Sci-Fi Week!

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I am very excited about T-CON and all the science-fiction-themed events being held this weekend and beyond. I love anything sci-fi related, and today's lineup looks great. Please check out the activities schedule on there.com for exact times. This evening on July 29th, I am hosting a watch party for a classic episode of The Twilight Zone.




“Death Ship” follows the crew of the E‑89 as they survey distant worlds for possible colonization. When they detect a mysterious metallic glint on a barren planet, they land to investigate — only to find something impossible waiting for them.

The discovery forces the men to confront unsettling questions about what is real, what is imagined, and how far the human mind will go to avoid an unbearable truth. The episode builds tension through psychological unease rather than action, making it one of Richard Matheson’s more introspective Twilight Zone scripts.

✍️ Richard Matheson — Brief Career Overview

Richard Matheson (1926–2013) was one of America’s most influential writers of science fiction, horror, and fantasy, known for blending the supernatural with everyday life in ways that felt intimate and unsettling.

  • Breakthrough: His early short story Born of Man and Woman (1950) established him as a bold new voice in speculative fiction.

  • Major novels: I Am Legend (1954), The Shrinking Man (1956), A Stir of Echoes (1958), Hell House (1971), What Dreams May Come (1978), Bid Time Return (1975). Many were adapted into major films.

  • Television work: Matheson wrote 16 episodes of The Twilight Zone, including classics like Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, Little Girl Lost, and Steel.

  • Screenwriting: He adapted his short story Duel into the screenplay for Steven Spielberg’s breakthrough 1971 TV film.

  • Style & influence: Matheson revolutionized supernatural fiction by placing extraordinary events in ordinary settings, often exploring identity, fear, and the fragility of reality.

  • Awards: World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement, and induction into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.



ALIENS: BONUS FEATURES






At the opening ceremonies for T-Con, I voted for the best science-fiction movies from the 1960s to the 2000s. Here are my picks and personal opinions...

1960s- Planet of the Apes

I saw this one on television in the 1970s and loved it. Great story written by Rod Serling, and the costumes were nominated for an Academy Award. Probably deserved at least one Oscar. Epic ending that still has the power to shock!

1970s- Star Wars

I was a little kid when I saw this movie in the theater with my father, older sister, and brother in 1977. An amazing experience that inspired at least 5 years of collecting action figures, X-wings, TIE fighters, and even a toy Death Star with a trash compactor! I also remember having a huge crush on Princess Leia at the time.

1980s- Aliens

A perfect sequel to Alien, the 1979 film directed by Ridley Scott. This film has everything -- solid acting, a great performance by Sigourney Weaver, as well as outstanding visual effects. I also saw this one in a movie theater, and Aliens just barely nudges out The Empire Strikes Back for 1st place in my rankings.

1990s- Jurassic Park

I watched Jurassic Park with some friends in 1992 at a theater in Japan. Groundbreaking visual effects for the time, and I remember a kid bursting into tears in the theater during that scary T-Rex scene. I had also read the book prior to seeing the film; Michael Crichton's novel is much scarier than the movie, in my opinion.

2000s- Avatar

I liked this movie but did not love it, to be honest. The hype for Avatar was overwhelming, and I did not find the computer-generated Na'vi humanoids as convincing as any characters in Planet of the Apes. That being said, the world building in Avatar was very impressive, and I enjoyed the sequel even more.




I would also like to wish a happy belated birthday to Francis_7! Our resident pop-culture guru has entertained us over the years with so many trivia nights, movies, discussions, and themed events. He is always quick to welcome newbies to our world, and I greatly appreciated his assistance with my Die-Hard event last Christmas. Check out Francis_7's essay on his past year in there if you have not read it yet.

For true-crime fans, I recently released Net Sleuths Newsletter 18 -- scroll down to link at the bottom of the page.


Francis_7: My Year in There



Props to Dallas_7 for this cool birthday poster!




Link to Net Sleuths Newsletter 18






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