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MONSTERS

In a typical skiffy story the               (Better SF, however tends
hero goes on adventures in                   to be about the transformation
strange places, encountering                 of humanity into some new state.
monsters of some sort.                       Clarke's _Childhood's End_.
                                             Blish's "Surface Tension".)
The story is often based on
the fear of becoming a
monster (e.g.  "Invasion of
the Body Snatchers").

The essence of cyberpunk as
written by Gibson and company         Molly with implanted      Sterling's
seems to be on the importance         mirrorshades and          _Schismatrix_
of becoming a monster.                blades in her fingers.    has a character
                                      A still better example:   who's chosen
The intentional transformation        "Johnny Mnemonic"         to be sealed
of yourself into something...                                   permanently
abnormal.                                                       into an exo-
                                                                skelleton.

The punk esthetic?  Piercing.                                   Also,
Tattoos.  Black leather.                                        "Spider Rose"

                                                                  MAGIC (?)





"The superhero is just the monster in bright light."
                        --- Fritz Leiber





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