Moleskine recently sent me one of their Star Wars themed notebooks, of various sizes, and it’s perfect for the job. You can choose between the logo with a hyperspace star effect or the title crawl from A New Hope. As a bonus, in the rear pocket, you get a mini version of the original Brother Hildebrandt Star Wars poster.

I carry a sketch book with me everywhere I go. I’ve had dozens of sketch books over the years, filled with notes, sketches, book outlines, doodles, and anything else I couldn’t keep penned up in my brain. I’ve had large sketch books and small. I’ve had soft back, hard back, and even one with covers made from old circuit boards. I’ve kept them all, and flip back through them from time to time for inspiration.

For the last ten years, I’ve almost exclusively carried Moleskine notebooks to sketch in. I remember stumbling across a selection of them at an art supply store and fell in love.

Read the rest of the article, “Take Note of the Star Wars Moleskine Notebooks”, on Wired’s GeekDad»

Have Bag, will travel!

I do a lot of traveling to conferences and for business, and often need to carry multiple laptops, iPads, and books. A strong, rugged bag is a necessity for me when I travel, and if I can find one that is both professional looking and stylish, that’s all the better. But most of the bags I find are glorified messenger bags: rugged, but making me look like I just stepped off the sidewalk from a ten mile bike ride rather than going to a meeting with top executives. I’ve been seeking something more businesslike, but not too corporate. I want to look professionally geeky.

I think I found the answer.

A few weeks ago, Kolobags sent me their Zeyner Bullfight laptop briefcase to test out, and it is, without doubt, the nicest bag I’ve ever had. It is at once a professional looking laptop bag but with a remarkable devilish style. This is a true road warrior’s bag. In fact there is a tire tread motif imprinted in the rubber guards at the corners and flame stitching on the side pocket. The handle is wrapped in leather with red stitching and curved chrome spike on either end, looking like something Conan (and I’m not talking about O’Brien) might use to disembowel an attacking army. The handle along with the red flame stitching on the side will leave no doubt as to your attitude.

Read the rest of the article This Devilish Bag Can Carry Your Candy and More on Wired’s GeekDad »

I love a good mash-up, where two different things are combined to create something completely new, and generally unexpected. Whether it’s a song like The Time Lords Doctorn’ The TARDIS or candy like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, it’s always a joy when you find two great taste that taste great together.

Where the Deep Ones Are is a mash-up of two of my favorite classic tales: Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are and H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”. These may seem like unlikely stories to intermingle, but they actually share more parallels than you might think:

Both stories have their protagonists journeying into strange territories that slowly reveal their darker sides.

Both stories have mysterious creatures that really want the protagonists to stay.

In both stories the protagonists have to flee, with an angry mob of monstrous creatures hot on their heals.

Read the entire article Where the Deep Ones Are Is a Fun Halloween Read, But May Not Be for the Little Ones on GeekDad »

Typography is the voice that we give to text, and looking at great typography can be every bit as rewarding as watching a great theatrical production. The right combination of typefaces, styles, weights, color and placement brings a deeper meaning to simple words. Yet, in world where everyone uses the default font — Arial, and, yes you are probably reading this post in that font right now — few of us give much consideration to how our textual voices “sound.”

Read the rest of my article, Get Your Font on With Just My Type, at GeekDad »

Last August, Cartoon Network broadcast the first (and so far only) Lego Star Wars animated cartoon. I haven’t laughed so hard at a cartoon since the Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends finale. It reverently poked fun at the Star Wars franchise, with the same off-the-wall slapstick style we know from the Lego Star Wars Games. If you missed it, though, never fear, it’s now out on DVD and Blu-Ray DVD.

I have been a fan of the Lego Star Wars games for years. My wife and I have worked away our evening leading our ragged band through Mos Isley, The Death Star, Hoth, and more. When I try to explain the games to non-players, they have a hard time understanding why you need Lego in a video game. “Why not just have a Star Wars video game?” they ask. I try to explain how the visual simplicity and the lack of blood and guts make the game more enjoyable and just as challenging. But really, what makes Lego Star Wars — as well as the other Lego video games — so much  fun to play is the humor.

Read the full article, Padawan Menace Is a Chip Off the Ol’ (Lego) Block, on GeekDad »

SPOILER ALERT!

Sophie is leaving Craig on his own, and she is worried. Remember Craig and Sophie from last season’s episode “The Lodger?” OK, quick recap: While trying to save Amy from a timey-wimey mishap, The Doctor temporarily finds lodging with Craig who, unbeknownst to him, has an alien living in the flat above him. The Doctor figures this all out, plays a game of football — real football, not that American stuff — and manages to get rid of the alien and play matchmaker for Craig and his friend Sophie. Ok, you are up to date.

Sophie and Craig are now, well not married, but living together — permanently — and she is heading away for a weekend to rest:

Craig: I can cope on my own! Now please go and have a rest. You need it. I love you.
Sophie: I love you too. And thank you for this. And I do know you can cope on your own. And I may have drawn some arrows in the fridge.
Craig: Okay, really have to go now.

But no one is certain of Craig’s abilities to cope on his own, lead of all Craig. So it’s fortunate that the Doctor show up on a little social call:

Craig: Mum, it’s not just you, I’m phoning everybody. I’m texting the world. “Craig Owens can do it on his own”! No one is coming to help me. [There is a knock at the door]. Mum, I’m going to have to call you back. [hangs up] I’m coping, I’m coping on my own. I’m coping on my own. I’m coping on my own…
The Doctor: [delighted with himself] Hello Craig. I’m back!
Craig: She didn’t… How could she phone you?
The Doctor: How did who phone me? Nobody phoned me, I’m just here. [looking at house] Oh, you’ve redecorated! I don’t like it.
Craig: It’s a different house. We moved.
The Doctor: Yes. That’s it.
Craig: Doctor, what are you doing here?
The Doctor: Social call. Thought it about time I tried one out. How are you?
Craig: I’m fine.
The Doctor: This is the bit where I say “I’m fine too”, isn’t it? “I’m fine too.” Good. Love to Sophie. ‘Bye! [turns to leave, but lights flicker] Something’s wrong.

Something is indeed wrong.

Read the whole Doctor Who Recap: “Closing Time”  on GeekDad at Wired.com»

The Doctor: Appalapachia!
Amy: Appalapachia. What a beautiful word.
The Doctor: Beautiful word. Beautiful world. Appalapachia. Voted number two planet in the top ten greatest destinations for the discerning intergalactic traveler.
Rory: Why couldn’t we go to number one?
The Doctor: It’s hideous! Everyone goes to number one. Planet of the Coffee Shops.

But rather than sunsets, spires, and soaring silver colonnades as promised, our adventurers get… white. A white room with white tables and a white door. There are are red and green buttons by the door, however.

Read my Doctor Who Recap: “The Girl Who Waited” on GeekDad »

Rick Castle – Image © ABC Studios

I think we can all agree: The best dads are geek dads. After all, we generally share a lot of interests in common with our kids—like, reading comic books, playing video games, and building Lego— and we are far more likely to want to play a game of D&D with our kids on a Saturday morning than, say, go play a round of golf with “the guys.” So, why are there so few geek dads in fiction? When I first proposed a list of fictional geek dads, there were many here in the slave pits at Geek Dad who didn’t think I could find 10 fictional dads geeky enough to make the list. “Pshaw,” I said, “stand back.” It turned out to be tougher than I thought.

The problem with being a fictional dad (especially a fictional geek dad) is that, to make a compelling story, there has to be some element of danger. Someone’s life has to be on the line. Some tragedy has to be hanging over everybody’s heads. The protagonist (often the kid) has be risking certain death, or the story is just not going to be very interesting. Yet, one of the primary goals of being a dad (or at least a good dad) is to keep your kids out of danger. So, when looking for fictional geek dads, my criteria included how much time they spent with their children, how cool a geek they are and finally how often they place their children’s lives in mortal danger.

10. Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker, Star Wars

Marital Status: Widower

Geek Type: Gear Head

Kids: Luke and Leia

Grade: F/A+

Ok, I concede that his list of villainous crimes is lengthy: killing billions of people, torturing his own daughter, and cutting the careers of many a promising Imperial officer tragically short, to name just a very few. He may have even killed his own wife (of a “broken heart,” really?!) and tries at various times to kill his own children. But Anakin Skywalker comes through in the end, saving his boy from the Emperor and restoring balance to The Force. That’s got to be worth at least a few thousand points. And, yes, Anakin is a total gear-head geek: Even as Darth Vader, he loved his tricked out TIE Fighters.

9. The Doctor, Doctor Who

Marital Status: It’s complicated

Geek Type: It’s complicated (Varies depending on regeneration)

Kid(s): It’s complicated

Grade: N/A

We know he had a granddaughter, Susan, but her mother and father are never mentioned. At least she called him “Grandfather.” But, “Grandfather” might have been more an honorific rather than indicative of their actual relationship. And recently when asked if he had any children the Doctor said “no.” But, then there’s that episode called “The Doctor’s Daughter.” But she was actually a clone. But clones are people, too. As I say, it’s complicated.

8. Arthur Dent, Mostly Harmless

Marital Status: Single

Geek Type: Hitchhiker

Kid: Random (no, not random children. Her name is Random — Random Frequent Flier Dent).

Grade: D

Arthur Dent may be the worst father this side of a father who is actively trying to kill his own children (see above). More than neglectful, he seems incapable of anything close to a paternal feeling.

7. Wayne Szalinski, Honey, I Shrunk The Kids

Marital Status: Married

Geek Type: Inventor

Kids: Amy and Nick

Grade: C

Wayne is trying to create a shrink ray, which, of course, is best left in an attic where your nosey kids can easily find it. Talk about not kid-proofing your house!

6. Kevin Flynn, Tron: Legacy

Marital Status: Widower

Geek Type: Hacker

Kid: Sam

Grade: B−

Kevin may be the ultimate absentee father, but he does sacrifice himself to save his son. Plus, it’s not like he wanted to be trapped on the Grid for all of those years. Just the line “We’re always on the same team” chokes me up every time I hear it.

5. George McFly, Back to the Future

Marital Status: Married

Geek Type: Nerd/Sci-fi Author

Kids: Marty, Dave, Linda

Grade: B

George is hard to nail down as a dad. He starts out as a nerdy dad who loves his kids, but is basically ineffectual at every level (Grade: C−). However, through the magic of time travel, he ends up being the cool sci-fi author dad who buys his kids jeeps (Grade: A+). Averaging things out, we’ll call that a B.

Image © TBS

4. Dr. Benton Quest, Johnny Quest

Marital Status: Widower

Geek Type: Scientist

Kid: Jonny

Grade: B+

Benton is really smart, loves his son, and takes him to some cool out of the way places. We shouldn’t hold it against him too much that those places generally have giant lizards, flying saucers, and frog men trying to kill Jonny. But we will a little.

3. Caractacus Potts, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Marital Status: Widower

Geek Type: Inventor

Kids: Jeremy and Jemima

Grade: A−

Caractacus (no relationship to Galacticus) is an inventor, and, although his kids sometimes feel a bit neglected, he has a flying car to take them on picnics and tell them cool stories. His stories involve the children being abducted by a creepy child catchers, imprisoned in dungeons and then saved by Benny Hill. Minus a few points for that.

2. Gomez Addams, The Addams Family

Marital Status: Married

Geek Type: Goth

Kids: Wednesday and Pugsley

Grade: A

Gomez loves his wife (a lot!), stays at home with the kids, and is always available for fun and games. The games generally involve sharp objects, explosives, or predatory flora and fauna, but do you really think that Child Services is going to be stopping by to ask any questions? I don’t think so.

1. Richard Castle, Castle

Marital Status: Divorced

Geek Type: Literary & Secret Fanboy

Kid: Alexis

Grade: A+

Rick is always there with the father-knows-best advice, yet still finds time to listen to his daughter’s own words of wisdom. He has a cool Manhattan apartment, sends his daughter to the best schools, and only occasionally gets paranoid about her boyfriends. What’s not to love? Okay, so he needlessly endangers his own life fighting crime with the New York City Police Department, thus risking leaving his daughter fatherless. Nobody’s perfect.

OK, I’m sure I left some great geek dads out (what about Arthur Weasley?) and maybe you disagree with my ratings (Anakin got an A+?!). Let me know in the comments.

]]> http://www.jasonspeaking.com/index.php/2011/08/top-10-fictional-geek-dads/feed/ 0 http://www.jasonspeaking.com/index.php/2011/07/the-doctor-looks-great-in-anime/ http://www.jasonspeaking.com/index.php/2011/07/the-doctor-looks-great-in-anime/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:02:02 +0000 jason http://www.jasonspeaking.com/?p=1138 Scream of the Shelka, using a Ninth Doctor who is not a part of the official continuity. More recently, the Tenth Doctor has appeared in his own animated episodes — although the CGI animation is a bit stiff. There are also some fan attempts to animate all of the missing episodes of Doctor Who that were destroyed by the BBC.]]> Originally Published on GeekDad»

©2008-2011 ~MightyOtaking | Doctor Who © BBC

The Doctor is no stranger to animation. Even before the current reboot, for the 40th anniversary of the show the BBC released a six part animated series in 2003 called Scream of the Shelka, using a Ninth Doctor who is not a part of the official continuity. More recently, the Tenth Doctor has appeared in his own animated episodes — although the CGI animation is a bit stiff. There are also some fan attempts to animate all of the missing episodes of Doctor Who that were destroyed by the BBC.

One project in particular that has been getting attention over the past few years as short clips have been released is this Japanese Anime-inspired fan created movie. It was created by UK amateur animator Paul “Oatking” Johnson, who (according to his YouTube bio)…

…lives, breathes and sleeps classic 80s and 90s anime, back when it was still good. He also sings, animates, translates and writes about himself in the third person.

I’ve been watching the development of this video over the four years it has taken Paul to complete his twelve minute and thirty second masterpiece. There are Cybermen and Daleks and Sontarins (oh my!) going up against the Third Doctor (“The Dandy”, played in the original live action series by the late Jon Pertwee). Most of the voices are a pastiche of clips from previous episodes, with Paul and a few friends providing additional voices.

Although it’s a bit rough and the story is somewhat disjointed, if the BBC is smart, they’ll hire this guy and start an animated adventures series.

Okay, enough words. Enjoy the movie:

Update

The video will not play anymore, because the creator is now under contract to do work for the BBC (WOOT!) Here’s the explination from his Deviant Art page:

I am now contracted to work with Theta-Sigma, in partnership with Big Finish, on some secret BBC animation projects for 2entertain. This is very exciting news and, though I can’t say anything about it, there is an absolutely top class team assembled, and the recreation of some extremely long awaited lost stories is now going to become a reality for a very large number of people who’ve been waiting for them for many, many years.

When last we left The Doctor, he had just discovered that he had a Flesh dopplegänger, or gänger. Let’s call him DoctorG, to try and avoid confusion, because the only other way anyone has of telling them apart is by their shoes. The DoctorG has original shoes, while The Doctor has a pair of barrowed boots he got after his own shoes were eaten by acid. With me so far?

The DoctorG seems every bit as charming as The Doctor, but almost immediately goes into convulsions as he tries to integrate his past regenerations. Imagine going through 9 regenerations all at the same time. He starts spouting out catch phrases from the past, and I’m pretty sure we even hear Tom Baker’s voice at one point (the Fourth Doctor).

DoctorG: Reverse the jelly-baby of the neutron flow.

There’s also an interesting bit where The Doctor quizzes The DoctorG on various aspects of their life—including a brief discussion of cybermats—to confirm that he (The DoctorG) is in fact him (The Doctor). Still with me?

However, The Doctors and Company—including Amy (no Rory) along with the human staff of the factory (Foreman Cleavas, Jimmy, Buzzer, and Dicken)—have a bigger problem: their gängers are at the door and out for blood. The gängers tried breaking the door down, to no avail. So they began to use acid to try and melt the door (remember this is an acid factory). The Doctor and The DoctorG are seen plotting something, while being highly complementary of their own intelligences, and work to find an escape route, eventually landing upon a rather convenient air vent.

Doctor: Yowza… An Escape Route.
Amy: (Mouths “Yowza” with quizzical look)
Doctor: You know I’m starting to get a sense of just how impressive it is to hang out with me.
DoctorG: Do we tend to say “Yowza”?
Doctor: That’s enough, let it go, OK. We’re under stress.

The Doctor suddenly yells “Breathe” at Amy. No particular reason. He just does.

The gängers enter the room at last, only to find the birds have flown the coop.

JenG is still skulking about the castle—Drawing strange circles on the walls with Flesh—and Rory is shadowing her. The acid is still pouring out, interacting with the stone walls to create a noxious gas.

This gas forces the humans to head to the evac tower to get above the gas and contact the mainland to be evacuated. As it turns midnight, Jimmy thinks of his son, Adam, and the little dance he does when he gets excited. Once at the evac tower, first they have to restore power to the systems. Queue The Doctors behind a bank of machinery repairing away. The problem is we can’t tell which is which as they pop-up like a whack-a-Doctor game. We’ll call them DoctorX on the left and DoctorY on the right.

Amy: Look but hang on. You said the TARDIS is stuck in acid, so won’t she be damaged.
DoctorX: Nahh, she’s a tuff ol’ thing
DoctorY: Tuff… old… sexy
DoctorX: Tuff, dependable, sexy

After bringing the power back on line, the humans are able to send a message asking for a rescue. Foreman Cleaves sets up the rescue and then sends a typed codeword to make sure any changes can’t be made by the gängers. She also asks that the gängers be wiped out after the humans are safely away. The gängers are listening in, though, and begin their own plans.

Meanwhile, JenG has become obsessed with revenge on the humans, all humans, for what they have done to The Flesh who are decommissioned, or “executed” as she puts it. She has a plan to destroy them all. We next see Jen as she tries to do something at the thermostatic override control panel, but apparently it can only be used by a real human. Are her plans thwarted. I think not.

The Doctor is making mysterious phone call, as Amy suddenly sees a wall slide away and our mysterious eyepatch woman appears startling her. Amy tells The Doctor, but he reassures her that it was probably nothing.

Amy is still distrustful of The DoctorG, who says something about something being in his head and leaves, stepping outside. Amy follows to apologize and confesses that she’s seen moment of Doctor’s death. Could it have been The DoctorG not The Doctor she saw? The DoctorG suddenly turns violent, and throws Amy against wall apparently distressed over dying gängers. Amy is now completely freaked by The DoctorG and hurries back to the others.

Rory hears Jen in distress. He finds both Jen and JenG but can’t tell which is which. One Jen is limping from a previous wound. The two Jens fight and one is pushed in acid and decomposes into the Flesh. The remaining Jen has the limp. I guess that settles that.

Back in the evac tower, the crew see Rory on the monitors and decide to go after him. At first Amy wants to go, but The Doctor hands over the sonic screwdriver to The DoctorG to go find Rory. Amy balks at going with him, so Buzzer goes instead.

Foreman Cleavas: You can’t let him go… are you crazy.
Doctor: Am I crazy Doctor.
DoctorG: Well you did once plug your brain into the core of an entire planet just to halt it’s orbit and win a bet.

Foreman Cleavas is not looking so good. The Doctor does a quick scan and tells her that she has an inoperable blood clot causing her headaches. The evac tower becomes unstable and they have to evac the evac and head to another evac position. Foreman Cleaves tries to radio where they are headed to the rescue ship, but gets cut off before she can send the codeword. Foreman CleavasG intercepts and sends her own message for new a new rendezvous location and guesses the code word, “bad boy”. They are the same person after all.

Jen leads Rory to the thermostatic override that she says will restart the oxygen and prevent an explosion. She asks big strong Rory to turn wheel to open it, but first needs to activate with hand pad which responds “Human source recognized” The thermostatic override is engaged and the temperature immediately begins to rise. On their way to find the others, Jen shows Rory pile of discarded Flesh that has been left to rot in full conscience. Rory is and indeignant, but it’s clear that Jen is playing on Rory, asking him to trust her.

The DoctorG, using the sonic screwdriver, finds Dead Jen (the real one; the other one with Rory is Flesh), but Buzzer knocks The DoctorG out, muttering that it was the Foreman’s orders.

Buzzer: I should have been a postman like my dad.

Buzzer comes across Jen soothing the pile of discarded Flesh, angry that she killed the real Jen. JenG shows her ability to change her body as she rushes Buzzer and we hear him scream (off screen).

The Doctor and Co. are walking down hallway where there are huge eyeballs sticking out of the stone work—remember the circles created by JenG. They make it to thermostatic override, but it’s too late. Everything will explode. They head off to find Rory.

The DoctorG is found by other gängers, and revives an old name.

Foreman CleavasG: You’re on of us doctor.
DoctorG: Call me Smith. John Smith.

Rory and Jen lead Doctor & Co into acid room and Jen locks the door as Rory realizes he has been tricked. The gängers have set the room to overheat, killing everyone inside. Rory confronts JenG, and The DoctorG seems unconcerned about humans, even physically stopping Rory from going to help them. The gängers, led by Jen, want to head to mainland and start the revolution.

And then the phone rings. The DoctorG answers holo call and it’s Adam, Jimmy’s son. JimmyG is moved and dashes out to save his human self.

JenG: You tricked him into an act of weakness.
DoctorG: No, I’ve helped him into an act of humanity.

Foreman CleavasG orders the acid be pumped out to save the humans. She’s tired of the war and what they are becoming, but JenG will have her revenge

DoctorG: It doesn’t have to be about revenge. It can be so much better than that.

JimmyG is too late. Jimmy is hit with acid and lies dying on the floor, but makes JimmyG promise to be a dad to Adam and “remember her” as he hands JimmyG the gold ring he had on a chain around his neck.

With everyone reunited — Amy and Rory have a big hug — JimmyG talks to Adam and adam does his little dance of excitement. But the reunion is short lived as JenG transforms into a true monster, chasing everybody throughout the tunnels. It appears that they are trapped with the mad JenG at the door, when suddenly the TARDIS breaks through roof.

Doctor?: Ohhhh, she does like to make an entrance.

Someone has to hold JenG back while the others escape, and also prevent her from reaching the mainland. Amy, in a moment of revelation decides she wants to save both Doctors, but they come clean and admit DoctorG is actually the Doctor. The Doctors had swapped shoes almost from the very beginning. Only one can be saved as they leave The DoctorG and Foreman CleavasG behind to deal with JenG using the sonic screwdriver to send a pulse that will disrupt the Flesh, unfortunately it will disrupt them as well.

Doctor: Your molecular memory can survive this, you know. It may be that this is not be the end.
DoctorG: Well, If I turn up and knick all of your biscuits, then you’ll know you’re right.

As the TARDIS dematerializes, The DoctorG opens the door, pulls the trigger and all three flesh forms disintegrate. Let’s just hope they don’t come back as some kind of hybrid.

After escaping, it’s only JimmyG, DickenG, and Foreman Cleavas left, but the gängers are stabilized and fully human. After reuniting JimmyG with his son, The Doctor drops off Foreman Cleavas and DickenG at a press conference to expose how the Flesh is being treated.

Doctor: Dicken, remember, people are good, in their bones truly good. Don’t hate them, will you.
Dicken: How can I hate them… I’m one of them now.

Now for the season arc story. The Doctor turns to Amy and tells her to breathe, something he has been repeating inexplicably for a while now. Amy doubles over in pain as they take her to the TARDIS, The Doctor explains she’s in labour. That’s right, she’s having a baby. Right now. And this isn’t the real Amy, but a Flesh construct and has been for a while. The Doctor suspected this, which is why he needed to visit an early version of the Flesh to find the frequency that would disrupt it.

Doctor: I was going to drop you off for fish and chips, but things happened, and there was stuff… and shenanigans. Beautiful word… shenanigans.

The Doctor points the sonic screwdriver at Amy and her Flesh construct dissolves…

…Amy wakes up in small white room. The wall across from her opens to show our one eyed matron who tells Amy that’s she’s about ready to pop. Amy is pregnant and delivering the baby right now. “Here it comes.”

Memorable Quotes:

DoctorX: And we both wear the same bow-tie, which is cool. As bow ties are…
DoctorY: …And always will be.

Doctor: If you have a better plan I’m all ears. In fact. if you have a better plan, I’ll take you to a planet where everyone is all ears.

DoctorG: Well my death arrives I suppose…
Doctor: But this one we we’re not invited to.

Next Time: Some answers as a good man goes to war