We're in the process of pimping our YouTube page. It would be really awesome if someone had the time to upload a video comment to the below video directly on our YouTube page so we can test that functionality. If it's a good video, we'll post it on our Facebook page (how's that for incentive?!).
Ask Otis was animated by neatoramanaut kalapusa who you got to know last week when Alex posted his awesome Super Mario Bros. Piranha Plant Sculpture. We hope you enjoy the pilot episode. Leave comments below telling us what question you'd like to see Otis answer next, or, again, as already requested, leave video comments on our YouTube page. If we pick your question, you'll win your pick of any neato-tee in our shop! So make sure you tell us which tee you want when you leave that comment, okay?
Got a tweet you think deserves a Twaggin'? Send it to Twaggies.com, because who doesn't like a visual?
Yes, we know Phillip is spelled wrong... but that's how it was written in the original Tweet and so we wanted to be true to the author...
Recognize the artist? That's because I discovered her right here on Neatorama through a user-submitted post: He-Man on His Day Off (artwork by the awesome Kiersten Essenpreis).
When I was growing up, one of the best parts about being sick was my mom getting out the special “home-from-school” toys from the closet. My favorite of the bunch was Kenner’s Spirograph. Imagine my horror when I went online to find one for my young son recently, only to learn that they've disappeared! Yes, it's true. You can buy a pale imitation that's flimsy and not nearly as cool, but you can't find the amazing version with all the wild-shaped gears. Well, rather than just complain about it, I decided to start a Neatorama FB page to see if we can't find a bunch of other like-minded people who would love to introduce this great, creative toy to their kids. Guess what? In less than four days, we've already got more than 300 people signed up! So if you haven't already, please add your name to our page and help us Bring Back the Spirograph!
And if you still own one of the original Kenner Spirographs, you can enter an original drawing into this here Sound Feelings Publishing contest where 30 winners will split up $2,000 worth of prizes.
And if you've got drawings you don't feel are contest-worthy, but still want to show them off to the world, you can publish them yourself on our Spirograph Facebook page. Just imagine how amazing it will be if Neatorama helps bring back this really neato toy from the dead! Maybe we'll even wind up selling them in our store one day...
I know what you're thinking: What hold music isn't terrible? When I discovered the voice recorder app on my iPhone, I immediately started recording bad hold music whenever I was forced to wait for a real person to help me. Clearly, I spend a lot of my life on hold, as this short list represents only half the total I recorded over the course of the last year. What follows is the best, er, worst 11 of the lot. I've purposely kept the names of the companies who use these recordings out of the post to protect their anonymity.
After you've listened to them all, tell us in the comments which is your favorite (wait, or would that be least favorite?).1. My call was "first in line" for, ohhhh, maybe about 20 minutes. That annoying synth string orchestra did me in by minute 2! A power drill is more pleasing to the ear.
2. Am I the only person here who is reminded of some other kind of music with this one?
3. There’s nothing worse with hold music than bad loops. This is the worst one I’ve ever recorded.
4. Good thing that guy keeps coming back on the line, otherwise this one would have surely put me to sleep.
5. This is only going to bother the musicians out there, I’m sure. Get a load of this sudden modulation out of nowhere and to what key? I had to cut off the recording abruptly to protect the company’s anonymity, sorry! It just keeps modulating, trust me.
6. Many of you might recognize this offender. It’s a lulu!
7. Another really sorry loop… made worse by having to hear that honkey-tonk horn over and over again.
8. I’ll keep this one short; otherwise you might go looking for a large mallet to knock yourself out with.
9. I used to enjoy Vivaldi’s Four Seasons… that is, until I had to listen to this little portion of the Autumn movement for—ready for this?—34 ½ straight minutes!! Verily, I say unto thee.
10. Not sure who you should feel more sorry for: me, or the poor sap who had to write this ditty.
11. Seemed fitting to end with what sounds to me like something John Williams threw in his garbage can while working on Indiana Jones.
So let’s have a vote: In your opinion, which is the worst piece of hold music on the list?
Photo:viciousmomma.blogspot.com
Yesterday, I asked our Twitter followers and Facebook Fans to answer this question: What's the nerdiest thing you've ever done?
Here are my Top 10 favorite responses:
10. Amy Whinston said: I had a job solving Rubicks Cubes in a gift shop to attract customers.
9.Nancie Nguyen said: During bedroom role play, a boyfriend asked me to be a samurai ninja. I agreed hahaha.
8. Mark L. Bajorek said: Probably building a small TV jammer in high school just to annoy my sister at home. Those were pre-cable days though...
7. scared_of_bees said: Once, after an art club social, I spotted and subsequently collected a large leopard slug specimen to take home to photograph.
6. Eric Johnson said: I once had a (surprisingly heated) argument about the merits of Ewoks vs. Tribbles. I sided with the Ewoks, for the record.
5. hellobrowneyes said: I had a nerd birthday party. Invites on floppy disks, guess the scientist, and giant microbes as party favors.
4. Denise Yazak said: I reserved Bioshock 2 at Toys R' Us and Gamestop just to get the swag at each store. I went to Gamestop's midnight release to get the multiplayer downloadable content with my special edition, and took the day off of work to get the figurines with my regular edition at Toy's R' Us at 10am the next day. Yep.
3. xadrian said: Built a Lego ship based on an obscure starship from a Star Wars comic – photos of it here
2. Our own John Farrier said: When I was in high school, a hot girl once came up to me and seductively (and teasingly) asked "Is that a calculator in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" I immediately pulled a calculator out of my pocket.
And my number-1 favorite: Kevin Sexton said: My wife and I calculated the date that our niece turned 3.14, and we had a fancy apple pie delivered for her pi birthday. Next day on Twitter, her mom said about us, "They're nerds, but they're pie-sending nerds"
Yesterday I posed this thought to our Twitter and Facebook users: The world can be divided into two types of people: Those who squeeze the toothpaste in the middle (or anywhere, randomly), and those who must squeeze from the bottom.
Then I asked for additional examples. Dozens poured in. Here are my Top 10 Favorites:
10. Heather Griffin said: one that calls any type of cola SODA, and the other that calls it POP. 9. Kristen Leigh said: Those who hang the roll of toilet paper over, and those who hang under. 8. Liz Kim said: those who pour the cereal in first and those that pour the milk in...! 7. Ferris Weston said: 1) Those who do not understand dichotomies. 6. Jane Daugherty Martin said: People who read the instructions and those who do not 5. Kathryn Kamowski said: Those who like Journey, and those who lie. 4. Rammy Meyerowitz said: There are two "types" of people, the "touch-typists" and the "hunt and peckers" 3. Norbert Smith said: Those who think there are two types of people, and those who don't. 2. Charlotte Holden said: those that understand Lost and those that appreciate all this free time on their hands And my number-1 favorite, which is an old math joke, but one I’d never heard before: Amy Dyer said: There are 10 types of people: Those who understand binary and those who don't
Here’s my answers, what are yours?
10 – soda, 9 – over, 8 – cereal, 6 – do not read, 5 – Journey rocks!, 4 – touch, 3 – two types!, 2 – time on hands!
Congrats to Erin Von Dollen, JC Castaneda, Jayme Temple and Virge Castillo! We got a couple hundred entries with all the correct answers and chose you four at random. Stay tuned for more fun contests coming soon, and don't forget about our Facebook and Twitter-only contests. Stay in the loop by becoming a Fan or Follower. Meantime, Erin, JC, Jayme and Virge, we'll be in touch with you soon-est for your snail mail addresses.
You may recall that we asked you to send in your questions for The Simpsons' own Bill Morrison, who's been working with Matt Groening on the series since 1990. Bill has also served as editor and principal writer and artist at Bongo Comics, helping to creatively oversee Simpson's Comics, Radioactive Man, Bartman, and Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror.
Well, Bill made good on his end of the bargain by answering a lot of those questions! Check out the full interview below. Meantime, we're going to make good on our end of the bargain too, by giving away FOUR copies of The Simpsons Futurama Crossover Crisis, which goes on sale tomorrow. But we got advance copies and are ready to unload them on four lucky neatoramanauts. Here's how to win: Read the interview! At the end you'll find a couple questions. Send your answers to me: david 'at' neatorama.com. We'll pick winners at random and shoot you an e-mail to find out where you want your book sent. Pretty easy, right?
------ Now, on with the interview!------
Alex: How did you get started drawing cartoons? Where do you get your inspirations from? And lastly, do you have any advice for budding cartoonists?
Bill Morrison: I have an older sister who taught me to draw when I was only three years old! But I think I really got into some serious doodling when I discovered Batman on TV. I started reading Batman comics, and then every other kind of comic book, and I was hooked. I decided I wanted to be a comic book artist.
My inspiration comes from everywhere; current events, history, old movies, you name it. I recently wrote a story that was inspired by an urban legend I’d heard as a child. My series from the 1990’s, Roswell, Little Green Man was inspired by the story of the Roswell UFO crash, but also by my desire to draw vintage cars, fashions, architecture, etc. from the 1940’s. I was also influenced heavily by Dave Stevens’ wonderful Rocketeer strip.
My advice to budding cartoonists is to get a good education. Soak up as much knowledge and culture as you possibly can. It may seem boring now, but everything you learn will enrich your writing and your art in the years to come. When I was a student, I thought I would only be a comic book artist, and that I didn’t need to study certain things like English or History. Big mistake! I eventually became a writer and an editor, and had to educate myself in the areas I’d avoided in school.
Bill Peschel: Have there been proposed Treehouses of Horror stories that made y'all blanch and say, "Absolutely no way, Jose"?
Bill Morrison: Yes, but not often. The writers we invite to craft Treehouse of Horror stories tend to be great fans of The Simpsons, and they seem to know instinctively what to stay away from when they pitch ideas.
Paul in Prep: How does hearing the word Chondroitin, out loud, make you feel?
Bill Morrison: I love that word! It sounds like a noise that Jerry Lewis or Professor Frink would make!
Patty The Fatty: Any chance we're going to see a Roswell – Little Green Man TV series? If so, when? If not, why not?!?!
Bill Morrison: I would love to do a Roswell TV series or movie in the near future! I’m working on reviving the comic book at the moment, so after I reintroduce my little green pal to the world, I definitely intend to set my sights on the big or small screen (or both!)
burninglily: What's your muse? What was the deciding factor, that it moment when you just "knew" you were going to do this for the rest of your life?
Bill Morrison: As I mentioned earlier, I’ve wanted to be a comic book artist since I was a kid, but I think the moment I knew I wanted to make this my life’s work was when we won the Eisner Award™for Simpsons Comics #1. Will Eisner’s work inspired me and influenced me from the moment I was aware of it, so receiving the award named for him meant a great deal to me, and made me want to be a part of the art form he called “sequential art.” By the way, if you missed it way back in 1993, we’ve included a reprint edition of the historic Simpsons Comics #1 inside The Simpsons Futurama Crossover Crisis book!
Hellboy: Did the Simpsons created a new kind of hero : the stupid hero ? It seems to be the new standard in animated series (futurama, family guy, spongebob...)Does it reflect any kind of change in american society ?
Bill Morrison: I think “stupid” heroes have existed in animation going back at least as far as Disney’s Goofy (known way back at his inception in 1932 as Dippy Dawg!) In comics, the Captain from The Katzenjammer Kids, created in 1897 comes to mind. So no, I don’t think “stupid” characters are anything new. I do happen to believe that The Simpsons and Futurama are two of the most smartly-written shows on television. If there’s any conclusion about change in American society to be drawn from shows like these, I think it’s that we enjoy viewing smarter TV shows (and comics!)
Zim999: Will the following Simpsons Comics stories ever be reprinted?: Bongos that time forgot from 32, More Bongos that time forgot from 35, The Itchy and Scratchy comics, The last 3 Bartman comics, The 4 stories from Simpson Comics and Stories, The Super Spectacular comics, The Winter Wingding comics, The Summer Shindig comics.
Bill Morrison: I was wondering what stories we had yet to reprint! Thanks for the handy list! I’m sure we’ll get to them all, eventually!
Bizznatch: Will there be a Bongo Comics website anytime soon?
Bill Morrison: Yes!
Bizznatch: How about a third Simpsons/Futurama Crossover comic series?
Bill Morrison: Funny you should ask! While compiling the material for The Simpsons Futurama Crossover Crisis book, we got very excited and started talking about doing a third series. But we won’t do it just to cash in on the huge success of our hardcover collection. First, we need to think up a third story worthy of the first two!
Bizznatch: Any more Itchy & Scratchy comics coing?
Bill Morrison: We like to follow the lead of The Simpsons TV show by working Itchy & Scratchy episodes into our Simpsons comic book stories. We’ve found that the ultra-violent cartoon humor is much funnier in small doses!
Bizznatch: Will Sergio Aragones draw a full-length Futurama issue or cover? What other Bongo comics will Sergio Aragones be drawing this year? All glory to the Hypnotooooad!
Bill Morrison: With Sergio, anything is possible! In the meantime, check out the dynamite two-page pin-up that Senõr Aragonés drew especially for The Simpsons Futurama Crossover Crisis book! It features characters from both the Simpsons and Futurama meeting face to face at a very crowded comic book convention! And of course, Sergio’s work will appear regularly in each and every issue of Bart Simpson comics!
-----Contest Questions-----
1. Which neatoramanaut got props from Bill for helping him out with a list?
2. What's Bill's advice to cartoonists looking to break into the field?
That's it! Don't leave these answers in the comments please. Send them to me via e-mail!
Bena Dam, who follows us on Twitter, and Lisa Richardson, who's a Facebook Fan, each won a $20 shopping spree in our store (with free shipping!) by answering yesterday's riddle correctly.
I know, you're all jealous, right? Well guess what? You don't have to be for much longer because the Facebook/Twitter contest was such a success, we've decided to run a similar shopping spree contest EVERY month! So be sure to Twitter follow or Facebook Fan us now and stay in the loop. Here's some more info on this month's winners:
Bena: I'm an art student, percussionist, and I like cows.
Lisa: I am a 54 year old SAHM with 3 wonderful sons. My hubby and I have been married for 16 years. I have been a fan of Neatorama since I first stumbled on it, years ago. At first, I didn't pay too much attention to the contest because I figured it was going to be a difficult one that I couldn't think through. But I saw your post on the second hint and remembered that I had read once that the term "messed up" in a puzzle like this usually meant an anagram. So I figured why not give it a try. It was that second word that I got first. Once I got the word, par, the rest just fell into place!
Here's how you can win a $20 shopping spree in our store:
1) Watch for the trivia question sometime on Wednesday. We'll post it on Facebook and Tweet it out on Twitter.
2) Send your answer to david@neatorama.com.
3) Hurry up and wait! 12 hours after we post the question, we'll close the contest and select two random winners. One from FB and one from Twitter. (Be sure to tell us in your email if you were following us on Twitter, Facebook, or BOTH! (Double your chances!)
4) Redeeming your $20: Products must be in stock, no rain check but if you make a choice that is out of stock, we'll let you know and ask for another choice. All products to be sent to 1 address (so no splitting). No credit for unused amount, so for example if you choose 3 products totaling $19.00, then that's it - we will not be crediting you the remaining $1 balance. And lastly, the $20 may not be used as a credit towards larger purchase. For example, if you want a $50 item, you cannot use the $20 as credit and pay an additional $30.
We're going to be running two great contests over on our Facebook and Twitter accounts this coming week! You won't find them here on the blog, just on the Facebook page and by following us on Twitter. So if you haven't yet, please become a Neatoramanaut Fan now: www.Facebook.com/neatoramanauts and/or follow us on Twitter: @neatorama.
The prizes this week are extra special, as we'll be giving away shopping sprees in our store (with free shipping!). Get all the deets over on FB and Twitter...
