2 Warps to Neptune

Archive Page 69

Star Trek Poster by Jim Steranko, Circa 1973

Published August 5, 2014 Jim Steranko , Star Trek Leave a Comment

Said DeForest Kelley in 1984:

A lot of young people have been brought up in a negative atmosphere… We began when the hippie generation was sitting around, and I think Star Trek gave its members hope.

We told them, ‘There are still new frontiers.’ We showed them a group of adults who really cared for each other and for their fellow man… The young mind is so open, so ready to be saturated

Star Trek premiered in 1966, the same year the Society for Creative Anachronism was founded and one year after publication of the first paperback edition of The Lord of the Rings.

Jim Steranko’s penchant for the psychedelic is brilliantly evident in his earliest comics work.

(Images via Lisa Caplan/Pinterest and They Boldly Went)

Father and Son Playing Intellivision, 1981 (Part Two)

Published August 4, 2014 '70s Decor/Design/Fashion , Intellivision 4 Comments

From Mark Leslie, who lost his father unexpectedly in 2003:

I thought I’d post this picture of my Dad and I playing Intellivision back in the early 1980’s. I love this picture. We were collaborating on one of the simple initial game offerings on this system: Space Battle. One of us would navigate the cross-hairs over the enemy spaceships and the other would fire. A simple task that certainly didn’t require two people, but the game was so much more fun when we did it together.

Sometimes, when my son and I are collaboratively trying to beat the computer on a game (most recently the Lego Star Wars game on our Wii), I think back to the joy brought by the memory of this simple time spent with my father.

And I’m thankful for every moment I spent with my father; and every moment I spend with my son.

TSR’s Days of the Dragon 1980 Calendar

Published August 1, 2014 Calendars , D&D , D&D Non-Gaming Merchandise , The Dragon 3 Comments

The cover image is via Tome of Treasures. The ad is from Dragon #33 (January, 1980). I don’t have any of the interior art, unfortunately, but the art credits are as follows:

John Barnes: April and January (1981).

Dale Carlson: January (1980), May, September, and December.

Elladan Ellrohir (real name: Kenneth Rahman): February and November. Rahman, apart from artwork under several different guises, co-designed TSR’s Divine Right and Knights of Camelot games.

Phil Foglio: June.

Bill Hannan: front cover (from Dragon #1), July, and October.

Dean Morrisey: March and August.

The incomparable Darlene did the titles and title illustrations. With due respect to the other artists, that’s what I want to see most.

I thought the first Dragon calendar came out in ’79, but I can’t seem to find any evidence.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Pinball Games (Larami, 1983): ‘Castle Maze’, ‘Myths & Magic’, and ‘The Quest’

Published August 1, 2014 D&D , D&D Non-Gaming Merchandise , D&D Toys , Larami Toys , Larry Elmore , Pinball 2 Comments

With Dragon Duel, we now have four AD&D handheld pinball games, all of them made by Larami. The packaging is different on these (cards instead of a box), and they appear to be smaller. Tome of Treasures suggests that there are at least five of the pinball handhelds. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more.

All of the art is by Larry Elmore. The card art, as well as the game art for Castle Maze, are from the 1983 Basic Set cover. The game art for Myths and Magic is from the Mountain of Mirrors (Endless Quest series) cover. I’d be much obliged if someone can identify the original source used for The Quest. I know I’ve seen it before, and I’m nearly positive it’s Elmore, but I can’t dig up a match.

The regulation D&D pinball machine, also featuring the Elmore painting from the Basic Set, didn’t come out until 1987.

1980 Schwinn Catalog

Published July 31, 2014 Bicycles/BMX , Catalogs 8 Comments

Sweet Jesus. The Sting! The Phantom Scrambler!

Peruse a whole bunch of catalogs at Schwinn Cruisers.

Kids Riding Big Wheels, 1973

Published July 30, 2014 '70s Decor/Design/Fashion , Big Wheel , Marx Toys/Playsets , Photography 1 Comment

They’re getting ready to hit the gas at a motocross event in Mission Viejo, California. I would much rather watch this than the motocross.

(Photo via Calisphere)

The Slush Puppie Video Game Game Card (1982)

Published July 30, 2014 '80s Music , Intellivision , Promotions/Contests/Sweepstakes , Video Games Leave a Comment

Grand prize: Intellivision video game unit, 34 game cartridges, Intellivoice and 3 voice cartridges. Second prize was Mattel’s Synsonics Electric Drums. With some tweaking, these things made some very cool sounds, and synth artists still use them today. Check out the commercial and a demo below.

(Images via Atari Age)

Wizards and Warriors: The Complete Series (1983) Now on DVD

Published July 29, 2014 '80s Movies/TV , Fantasy Movies/TV 5 Comments

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All eight episodes of Wizards and Warriors, the fantasy-comedy (or vice versa) I first talked about here, are now available on DVD from Warner Archive. The synopsis, according to Warner:

TV’s first real foray into the realm of high fantasy was a truly ahead of its time combination of awesome adventure and witty self-awareness. Prolific sitcom writer Don Reo (The John Larroquette Show, Two and a Half Men) had a different vision in mind than previous grim and gritty attempts at the genre as seen in cinema – a vision underscored by the show’s own opening titles, which frame the action as comic book panels. Jeff Conaway (Taxi, Babylon 5) stars as valiant Prince Erik Greystone who, along with his strongman sidekick pal Marko (Walter Olkewicz), battles evil Prince Dirk Blackpool (Duncan Regehr, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and malevolent magic-user Vector (Clive Revill) for control of the continent of Aperans and his country of Camarand. And for the hand of fair, spoiled and leather pants-obsessed Princess Ariel (Julia Duffy, Newhart). Now the time has come to heed the call of adventure – and comedy!

I don’t think the show was very witty or ahead of its time, but it is historical and worth watching at least once if you’re interested in the evolution of the sword and sorcery genre and/or the ’80s fantasy boom.

Music Videos: Fingers – `Video Games’ (1982)

Published July 29, 2014 '80s Music , Music Videos , Records (LPs) and Cassettes , Video Games 1 Comment

New Jersey band Fingers released one EP (AXO Records, 1982), and this is the title track. I listened to the whole album on Spotify and enjoyed it—straight ahead power pop with some catchy melodies. The message here is pretty obvious: video games have changed the nature of youth and young love. Or have they? Separated at first by our hero’s addiction to the games, boy and girl are reunited in the end—when girl succumbs to the allure of the arcade and their respective games are over (and all the quarters are gone).

“You knew that I was different from the start. You look inside and see Space Invaders in my heart. It’s never been the same since video… It’s never been the same since video… It’s never been the same since video games.”

I can make out Pleiades and Armor Attack cabinets in the arcade.