Translated from the tl;dr
Joss Whedon is writing a Buffy comic that continues the story post-‘Chosen.’
Lost’s first tie-in novel
The book will be the product of Gary Troup, a passenger of Oceanic Flight 815 who didn’t survive the crash, but mailed off his book to ABC’s sister company Hyperion Books just days before the flight. The character (via, we assume, a copy of his manuscript or other belongings) will be written into the on-screen story this spring. The real author will be an unnamed “well-known” mystery writer.
Gaiman and Whedon, together at last (for an interview)
Neil Gaiman and Joss Whedon, via Time magazine. (Thanks to Christy on the list for the link.)
Tolkien and Lewis… friends and rivals?
The Scotsman has a fascinating article on the friendship between two of Britain’s most beloved literary figures.
CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien were the closest of friends, one struggling to make his fantasy world of Middle Earth a literary reality, the other trying to convince friends his first book about Narnia deserved to be published.
But new research has revealed that their friendship was riven by the most bitter and personal of rows on everything from literature to religion and even their choice of spouse.
The fascinating revelations about their real relationship have been made by film-maker Norman Stone while researching a new drama-documentary on the life of Lewis. Stone, who made the award-winning movie about Lewis, Shadowlands, talked to mutual friends of the literary pair as well as examining documents in minute detail.
The drama-documentary is scheduled to air on the Hallmark Channel in the US this December. The BBC is hoping to air it at the same time.
Open Thread: Fall Book Releases
I was at the bookstore today, and noticed two of fall’s big fantasy releases are already out: Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys and Robin Hobb’s Shaman’s Crossing. Coming out next Tuesday is Gregory Maguire’s Son of a Witch and the latest SW novel.
Also coming out soon is George R. R. Martin’s long-awaited A Feast for Crows, and – surprise! – yet another Wheel of Time book from Robert Jordan.
Star Wars aside, what fall releases are you most looking forward to?
Spider-Man eats brains
Or so I would assume – Zombies are so hot that even Marvel is getting into the action with Marvel Zombies #1. Just in time for… Christmas? I guess there’s no bad time for the undead.
Punk Rock Potters
MTV interviews Harry and the Potters:
With song titles like “The Foil (Malfoy)” and “Voldemort Can’t Stop the Rock,” 18-year-old Joe and 26-year-old Paul have watched in stunned amazement as their “goofy” idea has turned into a full-fledged, touring band. Strumming their guitars and belting out lyrics like “Draco Malfoy, what’s your problem?/ All your friends think you’re rad/ ‘Cause you treat me so bad,” the DeGeorge brothers have combined broomsticks with Blink-182. And the outfits help too.
That’s it, CJrs: we totally have to revive The Dead Daalas.
The wizard gene
Geneticists in Scotland are exploreing a Darwinian explanation of the Harry Potter’s inheritance of magical abilities, with an eye towards teaching children about genetics.
It’s not wise to upset a Potterhead…
SF Gate critic David Kipen gets some rather radical feedback over his less-than-positive review of Half-Blood Prince. It prompts some explanation of reviewing myths that are more than worth the click-through.