Something weird has happened in space. Cosmic rays? Mystic energy? No one is sure, and when the consequences finally arrive on Earth, they almost go unnoticed. Somewhere in America, the ants are not right. Suddenly, they are better organized, a single colony operating with ruthless efficiency and cold determination. As their natural predators flee, the ant population multiplies, and a pair of scientists are sent to investigate. There are a lot of killer insect movies. None of them are like Phase IV. I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. The only film directed by legendary designer Saul ..read more

American artist Manzel Bowman dreams of a future where African tradition spreads across the stars. In his work ancient mysticism and space-age technology collide creating new, psychedelic forms. Above: Kuuma’s Gate, 2016. Bowman takes clear inspiration from the aesthetics of the afrofuturist pioneers of the 1970s and 1980s; musicians like Miles Davis, Sun Ra, Parliament, and Afrika Bambaataa. In his work there is a similar ethos of collaging a proud vision of Black past and present with an optimistic future. The results are captivating – both exuberant and mysterious. Above: Eye of the Sun, 20 ..read more

Japanese artist Ikeuchi Hiroto has drawn global attention for his meticulously crafted cyberpunk pieces, transforming everyday objects such as smart phones and 3M masks into brilliant, wearable art. Heavy Neuromancer vibes. Not only does Ikeuchi’s work ride the bleeding-edge of cool, it can also be functional, utilizing VR and Bluetooth tech in a synthesis of style and utility. There are distinct echoes of William Gibson here, as well as the art of Otomo Katsuhiro and Shirō Masamune. Borrowing the cyberpunk aesthetics of these (and other) forerunners, Ikeuchi transcribes the printed word and 2 ..read more

Kieran’s crew: Leader: James T. Kirk (Star Trek; drafted 1st overall) Barrel-chested (corset assisted); solves problems with his fists; dramatic poise; ladies man. Engineer: Doc Brown (Back to the Future; drafted 3rd in category) Easily excitable; Libyan connections; sweet ride; gigawatts. Healer: Hannibal Chew (Blade Runner: drafted 3rd in category) Doesnt mind the cold; nice furs; best eyeballs in the business. Badass: Billy (Predator; drafted 4th in category) Native American; deep voice; embraces pain (possibly too much). Robot: ED-209 (Robocop; drafted 1st in category) Perfect for security ..read more

It’s now time to meet the motley crew of killers, priestesses, and malcontents drafted to ‘man’ the infamous Meatfucker. – Erik’s crew: Leader: Karl Sten (The Sten Adventures; drafted 3rd in category) Born and raised on the dangerous factory world of Vulcan and trained in covert ops, Karl Sten is no stranger to danger. Engineer: Chewbacca (Star Wars; drafted 1st in category) It’s not wise to upset a Wookiee. Healer: Pa’u Zotoh Zhaan (Farscape; drafted 1st in category) “Well, even among my people, I was something of an anarchist. Actually, I was the leading anarchist.“ Badass: Amos Bu ..read more

We’ve met CG’s crew and now it’s time to move on to the next group of rag-tag heroes. This is the badass team Ben has handpicked to protect the galaxy. Get ready. – My crew: Leader: Imperator Furiosa (Mad Max: Fury Road; drafted 4th in category) Resolute, righteous, and tough as nails, it is time for Furiosa to take her patriarchy-smashing leadership to the stars. Engineer: Shuri (Black Panther, Marvel Cinematic Universe; drafted 2nd in category) A brilliant inventor and endless source of sharp-tongued hilarity, Shuri keeps the ship running and the banter flowing. Healer: Baby Yoda (The Mandal ..read more

It is a time of deep malaise in the galaxy. Forced into lockdown by the insiduous COVID-19, Sci-Fi-O-Rama’s editorial team searches desperately for inspiration. When a fantasy draft is proposed, our intrepid band leaps quickly into action. The goal? To assemble SciFi’s ultimate crew. 8 categories are proprosed: Leaders, Engineers, Doctors/Healers, Badasses, Robots, Aliens, Wild Card, and Ships. A random number generator is utilized to assign the draft order. Each team member was given free reign to select characters from any SF universe. Nothing was off-limits. No holds were barred. The result ..read more

In 2018, Sci-Fi-O-Rama entered strange new waters as a fledgling fiction publisher. With a generous commitment from Toronto writer CG Inglis, we had the opportunity to run the exceptional “A Colour Like Orange” as a twelve-part serial over more than a year. The project was a great success; the stories layered into an exciting, mysterious world of great depth, and a core of dedicated readers were transfixed. We are excited to now announce for both those veteran readers and newcomers to CG Inglis’ work the launch of “A Colour Like Orange” as a consolidated eBook! CG has re-edited all twelve stor ..read more

This acidic fairytale is dripping in style and delivers a banging synth soundtrack.  — By this point, The Little Mermaid has been done to death. Once Disney gets its claws into something, good luck trying to breathe any new life into it (RIP Star Wars). But a resurrection is exactly what Polish director Agnieszka Smoczynska achieves in her brilliant 2015 retelling: fresh, stylish, and seething with feminine energy, The Lure is a musical fairytale unlike any other. Gold (Michalina Olszanska) and Silver (Marta Mazurek) are a pair of carnivorous mermaids harboring dreams of stardom. When a g ..read more

Sci-Fi-O-Rama is pleased to bring you an interview with San Francisco artist Eric Joyner, a master illustrator and painter who gives us a window into the enigmatic lives of robots and donuts. Above: The Final Blow, 2003 Q: Can you tell us about your creative background and path to becoming an artist? EJ: I started drawing in kindergarten, then painting in watercolors around age 15. Exposure to museums in San Francisco, at a young age, had a big impression on me. My 4th grade art teacher was very desirous of me to pursue art and was interested in what I was doing. Once ..read more