Rick Austin is a fiction author, pop culture writer, and lifelong geek born in Birmingham, England, now based in South Africa. He is the published author of Life Insurance of the Gods, a fantasy-parody novel available on Amazon, with a second novel, The Naturals, in the works.

Rick has been writing about film, television, and comics for most of his adult life, with a particular depth of knowledge in sci-fi cinema, DC Comics, cult horror, and the entire Star Trek universe. He has contributed fiction and analytical essays to Trek Mate — a long-running Star Trek fan community and podcast — including original short fiction set in the Trek universe and deep-dives into TNG, DS9, Voyager, and the original series. His writing is known for its wit, irreverence, and the kind of obsessive detail that only comes from someone who has genuinely watched everything twice.

At Fortress of Solitude, Rick specialises in the films and franchises that shaped modern geek culture — from RoboCop and Blade Runner to John Carpenter and the full history of Batman on screen. He also writes for anthologies and various websites, and is an avid cosplayer with a pair of TARDIS Converse sneakers that have probably seen more conventions than most.

Expertise: DC Comics · Sci-fi cinema · Star Trek · Cult horror · Pop culture history
Published: Life Insurance of the Gods (Amazon)
Also published at: Trek Mate