Hipster Disney Princesses

Some days, it's like talking to yourself out here in ye' ol' blogosphere. A recent NYT article reflected on the decrease in blogging, especially by Millennials, in favor of "micro-blogging" on sites like Facebook and Twitter. I have a whole argument about why that's not really the same thing, but it's Friday and not sure I care that much to get into it.

So, instead, let's get to why I am here and still love playing with my blog. It's for the fun, ridiculous goings-on in the Geek World. Well, and anything else that amuses me. It may or may not amuse you -- so be it. Where our interests intersect in the great Venn diagram of the world, it's fantastic! Where they don't, we walk alone as pioneers, perhaps sharing the new and ridiculous with others in the world.

Oh, hai -- this is me not ranting or getting tangential. Blame the lack of sleep.

Anyway, I present to you Friday's treasure: Hipster Disney Princesses! (h/t io9) Maybe this is a meme I'm slow to notice, but having them together in the little gallery-type presentation format that io9 uses really drives this one home for me.

Here are my favorites:

This one wasn't in the io9 gallery, but a quick Google search on the topic yielded this awesome Alice:

I love that one of the definitive traits of a Hipster Disney character is the black framed glasses, and of course, a snarky comment.

Now, who is starting the follow-up to this? "Hipster Disney Queens" (I mean the queens, sorceresses and witches of the Disney world. Don't be so obvious.)

Super Heroes and Fashion Week Collide

Kapow! Crash! Bang!

I'm not really sure what to think or say about this, other than "huh." But last week was Fashion Week in New York (not that I follow such things, but I read enough on Twitter, iGoogle, Yahoo!, etc to know this information) and this post from Comics Alliance caught my eye.

Fashion designer Jeremy Scott showed off his 2011 collection, which appears to be largely inspired by the stylings of DC super heroes. While I love me some super hero garb, I'm not sure that I love the couture-ized version of costumes for high-end consumption.

For instance, here are two Superman-inspired designs:

Granted, I'd love for capes to come into style, but sequins? Meh, not so much.

What about these Black Adam-esque fashions?

I think I like these better, perhaps because of the bolts of lightning, and how elongating they are. These also seem to be more casual (no sequins!), which feels a bit more campy and fun.

I wonder if this is the beginning of a new fashion trend?

Dead Island Game Trailer

The Husband suggested I check out the new Dead Island video game trailer, posted all around the inner-tubes yesterday (for me, discovered via friend Winda Benedetti at MSNBC). And the inner-tubes don't lie, people. This is one helluva trailer. Check it out, then let's discuss...

Not only is the animation breathtaking (wow, is it), but there is a story in this 3-minute clip that is dramatic and heart wrenching. I'm no film student, but I really liked the device used of moving time both forward and backward. The music is sedate and melancholy (I didn't even notice it the first time through), in sharp contrast to the gruesomeness of the visuals. And while I didn't cry, the last 15 seconds -- a flashback to happier times -- gave me the chills.

I'm sure like many others today, I can't wait to see the game itself.

This also reminds me to always be prepared for that zombie uprising. **Shudder**

Wonder Woman Announced

(image via Yahoo.com)

I guess the big news this week is the casting of Wonder Woman: Adrianne Palicki. I've never heard of her, but I don't watch Friday Night Lights, which appears to be her big credit to date. Maybe she'll be great! Maybe she'll suck and the only place anyone will ever talk about this show again will be at Comic-Con. We will have to wait and see.

But, let me say, I'm a little more concerned about the latest developments I'm hearing about the story line itself. Over at Comics Alliance, they report that Ms. Palicki will be playing 3 roles:

• The titular crime fighter, "reinvented" here as an LA-based vigilante
• Alter-ego #1: Diana Themyscira, a mega-billionaire CEO
• Alter-ego #2: Diana's "plain Jane" assistant, Diana Prince

We can argue about the setting of Los Angeles for this series (I'm pretty sure I've already argued against this) or that Diana is a 'mega-billionaire CEO' (Is she supposed to be a female Batman??). But I have a big problem with her playing both the CEO AND her own assistant. Why? What is the point in that? Is it credible -- at all -- to think that a CEO/superhero would also be an admin? I barely have enough energy to do one job, let alone 3. Granted, I'm no WW, but come on. Can't Diana have a sidekick or confidante, another female who helps her in her professional role at the minimum?

Well, I hope the show isn't as much of a hot mess as what it sounds like thus far. As iconic a character as she is, Wonder Woman should be a great role in an amazing project. I hate to see the character diminished by producing crap. I'd rather have nothing but the comics than a half-assed project. The concept of the show doesn't strike me as something mainstream, so it would be important to get the geeks behind it. And so far, the geeks aren't too impressed...

UPDATE: I just found this sneak peek (via Sexy Beast) of the pilot. Read it for yourself, but my two cents: Bleck.

Gifties for Your Valentine (or Yourself!)

We're not too big on Valentine's Day in my house, which is fine with me. I don't need the jewelry/flower/chocolate cartels pressuring us to get gifts! But then I see all those ads, and I can't help it -- all I think is "Shiny!!" I like shiny.

But, as a geek girl, married to a geek boy, shiny things really aren't a part of our culture. So instead, I share with you a couple of alternates for your Lovable Geek.

First up - the 8-Bit Flower Bouquet (via ThinkGeek.com). Maybe it's because my husband is a Mario fan, so I always keep an eye out for Mario-themed gifts, but I think these are cute. I would totally put them on my desk, and AND they won't die (this always saddens me with cut flowers)!

Or how about a nice Star Trek themed cologne? I chose to feature "Pon Farr" (for her) from UrbanCollector.com but you might try "Shirtless Kirk" or "Sulu Pour Homme" for the geek guy in your life.

You might prefer a home made touch, so what about some delicious cupcakes? Whether you be gamer geek (h/t Hello Tauren!):

Or Star Wars geek (h/t Geekologie):

Finally, if you still think jewelry is the way to go, consider these nice dog tags, err "necklaces" for all the geek archetypes. Mine, of course, would be the global "Geek Girl," though your girl might prefer "Anime Geek" or "Fiend" instead.

Whatever you end up deciding, Happy Valentine's!

X-men: First Class Trailer

X-men: First Class trailer out now (via CBR's website)!

Probably need to watch this again a time or two, but it looks better than I thought it would. I'm not sure if that means I expected garbage or if it really looks good, but that's how it goes some days. I'm pretty sure this will follow absolutely none of the comic book continuity, but luckily for me, I wasn't a big X-men diehard fan, so I can live with it as long as there is a decent plot and good characters/acting.

I don't know most of the young actors attached to this project, but I am happy to see Kevin Bacon and Ray Wise appearing in the credits. Another generation of folks who can continue the fun of "6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon!" Huzzah~

The movie is scheduled for release on June 3rd at about 1,000 theaters near you. I'm sure there will be more to say on this one as summer approaches.

Star Trek + Potatoes = Awesome

Wow, I can't type at all today, so I'll keep this short & sweet. Saw this throw away post on io9 and was mesmerized. The good people over at PPW Toys are making, get this, Star Trek Mr. Potato Heads. The first set will feature Captain Kirk and Klingon nemesis, Kor.

Of course, I'll be holding out for the Mr. Spock. And perhaps a whole STNG set (pretty please with sugar on top!). I am already seeing a display shelf full of Mr. Potato Heads with Worf, Picard, Geordi, and Data.

Anyway, look for the first set of Star Trek Mr. Potato Heads later this summer! Just in time for another adventure with Portland's "Star Trek in the Park!"

Holy Carp - There's a Wonder Woman TV Show in Production??

In one of the more surprising new tidbits over the weekend, NBC has greenlit a David E. Kelley Wonder Woman TV pilot. This is the movie that cannot be made, but somehow they pulled out a TV show possibility? Wow. I don't even know what to say.

I'd love to be more excited about this show -- my admiration of Wonder Woman is right behind my love of Catwoman. But I have to say, I'm worried. As described on Comics Alliance:

Wonder Woman -- AKA Diana Prince -- is a vigilante crime fighter in L.A. but also a successful corporate executive and a modern woman trying to balance all of the elements of her extraordinary life.

I'm hearing a little too much "hero Ally McBeal" in this paragraph for my liking. I'm not sure I can stand a whiny, self-effacing, damaged heroine. She's an Amazon for goddess sake. And LA? Really? Because there aren't nearly enough shows set in LA. Why can't it be set in a DC-created city like Metropolis? (Though h/t to Clark for suggesting that the Invisible Jet be parked behind the Hollywood sign!) However, I think we (and by "we" I mean Rich & myself) can all agree that, if nothing else, Lynda Carter must play Queen Hipployta, Diana's mother.

There will likely be much debate over who should play WW. My feeling is that it cannot/should not/please god don't let it be Megan Fox. Rumor has it that Eliza Dushku is interested in the role as well. Meh. I like Dushku, but not sure this is a great fit for her. There must be another brunette in LA who can play this role. Let's go for an unknown!

Final suggestion (for now; might be more as more details are released): please use the original costume, not this new costume bulls**t.

It's one thing to create new costumes for the comics books for hype value and to get some media attention, but I think a Wonder Woman TV show will get plenty of attention on it's own.

I'll watch the pilot because I want to support comic book TV & movies. But I'm not dedicated enough to watch badly-made programming, so fingers crossed that this will not suck. It would be great to see an inspiring female character on TV, but here I am getting all optimistic.

Batman Would be the Thing to Pull Me Back In

It's been awhile, I know. I'd like to say I haven't been around because of the holidays, and while that's true, it's not the whole story. In early November, I became one of "those" people, one of the 12 million who plays World of Warcraft, a massively multiplayer online role playing game (or MMORPG for those few of you who don't know already). I'd like to talk more about my experience as a newbie in the WoW universe, since it's about all I've done with my free time these last few months, but this post is really about the newsy bit that brought me BACK to the blog in over 8 weeks.

And that news is the announcement of the two stars added to Christopher Nolan's next Batman installation, The Dark Knight Rises (**snicker** at that title). If your Twitter stream isn't already full of this news, then let me share with you that, drum roll.....

--Anne Hathway will star at Catwoman

--Tom Hardy will star as Bane

You may recall Tom Hardy from Nolan's most recent film, Inception, in which he was awesome.

So let me get my most major complaint out of the way first: The inclusion of Catwoman in the movie in the first place. Now I love Catwoman. I collected Catwoman comic books, toys, and other ephemera for years. I've dressed up as Catwoman for Halloween (years ago, sigh). So trust me, I'm a big fan of Catwoman. But I feel like we've done the Catwoman story already in the Tim Burton movies. Michelle Pfeiffer was a great Catwoman. Remember this scene??

Then, we had that horrible Halle Barry movie, that we shall not speak of again. My point is that Catwoman isn't covering new ground in the Bat-verse. There are other female characters who could be interesting to include, my favorite being Harley Quinn. With Joker's demise in the 2nd movie, seems like an opportune time to bring in his just-as-crazy girlfriend for revenge.

Here's my other problem with Catwoman....Anne Hathaway. I feel bad about this, because I actually like Anne Hathaway, but visually, she seems too pretty, too nice, too clean to be a great Catwoman. I think she is cute & funny, and great on SNL and in romantic comedies. I hear she was great in that drama (Rachel Getting Married? Not totally sure...), but I'm not sure she can play the bitchy, gritty, wrong-side-of-the-tracks version of Catwoman that I grew to love.

Catwoman comes in so many versions, there certainly is room for variation from what I typically consider. And if anyone can do it, Nolan is that guy. So dude, impress me. I really want to be excited about this.

Whew. Catwoman went on longer than I expected. Let's turn to Bane.

The last movie to (briefly) feature Bane, Joel Schumacher's hot mess, Batman and Robin, barely got to Bane at all. He was sidelined as one of Poison Ivy's henchman. A total waste of an otherwise formerly decent villain. In the comics, the guy is a brute, a monster.

I'd like to see a well-developed Bane character in the next movie. He's not a well known enemy, but that also means he hasn't been totally overdone. I was initially doubtful of Tom Hardy in this role based on Inception, but then I came across this:

It's hard for me to even tell that is the same guy! I guess if he can pump up, he's got a shot at a convincing Bane.

My hope is that there is at least a short trailer ready for Comic-Con in July. I'd like to be convinced about the inclusion of Hathaway/Catwoman. I liked the first 2 Nolan Batman's a lot, so, you know, no pressure.

PSA - How to Talk to Your Kids About Star Wars

(h/t Laughing Squid)

This is the most awesome thing I've seen this week, from Asylum. If you have a child, or have small children in your life, be sure to check this out. It's important that kids get the right message about Star Wars. And that word is NO Jar Jar Binks!

(Plus, how do you not love the baby Yoda featured here?!)