OpEd: Neo ISN'T The One

"Film Theory: Neo ISN'T The One in The Matrix Trilogy" by The Film Theorists

OpEd: Luke SHOULDN'T Destroy The Death Star

"Film Theory: Luke SHOULDN'T Destroy The Death Star" by The Film Theorists

OpEd: The Force Awakens Clips

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Possible Chronological Order" by Mike V.

So, we’ve now seen nearly four minutes of footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and we're starting to form an notion about what the storyline is going to be.  Yes, we'll be getting a few more small tidbits in the form of TV spots, but we're done with full trailers.  Four minutes may not seem like a lot of footage, but when Mike V. re-arranges all that footage into some semblance chronological order, it's actually fairly enlightening.

OpEd: League of Legends and Chiara

I'm not a big League of Legends fan, but the popularity of the game is such that it's all but impossible to avoid news related to the game if you're even marginally interested in video games.  So, last week (September 15), when Riot announced a new League of Legends champion called "Kindred," I, like millions of others, clicked on through to check out the concept art every gaming portal on the planet was teasing.  As I've come to expect from video game concept art (and Riot in particular), the art was stunning (even if the character is a little creepy).

It was also very, very familiar.  At first, that didn't bother me.  Between my video game posts here on The Geek Art Gallery, my link round-ups on SF Signal, and an expansive list of social media accounts, I see every game-related news story two or three times before it drops out of the news cycle.  I just figured that I'd already seen a thumbnail of the art somewhere, but Wednesday, Imgur smack me in the face with the real reason the "Kindred" concept art was so damned familiar.

The concepts are blatant immitations of the art of Chiara Bautista, who has been inspiring cosplayers, tattoo artists, and starry-eyed fangirls since 2010, when she first posted a MySpace page featuring her work.  Since then, she's created accounts on DeviantArt and Facebook.  She's a particular favorite on Tumblr, where her work routinely scrolls across the dashboard of users subscribing to practically any art-related keyword.  I've personally posted galleries of her work here on The Geek Art Gallery several times to thunderously positive responses.

I'm not the only one noticing the similarities, either.  The Bautista / Kindred issue has surfaced on Reddit at least three times in the past two weeks.  It's also been pointed out on the League of Legends forums.  Check out some side-by side comparisons of Riot's "Kindred" and Bautista’s work below.

Video: Origins of Cyberpunk Culture

"The Origins of Cyberpunk Culture" from USC Annenberg Innovation Lab

Moderated by Henry Jenkins, this April 2015 Cyberpunk panel features a discussion between Rudy Rucker (the Ware Tetralogy), Nalo Hopkinson (Brown Girl in the Ring, Midnight Robber), and Bruce Sterling (Bicycle Repairman, Taklamakan, Mirrorshades) on the cyberpunk genre. Watch more videos on the topic at the USC Annenberg Innovation Lab.

OpEd: Bill Watterson's Come Back?

Poster for the 2015 Angoulême International Comics Festival by Bill Watterson

Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson has just released this poster for the upcoming Angoulême International Comics Festival featuring an understated, dialog-free comic strip in his signature style.  Organizers published an announcement in French calling the poster Watterson's first full comic strip since "Calvin and Hobbes" ended in 1995.

Watterson said he decided to draw the poster because he saw it as a challenge, the artist told 20 Minutes. He said he removed all the dialogue so it could be universally enjoyed without language barriers. "To tell a story in pictures is only one of the great strengths -- and the great pleasures -- comics offer," he said. "In this sense, I hope I have managed to express both my work and comics in general. And to pay tribute to what makes this medium so pleasant to read."

Earlier this year, the selection of Bill Watterson as the Grand Prix winner at the Angoulême comics festival created quite a stir. The winner is traditionally the “grand marshal” of the whole festival, helping plan exhibits and appearing at official events.  However, an interview at the French language 20 Minutes website has not only unveiled Watterson’s poster for the festival but confirmed that the poster will be the full extent of his participation.

Instead, The Billy Ireland’s Library’s Caitlin McGurk and Jenny Robb, who helped organized the library's recent Watterson art exhibit, will represent the artist at  the 42nd annual Angoulême International Comics Festival, which will be held in Angoulême, France, from January 29th-February 1st, 2015.

News: Open Letter to Aaron Diaz

"The Progression" by Mary Cagle

Three days ago, Mary Cagle of the webcomic Kiwi Blitz recently posted a comic she entitled "The Progression," in which she satired the disingenuous male feminism of artists who create highly sexualized "empowered" female characters.  While the comic doesn't refer to any specific artist, many people believed that Blitz's comic was triggered by cyborg-themed amputee pinup sketches artist Aaron Diaz posted to his Tumblr blog about a week ago, which he deleted shortly after Cagle's comic was posted.  (If that last link goes dead, just scroll down.)

Aaron Diaz, author of the popular Dresden Codak web comic and outspoken critic of sexist character designs, took this quite personally, responding both on Tumblr and Twitter.  Diaz has a strong reputation for being a genuinely good guy who comes out on the right side of most issues; however, Diaz's uncharacteristically terse response has garnered a great deal of negative attention.  Over the past few days, multiple women in the webcomics community have weighed in, culminating in Magnolia Pearl writing an open letter to Aaron Diaz yesterday: "You’re allowed to make art with male gaze. But please call a spade a spade."

Of course, this isn't the first time some one else has called Diaz out on his heavy-handed use of the "male gaze."  Solomon's Your Webcomic Is Bad and You Should Feel Bad blog (Part 2) addressed the issue back in 2008.

Personally, I hope Diaz continues his comic, and I hope people continue reading his comic.  For all of its excessive use of the male gaze, Dresden Codak does feature some genuinely awesome female characters, along with plagiarizing bears, nerds who play philosophical tabletop RPGs, and a lot of other fun silliness.

OpEd: Male Gaze in Anime

"Days to Come" by Ireland-based Helixel

Prints available for purchase from Society6. US$17.68

As a manga artist, Masamune Shirow has an excellent track record of writing well-developed female characters.  His female cast are and often the center of plots that could justifiably be characterized as "competence porn."  By which I mean they are confident, intelligent, and highly capable.  However, Shirow also has a track record of depicting the female form in hyper-sexualized styles.

The Major, or Motoko Kusanagi, is the protagonist of the Ghost in the Shell franchise. If you Google her name the search will suggest autocompleting your phrase with "is hot," "in bed with a boy," and "in bed."

So why does the fan base of a science fiction franchise deeply rooted in existential philosophy spend so much time thinking about the sexuality of a character all but devoid of personal background and know only by a military rank?  In a still ongoing series, Claire Napier of Women Write about Comics examines the Major's body throughout the various Ghost in the Shell mangas and anime series. (NSFW)

OpEd: Big Bang's Shortcomings

"Angry Nerd: The Big Bang Theory's Shortcomings and Inaccurate Portrayal of Geek Culture"

Is The Big Bang Theory the equivalent of Nerd blackface?  Does the show celebrate nerd culture or mock it?  Yes, some of the cast has street cred, particularly Mayim Bialik, but many of the series' storylines center around stereotypes rather than genuine issues.

"You'd think the Angry Nerd would be square in the targeting sights of The Big Bang Theory. You'd think he'd love the show. And yet...and yet...."

OpEd: What's up with Unboxing Videos?

"What's the Deal With Unboxing Videos?" by PBS Idea Channel

PBS Idea Channel host Mike Rugnetta makes the case that unboxing videos make objects sensual rather than real, then offers a distinction between the two.

"With every new product release comes a glorious wealth of new Unboxing videos. For the uninitiated, unboxing videos are exactly what they sound like. A person gets a new thing, and film themselves removing it from the packaging. But why do people film these videos, and why do others WATCH these videos? Well for one thing, these videos show what the products ARE, without the annoying filter of marketing. Maybe unboxing videos glorify the act of acquiring and owning? Is there a sensual element to these videos?"

OpEd: Introvert Because of Technology?

"Is There An Introvert Craze Because of Technology?" by PBS Idea Channel

Introvert because of technology? Craziness... mind you, my opinion is likely rendered invalid by the fact that 90% of my communications pass through a smart phone.

"Introverts are super popular right now, celebrated to the point of meme-level. Stereotypically quiet, smart, and reserved, they are often conflated with nerds (who are also currently deemed awesome according to pop culture). But why do we suddenly want to self-identify as nerds and introverts? Is this popularity connected to technology? Watch the episode and find out!"

OpEd: Argument Against Transhumanism?

"Is Futurama the Best Argument Against Transhumanism?" by PBS Idea Channel

At some point, all of Mike Rugnetta's videos are going to be posted to my blog. I'm just doing it slowly so as to create the illusion that I'm putting some thought into the curation of my blog.

"Transhumanism is a scientific philosophy that says technology will solve all our human biological constraints and that immortality is right around the corner (well not RIGHT around the corner, but WAYYY closer). They envision a world of endlessly euphoric robo-humans that represent the next step in evolution. And while this sounds super awesome, we had to ask, will this really make us happy?! If you watch Futurama, than you know that the answer is probably NO. While not an exact illustration of transhumanism, Futurama does show a future of vast technological ability, where today's everyday problems are rendered moot, and yet the characters on the show still seem to find themselves in some very non-euphoric emotional states. Does this disprove what transhumanists expect for our future?"

Video: Luke Skywalker's Adoption

"Luke Skywalker's Adoption" by Dorkly

Yeah, when you stop to think through the plot of the original Star Wars trilogy, there are really are a staggering number of plot holes.

OpEd: What Happened to Movie Posters?

"WTF Happened to Movie Posters?" by GoodBadFlicks

GoodBadFlicks takes a look at just how lazy movie posters have become.  Are the best movie posters Hollywood has to offer in the past?

OpEd: How Much Do Graphics Matter?

"How Much Do PS4 & Xbox One's New Graphics Matter" by PBS Game/Show

The recent Resolution Gate crisis has brought the issue of graphical fidelity into focus once again, but PBS's new Game/Show wonders if the hubbub was really worth it.  Specifically, they take a look at the relationship between graphics and aesthetics, and discuss how large an effect photorealism really has on video game immersion.

OpEd: What Does The Doctor Mean?

"What Does The Doctor Mean to You?" by PBS Idea Channel

"11 different doctors have played the role over the past 50 years, and each was unique, with different personalities and characteristics. But besides the physical symbols surrounding him - the Tardis, the sonic screwdriver- are there larger cues that indicate the man is in fact THE DOCTOR?"

OpEd: Slender Man Internet Folklore?

"How is Slender Man Internet Folklore?" by PBS Idea Channel

"Slender Man very well may have been "invented" by the internet, but he's been a part of our subconscious forever! Like cultures across the globe, the internet has developed its own stories and characters. Generated by the collective web, Slender Man is our nightmares manifested in digital form. Why do we create these scary tales, indulging in worlds are beyond reality? What is the role of this folklore, and is Slender Man a part of it?"

OpEd: "Being" Your Video Game Avatar

"Controlling vs "Being" Your Video Game Avatar" by PBS Idea Channel

PBS Ideas is wonderful. This time, Mike is here to explain the difference between games that allow you to manipulate the player-character and those that force you to become it.

OpEd: Girl Gamers

"On the topic of "Girl Gamers" aka "GURL GAMERS"" by Boogie2988

OpEd: Big Art made by Assistants

Artists John O'Brien and Zak Smith debate the issue of Big Art made by assistants for artists who don't claim to use assistants polarizing the market. The debate was part of the 2011 edition of ARTILLERY SETS THE STANDARD, which took place July 10th at The Standard Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. This is part four of a four-part debate series.