Of all the things I’ve posted to this site, nothing has generated more traffic than the discussion about making halloween masks based on the character “Rorschach” from the graphic novel “The Watchmen.” Last year I posted a picture of myself in the mask I made waaay back when (click on the pic to enlarge it), and people started writing to ask how they could make one of their own. I asked people to send pictures of their own Rorschach masks and the whole thing snowballed.

As my original instructions were in a comment on one of the postings, I’ve decided to repost it here to make it easier to find. If you’ve got tips for improving the mask-making process, leave a comment.

Happy St. Rorschach Day!

Instructions: You will need… Read the rest of this entry »

A prequel to the original Star Trek TV series involving time travelers from the future trying to change the course of history … Haven’t we seen this already? Wasn’t it called Enterprise, then later Star Trek: Enterprise? Wasn’t it canceled because people didn’t find this a compelling scenario?

That’s the great thing about the Star Trek franchise: the folks in charge never learn from their mistakes, ever. Case in point: the new Star Trek movie, slated for release in 2009, contains the elements listed above.

Sure, J.J. Abrams is in the driver’s seat this time. Props to Mr. Lost, but a bad premise will drag down a good director.

Allow me to address the franchise masters: Folks, Star Trek started as a show about exploration, and that’s still how it works best. Remember strange new worlds, new life and new civilizations, and all that? Each week the crew found some new, bizarre space crap and had to deal with it. That was the show.

Nowadays, Star Trek explores itself, discovering new and uninteresting trivia about its own characters and its invented future history. There was an Enterprise episode where we got to see the real first contact between Earth men and Ferengi. You remember them, right? There was a Ferengi barkeeper on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Finally, we got to learn the historical context that enabled him to have that bar. Yeah!

In the new movie, we’ll get to see Kirk and Spock as children. Who was the bedwetter, and who had the most baseball cards? Can you feel the anticipation?

I say less backstory, more exploration. Sure, some of the things the old crew discovered were just goofy. (Remember the giant space amoeba?) But at least the writers tried to make you think.

Or, if they had no thought-provoking ideas that week, they tried to freak you out… which is almost as good.

Move over McGruff! The real canine crimestopper is this spotted beagle (you may need to scroll down to see him). Thanks, Boingboing.

I’m not obsessed with the Watchmen. Really. I can quit any time.

Rorschach Jesse writes

Don’t know if you ever got my pics. Hunter needs to send a better pic, he looks pretty good. Here’s a couple.

It wouldn’t matter if Dr. Manhattan blinked in and blew up Hunter’s head… you win, you lucky bastard.

Nice costume, Hunter! The blurriness of the photo is no doubt caused by the intense air of mystery that surrounds Rorschach.

Links to more photos of Hunter, including a pose with some hot Rorschach-lovin’ babes, are here.

OK, here’s Rorschach Litho ready for action:

And here’s Rorschach Jay, about to whoop ass on the science villian known as “Dr. DJ”

So that’s eight Rorschachs so far! (I’m counting myself, even though my picture’s not from this Halloween.) At what point do WE become the norm, and THEY become the outcasts? Hurm.

Here’s TK8103 in his Rorschach drag. Check out his blog for an excellent in-character journal entry.

Sure, they both have a few hang-ups. But don’t Rorschach and Joan Crawford make a lovely couple?

That’s Spacejunk42 in the mask. He writes:

“The third picture does have a woman in it, but its just a friend and I did not sleep with Mommy Dearest.”

Sure dude… whatever you say. But please tell me you kicked the crap out of Frodo… that’s what the real Rorschach would do.

Hey, I like that… “What would Rorschach do?” If Rorschach ran into Gollum, Mirror Universe Uhura, and that dancing midget from Twin Peaks… WWRD?

It’s about time to start the voting, dontcha think? Leave a comment saying who you think made the best Rorschach costume, and why. (Scroll down to see other entires.) And if you’ve got a picture of yourself as Rorschach, let me know and we’ll post it here.

Below you can see more pictures of Rorschach Geoffrey, this time with his clothes on. I kind of like the tan hat, but it looks like he’s settled on the gray.

The bottom picture compares Rorschach Geoffrey with Rorschach Rorschach. Uncanny, no?

Spacejunk42 and Shawn, you best get your costumes in gear!

By the way, Rorschach Jesse needs to send in a picture of his wife in her Lara Croft costume. Because I said so, that’s why.

Geoffrey sent this picture with the note:

“first try on of the new mask. extra creepy. kind of mexican-wrestling rorschach. i’ll send you a better one when i have the full costume on. just thought this one was funny enough to share.”

Props for copying the Rorschach shape from a specific (and dramatically important) panel of the comic. That’s from page 23 of issue 12, where the R-man’s leaving Adrian Veidt’s Antarctica hideout.

You can’t have verisimilitude without the ‘tude.