Fan culture's endless search for "content" is leading us into artistic poverty. by Colin Broadmoor The “hungry ghost” is a pitiable figure from the syncretic religious traditions of China and Vietnam. Originally a karmic mirror-punishment for materialism during life, today’s hungry ghosts

Reclaiming the radical possibilities of Cyberpunk. by Colin Broadmoor The future died in 1999. Ever since, we’ve been trapped in the eternal present—waiting for the other shoe to drop. For two decades, we’ve fought the same wars, watched the police murder the same

Dystopian sci-fi often worries about technology. It should really be focused on capital. by Stephen Friedrich In the opening credits of Quantic Dream's 2018 game Detroit: Become Human, a homeless man slouches, half-asleep, against a shopfront, at his feet a sign that

ZA/UM's detective RPG recalls the ruins of our own contested futures. by Bart Howe Martinese is a city in steady decline. A colonial outpost of a coalition of foreign states that take no responsibility for its development, beyond the protection of the

Jack Kirby's iconic villain struggles for relevance in a time bereft of scheming and subtlety. by Will Riley Darkseid, despotic ruler of the planet Apokalips and one-time “big bad” of the DC Universe, has a problem. And not just any problem, but

In 2016, the Dallas Police Department killed Micah Xavier Johnson using a bomb disposal robot and a block of C-4. He was the first—but almost certainly not the last—person to be killed by a police r

In 2016, the Dallas Police Department killed Micah Xavier Johnson using a bomb disposal robot and a block of C-4. He was the first—but almost certainly not the last—person to be killed by a police r

Lessons on remote revolution from the Aperture Science Enrichment Center by Louis Evans “This was a triumph. I’m making a note here, HUGE SUCCESS.” – GLaDOS on the events of Portal “I think we did a great job.” – Donald Trump on the response