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Feb 12

Star Wars

This past weekend I was able to relive a part of my childhood.  My brother and I were able to get tickets to go watch the re-release of Star Wars Episode I.  I must say that I was extremely excited to go watch the movie, but when I got there I realized that I was now the “old geeky guy” as I was surrounded by children and teenagers.  As I sat next to my older brother in the theater awaiting to watch Star Wars, I could not help but feel old.  My brother and I were reminiscing about the first time that we saw this movie and then we realized that it was almost fifteen years ago.  Back then my brother was sporting the typical 90’s gelled up hair and I was still watching Power Rangers.  I felt old when I realized this, I can’t imagine how  he felt now that he is almost 30.  Nevertheless, the movie was awesome and I was glad that my brother and I were able to relive our glory days once again.  On the ride back home, he and I were talking about how much publicity the movie had made, both good and bad.   Personally, when I first heard that they were going to re-release all of the movies I was ecstatic.  But of course there are those hardcore fans who were outraged when the movie came out the first time, I not being among them.  But that is the beauty about Star Wars, you will always have people fighting over which movie is the best, that George Lucas destroyed the originals, who Shot first, etc.  But no matter what side they choose, light or dark, every fan will still go watch the movies.

Feb 12

Goosebumps

A "Goosebumps" series favorite among readers.

 

The Goosebumps book series is a mammoth collection of children’s horror novels published by youth literature giant Scholastic and written by author R. L. Stine (real name Jovial Bob Stine) between 1992 and 1997. The series rocketed to popularity and inspired a few spin-off book series as well as a TV show that had me glued to the set in the same vein of programs like Are You Afraid of the Dark and So Weird. While the series is supposedly intended for middle school readers (or older readers in terms of some of the spin-offs), I seem to recall there being a certain pride and competition in comparing the number of Goosebumps books in your repertoire early in elementary school while cautiously avoiding the eyes of disapproving teachers.

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Feb 12

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The Return of the Superhero

With the upcoming 2012 Toy Fair looming in New York City today, children, adults, and toy fanatics alike are anxiously awaiting the release of the year’s newest playthings.  People from all over will flock to New York to have a special look into the newest special action figures, games, and other child playthings making their debut this year. Playthings from the ever-popular Mattel, LEGO, Hasbro and Diamond Select toy-makers will be previewed in at the annual event.  Previews have suggested the return of everyone’s favorite comic book superheroes, most notably Batman and Superman.

Mr. Potato Head as Superman for the 60th Anniversary of Mr. Potato Head products

Superman, a favorite superhero and “Champion of the Oppressed” during the Depression Era (Hajdu 30), returns in new form, this time coming to stores as a Mr. Potato Head. Batman will also be returning in Potato Head form, in the first time DC Comics will be represented as the iconic plaything. Toy-makers are going beyond the Potato Head toy to bring the ever-popular Batman into this year’s newest toys. Mattel and LEGO are joining in on the revived DC Comic superhero fanatics and bringing the comic heroes even more into the spotlight. LEGO is bringing in new sets of the favorite superheros from the DC Comics, formerly known by National Periodicals, of the previous century with Batman, the Hulk, Iron Man and Captain America. (Hadju 31)  Mattel is staying to true to the popular trends of the current century by building and continuing their line of Batman action figures and toy sets.

The 2012 Toy Fair brings toys from all facets of current popular culture  in the New York debut, but continues to hold onto to the favorites created during the early comic era, appealing to children and adults alike.

Feb 12

Reading Rewards

Recently in class I read an article about the culture around parents buying toys for their children.  The article pointed out that the mother of a child tends to buy them more toys and gifts, however the father tends to buy more expensive items.  The mother always had the sacred mother-child bond, as most women were stay at home mothers (the article was written in the early 1900’s), while, the article argued, the fathers bought their children gifts as a way to create a similar bond.

Although this is not always the case now, as many more women are in the work force, I really see a parallel in my life.  Before reading this article I never really thought about it, however my father was always the one that got me my more expensive toys.  He bought me Nintendo 64 games, overpriced paraphernalia, and other such expensive items.

My dad would reward me for reading with video games.  Every 5 or so books that I read, I would get a new Nintendo 64 game.  Looking back on it, this reward system may have had a two-pronged outcome.  It helped create the father-son bond, while furthering my knowledge and education.  I read books and novels just for fun so much more when I was younger than I do now.

Some schools now reward their students for reading, giving them prizes, parties, and playing games.  I really think that rewarding young students for reading helps motivate them to read more and more.  While they are thinking about the short term rewards, they will really be benefiting from the long term one of broadening their education.

Nintendo 64 Game Console

Nintendo 64 Game Console. Photo Credit: Scott Peak

Feb 12

GOP response to newly proposed child labor regulations

Recently, the Obama administration has proposed several new child labor laws pertaining to agricultural work, and Republican Congressman Danny Rehberg, from Montana, has accused the administration of trying to meddle and not knowing enough about the situation before getting involved. These new laws would target young people working on farms, and would try to limit the sorts of tasks they are allowed to perform in their work. In this article, found in the Huffington Post, Rehberg attacks the new laws and claims that the work they target is perfectly safe for young people. He says, ”You can’t get hurt…It’s impossible. You could have a five-year-old out there running it.” Congressman Rehberg believes that this disconnect comes from people in Washington not truly understanding the work being done on American farms anymore. In his opinion, new technology makes previously unsafe tasks more fit for young laborers, and new safeguards will prevent injuries that previously occurred.

This is a grain auger, one of the types of farm machinery being targeted by the newly proposed child labor regulations.

As my fellow classmate, Daniela Hernandez, wrote in her piece Labor Department proposes new child labor laws, the reaction to the law is similar to the one discussed in Zelizer’s article on useful children. Farming families are attacking the law in a similar way to when Congress proposed child labor regulations in the 1920’s, as an invasion of the rights of parents to use their child’s labor for the benefit of the family (Zelizer, 36). I agree with this connection, in that families who use the labor of their children on family farms still feel that the government has no business meddling in their affairs. They believe that through new innovations in safety technology, the labor is safer than ever and is not a threat to children. Along with this, they also feel that the federal government is overstepping its boundaries in legislating on a topic that should be left to state governments.

Feb 11

Reality World for Comics

There’s a new reality show airing on February 11th.  Comic Book Men will take viewers into the“sacred geek temple” of a retail comic book store. Kevin Smith, comic book writer and film producer, is the brains behind the show. The storyline revolves around the four guys who work in the store and who also model for Smith’s comic book characters.

The show features an all-male cast, which has received criticism because of the lack of females.  Smith acknowledges that both women and African-Americans are both under-represented in comics and sees this as something that needs to change.  He also points out that non-geeks can feel alienated when they enter a retail comic store.  He hopes his new show will make mainstream America more comfortable with the comic industry.

youtube, Mingchen, Jan. 1, 2012

According to a recent survey by DC Comics, males make up 93% of its readers. Blogger Henry Hanks, a contributor on CNN Geek Out!,  confirms that there is an entire culture of geeks out there who thrive on the characters and stories contained in comics. We saw an example of this in the video we watched in class about the geek collector.

Todays’ comic books contain the same stereotypes that readers encounters in the 1940s – females with big boobs, and males with huge muscles. The storylines haven’t changed either – men in capes are still rescuing helpless women. In the book, The Ten-Cent Plague, David Hadju, takes the reader through the history of comics and helps decipher the intense attraction many have towards these books.

The comic industry as a whole is suffering economically and the hope for this show is that it will expose non-geeks to the art of comic collecting and increase readership.

Feb 6

Toddlers & Tiaras

Someone showed me this video this weekend and it kept coming to mind during today’s lecture.

It’s ridiculous,

But still hilarious at the same time.

Enjoy!

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