Hey everybody. This Easter season I decided that we should kick it old school and see how folks did pop culture references back before 21st century got all meta on us. So I went to the vault, aka the VHS collection, and dug out this classic Looney Tunes adventure (or rather I should say adventures as this is actually a collection of classic Looney Tunes shorts strung together with an Easter themed framing device.) So let’s get our cartoon on and see what kind of references Bug’s Bunny is apt to make. As always bold numbers represent the time at…
Category: Geekdom Come
World Building 101- Magic
And now we’ve come to the sexy bit. That’s right fellow world-builders, gods of the imaginary realms, after meticulously planning out our world’s geography and mythology, painstakingly creating an ecosystem in which the distinct plants and animals of your creation can thrive it’s finally time to indulge ourselves a bit. In this edition of World Building 101, we finally cover Magic! Let your imagination run wild. If you can dream it you can build it. Wizards who can summon talking rhinoceroses, no problem. An Adept who lights apples on fire with his mind, why not. Women warriors whose limbs can…
Reference Humor: Spaced Season 1 Episode 1 “Beginnings”
While I won’t go so far as to say the cult Channel 4 series Spaced started the modern trend towards reference humor it was certainly an early forerunner of the comedic style as we know it today. And since it was there at the very beginning of the 21st-century meta-movement I thought today we should take a look at its very first episode; aptly titled “Beginnings”. As always bold numbers represent the time at which the reference happened and Spoilers abound for a wide variety of films. Scroll down at your own risk. 00:32 “I cried like a child at…
The Franchise- The Tick
Spooooon!!!!!!!! Destiny is whispering your name chum and she’s saying “Thank You” for stopping in and checking out this edition of The Franchise. With Amazon’s The Tick returning for the second half of its freshman season today I thought it was the perfect opportunity to break down what makes this big, blue lug and his misfit band so darn lovable. So in the indelible words of Arthur “Not in the face! Not in the face” Core Concept: First and foremost The Tick is a spoof. A well thought out, rich send-up of everything that the superhero genre has to offer.…
World Building 101- Technology
Tools. They’re what separate the advanced species of our universe from the thoughtless pond scum. And as humanity has advanced so too has its tools. From the wheel to the gun to the iPhone, man’s tools define his era as much as any government or crusade. Which is why I’m devoting this installment of World Building 101 to the topic of Technology. Technology is an often overlooked aspect of a fantasy writer’s world and an often underdeveloped part of a science fiction writer’s quiver. Hopefully, this humble post can help you avoid some common pratfalls. To begin its important to…
Troping the Riff- The Brainwashed Hero
Whether its mind control drugs, an evil spell, or just good old-fashioned hunk of red kryptonite there is nothing worse for the good guys than having to fight one (or more) of their own because a villain got their hooks into their brain. In this edition of Troping the Riff we take a look at one of the most over-used tropes in the superhero genre: The Brainwashed Hero. For as long as there have been heroes there have been geeks arguing over which hero would win in a fight. Comic book shops and then internet chatrooms have been the source…
Reference Humor: South Park Season 10 Episode 8 “Make Love, Not Warcraft”
Welcome back to Reference Humor. Yesterday, I was privileged to attend the wedding of two dear friends who just happen to work at Blizzard Entertainment. I thought what better way to celebrate that union than by breaking down South Park’s infamous World of Warcraft episode. Obviously, I’m at a hotel lobby drinking mimosas right now to get rid of a raging hangover and I wrote this ahead of time, but for you, dear reader, its like I’m with you right now! As always bold numbers represent the time at which the reference happened and Spoilers abound for a wide variety…
World Building 101- Plant and Animal Life
Hello and welcome faithful reader! Thanks for taking the precious moments out of your busy schedule watching cat videos and spending a little time with me. Speaking of cats, which we totally just were and this isn’t a forced segue at all, we’ve come far enough in your world building journey its time to start peppering your imaginary world with plants and animals. Now while I know my usual advice is to be thorough and think out everything about your world beforehand I’m not recommending that for this particular phase of world building. Scientists estimate that their exist a roughly…
Reference Humor: Rick and Morty Season 2 Episode 4 “Total Rickall”
In Reference Humor we take an episode of a popular TV show known for its pop culture references and break them down for you. Pointing out the nods and homages you might have missed and explaining their meaning. Its only fitting then, that I begin this series of posts by invoking the modern master of reference humor, Dan Harmon. His newest venture is the animated series Rick and Morty, already a cult classic in only its third season. The bold numbers represent the time at which the reference happened and be warned spoilers abound for a wide variety of films…
World Building 101- Geography
As a genre writer and general fan of fantastical worlds built from the ground up it’s amazing to me just how many writers overlook the “ground” part of that expression. Some authors get so excited about the cool weapons and magic and exotic life forms of their world that they forget about the actual physical world that their creations must inhabit. While that kind of mistake might not necessarily ruin a good story it can lead to logical inconsistencies that take the reader out of the realm you’ve worked so hard to get them to inhabit. The thing is with…