Posts Tagged ‘Star Trek’
12 items.
Dec11
For the record, today’s strip is not an endorsement to make a crossover film of this sort at any time… ever. It’s indicative of the grade-level pandering real life studio bosses think audiences are capable of handling. But there is something to be said by watching Jennifer Lopez being vaporized..
With hat out of the way, it goes without saying that I am WAY more excited about seeing the latest installment of the Star Trek franchise than I am seeing another Jennifer Lopez vanity pick. Nemesis is the 10th movie in the series, and as we all know, this being an even-numbered film, it will rule. It’s like universal law, or something.
I’m hoping to dodge a bullet and skip Maid in Manhattan. Hopefully Cami will let me earn “good husband” credit by seeing Two Weeks Notice with Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant. This really isn’t a step up, per se. It’s more of a unilateral move. But I’ve developed an odd affection for Hugh Grant since his turn as a “villain” in Bridget Jones’s Diary a few years back. About A Boy strengthened my opinion of him.
Just wanted to give a quick shout-out to a few new link pals I’ve made. Everyone needs to go check out Bollox, Jaded Chaos and Spudmonkey. They’re all great strips and deserve your undivided attention.
Little note: Lately I’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback on the site and I feel that’s due in part to the effort I’ve been making to branch out within the community. To all the new readers coming in from different sites, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for stopping by and checking out what I do here. I’m excited to have you check out my work.
For those of you who take the extra time to write, double-thanks to you. It’s a great validation to hear from individuals out there in the digital ether who did what I do. It strengthens my resolve to keep making Theater Hopper better and seen by more and more people.
I still have more I want to say, but it’s getting late and I have an early day. I’ll try and come back this evening with more chit-chat.
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So as you can see, I’ve rounded out the last four of the Ten Commandments of Movie Watching. I know there was some anticipation out there waiting to see where it ended up. I hope you aren’t disappointed. If anything, I hope you enjoyed getting an extra comic on Tuesday. Keep checking the site. You’ll get another extra comic tomorrow.
I wanted to mention that I finally got off my can and updated some sections in the Bonus Materials area. I placed last week’s guest comic as well as a couple others from when I went to New York for New Year’s Eve. You can check them out here.
I also updated the cameo page. This is where I hook you up with all the little appearances Theater Hopper characters have turned up across web comic land. This time through, there are two more to add to the list. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom on both pages for the new stuff.
I still have some art to add to the “guest strips that I’ve drawn” page as well as to the fan art section. I feel awful, because I’ve been sitting on some of this stuff for a long time. But it’s a start, right?
Beyond that, nothing much to say. I’m VERY excited for the weekend’s movie offerings. Kill Bill Vol. 2 predominantly on my mind. I’m also looking forward to seeing The Punisher, even though I know it will suck horribly. It’ll be a bittersweet few days. But I gotta support the boys at Marvel. If anything, I’m brand-loyal.
Anyway, I’ll be sure to hit all these topics more in the next few days. Until then, take it easy!
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Apr28
It IS true that long time Star Trek producer Rick Berman is looking into filming an eleventh Star Trek movie. But since the cast of The Next Generation announced (in unison, I presume) that the Gawd-awful Nemesis would be their swan song, Berman has had to rely on his wits to get by.
His answer? A prequel!
Yes, Rick Berman isn’t satisfied until he’s ruined everything Gene Roddenberry hoped to accomplish with his franchise.
You’ll have to apologize for the lame Khan joke that kicks off today’s strip. It’s been done before and by better comics. But I felt it was a necessary device to get to the William Shatner underwear-stealing gag I had saved for the last panel.
Not much else to report for the moment, but if you have a webcam and are looking for new portals on which to slap your mug, it should be known that the Theater Hopper forums has a portal of its very own! All you have to do is sign up for an account in the forums, include the URL path to your cam image and you’re set!
Also, don’t forget that pre-orders for the very first Theater Hopper t-shirt end this Friday. Be sure to check out the store to find out how to order one!
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First, because I can’t do a strip featuring Truman without showing a real-life picture of the little guy…
There. Does that make your Wednesday or what? He’s a sweetheart, folks.
Drastically pushing the timeline forward in the “Nerd Justice” story arc, I began to contemplate what it would really mean to lose your nerd license, should such a thing exist.
Surely one of the first privileges to go would be the internet. This is not to say that nerds are the only people who use the internet. We just use it so much better than the rest of you.
I don’t know what I would do without the internet. But strapping a satchel to Truman’s back doesn’t seem that far fetched when I really stop to think about my options. It’s either that, or start writing crazed, repetitive notes to myself Jack Nicholson-style.
“All work and no play make Tom a dull boy.”
“All work and no play make Tom a dull boy.”
“All work and no play make Tom a dull boy.”
Because it is obligatory, I want to remind everyone that pre-orders for shirts WILL END next Monday, May 16. So be sure to put your order in now so your purchase will be included in the batch that I send to the printer. We have a lot of really great, new designs to choose from – So choose wisely!
I wanted to quickly call your attention to a review that was handed down to Theater Hopper from the fine web site Journey Into History. You can find it if you follow that link and scroll down a little bit. For the impatient, a link directly to the review can be accessed here.
You might not be familiar with Journey Into History because it’s just getting off the ground. But it’s a very cool idea for a site. Basically, the concept is to take a web comic and use it to review… other web comics! Artist and writer Bob Stevenson then dissects the comic in a follow up blog.
I was very attracted to the site largely because of Bob’s writing style. I think he is very concise and accurate with his opinions. I just got the vibe from reading his stuff that he didn’t tolerate much B.S. – But that any criticisms he would make were fair and delivered with a velvet glove.
While not entirely complimentary to Theater Hopper, I felt Bob has some very strong insights into the mechanics of the comic. Stuff that I hadn’t even considered, but when pointed out to me, rang true.
He had plenty of good things to say about the comic – and that’s always welcome – but it’s the politely worded criticisms one can use to really advance their art.
A lot of other “review” sites could learn a lot by Bob’s example. You can tell he really takes the time to digest the material he’s reviewing – even when the archives are huge.
For example, Bob freely admitted that while he read most of the comics in the archive, he didn’t read all the blogs. He also confessed to not being that familiar with movies from the last 5 years ago, so he wasn’t the best to judge whether my opinions on recent cinematic offerings were on the money or not.
These deficiencies on his part did not color his review at all, I felt. Some people might look at this comic and say “Well, I’m not into movies – so therefore it sucks.” Bob gave it a fair shake and worked with the material he took the time to absorb.
Anyway, I’m ranting a little bit. But it’s just so refreshing to get feedback like this. Do yourself a favor and check our Journey Into History. Read the archives. Odds are Bob has covered another one of your regular reads at some point. It’s good stuff.
In the meantime, everyone should really consider signing up for that mailing list thingee over on the right hand side, below the comic. If you were signed up before hand, you would have already known about the Journey Into History review because it was something I shared with the subscribers Tuesday afternoon.
You never know when I might drop some more knowledge. Wouldn’t you want to be the first to know it?
More later. Maybe some vitriolic missives about the assured suckitude of The Fantastic Four when I have a minute later in the day.
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Jun02
Still recovering from my trip across the pond, but surprisingly, the jet lag hasn’t hit me yet. I went back to work yesterday and was fairly functional! I’m just worried that at some point I’ll be driving on my way to Arby’s this weekend and a sudden bout of narcolepsy will drive me into the median. Keep your fingers crossed, kids!
Big thanks to Jonah and Jeremy Gregory for today’s guest strip. I’m always a sucker for a great Muppet Babies reference! You should really check out their comic Random Pirate Comics. What’s cool about it is that you’re not enjoying one comic, but several! You have to visit the site to see what I mean. So what are you waiting for?
I know I said that the guest strips would end after today, but I actually got a couple more in my inbox that will carry us through over the weekend. The one I have on deck for Sunday will be a nice little bookend to my extended hiatus. But I promise I’ll be back in action on Monday again.
At any rate, be sure to come back to the site both Saturday and Sunday for some extra goodies.
As I mentioned yesterday, in addition to extra guest strips, a few more pre-orders for the book came in while I’m away. We’re closer to our goal, but still a long ways away. I’ve been trying to stay positive throughout the entire pre-sale event, stay excited and hopefully get you guys excited as well.
However, at this point, with the June 11 deadline for pre-orders looming, I have to take a more realistic approach.
I don’t think we’re going to make the goal of getting 300 books. What that means for those of you who have placed orders, I don’t know. I’d still like to go forward with it. There are too many of you who’ve shown faith and support in this project to turn tail and run. Whether that means I order a lower print run and lose a cut of the potential revenue or if I try to scrounge up some money on my own to pay for the difference, I haven’t decided.
But whatever the outcome, today is payday. So if you were thinking about pre-ordering a book at all, today is the day! PLEASE CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY OF THE BOOK TODAY!
Thanks again to everyone for their support. One thing is for sure, this has been a real learning experience and I still think there are lessons for me to learn. So in the very least, I am greatful for that.
Talk to you soon!
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Would anyone be surprised to find out that Captain Kirk was a Viagra fiend? Not me. In fact, I’m pretty sure he’d go on some elaborate adventure and time-travel back to the 20th century to make sure it’s been invented.
He’s a horn dog, is what I’m saying.
But what will Viagra be like in the 23rd Century? Vote for Theater Hopper at Top Web Comics for an incentive sketch that explores this vital issue!
Star Trek comes out this weekend and I’d say I’m excited for it. I was never that big of a fan of the original series, though. I mean, I liked the actors and I LOVE the characters. But the low production value of those shows from the 60’s leaves me cold. I liked the movies a lot, though. Obviously Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is everyone’s favorite (“KHHHHHAAAAAAAAAN!”). But I also really like Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
Despite the fact that I’ve seen nearly every episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, probably 85% of Star Trek: Deep Space 9 and most of Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise, I don’t really consider myself “a trekker.” I really think of myself more as a Star Wars nerd.
I think it depends on which franchise got to you first. I was born in 1977. I’m in the sweet-spot when it comes to the influence of Star Wars. I wasn’t introduced to Star Trek until I was in high school and was looking for an excuse to stay up late while waiting for Late Night with Conan O’Brien to come on. Where I lived, The Next Generation was running in syndication at 10:30 at night. It worked out perfectly because it got me hooked.
I know that there are some hard-core trekkers who are concerned about this reboot with a younger cast. I can understand why. I mean, the first Star Trek probably had a perfect cast. Certainly Shatner and Nimoy were a pairing for the ages.
But of all the franchises that have been rebooted in the last few years – Batman, James Bond, Hulk, Punisher – it was probably Star Trek that needed it most of all.
I think this film is probably the antithesis of X-Men Origins: Wolverine in terms of building positive buzz and anticipation. Whereas X-Men Origins: Wolverine was like a awkward teenager trying desperately to get you to like them (advertising for more than a year, a million clips and commercials, gimmicky alternate endings shipped to different theaters), Star Trek has been playing it close to the vest.
Whereas I felt I knew everything about X-Men Origins: Wolverine, I feel like I know next to nothing about what Star Trek is going to give us.
From the trailers, I can tell that this version of James T. Kirk is more cocky than the original. Maybe even somewhat of a problem child. I know the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise looks like an Apple store and I know Eric Bana’s character is bald. Beyond that, all I know is that there appears to be a lot of lens flares in space.
But plot-wise? No idea. And I like it that way.
I’ll probably have more to say about Star Trek with Friday’s comic. So, to keep you entertained in the meantime, please enjoy these video remixes from Star Trek: The Next Generation. There’s a guy on YouTube who has put together nearly two dozen of these and they’re hilarious! Enjoy!
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Sometimes being a nerd is hard. You get made fun of a lot, you’re usually kind of pasty and there are swirlies involved.
But if you’re lucky enough to land a hot wife who indulges your nerd tendencies? Well, you’ve just hit the jackpot, tiger. Just try not to be a jerk about it like Tom is in the most recent incentive sketch. To see what I’m talking about, vote for Theater Hopper at Top Web Comics.
I like drawing the comics where Cami geeks out with Tom from time to time. I’ve done a few of them in the past and I think it helps to move their relationship beyond the loudmouth protagonist and the long-suffering wife. Not to say there isn’t some of that to be found in Theater Hopper, but that Everyone Loves Raymond dynamic gets a little tired after a while.
Hopefully it’s clear that Cami is dressed up as an Orion slave girl from the original Star Trek. I never know if I’m in safe territory when I’m making visual references from 40 years ago.
It was… interesting doing photo research for the Orion slave girl’s “look.” I found a bunch of images from when they made an appearance on Enterprise a few years ago. It was as if someone had sprayed them down with industrial strength whore. Guess I missed that episode.
Of course, there are the ubiquitous images of everyday fans dressed up as Orion slave girls. Ladies, I love you. But take my word for it when I suggest that there aren’t many of you who can pull off the green skin and tattered rags look. I’m just trying to be a friend.
So, as you know, Star Trek is in theaters today and it’s been really interesting getting e-mails and reading the feedback of people who’ve seen it. Pretty much all of them are saying it’s awesome. My expectations were already a little high, but I’m starting to worry that if I don’t see this movie soon, my expectations will be TOO high and it’s going to disappoint me in some way.
People keep saying that the film is like this year’s Iron Man. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, I think I might have seen a commercial for Star Trek that says the same thing. So who knows if that’s their real opinion or if they’re just parroting something they’ve heard elsewhere (like I have).
I assume people make the comparison for the fact that it sounds like Star Trek simply gets a lot of things right and puts the characters to the fore with a healthy dose of the science fiction elements that support them. I think the biggest thing Star Trek has going for it is that people are starting to remember that it was the characters – specifically the relationship between Kirk and Spock – that made the show so much fun to watch.
I mean, let’s be frank. By the time they got around to making Star Trek VI, it was more about the novelty of seeing these actors we had grown to love on screen together one. last. time. I mean, look at the way people treat Shatner these days. He’s like a Goofball Grandfather God. But I think audiences forgot why they fell in love with them in the first place.
I’m hoping to see the film tonight. Probably a late showing. Cami has no interest in it, of course. That’s okay. I can nerd it up all the more flying solo. I’ll let you know what I think on Monday. Or, if you want to know before then, I’m sure I’ll tweet about it at some point over the weekend. Maybe come back here for the more in depth review…
Anyone else ready to be beamed up? What are your expectations for the film? What elements do you think they have to include to keep the die-hard fans happy? What’s something new you’d like to see contributed to the franchise? Leave your thoughts below!
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Before seeing Star Trek on Friday, I poked my head into my movie theater’s arcade and played Guitar Hero. (Did you know they made Guitar Hero for arcades? I didn’t.)
Anyway, on a goof, I picked Deftones, “Hole in the Earth.”
It didn’t dawn on me until later how appropriate that song is for what Nero does to Vulcan in Star Trek. It’s perfect, really.
Happy accidents!
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Before we get started today, I want to take a moment to ask everyone a favor. I posted about it on Friday, but this is quick reminder.
I am taking a research class for my Master’s degree and am writing a paper on the value of film criticism to opinion leaders – people like yourselves who enjoy movies and whose friends approach for advice and knowledge on the subject.
I have written a quick, 30 question survey that I am using to support my research and I need a lot of people to fill it out. If the subject matter of my paper doesn’t impress my professor, I’m hoping the amount of data I’ve collected will.
If you have 5 to 10 minutes, please help me out by taking the survey. To sweeten the deal, I’m collecting e-mail addresses at the end of the survey to be entered into a drawing for a free t-shirt and free book. You don’t have to give me your e-mail if you don’t want. It’s completely optional. But I wanted to put that out there to sway anyone that might be on the fence!
I’m closing the survey tonight at midnight, so if you can take it before then, I would appreciate it! For those of you who have already taken the survey, thank you for your help!
Now, onto business.
I freely admit that today’s comic was an excuse to steal one of my favorite jokes from The Simpsons – the episode where Milhouse is cast in the big screen adaptation of his and Bart’s favorite superhero, Radioactive Man. As you recall, in the movie, the character is played by action hero stereotype (and Arnold Schwarzenegger knock-off) Rainier Wolfcastle. It’s Milhouse’s job as his sidekick Fall Out Boy to rescue him from a tidal wave of acid that is headed toward the captured hero. For realism, the director uses REAL ACID and encourages the crew to remember to wear their goggles for protection. Nervous, Rainier wears his goggles, but Milhouse doesn’t show up in time. The wave crashes into Rainer and as he is being carried away, utters the famous line, “My eyes! The goggles do nothing!”
Yup. Nothing like explaining a joke in detail to make it funnier! Maybe I should have just linked to a clip of it.
Like most of the free world, I saw Star Trek this weekend and, like most of the free world, I enjoyed it immensely. The lens flares are a little bit out of hand, though. J.J. Abrams’ use of lens flares is not so egregious that it ruins the movies, but if you were going to complain, it would be the easiest target to shoot for.
Abrams at least admits that their overuse was a bit ridiculous, but he has a good excuse. In an interview with io9.com, Abrams shares that he wanted “…a visual system that felt unique. I know there are certain shots where even I watch and think, ‘Oh that’s ridiculous, that was too many.’ But I love the idea that the future was so bright it couldn’t be contained in the frame.”
So even if the effect is overdone in places, I can certainly respect Abrams for coming into the movie with a specific visual concept in mind and running with it.
As for the movie itself, I was greatly impressed! I loved Zachary Quinto as Spock and I thought Chris Pine as Kirk was good, even though I wished that the script hadn’t made him such a persistent dick throughout the movie. We’re told early on that Kirk’s aptitude is off the charts, that he’s a genius. He doesn’t really act like one. I mean, it’s good to set up the bad boy thing at the start of the movie and I know Kirk’s rebellious nature is what makes him attractive as a character. But as the movie progresses, you almost want him to play by the rules JUST ONCE so things feel a little more justified when he assumes control of the Enterprise.
Eric Bana as the villain Nero felt a little undercooked. Basically, he’s a pissed off and vengeful space-miner who gets his hands on some incredibly destructive technology. There’s nothing regal or militaristic about him. I didn’t get the impression that he was much of a threat intellectually. He just has an advantage because he comes from the future.
It’s kind of like Biff getting his hands on Marty’s Sports Almanac in Back to the Future II. Biff isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, he just exploits the scenario. You’d think after the last 8 years, I’d be more accepting of the concept of an idiot’s rise to power, but it always feels like a cheat to me.
Aside from introducing Nero as a threat, I thought the use of time travel in this movie was a very clever way to side-step the whole “reboot” scenario. It’s not just new actors with pretty faces slipping on the clothes of beloved characters. Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman went so far as to create a completely alternate reality for these characters to operate in. Going forward, I see the opportunity for totally new story lines. They’ve replenished the well and I feel excited about Star Trek again for the first time in a long time.
The crowd I watched the movie with on Friday was amped up and ready for a good time. When the Paramount logo came on screen, people started to clap and cheer. Being from Iowa, there was also a unique sense of hometown pride when the film caught up to Kirk hitting on Uhura and picking fights in a bar near the Riverside Space Port. When the identified “IOWA” as the location on screen, there was a lengthy round of applause.
Hey, give us a break. It’s Iowa. Besides gay marriage and corn, we have very little else to hang our hat on.
I don’t know if I can say much more about Star Trek that hasn’t already been said elsewhere except I’ve been running around the house all weekend talking it up to the point that Cami now thinks she wants to see it. Curiously, my father-in-law kept asking me about the movie went we went to visit Cami’s parents for Mother’s Day. Maybe all three of us could go together? I’ll remember to bring goggles for everyone next time.
By the way, have you guys seen those collectible glasses promoting Star Trek at Burger King? I was thrilled when I saw the commercial for them. Not exclusively because I was excited about the movie, but it seems like ages since a fast food restaurant offered collectible glasses like these. When I was a kid, this was something McDonald’s and Burger King did all the time. I bought one last night basically as a way to communicate that this is a promotion I endorse and I hope that they continue such campaigns in the future.
Of course I got my Spock on…
I’m thinking about going back for the other glasses. Cami said she’d like to have the Uhura glass, but does anyone really want to drink out of a glass with Nero’s face on it?
Before I forget, I drew a picture of Spock for the incentive image over at Top Web Comics. To see it, vote for Theater Hopper and you too can get your Spock on.
And for more Star Trek goodness, be sure to listen to The Triple Feature tonight at 9:00 PM CST where I’m sure the movie will be the topic of choice. Call in with your questions and we’ll answer them LIVE on the air!
In the meantime, what did everyone think of Star Trek? Anyone planning to go back and see it again? I think I might. I had a blast! Leave your comments about the film below and let’s get a conversation started!
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Pretty much all weekend long I’ve been talking about Star Trek. So much so, that Cami feels she’s missing out a little bit.
Over dinner I expressed that it was too bad that she never got into Star Trek: The Next Generation because it was a really good show.
Much to my surprise, she said, “I’d be open to watching some of those shows if we can rent them using Netflix.”
I just about fell out of my chair.
So now I’m thinking that I have an incredible opportunity to expose my wife to a cultural touchstone, but I’m not sure where to start.
Logically, you would think “Start at the beginning.” But here’s the thing… as much as I love The Next Generation, I don’t think the first three seasons are very good. My rule of thumb is, if Ryker doesn’t have a beard, it’s a bad episode. If Tasha Yar is in it, it’s a bad episode. If Worf doesn’t have his ponytail, bad episode. If Wesley Crusher is in it… Well, you get the idea.
I have it in my head to start Cami out on Season 4, but I’m worried she might miss out on some important character development. Admittedly, it’s been years since I’ve sat down to watch a complete episode. I would catch them from time to time on Spike or G4, but I was never patient enough to sit through the whole thing. Renting the past seasons on DVD would be a way for me to get caught up as well.
So I guess the question is this: For someone who has never watched Star Trek before – let alone The Next Generation – where is a good place to start? Would you suggest starting from the beginning, or do you think there are better episodes to be found in later seasons?
Leave your comments below!
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