Geoff Johns
Best known for his DC Comics work on titles like Action Comics, Green Lantern, The Flash and Blackest Night, Johns is more than just the man who's single-handedly changed the publisher's fortunes in the comic book direct market: He's also a movie producer and writer, working on a movie with the people behind Robot Chicken (He's also written for the TV show) and part of the brain trust behind DC Entertainment's movie development team alongside Grant Morrison and Marv Wolfman. Not lacking in talent or ambition, he's already many comic fans' Master. How long before he wins everyone else over?

J. Michael Straczynzki
The onetime Babylon 5 creator already has a lot of Master qualities down: Huge fanbase, creation of/showrunning-upkeep of epic weekly television series, a surprising amount of power within Hollywood and geek credentials from comic book work that includes a longterm run on Marvel's Amazing Spider-Man. With future projects including the movie version of World War Z, a remake of Forbidden Planet and DC's relaunch of the Man of Steel, Superman: Earth One, expect JMS to become an even bigger name in our world. But is it enough to be our new Master?

Mark Millar
After dominating comics for the last decade with critic-proof hits like The Authority, The Ultimates and Civil War, Millar's mix of high-concept and big action did the same to movie audiences with 2008's Wanted adaptation. Mext May's independently-produced Kick Ass movie is already seeming like a blockbuster waiting to happen, and alongside new comic series Nemesis (already getting interest from movie producers) and Millar's first all-original movie project reportedly being announced at some point next year, expect to see Millar's star rise even further in 2010. But how high is Master high?

Roberto Orci/Alex Kurtzman
They wrote Star Trek, both Transformers movies, and co-created Fringe; there's not denying the success of the Kurtzman/Orci team over the last few years, making sci-fi mainstream without upsetting the genre faithful (too much). Besides continuing producing Fringe, they're working on adapting Whitley Streiber's 2012: The War For Souls, fantasy comic Atlantis Rising and working with the Iron Man dream team of Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. on Cowboys Vs. Aliens. Is that enough to win your hearts over forever?

Peter Jackson
Yes, The Lovely Bones may not have been a slamdunk for genre fans' interest, but don't think that Peter Jackson has abandoned you just yet. Along with his much-anticipated collaboration with Steven Spielberg and Steven Moffatt (The two movie motion-capture Tintin series), don't discount his producing return to Middle Earth with Guillermo del Toro's The Hobbit movies. Oh, and don't forget his Weta Digital effects house, continually raising the bar on what our eyes can be fooled into believing. Maybe Jackson is already our behind-the-scenes, puppet-Master.

Russell T Davies
You could try and argue that the success of Doctor Who has more to do with David Tennant's "long streak of nothing" (Thanks, Donna) looks and charm than the writing, but all we'd do is point you in the direction of Torchwood: Children of Earth to prove that showrunner Russell T Davies is able to come up with the goods all on his own when he has to (Also, he's the one who chose Tennant, so there's that, too). Not content with not only resurrecting the BBC's longrunning SF series but turning it into the most popular drama on British television and a successful franchise, Davies has relocated to Los Angeles and turned his attentions to American television. With the adulation and respect of many in the industry already his, will mainstream audiences follow?

JJ Abrams
Maybe I'm biased, but with stewardships of Alias, Lost and Fringe on television, as well as Mission: Impossible 3, Cloverfield and Star Trek in movies, JJ Abrams feels like he's already taken the title of New Master. All he needs now is to wheedle his way into comic books to complete the media triumvirate (And, no; that Wired issue doesn't count).

Joss Whedon
Were we too hasty to count Whedon out? Sure, Dollhouse crashed and burned at Fox, but it lasted a season longer than anyone expected and was full of interesting ideas even when the execution lacked. With The Cabin In The Woods, his horror movie with Drew Goddard, upcoming as well as a new Dr. Horrible web series expected, amid rumors that he'll move into even more online content creation, will Whedon 2.0 prove that television is over once and for all? It's be an impressive comeback and reinvention, but maybe that's what we should expect from a former Roseanne scriptwriter who made himself into a television and movie powerhouse who liked things shiny.

What do you think? Vote below and share your thoughts in the comments.

Original image by Neil Crosby.

For gallery-free viewing, click here.

Right now, SGU is on a break after its midseason finale two weeks ago, and leaving us all with a giant cliffhanger. The first season will pick back up in April. And now that Syfy has announced that they will be ordering another 20 episodes, the second season of SGU will take off in the fall of 2010.

Sanctuary has also been given another 20-episode order for its third season, thus keeping Friday nights happily full of new SF television.

But will SGU begin to treat its female characters better? There appears to be hope, judging from a new interview with Executive Producer Robert Cooper, who owned up to the fact that the women on SGU are completely underutilized and underdeveloped. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cooper addressed the show's female problem, and while he focused more on the sexualization of Stargate, we're happy he at least copped to keeping the women aboard Destiny in the back rows for far too long.

There's been criticism about the female characters. Some of it seems to suggest that having characters who are at all sexual automatically makes a show sexist, that anything less than a neutered "Star Trek" ideal is somehow bad.

Cooper: I think our female actors are playing strong female characters and they are proud of the characters they're playing. We didn't do a good enough job establishing them early on, it took too long for those traits to come to the forefront, and I think people are recognizing that in the later episodes. But that's the other big hot button — whether sex belongs in sci-fi. It's a huge deal with our fan base and I think its bizarre to ignore sex as a part of translating the human condition to fiction. If we're going to try and tell a more realistic character story we need to include those things.

Also, one comment, as a fan: a little bit of Kino-vision goes a long way.

Cooper: It's part of the language of TV now, that reality TV point-of-view that you're just sitting with those people and it helps bring reality to sci fi. I don't think we over-use it; I directed the Kino episode.

So hopefully merely realizing this problem means that they will make a conscience effort to tell us all who T.J. actually is, along with all the other background women aboard Destiny. So our final question, will you tune in for another season?

[THR]

This isn't a poll about which CGI creature looks the coolest - instead, we're aiming at which one felt the most like an actual character in the movie. In other words, which one made you forget you were watching CGI? Which stirred up your sympathy?

IGN's new clip shows a vicious chase scene from Avatar as Jake flees from a Thanator, the alien world's alien predator. It could recharge your enthusiasm for James Cameron's alien epic, a little bit — with its murky waters and muffled sound, it feels spectacularly real. What do you think? Vote below.

And here are a few new Avatar international posters.

Side A, Vampires:

Blade, Blood Club

Once Bitten, "Hands Off"

Fright Night, "Good Man In A Bad Time"

Love At First Bite, With The Original Track "I Love The Night Life"

Twilight Prom Dance Clip

The Hunger

Side B, Werewolves:

Werewolf Steppers: He Jumps over A Bear Trap!

Werewolves Dance - For more funny videos, click here

Werewolf Bar Mitzvah

Teen Wolf Dance

Teen Wolf Too "Shut Up And Dance"

Jettison book cover image from Jettisonsaga.com.

This poll is simple: Which of the TV shows, listed below, do you feel guiltiest for being behind on? Your answer should be one of the shows you've fallen way behind on — but only the one you feel the greatest remorse about. Remember: if that show gets cancelled, it's your fault.

Thanks to Bonnie from StarWars.com and Peter from Slashfilm for both suggesting Fire in the Sky. Vote on which movie listed below you think is the most scary, or suggest other ideas in comments.

In an interview with Hollywood.com Guttenberg opined:

It's definitely time for another Police Academy. And I think they could make another Cocoon. They're surefire hits and I think they're good for the world. They make the world a better place and that's what it's all about.

So let's consider all the franchises, TV shows and movies that still haven't been slated for a comeback. Which would destroy your mind the most if it got remade?

Nothing would make us happier than a return to zombie greatness like Dawn of The Dead and Night of the Living Dead. Sadly, it's been a hard road for this much-loved zombie director. Especially after his last flicks Diary of the Dead and the zombies-that-can-learn feature Land of the Dead. But we haven't lost hope yet, and this is the first trailer for his new film Survival of The Dead that has us really excited. But what do you think?

Yes, vampires. You knew they were coming, and here they are: Mainstream Culture's Favorite Super Creeps. But here's the question: Can a witch defeat a vampire? Which is quicker on the draw, the hypnotic gaze of a vamp or some kind of speedy spell to stake toothy nemeses? You'd think that years of watching Buffy would've given me an answer for this, but I'm turning to you for it instead. Don't let me down, people.

For those looking for clarification: This is a hypothetical generic vampire versus an equally hypothetical generic witch we're talking about here. Yes, Dracula would probably be able to defeat all but the most wizened witch because he's a particularly big and bad Big Bad, but what about Joe B. Vampire? We know the general vamp characteristics, but how useful is any of that against someone who can overrule the rules of reality with enough practice and preparation?

As with all the earlier polls, this one will be open until midnight PST tonight, and the winner will be named... and, perhaps, given a particularly fitting prize... tomorrow. Vote before you head out to your Halloween party of choice.

What was the pop culture moment when you said "no more" to the End Times?

Alan Ball revealed to TV Guide

"Somebody is going to bite the dust and it's going to be really good to see them get what they deserve," Ball says. The only clue the Blood boss would reveal is that "it's a person we'll be happy to see go."

So who should it be, now that my blood lust has been quenched with the death of Eggs I have to admit, one good turn deserves another, can we kill him again? If not can his death be at the beginning of all the "last week on True Blood" recaps? It would be better than vampire dirt sex.

But moving on, completely disregarding any book spoilers, let's wager who "gets it" next year....

Fall is officially in full effect, which means the big bad summer sci-fi season is over! Now, personally, I set my bar so impossibly high that no film could ever come close to pleasing me unless our lord and saviour Michael Bay himself were to direct it. But perhaps some of you plebs are able to enjoy lesser entertainment - though I fail to see how you can watch anything beyond those low brows of yours. So, now that we've had a little while to absorb and reflect the entertainment we've witnessed, what really was a disaster? So, enjoy a mini "clip-show" to refresh your memory and then vote on what was truly a disaster!


WATCHMEN:



DOLLHOUSE:



TERMINATOR SALVATION:



BSG FINALE:



STAR TREK:



X-MEN ORIGINS - WOLVERINE:



TRANSFORMERS-REVENGE OF THE FALLEN:



GI JOE:



SUMMER GLAU:



DISTRICT 9:



OTHER:



Now go vote... and argue!!!

I also want to use this change in format to bring a little news. For a while now, I've been trying to bring you the best Disaster I can with the time that I have when not busy with other ventures. But, in less than two weeks, I will be welcoming a tiny disaster of my own into the world. So between that and other "official" work that I've been involved in, I will be having far less time to put together a weekly "This is a Disaster". So I am going to take a short hiatus.

I will return, I would just rather promise future greatness than deliver regular mediocrity.


I'll still be lurking around here doing the odd 'shop when time and inspiration meet. But if you want to see what work I'm up too check out my blog. I have big plans for ROACH, so continue to check there periodically. And if you are curious what the fuck I'm going to do with a baby, I just started a new blog that I will do my best to keep up with so follow along there.

Thanks for all your interest so far and I will return before you notice I'm gone.

-Garrison Dean

Variety reports on the fact that Warehouse 13, the show that became the flagship for the "new" Syfy, was the most successful show ever to appear on the network, with viewership rising throughout the first season, and quotes VP of programming for channel Mark Stern as suggesting that it showcases the future direction for the network:

We're looking for new summer series for next year — for something that would be more along the lines of a more traditional genre piece... We're [also] looking at a potential latenight show, a potential single-camera show, possibly animation. I think that on some level, we're always going to maintain a sense of entertainment and not get too dour.

I have to admit; with Warehouse 13, Eureka and the brand new (and hit) Stargate Universe as flagships, I think that the network's looking healthier and more interesting than it has in a long time, despite skepticism about the rebranding. So much so, in fact, that I'm more willing to entertain the idea of a Syfy late night show. But am I alone? You tell me:

Okay so clearly we just had some fun with Nic Cage and Superman toys, but why stop with the Tim Burton movie? What if he was Cyborg Superman, or Zombie Superman... and so on. And while we're at it, what about these guys for the big red-and-blue blur? Just throwing it out there: Jon Hamm as Superman seems like a good idea:

But in all seriousness we want to know what you think about the original image, which we ran the other day. Real, or bad Photoshop job?

io9 movie pitch photoshopping by Julia Carusillo.

Of course there's always this: