Indiana Jones Rip-Offs: Hall of Shame
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 23, 2008 in Cinema
Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran (1982)
House Of Liu Babies
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 23, 2008 in Hobbies and Collections
What I like about this limited edition of House Of Liu Babies (produced for the Taipei Toy Festival 2008) is that they harken back to vintage black-and-white cartoons while retaining a very modern minimal look — yet still keeping that special sense of cute.
Found via toysrevil.
Run R2 Run!
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 23, 2008 in Star Wars
I got a kick out of the above t-shirt design from Split Reason which features R2-D2 running away from an AT-AT.
Dark Knight Website Launches
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 23, 2008 in Comic Books
Warner Brothers has launched the full version of the Batman: The Dark Night website which has all of the usual stuff: trailer, plot, photos and downloads. I guess we’ll find out on July 18th how good the film is!
Lunchtime at Fanboy.com: Japan ala Italia
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 22, 2008 in Hobbies and Collections
While exploring Books Kinokuniya (a Japanese bookstore here in NYC) I came across an amazing find: An Italian cook book! But what’s funny about this book is that while all of the recipes are Italian, that the presentation of the food is very Japanese to say the least. The name of the book is Vegeta VegeITALIA (Japanese title: 野菜がおいしいイタリアン) and the author is Hiroshi Satake — and its available from Amazon Japan. Below are just a few examples of some of the lush photography that the book is packed with:
Ultimate Optimus Prime Opus
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 22, 2008 in Hobbies and Collections
Standing at 87 inches tall and weighing in at 485 pounds this model of Optimus Prime is for hardcore Transformers fanboys only. Produced by Robot-Models.com this sculpture will set you back a mere $4,838.
Found via GeekAlerts and Nerd Approved.
Moonbase Armstrong
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 22, 2008 in Science
I love the idea of this — but I hate the thought of having to wait until 2020:
Moonbase Armstrong: The Next U.S. Lunar Outpost?
“The name of Apollo astronaut Neil Armstrong is etched into U.S. history books as the first human to walk on the moon, and it may be set for an encore. A new bill, the NASA Authorization Act of 2008 (H.R. 6063), that cleared the House Science and Technology space and aeronautics subcommittee on Monday carries an interesting caveat. If passed into law, NASA apparently MUST name its first lunar outpost after Armstrong – the first human to set foot on another world during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969.”
Omakase Maidokuro: System Error
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 22, 2008 in Animation
Omakase Maidokuro: The Awesome Corpse-Housemaid is a series of animated short podcasts from Japan. I was attracted to this episode because of the computer theme, most notably the use of the now vintage first generation iMac.
Europe’s First Crewed Spacecraft
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 21, 2008 in Science
I think the more nations with manned spacecraft the better:
Europe’s first crewed spaceship on the horizon
“Europe’s first crewed spaceship may be on the horizon. The European Space Agency may build a new spaceship – based on its recently launched cargo ship – that could transport humans to the International Space Station and possibly the Moon. Until recently, Europe had relied on NASA’s space shuttles and Russia’s Soyuz and Progress vehicles to transfer goods and astronauts to the space station.
The Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), which successfully transported supplies to the ISS in April, gave Europe its first taste of autonomy. But it can transport only goods, not people, and some experts have called for a crewed craft to build on this success.”
Crown Jewels of Anime: Planetes
Posted by Guest Author on May 21, 2008 in Animation
In this exclusive series our guest author Tim Eldred picks the top ten crown jewels of anime:
As a guy who started watching anime in 1980, I was lucky enough to catch the virus when the medium was in a creative upswing the likes of which simply hasn’t been seen since. Of course, there was great stuff before that, but never in quite so much abundance. The early 80s in particular were chock full of shows that had the power to make me (A) cry like a baby or (B) leap out of my chair like a sports fan. And any show that could do both became a crown jewel in my eyes. They haven’t all been officially exported yet, which means a lot of people still have an opportunity to experience them for the first time. Here’s number 10 on my top ten list:
Planetes
Before the world of anime clubbed me over the head and dragged me off to become its unholy bride, I was already head over heels for the US space program. It was and still is one of the few truly noble and unreproachable achievements of our country, and my only regret is that it isn’t moving as fast as it should be. Thus, I turn to stories about the potential future of space travel, and though space fantasy tales are great fun they lack the hard science that makes me feel like I’m seeing what could really happen.
American Beagle: Snoopy for President
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 21, 2008 in Hobbies and Collections
These Peanuts premiums from the 70s caught my eye in this election season. There’s something that’s so endearing about the characters that Charles Schultz created so many years ago. At my local subway station stop that I get off at each day (Bowery station on the J line) there’s a Peanuts calendar that’s on display in the token booth that always brings a smile to my face.
Shown below are more mementos from Snoopy’s Presidential bid:
Mecha Kitty on a Rampage!
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 21, 2008 in Hobbies and Collections
It’s Hello Kitty meets Warhammer 40,000! Check out Katherine’s Hello Kitty Sisters of Battle…
A Dick Tracy Cell Phone
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 21, 2008 in Hobbies and Collections
Shown above is the Special Edition Cellphone Watch (available from chinavasion.com) which reminded me a great deal of the Dick Tracy 2-Way Wrist Radio which was introduced into the comic strip in 1946. Thankfully Hollywood did an action film based on the strip in 1990 which means we won’t have to worry about a remake for at least another few years.
As to the watch itself Dick Tracy would be pretty happy as it features both a still and video camera. While this watch feels like a bit of a gimmick keep in mind that if a second generation model started to combine voice recognition technology that this could evolve into a very handy device. I guess I also like the idea that the good old fashioned form factor of a watch won’t be replaced by other devices that tell you the time.
Found via geekalerts.com, image found via coolest-gadgets.com.
Congratulations to George Takei
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 20, 2008 in Star Trek
What I’ve always liked about the original Star Trek series is that it represented a very progressive view of the world — not only could we travel to the stars, but all nations could be at peace and the world could be a better place. George Takei is an amazing man, at age 5 he was placed in an internment camp with his family during World War II and he’s had exceptional longevity as an actor appearing in everything from two Jerry Lewis comedies to the action packed MacGyver TV series (and most recently on Heroes). So this fanboy wishes him and Brad Altman the very best:
Gay wedding for Star Trek’s Takei
“US actor George Takei is to wed his long-term partner after California lifted its ban on same-sex marriage. Takei, 71, best known for playing Mr Sulu in Star Trek, said he and Brad Altman were going through the “delicious dilemma” of where to marry. The actor and 54-year-old Mr Altman have been together for 21 years. “We can have the dignity, as well as all the responsibilities, of marriage. We embrace it all heartily,” Takei wrote on his website.”
Crown Jewels of Anime: Panzer World Galient
Posted by Guest Author on May 20, 2008 in Animation
In this exclusive series our guest author Tim Eldred picks the top ten crown jewels of anime:
As a guy who started watching anime in 1980, I was lucky enough to catch the virus when the medium was in a creative upswing the likes of which simply hasn’t been seen since. Of course, there was great stuff before that, but never in quite so much abundance. The early 80s in particular were chock full of shows that had the power to make me (A) cry like a baby or (B) leap out of my chair like a sports fan. And any show that could do both became a crown jewel in my eyes. They haven’t all been officially exported yet, which means a lot of people still have an opportunity to experience them for the first time. Here’s number 9 on my top ten list:
Panzer World Galient
The ‘real robot’ craze of the early 1980s inspired anime studios like Nippon Sunrise (now called simply ‘Sunrise’) to mash them up with every possible genre or setting. Writer/creator Ryusuke Takahashi was particularly good at this, pulling from many different tropes to construct his first two hits, Fang of the Sun Dougram and Armored Trooper Votoms, and a later one called SPT Layzner. He also crafted a little-known yet fondly remembered series that fit between the last two on that list called Panzer World Galient. It was barely a blip in the record books, but as with any Takahashi program, it stays with you forever after you’ve seen it. (Especially the bilingual opening and closing titles, both haunting and unforgettable.)
Bill Sienkiewicz: All Star Batman and Robin
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 20, 2008 in Comic Books
Shown above is the variant cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz for All Star Batman and Robin, The Boy Wonder #12 which is due to hit the streets on August 27th. What makes this cover work so well is that the Joker isn’t a xerox of an live action actor, yet he’s not so cartoony either. With Sienkiewicz what we get is a stunning surrealistic portrait where the dramatic sense of lighting which goes back to the film noir roots of Batman.
Laser Cannons
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 20, 2008 in Science
Laser Cannons are very common in the Star Wars universe and now they might become reality:
Boeing raygunship fires first blasts in ground testing
“US airliners’n’armaments colossus Boeing announced today that one of its prototype aerial laser cannon planes has fired its first energy bolts in ground testing. “First firing of the high-energy laser aboard the ATL aircraft shows that the program continues to make good progress,” said Boeing blast-cannon biz boss Scott Fancher.
The so-called Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) programme is one of two flying raygun projects underway at Boeing. The other is the Airborne Laser, or ABL, a monstrous jumbo-jet mounted energy ray intended to disintegrate threatening nuclear missiles from hundreds of kilometres away. Both ATL and ABL use toxic chemical fuels to generate higher-intensity laser beams than can currently be produced by electric equipment.”
Top Flight Atlas Space Rockets
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 20, 2008 in Hobbies and Collections
You’re on the launching site! $1.98 is a pretty good price for a rocket, although I think if I was a child of the era I’d be disappointed that the toy featured above isn’t a working model rocket. My guess is that the commercial was either made in the late 50s or early 60s at the start of the space race.
Video found via Ira Gallen.
Crown Jewels of Anime: The Leijiverse
Posted by Guest Author on May 19, 2008 in Animation
In this exclusive series our guest author Tim Eldred picks the top ten crown jewels of anime:
As a guy who started watching anime in 1980, I was lucky enough to catch the virus when the medium was in a creative upswing the likes of which simply hasn’t been seen since. Of course, there was great stuff before that, but never in quite so much abundance. The early 80s in particular were chock full of shows that had the power to make me (A) cry like a baby or (B) leap out of my chair like a sports fan. And any show that could do both became a crown jewel in my eyes. They haven’t all been officially exported yet, which means a lot of people still have an opportunity to experience them for the first time. Here’s number 8 on my top ten list:
The Leijiverse
As one of those fans whose head was blown off by Star Blazers in 1980, I was an easy mark when it came to other anime by Leiji Matsumoto. After all, they looked just like my fave—or near enough. Turns out it was the same for Japanese fans. Matsumoto’s touch on Yamato naturally made them hungry for more, and he delivered it in spades: Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, Queen Millennia, Endless Road SSX and numerous other projects turned him into a creative tornado. Then for some reason he went away for a while.
LittleBigPlanet “Killzone” Trailer
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 19, 2008 in Videogames
A good sign that something is good is when I get jealous looking at it! What I like about the look of LittleBigPlanet is that it combines a sense of humor with a ton of wonderful eye candy (check out the cute character design below). The game is being developed by UK based Media Molecule for the Sony Playstation 3 and should be shipping in October this year. From an industry perspective what’s interesting about this game is that it looks like Sony is getting more and more serious about making more non-gamer family oriented titles in the Nintendo tradition.
Parody Preview: Black Panther #36
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 19, 2008 in Comic Books
Why can’t Black Panther give his girlfriend the only seat in the jungle? And where do you go shopping to get that tight fitting superhero clothing in the jungle any way? Cover artist Francis Portela may know the answers…
Life on Jupiter’s Moon Europa?
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 19, 2008 in Science
Scientists have been thinking that there may be life on Europa for sometime now, and this is a good sign that this might could become a reality:
Wandering Poles Left Scars On Jupiter’s Moon Europa: Could Life Exist Beneath Icy Crust?
“Curved features on Jupiter’s moon Europa may indicate that its poles have wandered by almost 90°, report scientists from the Carnegie Institution, Lunar and Planetary Institute, and University of California, Santa Cruz in the 15 May issue of Nature. Such an extreme shift suggests the existence of an internal liquid ocean beneath the icy crust, which could help build the case for Europa as possible habitat for extraterrestrial life.
The study has implications for liquid water inside Europa. Scientists have hypothesized that Europa has an extensive subsurface ocean based on spacecraft photos that revealed its fractured, icy surface. The ocean beneath the crust would be kept liquid by heat generated by tidal forces from Jupiter’s gravity. The presence of heat and water may make life possible, even though the subsurface ocean is cut off from solar energy.”
Crown Jewels of Anime: Giant Gorg
Posted by Guest Author on May 18, 2008 in Animation
In this exclusive series our guest author Tim Eldred picks the top ten crown jewels of anime:
As a guy who started watching anime in 1980, I was lucky enough to catch the virus when the medium was in a creative upswing the likes of which simply hasn’t been seen since. Of course, there was great stuff before that, but never in quite so much abundance. The early 80s in particular were chock full of shows that had the power to make me (A) cry like a baby or (B) leap out of my chair like a sports fan. And any show that could do both became a crown jewel in my eyes. They haven’t all been officially exported yet, which means a lot of people still have an opportunity to experience them for the first time. Here’s number 7 on my top ten list:
Giant Gorg
Among the pantheon of superstars who were responsible for all the best anime of the early 1980s was a phenomenal artist who works just as hard today as he ever did: Yasuhiko Yoshikazu. He rose through the ranks of character designers in the 1970s, contributing to Yamato, Combattler V, and ultimately Mobile Suit Gundam to explode into American consciousness with the phenomenal Crusher Joe feature film. As the director, Yas supervised the production so closely that in the end it was as if he’d drawn every frame in his signature style, which is a gorgeous combination of effortless organics and rock-solid mechanics. Crusher Joe was a triumph of design and story. And Giant Gorg was its successor.
A Goofy Game for Dopey Doctors
Posted by Michael Pinto on May 18, 2008 in Videogames
You blew it Charlie! I think a good sign of game design is when it’s as much fun to loose as to win — and Operation which was designed by John Spinello for Milton Bradley is a good example of this principle. Spinello designed a prototype of the game in 1962 when he was an industrial design student, the game featured a “Death Valley” motif. Operation hit the shelves in 1965 and is still on sale today over 40 years later.
Video found via Ira Gallen.