Sunday, April 19, 2009

Interview in German SF/F magazine Phantastisch!

I was recently interviewed for a piece on Philip José Farmer and the Wold Newton Universe by writer Christian Endres for the German SF/F magazine Phantastisch! (no. 34, April 2009).

I'm sad to say I don't read German, although I can certainly follow along well enough to understand what Christian is discussing in a particular section or page.

Christian's article is entitled "Modern Myths," and, I am told by Rias Nuninga, is very comprehensive and well-written. It discusses both Phil's foundational Wold Newton Family concept, and the later expansion of the Wold Newton Universe by other writers, with Phil's blessing. There is even a foray into crossover territory, and a brief discussion on how comic-book superheroes might fit into the larger "Crossover Universe," (see Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World, when it comes out next year from MonkeyBrain books) and the limits thereon.

It's well-illustrated with cover scans of U.S. and foreign editions of many of Phil's books (the Riverworld series, The Other Log of Phileas Fogg, Tarzan Alive, Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life), as well as Myths for the Modern Age, and books by Jules Verne, H. Rider Haggard, Kim Newman, and Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

In addition, the mag itself has a glossy cover and is very professionally produced. My sincere thanks to Christian and the editorial staff at Phantastisch! for their efforts to bring Phil Farmer's work to a non-U.S. audience!

2 comments:

Matthew Baugh said...

That is really cool! If you ever get a translation, I'd love to see it.

Fascinating cover illustration BTW.

Win Scott Eckert said...

Very good illo, indeed.

I'm happy to send you scans, if you like. Not sure I'll be able to help get a translation anytime soon, though... :-(