Blue Milk Special Podcast Episode 4
Happy New Year! We hope you enjoy today’s strip. We’ve been looking forward to reaching this strip for a long time. Additionally, today sees the release of the final podcast episode for 2012. Episode 4 is a holiday special, so naturally we talk about the 1978 CBS Star Wars Holiday Special (which we watched together immediately before recording), J.J. Abrams, Star Wars Weekends and Bon Jovi. We drank plenty of alcohol to get us through this episode, and we encourage you to do the same while listening. The sound clips alone are enough to make you wince.
EPISODE 4 Topics: Direct Download: Episode 04 (right Duration: 52:16 |
Although we hope to get podcast Episode 5 released in January 2013, there will be no regular schedule for future episodes of the podcast. This is due to our focus on the webcomic and the fact that ALL of this is a non-profit hobby. We’ve been criticized for not updating enough, blah blah, but this is not a professional project and if it were we would work our asses off to be as consistent as possible. Because this is a hobby, and often an expensive one, we have to simply do what we can at our own pace. More than once, we contemplated stopping BMS altogether because it has, at various times, encroached upon our daily lives and sanity. Fortunately, it is also a project we have a blast working on, so the middle ground between us and the readers, is to simply do what we can. Something is better than nothing.
A few facts and figures. It takes about a solid day of work to produce a BMS webcomic strip. We are full color, with cartoon style shading, which is a more complex style than many black and white, stick figure comics out there. I’m not taking a shot, I’m just highlighting a difference in the workload for a hobby project like BMS. The podcasts also require a LOT of editing and have so far taken between one to two days of solid work. Recording around an hour or more of material, often means a lot of post production clean up work to fix sound problems, insert clips (which have to be recorded and edited) and mixing the final version. So remember, I have to fit both the webcomic and podcast editing into my weekends and weekdays that revolve around an 11 hour day job. The only reason the webcomic and the podcasts even happen is because I’m insane.
So, for the critics out there that think our effort is “just passable”… Thank you. 🙂
Oh, and I loved the Hobbit even more on my second viewing. We are toying with the idea of seeing it a third time. I say toying… it seems pretty die hard to see a film more than once, but three times might actually be a first for me. I definitely liked all three of the Lord of the Rings movies more than this first installment of the Hobbit, and Return of the King is one of my favorite movies of all time, but the only one of the three I saw more than once was Fellowship of the Ring. So, how many times I see a movie doesn’t necessarily mean how much I love it.
I think with the Hobbit, it’s just easier to process such a long movie and get the most out of the scenes to give it multiple viewings. I’m also looking forward to Part 2 with great expectation. Given that not only Leanne and myself, but BMS reader Maxwell, and Leanne’s friend in Finland all enjoyed The Hobbit MORE on our SECOND viewing, I think a third might not be such a crazy idea. Anyone in Southern / Central Maryland want to join us? Let me know.
Leanne and I have become Gandriel shippers! 😉
This might just be me, but did anyone else pick up a subtext in the dialogue between Galadriel and Gandalf that suggested they were once lovers? Leave it to the Grey Wizard to put the ‘randy’ into Mithrandir!
No. A ton of people have picked up on it. Their exchange can be read literally as Galadriel’s support of Gandalf, or can be read into as there being a stronger bond of friendship between them. That’s why so many people are interested all of a sudden in the possibilities. This of course upsets purists, but then, it’s left ambiguous so I don’t see the harm in shipping them. 🙂 There is a definite sense of estrangement between Galadriel and her husband, Celeborn. They don’t even leave Middle Earth together. In fact, it’s not written anywhere that Celeborn ever follows her to Valinor. But Gandalf’s there, so I guess Galadriel is happy.
I had just assumed that the fact that they both wore Rings of Power, that they share a special bond. I can’t say I got anything romantic out of their exchange.
If you dig into The Silmarillion, it seems the Gandalf and Galadriel could easily have become acquainted in The Undying Lands seven thousand years ago. I’m guessing people could get to be pretty good friends over seven millenia.
I really enjoyed the Hobbit. and remember that you can’t completely compare it to the lotr trilogy on the same scale. like my father once said about the books: “The hobbit is an action adventure. The Lord of the Rings is an epos. you can’t expect them to tell their stories in the same way”. and to be COMPLETELY honest: The Hobbit was actually ALOT more true to the book than LotR was. the only thing they changed in the film was Gandalf meeting Radagast while still being with the company. Tolkiens appendixes and unfinsihed tales states he did during the two times he left the company to speak with the white council about mirkwood. that and I’m not sure if he stayed back in exactly rivendell the second time (I don’t think there’s anything written on where the WC met during The Hobbit’s setting), and that azog was a bit like lurch in fellowship: a new character instead of just random orcs/uruk-hai. beside these 3 points, the hobbit was waaay more spot-on than even the extended trilogy was. and we’ve only seen a third of the finished product. and we don’t know if they’re releasing an extended version of An Unexpected Journey, which is quite possible, i think. Remember that the hobbit was like narnia: it originated as a childrens book, that’s why some adults may find it more “lacking” or “silly”, compared to the lotr which as a book, was vastly more worked on by Tolkien. And most things are matetrs of tatse: the rohan violin was one of my fav lotr scores.
um, there were several WTF moments in the hobbit, they changed several episodes, mostly how they were handled by the group. I can handle it, movies are different than books, but to say radagast was the only thing they changed is just not paying attention.
Yeah, they changed a few things. I had WTF moments on my first viewing. Nothing killed the movie for me though. It was still great revisiting that world. When I saw it a second time, I was prepared and surprised at how much more I enjoyed the film.
Interestingly, Seth Abramson of Huffington Post writes in defense of the film’s bad wrap from critics: “ten years after the events of The Hobbit–in Earth terms, the equivalent of a blink of an eye (as a point of reference, it takes Aragon fifteen years after the events of The Lord of the Rings to even visit his Hobbit friends in the Shire)–Sauron declares himself openly in Mordor. So when The Atlantic opines that Jackson’s The Hobbit should have been “slender and simple” like the book, indeed “innocent and intimate,” and that any reference to the “necromancer”-cum-Sauron in The Hobbit is merely “Jackson cross-promoting his earlier films,” don’t listen to it for a moment–and don’t be fooled by the legerdemain of that magazine’s film critic, who drops esoteric references to the books as though he understands them well and has considered their scope and intersections in writing his review. Likewise, when CNN says that there’s “so much less at stake” in The Hobbit, and that the movie should acknowledge this by avoiding any “dark forebodings of impending death and destruction,” this too is a betrayal of Tolkien’s literary legacy. This is not, as CNN would have it, a mere “caper.” Nor is it, at The Washington Post and others absurdly posit, reminiscent–either visually, tonally, or otherwise–to “The Teletubbies.” This is dark, mature subject matter involving a cast of characters still unaware enough about what’s going on around them that they can still take time to laugh and (admittedly, on occasion) make bad jokes.
All of this may seem like hapless nerd-kvetching, but consider: Would a film critic reviewing a Jane Austen adaptation be forgiven for exhibiting little knowledge of (and little willingness to embrace) the film’s source material? How about Tolstoy? The reviews of The Hobbit don’t just indulge, they indeed rely upon both the critics’ and readers’ ignorance of Tolkien’s tale and what it was actually intended to be by the time of the novelist’s death and (more to the point) Jackson’s mid-nineties discovery of it as a possible cinematic blockbuster.
Moreover, critics seem to be whitewashing the flaws of the original movie trilogy. The Washington Post complains of a lack of “engaging character development” in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, as if that had ever been a hallmark of Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. The original trilogy was itself a plodding, portentous affair with a good deal of unbearably melodramatic dialogue and head-shaking archetyping. We permitted it, as moviegoers, because The Lord of the Rings was and is an allegory, because it was and is beautiful to experience, because it has ever been intended as a lengthy and immersive experience, and because it tells a story of massive scope and scale: all things which, as it happens, are true of Tolkien’s (and Jackson’s) The Hobbit.”
actually commenting on BMS comment, but having read no official reviews of the film at all.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually loved the hobbit, (ok, the previous series as well, with all it’s flaws, not to mention the other three movies that no one ever mentions anymore, I just thought that there were enough changes that it’s no closer than the others. I also understand the difference between movies and books, and sometimes (ok alot) what works in print doesn’t work on screen, and vice versa, and these changes (not all of them, but some of them) address that particular issues. The orcs function as a prod and interest keeper in the journey that is otherwise rather slow, the change in the end of troll incident bring the dwarves and the hobbit closer, as does the changing of the end of the 15 birds in 5 fir trees incident, which will help make the break at the arkenstone all the more poignant, and so on. Not to mention, there is a whole lot of world building that it looks like is being done here, cause it looks like a whole lot of one liners from the books are going to get their own 15 minute episodes, just like radagast. And while I’m going WTF, at the same time I’m going, ‘so that’s what happened and how. Now do the next one.” (world development on at least the same level of character development.) And the one thing I was afraid there wasn’t going to be. Eye candy, at least for us girls. THorin and Kili aren’t bad at all to look at. I want to see who they get to do Beorn and Bard. (comment on having just checked IMDB, perfectly acceptable choices for those parts.)
plus gandalf is suposed to be almost arch-angel like. and for spiritual creatures like maiar or ainur, not to mention Illuvatar (the elven jehova) “love” is so much much more than just physical attraction, something many modern humans sadly have a problem of udnerstanding 🙁
Yep.
Yeah really, otherwise a handsome stud like Gandalf would probably never hook up with a scraggly haired, pointy eared, stick like Galadriel. 😉
I think I was cracking up the entire time listening to this one. 😀
BEST COFFEE MUG JOKE EVER !1!!1
OMG – Leanne drew Bea Arthur. LOVE!
The fact that you and Leanne are letting us in on your hobby is really generous and oodles of fun. Critics will be critics, but what you guys are doing is really great. Bravi tutti!!
I had noticed that whole subtext with the two G’s as well. I wasn’t sure as it was supposed to be there or not since I’ve never read the Hobbit.
I’m listening to the newest podcast as I type this to. You guys are getting better at it. Sounds like your getting a little more comfortable doing it each time which is making it flow better and just sound better. 🙂
Vader brings out the big guns! Only now does Luke understand the power of the Dark Side.
The Hobbit was great! I loved how Bilbo quickly perceived Gollum’s split personality and used that to his advantage, by playing up the riddle game to the Smeagol personality. Frodo wouldn’t have been able to think that quickly.
I’m looking forward to Bildo vs. Smaug (or “Smog,” as I used to call him after watching the 70s cartoon version).
I’m downloading Ep 4 Podcast now. I’m reall enjoying them! D
Wonderful use of sound effects!
“Thwack” One of my favorites, and a “Crash”.
I hope the mug survives. 🙂
Love the strip, keep it coming!
I hope at some point you can do a podcast talking about the making of the strip. Love to know what goes into making the strip each week.
Maybe you should do a XKCD-style strip for April Fool’s Day.
Vader is willing to sacrifice his coffee to throw Luke out a window?!? Seems a high price to pay…
😉
hehe True.
A good followup panel would be “RATS! That was pure COLUMBIAN!”
Whew, I just ran through the entire archives. What can I say but absolutely brilliant comic. I’m hooked for your whole run now! I’m not a die-hard Star Wars fan by any means, just a viewer of the films, and I loved every second of this — the art, the in jokes, the sly cracks at Lucas, everything. And while you have plenty of well-spoken fans, may I say that I think that you are far, far too tolerant of the Angry Nerd Trolls who give you grief. You make it very clear that this is a labor of love and you work hard at it, yet you give a reasoned, careful response to juvenile nonsense like “Leia shouldn’t smoke!” (If I were in your shoes, my response in tot would be something along the lines of “Go read another webcomic” if not “Oh, f**k you”.) Kudos to both of you for bringing this terrifically well drawn bit of fun to the web.
God, people are hating on you (again)?
Just to let you know, I cheer every time my RSS reader shows that you’ve updated. Your dedication and devotion to this is great and amazing and I think you’re awesome. And hilarious. Leann’s art is perfect, the jokes are still funny, and things like this strip, with Vader’s coffee mug, will NEVER cease to make me laugh, and I recommend everyone I can to read this because that’s just how much I love what you two put out.
Keep up the awesome work!
(Also, I picked up on the implied history between Galadriel and Gandalf, though I think I’m fortunate my purist mother did not. Personally I’m putting it as personal history of a long-term friendship bond or whatever primarily because … personal eugh. But, hey, to each their own! “Ship all the ships,” as they say. 😀 )
NOT THE COFFEE!
NOT THE STAR TREK COFFEE CUP!
Now I must buy a ST coffee cup! Damn you product placement! *shakes fist* 😛
First of all a happy new one to you!
May the blue milk keep flowing in 2013, and take the time you need in doing all of this, it’s REALLY great, especially because it’s insightful and avoiding all the usual low blows – although I have to admit it’s always hard to wait for something so incredible fun and witty!
The straw kind of looks like a little antenna on the coffee mug. It’s as if Vader has a little remote control in his lightsaber. Not hating on it or anything. It’s hilarious.
I don’t know how you can all criticise the PT for it’s incompatibility with the OT and yet like the new Hobbit film despite it being nothing like the book. I saw The Hobbit film. It may be a good film, but I feel about it the way friends of mine do about The Dark Knight Rises: It is NOT the The Hobbit I read, know and love: too much was changed and too much was added: There were no orcs in the Hobbit, only goblins and wolves; Galadriel and Saruman were not in the Hobbit; wargs are sentient talking wolves and do not need goblins or orcs to control them and can and do act independently from orcs and goblins in The Hobbit even if they are ridden by goblins and orcs in The Lord of the Rings; and goblin tunnels are claustrophobic carved out things not hanging rope bridges!
I think, because the LOTR movie-verse is already its own thing, the fact that The Hobbit film feels consistent with that universe is all that matters. Bringing the Prequel argument into this could get very longwinded. In the case of the PT vs the OT, there were issues with dialogue, acting, Jar Jar, over use of lightsabers, boring drawn out political and economic plot, and few characters with any real personality or charisma, unlike in the OT. Those are your differences, and they are much more extreme than between the LOTR and the Hobbit. People who take issue with the PT aren’t simply saying “this doesn’t feel like the OT”.
Ha ha! Just listening to the PodCast! Can I just say, it’s hilarious!
the ForceCast should have a listen to this.
“household” is a word that should never be uttered by Vader. RotF,LmfAO!
Great to hear the amazing Garth Merenghi get a mention too 🙂
“I don’t know how you can all criticise the PT for it’s incompatibility with the OT ”
“I think, because the LOTR movie-verse is already it’s own thing”
Are you guys just unaware that it’s means “it is”? The possessive of it is “its.” No apostrophe. You all seem to well spoken and informed, it boggles my mind that so often people don’t understand or aren’t aware of this very basic grade school grammar rule.
Actually, bud, I was in a hurry and didn’t proof read. The biggest problem with Grammar Nazis is that they get wound up too easy and seem to forget the informality of the internet makes it easy for typos to slip in. If I poured over every comment I made, I’d have no time left in the day for things like dinner, television and producing Blue Milk Special. In truth, I was cooking dinner in the middle of what was meant to be a quick response. Better if you just said, “Hey, Rod. You have a typo there” than accuse both of us of being ignoramuses. If you would like to be the official editor / proof-reader for BMS, email me. I don’t have time to catch every little thing I miss. And if you have the time to make NO mistakes, then you’re the man/woman for the job! Thanks. 🙂
Ive been trying to get you to understand this for years, Rod. Its so annoying. Their are so many other people who type better than you. Your making the site look bad. God.
LOL! This is why I love you.
They’re, there, their Leanne. Rod will learn someday
Damn you to hell Hannah. I’m not wasting any more money on your endeavours. 😉
“Pored” over.
The job’s yours if you want it.
Use the starbucks latte… I love you guys, it made my day