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darkhawk
WHERE THE FUCK IS PHP 3.0???
Joined: 16 Mar 2004
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 Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:27 am Post subject: Off the Cuff - #87 – Voltron, comic book stores, Legion |
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Off the Cuff – Edition 87
By Eric Barrett
Comics, Cartoons, and all things related
*What’s this? Another edition of ‘Off the Cuff’? Is it Christmas?
No friends, I am just finally done with traveling for work and I can finally get in a little comic book time. (Or more specifically a little time writing about comic books.) So what’s up first on the list? How about one of my favorite cartoons of all time – Voltron!
That’s right; Voltron is back on TV after years of absence. I lucked into finding Voltron on Cartoon Network this Monday. Not  only did I get lucky enough to see it was on TV, but I was lucky enough to catch it on its first day
As with all old cartoons you worry about how they will hold up with age. Was it really as good as you remember it? Do you want to take the chance and ruin a childhood memory? I’m sure you all know that drill by now.
Unfortunately Voltron does take a bit of a hit. It’s not that the story is bad; it’s just that it feels “dated” from a production standpoint. For instance, some of the scene transitions are what is technically called “abrupt”. It’s as if the animators got tired and said, “lets just skip this scene, no one will notice.” As a viewer you really get the sense that you just missed something important, when in fact you didn’t.
The other serious drawback of Voltron is its horrendous voice acting. As a kid I never noticed the voice actors, but man, are they bad! It probably isn’t any worse than any other 80’s cartoon, but it is a far cry from the quality they have today.
Beyond these two issues, the show is pretty much how I remember it – which is amazing in and of itself. The character names and story line quickly came back to me as I watched the first couple of episodes. I remembered the mice, the Ro-beasts, the princess, etc...
If this cartoon were made today, it wouldn’t cut it. The network would drop it within its first few episodes. Fortunately for us, it was made 20 years ago! And because of that, I can enjoy an old classic, a show that is at least partly responsible for my entertainment interests today!
*For those who watch Adult Swim on a regular basis you are most likely familiar with the little “messages” from the producers of Adult Swim. They usually say something snarky or announce an upcoming show/promotion.
Well during the second episode of Voltron they said something to the effect of “I was talking to my son the other night about Voltron…and my wife said, ‘why don’t you show him?’ So we did.”
According to this “voice” that’s the reason we are all watching Voltron now.
I thought, “how cool is that? To be able to remember a TV show from your youth and then to have the position and authority to play it on TV!” Now that’s a fun job!
*I have to admit, I feel really disconnected from the comic book world right now. I’ve only been out of the loop for a month or so, but because I haven’t walked into my local comic book shop and browsed the inventory, I feel like I don’t know what’s going on. It’s as if I lost a chunk of time.
I think there is something important about actually going to a comic book store to see what’s there. It’s more than just looking at the inventory though; it’s about the atmosphere of the place. Sure, most comic book stores are filled with socially awkward people, and you enter into more conversations with strange people than you’d probably like. But without those types of interactions I find that my overall interesting in comic books wanes. I think it’s partly because being around people who are enthusiastic about something tends to increase my own enthusiasm.
It’s also partly because the longer I go without a specific title, the more I learn that I can live without it. And once that realization sinks in, it’s a lot easier to drop the habit.
Combine those two factors and it’s no wonder comic book shops remain the backbone of the comic book industry.
*I saw an episode of Legion of Superheroes last weekend - I believe it was the second episode. Let me tell you, I’m not all that impressed.
It is definitely designed to be a kid’s show. The plot, if you can call it that, was weak at best. In addition, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of character development, and worse, the characters seem to just be stereotypes of themselves.
I know a lot of people hated Teen Titans because they thought it was “childish” or too “anime”. But at the heart of that show was a brilliant story, with dynamic characters, and multiple relationships between them. It was a very complex cartoon.
Too bad Legion of Superheroes isn’t shaping up to be that way.
*Look for more regular columns in the upcoming weeks. It’s good to be back.
The opinions stated in here solely reflect the opinions of the author. If you would like to comment on some of the items in this article, please feel free to post in the forum or send an e-mail. All characters, titles, and etc. are owned and ©; their respective publishers and creators- the author and StillontheShelf.com makes no claim towards them. This column is intended as an opinion piece only. Off the Cuff is ©; Eric Barrett. Please report any broken links!
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b. schatz
Call Me Ishmael
Joined: 12 Mar 2004
Posts: 2539
Location: The A.C.
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| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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Television shows I vaugely remember from my youth?
He-Man, Gummy Bears, "gooooooo BOTS" (but only from commercials), Hurcules, Spider-Man (the old 60s cartoon), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the Real Ghostbusters.
I've watched some episodes of TMNT and the Real Ghostbusters - and Ghostbusters stands up really well.
Oh. And I entirely agree with you on the comic book front - I've been without for chunks of time (both occuring in periods when I moved) and the feeling of "gotta' have it" wanes. But then, I'd wander back and see a few issues of Invincible, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane and Fables waiting for me, and that feeling quickly passed.
And now, I'm a Probationary Junior Deputy Comic Shop Guy in training - though I think the "probationary" period has passed, since I have been placed in charge of the ordering of independant titles - and honestly? I can't get enough of the medium. It's a virus, no doubt, but it's one that's fun to have.
Glad to have you back, Eric.
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darkhawk
WHERE THE FUCK IS PHP 3.0???
Joined: 16 Mar 2004
Posts: 15244
Location: Go ahead, punk, make my Earl Grey
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| Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:31 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks b, it's good to be back!
I've always noticed that the more frequently I go to a comic book shop, the more my pull list grows. When I stop going, my pull list shrinks. Right now I'm only reading a couple of titles, and that's as low as it's been in years.
Fortunately I have Voltron to keep me company. 
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bf39c20x642c49
Liefeld Lover
Joined: 11 Jul 2009
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