Kickstarter for “Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling”

UpsideDown001 COMP2

Apex Book Company has launched a Kickstarter appeal to fund Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling.

Edited by Monica Valentinelli and Jaym Gates, the anthology’s concept “highlights the long-standing tradition of writers who tackle tired tropes or clichés prevalent in popular media and twist them to tell fresh and interesting stories.”

Each author in this collection has examined a specific trope or cliché that includes:

  • Chainmaille Bikini
  • The Magical Negro
  • The Super Soldier
  • The Chosen One
  • Guys Smash, Girls Shoot
  • Love at First Sight
  • Damsels in Distress
  • Heroine Loves a Bad Man
  • Yellow Peril
  • The Black Man Dies First
  • The Villain Had a Crappy Childhood
  • The City Planet
  • Prostitute with a Heart of Gold
  • The Singularity Will Cause the Apocalypse
  • First Period Panic
  • Girlfriend in the Refrigerator
  • Retired Pro’s “Last” Job

The anthology features cover art by award-winning artist Galen Dara, and includes speculative stories from Maurice Broaddus, Anton Strout, Shanna Germain, Sara Harvey, Delilah Dawson, John Hornor Jacobs, Rahul Kanakia, Alethea Kontis, Haralambi Markov, Sunil Patel, Kat Richardson, Nisi Shawl, Alyssa Wong, and many others.

The Kickstarter raised $2,596 of its $10,000 goal on the first day.

8 thoughts on “Kickstarter for “Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling”

  1. Oh I like the sound of this, but am a bit cautious. I don’t recognise either of the editors (big surprise there) nor many of the contributors (I think only 4 or so have immediate name recognition for me).

  2. snowcrash: I know Jaym Gates has done a number of projects, some written up in posts here on File 770.

  3. snowcrash: Oh I like the sound of this, but am a bit cautious. I don’t recognise either of the editors (big surprise there)

    Gates was SFWA Communications Director for several years (she’s only just now stepped down). I read her War Stories anthology and thought it was well done (thoughtful MilSF rather than the mindless pew-pew type), and I backed the Genius Loci Kickstarter but have not yet gotten around to reading what looks like a good anthology.

    I see several authors in that list who’ve been nominated for Hugos, Nebulas, Stokers, some lesser awards, and a PKD winner.

    I’m backing this one, too.

  4. I’m kind of on the fence. In some ways this seems like a thing I might like, but I’m always leery of stuff that was written only for the purpose of subverting a trope or otherwise making a point. It can get kind of sledgehammery with what it’s trying to do.

    Then again, the ebook’s only $5. That’s about as “might as well give it a try” as it gets.

  5. Pingback: AMAZING NEWS FROM FANDOM: 2/28/16 - Amazing Stories

  6. Pingback: Apex Publications Announces Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling | File 770

Comments are closed.