And now it’s time to take a seat at the table for brunch with writer Michael Jan Friedman. We met up last month during Shore Leave, and headed off to the nearby Ashland Cafe, where we ate out on the patio. Luckily, it was a nice day for it, but even if it hadn’t been quite that nice, we’d still have chosen to remain outside in this time of COVID. We’re definitely not out of the woods yet, folks.

Michael’s written more than 70 books — around half of them set in the Star Trek universe. In 1992, he wrote Reunion, the first Star Trek: The Next Generation hardcover, which introduced the crew of the Stargazer, Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s first command. Friedman has also written for the Aliens, Predator, Wolf Man, Lois and Clark, DC Super Hero, Marvel Super Hero, and Wishbone licensed book universes. Eleven of his books, including Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Ghost Hunting (written with Syfy’s Ghost Hunters), have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. He’s also produced more than 200 comic book stories, including the Darkstars series from DC Comics, which he created with artist Larry Stroman, and the Outlaws limited series, which he created with artist Luke McDonnell. He also co-wrote the story for the second-season Star Trek: Voyager episode “Resistance,” which guest-starred Joel Grey.

We discussed the comic book he refused to trade for Fantastic Four #1 as a kid, how the X-Men might actually be a deconstructed Superman, whether it mattered the Marvel Universe was set in New York rather than DC’s series of fictional cities, why his two favorite superheroes are Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter, the lesson he took from an early encounter with Isaac Asimov, how he easily solved a stardate conflict which allowed him to keep Chekov in one of his Star Trek novels, what it was like helping Hulk Hogan write his autobiography, and much more.

Here’s how you can join us — (more…)

Chicon 8, the 80th World Science Fiction Convention, is just around the corner, and if you’d like to hear me pontificate while viewing the top half of my face — because the con has an excellent masking and vaccination policy, the only reason I’m willing to attend — here’s where you’ll be able to find me.

I’m on nine programming items this year. If you’ll be at Worldcon as well, I hope we’ll be able to interact during at least one of them.

Autographing
Thursday, September 1, 2022, 1:00 PM

Geek Pictionary!
Thursday, September 1, 2022, 4:00 PM, Grand Hall L
Come and draw your own conclusions with fellow nerds, geeks and SFFH fans as we get panelists to sketch selected prompts and the audience to decode what they’re trying to “say”! Does not require art talent, but panelists should be prepared to contribute prompts and be ready for an anything-goes atmosphere.
with Devo Spice, Joshua Palmatier, Polina Baron, and Randee Dawn

First Night Chicon Social
Thursday, September 1, 2022, 7:00 p.m., Wrigley
Whether you are new to Worldcon or a long-time attendee, come meet some new people. Say “hi”, share and learn useful con info and tips, and swap recommendations for visiting Chicago.
with Angeli Primlani and J. J. Styles

Living in a Zociety
Friday, September 2, 2022, 5:30 PM CDT, Crystal Ballroom A
The Walking Dead, Kingdom, Army of the Dead, Daybreak, and Anna and the Apocalypse are examples of zombie-populated societies. In such settings, the focus is more on the surviving humans and their fight for survival. But in order to succeed, survivors sometimes need to break social norms and do the unthinkable. Who are the real monsters? Humans or zombies?
with Daniel Kraus, Heshe Leontess, Kelly Robson, and Penelope Flynn

Understanding Podcast Production: Audio Recording
Saturday, September 3, 2022, 11:30 AM CDT, Grand Hall J
This panel will do a deep dive into the recording process, answering questions such as: What microphone do I need? How can I record if I don’t have a proper studio? Which online services help facilitate the scheduling and execution of the recording process? Our panelists will share their secrets and help you secure the highest quality audio with which to create your episodes.
with Bob J. Koester, Heath Miller, Peter Adrian Behravesh, and Ric Bretschneider

Finding Optimism and Comfort in Horror
Saturday, September 3, 2022, 5:30 PM CDT, Crystal Ballroom C
People read horror for all kinds of reasons. And while it might seem paradoxical, for some, horror fiction is a source of optimism and comfort. Where do these readings come from, and what are the writers and books that fit this niche?
with Tim Waggoner, Nino Cipri, Ruthanna Emrys, and Tananarive Due

Contextualizing Authorship
Sunday, September 4, 2022, 10:00 AM CDT, Randolph 2
The life and works of many SFF creators have been the subject of non-fiction works, from Julie Phillip’s James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon, Alec Nevala-Lee’s Astounding, and Abraham Riesman’s True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee, to the two recent Robert Heinlein biographies by Farah Mendlesohn and William Patterson Jr. How do these works help us contextualise the life and works of creators who are still celebrated today?
with Lorelei Esther, Abraham Riesman, and Alec Nevala-Lee

Podcast Genres: The Zine
Sunday, September 4, 2022, 1:00 PM CDT, Grand Hall L
One of the most common “flavors” of podcast is “the Zine”, centered around the discussion of news and information pertaining to a specific facet of contemporary culture. Whether it’s reviews, news, interviews, or how to’s, the Zine feeds the public’s curiosity on the podcast’s area of expertise. This panel will see some the top podcasters describing their unique format within the genre, offer suggestions for how best to frame informational podcast content, and showcase some of their favorite examples of Podcast Zines.
with Alan Bailey, Mary Anne Mohanraj, and Ric Bretschneider

Table Talk
Monday, September 5, 2022, 1:00 PM, Crystal Foyer
Chat with writer, editor, and podcaster Scott Edelman about his 110+ published short stories (and surviving the several thousand rejection slips he received while making those sales), his years working at Marvel Comics, his Eating the Fantastic podcast, and more.

Hope to bump into you there!