I had a dream about Isaac Asimov recently. In this dream, Asimov spoke with a Russian accent, and he told me to go down into his cellar to get some soda. I opened the door, and a highly sophisticated hovering platform took me down into the massive Wal-mart style
warehouse the man kept under his ranch-style home. The dream quickly dissolved into tricycles that were much too small, and Asimov's adolescent children
(I think I may have watched The Adventures of Shark-boy and Lava-girl that night.)
An absolutely ludicrous experience with one of the greatest minds science fiction will ever know, and it makes me ponderous about my own mortality. Not whether I'll die nor how (I will, and it will involve a super-hero in some way), not even what waits beyond. After I die, long after I die, I'm hopeful to think that technology will evolve to the point that people will no longer even have to die. Parents will never have to tell their children about what happened to Scraps the Puppilicious Munch Dog. And what then?
What happens when people live forever? What are they capable of? I'm optimistic that the answer is everything. That time + life = everything.
Death is a major factor in all fiction, and science fiction is no exception. In every story this issue, there are deaths. Murders, mutinies, accidents and . . . well, let's just say you'll never look at apples the same way again. Kris Ashton tells a tale about God and the next level of human development. Lou Antonelli gives us a dark alternate history of the United States (no pun intended). Rena Sherwood delights us with a story about a big dog and his special nose. H. H. Morris gives us a tale reminiscent of the old day of science fiction (topless dancers included at no extra charge). We've also got a review of Bart Stewart's short story collection Tales of Real and Dream Worlds, as well as a review of Chuck Palahniuk's latest novel Rant. Our cartoon strip Schlock Mercenary comes to us courtesy of Howard Tayler.
News flash! The contest is still open to submissions! What's that stupid lottery slogan—you can't win if you don't play? Big cash prizes (if checks can be considered cash)!
News flash! Beginning in May, Atomjack's format will be changing! In order to more consisently bring you the best science fiction, Atomjack will be quarterly starting in May. The rate of pay will double and the number of stories per issue will increase!
Now get out there and read the best issue of Atomjack yet! Hyah! Hyah!
Adicus Ryan Garton, editor Cosmic
P.S. In lieu of payment, our artist for this issue Lynsey McCough opted to have her payment donated to a charity for a neurological disorder. I chose Rally 4 Autism. Join Lynsey and Atomjack in supporting the cause.
