I have always resisted doing a mailbag feature on Airlock Alpha only because everyone within arm's reach of a blog has one, and because no one can top Michael Ausiello's famous Q&As.

But to be honest, it was kind of hard to resist using "AlphaMail" as the name for such a feature. So here it is, the new twice-monthly column that can only add to my already heavy workload.

Hopefully I'll be informative. If not, maybe I'll at least be entertaining. Nothing else, it's taking up space on the server, so it has to make someone happy.

So here it is, the first edition of AlphaMail. If you have a question or comment you would like to be considered in the next installment, just send an e-mail with "AlphaMail" in the subject line to me at mhinman@airlockalpha.com. Please include where you;re from.

I just read your article on Airlock Alpha on sci-fi conventions dying. It was a great article, and I have had similar experiences in the last couple of years of going to conventions.

I am by no means an expert, but I have gone to Dragon*Con the past several years and have gone to Harry Potter conventions across the county. I was interested in what you think might help these conventions going into the future. I have often thought it would be great to help organize one of these unique events, but it seems you have to marry into the group of people running them if you want a job. -- Jeff

I've never been one to attend too many conventions. Yes, I go to Comic-Con in San Diego every year, and I enjoy going to smaller conventions around where I live like Oasis in Orlando and Necronomicon in St. Petersburg. But outside of that, I just feel many conventions have lost what fans really need, especially in this economy -- the best value for their dollar.

Too many conventions overload the docket with guests, or choose people that probably haven't stepped in front of a camera since Nixon was president. Then, you're asked to pay a premium to sit in the front rows, but you are still so far away from the stage because you happen to be at the end of the row, you wonder why you paid extra in the first place.

I have some of my own ideas for what I would like in a convention, and maybe when the economy improves, I might share that with someone who has the means to execute the ideas, or I might even try for it myself.

But yeah, the best conventions are ones where people leave at the end and felt that it was money well spent, and not wishing they could get the weekend back. Do more of those, and I think conventions will have a very long life.

I would be interested in knowing how "Defying Gravity" is doing ratings-wise. It is an absolutely riveting show, and I have really been enjoying it, which usually means the program is doomed. -- David from Dallas

Well, you just had to jinx it, didn't you?

Unfortunately, "Defying Gravity" hasn't had the most amazing audience for ABC, but we have to remember, it is a summer show, and the network isn't footing the entire production bill, so it doesn't have the same ratings threshold as other shows have.

At the same time, ABC did pull the show off its current schedule, blaming the sudden arrival of the fall season, as if they didn't know it would come this year. The network says it's committed to finding a new home for the show, and maybe they will.

But I wouldn't hold your breath.

I've read online that "Caprica" is being canceled. What happened, and why didn't Syfy give the show a chance? -- Carol from Idaho

As far as I know, Syfy is giving "Caprica" a chance. And despite the cable channel being known for some premature cancellations, I seriously doubt they will be preparing to ax a show that hasn't even aired its first episode yet.

I saw these rumors as well, and as you can tell by this story Airlock Alpha posted, they are pretty bad rumors.

I have a hard time believing that a cable channel willing to air stuff even Ed Wood wouldn't touch on Saturday nights would suddenly have an issue with quality stemming from its one-time signature program, "Battlestar Galactica," if there were even such issues in the first place (there's not). It would take a lot for Syfy to pull the plug on something based on quality that hasn't even seen the light of day yet.

While I hope you believe everything you read here, you can't always trust what you read on the Internet, so don't take it as gospel. Try to find out yourself like you did here by becoming a part of AlphaMail.

I'd like to keep my question simple. When is Alpha Waves coming back? You announced its return weeks ago, yet it's not back. -- Jimmy from Chicago

Yes, I know. I've been horrible about it.

I have been suffering from a severe case of bronchitis which has left me without the ability to talk very well, but that's not the real excuse. I just haven't had the time.

Between the launch of Inside Blip, doing what I do for Airlock Alpha, and trying to lend a hand when I can at Rabid Doll, I really don't have much time left. Add my regular day job into the mix and a significant other who would like to see me at least three minutes a week, I struggle to find time to sleep.

But I promise it will all settle down soon, and we'll get Alpha Waves back on the air. I don't want to give you a firm date, but it will be before 2009 is out.

I wept after reading your article (Stepping Away From Science-Fiction For A Moment). I'll never forget that morning. Never.

I remember very clearly not knowing what to do. Did any normal machinations matter? It was horrible.

The best part of the Star Trek series that came out after 9-11 was the opening sequence. I thought it was patriotic and beautiful. -- BSGFan2003

I loved the opening to "Star Trek: Enterprise," except I hated the music. Why go with a song that has already been released, and if you do, why not go with something that might attract the audience you were trying to reach with the new opening sequence in the first place.

Does your site do reviews of TV shows? I thought in the past that you did, but I can't find them anymore. -- Lynn

Yes, we do reviews still. In the past, we would list the reviews on the front page mixed in with headlines and such. But now they can be found in the features area of the front page (it's right there in the middle), or simply by visiting http://www.airlockalpha.com/feature/all.

Reviews were a little light over the summer because, well, it was summer. But they will be picking up big time this week, thanks to our great and amazing writing staff.

Have a question you would like to see answered here? Just e-mail me directly at mhinman@airlockalpha.com.