Black Folks Don't Write Sci-Fi? I Guess Octavia Butler Missed That Memo & Now R.A. Baker Follows Suit!

Never let it be said that when an icon passes another one doesn't pick up the baton. Of course, I was referring to the preeminent African-American sci-fi writer, Octavia Butler who died in 2006 and the once empty void that she left behind. Thankfully, we have another science-fiction writer of color and of note that appears to be making the rounds-enter R. A. Baker. Check out the latest info on this up and coming scribe, courtesy of NewswireToday.com:

Black Author Brings New Voice to Science Fiction and Fantasy

NewswireToday - /newswire/ - Chester, VA, United States, 05/15/2008 - African American sci-fi/fantasy author R. A. Baker shares his views on the genre, and the future of black speculative fiction

With his detailed narrative, gripping plot, and compelling characters, African American author R. A. Baker is a fine newcomer to the literary playing field. However, there is one thing that sets Baker apart from most black writers: he writes science fiction. In 2008, R. A. Baker joined the ranks of black science fiction/fantasy writers like Charles Saunders, Steven Barnes, Octavia Butler, and Nalo Hopkinson, among others. They are part of a small, but growing group of writers, specializing in genres previously the exclusive domain of their white counterparts. It’s a trend poised to add a new perspective to fantasy and science fiction storytelling.

Baker, who wrote the sci-fi/fantasy novel, Rayna of Nightwind, says that he knew at an early age that he wanted to write sci-fi/fantasy. “I’ve always loved speculative fiction, which includes both sci-fi and fantasy,” he says. “It allows for so much creative freedom—it is the only kind of fiction I would ever want to write.”

With the commercial success of the Harry Potter novels, and movies like The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, there is little doubt of sci-fi and fantasy’s appeal. African American writers like Baker believe there is also a demand for a fresh approach to these popular genres. “I believe African Americans can bring a lot to the table and take speculative fiction in exciting directions it has never gone before,” he says.

Baker says he does not see himself as a pioneer, but simply as a member of a special, and often misunderstood group. “When I tell people I write sci-fi/fantasy, I sometimes get strange stares, like they are thinking to themselves, ‘black people don’t write sci-fi’,” he says. “It can be a little disheartening, but I know the best way to deal with attitudes like that, is to be as successful in my field as possible. In a way, it has made me a better writer, because I know I can never give up or stop writing. I would never want to give the naysayers that kind of satisfaction.”

Additionally, Baker points out that diversity should be sought in all areas. “If Tiger Woods had decided early in his career to abandon golf because it was uncommon for a black person to play that sport, we would have missed out on a phenomenal golf player, and a great role model,” he said. “I think it’s time we shattered some old stereotypes about black literature, and be open to explore different avenues”.

To aspiring African American sci-fi/fantasy authors, Baker offers the following advice: “There is a world of possibilities to explore, so explore it your way. When I wrote Rayna of Nightwind, I stayed true to my voice and my particular writing style. Don’t let preconceived notions about your race influence how you write, or what you write about—let your imagination decide.”

R. A. Baker is the author of "Rayna of Nightwind", the first novel in his new Taren series(published by Apollo House Press), which is available for purchase on Amazon.com

Time to Talk Shop Folks.......Comic Shoppe Radio that is! Join us on Mon at 7pm eastern!

Well first off, take a gander at the above clip-talk about in-house ingenuity! If I still had my nintendo, perhaps I would consider such a coffee table! Anyway, it's Comic Shoppe Radio time and I want you guys to feel free and join in the conversation with Max, Daryll and yours truly as we discuss over favorite graphic novel reads (one of mine-Life Sucks- A MUST READ!!) from last week and of course, the latest in comic book/sci-fi news. You know the deal, call in with your comments at-646-200-0104 or contact us via email/IM at thecomicshoppe@yahoo. And in the immortal words of Robocop-thank you for your support.


Comic Shoppe Radio's Week in Review

And as an additional treat, check out the latest from our colleagues in the world of comic book reviewdom, The Stack, courtesy of Pulp Secret:



And sticking with the comic/animation theme, check out a teaser of Fox Network's next project, The Cleveland Show:

You Know......This Sh*%t is Pretty Funny......Barack Does Def Jam!

I had to laugh...pretty cool dubbing and impersonation. And speaking of cool, Yves Rossy is the epitome of cool. Check out this latest video of his personal wing/flyer-the Wright Brothers and Leonardo Di Vinci would be proud.



Here's more info, courtesy of Coolest-Gadgets.com:

From the dawn of intellectual thought, man has been contemplating the idea of independent flight, soaring through the clouds, nothing between us and the earth’s surface. What if us humans had wings?

No doubt, airplanes were a huge step towards the independent flight of man, but in order to fly a plane, you have to be a licensed pilot, and who has the time and patience for all of that mess? A Swiss man named Yves Rossy has unveiled his personal flyer, a jet-powered set of wings which allows humans to act as airplanes, even performing plane stunts such as the figure eight.

48-year-old Rossy sprang into the air at 7,500-feet, jumping from the inside of a Pilatus Porter aircraft, with nothing but a pair of eight-feed wide wings standing between himself and the unforgiving Earth below. As Rossy’s free fall slowly evolved into a steady glide, four jet-turbines were ignited, accelerating the man to speeds of 186 miles per hour, or “about 65 miles per hour faster than the typical falling skydiver.”

“I still haven’t used the full potential,” Rossy told reporters, exclaiming his hope to one day use the wings for a fly through the Grand Canyon. He explains how there is almost no stress caused to the body while using the wings, how it’s almost like “riding a motorbike.” Though he still must wear a heat-resistant suit to protect him from the heat of the jet-engines, with the air temperature also assisting in cooling him down.

Rossy and his sponsors have poured about $285,000 and countless hours of labor into producing the personal flyer, and he won’t comment on how much the device might be if it were marketed to the public. Though one thing is for sure, thrill-seekers everywhere just got a glimpse of the future. Something to really look forward to.

And then there's more-Check out just how close we are to seeing a real life Iron Man armor!

We Cancelled Out Thursday to Recoup but Sunday We Talk Truth & Take No Prisoners-Afronerd Radio-Sun, 8pm eastern!

Please accept our apologies for Thursday's Afronerd Radio cancellation but we are working on some pretty interesting and noteworthy projects/interviews for the next few weeks, so unfortunately some broadcasts might not go on as scheduled. Here's a tidbit-don't forget to check us out next Sunday as we interview famed conservative author and media personality, Larry Elder regarding his latest literary effort, Stupid BlackMen. We are also scheduling a tete-a-tete with the inimitable Dr. Alvin Poussaint. So again, stay tuned! But we will be in rare form tomorrow as there are a number of issues that occurred this past week which are ripe for discussion. If you will move your eyes to the monitor above, you will notice a brewing controversy concerning a Mulligan's barkeep that insists on selling Obama as Curious George t-shirts for fun and profit. We will also put our analytical scalpels to use in dissecting a frightening video (below) that shows a Milwaukee bus driver involved in an unprovoked attack by a subhuman trying to get a rep (thanks
Gangstarr).



And lastly, we will chop it up regarding the Morehouse-white valedictorian controversy. Or better yet, should it be viewed as controversial as opposed to being historic. We'll leave that up to you. So join us and state your opinions this Sunday at 8pm eastern-give us a call "live" at 646-915-9620 or via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo. Be there and Be.....oh you know how it goes!

Afronerd Radio's Week in Review

Oh....and we may have to talk about this:

If Sean Bell Were Better Educated, Would He Still Be Alive? Studies Answer this Question in the Affirmative.

May be I'm taking this latest bit of news from a recent Washington Post piece too literally. Or maybe not. Again, this is not to disregard real cases of police misconduct but I'm also a believer of intense investigation and discernment. The Post article rather bluntly affirms that college educated Blacks showed the steepest decline in mortality rates in comparison to other groups. Here's an excerpt:

While there is growing hazard for poorly educated and presumably lower-income Americans, race in itself does not strongly predict health outcomes. The group with the steepest decline in premature deaths was college-educated African Americans.

White female high school dropouts had the greatest erosion in their health, with their mortality rate rising by a little more than 3 percent a year over the nine-year period. A greater number of accidents, heart attacks, and cases of emphysema and cancer were responsible for about half this increase.

White male high school dropouts also had an increase in their risk of dying prematurely rise, by about 1 percent a year. Increasing numbers of accidents, suicides and cancers were largely responsible.

White male high school dropouts were 4.4 times as likely to die prematurely as white male college graduates. For white women, mortality in dropouts was 3.8 times that of college graduates.

For African American males with college degrees, death rates fell dramatically -- an average of 6 percent a year over the nine-year period. Fewer deaths from heart disease, cancer and, especially, AIDS were the main reasons. For black women who had finished college, mortality fell about 3 percent a year, driven mostly by fewer strokes, heart attacks and cases of cancer.

The Post piece did not mention death by violence but I think education plays a role in avoiding some of the more pathological aspects of the stereotypical Black existence. Am I wrong on this...let's hear what you think. I'll be wearing Iron Man like armor to protect me from the expected barbs and criticisms. Oh and check out the article in its entirety for further clarification:

The Less the Education, the Higher the Risk of Dying Early

Rape Dat Ho Video Causes a Stir........Memphis We Have A Problem!

Unfortunately, I retrieved this clip from a site entitled, podblanc which espouses an obvious racist bent-but the video is making the rounds as further evidence of the degradation of our culture. As much as I detest tit for tat arguments in my quest to fight my instincts to promulgate tribal rebuttals, the Girls Gone Wild videos are exponentially worse...that's for the podblanc set. Nevertheless, the lack of supervision coupled with the students' lack of decency should not go away without due criticism and public admonishment. Check below for more on this story, courtesy of WREG.com:

School "Rape Dance" Video Posted on YouTube Shocks Parents


FAST FACTS:

* Video posted on YouTube.com causing concern among parents
* Clip called "Dancing Mitchell High School Memphis"
* Tape shows disturbing video labeled "Rape Dance"

tom.powell@wreg.com

(MEMPHIS 5/05/2008) -- A video posted on YouTube.com is causing a lot of concern among Memphis City School Parents.

The clip labeled, "Mitchell High School Memphis ... Rape Dat Ho," was posted last month. It was flagged as offensive then taken down, but not before News Channel 3 recorded the clip on tape.

The images are disturbing. They are graphic and hard to watch. It shows young men and women engaging in what one parent described as "sex with clothes on."

At least seven teenagers are seen on the tape engaged in dances simulating sex. Other students are seen and heard shouting, "Rape Dat Ho." The posted video lasts over a minute. There were no administrators or adult supervisors seen on the tape.

We communicated with the person who posted the video via email. "I'm sorry but I refuse to give any information about the video. The video was just for fun," the poster replied.

We know the video will get a strong reaction, and we want you to talk about it. We want to assure you, we're not going to just show the shocking video and then walk away. Our purpose is to show there is a problem, and then offer solutions.

We've already conducted a round table discussion with several women to discuss the underlying issues the tape exposes. The women offered interesting advice and concrete ideas about what can be done to curb this behavior in the future. You'll see that discussion in the coming days on News Channel 3.

We will also continue to ask the administration questions about what appears to be a break down in supervision.

A group of five administrators watched a copy of the video last week then offered a response. "We've had an opportunity to look at the video and just want to make it very clear that behavior that we saw on the tape is very disturbing," said MCS spokesperson Staci Franklin. "However, in just what we've seen today we cannot clearly identify that those are our students and that it is one of our schools."

News Channel 3 received a written request for a copy of the tape, and we will be providing that copy to the administration Tuesday.

"With further investigation, if we are able to identify any student that participated in this, it totally violates our student code of conduct and they will be disciplined accordingly," said Franklin.

Sometimes Critics Just Don't Understand........25 Worst Rappers according to Yahoo

Admittedly, this is a pretty innocuous topic but the subtext of the article still managed to raise my ire. While perusing Yahoo's 25 Worst rappers list, I noticed that the critic in question threw dirt on top of Will Smith. Thankfully, many of the article's respondents also felt that Smith should not have been put on such a list. Anyone that is a true hip hop aficionado is keenly aware that during the period that Smith was at the height of his rap career, the musical landscape (again as it relates to hip hop) was not vulgar-making him not an anomalous artist for the time. And truth be told, not only was Smith's lyrical ability respectable but he should be given credit for spearheading the hip hop industry's foray into mainstream cultural acceptance. But to be fair, let's take a look at what the list's author said:

And "Parents Just Don't Understand" was obviously a pretty "wacky" "rebellious" little number with all that clever rhyming! And Will Smith was certainly still "safe" enough to not inspire too much controversy. Which is exactly why he's a lousy rapper. And why Smith got out of there and into acting before everyone caught on.

So because Big Willy didn't represent a ghetto/criminal aesthetic (which again, really wasn't what hip hop or Smith was about, circa 1985), that somehow translates into inauthenticity and therefore, "lousy" rapping. Folks, this is what I was referring to by subtext-the matter of fact fashion that the media (and other entities) assume that true Black culture is always a controversial and rebellious existence. I would state that some of the rappers listed do belong there-but not Will Smith. But take a look at the list and I leave it up to our readership to come to their own conclusions:

The 25 Worst Rappers Of All-Time

Well Maybe He Just Had A Bad day........Or Maybe Not-Bill O'Reilly's Inside Edition Meltdown!

Usually I wouldn't highlight such internet drivel but in the wake of cyclical Rev. Wright footage submitted by Mr. O'Reilly, perhaps turnabout is fair play. It appears that this vintage Inside Edition clip (I would venture to say late 80s to mid 90s) shows a truly disturbed O'Reilly arguing about absolutely nothing. I would be the first to admit that I like the O'Reilly Factor even with its warts and flaws but despite this blog's conservative bent-I'm not going to excuse weird behavior. I will make one distinction-O'Reilly's blowup remained behind the scenes and was not commodified for public consumption. This is the problem with our current cultural/entertainment landscape, especially as it relates to people of color-our anger is exposed for profit spilling over into real life. Well have fun guys....let us know what you think.

Uh Oh...et tu Sue? Is there an epidemic for crass and unexpectedly bad behavior all of the sudden? This may be more of a local non-story but I would have never guessed that such verbiage would come from the mouth of a respected New York journalist as Sue Simmons. For those who are unfamiliar with Ms. Simmons, she is a long time anchor with NBC's New York affiliate news station. I actually was fortunate enough to meet and get an autograph from Simmons years ago and found her to be quite cordial. Perhaps it's something in the water...perhaps.

It's That Time Again, Check Out The Comic Shoppe at 7pm eastern!

What's up folks. As the title suggests, it's that time again-listen to Comic Shoppe Radio scheduled for 7pm (eastern) as Max, Daryll and yours truly discuss: Iron Man rules for the second week in a row-50 million dollar take, Speed Racer disappoints, ABC Family’s upcoming Middleman TV series and of course our favorite graphic novel reads from last week. So drop us a line, the call-in number is-646-200-0104 or contact us via email/IM-thecomicshoppe@yahoo. Be there and Be square…..true believers!

The Comic Shoppe's Week In Review

Happy Mother's Day!! And On That Note, Check Out Afronerd Radio Tonight at 8pm eastern!

We decided to scrap Thursday's broadcast due to our technical hurdles so let's cross our fingers for tonight's (8pm eastern) show. Pretend that you didn't hear Thursday's show as we will cover some of the issues from the last episode as well as discuss Mother's Day. But don't think that we will let go of some of the other topics that have come down the pipeline-case in point, Hillary Clinton's White voter shout out. There's also another allegation of police profiling-
from a Black high ranking policeman. So as Mr. Brown would say-Let's Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved by calling in with your comments/statements at-646-915-9620 or by email-afronerdradio@yahoo.

Afronerd Radio on Mother's Day

Oh and least we forget, we may devote a little bit of time to discuss
Souljah Girl. See you guys at 8pm!

Every Once In Awhile A Rapper Will Make A Modicum of Sense......Killer Mike Interview

I was trolling the streets of the ATL Heat blog (hat tip to them for this clip) when I came across the above Killer Mike interview. Please excuse the expletives but I was actually quite pleased with Mike's candor during this conversation. I readily admit that for the last few years I have slowly divested myself from hip hop culture. I exclusively listen to the classic hip hop artists and their more current alternative/progressive incarnations. I'm not a fan of Killer Mike's work, although as a pop culture critic I am aware of his presence. Perhaps I will take a closer look at Mike's music but in the interest of full disclosure-the minstrel aesthetic of commercial rap has turned me off to such a degree, I'm looking at classic and alternative rock for solace. Next up-tonight's Afronerd Radio's Mother's Day show!

One After Another Folks......Our Kids are becoming the Terrorists-Enter "Souljah Girl!"

This is my second post on this theme and unfortunately, it will probably not be my last. If you remember the phrase that I coined in the past-the unattractive truth.....this next story affirms my intent. Al Qaeda are not the only terrorists we have to worry about. I would like to introduce to you......Soulja Girl:

Courtesy of Livesteez.com:

Atlanta Police Issue Arrest Warrant for Viral Video's 'Soulja Girl'
Posted May 9, 2008

The young woman, now known as "Soulja Girl," who was seen threatening an elderly woman in a viral video this week has found herself in hot water with the law, as Atlanta Police have issued a warrant for the girl's arrest.

In the video, which was filmed on a public transporation train, the girl confronts the older woman with Soulja Boy lyrics and threatens to kill her.

Wanda Y. Dunham, the chief of police for Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), issued a statement requesting help in arresting the girl, according to AllHipHop.


“MARTA police were notified about this video last Friday and launched an immediate and aggressive investigation into the incident,” Dunham said in a statement. “The tipster also indicated the suspect has been known to ride Bus Route 22. MARTA police were able to positively identify the individual allegedly involved in this incident and have secured a warrant for her arrest.”

“We want to assure the public that this is an extremely isolated incident and that customer safety and security are our highest priorities,” Durham added. “We regret that any customer had to endure such harassment while using our system. I also wish the many citizens who witnessed this incident would have contacted the MARTA police so that we could have responded to this situation immediately. We are asking that anyone who witnessed this incident please come forward to provide additional first hand information, which may lead to additional charges against the suspect.”

MARTA police ask witnesses to help by calling the MARTA Police Detectives at (404) 848-4911.

Mr. Starks