Month: July 2023

Decoding the Amazon

Author J. Ishiro Finney decodes the Strong Female Character™ trope in his new book Boobs of Steel: Decoding the Amazon. Lara Croft... Power Girl... Tifa Lockhart... They're three of the most loved and loathed characters in all pop-culture. Since the late 1990s all three have also been favorite targets for…

July 31, 20233 Comments

Real Heat

The life of a film buff is fraught with heartache these days, but every once in a while, you come across a story that makes it worthwhile. Prime example: The legendary conversation between Hanna and McCauley in Heat was taken word-for-word from real life! H/t Twitter user EvilTomHanks Here's the…

July 28, 20231 Comment

Combat Frame Data: XCD-AK201

XCD-AK201 Angel King Technical Data Model number: XCD-AK201 Code name: XSeed Arbeit von Karsten Nickname: Angel King Classification: mass production general purpose combat frame Manufacturer: ISBC Operator: ISBC, PAX, UC Military First deployment: CY 98 Crew: 1 pilot in cockpit in chest Height: 21 meters Weight: dry weight 96 metric tons,…

July 27, 2023

On Angels and Demons

Dionysian Thomist streamer Classical Theist continues his Mysteries of the Catholic Faith walkthrough with a solid primer on angels and demons. Where did these pure spiritual beings come from? How can we know they exist? And what are they, anyway? Explore these and more intriguing questions about the angels, archangels,…

July 26, 2023

No Participation Trophies

If you spent any length of time on social media this weekend, you couldn't escape seeing culture warrior Conservatives backsliding into the Pop Cult slop funnel en masse. Many of the same people who lamented the outrage marketing that turned Captain Marvel from a near-flop to a billion-dollar hit fell…

July 25, 20237 Comments

They Were Fearful

Tales of high strangeness have become a fixture on this blog these past years. So much so that people have started sending me weird stories unsolicited. The following was referred to me by a Twitter mutual: There's more to the story. Parker, now 58, was 18 when he went fishing…

July 24, 20236 Comments

Combat Frame Data: MCF-C260 Cyclone

MCF-C260 Cyclone Technical Data Model number: MCF-C260 Cyclone Code name: Cyclone Nickname: Cyke Classification: mass production transformable combat frame Manufacturer: UC Arms Operator: CDF, MRV, PAX, UCP First deployment: CY 99 Crew: 1 pilot in cockpit in chest Height: 20 meters Weight: 119 metric tons Armor type: “1D” carbyne laminar…

July 21, 2023

Subcultural Experiences

Commenter Hermetic Seal writes: As someone who started college in the mid-2000s, a big part of my experience was how all of my communal activities, and the entertainment I was into, moved from shared cultural experiences, to subcultural ones. I think a lot of that emerged naturally, or subconsciously, in…

July 20, 20233 Comments

Gen Y Tales: Welcome to Adulthood

A reader writes in to share a Gen Y tale of his own: It was 2005 and I had just turned 18. I was at a Tower Records with a bunch of high school friends. It was a neat, two story place and that particular night it was lively and…

July 19, 202316 Comments

How to Find and Keep Readers

The publishing market is always changing, and newpub is no exception. The challenge of attracting and retaining readers can feel like navigating a maze blindfolded. Aspiring writers often ask me for advice on building a devoted readership. Let's take a look at some proven methods. Write like you mean it…

July 18, 20232 Comments