What Would You Do?

I don't know much about this show, but it seemed okay.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

At long last and in all of its glory, and I mean more of the "all" than the "glory."

It's really good to get back with everyone. Say what you want about how the movies undermine the series, there's more character work in these films than in most of the series. I know I rail against continuity, but the universe progresses here in a way that was never really possible in the TV show. 

Seriously though, what it Chekov had joined with V'ger here? Uhura? How different would this film have been if it had the balls to leverage its supporting cast?

The trailer we're watching can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rM4ODtN64M

17 to 01 is available on iTunes. It updates Thursday mornings at 2:00 AM ET / 1:00 CT. We're also amazingly on Stitcher.

Disco Comics: MPMN!AA12MWEFDLS4/4

Disco Comics:
Marvel Presents
Marvel Now!
Avengers Academy
Murder World #12
Everybody Fukkin Dies Limited Seres 4 of 4

100% guaranteed to be classy and not wierd.

Writer: Dennis Hopeless
Art: Kev Walker

I could just say “ditto what I said on the previous issue,” but I won’t. I could. I really want to.

I could also bitch about how the visual icon for Avengers Arena is just “AA” in a serifed font in a circle adorned inside and out with non-serifed “A”s. It’s like they phoned in a lazy scream.

Also, the cover image is like a tournament bracket, but with blood. Creepy /s.

But given that everyone seems to die at random and not everyone has killed a person to get past the previous round I don’t--in the words of Will McAvoy--know what the fuck they’re talking about.

Basically, a book trying to call me an asshole for reading something based on its own plot looks real silly trying to say that from a bargain bin.

Salmon Cannon

The Hottest Take: Sisko Would Have Voted Trump

Come at me, nerds, I’m going another round with In the Pale Moonlight.

The events of In the Pale Moonlight clearly show Ben Sisko, Starfleet Captain and Emissary of the Prophets would have voted Trump. Why?

Because Garak is Trump. Likeable, selfish, and ruthless. Oh, no Trump is a selfish asshole, but he’s got mass appeal and a convenient handle on truth that make him likeable. “Truth, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder,” and there’s no bigger flim-flam artist around than DJT. The only noticeable difference between the two is that Garak has a certain level of style and class; mere pretenses that the president-elect lacks.

Indeed, even Garak’s “cultured” love of literature and fashion are performance for Julian. Garak loves Cardassian literature because it’s Cardassian first and literature second. Garak is a rabid nationalist and clings closely to Cardassian institutions because they benefit him. Hell, even as unprivileged he was a bastard child, he was still born into privilege. Enabin Train isn’t in the habit of raising the children of housekeepers from birth to be spies. Just his. Think of it as a small loan of million dollars and an interest payment of claustrophobia.

Disco Comics: MPMN!AA11MWEFDLS3/4

Disco Comics:
Marvel Presents
Marvel Now!
Avengers Academy
Murder World #11
Everybody Fukkin Dies Limited Seres 3 of 4

100% guaranteed to be classy and not wierd.

Writer: Dennis Hopeless
Art: Riccardo Burchielli

So Arcade has decided to reform his rep by killing a bunch of teenagers with Murder World. This is, as near as I can tell, supposed to be a departure from his MO because it's a really big Murder World this time.

This issue tries hard to make Hazmat look like a coward for accepting her fate when it’s the end result of Marvel editorial acepting the fact that these kids will never be marketable A-listers. Except Reptil. Reptil is on TV so he’s pretty fucking safe.

I mean, it’s just whining and moral recrimination that doesn’t have any conflict except comic book characters yelling at each other about how they’re supposed to act in a way that furthers the story. And because that’s obviously a thin premise for a comic book, they have to physically assault the other person to make them listen because of course.

Pointless, boring, incredibly thin...obligatory. It feels obligatory.

This Is Also Old

No 17 to 01 Today

It's been a few months since I've missed a 17 to 01. But the movies take a long time to edit (also: laziness).

TMP is basically done, but I need to rejigger the website to hold a 2-hour podcast which is a whole...thing.

Imperial #???

Writer: Steven T. Seagle

Art: Mark Dos Santos

There's no number on the front of this so I reasonably assumed it was a standalone and it worked perfectly that way. It doesn't take full advantage of the format and the message is on the same level as Star Trek's most mediocre "Ra-Ra Humans! Go, feelings, go!"

But it's good. Satisfying, economical, solidly constructed, and opaque enough that I couldn't tell what was going to happen next. The characterization was a bit thin, but as a standalone you expect that.

It's a bit like a no-hitter in baseball; the idea isn't new, but the execution is impressive.

Subsequent searching reveals that the issue number was on the back of the book. It's #4.

This Is Very Old

Phase II: Divided We Stand

This is pretty good. Phase II probably has the same general quality as The Original Series.

Now that I've gritted my teeth through the compliments, let's get into the jabs.

I'm just kidding. This episode is okay, I just hate that there's no deeper execution of the ideas underpining this episode. My slipshod censoring here is repealed because of my deep and abiding feelings about The Confederacy.

Star Trek: Phase II, "Divided We Stand" can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KChYhXhj7vY.


The trailer we're watching can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nkegWQe1ZM

17 to 01 is available on iTunes. It updates Thursday mornings at 2:00 AM ET / 1:00 CT. We're also amazingly on Stitcher.

Disco Comics: Nailbiter #7

Disco Comics: Nailbiter #7

This is a bit more staid.

Writing: Joshua Williamson

Art: Mike Henderson

My local comic book store is selling very old comics that no one wants for 50c each. I’m a cheap bastard and I love hating things so these are my Discount Comics.

What with Nailbiter being a weird mystery story set in the Pacific Northwest, I missed the comparisons to Twin Peaks when I talked about Nailbiter #5. Twin Peaks did this stuff right; “Mystery story? Nah; here’s some meaningless psychadelics. Hey look,” it then says, while pointing to a figure ducking behind a barn, “It’s The Mystery!” As you eagerly run towards it, Twin Peaks trips you and then laughs at you for watching it. I respect Twin Peaks for so aggressively refusing to give fucks.

A Full Pardon

So Alan Turing was a mathematical genius who helped the British win World War II for The British with his codebreaking skills. However, after the war he was indicted under public indecency laws of the time because of his homosexuality. He was sentenced to have to take female hormones to blunt his sex drive and he killed himself a few years later.

The government of Britain officially apologized to Turing and pardoned him in 2013. Now, a new bill will be introduced by Prime Minister Theresa May to pardon another 49,000 men who were indicted under public indecency laws before they were repealed in 1967.

I always wonder if it’s worth it for a government to take time to redress something that’s long since over. On the other hand, in 2003 the United States Congress renamed french fries “freedom fries.”

Actually, one guy changed the congressional cafeteria menu, but it counts.

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/alan-turing-law-government-pardon-rachel-barnes-historic-crimes-a7370621.html

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