It might not be our usual genre, but it is a classic… Anne of Green Gables turns 100.
Harry Potter fans behaving badly, part whatever
It’s been a while since we checked in on the Harry Potter Lexicon case, but yesterday’s developments plumb a new low – RDR Books requested a copy of Rowling’s notes for her own encyclopedia, claiming:
…David Hammer, lawyer for RDR… says that the notes are requested in order to “test the merits” of J.K. Rowling’s claims that she is going to write an encyclopedia and that part of the reason for suppressing the HPL would be to suppress potential competition. RDR asked for “copies of any prepatory materials that Ms. Rowling has drafted or authorized to be drafted, including notes, outlines, drafts, marketing proposals, etc.”
And I ask again: Are these people for real? Has she not out and out said several times that’s she’s writing one? Rowling and the WB’s response:
JKR/WB object to what it sees as RDR’s “pattern of writing the Court whenever it wishes without first making any effort to meet and confer, let alone giving sufficient advance notice of its intended communication with the Court”…. JKR’s “overwhelmingly sensitive” notes would serve “no legitimate purpose other than to harass Ms. Rowling. Rather, the burden of producing these notes far outweighs any benefit to RDR in obtaining them.”
You can catch up on other recent developments on Fandom Wank, thanks to the seemingly tireless Cleolinda and friends.
Slightly used Biths for sale
You can be the proud owner of a custom-made, award-winning set of Modal Node costumes. Sadly, a thousand bucks does seem rather steep – you can get used Stormtrooper armor on eBay for about half that. (Thanks, James!)
This publicity machine goes to 11
In the News: Prosthetics, people and Sidi Driss
- Science! Luke Skywalker lends name to ‘Luke’ prosthetic arm, now ready for clinical trails. (via)
- People: Variety profiles Harrison Ford; The San Francisco Bay Guardian interviews Carrie Fisher, who starts serving up ‘Wishful Drinking’ in Berkeley Friday night.
- RIP: Star Wars Holiday Special producer Dwight Hemion died in January. Aside from the Holiday Special, he had a fair distinguished career, winning 18 Emmys.
- Fail: Ben Stubbs of The Sydney Morning Herald goes to Tunisia, namechecks Star Wars, but rather fails on the facts.
Hasbro created Dengar in the image of Johnny Cash and other wacky coincidences
Topless Robot has a list of ten Star Wars toys that unintentionally look like other celebrities. Uncanny! The Zach Braff as Han Solo, above, struck a nerve. Perhaps ‘JediFantasty’s’ EU casting choices were less off-target than we thought? (via)
Video du jour: Super Mario Frustration
You get two videos today. BECAUSE I CAN.
So yeah, this is pretty much me playing every video game ever. (Warning: language. Understandably.) Also, it’s 24 minutes long, but I guarantee you laugh through at least half of it.
Real live pro author writes Firefly fanfic
Stephen Brust has released My Own Kind of Freedom, an unauthorized Firefly novel, on his web site for download. (via)
I’ll be very interested to see what the fanfic community has to say about this… It’s nothing new for a pro writer to have written or be writing fanfic, but usually there’s a tad more remove.
The fandom minute
- The Death Star is one of io9’s top five high-tech lairs of evil masterminds.
- SF Site reviews Death Star.
- Lost’s Jorge Garcia entranced by A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy
- Mark Hamill and Natalie Portman in Heckler Spray’s worst cinematic hairdos. Bonus appearance by Christopher Lee!
Romney panders to nerd vote
He invokes Star Wars – and misquotes it. You’d think after all those years in Massachusetts he’d be better at that kind of thing.