In the news: Star Wars vs. Star Trek vs. startups?

star-trek-star-wars-vaderBritish chat show host Jonathan Ross argues for his answer to the ancient geek question, Star Trek or Star Wars? to The Times. While he finally sides with Star Trek, he does offer this about Star Wars:

I think I love Star Wars mainly because it took all the cool stuff I loved in comic books and science fiction novels and finally put them up on the big screen. And I no longer felt like an outcast.

Meanwhile, Forbes tries to look at both franchises as a model for startup companies:

These were David and Goliath stories. Little guys, taking on impossibly big challenges. Irresistible stories of human aspiration. What happened over time? They became Goliaths themselves; they lost their inner David, their startup spirit.

..and then points to Firefly for not turning into a Goliath, by being canceled.

Awesome photo totally snagged from GeekTyrant and their Ultimate Star Wars vs Star Trek page.

William Shatner: Star Wars is “derivative” of Trek

Apples and oranges? Pot calling the kettle black? Space western vs. space opera? TV budget vs. film budget? There’s no denying that Star Wars is derivative of many things, but Trek doesn’t even makes the top ten.

Still, you can’t really blame the guy for being partisan to his own franchise. (Or wanting Kirk to run off with Leia)

EDIT: And speaking of derivative, Heilemann  has something of a point about Trek and Forbidden Planet.

Head-to-Head with the internet’s Pablo Hidalgo

Pablo Hidalgo is interviewed by The Sci-Fi Block about his upcoming book Star Wars:  Head-to-Head.

The ultimate fanboy conversation in a book, Head-to-Head intends to examine who would win various mash-ups by using various RPG and card game stats, as well as video games. 

Unfortunately, he was unable to match up Threepio against another to see who could talk the other to death.  No one can beat him there! (via)

The fandom minute: Comedy, charity, fanboy brawling and everything in-between

Too soon?Video: io9 has a fine collection of Star Wars-themed stand-up videos, some of which we’ve seen before. They also discovered Darth Vader’s Psychic Hotline.