Archive for April, 2011

The latest in my "Dehoard Me" project was just posted. It's the hard-to-find Firefly trading cards binder, from the late, lamented Inkworks.

It's in great condition, still shiny and crisp and clean, and it contains the basic 72-card "Firefly: The Complete Collection" set as well as the one-sheet promo ad flyer for the series, four promo cards (P-i, P-2, P-4, and P-UK), and even the box the cards came in (folded).

The binder was tough to find even before the company went out of business and it's near impossible now. Don't miss out!

Moments after the Doctor Who season six premiere finished boggling everyone's mind, QMx released its latest offering. Remember in the opening scene, when the Elizabethan lord stormed in to find an embarrassed woman, a half-finished painting, and a naked Doctor hiding under her skirt?

Admit it, the first thing you thought — well, maybe the second thing — was "I need that painting!"

QMx has your back. Or your barely-covered front, as it were.

QMx is thrilled to bring you a faithful re-creation of the painting titled, "My Mysterious Doctor." It's an unabashed look at Matt Smith as Doctor Who, clutching a trident, with cherubs circling overhead and a scarlet red drape positioned ever so appropriately.

The unfinished painting was supposedly created by a nobleman's daughter, Matilda, and appeared onscreen for a few fleeting moments. Our art print is taken directly from the original painting and has been resized to 18" w x 24" h on 100-pound satin-finish paper.

$14.95, plus shipping. Head here for a closer look and more details.

If you missed the season opener — do I even know you? — you can pick it up at iTunes where it's already comnfortably

Marilou Goodwin! Her name was randomly chosen from the people who commented. Congratulations Marilou, and thanks to everyone who stopped by!

If you haven't yet picked up Titan Books'  "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, the Book" do so faster than immediately. Check it out at Amazon at a nicely discounted price, or look for it wherever you prefer to buy your books.

And if you didn't see it, go read the new York Times article on Joss and his future plans for more Horribleness (spoiler alert: he has some).

Or read this Wall Street Journal article on how "Dr. Horrible" changed the game for web shows.

Or check out this interview with co-writer and groupie Maurissa Tancharoen, or this one with co-writer and Western messenger boy Jed Whedon, or even this inspired and really disturbing Dr. Horrible and My Little Pony mashup.

Dr. Horrible is everywhere! Is it too late to make him the villain in the Avengers movie?

Next up in my dehoarding efforts: Autographs!

I love collecting autographs. I love the connection you get with a personal hero. Sure, it's a fleeting one, one they'll undoubtedly forget almost immediately. But you'll still have that memento, that proof that you once met this person and got to talk to him or her about the effect they may have had on your life.

I don't sell autographs I've gotten in person, for that reason and because I don't want celebrities to stop having those moments with fans for fear that their generosity of time will end up… well, on eBay, frankly. They give a lot of their time to fans and we appreciate it, we shouldn't run off and make a buck.

That said, occasionally I'll buy one myself, from a reputable source, to fill a hole in a collection. And if I later get the fortunate opportunity to get another directly from the actor or writer or musician in question, it leaves me with an extra. I figure the celebrity was compensated for the bought one (usually from a convention or arranged signing) so I don't feel as weird selling it myself.  So here's what's up so far:

Nathan Fillion and Gina Torres preprints: I can't stand auctions that aren't clear regarding autographs and preprints so let me say it outright. These are copies of original autographed photos, but they were not themselves signed. There's no indication that either actor ever personally touched these prints. That said, they're pretty cool and would nicely decorate a Browncoat's wall. 8"x10", one of each.

Morena Baccarin as Inara: Whereas this is an actual, signed-in-person, autographed photo. Authenticated by Creation Entertainment, with their certificate of authenticity on the back. 8"x10", glossy.

Amber Benson as Tara: This is a gorgeous photo. Signed by Amber at a Metro Entertainment signing (CofA included). 8"x10" glossy. Hard-to-see wear on the top from being in a frame.

Auctions for all three end next Tuesday night. Don't miss out!

I'm a little late to the party, as this came out already and odds are if you're a Dr. Horrible fan — and if not, why not? who are you? — you already know of it. But just in case I'm going to tell you anyway, and to make up for my tardiness I'll give you one for free.

Back in the misty days of the Writers Strike, plucky little Joss Whedon and his ragtag band of mates sidestepped around the studios and networks, and put together "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog,"  a 3-act, online-only musical superhero webshow that used fan -favorite actors, a whimsical attitude and catchy tunes in their insidious plot to take over the Internet. Or make money, it's not important. What is important is that it worked, and it spawned a top-40 CD, live productions, a DVD with a musical commentary that later got its own CD, and more. And now, it has a book.

By this point if Titan Books puts out anything about a show I even remotely like I'll buy it. Every one I've seen has been stuffed full of material, photos, interviews and factoids that even I, obsessive fan that I am, hadn't uncovered. And this one is no exception.

Granted, there's only 45 minutes of material to write about, so it's not quite like writing about a series. But you get the full shooting script, the sheet music to the songs, the sheet music to the Commentary! songs, and you get extras.

You get a hilarious intro by Captain Hammer. You get a roundtable discussion from Joss, Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon, and Zack Whedon on the creation and making of "Dr. Horrible." You get essays from Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day, Nathan Fillion and Simon Helberg. You get behind-the-scenes photos, pics of Joss' original lyric sheets (with different lyrics), articles about the costuming and the awards and the fans and the ComicCon panel.

You get a lot.

You can get a sneak peek at Titan Books, and you can buy it at Amazon, or wherever you prefer to buy your books.

OR you can win one here. Just post a comment below to be automatically entered into a drawing for a copy of the book. Doesn't matter what you post, the drawing will be random, but it would be nice if you could post something about the book or "Dr. Horrible," just to make 'em more fun to read. Rules: one entry per person. U.S. and Canada only. Nobody in my family is eligible. Drawing will be one week from tonight, at 10 p.m. EST Wednesday, April 20, 2011. You must include a valid e-mail address so I can contact you. Good luck!

Once again I'm going through my stacks of geekery and attempting to dehoard myself. It ain't easy. I collect geek stuff like barnacles on Popeye, and my tendency is to hang on to everything.

It shows. The decor for most of my house is "Early Heaps." But I'd like to reclaim some of my house again, and I could use the bank account boost. So my momentary madness is your gain!

Up in this round, already at eBay, is:

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Promo Glow Stick. I have no idea why FOX thought this was appropriate, but then I'm not sure what would have been. Maybe some twisted, bullet-ridden bits of sheet metal with the premiere date on them? (Actually, that would have been pretty cool.) Instead we got a glow stick, although it is evil-Terminator-eye red. Never used, still ready to glow when needed.

Mal and Zoe dog tags from QMx: QMx had some dog tags made for Sgt. Malcolm Reynolds and Cpl. Zoe Alleyne, 57th Overlanders, Hera, to give out as promos at events and conventions. Brand new, made of high-quality metal plate with enamel, they measure approximately 5 cm x 2.5 cm. A black rubber silencer and chain is included with each.

Serenity Collectors Edition DVD (with bonus Serenity comic from Best Buy): This is the Collector's Edition 2-disc set from Universal. Cool enough on its own, but then Best Buy released their own version with a DVD-sized comic book included. It's a reprint of the first issue of "Those Left Behind," the 3-issue Serenity mini-series from Dark Horse, with a cover by Sean Phillips. If you're a Browncoat collector, you want this.

More stuff coming till I run out (ha!), so check back.

You know you need to back up your stuff.  You just never find the time and motivation to do it. Usually that motivation comes right after you've just lost the vitally important file you were working on, or the irreplaceable photo.  The day after your computer crashes, you'll be more motivated to do regular backups than you ever will again. You'll also be motivated to scream into the sky, punch walls, and kick small animals until your blood pressure drops back down into double digits. I hear.

And, for a while, you'll do the right things. You'll save your e-mail, your work files, maybe your photos. You'll get that warm sense of security that only comes from minimally protecting yourself. And then you'll let a few things slip, make some new folders and forget to add them to your routine, and then you're one good lightning storm away from screaming all over again. Read the rest of this entry »