Starlog: Critiquing the critique

Despite its lofty aspirations, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" was an oddity that divided the fan base when it hit theaters in 1979.

One faction welcomed the return of their favorite franchise, even in this less-than-perfect form. In the wake of "Star Wars," it was only natural that Star Trek would return to take advantage of the growing sci fi marketplace. And sometimes, this faction argued, returns begin awkwardly. (I agree. Any "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode featuring Commander Riker sans beard is evidence of that.) So no, these fans said, the 1979 movie wasn't stellar. But it was a start.

Another faction, however, dared called a spade a spade. And this faction had a notable leader: Harlan Ellison. The renowned author reviewed "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" for the April 1980 issue of Starlog. Sadly, I lack the issue, but the Starlog Project summary offers this glimpse of Harlan's review:

The mark of Gene Roddenberry's limits as a creator of stories is heavily, indelibly, inescapably on this production. … The script has all the same dumb flaws that were perpetrated in the series … with bigger, prettier pictures. … The basic story, for all its 'latest state of the art' and its tricked-up trekkiness, is Gene's standard idea, done so often in the series: we go into space, we find God, and God is (pick one) malevolent, crazy, or a child.

Harlan's piece seemed to equally infuriate and encourage longtime Star Trek fans, as evidenced by letters printed in the June 1980 issue. The movie's defenders were understandably upset. Joycelyn Yee of Hawaii said Harlan's review made her feel "sick and disillusioned."

Everyone knows that heroes are hard to come by these days; must we abandon Star Trek's heroes and heroines, too? Perhaps this is the wrong analogy, but it's like being told that there is no Santa Claus.

Some letter writers, though, applauded Harlan for taking his stand. Stephen Cook of Ohio noted that he was initially "spellbound" by the franchise's Silver Screen debut.

But as I left the theater, I suddenly realized that I and every true Trek fan had been ripped off. As I later read in Mr. Ellison's review, all this movie had been was a glorified version of the old series, and I hadn't waited all this time just to see more reruns!

Jackie Johnson of California split the difference, writing of Harlan's review, "Sometimes I agreed, sometimes not." On one key point, though, Jackie hoped all could agree.

I agreed that too many people are doing the "let's-not-do-the-movie-any-harm" bit. Where do these people expect improvements to come from?

Mercifully, improvements did come. Three years later, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" was just a memory and "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" was breathing some desperately needed life into the franchise.

Body Image: The Ugly Duckling?

The following is a guest post I wrote for Melanie Spring's blog.

Look at this girl with huge, frizzy hair, oversized glasses, and that special, awkward grin only adolescence and a mouthful of braces can bring. That was me in junior high - the typical, awkward teen.

Astonishingly, I didn't get a lot of dates then. I wasn't one of the "pretty-pretties" - the popular girls, the cheerleaders. In retrospect my body was pretty amazing - I was a dancer, and didn't surpass 110 pounds until high school - but I hated that I was built like a Skipper doll, with no boobs and no hips. My skin was pale to the point where my mom begged me to wear blush so I "wouldn't look dead."

But one day in my mid-teens I was reflecting on the story of the ugly duckling, and made a decision to put mind over matter. I was going to tell myself that I was the most gorgeous, fascinating thing that walked the earth, and my own positivity would attract others and make me "date-able."

(Continue reading)

CONvergence 2010: Cosplay Highlights - Zidane

Zidane is the main character from Final Fantasy IX, one of my favorite video games of
all time. It's an ambitious costume, but this guy really pulled it off nicely.

Returning to the Haunted Mansion

I remain mystified as to how "The Haunted Mansion" movie got made. Based on the classic Disney theme park ride, the movie was ruined by poor writing, acting and directing.

So it's with great hope that I look forward to the newly announced remake coming from Guillermo del Toro of "Pan's Labyrinth" fame. Knowing that the first movie was based on the Haunted Mansion ride in California, which is set in New Orleans, I'm hopeful the new movie is keyed to the ride in Florida, which I've long enjoyed.

Because the project was just announced, there aren't many details to share. Guillermo is writing and producing the flick, but contrary to early reports, not directing. While a bit disappointing that he won't be wearing all three hats, I can't imagine he'll give the director's chair to someone he doesn't completely trust to fully complement in his plan.

And what is that plan? Guillermo's brief interview with HitFix reveals he's envisioning "a big, event movie" that's "very classy" and "very beautiful." The film is "not just a regular haunted house movie," but something that will "honor a world — and a world view — that was first set by the imagineers at Disney." Fundamentally, the film will be "both fun and scary" as opposed to "dark and grimy and scary." That sounds like the right approach to me.

So go forth, Guillermo, and make with the scary. If anyone can do this property justice, it's you.

CONvergence 2010: Cosplay Highlights - Jareth

In hindsight, I really should've started this post with talking about "Labyrinth," because I think
that was the birth of my adolescent psyche, really. So, needless to say, I (along with probably
90% of the rest of the women at CON) loved this costume.

Coming soon (or not)

In connection with Comic-Con International, the massively geeky festival that I totally wish I could attend, it's time to review the latest news and rumors stemming from Hollywood's latest attempts to translate comics to the silver screen.

"Green Lantern," which releases June 2011, finally has made public pictures of the hero's costume. I find the outfit more puzzling than anything, considering it looks like something that would be more at home in the new "Tron" movie. Also befuddling is that the threads look like a blend of the Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner costumes. That surprises me because the movie is supposed to be all Hal all the time. But since the Kyle costume was so well done, I have no objection.

"Avengers" finally let lose the worst kept secret in Hollywood: Yes, indeed, Joss Whedon is directing the May 2012 flick. The creative genius behind "Dr. Horrible," "Firefly" and many other shows should do well with the team movie — which is coming together fairly quickly. Mark Ruffalo of "The Kids Are All Right" will play Bruce Banner following Ed Norton's departure from the project, and Jeremy Renner of "The Hurt Locker" will play Hawkeye. I have high hopes for this movie. Don't let me down, Joss.

And now that Christopher Nolan's "Inception" has released, we're finally hearing some rumblings about the third Batman film, due for release July 2012. I'm still holding out hope to see Hush in this film, but methinks that's a fool's dream. More rooted in reality are reports that Christopher is approaching this installment as his final take on the franchise; that it's quite possible the Riddler with be the film's lead villain; and, thank goodness, there is no chance we'll see the Joker in the film. Don't get me wrong. I loved the Joker we got in "The Dark Knight." But I agree completely with Christopher in that no one should succeed Heath Ledger in the role. At least not in this incarnation of the franchise.

Lastly, it's worth noting that DC is still working toward bringing The Flash and Wonder Woman to the big screen. Of course, we've heard this all before, so I'll believe it when I see it, but anything that brings us closer to a Justice League of America flick is alright by me.

CONvergence 2010: Cosplay Highlights - Three Musketeers

How could I NOT love these costumes? They're based on one of my favorite movies of all time.

Starlog: Down a 'Black Hole'

To say that "The Black Hole" was a risky proposition for Walt Disney Productions is an understatement. The flick, which hit theaters just in time for Christmas 1979, cost Disney an unprecedented $20 million and marked the studio's first foray into PG territory.

As risky as the financial gamble was for Disney, it was the rating that became the more complicating factor. Growing up, I clearly remember my mom saying she was certain that "The Black Hole" would never have been made had Walt Disney still been alive at the time. The violence, the intensity, the use of "hell" and "damn" in this — a Disney movie! — caught many parents off guard. So it was only natural that when Starlog published its interview with Ron Miller, Disney's executive vice president in charge of productions, the four-page article in Issue 31 led with discussion of this "new direction." Not that people like my mom were reading Starlog, mind you, but Ron tried to diffuse the situation as best he could. He assured readers that despite the popular notion of the day, Disney was "not making radical changes in our policies."

"I still think that when you say 'Disney' a certain type of picture should come to mind. I don't think there's anything in The Black Hole that would offend anybody.

"I'll tell you, though, candidly, that there appears to be a lid on our product. The age group we typically appeal to just won't give us the big attendance numbers that some other studios get. It seemed to us, a couple of years ago, that with The Black Hole we might begin to appeal to a much broader audience."

What earned the film it's PG rating?

"Mainly its intensity," Miller admits. "If Old Yeller or Davy Crockett were made today, I'm sure they'd get PG ratings. People seem to forget how we took care of the Indians and the Cavalry in those pictures."

The article goes on to note that in the buildup to the movie's release, Disney "has been deluged with unkind mail," including angry missives from "the Bible Belt" region and threats "from Disney stockholders."

After a moment's reflection, he says, "I don't think it would really matter if the film got an R rating. If the film is 'there,' if it's good, it's going to succeed regardless of the rating. It's apparent now that our PG rating probably doesn't mean a damn thing — one way or the other."

The main thing, Miller says, is to break the public's habit of thinking of all Disney products as alike. "I want them to say, 'Hey, look, Disney isn't that predictable.'"

More than anything else, that phrase apparently sums up the "new direction" the studio is embarking on.

It's worth noting that "The Black Hole" went on to earn $35 million domestically despite the threats. ("The Rescuers," which was Disney's last animated movie before "The Black Hole," comparatively earned $29 million in 1977.) And some three decades later, there's now serious talk of "The Black Hole" being remade, which is cool, because I'd totally see a remake.

I just don't think I'd see it with my mom.

CONvergence 2010: Cosplay Highlights - The Misfits

The Misfits, AKA the bad guys from the '80s cartoon "Jem." Classic!

How could I say no?

It's no secret that my enthusiasm for Star Wars has resurged this year. So this story probably won't surprise you.

But seriously, man, how can any Star Wars enthusiast pass up the opportunity to purchase original artwork used in the "Star Wars Roleplaying Game" by West End Games? Especially when that artwork represents two of the most famous ships in the franchise. You see, there are times when life just grabs you by the collar and says, "Look at this! Look. At. This. Do you see the awesome? Buy it. Now." And this was one of those times. When I stumbled across these pieces in the CONvergence art show, I immediately started drooling. Can you blame me? Look at the pieces. They're gorgeous! I was amazed to even see them for sale. That they hadn't already been bought was some gross injustice — or some commentary on the state of the economy. I'm not sure which.

But I digress.

That's not the point. The point is that I own awesome. And that's not a typo. It's not, "I own something that is awesome." No, no no. I own awesome. These two pieces by Brian Schomburg of Han Solo's Millennium Falcon and Boba Fett's Slave 1 are the embodiment of awesome. They are so awesome that I will some day print my own dictionary merely so that for the "awesome" entry I can reprint these two pieces. They define the word.

In the meantime, though, I shall treasure these pieces. And show them off. A lot. I'm sure Annie will have to stop me from bringing them out during dinner parties.

CONvergence 2010: Cosplay Highlights - Gir

I don't know if I love the costume, or the fact that someone dressed as Gir is
holding a bottle of wine. Either way, this is full of awesome and win.

CONvergence 2010: Assimilating Seven

Donning the Seven of Nine costume at CONvergence was an interesting experience, to say the least. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get my thoughts together on this, but I wanted to share some highlights from my time spent as a Borg.

I was really pleased with how the costume turned out, even though there were a couple of last minute hiccups with the prosthetics. My seamstress made a great latex eyepiece but the piece for the cheek didn't really turn out, and the hand prosthetic proved to be a greater challenge than she had anticipated. Fortunately, I was able to draw on the cheek piece, and one of my bandmates, who does work with silicone casting, was able to make me an AWESOME hand prosthetic at the very last minute (two days before we left).

Once I got the costume all assembled and wore it on the CON floor, though, it looked fantastic and it felt great. It was surprisingly comfortable, except for the shoes, which were fine for about an hour and would then begin to hurt. A lot. And since the costume wraps around the shoes, I couldn't discreetly slip them off. If the costume was on, the shoes were on. So I had to de-costume a little earlier each night than I'd planned, for the sake of my feet.

I got tons of compliments, though. People instantly recognized me and lots of people stopped me for photos. I wore it Thursday night and Friday night, and there were times on Friday when I literally couldn't go 10 feet without someone asking to take a photo of me. All but two people had really nice things to say and were especially impressed by the prosthetics (and the two who said negative things weren't exactly savvy in the "social skills" department, so whatever).

Overall, my biggest lesson from the experience was that dressing as a character a lot of people recognize is really fun. I think in future years I'm going to shoot for more mainstream characters like this one, because they seem to make a lot of people smile. Bearing in mind my rules for costuming (I have to care about the character, you have to be able to tell I'm in costume, I have to physically resemble the character, and I don't wear wigs), I am taking suggestions for next year's costume.

In the meantime, though, here are some highlights from my time in Borg regalia:

My hand prosthetic, up close. It's made of silicone and
stuck to my hand with a special silicone adhesive.

Josh and I had a drink at the Star Trek-themed party room, which is always my favorite.
The decor is phenomenal - you feel like you're in an episode of the original Star Trek series.

Half the fun of wearing the costume was getting weird juxtaposition photos
with folks in unrelated costumes, like Jareth from "Labyrinth." There's also a
photo floating around somewhere in which I'm assimilating Mal Reynolds.

CONvergence 2010: Cosplay Highlights - Evil-Lyn

Really dug this costume. Rachel did an amazing job and looked great!

Star Wars on a subway car

Starlog: Anticipating 'Empire'

I was just a wee lad when "The Empire Strikes Back" was headed to theaters, so I was never exposed to the rampant rumor mongering that preceded the "Star Wars" sequel.

And that's probably a good thing, because the rumors were downright crazy. They would have made my head spin. Obi-Wan dying a second death? The Millennium Falcon traversing a black hole? Darth Vader joining the Rebels? The hearsay was all documented in the February 1980 issue of Starlog. The magazine described these rumors as "some absurd, some logical, none confirmed or denied," a disclaimer that undoubtedly sent fans into a frenzy as the film's release neared. It's interesting to look back now, some 30 years later, at the scenarios that people thought might make it into "The Empire Strikes Back." Word for word, here's a sampling of what Starlog reported:

• The Millennium Falcon falls into a black hole — with Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie and Darth Vader aboard — and travels through time.
• On a jungle planet, where Luke and Han are seeking allies against the Empire, the two enlist a race of winged aliens called the Quarrels.
• There are creatures called the Quarrels, but they are dolphin-like aquatic mammals.
• The Rebels visit three different planets in Empire, and there are different races of intelligent creatures on each one.
• The Rebels visit three different planets, but none have indigenous sentient life.
• Princess Leia is captured by Stormtroopers and delivered to Darth Vader who, by use of the Force, seduces her into betraying Luke and Han.
• The special-effects team at Industrial Light and Magic, near San Francisco, have been working on an experimental process that uses holography and makes it possible for an image of the Millennium Falcon to fly off the screen and up the projection beam.
• In their travels, Luke, Leia and Han encounter a female villain, a sort of "Queen of Outer Space" (who will not be played by Zsa Zsa Gabor).
• Relating vaguely to that black hole rumor, it is said that Han Solo and Chewie land on a desert planet where they meet time travelers from Earth's 13th century who are trying to fight off Stormtroopers with catapults and crossbows.

The article also noted that Obi-Wan appears in the film "as an ephemeral shape that one can faintly see through" before he "dies yet again and reappears in an even more transparent form." One rumor regarding Darth Vader claimed Luke would, "through use of the Force," persuade the villain "of the error of his ways" and convince him "to enlist with the Rebels against the Empire."

As absurd as some of these rumors seemed, Starlog accurately reported the movie's twist ending. Buried in the three-page article was this line:

And more than once we've heard that it turns out that Vader is really Luke's father! Of course, we've also heard, from reliable sources, that Ben Kenobi is really Luke's father, and, from still other sources that Ben killed Luke's father.

Interestingly, the Starlog team got Craig Miller of Lucasfilm to review and comment on the rumor compilation. Craig wrote that "a fair percentage of the rumors you list are incorrect," but "you've done pretty well — better than I had hoped you could do."

Indeed. That the "I am your father" revelation hit Starlog many months before "The Empire Strikes Back" released likely didn't go over well at Lucasfilm.

OMG super cute kitteh

CONvergence 2010: Cosplay Highlights (Star Wars edition)

More CON cosplay highlights to come (in particular a lengthy saga about my adventures of Seven of Nine), but I wanted to highlight some of the great costumes we saw. Enjoy!

I always admire the folks who walk around in armor of any sort.
These Clone Troopers looked awesome.

I wanted a photo of these Star Wars characters together, and
snuck in on someone else photographing them with a random
cheerleader. So I just sort of went with it.

Yeahhhh bounty hunters! But wait, someone's
missing...

There we go.

Josh and I had an argument about whether this was "Hoth Leia"
or "Cloud City Leia," but as it turns out, we were both right!

Fascinating video on how different cultures and generations perceive time

This is well worth the time it takes to watch it. Enjoy!

In appreciation of the casual RPG

As someone who came to role-playing games relatively late, I've long felt compelled to try as many different versions as possible.

My first such quest, "Final Fantasy VII," was so enjoyable that I went on to play most other games in that series. But I also played a great many other RPGs, including "Legend of Dragoon," "Skies of Arcadia," and "Knights of the Old Republic," plus the Kingdom Hearts and Chrono games, and even one of those terribly overwrought Xenosaga chapters. Conspicuously absent from this list, of course, are the Dragon Quest games, which only recently caught my attention. For some inexplicable and indefensible reason, possibly due to marketing or art style, I'd long regarded Dragon Quest games as inferior products. For many years, I dismissed the series as too childish. Too undeveloped. Too casual.

But then a funny thing happened to me, a guy who logged hundreds of hours playing RPGs. I became a casual gamer.

It was around the time I realized my video game shelf was populated with the likes of "Lego Batman" and "DJ Hero" that perhaps a more casual RPG might be better for me than another epic undertaking. So I found a cheap copy of "Dragon Quest Swords" for the Nintendo Wii and gave it a spin. Although rough around the edges, the game quickly and favorably distinguished itself from Final Fantasy games. No longer did I need hours upon hours — and an accompanying strategy guide — to progress in the game. No, "Dragon Quest Swords" was far simpler. And for some, I know, that simplicity would be boring. But for me? It was the breath of fresh air that my tired RPG lineup needed.

Gone in "Dragon Quest Swords" is the overly large and complex world that other games throw upon players. In its place is a clear path forward. Gone also is the tendency to lose myself in the game and inadvertently sacrifice hours to my pastime. Instead, plentiful predetermined stopping points help me better control the length of my gaming sessions.

I'm still meandering my way through "Dragon Quest Swords," but barring the emergence of some disheartening killjoy, it's safe to say that my next RPG will be another Dragon Quest game. Perhaps the newest game in the series, "Dragon Quest IX" for the Nintendo DS, will be where my journey continues. That game, which hit stores Sunday, has certainly collected some glowing reviews. Not as simplistic as "Dragon Quest Swords," the DS installment is nonetheless designed for deliciously bite-sized gaming sessions. I welcome that.

There's a lot to be said about the epic, multi-disc RPG with its expansive tales and intricate characters. But as the Brothers Grimm taught us, sometimes the simplest tales are the best.

And now, a brief moment of self-congratulation.

Don't follow me yet? You can start here.

Potpourri of Monday goodness

I've been collecting lots of little bits of awesome lately, so I thought I'd share them with you. I'm hoping to do a bit more writing on CONvergence later this week, but in the meantime, please enjoy!

• One of my favorite Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes was actually a short special they did in advance of the 1995 Academy Awards. And now it's on YouTube. Awesome!
• My friend Tim wrote this fantastic, hilarious Op/Ed on Campaign CONvergence. Give it a read!
• Know someone in need of a pick-me-up? Send them a Mental Floss care package, including a shirt of your choice, the two most recent issues of the magazine, and snacks. 
• A recent study shows most young women check Facebook as soon as they get out of bed. And an analyst asks if using social media makes women less interesting to date. Hmm.
• Here's a new way to buy a DVD - you pick the episodes. Adult Swim is doing this - wonder if any other studios will follow suit?
• And lest you think video games aren't beneficial, a young boy's eyesight was saved by playing Mario Kart. True story!

Coming soon: Shark Week!

Living close to the Discovery Channel headquarters, it's easy to tell when Shark Week is imminent. What you see above will eventually become part of this inflatable shark.

Yes, it's a strange world we inhabit. But that's what makes it so awesome.

Starlog: Let's do the time warp

Old magazines and newspapers are like time capsules. They lend insight to eras long gone, immortalizing news and opinions that might otherwise be forever lost. For this reason, they can be fascinating reads.

That's why I bought several issues of Starlog, an old sci-fi magazine, last weekend at CONvergence 2010. No longer in print or available online, Starlog was a massively popular magazine in its day. A circulation statement in the magazine's February 1980 issue shows nearly 300,000 issues were printed at the time. To put that number in perspective, it's more than 10 times better than many sci fi magazines were doing earlier this decade. Starlog was so widely read that its letters column in February 1980 included communiques from across the nation, Canada and Australia.

And speaking of letters, Starlog received a wide variety. Some people wrote in earnest regarding the rumors surrounding Han Solo's unknown fate in "The Empire Strikes Back." Lynette Lichenstein of Texas wrote that she'd read elsewhere an article that "strongly suggested" Darth Vader would capture Han and expose him to the Dark Side.

This would put Luke Skywalker in the position of having to face Han Solo and it asked the question "Would Luke Skywalker be able to face and kill his friend?" This, to me, is the same thing as saying this is exactly what's going to happen — that Luke is going to be put in the position and maybe at the very last minute Han won't be able to kill Luke and Luke kills him instead. Then, in the trailer of Empire, there's one scene of Han Solo being knocked out and another with him in a chair obviously against his will, so I don't figure I need any more proof of this.

We know now that in the trailer Lynette likely saw, Han was knocked down by Cloud City security agents after he punched Lando Calrissian, and Han's torture was used to draw Luke from Dagobah to the Empire's trap.

Another reader, Tony Hanenstein of Iowa, had a bone to pick about the climactic self-destruct sequence in "Alien."

I can understand a complicated procedure to initiate self-destruction. But, a complicated procedure to disengage self-destruction? Gads, what a waste of a multi-billion-dollar spaceship. Wouldn't a simple voice command by the commanding officer to Mother do a better job? All I know is that Capt. Kirk never accidentally blew up the Enterprise. Oh well. The alien looked neat.

It's been a great treat to read through the magazines — chuckling at rumors associated with old movies and reading news bits that in hindsight are laughable. Would you believe a Silver Surfer film budgeted at $25 million was supposed to start shooting in July 1980? And that a Batman movie was slated to hit theaters for Christmas 1981?

In the weeks and months ahead, I'm planning to share some of the most entertaining bits from the issues I own. You can look forward to items about the Star Wars saga, "The Black Hole," "Tron," "Star Trek II," "Blade Runner," "Battlestar Galactica" and — if you ask really nicely — "Dr. Who." So stick around. It'll be fun.

The ghost of newsrooms past

Curiosity got the better of me yesterday when I was near the National Press Building. I had to see if the Washington Blade's old offices had a new tenant. As you can see, they did not.

It's funny how eight months after that office closed, the Blade is livelier than its old digs.

Using social media to find the best stuff, and the best people

(My latest ramblings on the Small Act blog.)

This past weekend I attended a big science fiction convention. It was my fourth time attending this particular event, and I was prepared for it to be overwhelming, as always. At any given time there are dozens of things to do: listen to a variety of panel discussions, watch sci-fi movies, listen to live music, do some arts and crafts, or play board games, card games, or video games.

It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of possibilities to the point where you’re stymied as to what to do. The same holds true for social media – there’s so much happening, RIGHT NOW, that sometimes it seems the easiest thing to do is either let it wash over you or to ignore it altogether...

Continue reading.

CONvergence 2010 Highlights: Campaign CONvergence

Last year, one of our favorite party rooms at CONvergence was called "Campaign CONvergence." You went in and voted on who you thought should win in a mock election. Last year's theme was tied to the convention's "A Celebration of the Funny Side of Sci Fi/Fantasy" theme and happened to include all doctors: Dr. Evil, Dr. Strangelove, and Dr. Horrible. When Dr. Horrible won by a 2-1 margin over the other two, there was much rejoicing, especially by Josh, who happened to be dressed as the wannabe evil overlord.

On a side note, they also had my favorite food of all the CON parties: delicious cucumber sandwiches.

This year, the sandwiches were back (YES!) and so was Campaign CONvergence, which this year pitted Ming the Merciless against Captain Hook and the Wicked Witch of the West as part of the "Bring on the Bad Guys" theme. I threw one vote in for Captain Hook because hey, I'm a pirate; but I had to put in my other votes for Ming, because I had just watched Flash Gordon and he had the best campaign posters. We snapped photos of a couple. You'll recognize the design on the second one as reminiscent of the McCain 2008 posters.

Despite the general love for Ming among the crowd, the Wicked Witch of the West won. But oh well...there's always next year.

Boba Fett gives free acting lessons

There are certain things you learn at CONvergence. You learn how late you can stay out partying until you collapse into an exhausted heap. You learn that many women like to flirt with men dressed as Dr. Horrible.

And you learn the galaxy's most feared bounty hunter gives free acting lessons.

Jeremy Bulloch, the British actor who portrayed Boba Fett in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi," offered informal and impromptu acting exercises twice during CONvergence 2010. I was lucky enough to be selected to participate in one such exercise, which entailed me enacting with five other people a scene where we were trapped in a crowded elevator. Jeremy told us to go about our way until he called out a marker designating the elevator's abrupt stop between floors. At that point, we were to convey an increasing sense of anxiety and claustrophobia as we built toward the point where we're all clamoring to get out.

The whole exercise — which was an incredibly fun and memorable experience — went very well. During the opening moments, one of the other actors made small chat with me and asked me what I do for a living. I told him that I'm a journalist. He and others responded with raised eyebrows and the conversation stalled. I responded by noting that revelation usually "shuts people up," which drew a chuckle. The conversation resumed, and perhaps half a minute later Jeremy indicated that our elevator had stopped. I and the others on stage reacted with a mixture of concern, frustration and panic. Within moments, one person was noting his claustrophobia. Another person said she wasn't feeling well and was about to vomit. That caused the lot of us to bang on our invisible elevator's door, begging for rescue. Very soon thereafter, Jeremy said the doors had opened, and we all quickly fled the elevator to applause and our director's commendation.

It's worth noting the convention's video team recorded all of Jeremy's talk, including this exercise, so I may one day be able to view my own performance. But even if the video isn't available, I shall always treasure getting a free acting lesson from my favorite bounty hunter.

Captain Cargo?

We'll have an array of photos and stories to share in the coming days from CONvergence 2010, but this short video demanded to be shared immediately. In it, convention guest Jeremy Bulloch recounts how he bungled one of the few lines he spoke as Boba Fett during "The Empire Strikes Back."

Enjoy the holiday and have a great week!

We're logging out for a few days

Think Lynsen will be relatively quiet as Annie and I take a couple days off and join CONvergence. Be well, stay safe and enjoy the long weekend!