PodCastle is the world’s first audio fantasy magazine. Weekly, we broadcast the best in fantasy short stories, running the gammut from heart-pounding sword and sorcery, to strange surrealist tales, to gritty urban fantasy, to the psychological depth of magical realism. Our podcast features authors including N.K. Jemisin, Peter S. Beagle, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Jim C. Hines, and Cat Rambo, among others. Terry Pratchett once wrote, “Fantasy is an exercise bicycle for the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can.” Tune in to PodCastle each Tuesday for our weekly tale, and spend the length of a morning commute giving your imagination a work out.
https://podcastle.org/
PodCastle 566, ARTEMIS RISING DOUBLE FEATURE: Starr Striker Should Remain Capitol City’s Resident Superhero, by Keisha Cole, 10th Grade Student; All the Fishes Singing
* Authors : Amanda Helms and Hester J. Rook
* Narrators : Maxine L. Moore and Nadia Niaz
* Host : Julian K. Jarboe
* Audio Producer : Peter Adrian Behravesh
* Artist : Yuumei
*
Discuss on Forums
“Starr Striker Should Remain Capitol City’s Resident Superhero, by Keisha Cole, 10th Grade Student” was originally published by Daily Science Fiction.
“All the Fishes, Singing” was originally published by Strangelet Journal.
“Starr Striker…” is rated PG-13, for giving zero fricks (3 F-bombs).
“All the Fishes, Singing” is rated PG-13, for cuts to skin and scales.
Starr Striker Should Remain Capitol City’s Resident Superhero, by Keisha Cole, 10th Grade Student
By Amanda Helms
Argument
Despite the call to ban Starr Striker from Capitol City for “attacking” Captain Thunder, she should remain our resident superhero.
Supports, Including a Minimum of Three Citations
She tweets cute baby octopus pictures every Thursday.
She loves dim sum and cardamom ice cream.
She’s kept her hair natural.
Even though shooting balls of plasma from your fingertips has to be hella painful, she fights for us anyway.
It’s important for young Black women such as myself to have positive Black female role models.
It’s important for all people to have positive Black female role models.
Starr doesn’t care that she’s been the most popular Halloween costume for Capitol City girls aged five to nine — plus some boys — for three years running, and each year she posts pictures of herself with mini Starr Strikers on Facebook and Twitter.
She has a reason for wearing those black stiletto boots that goes beyond looking hot, as when she pinned Magma Master’s hand to the ground with one (“These boots are made for stompin’,” www.superherovids.com).
She insisted on changing the name Doctor Corona gave her from Starr Struck to Starr Striker, saying she’s someone who acts, not someone who is acted upon (“About Starr,” www.starrstriker.com).
She resists the media’s demand that she remain beautiful at all times, as demonstrated in her interview with Capitol City Action News. When the cameraman offered her some powder, she said, “Dude, I’ve spent the last thirty minutes flying into a burning building, saving people. Yes, I’m going to have a shiny forehead.” (“Starr Striker interview.” Capitol City Action News!).
After her fight with Wyld Woman, she apologized about the destruction of the Capitol City Humane Society, promised to pay for its reconstruction, and adopted one of the displaced cats (“Episode 1093.” Capitol City News Hour).
Even that destruction is still just one-tenth the average of what Magma Master, Wyld Woman, and Starr’s former mentor Doctor Corona have caused (“Scourges or Saviors: Statistics on the Destruction Caused by Superpowered Individuals.” Capitol City Monthly).
When female staffers spoke up about being sexually harassed by Mayor White (“Women Accuse Mayor White of Sexual Harassment.