io9: cheesecake

Decorate Your Desktop with a Vulcan Pinup Hottie

Annalee Newitz — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:41:42 PDT

Artist Jesus Diaz has whipped up a lovely little present for your eyes this Friday: A sexy pinup of a Vulcan babe who looks a lot like Bette Page.

You may know Diaz's work from our sister site Gizmodo, where he contributes slick collages, goofy cartoonizations, and pulp photoshopperies. But this Bette Vulcan is his piece de resistance. And I have it on good authority that this is just one part of a bigger artwork that he's been doing in secret, at the behest of a certain studio that is releasing a certain awesome movie this spring.

Diaz has given io9 an exclusive series of desktop wallpaper images, in a variety of sizes. Grab one below, and gaze at the ultimate retro futurist cheesecake. The only thing that could make this better is a decontamination shower.

Thanks, Jesus!

New Barbarella Already Has Her Spaceship

Charlie Jane Anders — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:15:00 PDT

Stop listening to those rumors that Robert Rodriguez's Barbarella remake is failing to achieve escape velocity. Rose McGowan, who's set to step into Jane Fonda's go-go boots, says the movie is much further along than you realize. Not only is she signed up, but a lot of the pre-production work is done, including the costumes and a lot of the sets — including part of Barbarella's spaceship. "I've got part of a spaceship built for me!" she exults. (Dear readers: please send us pics of those sets. Thanks.) The only wrinkle: Barbarella wouldn't be able to finish shooting by June, when the actors' strike is supposed to start. Image by Z. Tomaszewski/WENN. [MTV Movies]

The Great Miss Universe Scandal of 2381

peril — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:40:12 PST

Behold Ed Emshwiller's magnificent cover for the February 1959 issue of Future Science Fiction. Yes, it gives away the ending of "You Do Something To Me," Calvin M. Knox's story of the "the white-skinned hideous horror from a distant world," but isn't it worth it? (Trivia moment: Calvin M. Knox is a pseudonym of Robert Silverberg.)

In the Faraway Tomorrow of 1975, All Women Will Be Babes

peril — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:40:01 PST

In 1955, Tempo magazine made some predictions for the faraway world of twenty years hence. Despite the mag's cheesecake cover (peek below fold for full effect), universal babedom was not among them, but here's a smattering of what "Your Life In 1975" did promise.

More leisure time! A 30-hour work week "will be standard."
More money! Experts estimated the "average family income will be about $12,000 annually."
Flying machines for everyone! You'll "commute to work in your own helicopter or in a 'helibus.'"
Electric cars! "Built in radar will prevent collisions and speed you to your destination."
Coeds ahoy! Everyone "will get a chance for higher education, regardless of ability to pay."

What did we really get in 1975? Gerry Ford, economic recession and The Captain and Tennille.