Nonfiction

APEX MAGAZINE

Strange. Surreal. Shocking. Beautiful.

APEX MAGAZINE

Strange. Surreal. Shocking. Beautiful.

Essays and opinions relating to genre subjects

ByWen Spencer

a white mask with the words apex magazine on it.

So How Does It End?

Humans have always been fascinated with stories about the end of the world. Almost every culture and religion has some myth dealing with the death of Earth. The natural question that follows “Where did the world come from?” is “how does it die?”

ByJess Nevins

Women in Pre–1947 Chinese and Indian Horror Fiction and Film

From the beginning women have played a central role in horror fiction and film in India and China — not just as victims, but as protagonists, and even as villains.

ByDaniel José Older

Another World Waits: Towards an Anti-Oppressive SFF

A few years ago, someone in the publishing industry crossed out a line I wrote in a novel. I’m pretty good with taking criticism; I don’t usually get gooey over the words I write, even if the stories are close to my heart.

ByLynne M. Thomas

The SF/F Community: An Essay

There are days for us that the current fandom kerfuffle makes one want to, as in the words of Seanan McGuire, “ignite the biosphere.” It’s very easy to get frustrated and angry at the problems that crop up and want to retire from it all, almost always for very good reasons.

ByGary A. Braunbeck

First Intermission: The Day the Movies Came Knocking at My Door or “I’m Ready for My Close–up, Mr. DeMille!”

At some point in their careers, most writers indulge, however briefly, in the fantasy of selling one of their stories or novels to the movies or television. Nothing wrong with that. If you sell an option for a year, you…

ByDouglas Hulick

A Hammer with an Edge: Swords in Fantasy Literature

Back in my early days, when I was still discovering fantasy literature, Robert E. Howard was the first author I remember reading who used swords for something other than hewing down his protagonist’s foes.

ByDeborah Stanish

Fangirl Isn’t a Dirty Word

It’s not easy being a modern fan. We’re battling decades of institutionalized sexism, racism, and imperialism. We’re working on it. We may still be struggling with all of the —isms but we’re clawing our way toward second wave fandom, particularly when it comes to female fans sharing the dais.

ByTansy Rayner Roberts

Fantasy Art, Fishnets, and Red Sonja’s Chainmail Bikini

I have some complicated thoughts about fishnet tights. Specifically, I have some complicated thoughts about fantasy art, fishnets, and Red Sonja’s chainmail bikini.

BySarah Kuhn

Role for Damage

Let’s talk about Strong Female Characters. If you write or read (or watch or produce or edit or otherwise interface with) entertainment featuring lady protagonists, you have probably talked about those three little words quite a lot. Maybe you are talking about them right now, even.