Issue #45 Keith’s SciFi Musings August 13, 2023
Detroit is SciFi.
I bet I could make good money selling a T-shirt with that logo. File that away for enterprises to be investigated later.
In the meantime, it’s true. A month or so ago, I was sharing a table at a book show with a fellow science fiction writer and we were discussing that actual topic. I believe he was the one who mentioned it first as we sat there on a nice summer day, our books spread out on the table in front of us, waiting for customers. And we actually didn’t do too bad that day either.
But here’s the thing about what I think both of us meant when we made that observation; first of all, we’re dealing with the more flexible definition of science fiction, not the hard-core version insisted upon by those fans who refuse to acknowledge anything as true sci-fi unless the author has a masters degree in rocket science, chemistry, and Really Hard Physics from MIT. While I respect the desire to keep science in science fiction, I think there’s room to breathe a little bit and experiment with the boundaries.
But more importantly, what is meant by the observation that “Detroit Is SciFi” is that there is something about this city, about its very nature and existence, that becomes fertile ground for all sorts of imaginations to just run wild. There is enough sci-fi inspiration in Detroit to fuel an entire sub-genre. It is the sci-fi gift that keeps on giving, without even trying.
Here’s an example of what I mean, and this is just off the top of my head while I’m writing this. Detroit has had a problem with stray dogs for a while, although it doesn’t appear to be quite as bad as it used to be. I can remember about a decade ago when a pack of pit bulls just strolled right up our driveway and headed toward the backyard as if they had received an invitation.
But what if the day came when those dogs became organized? What if they made the decision to take over a section of the city where there was still an overabundance of abandoned homes? And then what if…
So you get the idea. And there’s so much more. Some of you may have read the real brief piece I did a few weeks back in This Week In Detroit SciFi where I considered the possibility of Dan Gilbert’s Hudson’s building construction downtown turning into a Tower of Babel so tall that God himself was asking how much it might cost to rent an apartment. And I’m thinking I might have to stretch that one out and really have some fun with it. Yep. I think I’m gonna do that.
Meanwhile, there’s so much more. Just blink real hard, then look around.
Keep looking…