PO Box 656, Washington, DC 20044 - (202) 232-3141 - Issue #179 - Feb. 2005 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: http://www.lambdasf.org/ The LSF Book Discussion Group If you’re interested in lively discussions of F&SF books (with an emphasis on elements of interest to the LBGT community), we invite you to join the LSF Book Discussion Group. Each month, we conduct fascinating round- table discussions of works by significant Astounding Frank Kelly Freas Astounding F&SF authors. (Sept. 1954) (Oct. 1953) 1922 - 2005 The LSF Book Discussion Group generally meets on the 4th Frank Kelly Freas was a mem- Van Vogt, Poul Anderson, and Frederik Thursday of every month, starting at ber of First Fandom. The Encyclopedia Pohl and has won 11 Hugo Awards for 7:00 PM, at Peter & Rob’s home: 1425 “S” of Science Fiction named him “the most his work. He wrote and illustrated the St., NW -- for directions or more details, popular sf artist in the history of the following books: The Astounding call 202-483-6369. The next meeting will field.” He was also certainly one of the Fifties, Frank Kelly Freas: The Art of be held on Feb. 24th. Here’s the sche- most prolific, remaining an active artist Science Fiction, A Separate Star, and dule for the next couple of meetings: until just weeks before his death in Frank Kelly Freas: As He Sees It. Feb. 24th - Lust by Geoff Ryman; moder- January. Freas also created a large ator: Peter. Freas first entered the field of body of work outside the F&SF field. March 24th - Frankstein by Mary Shel- F&SF illustration in 1950; and in the During World War II, he painted ley (Yes, the classic!); moderator: TBA ensuing half century or so, he painted beautiful women on the noses of (Scott?). ΛΨΦ literally hundreds of covers (and bombers; and he painted portraits of interior illustrations) for 28 magazines – five hundred saints for the Franciscans. - Next LSF Meeting - including, most famously, his work for He was an official NASA mission artist Feb. 13th Astounding Science Fiction, as well as – his space posters hang in the Fantasy and Science Fiction, Planet Smithsonian Institution and in 2000 he The next Lambda Sci-Fi meeting Stories, and If – and for such book was elected a Fellow of the Interna- will be held at James Crutchfield’s apart- publishers as Ace, Gnome Press, DAW, tional Association of Astronomical ment (1414 17th St., NW, #413) on Sun- and Laser Books (their complete run of Artists. The Skylab I astronauts even day, February 13th. The business meet- 57 books), and for Mad Magazine. He commissioned him to design their crew ing will begin at 1:30 PM; and the social has illustrated the stories of such patch. meeting will begin at 2:00 PM. Please bring classic authors as Isaac Asimov, Frank Kelly Freas is survived some munchies or soft drinks, if you can. Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, A.E. by his second wife, fellow artist Laura. See you there! ΛΨΦ WHAT'S INSIDE? LSF Jan. 9 Meeting Minutes (pg. 2); Award Season Begins: The Philip K. Dick Award Finalists (pg. 2);The Phantom of the Opera (film review, pg. 3);Will Eisner (obituary, pg. 3);Steampunk Realities (Part 2) (book review - pg. 4);Annie Nominees Announced (pg. 5);Sapphire Nominees Announced (pg. 5);About Lambda Sci-Fi: DC Area Gaylaxians &Con Calendar (pg. 6) 1 ΛΨΦΛΨΦ by Nalo Hopkinson — a collection of Award Season Begins: ΛΨΦΛΨΦ F&SF stories by authors from various The Philip K. Dick LSF Jan. 9 Meeting Minutes “native peoples.” Award Finalists The next Pixar/Disney film minutes taken by Scott info passed along by Rob Gates (called Cars) doesn’t seem to look - - - - impressive. Michael reported on the recent www.comingsoon.net is a web- movie outing to see Phantom of the site that Peter uses to learn about Philip K. Dick Opera. According to attendees, the upcoming movies. He commented on actor who played the Phantom certainly Robots (a Dreamworks animated movie), photo by was not as hideous as the Phantom was Star Wars III, Batman Begins, Charlie David G. supposed to be. and the Chocolate Factory and, of Hartwell Kate Mulgrew (Captain Janeway course, the next “Harry Potter” movie. on Voyager) is portraying Katherine And then it was time for the Hepburn in a one-person play in Annual LSF Book Exchange! A good Baltimore. Everyone agreed that Kate time was had by all! Here’s who got what Mulgrew should be able to pull off from whom: Nominees for this year’s Philip Katherine Hepburn rather successfully. Randy received Jeff Ryman’s Lust from K. Dick Award – given annually for Electra opens next weekend. Peter. distinguished science fiction published The second season of Carnivale begins Scott received Johanna Sinisalo’s Troll in paperback original form in the United tonight (ShowTime). The 1st season of from Rob — and then passed it States – have been announced. First Carnivale is now available on DVD for along to Julian. prize and any special citations will be an outrageous price. Peter commented Peter received three DVD’s (Wizards, announced on March 25, 2005 at that all seven seasons of Star Trek: Next Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Norwescon 28 (Doubletree SeaTac Ho- Generation are available for about $500. Bubba Ho-tep) from Randy. tel, Seattle-Tacoma, Washington). Ben Browder, star of Farscape, Josh received a DVD with episodes from The finalists include a few joins the cast of Stargate: SG1. Claudia Flash Gordon (the 50’s TV names of interest for GLBT readers. The Black (also from Farscape) will also be series) and James Blish’s list here is presented in alphabetical appearing as a recurring character on Earthman Come Home from order, by title: Stargate. And Andromeda is reported Carl. Air, by Geoff Ryman as unwatchable and deserves to die. Fausto received three Sharlene Harris (St. Martin’s Griffin) Peter passed around items paperbacks (Club Dead, Dead Apocalypse Array, by Lyda Morehouse received at the LSF mail box — flyers for Until Dark, and Living Dead In (ROC) various cons around the globe and Dallas) from James. Banner of Souls, by Liz Williams Parsec (newsletter from a Pittsburgh sci- Michael M. got a pile of “Jules De (Bantam Spectra) fi group). Grandin” novels (by Seabury City of Pearl, by Karen Traviss Rob reminded everyone about Quinn) from (whom else?) (Eos) the Lord of the Rings movie marathon to Michael C. The Coyote Kings of the Space-Age be held at his & Peter’s house on Amazingly, Carl actually got a book that Bachelor Pad, by Minister Faust Saturday, January 22. See all three he had’t actually read before (Del Rey) extended versions of the LOTR movies in — David Gerrold’s The Man Life, by Gwyneth Jones one day, hopefully without getting Who Folded Himself, from (Aqueduct Press) bedsores from sitting so long. Doors Norman. Stable Strategies and Others, open at 10:00 AM. Michael C. received several C.J. Cherryh by Eileen Gunn Rob reminded everyone about novels (including Hammerfell) (Tachyon Publications) the upcoming books for the LSF Book from Julian. The Philip K. Dick Award is Discussion Group: Johanna Sinisalo’s James got the Disney animated Hercules sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Troll (January); February - Jeff Ryman’s from Fausto. Fiction Society; and the award ceremony Lust (February); Mary Shelley’s Fran- Rob received a Mystery Science Theater is sponsored by the NorthWest Science kenstein (March). (MST3K) video, plus a bonus Fiction Society. Last year’s winner was It was reported that Arthur C. “Betty Boop” video, from Scott. Altered Carbon, by Richard K. Morgan Clarke, who moved to Sri Lanka years Scott got Gore Vidal’s Smithsonian (Del Rey), with a special citation to back, was not harmed by the recent Institution from Josh. Dante’s Equation, by Jane Jensen (Del Asian tsunamis. Krista received Jeffrey Huntington’s YA Rey). Judges for this year’s award are Krista displayed her recent novel Sorceress of the Arthur Byron Cover, Karin Lowachee, acquisition, a short fiction anthology Nightwing from Michael C. Syne Mitchell, James Van Pelt, and called So Long Been Dreaming, edited ΛΨΦ Sherryl Vint (chair). ΛΨΦ 2 The Phantom of the Opera a short film review by Michael Marinelli Eisner's signature Eisner ad creation (Comicon 1999) Will Eisner 1917 - 2005 Will Eisner is recognized into the Army and used his skills to Gerard Butler, as the Phantom internationally as one of the giants in illustrate both educational and enter- I enjoyed the movie. The sta- the field of “sequential art,” a term he tainment training pieces. In 1945, he ging is good; the music and singing are coined for what we generally think of returned to civilian life and set back to good; but the casting is more than a bit as “comics.” Wizard magazine (May work on The Spirit. (According to DC off. This is because the actor playing the 2002) even named Eisner “the most in- Comics, at its height The Spirit ap- Phantom (Gerard Butler) is just too good fluential comic artist of all time.” His peared in 20 newspapers and reached looking! He has way more physical career spanned nearly seventy years five million readers every Sunday.) At charisma than the so-called hero of the and eight decades, beginning with the same time, Eisner created the play, Raul (Patrick Wilson). Even with contributions to Wow, What a Maga- American Visuals Corporation, under- the scars and make up – the half bald and zine! while still a teenager in 1936. In taking commercial art projects for P*S white hair – he still seems far too one interview, Michael Chabon noted Magazine (an Army periodical), RCA handsome to be the physically repulsive that Joe, one of the heroes of his novel Records, the Baltimore Colts, and New monster that the play made him out to be.