Too old for the hype machine
My general outlook on the state of popular media is: it's too many. I can't keep up. Every movie I see advertised on the side of a bus is something I've never heard of and looks like a background gag from a 30 Rock episode.
Have I seen Civil War? Of course not. I only found it existed after it was already out and everyone suddenly had an opinion on it. I am busy rewatching Stargate: SG-1. Stop bothering me.
Podcast Appearance: I Will Fight You
The latest episode of I Will Fight You is about Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, a game with too many subtitles which is also, according to my co-host Maquekenzie, High Art. Spoilers for a game that came out 20 years ago.
You can listen to the episode here, or wherever podcasts are found.
Recommendation: PRETTY GOOD
Jon Bois, the storyteller behind the YouTube video series PRETTY GOOD, is perhaps the only person on YouTube who understands that video essays are supposed to have a visual component. He's ostensibly a sports writer, but has managed to wedge himself into an online niche that allows him to talk about whatever he wants; PRETTY GOOD covers not only sports stories, but also bodybuilding forum drama, the show 24, and a flying lawn chair.
What continually impresses me about Bois as an artist is the visual complexity he's capable of pulling off with Google Earth, a (presumably office-supplied) copy of Adobe Premiere, and a budget of $0. This is a guy who understands exactly what he can accomplish with the tools available to him, and he pushes them all to their utmost. Watch the videos, and you'll see what I mean.
This Week's Links
weird vintage sci-fi fantasy books ily
A Neocities page about vintage sci-fi book covers. Mouse over each of them to read the back. This is the closest online equivalent to killing a half-hour in the sci-fi/fantasy section of a used bookstore.
IMMORTAL Pop!bat 2: funK.O. (Definitive Edition)
IMMORTAL Pop!bat 2: funK.O. (Definitive Edition) is a sequel to the much-beloved and often-played Mortal Popbat, the war game of empty-eyed vinyl bobbleless bobbleheads. Now even more chaotic and bloated, IMMORTAL Pop!bat 2: funK.O. (Definitive Edition) is sure to satisfy that primal desire to see little merchandise blobs maul each other. Spend, fight, destroy, and see who comes out on Pop™!
No, really — this is a wargame for Funko Pops. It's over 1600 pages long. The first 3 or 4 pages are the rules; the rest are stat blocks. There is a dedication on display here that I find both impressive and terrifying.
This video captures something fundamental about the human condition. I rewatch it on a regular basis. I can't stop thinking about it.
Yes, I started rewatching SG-1 after I saw the Stargate prop from the other week. That's how easy it is to reactivate an old obsession. It could happen to you.
-K
