadly, why did and does the libertarian movement — or radical individualism in general — not celebrate and embrace its fiction writers in the same manner as the Left? Upton Sinclair, Lillian Hellman, Max Eastman, John Steinbeck, Sinclair Lewis — these left-wing fiction writers were Paterson’s contemporaries. Like her, they had a dramatic impact on the culture and politics of their day. Unlike Paterson, they have claimed important niches in history, largely because of the attention of left-wing biographers and historians.

Well, one group of libertarians has celebrated libertarian fiction for almost 25 years - the Libertarian Futurist Society.

Laissez Faire Books vs. The Black Arrow

A firestorm ignites over at Sunni Maravillosa's site regarding Laissez Faire Books decision not to carry Vin Suprynowicz's novel, The Black Arrow. I have not read the book, so I cannot comment on the alleged "gratuitous vulgar sexual content" mentioned as the reason for not carrying the book. Nor am I as passionate about the book as some of its readers. I respect LFB's decision not to carry the book, and I also can understand the anger and outrage from the book's fans. For over 21 years I've supported and ordered books from Laissez Faire Books. I'll continue this, but LFB never has been the sole source for my books. Meanwhile, the book is available at the publisher (linked above) and Amazon.

Pippi Longstocking on the stage

Pippi Longstocking becomes a ballet. I read several of Astrid Lindgren's books as a child, and remember Pippi as a fun and strong character in several novels. It's amusing to read how she inspired fear in the establishment as an independent-minded child, and now is lauded as a hero of female liberation.

Politics at Cannes

Truth about movies and prizes at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Quoth director Gilles Jacob about Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, "it was a question of a satirical tract that was awarded a prize more for the political than cinematographic reasons, no matter what the jury said." Nah, really? And now we expect the jury to drop their politics this year? We are expected to believe that last year was an anolamy, perhaps brought about by the election year? I seriously doubt anything will change.

Libertarian SF

Short stories online by Paul Tietjens over at Doctrinity. Via Sunni Maravillosa.

John C. Wright Interview

Fantasybookspot has an interview with John C. Wright. Not sure of the date, although the preface mentions The Last Guardian of Everness, which the mention was nominated for the Prometheus Award "last month."

The Complete Robert A. Heinlein

Meisha Merlin goes all out for Heinlein, aiming to publish
The Definitive Collection of Robert A. Heinlein. The project consists of forty-six titles spanning Heinlein's entire career. I wonder if this has anything to do with the recent Vance Integral Edition, which published the definite Jack Vance? Via Reason Hit & Run via Boing Boing

Ishiguro Writes SF

A fascinating review from the New York Times of the new novel, Never Let Me Go, by noted Japanese writer Kazuo Ishiguro. Review forthcoming in the Summer issue of Prometheus, as the Spring issue was mailed to subscribers on April 5th.

2005 Prometheus Award Finalists

The Libertarian Futurist Society posted the finalists for best novel and hall of fame awards.

Apocalypse Nerd #1

Reason Magazine resident cartoonist, Peter Bagge, brings his own wacky art into a comic book, entitled Apocalypse Nerd. Serialized in six installments from Dark Horse Comics, Apocalypse Nerd also will feature a separate story on America's Founding Fathers.

Probability Broach: Graphic Novel update

Bighead Press announces that the graphic novel version of L. Neil Smith's The Probability Broach will ship at the end of November. Currently the book is set to ship only through Diamond and Laissez Faire Books. Books are due to arrive from the overseas printer on November 22nd.

Science Fiction Book Reviews

L.E. Modesitt libertarian novel? An sf thriller with interesting perspective on privacy, comments by the reviewer over at scifi.com:

Sometime in the 2100s came the Collapse, when America's 'Commonocracy' failed in chaos. Out of those ashes arose a new patchwork nation along what appear to me to be essentially libertarian lines: little government, free rein to businesses known as 'multis,' privacy laws that limit media snooping and a requirement that each individual citizen maintain his own security.

Discovering Firefly

Although I had heard of Firefly, it flared all too briefly on television for me to catch an episode. Thousands of more observant eyes did catch some shows, were impressed, rave and wrote reviews. One such review is Claire Wolfe's column on the show, which lasted a scant 14 episodes on Fox. Given the glut of reality TV, inane comedies, and multiple variations of lawyer,cop, and doctor shows, I am disappointed that I never saw Firefly. Still, there's always the DVD...