Last week, I explored two early plague-themed stories of the apocalypse in webcomic form. This week, we're once again going back in time to look at the very earliest tales of the end of the world, this time delving into tales in which the Earth reaches its expiration date. In this short comic, I trace these modern…

We're going to be seeing a glut of apocalyptic movies this year, even though audiences are starting to get weary of watching the world end. While Hollywood looks for new ways to blow up the Earth, I'll be taking a look back at how the apocalypse looked when science fiction was new. In a series of short comics, I'll be…

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein helped to launch the entire genre of science fiction, and shaped our dialogue about the ethics of science and artificial life. But it's also created a pop culture explosion that's lasted over a century, and continues full-tilt today. Franken-culture is here to stay, and it often gets mighty…

People use science fiction to illustrate philosophy all the time. From ethical quandaries to the very nature of existence, science fiction's most famous texts are tailor-made for exploring philosophical ideas. In fact, many college campuses now offer courses in the philosophy of science fiction.

When you think about pants-wettingly terrifying apocalyptic scenarios, the most horrifying might well be the worldwide plague. A deadly disease could spread around the planet at alarming speed, and kill most of the population before we even knew what was going on. Luckily, some of the best novels (and graphic novels)…

Noted writer Neal Stephenson has argued that contemporary science fiction is too focused on nihilism and apocalyptic scenarios. The current crop of such works, such as The Walking Dead, are compared rather unfavorably to the hopeful view of the future that was supposed to be common theme in the mid twentieth century.

There are always wonderful projects in need of crowdfunding, and we've rounded up some fun campaigns vying for your dollars: a children's book about the early adventures of Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace, a US stage tour for a Jurassic Park parody, some mathematically beautiful wall clocks, and an encyclopedia of our…

The summer of 1816 brought unseasonably cold temperatures to the Northeastern United States, Canada, and Europe. Damaged crops and impeded trade caused widespread famine, leading to skyrocketing food prices, and the deaths of thousands.

This month, many of us are trying to pound out a novel. The ultimate dream is to break into the publishing world with a debut that makes people sit up and take notice. And there's some good news on that front — some of science fiction and fantasy's most beloved writers have made a splash with their very first published …

Many science fiction books imagine strange new worlds — but only a few science fiction books have actually changed the world we live in. A few visionary authors have managed to make such an impression that they left the world a vastly different place.