Archive for December, 2015

Library Addition: Michael Swanwick’s Season’s Greetings

Friday, December 11th, 2015

Another signed Michael Swanwick chapbook has made its way to my mailbox:

Swanwick, Michael. Season’s Greetings. Dragonstairs Press, 2014. First edition chapbook original, #42 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy.

Swanwick Seasons Greetings

I’ll have copies available for sale through the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.

MST3K Kickstarter Update: Seinfeld, Hader, Harris, Jack Black

Thursday, December 10th, 2015

The MST3K Kickstarter is going to have a cavalcade of guest comedians appearing on the show.

Here are a few performers who are interested in appearing on MST3K next season:

  • JACK BLACK, the brilliant comic actor and musician, star of everything from the Kung Fu Panda films to the wonderful School of Rock… though to some people, of course, he’s better known as one-half of Tenacious D. So, I don’t wanna tell you anything about what I’m planning for his character… but I think it would be a lot of fun to have him perform a song.
  • JOEL MCHALE, who I first knew as the hilariously dry host of The Soup, and who has been expanding his acting career into television (as the star of Community) and film (the Ted movies). I met Joel at a friend’s wedding last year, and we became fast friends. He’s a really nice guy, so even though he’s in demand for big-time revivals like The X-Files, he says he’s up for joining us too!
  • BILL HADER, the incredible changeling/actor/impressionist who has appeared in everything from SNL to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs to Trainwreck. I’ve always been amazed by Bill’s talents, and was finally introduced to him backstage at SNL by a mutual friend.
  • NEIL PATRICK HARRIS is a true renaissance man whose career spans film, TV, the broadway stage and the internet, where he appeared opposite our own Felicia Day in Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Funny enough, though, I actually met Neil through mutual friends at the Los Angeles Magic History Conference, where we geeked out on magic together. Also, I’m honored to point out that Neil has always been a MSTie. In fact, he was included in first MST documentary – This is MST3K – all the way back in his Doogie Howser days!
  • JERRY SEINFELD, my long time friend, and of course, one of our most brilliant stand-up comedians. Jerry was also the co-creator of Seinfeld, and the creator and host of my favorite concept for a talk show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. You know, I’ve known this guy for over thirty years. I actually remember him from when he only had one car.

Plus Mark Hamill. And (from yesterday’s email) the guys behind the designs for Pee-wee’s Playhouse and Adventure Time.

A lot of those guys have extremely popular and active fanbases, so this could very well put them over the $5.5 million/12 episode mark.

I declare that this is officially A Thing.

MST3K Kickstarter Hits $4.4 milion/9 Episodes

Wednesday, December 9th, 2015

Or so say their latest email. The Kickstarter total shows $4,163,213 (as of right this instant). Maybe the Kickstarter site doesn’t include the “add-ons.”

Anyway, you only have until Friday night to back this Kickstarter and have them produce a full 12 episodes, so go ahead and cough it up if you haven’t already…

Library Addition: Signed Copy of Ray Bradbury’s Futuria Fantasia

Tuesday, December 8th, 2015

Here’s a nifty Ray Bradbury item some people may not know about:

Bradbury, Ray, editor. Futuria Fantasia. Graham Publishing/Blood and Guts Press, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Bradbury, and containing a picture of him signing copies laid in. Reprints four issues of the fanzine of the title Bradbury produced just after graduating high school. Includes contributions from Robert A. Heinlein, Henry Kuttner, Hannes Bok, Damn Knight, Forrest J. Ackerman, etc. A fascinating glimpse into Bradbury’s early life, and the beginnings of several illustrious science fiction careers. Bought off eBay for $30. Replaces an unsigned copy.

IMG_0549

IMG_0550

Fresh Snow’s “Proper Burial”

Sunday, December 6th, 2015

For your Sunday dose of Shoegaze, here’s Fresh Snow‘s “Proper Burial” with a retro, Hammond B3-tinged sound and a vaguely surreal/creepy video.