Purchased in 1996 when I was still trying to purchase everything to do with Star Wars, long before it was entirely unfeasible to even attempt. The usual gang of idiots present in one collection, each of their original trilogy parodies (including their “Star Wars: The Musical” romp). While you can rarely call Mad Magazine brilliant, it’s always, on some gleefully juvenile, self-deprecating level enjoyable to read. The best bit of this magazine is a segment constructed between the release of Empire and the making of Jedi. It’s a 7-page excerpt of George Lucas’ notes for the the remaining 10 Episodes of his 12 part epic, detailing every convoluted twist and turn (which involves everyone being related to one another somehow).
This puppy is going for anywhere from $3.15 to $19.99 on eBay. My copy is slightly warped (not folded though), but soon as JJ sees it, it’ll be game over man. I started reading Mad at about 9 ish, though I bought it regularly from ages 12 - 14. I was 20 when I bought this issue, and it’s probably the last issue I’ve bought or read.
I don’t like watching the news, or reading the newspaper. I’m one of those people who prefers to get their dose of what’s happening with a spoonful of sugar via Jon Stewart, Rick Mercer or the Onion (wait…no). I mean I’ll watch the news on CP24 or listen to CBC Metro Morning or 680News when I’m driving, but I’m not fond of it. The Metro newspaper was a daily read when I lived up at NoYo, made more palatable because of it’s headlines-only nature (it’s like the news crawl on CNN). News may be informative, but it makes me angry or disturbed or depressed or just grumpy. As you get older, its deemed mature to know about what’s going on in the world, to keep informed about major events internationally and minor events locally… bah, gimme the Cartoon Network and some video games. A crossword puzzle and sudoku attract me to the paper more than the news stories. I’m just not as happy when I’m so very aware of this sad, depressing, decaying world and society around us. I’d rather be laughing.
Scientificition (Scientific-fiction) was the original term used for the genre that would become Science Fiction. It was used in early pulps but replaced by the more common term.
Some authors deride the “Science Fiction” label, with the term “Speculative Fiction” reserved for the more sensitive authors out there.
Sci-Fi was an obvious abbreviation, coined by Forrest J. Ackerman (RIP) during the revolution of “Hi-Fi” (high-fidelity) stereo sound. This is the most commonly used term for the genre in the media-at-large (heck, it has its own network). Genre critics use the “sci-fi” term to distinguish bad works or writer from the more insightful contributions to the genre. The really bad stuff is often further reduced to phonetic pronunciation: “skiffy”.
SF is what most genre enthusiasts and insiders call it for short.
The Incredible Hercules volume 1: Against the World
The wife got for her birthday last year the Planet Hulk and World War Hulk trade paperbacks. The former was a super-hero and aliens infused gladiatorial epic in the vein of Spartacus or, ahem, Gladiator while the latter was a 20-minute read of a big fight comic that had the narrowest of story to compliment its splash pages. When the Hulk returns to Earth seeking vengeance (rightfully so, mind), few heroes decide to side with him. Herc, with his new friend Amadeus Cho (a teenager who’s also the 5th smartest person in the world), was one of those dudes. Now that Hulk has been captured, Herc is hunted by SHIELD, seen a “traitor” and a threat. The fact that his half-brother, Ares, who’s always had a crazy hate-on for Herc, is now a member of the Avengers means his old super-team is coming after him too.
There’s more than a few knock-down drag-outs here, the biggest consisting of Herc and Ares duking it out, but Amadeus Cho and his superior intellect provide some cerebral-engagements to round out the book as something more than just fisticuffs. Written by Greg Pak with a joyous gusto, the book is fun, fun, fun like comics were meant to be. Though it’s steeped in the aftereffects of WWH, it’s not a prerequisite for the reader in order to enjoy the story. Koi Pham’s pencils are terrific and Art Adams clean, meticulous (if anatomically incorrect) covers are always a joy.
This collects the Incredible Hercules #112 - 115 and the Hercules vs. Hulk: When Titans Collide one-shot (which should have been the story on the Hulk vs. DVD [see "all new #37] instead of the dull Thor story).
Although I bought in November, it took me a while to get through this trade, mainly because I kept misplacing it.
JJ loves pizza, and while I’m sure he’s not all that picky about where it comes from I know that he likes his pizza with pepperoni and pineapple (bacon is sometimes okay too). His mother is pretty much the same way, but, to her credit, I’ve seen her venture outside of that norm more than a few times.
We’ve gotten used to ordering from Pizza Pizza because it, and Domino’s, were the only pizza joints in the delivery area of where we were in North York. I don’t have anything against Pizza Pizza, they make a decent pizza with plenty of options, it’s just not my preference. But I know JJ will wolf it down, more so than any other kind, and PP generally has specials providing 2 pizzas for under $20, so Aden and JJ get their fauxWiian while I can be free to experiment with mine, which usually involves thick crust and fresh ginger.
Well, PP has updated their ordering website to make it immeasurably more complicated and they’ve reduced the number of free topping options that one can have (no more ginger, boo). My pizza last night was a meaty treaty with bacon, salami and ham (pork-o-riffic) with leftovers for lunch today. LambBaby offers us more than just Domino’s and Pizza Pizza though, with the great Pizzaiolo right at the intersection of Jane and Bloor, across from Mama’s Pizza.