Big fan of Hanna-Barbera here: I especially love the old skool fare featuring ensemble casts such as Josie and the Pussycats; The Herculoids; Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?; The Banana Splits Adventure Hour; and, of course, Super Friends.
Ah, Super Friends. So much to adore in that show…!
One of its more charming highlights includes close-ups of characters staring ahead vacuously (perhaps dreaming of future, higher-budget productions) while poor Wonder Woman usually finds herself cross-eyed. (Note to self: Never visit an optometrist on Paradise Island.) And don’t get me started on why they continually endanger two ditsy teenagers and their dog, or how on earth a blue monkey continually saves the likes of Superman and the Batman.
Like I said, Super Friends is a Kryptonian gold mine of entertainment.
All jesting aside, the show did imprint the importance of teamwork and camaraderie upon me at an impressionable young age, and that’s a good thing. So it’s no wonder that since the inception of my science fiction romance blog, I took notice when certain visitors made repeat appearances, effectively transforming The Galaxy Express into an ersatz Hall of Justice headquarters.
Only this time, the members heeding the call to arms were superheroines of a different sort altogether . See what I mean after the jump.
And so, the Skiffy Rommer Brigade sprang into being.
Most are aspiring authors, but first and foremost they are all devoted fans of science fiction romance. They are bloggers united for a common purpose, “to fight injustice, to right that which is wrong” namely, the adulation and promotion of science fiction romance.
Why do they expend so much effort? Too often, bloggers view each other as competitors, but like the aforementioned Alex Toth blessed heroes, we’re bound together for a greater good—this being science fiction romance.
SFR books currently reside under a niche market umbrella. That aspect has its appeal but it also means that the sub-genre relies on the loyalty business model to remain viable. Fans of any niche market products knoweth of which I speaketh.
And if fans want their beloved art to continue, it helps to focus their super skills wherever they’re needed the most.
Who are these stalwart fans of science fiction romance? I gained access to the secret dossiers, and I’m revealing them here for your reading pleasure (and to stoke the blazing fires of my favorite sub-genre, natch).
Herewith, the members of the Skiffy Rommer Brigade to date:
Often the first on the scene, Lisa Paitz Spindler is Danger Gal, whose “stiletto heels are licensed weapons and she keeps ninja stars in her bra.” ‘Nuff said…except maybe, rowwrrr!
Laurie Green a.k.a The Worldbuilding Wonder has the ability to create fully functioning galaxies with a flick of her cosmic pen. She’s on a mission to put “ the science fiction back into science fiction romance.” In her downtime, you can hang out with Laurie at Spacefreighters’ Lounge.
The legendary Star Captains’ Daughter is Kimber An, the intrepid cosmonaut and staunch supporter of SFR. In her universe, “ hyperspace takes on a whole new meaning.”
Ella Drake is The Goddess. With her power to manipulate the fabric of time, she “draws on myth and folklore to create a modern or futuristic angle to old stories.”
Flying Whale Productions is commanded by Mfitz the Mysterious. Her specialty is an extrasensory vision that uncovers pockets of real world weirdness that writers can incorporate into their science fiction adventures.
Frances Writes is the abode of Frances Drake, otherwise known as The Whizard. The moniker is fitting given that she has “a mind like a steel sieve”! You’ll find all manner of wonders in her brain including “thoughts on writing, book reviews, astronomy, art, science fiction romance, pets, gardening, travel and living.”
Jace Scribbles is, of course, The Scribbler! With her support of SFR authors such as Susan Grant, she understands the power of words in the age of the ‘Net.
Susan Macatee is The Thespian. With her background as “a Civil War civilian reenactor with the 28th Pennsylvania Regiment based in Philadelphia,” she can whip up a good SFR tale faster than you can say, “Abraham Lincoln’s hat.”
Take It To The Stars is a spot frequented by Dawn Jackson, who goes out undercover as Watchwoman, the cyborg femme fatale super soldier who isn’t afraid of a little action—or a lotta love.
What Time Is It Again? is the fortress of Natalie Hatch, The Awesome Aussie. She has the power to beguile a person’s funny bone, which comes in especially handy whenever a villain threatens the Skiffy Rommer Brigade and all else has failed.
Now here’s your chance to join the roll call.
Do you hear the call of science fiction romance? Would you like a touch of interpersonal with your outer space? I know many uninitiated run when seeing the Romance label on a book. But I’m not talking about a bare-chested Fabio with a light saber here. Think more in line with Han & Leia’s relationship in Empire.
If that sounds like your cup of tea, come join up! We always remember that there’s no “I” in “team”…unless, uh, you’re on Bizarro World, and it am spelled “tiiim.”
Head on over here and add your voice to the cause!
