Thanks must go to the series editors, Ernest Mathijs and Jamie Sexton, for developing something as engaged and engaging as ‘Cultographies’, and letting me write for the series. Thanks also to Yoram Allon at Wallflower, who first suggested a Blade Runner title. Will Brooker very helpfully forwarded his 2009 Popular Communication article in advance of its publication, without which this would have been a far less up-to-date argument, and Ross Garner kindly read and commented on a draft version of the manuscript.
Propsummit.com was a source of inspiration throughout the writing process; I enjoyed reading about the various fan projects there just as much as I enjoyed (repeatedly) watching Blade Runner for research purposes. Heartfelt thanks to all those who tolerated my immersive, rather anti-social spells of creative labour on this project, of course. And if I’ve re-learnt one thing, personally, by virtue of working on this book, it’s that academic research really can develop and enhance the experiences of cult fandom. Oh, and I’m still in the market for a 2019 Johnnie Walker bottle.
Matt Hills, Cardiff, April 2010.