Posts Tagged ‘date’
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Where I live, we only have one IMAX theater. I say that like there should be an IMAX theater on every corner. But I guess I feel the need to qualify that statement because sometimes it felt like Iowa was the last place on Earth to even get an IMAX. So when we got one, it was a pretty big deal.
Our IMAX is affiliated with our local science center. So I don’t normally keep informed about what movies are playing there unless there is a theatrical release in house. You might remember that we took Henry to his first movie at our IMAX theater when we took him to see The Polar Express.
The problem with that is that it never seems like they get a properly formatted IMAX reel. I always get the sensation that they’re taking a standard movie reel and blowing it up on that concave dome. The image is always stretched out and it’s not a very enjoyable experience.
I’ve seen a few movies this way. Superman Returns, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and The Polar Express. Only Transformers had a legitimately scoped scene in IMAX (when Devastator is attacking the pyramids) and it was cool. But, otherwise, I find the IMAX feature film experience to be exhausting. Watching Brandon Routh zoom from one side of the screen to the other in Superman Returns gave me a crimp in my neck. Right now, they have Avatar as their featured release. Avatar gave me eye-strain on a NORMAL sized screen. I’d hate to imagine what kind of experience I would have watching it on an IMAX screen.
Anyway, long story short, I don’t normally keep up to date on proper IMAX films unless I happen to go to the science center our IMAX theater is affiliated with. After looking at the exhibits, I might say to myself “Oh, what’s playing on the IMAX?” and then check it out. I don’t usually make a point of seeing an IMAX film just for the sake of it.
But that changed this weekend when Cami and I went to see Hubble IMAX.
I was peripherally aware of Hubble IMAX after reading a few advance notices over at Hollywood Elsewhere, but I didn’t give much thought to seeing it until Cami mentioned it to me early last week. I’m not sure how she caught wind of it, but I took it as a sign that we should probably go. Obscure IMAX movie that neither one of us should have any knowledge of? A sign from the Movie Gods.
Of course, it didn’t hurt that both of us are huge nerds who enjoy things like science, history and space. Hence, the punchline to today’s comic.
But I digress…
Let me say this: If your town has an IMAX theater and they’re showing Hubble IMAX, you NEED to see it. In fact, I command you to see this movie. It is AMAZING – and I can’t stress that enough. I caught myself with my mouth wide open several times. It’s simply astonishing.
From a narrative standpoint, there’s not much to tell. The film tells the story of the Hubbel telescope and recounts a few of the repair missions before actually putting you over the shoulder of the most recent and most important repair that happened in April 2009.
To say the repair was high-stakes is putting it lightly. Basically, it was a last ditch effort to repair the ailing piece of equipment or face scrapping a multi-BILLION dollar project entirely.
Once the repairs sequence is complete, the movie treats you to a series of mind-bending and immersive images captured by Hubble to try and explain the sheer enormity of the universe. When the film uses Hubble’s images to dive into the center of a nebula 900 billion miles wide, it basically crumples up your brain and tosses it into a waste basket.
I mean, I always knew that Earth is a planet in our solar system which is made up of several other solar systems that in turn make up the Milky Way.
But when Hubble expands it’s view to include our nearest neighboring galaxy – Andromeda – before gazing further to view the cluster of roughly 36 other galaxies that make up the celestial “village” we inhabit that you start to get an idea of the impact Hubble has on our understanding of the universe.
Gazing further to reveal a “metropolis” of over 2,000 galaxies, the point is hammered home.
By the end of the movie, Hubble goes so far as to literally show you THE END OF THE KNOWN UNIVERSE as it zooms in on malformed galaxies so far away, the light they are emitting left their tiny corner of space over 10 billion years ago.
Now, considering that scientists think there are 200 to 400 BILLION stars in the Milky Way ALONE… stop and think about our neighboring galaxy. Then the galaxies in our “village.” Then the 2,000 galaxies in the nearest “metropolis” and finally the dying galaxies on the edge of the universe.
Boy, if you didn’t feel small after watching Hubble IMAX, then your ego is ALL out of whack.
Watching this movie and the irrefutable science really puts a lot of things in perspective. I won’t enter into any kind of religious debate… but when you consider the prospect of extra-terrestrial life… Man, how can there NOT be something else going on out there? Surly we can’t be the only life in the universe. And if we are – WOW, what a waste!
I mean, that is unless they have webcomics somewhere in Omega Centauri? Who knows?
I wish I could get most specific about Hubble IMAX but I’m still kind of processing it and it has left me at a loss for words.
Jeffery Wells from Hollywood Elsewhere made an interesting point when he was talking about the profound disconnect from three-time box office champ Alice in Wonderland.
Basically, he was talking about the 3D fantasy environment Alice promotes and how it never really sinks in because we’re aware of the conceit of 3D and CGI as artistic tools. This, in comparison to what Hubble IMAX gives us – which, in Wells words, “provides a feeling of awe that is 100% real.”
I can’t deny feeling nervous for the astronauts who put their lives at risk to fix this piece of equipment. I felt profound sadness that their contribution to the understanding of our role in the universe isn’t acknowledged more than it is.
I think if you ask people about space exploration, the general consensus is that not much has been accomplished since we put a man on the moon in 1969. But putting a man on the moon feels like a publicity stunt in comparison to the raw value and perspective Hubble has given us.
Watching Hubble IMAX, you get the sense that this knowledge will not be fully appreciated or even actualized until several generations later and that’s a shame. Because the tens of thousands of people that have worked on Hubble are true heroes. Hubble IMAX gave me this new perspective and has me thinking twice about the validity of our space program.
If you haven’t seen the movie, see it. If you HAVE seen the movie or are curious about it, please leave your comments below..
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Cami’s all herp-a-derp in this week’s Top Web Comics voting incentive image. Want to see it? You have to vote for Theater Hopper at Top Web Comics! It couldn’t be easier. Just click on that little image to the left and follow the prompts from there. Thanks for your support!
This week’s comic was originally supposed to be the second half of a double-sized comic that I was going to produce last week. I’m glad I split them up. It gives the joke in this comic a little room to breathe.
I kind of wanted to explore the idea that Tom and Cami – although in a very loving and committed relationship – are kind of the worst people to ask for relationship advice.
As you’re probably aware, the comic versions of Cami and Tom are based of me and my wife. We were high school sweethearts. We got married right out of college. We have NO IDEA how relationships work in the aggregate. We only know what works for us.
Long story short: If you’re having troubles with your significant other, we’ll lend a sympathetic ear. Just don’t ask us for advice because we haven’t had to navigate those waters for a long, LONG time.
I don’t have much more to say about the comic but I wanted to take a minute to do something I’ve traditionally done in this space since 2007.
You guys remember my son, Henry, right? I don’t talk about him too much, but when his birthday rolls around, I like to give everyone a little update.
Henry’s turning 5 on Saturday and the time has absolutely flown by. The kid is a marvel to me. Smart as a whip and a memory that puts me to shame. He’ll remember the most insignificant detail from a breakfast we had 4 months ago. Needless to say, he keeps us on our toes.
We recently had pictures taken as we’ve done every year prior and we decided to spice things up a little bit. We told Henry he could bring his lightsaber to the photo shoot.
Keep in mind that Henry hasn’t seen any of the Star Wars films yet. But, like I said, he’s a pretty observant kid – and a lightsaber is hard to miss when you’re wandering the toy aisle at Target. So I got him one for Christmas.
At any rate, Cami thought it would be a good idea if I got in on the fun and we ended up with a pretty cool triptych that I think you guys might appreciate.
I posted the photo to the Theater Hopper Facebook page. I’ll admit I was a little reluctant to take the photo at first. But now that we have it, I’m so, so glad.
You never get this time back, people. If you’ve got kids, hug ’em extra hard tonight, okay?
Have a great week.
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I was getting kind of tired of drawing profiles of characters for the Top Web Comics incentive image, so I did something a little different today. Jimmy’s trials at the movie theater kind of reminded me of Atlas, so I went that direction with the incentive sketch. Vote for Theater Hopper at Top Web Comics if you want to see it.
I realized while plotting this week’s comic that it didn’t contain a joke. It sent me into a miniature panic. I’m not exactly known for writing drama and – to me – writing a comic without a joke feels… unfinished.
Ultimately I determined that cramming in the joke for the sake of one really didn’t benefit things. So maybe today’s comic isn’t funny, but it moves the ball up the field.
Incidentally, is everyone able to follow along with the changes in scenery? I’ve been doing a lot of jumping around from location to location – sometimes flipping back and forth between different sets of characters. I know you guys are smart and are probably following along just fine. I’m just self-conscious about it.
Like I said, I don’t write drama. Most of my comics are fairly self-contained. I really haven’t had to think of my story telling in terms of “What’s happening over here while these characters over here are talking about something else?” It’s kind of weird.
Something interesting that’s been happening in the last few weeks is that people have complimented me for allowing the characters to “grow up” a little bit. I can say with all honestly that it has not been intentional. But, with what I know about where I want the characters to end up when I end the comic in August, I would have to admit the transition has been almost subliminal.
Since announcing the comic’s end, I’ve made clear my intentions to let readers know that the characters will be “okay.” Perhaps some of this maturation is the unintended byproduct of that?
Sometimes I feel like it’s best to get out of my own way and kind of let the characters write themselves. I know that sounds pretentious. But in this case, I feel like its an honest assessment of how things are playing out.
On that note…
I NEED YOUR HELP
I’ve been presented the opportunity to attend and exhibit at Emerald City Comiccon in Seattle this March 31 – April 1 and I would really, really, REALLY like to go.
However, this was not a convention I had originally planned on attending. That there is now an opportunity is a complete fluke. As such, I don’t really have the money to secure a plane ticket, a hotel room, cab fare and the rest.
This isn’t really your problem. If I don’t have the money, I shouldn’t go, right? Buuuuuuut… if you have it in your heart to make a purchase from the Theater Hopper store or perhaps donate to my “Farewell Tour,” it would be really, really, REALLY helpful right now. That’s all I’m saying.
If you can help, great. If you can’t help, well, that’s how the cookie crumbles. Even if I don’t end up going to ECCC this year, I will be going to C2E2 in Chicago two weeks later. So, there’s that!
That’s all I have for right now. Thanks for checking out the comic and I’ll see you next week!
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I didn’t put together an incentive sketch for Top Web Comics today because I kind of ran out of time. Also, beyond generating sketches that I might or might not sell at a future date, I don’t know if it’s doing any real good in terms of A.) Generating votes or B.) Generating traffic.
I don’t know what it is about me that I insist on tinkering with how the comic is promoted when the finish line is only a few months away. I guess I can’t leave well enough alone.
That said, if you still want to vote for Theater Hopper at Top Web Comics, you can do that.
I had the idea for today’s comic kind of before I decided if it was a good idea or not. I had this romantic idea in mind – that Jimmy would be willing to work at the movie theater because it made it easier to remember Charlie being there – but couldn’t decide if I was hitting the same beat as last week’s comic.
Either way, I think I’m going to have to squeeze in some jokes into next week’s comic. If nothing else, I certainly need to get Charlie’s side of the equation in there.
Part of me feels like I’m running out the clock a little bit in anticipation of May. Because I think by the time The Avengers hits, I might be in the mood for a reprieve from the dramatic stuff. I think you know what that means.
CONVENTION SCHEDULE
I wanted to take a quick moment and share my convention schedule for the next couple of months. It’s pretty aggressive and no one is more surprised than me by how active I’m going to be in the next few weeks.
- Emerald City Comic Con – Seattle, WA – March 30 through April 1
- I’ll be hanging out at booth #307 with Gordon McAlpin from Multiplex and Angela Melick from Wasted Talent.
- C2E2 – Chicago, IL – April 13, 14, 15
- I don’t know what table I’ll be at other than in the webcomics section of Artist Alley. Come find me!
- MCBA Springcon – Minneapolis, MN – May 19 & 20
- This is a smaller show, so I should be pretty easy to find. But they’ve got great selection. If you live in the Minneapolis area, come out and see me!
It’s weird. A month ago, I wasn’t planning on going to any of these shows. Then I did an interview with Kurt Sasso over at TGT Media and we talked about C2E2. I went to the show its inaugural year and said I wasn’t interested in going back due to the expense. Kurt ended up giving me a few tips and talked me into going. I even managed to find a cheap hotel downtown, too!
Shortly after that, Gordon sent me an e-mail about ECCC. One of the people he and Angela were sharing a booth with had to back out and he asked me if I was interested in filling the spot.
I went to ECCC in 2009 and it was one of the most exhilarating/stressful trips of my life. I had never flown to a convention before. I had no idea how to get my merchandise there. I was kind of on the outs with a few people in the webcomic community at the time. I had no idea how it was going to go over.
That said, it was a profoundly positive experience. ECCC is so well run and the people of Seattle are so welcoming toward webcomics, I look back on it fondly. I ended up socializing with other webcomic creators I had never met before and got to speak on a panel with Jeph Jacques, Danielle Corsetto and Robert Khoo. It was crazy validating and I’ve been struggling to go back every year. I’ve always kicked myself for not going in the years since.
So here’s Gordon with this opportunity and I’m struggling to find a way to make it work. I’m cashing in hotel rewards points, I’m looking at Priceline for cheap flights ever 15 miuntes, I’m hemming, I’m hawing. Finally I decided to pull the trigger and leave it all on the table – damn the expense. If I’m ending Theater Hopper this year, I’m going out with a bang.
And then there’s the Minneapolis Springcon. This was the first comic book convention I ever went to back in 2004. It seemed fitting that I hadn’t been there since 2007. It seemed appropriate that I should try to go back.
So here we are. Three conventions in two months. Cami isn’t exactly thrilled about it, but she understands. So if you’re going to be at any one of those three shows, help me make it worth my while, yeah? After all, there’s no telling the next time we’ll get to see each other again…
That’s it for now. Have a great week, everyone!
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