Another Snag

God DAMMIT, Larry Niven.

 

So I’m really barreling along on this Doctors! story, which explores among other things my genius idea about a species of fragile little critters for whom cowardice is a survival tactic, and bravery is considered a form of insanity, and whose only contact with the Galactic Union is through these Insane Ones (who are still remarkable wimps, but not as much as the Sane Ones) who are willing to space travel and more importantly to break their routine—

 

And then I go and read Ringworld and find out that Larry Niven already bloody did that.

 

Right down to the whole “No other species has ever met a sane member of this species.” God dammit.

 

Granted, the story is different—no exploding galaxy in mine, for one thing, and for another, his “insane” aliens—the brave ones—actually do have traits humans would consider mentally unstable, like bipolarity and schizophrenia. My idea was to mess with the definition of insanity on a broad level—sanity for the qazhus was supposed to be something along the lines of what we’d find unhealthy, like separation anxiety, obsessive-compulsive personality and even outright OCD, agoraphobia, hypochondria, paranoia—all the things that in our world seem counterproductive are the very things that keep them from getting eaten.

 

Also, the plot is much different.

 

But still.

 

DAMN YOU, LARRY NIVEN.

No Audio Commentary? What Are We, Barbarians?

Had a conversation with my brother last night about what the best Joker moment is in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.  I contend that it’s the moment where the Joker sneaks up on Bats disguised as a building, then proceeds to clock him upside the head with said building. Also a strong finisher was when Bats thinks he recognizes the Joker in an old photograph and proves it by taking a big red pencil and drawing an orange-wedge smile on the guy’s face.* My brother added “The train-surfing moment.”  I can’t argue with this.

 

Also, I think I’ve finally figured out the layout of Gotham city.  There’s the downtown, with its deco skyscrapers that house corporate offices and penthouses, the Old Abandoned Amusement Park District, the Old Abandoned Warehouse District** (which abuts the docks), Arkham Asylum, and Wayne Manor, all of which are connected with a series of tubes alleys. If I’ve left anything out, you’ll just have to ask the animators where the rest of the city is.

 

 

*Batman: World’s Greatest Detective.

 

**Civic ordinances state that each Old Abandoned Warehouse is required to have several catwalks and at least one giant open vat of hazardous chemicals per warehouse at all times.

(no subject)

Oh, by the way, comment notifications came flooding back today, so all is well.  Must have just been a clogged tube.