Archive for June, 2009

After all is said, done, and awarded, he performs a kickass closing number to bring it all home.

OK, I'm not really sure what the connection to Father's Day is here. Was Billy overcompensating for an abusive father? Was Captain Hammer a victim of some childhood hammering himself? Was Penny using her work with the homeless to make up for the paternal connection she never had?

Or do the Horrible people figure your dad might like some cool stuff and this is as good a reason for a sale as any?

Either way, many of the Dr. Horrible tees are on sale for $15 (10 bucks off usual price) and they now have bundles where you can get sets of shirts, totes, hats, and more for a reduced price. Fiendishly brilliant.

Happy Father's Day, you evil people, you.

It's so simple. Brightly colored shapes of different sizes lazily drop down into your box or whatever and you have the time they fall to rotate and move them so they fit snugly into the openings below. No problem. Anyone can play it, even if they've never played a video game before.

And then it gets faster. And then you realize you've been playing it for 7 hours and you're hungry and tired and slightly dizzy and your hands are cramping and you still can't stop playing.

Tetris was invented on June 6, 1984, by Russian mathematician Alexey Pajitnov as a hobby away from his actual field, which was artificial intelligence. Which just makes me suspicious, of course. Was this the first step towards AI? Was my computer somehow learning me through my block choices? Was I being subtly manipulated, maybe with harder games thrown at me on key dates, making me frustrated and irritable for a job interview or security briefing? Or throwing me easy games, making me smug and overconfident and possibly a little bit lax?

I've never actually had any sort of security position, but I think the principle is sound. Either way, I wasted a lot of time playing this damn game. So did a lot of people.

It's the second most popular video game of all time, selling over 70 million copies. 25 years later, it's still everywhere. It's available on just about  every PC and video game platform there is, and also on mobile phones, PDAs, graphical calculators, even hidden on electronic devices that aren't meant to have games on them, like oscilloscopes.

From a Russian guy who was working on artificial intelligence.

I'm just sayin'. Don't blame me when our new tetrominoid overlords rise up and take over to the strains of tinny Russian folk music.

Also, today's Google logo is cool.

The second of the last three unaired "Pushing Daisies" episodes is on ABC Saturday night at 10 p.m., and you won't want to miss it! This one costars… well, let's go to the synopsis:

"Water and Power." Emerson gets a lead in his daughter Penny's whereabouts when he investigates the murder of millionaire Roland Stingwell (guest star Fred Williamson). The prime suspect: Penny's no-good mama, Lila Robinson (guest star Gina Torres), who ran off with the girl years ago. Meanwhile, an awkward Randy Mann (guest star David Arquette) tries to romance Olive. Written byPeter Ocko,  story by Lisa Joy & Jim Danger Gray.  Directed byDean White.

Can't wait to see Gina doing comedy again. She's got a brilliant sense of timing, perfect for a bizarre show like this. For more of a sneak peek, check out the exclusive coverage over at ThePiemaker.com.

If you miss it, don't fret. Just be sure to preorder the second season DVD, coming July 21.

Sigh. Only one more to go after this. Here's hoping for comics, a movie, something. There are too many loose ends still dangling in a very dangly way!

Last year I was fortunate enough to grab ten minutes of phone time with the man himself, to talk about all things Horrible.

Click here to read (or listen!) to the interview.

You have a knack for attracting obsessive fans. What do you think they see in your work?

An obsessive fan…

This is an obsessive fan asking that.

Yes, I am one, too. That’s what I am, that’s what I grew up as. The things I love, I love very hard. And that’s the kind of… and it’s usually genre stuff, which also attracts that type. You know, the world of imagination; when people enter any world that’s not our own they’re working in a different way than if it’s just a straight drama, no matter how great. It could be the “West Wing,” it’s great but there’s a different level when you add an element of fantasy. Particularly when you add song. It allows people to lose themselves, and [in an exaggerated arch voice] “find themselves.”

Yes, I am a new-age calendar. But I’m not wrong.

Sony's having a contest to promote the new Blu-Ray edition of The Ghostbusters, and it can get you to Comic-Con! Just head here and enter for your chance to win roundtrip airfare, 3 nights at the Embassey Suites, 2 days for 2 people at the San Diego Comic-Con, and more! Or lots of Ghostbuster-related merchandise; shirts, hats, the usual.

You can also head to the main Ghostbusters movie site to put yourself into the team, or upload a video of your Ghostbuster tryout.

The Ghostbusters Blu-ray edition is coming June 16th.

Continuing in their scheme to take over the world via herbs soaked in hot water, Adagio Teas has one for whatever side of the whole good/evil thing you're presently on.

Dr. Horrible's Tea of Evil: A tea as dark as the Dr.'s heart. This black tea is highlighted with berry blues and a hint of vanilla in honor of the frozen yogurt he shares with his love. May be served with or without sweatener. Honey makes a perfect compliment to this tea.

Captain Hammer's Corporate Tool tea: An over-the-top hero, like the Captain, needs a patriotic tea. But this black tea is over-the-top too with apple, caramel and cream. Think of it as a gooey apple pie for our hunky, cheesy hero!

There are also teas for Penny, Moist, Dollhouse's Echo, Dexter, assorted Buffy characters… all created by users in the Adagio community. I'm thinking there's probably some trademark infringement going on, but it's soothing and relaxing trademark infringement so what the hell.

If the DVDs and  soundtrack isn't enough – and it isn't – go check out the free Dr. Horrible comics at Dark Horse Presents. First up is "Captain Hammer: Be Like Me," written by Zack Whedon, drawn by Eric Canete and colored by Dave Stewart. Excellent look at Captain Hammer's life before the events of the show, and hilarious all by itself. Read it here.

Then there's "Moist: Humidity Rising," Dr. Horrible's sidekick's awesome origin! Well, kind of awesome. Well, not really. I wasn't as impressed with this one, even though Zack penned it as well (art by Farel Dalrymple and Dan Jackson). It hits all the points – got his powers, met Billy, dreamed henchmen dreams – without any memorable lines or interesting twists or much plot at all. It's just… there. Which, come to think of it, also describes Moist, so maybe it works after all. Read it here.

And out this week, "Penny: Keep Your Head Up," by Zack Whedon and Jim Rugg, a sweet tale of her activist beginnings.

Spotted at Whedonesque, these fan cakes are perfect for snacking while you're making evil plans, sharing with the homeless, or using as a delicious shield while thwarting evil plans. Mostly, they're just cool. Cake goggles? Amazing.

On a huge freestanding display holding hundreds of copies in neat rows underneath a massive, spinning cardboard-and-PVC diorama of Captain Hammer and Dr. Horrible battling over the Death Ray rifle while Penny looks on and…

Actually they weren't even on the New! rack at Best Buy, they were over in the TV section next to the boxset for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. But they were there! Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, the handmade Internet sensation, is now available in stores. Best Buys, anyway. And other stores can order them. Ask your local Blockbuster to get some in.

Or if you still want to order online, you can now get them at Barnes & Noble ($13.49), Borders ($13.99), DeepDiscount.com ($9.27), Walmart ($10.32), Best Buy ($9.99), or from many other retailers. You can even get it from Netflix and Blockbuster Online now!

Yessss… it's all coming together now…