Dimly Aware » art

Wonder Woman Wardrobe Wildness

Marc McDonald — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:14:55 +0000

Nice alliterative title, eh? It took me ages with my nose in a Thesaurus!

So, you’ve heard the craaaazy news, right? It’s all over the place! Yes, friends, Wonder Woman is changing her look, and it is serious business! There are stories in the Washington Post, The Boston Herald, and the L.A. Times to name a few! What? It’s not like there’s anything more important to be talking about. Which is why I’m going to blather on about it here!!

Folks are up in arms about the costume change. Some say, why mess with success. Others say what’s the big deal? Some think it will reinvigorate the series. Others say it’s awfully cold fighting crime in a silk teddy. So what does this new hero look like?

80s Wonder Woman? No..it's 80s REVIVAL Wonder Woman

So, there it is. The amazing Amazonian warrior princess is scrapping her old digs for some new threads. She’s ditching the bustiér that barely contains her considerable cleavage, and trading up for some too-tight black pants, and a jacket with the sleeves pushed up. It’s a daring new look! Except for that it isn’t new at all. That’s really my only beef with it. It’s 1982 all over again. Seriously people…costume changes are fine, but do we need to buy the costume at American Apparel?!? I hate the 80s fashion revival!!

Don’t think it’s 80s? Okay….picture the jacket as yellow, and a pair of pink sunglasses pushed up in her hair, and we pretty much have any member of Jem and the Holograms, or to be fair….Jubilee.

I see this “new and improved” look, with the too-tight black jeans and I feel compelled to think of Joan Jett. Now, don’t get me wrong! Joan Jett was totally rad, in her 80s rocker-chick way, but in the 80s! It’s 2010 now, right? Come on! I can only be glad that they ditched the more butch characteristics of the Amazonian that she had in the very early drawings…else we might have the return of Hollywood Montrose!

Let’s be honest, folks. Of all the things cool about the 80s, fashion ain’t on the list! Are these the 80s images we want to influence the look of a hero? There’s really only one 80s persona that it’s appropriate for Wonder Woman to emulate. She’s awesome, and she’s got the look we want. Join our team!!!

NYC Museum Culture Reflects Pop Culture

Marc McDonald — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:13:00 +0000

Today I went to the Museum of Modern Art in NYC to see the Tim Burton exhibit. While the exhibit itself was interesting (where else can you go to see Chris Walken’s headless-horseman cape from Sleepy Hollow?), more interesting to me were the other various visitors to the museum. It was crowded, to be sure! Vast swathes of people were crammed into the seemingly tiny gallery areas which were no doubt actually quite spacious. Some small seed of a claustrophobic nature which hasn’t yet taken purchase was making the space seem exceedingly cramped, not to mention over-hot.

Of course, as I was carried slowly along by this current of museum-goers, I could only wonder what would bring so many people out to see such an exhibit? Surely there were not so many Burton fans! Curiosity can account for a small number, myself included. But as I looked around at the crowds of twenty and thirty-somethings that jammed the space, all dressed in their fabulous best, I wondered what was truly at the heart of this crowd. Listening to two younger women as they shuffled along ahead of me, I was privy to their latest workplace gossip and facebook dramas. They were entranced by eachother’s horribly fabulous lives, and struggling to look at ease in the $300 dollar stiletto-heels and Sex in the City attire, all while not really even pretending to show an interest in the surreal and gruesome images, sculptures, and costumes that passed their view as they shared their latest dating misfortunes and shopping adventures.

Is this what museums are reduced to? Another place to make an appearance? A place to appear to have an interest in art, while you go about your daily task of making your own life appear to imitate art? I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. As I left, I felt the bile rise up within me. I really had to share, so I Twittered about it instantly, and then came home and wrote this blog post. Some people think their lives are the center of everything, don’t they? (That last bit was a little self-aware irony, btw,)

Want To Come In and See My Etching?

Marc McDonald — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 20:12:00 +0000

I just have to give a shout out to my good friend Heather, for providing me with my first ever etching! At last, I have the necessary ammunition to lure single, footloose and fancy-free young ladies to my evil lair humble domicile. I can’t count the number of times I strolled down my block with young, lusty lasses only to have them excuse themselves after my previous offer of coming up to “see my Air Supply poster.”

I thought long and hard recently about upgrading to a full wall-sized Journey poster, but feared that my miserly budget wouldn’t allow it. Now I can relax, iron out my smoking jacket, mix up a Tom Collins, and revel in my bachelorhood at last! Thanks to Heather’s fine gift, my dating future is assured. I’m sure my sex life will see the fruits of this classy purchase in no time! Thanks, Hettie!