Do you like comic books? Are you a fan of campy sci-fi stories? Comedies? Romances? Enjoy live performances of any kind? In need of a chuckle or outright guffaw? An escape from reality? Then you need to see The Intergalactic Nemesis. I could probably sit here and think of a few hundred other reasons to go see the show, but we’d be here all night. Let’s just say I think everyone –of all ages and persuasions– should see it. It’s a delightfully fun example of an old-style radio play, only better, because the audience gets to enjoy the frantic excitement of the “behind the scenes” action and get incredible comic book graphics as well. There’s really something for everyone!^†

I first heard about The Intergalactic Nemesis a week ago, and I knew immediately I wanted to go see it. Alas, Labor Day weekend is a busy weekend, and there was no way, with shows only on Friday and Saturday, my seeing it was in the cards. I was, in fact, quite heartbroken about missing it. As fate would have it, on the day I was busily insane pulling together all the bits and pieces of my artwork and trying to write an artist’s statement, as well as a million other things, the opportunity arose to watch the dress rehearsal. It was like the universe was giving me a present. I jumped at the chance.^††

1250 excellent panes of comic book art projected on a big screen, three actors playing dozens of characters (occasionally all at the same time), one foley artist creating the environmental sounds with a table full of mad devices and objects, and one pianist (the score composer himself) playing the mood-setting tunes … all rolled together into one incredible, action-packed, fun-filled performance at one of the best venues in town.

The premise for The Intergalactic Nemesis is a period-action-scifi-horror-space-opera-adventure. The year is 1933. The Pulitzer-winning reporter Molly Sloan and her intrepid assistant Timmy Mendez have stumbled across a series of murders foiled by a mysterious librarian from Flagstaff named Ben Wilcott. Together, the three heroes trek across Europe, North Africa, and beyond to thwart world-famous mesmerist Mysterion the Magnificent and what turns out to be an invasion of sludge-monsters from the planet Zygon.

How can you not be intrigued? Watch the 30-second trailer to get a taste of the art, music, sound effects, and character voices … keeping in mind, it’s all created by five people on a stage.

Don’t believe me about only five people? Still not intrigued? Then watch this somewhat longer clip from a live performance of Episode One.

If that doesn’t stimulate your curiosity and interest, I suspect it’s possible you are a sludge-loving Zygonian or an evil mesmerist!

But seriously … the artwork by Tim Doyle is dashingly energetic, the character-acting of Shana Merlin, Mical Trejo, and Chris Gibson is emotively captivating, the foley effects of Buzz Moran are frantically (and realistically) fascinating, and the music of Graham Reynolds is the eerily enticing icing on the whole tasty cake. I promise, you will eat it up one comic book pane, character change, musical bullet point and “Zing! Ping! Pow! Snap!” at a time and love every minute of it!^†††

Also, major kudos to Jason Neulander, the producer, director, and author of the original script (i.e. the comic books, which you may have noticed I now own … autographed and everything –a fact that makes my geeky, nerdy heart fill with joy) for pulling it all together into one absolutely fabulous show. Well done! Bravo!

Here’s the information you need so you too can be amazed, thrilled, and amused by The Intergalactic Nemesis:

WHO: The Intergalactic Nemesis Presents
WHAT: Feature-Length Live-Action Graphic Novel Spectacular
WHEN: September 3 and 4 at 8 p.m.
WHERE: the Long Center for the Performing Arts (701 W. Riverside Drive, Austin, TX)
TICKETS: $14.00 to $49.00

I can’t imagine anyone regretting seeing it, and I’d even go so far as to suggest splurging on some good seats. Not too close, because the images are quite large, and you do want to see them, but not too far away that you can’t relish the performance happening on the stage. Though I don’t really think there will be a bad seat in the house for this sort of show, but you know I do like to watch performers perform up close and personal, so I’m biased toward being nearer the stage rather than farther away. Your preferences may vary!

And … support the arts … buy something. There are a number of interesting and fun Intergalactic Nemesis related things to be bought, and I’m certain you can find something you’ll want, even if it’s just a bottle of slime. Like a wicked cool electronic sound effects gadget I would have loved to have, had my inner child not been demanding the comic book set with every cell of her being. LOL!

Now I really, really have to go to bed. OMG, I am going to pay for this tomorrow while trying to get ten million things done in the shortest amount of time possible. Ugh.

1. † What? You don’t know what a radio play is? Then you definitely need to see it! [↩]
2. †† Sure, I am more tired than I have been in a long time, and I have ten million things that have to be done by Friday, but hey, some opportunities only come along once. Better grab them while I can. Life’s short, and sleep is for the weak. LOL! [↩]
3. ††† Those of you who know me KNOW I want to sit here for another hour or two and go on and on about every tiny detail, but it is after 3 am, I do have ten million things that need to be done tomorrow, and I should probably get some sleep, seeing as I am utterly fatigued. You’ll just have to go experience all the glorious details for yourself! [↩]

Last night, The Daily Show covered Glenn Beck’s upcoming rally on Martin Luther King Day by showing clips of Beck at his finest contradicting himself and being an egotistical ass. Definitely must-see TV.

And tomorrow should be an interesting day in Washington, D.C. don’t you think? I can’t wait to see what happens at Beck’s rally.

The Daily Show has saved me from having to write a thousand word post griping about the idiocy surrounding the building of a mosque. No, not THAT one –the non-mosque mosque in NYC– but one in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

The anti-Islam woman interviewed in the clip –Laurie Cardoza-Moore– is for real, by the way. She’s not an actress or comedian putting on an skit or reading a script. She actually believes the ridiculous things coming out of her mouth. For that alone, it’s worth watching. It’s important to see hatred and stupidity on display … and to point and laugh at it.

A prime example:

Cardoza-Moore: “You believe that the Jews and Christians are the infidels and they are, according to the Koranic teachings, supposed to be killed.”

This is, in fact, one of the HUGE lies being told by Anti-Islam morons. Unlike in Christianity, where anyone who is not an actual Christian is an infidel, Islam recognizes both Christians and Jews as Brothers of the Book … since they do, in fact, all worship the same god (the god of Abraham). Infidel in Islam means someone who doesn’t believe in god (i.e. agnostics and atheists). So, no plans to kill all the Christians and Jews. The argument that is usually shot back after I make a statement like that is that radical Islamist terrorists think anyone who isn’t Muslim is an infidel, but I’d counter that just like many crazy fundamental Christians, these radical followers of Islam are not following the tenets of their religion.

If there was just one thing I could pound into the heads of the anti-Islam Christians, it’s that Islam isn’t out to kill you. You aren’t an infidel. You are all brothers (and sisters). But alas, too many Christians just want to hate someone … like anyone who isn’t Christian (or even anyone who isn’t their particular flavor of Christian).

Another laugh riot from the mouth of Laurie:

Cardoza-Moore: “Pork is not served on any entree.”

This would make them evil why exactly? She does know Jews don’t eat pork either, right?

Anyway, the clip must be watched for her interview, because it’s not even just what she was saying, it was how she was saying it. Such haughty smugness … while sitting there talking to Aasif Mandvi who is an actual Muslim. I mean, I’d be embarrassed to say the things she was saying directly to someone of that faith, but not her! She’s got the righteousness of Jesus behind her! Facts be damned!

What a disgusting, small-minded, and ignorant human being.

Fox & Friends: “The Kingdom Foundation, which has been a funder of Imam Rauf in the past … The Kingdom Foundation, so you know, is this Saudi organization headed up by this guy who tried to give Rudi Guliani ten million dollars after 9/11 that was sent back … he funds radical madrassas all over the world … and he funds this Imam.”

Jon Stewart: “The terror funder is Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp partner! That’s right, the guy they’re painting as a sinister money force owns part of Fox News. If we want to cut off funding to the terror-mosque, we must –together as a nation– stop watching Fox. Using their reasoning, it’s the only way to cut off the revenue stream to these ‘bad dudes.’ Here’s the most curious part of this entire report. Fox tells us the terrible thing about this Kingdom Foundation is what they funded. He’s a very bad guy, but they never mention this guy’s name, and they never showed this fellow’s picture, and they certainly never mentioned that this fellow they are talking about is part owner of their company. Did the gang at Fox and Friends genuinely not know the head of The Kingdom Foundation’s name and the fact that he is one of their part owners, or were they purposely covering it up their fear-driven narrative?”

The entire video is very informative and entertaining in that sad way modern political comedy is, because the truth they are exposing and the lies they are skewering are indeed truly, truly sad.

It’s hard to laugh about it.

Anderson Cooper: “You told my producer pregnant women are coming here as tourists, having babies, and then going back home ‘with the nefarious purpose of turning them into little terrorists, who will then come back to the U.S. to do us harm.’ You said it’s part of an organized terrorist element and could cost us lives. Where did you hear that?”

Debbie Riddle^†: “That is information that is coming to my office from former FBI officials.”

Cooper then asks what evidence she has this is happening, and, no surprise, she “doesn’t have the hard evidence” right in front of her. Then she launches into her talking points diatribe about “anchor babies.” Finally, he presses her again for any evidence she has of terrorist anchor babies:

Cooper: “Have they given your office actual facts … or proof?”

Riddle: “That information we are still gathering.”

It’s actually an interesting interview, if only because Cooper does keep trying to get her to show she has some kind of actual evidence for the somewhat crazy things she says, and Rafael Anchia^††, state representative from the Dallas Area, appears to be pleasantly sane.

She never really answers any questions. Most of the people saying outrageous things and making crazy claims rarely do. She does seem to have a bee in her bonnet over illegal immigrants though, and she’s got her talking points down to a flawless performance … almost as flawless as her 61 year old wrinkle-free and apparently immovable facial skin.

I guess pregnant women are now the new enemy. Awesome! Someone else to be afraid of!

1. † Texas House of Representatives, Republican, HD150 [↩]
2. †† Texas House of Representatives, Democrat, HD103 [↩]

The Daily Show on the Islamic cultural center being built in New York:

The Colbert Report on Constitution-loving Republicans wanting to ditch the 14th Amendment:

The best ten minutes of TV in quite a while. Jon explains in much kinder words than I would have how Congress has made sure people’s guns won’t be sold off when they enter bankruptcy, but we can’t close a corporate tax loophole to pay for medical care for ailing 9/11 rescuers. Yes, protect those tax havens and guns! Just watch it … it’s worth it.

And yes, Republicans are assholes and Democrats are pussies. Send them all packing, and let’s put some fresh blood into our governmental system.

We’re behind watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, as we usually are. Hey, we aren’t spring chickens anymore, and sleep usually comes before our favorite shows come on! Here are the choice cuts from Monday that made me laugh out loud.

It’s amazing how much non-information can be reported on for an entire day on news channels! Best bit? All the speculation about how much was spent on the shindig? Totally made up. The media have no idea, and the above video points that out delightfully. And kudos to the Clintons for managing to pull off a wedding for Chelsea that the press couldn’t get any information about. Couldn’t have been easy.

Colbert’s Alpha Dog of the Week this week is hilarious. Well, not hilarious that this guy is a) an asshole and b) crazy as a bedbug, but Stephen manages to make it hilarious in that way he does.

Yesterday –or maybe earlier today, I do lose track of time on weekends– I ran across a video of a Kiwi walking on a treadmill. No, not a human resident of New Zealand or a small fuzzy green fruit … the endangered flightless bird variety of Kiwi. Made me chuckle…

I just looked into Piwi the Kiwi, because I was curious why one would have a Kiwi walking on a treadmill. Turns out the poor thing broke both his legs, and now they’ve been repaired and he’s on a regime of “treadmill workouts, massage and physio exercises.” Can I have that bird’s healthcare plan please?

What I found particularly interesting is that Piwi is half the size of a “normal” four year old Kiwi (presumably the bird and not human or fruit kind), yet they say Kiwis are “about the size of domestic chickens.” I thought the Kiwi on the treadmill seemed rather large enough, and I also thought it was about the size of a domestic chicken. Now I have to guess that the chickens in New Zealand are huge and Kiwis are giant marauding flightless birds (prone to breaking legs — at least this one seems to be), because I tell you, I think Piwi is a rather large bird.

I will now go back to thinking of Kiwis as adorable fluffy things of small stature. The concept of Kiwis being larger than the one is the video, well, it disturbs me for some reason.

We shall not speak of the size of Kiwis again.

Oh look, another video of the flash mob starring my rear end! LOL!

It seems a lot of people have already seen this, but it is SO worth seeing again and again. OMG. The cuteness is almost painful!

OK, someone got great video from right behind me. You can’t possibly miss me if you have a clue what I look like, keeping in mind, I have dark hair now. Just look for the tiny little wisp of a dork dancing like a dork. Seriously, you can’t possibly miss me. LOL!

Starring me (somewhere in the mob) and I hear about 200 other people … at the downtown Whole Foods. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.

Oh, and I didn’t screw up at all and had a fabulous time. Nothing compares to dancing in a salad bar unexpectedly!

Sorry the video isn’t better, but our cameras aren’t so great with the video in dimly lit salad bars in the heart of grocery stores. Lin did a great job though of showing the scene! I’m tickled to have video of it. Hope other people post their videos too!

9000 frames per second … cell and radio towers taking on lightning. Crazy insane stuff!