Starship Troopers Invasion: Future Backwards On Gender Roles

I'm one of those fantasy/horror/sci fi fans that is pretty grateful whenever another installment of a franchise is produced. That is why I liked Superman Returns, Jonah Hex or the X-Men films well enough even as execrable as they are artistically and deviate from the source material because I am in that camp of "something is better than nothing" (Elektra notwithstanding).

So it is that I appreciated the direct to DVD sequel to the 1997 Starship Troopers and really enjoyed the animated series though I skipped on a viewing of Marauders (It just pandered what with the nude scenes). I was also very interested in the just released Starship Troopers: Invasion animated movie.

I'm always up for some cool SF action scenes and there are worse things out there to watch than another chapter in the fight between humans and bugs so I picked up the DVD the other day while shopping.

Invasion gives fans nothing new in terms of story and continuing the 1997 film with the exception of powered armor, similar to those seen in the animated series from years back. this much was welcome. But where Invasion really stumbled was in the portrayal of women. What? Go figure. Misogyny abounds.

In the first several entries in to the Starship Troopers live action and animated universe women are equals in society. The Verhoeven film was progressive in that way by depicting men and women fighting alongside one another with no real differences in gender roles. Other than the obvious economic class castes it was individual skill and accomplishment that differentiated people from one another. Race and gender were not a part of the equation. That was made very evident in the co-ed living arrangements and infamous shower scene of the movie. It appears that most male and female interaction was governed by strict rules about how to behave appropriately individually and in groups. In the Trooper cinematic universe gender relations seem to have progressed to the point that women and men did not have to worry about gropes, unwanted advances or assaults. No, apparently, meant no. This would have been on a societal level, not strictly in the setting of the enforcement of draconian regulations of a military setting. Overall, gender harassment was apparently a thing of the past and in that society would not be tolerated if it occurred.

Up to now equality among gender and race was a theme that remained constant in the Troopers cinematic universe. That changed with Invasion. In this installment of the franchise women are only superficially equal to men. They fight, go into battle alongside the men, wear the same battle armor everyone else does. One woman is this film is a captain of a starship and the other is a top-notch sniper. But that equality exists only for the action and battle scenes. Everywhere else the story defaults to the sexist behavior and male power fantasies so prevalent in modern SF and Fantasy that seem so difficult to abandon for good.

AS in previous installments in Starship Troopers Invasion the co-ed living arrangements remain in evidence but after that things change. The first exposure to one of the main woman protagonists is her introduction. While in the locker room two fellow soldiers are perving on her while she is getting dressed. One of the men is more polite about, perhaps hoping to be seen as the nice one in comparison to his larger more dangerous and unbalanced friend but they are still backing their comrade into a corner. The would-be assault victim shuts both of the men down in what is supposed to be a display of empowerment but the entire concept of what was happening goes against the primary setting of gender roles in the franchise to date.

The rest of the film dealing with men and women interaction isn't much better. Sure, the women fight with the men but there are not so subtle differences. The basic uniforms for the men outside of the armor are practical anti-chafing, breezy coveralls while the women wear sexy and shiny fetish gear. Where the men are brutish dullards with itchy trigger-fingers the women are all slinky and teasing and ballet-walk like minxes, using sexual politics to manipulate their counter-parts through frustration.

In one disappointing vignette two soldiers, one being the big rapey one from the locker room and the other a more graceful martial artist, decide to show who is tougher and more sexually attractive by fighting one another for no real reason than to waste screen time until the killing and screaming starts. The blonde harassment victim from the locker room scene intercedes to referee and helps throw the fight by exposing her chest, distracting the fighters. Laughably, the sight of one of her breasts is so sexy and powerful both of the men succeed in causing TKO's to themselves. Odd, considering that it was clear they could see however much skin they wanted of any soldier they cared to during daily ablutions.

One could argue that in the Troopers universe years of war with the bugs has taken a toll and is breaking down the equality of the sexes, the threat of extinction forcing humankind to "circle the wagons" as it were and revert to the "Men hunt, woman make babies and cook" kind of tribal society that once existed. That is just fan-wank. More likely the differences in this installment from the all others is cultural. Starship Troopers Invasion is a product of a Japanese creative effort and movie reflects that. The stereotypical tropes of Anime and Manga from the 1970s on is evident. One of the positive themes in Japanese fantasy is that everyone is as equal and capable as the next person. Children fly jets, everybody works together and has a sense of responsibility.

Where that equality breaks down in that subset of entertainment is in how men and women interact. The mid-set is pervasive. The creators used the same tired old posing and posturing that passes for characterization of men and women that would be familiar to those who have watched more than a half hour of anime. Not much has changed in decades of product. As strong or capable as a women is she is still ultimately at the mercy of men as a mate or plaything and is a often a lost girl needing to be rescued. This is undoubtedly partly cultural and a sort of creative reflex due to creators catering to what they think the audience wants or will accept.

Over-all Starship Troopers Invasion wasn't a bad film. The story brings back some of the cast and characters from the first film. Nice action, battle cruisers under assault by the bugs and an attempted beach head on Earth was an entertaining enough yarn and a good distraction. It is just that in moving forward with the saga this installment of the story made a giant step backwards as entertainment that would appeal to a wider audience. Someone who wants a total experience will be disappointed as I was by the flaws in characterization. While without doubt Invasion is primarily for a male audience it could have easily taken steps to attract everyone that is a fan of the genre instead of alienation and lazily catering to stereotypical expectations of male power fantasy fulfillment.

Monday with Hayley Mills: The Family Way OST

This image from 1966 Hayley Mills vehicle The Family Way is getting a lot of internet mileage over the last several weeks (for obvious reasons, shame on you all). There has been a large number of new-to-you images of Hayley Mills posted publicly of late. I speculate the new images showing up may be a result of publicity from her recent tour of the play Ladies in Lavender. I approve.

The soundtrack to The Family Way is interesting due to having been composed by then-Beatles member Paul McCartney on the George Martin label. The OST represents an early foray by Paul McCartney into music without the other members of the Fab Four. Technically this is not the first solo work by a Beatles member since the album was made with producer Martin. The soundtrack has been re-released several times since 1967 undoubtedly capitalizing on McCartney's involvement.

The Family Way - Love in the Open Air

When I get the time I'll fetch a couple of the early LP's of The Family Way. I love both the original cover art with surly Hayley Mills on it and the more recent one of her being adorable while napping.

Grocery Store Artifact: Before donating at the register

I'll go on record saying I don't like asking customers for donations. Sure, most of the various causes are worthy but it is annoying. A lot of customers don't like being asked but at my current work site they are not too hostile about being asked by the cashiers. Some places I have worked in the past the checkers would receive threats, derogatory remarks and complaints to the company above the store level. The complaints were not generalized against asking for charity but worded in such a way that they were attacks against the cashier for "rudeness" and intended to intimidate us into not asking them in the future.

It isn't like we have a choice. So many cashiers dislike asking for charitable donations from customers that store managers have to threaten disciplinary action against employees for those that do not. The signs hanging on checkout stations promising a customer with some free item from the store is ubiquitous and familiar sight during donation drives. Employees can and have been terminated because they refuse to ask for donations. It occurs in some work locations more than others and that can be due to the customers themselves. Employees just don't want to deal with the anger and grief they receive and since managers rarely support the employee they eventually get demoted or terminated.

Truth is, if a cashier asks every single customer for a donation the program will probably be at least moderately successful. The checkout experience is designed to maximize the donations. There are donation jars or boxes at every check stand, prompts at the point of sale pad where you pay with an electronic card and then cashier hits you up. At least one out of ten customers will donate something.

Particularly effective is the soft-pressure sales tactic. Many customers balk at giving a dollar but have little problem with donating by rounding up their purchase to the nearest dollar. It's a really effective psychological trick because often the same customer that would decline giving a dollar will often round up to $1.50, $2.00 or more.

Results at the store level are important. Managers are evaluated by how much they bring in not only in sales but other projects like charitable donations. There is also a large financial incentive for the manager that brings in the most donations. It is not unusual for store managers to personally kick in money from their own pocket to meet the expected goal for that day. Doing that helps them keep their jobs. If they don't or can't make their goal...well, there are plenty of people in line waiting for their jobs who say they can exceed expectations. In a lot of ways sales and donations are really things that managers don't have control over as they are at the mercy of the economy. Employees are under a lot of pressure to bring in donations "or else" so please don't take it out on them.

People should always feel comfortable about where the money they give is going. Where I work the company gives 100% of what they receive in donations to the charity they are supporting. How the charity disburses the funds after they but receive them is another matter. Stores usually receive materials that describe what happens with your donations but the best bet is to check out their online declarations. You may be surprised at what you find. Some retailers accept donations for a cause but will only donate up to a certain amount, say $2 million. But particularly for large chains over the course of the drive they will have collectively amassed far more than that. Depending on the company the extra funds will be dispersed evenly among the many charities they support year round or in some rare cases just go straight into the store coffers.

Charity Do's and Don'ts!

DO: Research. Check retailer websites for their list of charitable declarations. It isn't a big deal. You can even do it on your smartphone while in line. CharityWatch and Charity Navigator might be a few good resources to check where your money could be going.

DON'T: Dig into the donation jar at the checkstand to help pay your bill. What you buy costs what it costs. If your total is $20.33 don't take the change intended for hungry, crippled children because you don't want to break another dollar bill. This happens at least once daily where I work. Stop it.

DO: Get the tax identification number for the charity ahead of time before you sit down to declare it on your taxes. If the store or charitable organization's tax identification number for the donation doesn't appear on the receipt ask for it or look it up. Stores should but don't always have on hand paperwork stating the TID number for the charity. Don't count on them being able to find it right away since the office side of a retail store is particularly chaotic and usually overwhelmed with BS. The one document with the information you need will likely be buried in a month-deep flood of motivational/threatening emails or lost in a pile of paper flyers from a promotion that expired 3 weeks ago. Your best bet is to call customer service or look it up on their website.

DON'T: Come in to the store the last week of April after filing your taxes clutching a handful of receipts demanding a refund for all your checkstand donations over the last year claiming the cashier did it without your permission. That's just cheap and embarrassing. People do this.

DO: Be nice to the cashier when they ask for a donation. Just say 'Yes' or 'No' even though the point of sale pad requested it when you swiped your payment card. They have to ask.

DON'T: Give the cashier a story about how you "Already donated" or "Not this time, I give every day" or "I give a lot elsewhere" because A) We don't care, B) We're sure you are a good person, C) We know you are lying to feel better about yourself in a public venue with strangers judging you and D) We don't care.

The Case of the Deadline Doom

Over the last couple of days there has been comic book industry news that has served to polarize a lot of fans. A questionable marketing tactic concerning two of the biggest characters from DC and industry professionals publicly feuding via instant messaging has created quite the spectacle within the funny book biz. The argument between two creators (with one burning bridges behind him with nuclear weapons is absurdly hilarious) has motivated me to finish up this bit of provenance I had been playing around with. The result was a mock-up of a crime novel featuring murder within a comic book industry setting called The Case of the Deadline Doom.

The art to the original book cover with art by Sam Peffer can be found here on a book by Earle Stanley Gardner, The Case of the Lucky Legs. Those familiar with comic books over the last few decades might notice a few "Easter eggs" (or if you prefer, cliches) within the copy and art of the front and back faux covers. This mock up crime novel was fun to make and I'd write the hell out of this book given a few months off work.

I had already decided that if this book would ever see reality I want Sam Peffer or someone like him to do the cover art. When I started playing around with the concept I knew what it would be about. Terry Case was invented just for this, but has a complete back story. Burnt out, damaged and retired FBI agent who just wants to live out his years in peace but can't since there is too much wrong in the world. Agent Case exists soles as a means to use the cover teaser text 'A Closed Case Mystery'.

I knew initially what I was going for the faux crime novel idea but when I stumbled across the "Peff" cover I saw how perfect it was and instead went with an adaptation of that. The back cover, which at first was going to be the front, hearkens back to the old Seduction of the Innocent hardcover using the black, white and red color scheme. I even put in as a blurb a cliche of the comic book reporting scene that most people despise, the Zip! Pow! Biff! stuff. I figured if this book existed I wouldn't have much control over much of the teaser copy that appeared on the back and it would be at the mercy of a marketing wonk and their notes from a committee.

Take a few minutes and try to identify all the Easter eggs, even ones I already mentioned. Hey, whoever gives me the best answers might win a prize.

Monday with Hayley Mills: Deadly Strangers box art

Deadly Strangers (1974)

The entire budget for the VHS box art must have been a sandwich found in the office refrigerator after a three-day weekend and a partly drained coffee cup with a cigarette butt in it.

This box art was a poor copy of one of the original theater posters. Of the several available this was the worst possible one whoever produced this VHS tape could have chosen.

A lot and I mean a lot of 80s VHS box art was very inexpensively and amateurishly produced, often not much better than what could be found in a high school art class. Puzzling, since one would think reproductions of the varied original poster art would have been available. It would have looked far better and appealing even given an inexpensive printing process.

For the DVD issue of the film the art is still not all that attractive. It consists mostly of solid colors but a least this time it depicts a recognizable Hayley Mills. Taken from another original poster for the film it is simplistic but is marginally more appealing. Undoubtedly both covers were chosen for their color scheme in relation to a very inexpensive printing process, but even muted colors and details from some of the other posters would have looked a lot better.

Everything in moderation

It's not advertising spam and scams that has me moderating the blog, it's this loony crap and things like it in a barrage of replies to multiple posts. I could almost put up with the content if it was in reply to a relevant entry.

click to make a big deal of this

That looks heavy. Here, let me help you...

 

...into the tent so you can serve the men their snacks.

Wow, initially I thought he was going to carry the tray in for her. Can't decide if he is being a jerk by guiding the tray in and holding open the 'door' or being progressive by letting her do her job on her own. It's up to the viewer to decide, but I think that personal interpretation has evolved since this film was made and how it is seen today is different than the original, probably not conscious, intent of the filmmaker. In the 1950s  holding the door open for a lady is just what polite, well-meaning men did.

 From The War of the Worlds (1953).

Monday with Hayley Mills: Tiger Bay Lobby Card

It isn't nepotism if you were the best actor in the cast!

Monday with Hayley Mills: Flower Child

Monday with Hayley Mills: Stop right where you are!

Knowing of my incredibly well-adjusted and healthy fascination with celebrity actress-supreme Hayley Mills, Steve Thompson of Booksteve's Library was awesome enough to send this promo clipping featuring Hayley Mills, her mom and dad and co-actor Ian McShane. Thanks, Steve!

This promo item from an unknown magazine from the mid-1960s references the Hayley Mills feature written by her mother Mary Hayley Bell, variously known as Sky West and Crooked, Gypsy Girl and oddly, Bats With Baby Faces. Given the cut and paste look of the upcoming movie and erroneous title this clipping was probably published early during post-production as part of an advance marketing push. At this point in production it appears the actual title for the film had yet to be decided upon. Bats With Baby Faces would be a great title for a horror film and I'm glad it wasn't chosen for this feature film.

"Sky West and Crooked" is a term for someone who is a little bit off of normal or headed to ruination. It is used in the film as a derogatory reference to Brydie White, a young woman played by Hayley who is fascinated by dead animals and burial who retains the stunted emotional maturity of a much younger teen. The term could also easily apply to all the various people in the English village who are not so understanding of Brydie's behavior and situation. In later releases the film was retitled Gypsy Girl,  which more aptly describes the romantic subplot between Brydie and a more mature and shady itinerant gypsy.

Blogiversary

Started this blog on this day in 2005. Bed now.

Discrimination in the workplace

"The Sky Fairy is angered! Hide!"

In between lulls at work the clerks and cashiers, instead of doing prep work or cleaning, often stand around and chat. Eventually, one conversation veered into one of the taboos of workplace interaction: Talking about religion or politics.

Last year a clerk and cashier, who here I will call Cindy and Julie, began trading stories of their brushes with the unseen world. I was kind of half-paying attention while I audited the money of a cash drawer ensuring money coming in and going out balanced.

"I saw a ghost, once, too! It was so weird and scary. Yet somehow, I felt that I was being reassured." Cindy said.

Julie's voice became excited. "I know! See, I always forget to clock out for lunch until about a quarter after. Guess when my Grandma died? 15 minutes past two! It's like she is here telling me something."

Listening to their exchange caused me to roll my eyes so much I had to recount the cash. Without realizing it I was laughing. It took a few moments but Cindy and Julie realized I was amused by their conversation. They stopped their chat and directed their attentions towards me.

"What's so funny?" Cindy was sounding defensive. Julie stared angrily.

"You didn't see any ghosts. There are no such things." I said, going straight into JREF-mode, still chuckling. Usually when I am exposed to an adult talking about the supernatural as if it were real I'm just kind of sad and disappointed. But today for some reason I found the idea hilarious. I tried to come off as rational and not condescending. I wasn't very successful at the attempt. When the two repeated that they did see and experience a supernatural event I replied. "No, you didn't."

"Are you calling us liars?" Julie demanded. They were both becoming upset. I always have some prepared  statements in the mental file. The argument I put forth was perhaps lacking in tact itself. My mistake was in assuming the pair were open for a debate.

"You are either making it up, making connections where none exist or you are deluded." I said. "Magic and the supernatural absolutely does not exist. If it did the evidence would be overwhelming. It would be everywhere. No one could dispute it. Without exception it's all someone's personal opinion. If it was factual, if it was real it could be recorded and measured in a form other than anecdotal."

Julie leaned forwards toward me as if to emphasize he words even though we were several work stations apart. "Oh." She said. Her voice was ripe with scorn. "What are you...an Atheist?"

That's exactly how she said it. I could actually hear the italics. Total emphasis on the disgust. Yet what I took from it is she just wanted an uncomfortable conversation to end. It did, not because of the attempted put down or because she had an epiphany but because customers started walking up with their groceries to check out. For the rest of the day they both acted chilly and would not talk to me unless they had to.

Cindy let it go by the end of the shift, displaying a cool shoulder towards me probably in a show of solidarity with Julie. Cindy is young and has presumably has access to the internet so there is hope for her. I was over it immediately. But from then on Julie remained stand-offish and treated me like I had the plague. In her job as a manager, the same as I but with her possessing slightly less seniority, she would not address me unless she had no choice. Julie would call an adjacent work station and have them relay requests or instructions. She would not directly interact in person and would move people around to make sure she was a far from me in the row of check stands as possible. Sometimes she would swap 4 or 5 people and their duties around so she would not have to herself personally relieve me for breaks or for shift changes. If she was the designated person in charge of the shift that day I was passed over for opportunities or tasks that traditionally would be mine or excluded from the process of decision-making.

For my part I certainly didn't hold it against Julie that she was a believer in the Unreal. She was competent at her job and that's where my concerns ended. Julie was one of the few I worked with who did not adhere to the Culture of Half-Assedness that exists in so many work places. But Julie made it clear she had washed her hands of me. Julie employed a somewhat subtle form of marginalization and discrimination but it was there. It was particularly noticeable when comparing our work relationship as it existed prior to my taking on the role of Ghostbuster.

Julie used to ask my advice on how to perform certain tasks and duties. I was glad to help. She was one of those managers who because of tighter economic times was given minimal training and dropped into the job. It wasn't her personal failing if she hadn't been exposed to or given the opportunities others in her position had. Whenever she expressed frustration and not knowing as much about the job as other managers I let her know there is nothing wrong with that, just keep asking questions until you know everything. Something she accepted and I would presume appreciated at least as far as the job went.

In hardly any time at all I went from being a co-worker to The Enemy. If Julie had been in a higher position of authority or had more influence with the upper echelons of management it could have presented me with a problem that could have easily affected my employment. Not from our original conversation about ghosts but due to her trying to force me out of a job solely because I was, in her view, not fit to be around her sort of good people. This discriminatory practice against the non-devout and those with religions not in the mainstream is not rare and in some cases can be quite overt and extreme. Employment can and has been negatively affected. When Julie was transferred to a new work site it was a relief only because her behavior was getting hilariously absurd.  

To this day I don't know what her personal religious beliefs are. I could hazard a guess based upon her actions and the way I was treated by her but I don't want to speculate. I require evidence.

Monday with Hayley Mills: Blue and Pearls

My, Internet, Pet, Peeve

After the demoralizing wasteland that is the comments section the inability of users to enter correctly tags in YouTube (and other sites like flickr) is the most distressing. Tags, for the uninitiated, are a method to help someone find content on a site that may be of interest to them. Some sites require the tags to be separated by quotes, some a space and others by a comma. Some services require a combination of all depending on if the search is for "Rowan Atkinson" or some other phrase longer than one word. Obviously, a user wants to let other people see and share their stuff or they wouldn't post it (the exception being those knobs who watermark things they didn't create or own) so I don't get why they make it so difficult to find. Take a second after posting or in the preview to look at your tags and see if they make any damn sense. I've seen YouTube posts where an essay's length description of the video or entirety of the song's lyrics are entered in the tags section. Three paragraphs of words separated by commas is a hot mess and just tells the world what an idiot the user is.

Nonsensically, some services require different tag formats within the same company. One would think it would make sense to use  the same formats over all their services between the divisions. But then corporate thinking and execution has never been that linear. People rarely think forwards and take steps to solve the obvious, inevitable and foreseeable problems before they occur. These same thought processes caused, most famously, the disparity between systems that caused additional problems for the Apollo 13 astronauts when  the environmental systems between the lander and capsule were incompatible with each other. But where the Culture of Half-Assedness nearly doomed a crew of intrepid space explorers improper and lazy tags on YouTube aren't going to cause anyone to die though unless some guy with OCD gets the big headache and decides to go on a rampage. In that event, all those people posting "my, cute, kittens lol Happy" better watch out.

Monday with Hayley Mills: I WISH

I can dream, can't I?

Monday with Hayley Mills: That Green Dress

Anna of Anna Allen: Clothing has recreated the green dress Hayley Mills wore in The Moon-Spinners, the 1964 Disney film based on the book by Mary Stewart.

Go to Wildflowers Are Pretty to see the talented Ms. McClurg and a bit about her process.

Riverdaletheus

Archie vs. Aliens? I'd pay for that twice.

Won't someone think of the stupid, lazy parents?

Do your homework, parents and guardians!

The Deathstroke #10 Addendum Mini-Comic

So without further ado, here you are, free of charge! As always, click the images to make them as big as Captain America's chest (Okay, maybe not that big)!

They like it but don't want to be like it

I couldn't figure out why the Michigan legislature was so keen on silencing Rep. Lisa Brown the other day but as usual a Venn Diagram explains it all.

Many of the members of the Michigan GOP may like vagina in concept but are terrified they may someday be put in the position to be treated like the traditionally second class semi-citizens that have one of their own.

Superman vs. The Elite: PP as LL

I really enjoyed the new animated feature from DC, Superman vs. The Elite. I agree with Chris Sims of the Comics Alliance site that it is better than the [comic book] source material. This movie was a lot of fun and I liked the art style more than many reported to from early viewings. The Fortress of Solitude, Superman Robots and the pre-Ad Nauseum Crisis relationship between Clark Kent/Superman and Reporter Lois Lane made me miss the old DC Universe so darn much.

Actress Pauley Perrette as a new voice for Lois Lane was the thing that stood out most for me. Voice actors can really make or break a show. I still wince when I hear the boyish pitch of Tony Stark in Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Perrette has a great-sounding voice and delivery cadence that suited the character without sounding too similar to the manic, hyper-caffeinated Abby of NCIS. The Lois personality really comes through with Perrette ably voicing the character. In fact, Perrette was considered so effective as Lois that that as a mark of respect the animators created their own "cross-over event" by copying Perrette's real spider web neck tattoo onto Lois, thereby making it a part of the DC Universe continuity. That's just great.

Hero's Journey for the new Green Lantern?

I'm going to weigh in on the argle-bargle surrounding the image of a new Green Lantern character DC is introducing.

The fans are screaming that based on the image this character is a street thug, a gangsta and what does a Green Lantern need a gun for anyways? Predictably, the big deal appears to be that he is black, has a tattoo (it's glowing with green power, get a clue, that means something), is wielding a gun and wearing a stylized uniform based on what appears to be a ski mask, possibly a reference to his occupation of a bodega stick up artist.

Forgetting everything else for a moment (even that the new GL may wear a mask in his civilian life as a neighborhood vigilante good-guy) let's understand that one of the under lying themes of being a Green Lantern is redemption. It was for Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner and is certainly an on-going process for John Stewart. All of these characters are on the hero's journey paying for their past sins of arrogance.

It appears from the cover solicit the new Green Lantern, if not John Stewart himself undercover for something, may be on a similar path. Assuming the new guy is a predatory street thug it makes sense that he would have the basic requirement to be a space cop, the ability to overcome great fear.  He actually could be the perfect representative at this time for the GL Corps. Guy Gardner is the past was appreciated by both fans and the GL cast as a Corps member who got things done, regardless of the fall out. He has recently been the morals of the Corps and is probably the most honorable Lantern there is, doing what he feels is right even if the Guardians disagree.

Gardner continually defies the Guardians and is currently on a campaign to stop their shenanigans. So the Guardians may search for someone they think may be easier to point at things and zap stuff without questioning their directives. The new Lantern member, chosen for toughness, poor-impulse control and lack of morality for whatever purpose the Guardians need him for, this character could learn to be the hero the Corp needs to set them back on the path of Order (if not Good). The stylized mask and the gun would be the transitional props from his old life, surely to be discarded as he grows beyond his origins.

So relax. See what happens. Don't jump to conclusions.

Monday with Hayley Mills: Country Girl

Skip past all the ads (I didn't know the English were into monster truck rallies) to page #37 for a feature on Hayley Mills in the June 2012 issue of Country Images. The article touches a bit on her past, present as Ursula in Ladies in Lavender and her future with Wild at Heart.

Country Edition, June 2012.

Think about it

It’s clever using the telepathic link so much in the Young Justice - Invasion animated television series. The link, which I first recall seeing used a lot in the X-Men comic book years back, is a science fiction device that allows covert communication between team members and information dumps. It is used to great effect in the YJ show, more so than in any other media I've seen. In X-Men and any number of other similar print and video series once the link was comprehensively Claremonted onto the continuity and back story it was just a given that the characters were using the telepathic link. In Young Justice the mental interaction between the characters is integral to the pacing of the show. One of the aspects that is clear about the teen team is that they don't want to share very much with the adult members of the Justice League. This is very much in keeping with the premise of the show of the junior league chafing at the leadership and their perception that they are together only at the sufferance of the elder heroes.

The big deal about the link in Young Justice is not in driving the story but that the animators and presumably the budget really gets some breaks when the characters are able to just  stare at each other without moving during expository voice-overs. Did the creative team understand at the start how much time and money would be saved per episode from not animating the characters speaking, including all the realistic body gestures that would have to accompany such scenes? I wonder if cost considerations come into play and the use of the mental link to cover the majority of the animated speaking was the solution or was that just a beneficial circumstance of a plot device.

Edited from original post June 6, 2012 at the LTMS Tumblr.

Monday with Hayley Mills: Hayley on Demand

Actress Hayley Mills is currently busy with her acclaimed portrayal of Ursula in the play Ladies in Lavender. The well-received play is on tour just about everywhere but North America, so I guess she'll never make it to San Diego. Should a North American tour of LiL ever happen I speculate the closest she'll get is Los Angeles. Given enough lead time I'll plan on going up there to see it. Heck, Hayley could charge 5 grand a ticket to stand on a box and read aloud the EULA of the Windows Operating System and I'd pay for the privilege of being there.

Going to LA would have to take the form of a mini-vacation, because my lovely wife will want to hit the Korean shopping district with a purse full of cash. Honestly though, the wife would be bored at the play because 1) She's dead inside and 2) Unless there was sign language interpreter present she wouldn't get as much out of Hayley Mills on a stage as I would. Closed Captioning is the main reason we wait for DVDs of big films to be issued rather than go to the theaters to see them when they come out.

It's enough for me to just be there soaking up all the Millsness but I'd understand if the wife didn't get the same enjoyment out of the play as I would. But there is no way I''d let her stay in a hotel or wander around Los Angeles by herself, it's too dangerous. I'd make sure my wife is taken care of, too.   

Hopefully, Wild At Heart will be available on Region 1 DVD sometime in the near future because I'll be snapping that up. If  the LiL stage play is ever filmed I'll be buying the heck out of that, too. Again, assuming it is in a format that can be viewed in my hemisphere, I will.

Until then here is another cool audio interview with Hayley Mills as featured on the Disney radio channel. DisneyBlu’s Disney on Demand Show #16, with Special Guest HAYLEY MILLS.

That's right, click on the link and listen up!

Great Scott

The big news in comic books this week is that a character based on the Golden Age Green Lantern,  created by Bill Finger and Martin Nodell in the 1940s, is gay. Pundits and groups have decried the decision to reboot Alan Scott, the old man and spiritual father of the Justice Society as a young gay man as nothing more than a publicity stunt. Maybe it is.

But that's okay, really. As long as a positive message of diversity, no matter the intent, is disseminated and represented as much as possible then that ultimately helps people and lets them know they are allowed to thrive.

Few comic book companies have avoided presenting gay characters in their books though often they were hesitant or clumsy in their presentation (though not so misguided as much as it was well-meaning as most of the depictions of African-Americans in the comics of the 60s and 70s). Among the current higher profile gay characters are of course Archie's Kevin, Marvel's Northstar, who has been out for years and DC's Batwoman. The latter two being good examples of characters the respective companies have been mostly at a loss since their creation as to how to portray them.

A few groups had issue with the news of Northstar getting married to his long-suffering boyfriend and the re-introduction of Alan Scott as gay. They claimed an agenda on the part of the comic companies and the usual tired old argle-bargle of the negative influence of comics. They have been mostly dismissed and marginalized by those motivated to be vocal about the issue. I'm cynical enough to believe that the only agenda Archie, Marvel and DC have is to make money. It is from the increased national discourse on homosexuality and the demands for equal human rights that companies like DC can comfortably exploit (and I mean that in the best way) sensitive political and cultural issues. That their savvy marketing direction can also positively add to the discourse in however a small way is a benefit.

In the 1970s Marvel  successfully tapped into the sentiment of the young on many hot-button issues, a trend that benefited the bottom line well into the 1980s. From the 1960s through the 1970s DC was the company that had the most precedent, albeit steeped in subtext, in exploring gay issues though this was found mainly in the pages of the various romance titles amd one had to read between the lines and ignore the conclusions to most of the tales to see it. Marvel, however, reveled in being relevant and routinely tackled social issues such as class and race. This was all about what the audience would accept and want. The same company that railed against "The Man" in the 70s was fully behind the institution of authority a decade or so earlier even in the progressive and socially conscious 1960s, when mainstream comic companies adhered to the idea of Camelot and the Cold War.

Both Marvel and DC had comical, if not insulting, missteps along the way concerning homosexuality. Marvel infamously managed to draw a lot of criticism over the stereotypical depiction of sexual predators as being gay in an issue of The Rampaging Hulk magazine. DC most recently appeared to be at loss of what to do with Batwoman after the initial PR interest in her being a lesbian faded. The Golden Age Alan Scott had a son who was a gay superhero/villain but he was rarely utilized and often was often depicted as nothing more than a menacing shadow haunting the headquarters of the JSA. Take that how you will.

DC also missed an opportunity to introduce the first openly gay Green Lantern back in the 1990s. When Kyle Rayner (whom I always thought of as bi-sexual) was injured he sent his ring for safe-keeping back to Earth to his intern Terry, a gay man. My expectation was that Terry would spend the next several issues using the ring, going through a steep learning curve and maybe experiencing some interesting character growth. That didn't happen. The next issue Kyle reclaimed his ring and continued his adventures as if nothing had happened and it seems DC either dropped the ball or felt they dodged a bullet.               

However progressive a comic book might be it isn't going to change the world in and of itself. Alan Scott being gay and Northstar getting married won't change anyone into a homosexual anymore than the Teen Titan Spotlight book featuring Starfire ended Apartheid. What it might do, hopefully will result in, someone feeling better about themselves in spite of what the cranks, superstitious, evil and simply backwards have to say to the contrary. Being gay is not different. Being gay is not evil. Being gay is not wrong. It just is.

Monday with Hayley Mills: News Stand

What's this magazine cover have to do with Hayley Mills? The answer is just above the head of the little girl where the edge of one of the Hayley Mills paper doll books can be seen.

You can print out and play with your own Hayley Mills paper dolls by going to this link here: Summer Magic featuring Hayley Mills.

Show your work.

Cover from The Westerner #194 (January 1966).

Superstar

Song Lyrics as Quotes from Politicians

Monday With Hayley Mills: Interview

The tweet-based Hayley Mills Army cut orders to the troops to listen to a nice audio interview with actress Hayley Mills, one of the stars of the movie-turned-stage play Ladies in Lavender currently in production in the UK.

For your listening pleasure the interview is hosted on line and is a little over 19 minutes in length. That's not enough Hayley time if you ask me but I will take what I can get. The link is here: Hayley Mills interviewed by Richard Oliff - 19 April 2012. Report for listening duty, soldier!

Disclaimer: The HMA is NOT affiliated with the Hayley Mills Celebratory Complex here in sunny San Diego! Standing armies, even adorable ones, are against our LILO treaty.

Shirts and Skins

Even without counting Metallo, who is technically nude (Hey, sexy robot women count, why not men?), Bane and the Evil Martian are showing about the same amount of skin. But let's face it, there are some basic differences in the way these costumes are presented. The togs of Star Sapphire and the Cheetah are designed to be sexy and titillating as a  typical male fantasy fulfillment. The clothing of the men are not to excite but meant to display power and prowess albeit of the "Jersey Shore ab-display" variety.

On the plus side Star Sapphire is depicted as having more fabric in her outfit than the comic book version but that probably has more to do with the standards and practices of a video meant for a somewhat younger audience.


Image from Justice League: Doom (2012)

Happy Birthday Hayley Mills!

Today is April 18th and that means it is the birthday of none other than the star of stage, screens both big and small...Hayley Mills!

Hayley may mark this occasion only once a year but here at Lady, That's My Skull EVERY day is Hayley Mills Day!

I post the link to Hayley's first screen appearance a lot but that is so fans new to Hayley or the site can find it. Every time I post it a number of folks discover it anew. Even some die-hard Hayley fans have let me know they were surprised it existed as they usually go by her official biography when following her career.

So again here is Hayley Mills as an infant in an uncredited role in the 1947 film So Well Remembered.

Sit a spell and browse through everything Hayley Mills on Lady, That's My Skull! Don't miss the virtual tour of the sprawling San Diego-based Hayley Mills Celebratory Complex, America's #1 rated Hayley Mills-centric theme park!

Fresh off of the Australian television series Wild At Heart Hayley Mills is starring in the play Ladies In Lavender. The play is getting nice press and her fans are gushing over her performance and those of her colleagues. Here is a synopsis.

And here is Hayley in The Truth About Spring delivering one of my favorite movie quotes ever.

Happy Birthday, Miss Mills!

Awright back to work

HIATUS: A couple of friends and readers noticed that it has been a few weeks since any postings were made here and a few other places. The reason for that amounts to the one thing I hate whining about on the blog and that is: Health. Thanks for those who dropped a line and asked what's up.

BACK STORY: About a year ago I noticed I was getting tired faster than was usual. I figured it was age and a few of the more rough and tumble activities of years past catching up with me so it didn't worry me any. Tweaked the diet a bit more and felt marginally better but noticed a few other things happening. Getting ill more often, hard time getting through an eight hour work shift. Then one day after a rain while walking to my car I tried jumping over a puddle and couldn't. I landed right in the middle of it. At that point I knew something bad was going on. So I made an appointment to get a check up. But before my scheduled doctor visit I ended up in the Emergency Room.

Apparently I had developed diabetes at some point over the last 2 years and health problems snowballed. That's what I get for being positive and telling myself that nothing was wrong and everything would work out alright eventually. So far I'm doing fine but I have up and down days. I'm usually a cheerleader at work but some days I can barely stand. The last 4 weeks have been more down than up. There is a constant pain that goes down my leg that made it impossible to stand for more than a few hours. The pain is somewhat blunted by lots of meds that often leave me loopy or sleepy.

SAY WHAT: A few months ago a manager made a comment that I shouldn't be working at their job site because my health may affect the store performance reports. I can think of a couple of laws that violated. Right after that I noticed things going on at work. Schedule was changed past available working hours, the schedule changed after it is posted (so I would be late for work), and receiving unlikely complaints. This in spite of always receiving 100% on secret shopper tests and other evals. Having in the past worked in Human Resources I can recognize when someone is getting managed out. Unless I'm blacking out periodically and demonstrating Tourette's in a fugue state there is no way I'm doing what is claimed. So last several weeks I've been in discussions with the Union and HR to keep my job. I'm pretty sure that however they start out, some work environments evolve to ensure loyal, hard-working, caring employees end up not caring about anything further than a paycheck and doing the absolute minimum required to get by. I'm not like that and never will be.

UPDATE: Today I found out I am not getting terminated. That's great and I've requested a transfer to another site because I feel I am in a hostile work environment. I can hack it but I don't want to lose a job because someone thinks I'm hostile or grouchy when what I really am is being on the verge of passing out. I'm wary of a manager that expressed I shouldn't be there because my being ill might make her look bad.


LIFE CHANGES: It's clear that some life changes are coming as I doubt I'm going to be able to continue what I do now for employment past a few years. There is too much lifting, bending and crouching at my current profession. Going forwards I probably need a sit down job. I can get a waiver from a doctor but it is accepted by an employer on a case-by-case basis and if they want you gone or feel there is to much liability risk they don't have to accept it. It may be I have to go on disability, a prospect I despise, until I find a job where I can sit in a chair all day.

BLOGGING: I enjoy it so I'm going to keep doing it. Yesterday was my first post here in a while and I'm hoping to keep it up by at least three original entries a week. I've determined that at least one post a week has to be socially relevant (though I'll decide what meets that criteria). Whenever I post something about religion, activism or politics I usually lose a follower but gain two or three. I can live with that. One post will probably be about Hayley Mills and the other will be something stupid. A few weeks ago I surpassed two million recorded visits to the site and that is pretty cool. Might be more but I don't think the stat-counter I use is all inclusive.Took awhile to get to that number and that's okay.

ACTIVISM: There's a project I've been sitting on for a while. I want to roll it out but I'm waiting for a copyright and other marks confirmation so I have some grounds to stop any aholeoid that ganks it for etsy or Zazzle or something. I've got some ideas to spread the message but I don't want anyone making any sort of profit from it.

WRITING: If in the future I'm not going to spend 12 hours a day working and then the rest looking after the family then I plan to start writing again. Haven't done it seriously for decades. A nice sit down job somewhere will allow me to focus. The last year or so I've been too exhausted to even think of pounding a keyboard like I used to. For sure though I won't be looking for a publisher. Probably go the self-publish route and hope it doesn't come off as fan-fic.

ART: Used to draw and do lots of multimedia art. Might do that again for fun if I can make a large enough work space in the house. The spouse used to make a living painting so maybe we can both get into something.

So anyhoo, that's it. Tomorrow is Hayley Mill's birthday. Not promising a big deal because of the tiredness issues but at the least there will be a post and links of some sort.

Monday with Hayley Mills: Glamour

19 years old Hayley Mills as photographed by Helmut Newton (1965).

Monday with Hayley Mills: True Crime

Hayley Mills does not have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. What is wrong with you, entertainment world?

Clever girl

You will hear his voice in your head as you read this

Monday with Hayey Mills: Eiga Joho

Eiga Joho (April 1966)

The Universe is okay with it, why aren't you?

Husband-Hunting Tips

From various 1950s issues of New Romance I present as a public service announcement some really handy advice for those young women intent on pursuing romance with a steady beau all with the goal of getting hitched.

As all women know, good health is essential in maintaining your gene-derived, socially acceptable standards of good looks that are wholly dependent upon evolving cultural expectations! Sleeping with a window open for fresh air is a recurring theme in some of these old pre-Polio vaccine PSA's. Breathing in Radon and mold day and night is a general no-no so it's a good idea to have adequate ventilation. But it all depends on where you live. If you live in a universe where it is cool for a teen-ager to take their dad to a party and school yard gangs talk out their differences instead of popping caps into each other , then by all means, go for it. But where I live sleeping with an open window means you will probably wake up (if at all) with a crack-head holding a box-cutter to your throat as his buddy unplugs your TV.

Then of course girls must always appear cheerful! Nothing makes the boys shy away faster than a moody girl. Show a smile! Boys don't like girls that appear thoughtful or express emotions that don't compliment them. If maintaining cheerfulness is difficult on even the best days ask your mom how she does it. Many aids to happiness come in easily-obtained and affordable liquid or pill form.

Almost as important as good looks is the ability to not embarrass any males you have come into contact with! Be polite, deferential but have your wits about you. But not too much! Be careful, girls! If you appear too smart boys won't like you and instead of a home, hearth, husband and children to keep you warm at night it will be your hot tears staining the pages of a textbook on science!

Once you have all the basics down you can go on the prowl! Not having to work after high school is important for the modern girl! Time is a wasting! So get involved in all those hobbies that men enjoy but proceed with caution. Don't fully participate in sports and hobbies, LOOK ON ADORINGLY ONLY, or if that is not possible, ensure you take on the role of an accessory, like a tennis racket stand or gym bag carrier (but not too heavy a bag, you don't want big ugly muscles!). Take steps to ensure you don't intimidate a guy or show him up and faster than you can say "Holy Matrimony" you will be fulfilling your role as a wife, mother and homemaker!

And then it is HAPPILY EVER AFTER!