Tag: Star Wars

A Year in MINIons- MINIon #0519

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Bruce

0519No, I haven’t seen The Force Awakens… so quit asking me. I had to work today. I am planning on seeing it now that Winter Break has started, I just haven’t decided when or where.  What did I do today, the proclaimed “Star Wars Day”? I wore that unlicensed “Calvin & Hobbes t-shirt” with Han & Chewie, cleaned my classroom, and I did something very scary. I put in my VHS copy of Star Wars (Episode 4) that was the “enhanced version” which means the sound was brought into THX standards, and some of the specials effects were touched up… Nothing as drastic as the “Special Editions.” I saw the film pretty much just as I had seen it in 1977 (btw: Han shot first). Why was that scary? I hadn’t played that tape in probably over 15 years. I was afraid that it would disintegrate half way through (right before ‘Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid”) and it would be lost forever. I lucked out, and the school VCR along with our projector did a fine job.

I keep going back on Star Wars or Star Trek and there are days when I’m a trekkie and days when the Force is with me. I’m in that in-between age range that was influenced by both while growing up. Just as the prequels kinda soured me to Star Wars, I know there are Star trek films that were horrible, or worse. So all I can do is embrace the science fiction fan in me and get lost for a few hours in a galaxy far, far away- next year I’ll get lost where no one has gone before.

On a side note, I did pick up a BB-8 Sphero thanks to my sister Nancy.  OK Sue’s sister, but we’ve known each long enough she’s my sister too.  Now i watch it charge with Cecil watching and look forward to what tomorrow will bring.  Isn’t that what Science Fiction is all about anyway?

A Year in MINIons- MINIon #C3P0

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Bruce

3p0Okay- so I know that in Star Wars VII that Threepio has a red arm… so what?!?! Who cares if the LEGO minifig now also has a red arm? After the prequels I’m going to reserve the right to draw my cybernetic monkeys the way they looked in 1977. If I actually like the new film I can always go back and “correct” this drawing, just like George “corrected” the first three films… ugh.

The big question usually asked of any “geek” is “Star Trek or Star Wars?” I believe I have said before, I’m torn on this topic.  Both franchises are a part of my youth.  I have fond memories of things related to each.  Star Trek- I remember taking one Labor Day (or maybe Memorial Day) weekend and moving my TV outside so I could “catch some rays” without missing the massive Star Trek marathon- resulting in 2nd degree burns.  Yes, it hurt. Yes I have scars to prove it.  Would I do it again?  Watch the marathon? Yes.  Try to look like I actually lived in Southern California? Not so much.  As for Star Wars- for those of us who saw it when it first was released… it was amazing.  before that, science fiction and fantasy films had been kind of two dimensional- this just kind of made your mind go “Ka-Boom!”  I was too old to get into the toys, but Star Wars was probably my first time attempting cosplay.  Then, changes happened to both and while I still love them- each has had their set backs.  Only time will tell if I will embrace either universe as I once had done.  To quote Threepio- “This is madness!”

A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1218

Posted on September 5, 2015 by Bruce

1218When news of Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm first came out I remember drawing Obi Wan with mouse ears saying “I feel a great disturbance in the Force” I probably wasn’t the first one to come up with it, but I thought it was clever. Since that time we’ve seen what happens when the full might of Mouse is a part of something… They bought Marvel Comics & we end up with a bunch of good superhero movies. They bought Star Wars & we end up with the same feeling I had when I was waiting for Empire or Return… As Han Solo said in the trailer “Chewie were home.”

This doesn’t mean that I’m not scared. I waited in line to see Phantom Menace and was disappointed, with each prequel. Someone online recut all three films into one, and people said it was actually good. J J Abrams rebooted Star Trek and while some disliked the whole alternate timeline bit, it made some sense to be able to ditch all that continuity and return to the core. But if the Death Star goes into a wormhole to emerge at the beginning of Star Wars… I’m out.

This really isn’t about Star Wars, its about Disney’s influence over pop culture… While it causes kids to sing “Let it go!” for months, is it really that bad?  Sue and I used to go to Disneyworld pretty much annually.  My first Lilly Fellowship involved spending close to a month at Disneyworld learning the art of animation.  We attended the first Mickey & MINI and few more after that. Anytime we felt down, we’d pick up the phone and call 1-407-WDISNEY and make reservations. Disney does it right, more importantly treats you right, and as long as you go with the expectation that things will most likely be overpriced, you can enjoy yourself.  We slowed down on Disney trips when we came to the realization that you could fly to Europe for the cost of a Disney vacation.  Does that mean we’ll never go back?  No way.  When the Star Wars Land opens I’ll be there, staying at whatever hotel they build close to the park, basking in the atmosphere created by Imagineers to help me forget the troubles I have in the real world and enter a galaxy far, far away…

For the next few weeks we are going to be following Cecil’s work on his Memoir… I won’t be writing much here since it is Cecil’s story… Enjoy!

Yes, it is late, but still before midnight where I am so it still counts as Wednesday’s comic.  I hope everyone had a great May the fourth… Now I just have to come up with something clever for Towel Day.