Dead End, by Corey Brown

Cartoon of a mouse driving a skeletal, mousetrap-like race car with rainbow wheels and puffs of exhaust, a large face looming in the background

Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 24 (December 1999). Illustration: “Mouse Trap!” by Romeo Esparrago Sheriff Cyrus Johnson was suffering from a touch of indigestion the day the revolution arrived in Hammacksville. It whistled in on the one o'clock train, wearing a crisp black suit, top hat and silk checkered tie with a diamond pin … Continue reading Dead End, by Corey Brown →

I Think the Three-headed Dog Who Guards the Underworld Lurks in The Android Shop on The First Floor, by Kevin James Miller

Dense digital artwork of swirling biomechanical textures in blue, purple and brown, with a faint figure among the folds

Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 24 (December 1999). Illustration: “Dream” by g.k. Senthil Kumar A bit of bad luck led Godiva Bainbridge, shortly after her sixteenth birthday, to Edge City's Cory Hill shopping mall the day the mall's general manager went mad and held the mall and everybody in it hostage, in a pseudomythological … Continue reading I Think the Three-headed Dog Who Guards the Underworld Lurks in The Android Shop on The First Floor, by Kevin James Miller →

Traveler, by Kristen Comer

Neon-toned digital painting of a dark-faced woman with long pink-streaked hair and pink lips, with glowing lights and a faint second face in the dark background

Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 23 (September 1999). Illustration: “Ainalani” by Romeo Esparrago Her shallow eyes ached to view a worldWhere the crimson dew of binary sunsBled thinly over the horizon,Untainted by human breath,Unscathed by human thoughts and words.And winds which bore the scents of life,Alien and beautifulWere in her nostrils even beforeThe journey … Continue reading Traveler, by Kristen Comer →

Three Haiku, by Joyce Stenberg

Digital fractal image of a deep blue tunnel of zigzag ridges with a diagonal trail of glowing white-violet points

Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 23 (September 1999). Illustration: “3 Haikus” by Duncan Long Cyberspaced. Seekingsomething from somewhere beyondthe confines of space and time. Connectionto, yes, more than know and now;but One Eternal Yes. One who searchesfor searchers' and star seekers'cracked and waiting hearts Haikus copyright © 1999 by Joyce Stenberg Artwork "3 Haikus" … Continue reading Three Haiku, by Joyce Stenberg →

Silicon Warrior, by Hathno Paige

Digital painting of a chrome robot with a grinning skull-like face, glowing violet eyes and huge rounded shoulders

Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 23 (September 1999). Illustration: “Silicon Warrior” by Duncan Long Silicon WarriorDecked out in chromeGlints in the sunlightBefore charging the throne New model you wereCrafted with pridePharaoh's engineersSmiles beaming wide Designed for a purposePacify rogue slavesCrush them mercilesslyDig them out of their caves Rockets often firedGuns constantly blazedHumans laid out … Continue reading Silicon Warrior, by Hathno Paige →

De La Lune, by Diggs Sexton

Cartoon of a blue-skinned alien with antennae, round goggle eyes and an earring, wearing a green coat and pendant, against a grey patterned background

Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 23 (September 1999). Illustration: “De La Luna” by Andrew G. McCann Gaping eyes     consider dreaming.Blatant moon     requires seeing. Picture of the shadow,     a blind man's holiday.Soft light over dreamscape,     silent, the pixies play. Oh, shower of glittery dust,     doubt is left     as to what eyes trust. Things that meld into the night,     blur themselves     from one's sight. … Continue reading De La Lune, by Diggs Sexton →

Corythosaurus Ranch, by Andrew G. McCann

Painting of a brown-and-white spotted crested dinosaur (Corythosaurus) lying behind a fence like livestock, with farm silos behind

Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 23 (September 1999). Inspired by the artwork “Dino Farm” by Thomas Miller How now, brown dino?Plucked from the late CretaceousWho knew? Delicious! Haiku copyright © 1999 by Andrew G. McCann Inspired by the artwork "Dino Farm" copyright © 1999 by Thomas Miller ← Back to Planet Magazine No. 23 … Continue reading Corythosaurus Ranch, by Andrew G. McCann →

Y2K, by Christopher Clagg

Rough-textured digital collage: a big blue computer monitor showing a face, beside a crowd of figures, one in a cowboy hat, under giant watching faces

Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 23 (September 1999). Illustration: “Billenium” by Romeo Esparrago I am a writer; its what I do, write. And as the world slides closer to the year 2000, the fears and concerns that surround something as small and simple as a misunderstood date field in a computer get greatly magnified. … Continue reading Y2K, by Christopher Clagg →

The Silent Man, by Mike Oakwood

Digital painting of a grey-haired, grey-bearded man in a dark red robe raising one open hand, on a teal background

Originally published in Planet Magazine No. 23 (September 1999). Illustration: “Silent Man” by Duncan Long I can hear the chainsaws getting closer, rolling through the valley like a thundercloud of angry bees. Soon they will be here, and I will walk among them, sharing the land's pain. I mustered out of the army after the … Continue reading The Silent Man, by Mike Oakwood →