The Anglicization of Middle-earth
A study of anglophile and ethnocentric narratives, given perceptions of racism in Arda, the setting of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, as seen in Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Simarillion.
Topic: Gray Matter
These engagements, dubbed for our content addressing the higher Arts and fields of Academia, span Philosophy, Metaphysics, history and even the “Hard” Sciences.
Collective Unconscious and The Fourth Wall
We return to our examinations on “The New Weird” while pondering the very basis of narrative. Do we tell stories? Or do they tell themselves through us? That’s the challenge known as “The Borgesian Conundrum”, a potent tool in a genre with prophecy, visions and congress with alien powers in its collective toolbox. Made all the more relevant by The SCP Foundation‘s collective font of stories.
Where Are They Now—Series Conspectus
An introduction to a slipstream meta-commentary on the evolution and current status of video game franchise icons and how they’ve mutated and grown across multiple platforms! Time is kinder to some than others, and some of these… well, clearly came from a different era. An enthusiast invites our readers on a somewhat more visceral examination than most.
‘Super Mario, this is your Extra Life!’
Nintendo and its mustachioed plumber stood alone atop the video game console mountain in the ’80s. Then came an upstart, spiky-haired blue hedgehog leading the charge for Sega and its console. In this installment of Where Are They Now? we explore the beginnings of the console war between Nintendo and Sega.
From Quill to Quest Item—Series Conspectus
There’s more to your favorite interactive entertainment than meets the eye! Join us for an examination of video games as a reimagined presentation of tropes from classical theater and text as seen and interpreted through the eyes of an enthusiast of all three.
Emerald Cities and Scarlet Queens
Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away is largely regarded as a modern classic, but the influences from the works of Lewis Carroll and L. Frank Baum cannot be ignored. Here we see which characters are takes on memorable figures from Wonderland and the Land of Oz, and we discern which themes carry through between the stories.
Zen and the Art of Screaming—Series Conspectus
Join us on an incisive deep-tissue study of the evolution and icons in classical and contemporary horror fiction, from monsters to slashers and less supernatural fare, as well as their varying manifestations, such as podcasts, radio plays, and other media.
Building a Better Predator: Vampires
In today’s installment of Zen and the Art of Screaming, we take a deep dive into the origins of vampires—how they originated as an Eastern European myth, to how they came to represent “the Other,” to how the evolved into sexy supernatural beings in modern media offerings.
For Whom the Box Boops
Music does far more than just soothe the savage beasts of our psyche. The sonic experience viscerally brings virtual and cinematic worlds to life. Join us in our examination of the evolution of video game and synth music in tandem with storied and largely influential arrangements used in film and animation.
‘It’s a Mario!’ Musical!
An analysis and introspect on the audio and musical design behind the Super Mario franchise.