Another month, another flurry of excitement in the mailroom…
First cab off the rank surely has to be this missive, from affespopela of Turkey, who asks, quite simply:
what is better, yahoo or google?
Either this is the weirdest spam we’ve ever seen (it’s not as though Yahoo! Or Google need the grassroots advertising), or it’s a genuine seeking of our opinion. Perhaps s/he’s taking a poll? In any case, we’re sorry, but that would be like choosing what is better out of peanut or plain M&M’s… both are equally good upon the correct occasion.
Hope that helps!
Now, onto things more Geek Speaky as we turn our attention to the aptly-named Mark Short, who sends us this greeting:
Hi and good job.
Thanks, Mark! Hi back. And... er... good job to you, too.
Lorraine, of Ontario, Canada, blessedly waxes slightly more lyrical:
One year of Geek Speak!!! I only discovered you a month or so ago and haven’t really headed into the back catalogue yet, so had no idea I was so far behind the times. I look forward to catching up one day. Would you maybe consider releasing your magazine in a Kindle format to make it easier? Thanks and congrats.
Oh, we’re considering it, Lorraine, believe you us. Also, welcome to Geek Speak and thanks so much for writing in. We love that in a new reader!
Another new reader making himself (or herself) known to us this month is the enigmatically named Ser -- a George R. R. Martin fan, we suspect -- who writes:
Read the Geek Speak Recommendations and have just called my Mom to ask her to find my old Prydain books. Damn I loved that series, though not the movie of the Black Cauldron, what were they thinking? Found the review right on, too, and the recs for Futurama, The Guild and Fringe were right on, too. Also need to find me this MST3K thing. Nice site, I’ll be back.
We’re so delighted to hear that, Ser, and thanks for the kind words! (And yep. Prydain rocks in many and varied ways. Disney's The Black Cauldron? Not so much.)
Taking exception to our Top 13… Geek Speak Recommendations from last month, however, comes this, from the simply-styled Ed:
HOW, I demand of you, could you have SANCTUARY not even on your list but in the honourable mentions and have the powerpuff girls at number 9??? You people are crazy. Good call on Sarah Connor, MST3K and Scott Pilgrim, though.
Well, Ed, this was a list decided by committee, with the entirety of our crack Geek Speak staff asked to vote. PPG won out over Helen Magnus hotness largely because a goodly number of our staff have never had the pleasure of seeing her in action. But never fear, our tireless reviewer/enthusiast Geonn Cannon continues to carry the flag for AT fans everywhere down our halls, and there are even a small but growing number of us who know to come to proper attention when he does.
For more Sanctuary content, stay tuned!
Over in a different anniversary piece entirely, Luc from Belgium had this to say about our In Memoriam tribute article:
What a very nice saying of goodbyes to “geek” greatnesses, especially farewell to Talbot of True Blood and to Lost.
Also on In Memoriam, this from TJ Burnside Clapp:
I enjoyed the "In Memoriam" feature in this issue very much. I was familiar with many of the names, but I also appreciated learning about those with whom I was not familiar. Lovely tributes, all. I can't believe that you left Aral Vorkosigan off the list of late fictional characters, however! The last chapter of Lois McMaster Bujold's 2010 novel "Cryoburn" was one of the most heartbreaking and beautiful things I've read in my life of reading SF. I'm getting teary just typing this to you, as a matter of fact. RIP, Count Vorkosigan. You'll always be a hero to me.
Keep up the good work. I love the magazine.
Thank you so much, TJ, and oh, we know! CryoBurn knocked more than one of us for a loop, too.
As for Aral's lack of inclusion, Kate -- our resident Vorkosigan expert -- explains succinctly:
The book's still new and the author Does. Not. Like. Spoilers. (Which Kate learned the hard way…)
It occurs to us now that we didn't eulogize the Liaden Universe’s Aelliana Caylon either, but considering she’s been dead in later books for years (and, also, lives on as a ghost consciousness inside her lifemate’s head) we’re gonna call that a wash.
And finally (speaking, as we were, of the death of genre icons) Shanda Robertson sent in this for our consideration:
Congratulations on your first year! I enjoy reading your e-zine and I'm tickled that it was inspired by your EIC's pure loathing of SGU. I had similar feelings, but didn't channel them into such productive ends.
Having recently learned of the passing of Elizabeth Sladen aka Sarah Jane Smith might I suggest a feature on the Doctor's companions published in her honor?
We love it, Shanda; in fact, you read our minds. Sarah Jane remains a big favorite around these parts, and it would be very remiss of us indeed not to pay tribute in some way. See you next month for all things Doctor-y…
Indeed, see you all next month! We thank you, as always, for your continued support (and subscriptions!), and are very excited to kick off Year Two.
Happy Easter and such!
-- The Geek Speak Staff