Tagged: Robot

Review: Three Kids’ Books

Review: Three Kids’ Books

To make up for Manga Friday being so “adult” and off-limits to kids lately, how about some reviews of books that are made for kids? Here are three very different ones – two of ‘em are even “educational!”

Robot Dreams
By Sara Varon
First Second, September 2007, $16.95

But let’s start off with a book with no particular pretensions of teaching anyone anything – it’s just the story of the friendship between a dog and his robot. [[[Robot Dreams]]] is a wordless graphic novel by Sara Varon, whose Chicken and Cat was similarly wordless, similarly about a friendship between two anthropomorphic creatures, but which was laid out and published as a picture book. Robot Dreams, though, is a trade paperback, and doesn’t immediately announce itself as a book for kids. (Not as blatantly as a picture book does, at least – that cover would garner some glances on the subway.)

Robot Dreams is set in the kind of world where there are some real people, and some anthropomorphic people – dogs, cats, raccoons, elephants – and nobody ever notices. Dog lives in a city, and sends away for a robot kit. It arrives, and he builds himself a new friend.

They are briefly the best of friends, until a trip to the beach for Labor Day. Robot goes in the water, and then rusts solid on his towel on the beach. Dog can’t move him, and has to leave. And, when Dog comes back a few days later – with a repair manual and some tools – the beach is closed for the winter, with barbed wire on top of a tall fence.

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‘North Wind’ is Latest BOOM! Book Optioned

‘North Wind’ is Latest BOOM! Book Optioned

  • News
  • April 9, 2008

After a successful run of comics sales, fueled in part by a special release on MySpace, the series North Wind has been picked up by Hollywood. The book follows the few people living in California after global warming brings on a new ice age and covers sunny LA in snow and ice.

According to a press release from BOOM!, the rights were picked up by Davis Entertainment, which previously ushered I, Robot, Eragon and Alien vs. Predator to movie screens. The screenplay will be written by series writer David DiGilio, who previously created Eight Below and the ABC show Traveler.

BOOM! has a few other properties in development, including the series Tag, Talent and The Foundation and the graphic novel 10.

North Wind caused a stir among retailers when BOOM! did a simultaneous release, putting issues up on MySpace Comics (you can read them right here). But spokesman Chip Mosher told me the series ended up exceeding sales expectations.

Random Video: Evolution of Optimus Prime Dance

Random Video: Evolution of Optimus Prime Dance

  • News
  • March 1, 2008

 

If you spend any significant time on the InterWebs, you’ve already seen the ridiculously viral "Evolution of Dance" video featuring comedian Judson Laipply twisting, shaking and jumping his way through several generations of dance trends. (If you haven’t, it’s available here on YouTube.)

Sure, Laipply can do a mean Twist, and he even pulls off a decent Robot — but can he transform into a tractor trailer rig and fight Decepticons? I’m guessing that’s a big ol’ negatory, good buddy.

 

 

On This Day: The First Science-Fiction Television Program

On This Day: The First Science-Fiction Television Program

  • News
  • February 11, 2008

Today in 1938, the Brits did television a mitzvah when the BBC created the first sci-fi TV show, an adaptation of a section of the Karel Capek play "R.U.R.", which coined the term "robot."

For those of you who thought "The Matrix" was revolutionary, it was Capek who introduced androids that rebel against their human creators. We’re also pretty sure she wasn’t the first to think that one up either (the first probably being the golem stories from the Talmud).

Anyway, the piece was translated from Czech to English, which explains the etymology of the word, "Robot." In its original Slo, "robota" means "work."

Smallville / Buffy Star Goes To Torchwood

Smallville / Buffy Star Goes To Torchwood

  • News
  • June 19, 2007

James Marsters will be guest-starring in an episode of the R-rated Doctor Who spin-off, Torchwood.

Perhaps best known as Spike in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel teevee series and as well as Dr. Milton Fine in Smallville, Marsters has also voiced the role of Lex Luthor in the upcoming D2DVD Superman: Doomsday. He is also a musician and singer, playing solo and as lead singer of Ghost of the Robot.

The second season of Torchwood goes up in the U.K. after the first of the year; the first season goes up on BBC America in September.

Double-takes

Double-takes

Closing open windows — You all know the old chestnut that somewhere out there, your exact double exists? A few of those crossed my inbox today.

First, we have this girl, who seems to be a dead ringer for Joe Michael Linsner’s Dawn:

And then, via tipster Lisa Sullivan, we have CB2 from JapanProbe, which looks disturbingly like the tinkertoys from I, Robot:

Sure, they look friendly now. But then comes the hidden commands, and the robot uprisings, and then we have to wait for Magnus to come and save us…

Citizen Kane anniversary

Citizen Kane anniversary

Sixty-six years ago today, Citizen Kane premiered in New York.

We mention this because not only is it one of the greatest films of all time, nor because it’s been the basis for everything from Andy Helfer and Kyle Baker’s Shadow Annual #2 to the unproduced screenplay for I, Robot by Harlan Ellison, nor even that without Orson Welles, we don’t have that great scene in Ed Wood or even the Brain or possibly the radio version of The Shadow.

No, because after two thirds of a century, we can now officially dispense with SPOILER WARNINGS and talk freely about the plot of the film and its amazing ending.

And man, I would never have suspected that Rosebud was really Luke Skywalker’s father.*

So let’s raise a glass and toast, Jedediah, to love on our own terms.

And if you don’t want to watch Kane tonight, watch RKO 281 instead. A great behind the scenes story, and everybody in the cast is great– yes, even Melanie Griffith.

* You think I’m kidding. Orson Welles was actually considered for the voice of Darth Vader.

Arkin to Get Smart with Carell

Arkin to Get Smart with Carell

  • News
  • March 1, 2007

Fresh from their oscar-nominated performances in Little Miss Sunshine last year, Steve Carell and Alan Arkin will be appearing together in the Warner Bros. film version of Get Smart as Maxwell Smart (Secret Agent 86, as if you’d forgotten) and the Chief, respectively. Also cast in the film is Anne Hathaway as Agent 99.

But now, the really tough question — do you even try to replace Bernie Kopell as Siegfried? And Patrick Warburton, of course, is the obvious choice for Hymie the Robot.

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