Author Archives: Nathan

Fungi and Fun Gals

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Nathan

I’m back on a Mario kick this week. Wait, does Mario kick? I know he punches in Super Mario 64. Oh, wait, he kicks Koopa shells. First, I wanted to look at another Mario mini-movie, Mario to Yoshi no Daibouken … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Cartoons, Conspiracy Theories, Gender, Humor, Magic, Mario, Metroid, Monsters, Music, Relationships, Super Mario Bros. Super Show, Technology, Television, The Simpsons, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bringing the Magic Back

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Nathan

The Spellcasters of Oz, by Philip John Lewin – Following up on Lewin’s earlier Master Crafters, this book shows the Ozites dealing with most of the magic that sustains their country disappearing, making beings like the Scarecrow inanimate and animals … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Authors, Book Reviews, Characters, Christianity, Eric Shanower, Feminism, Greek Mythology, History, J.R.R. Tolkien, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Maps, Mythology, Oz, Oz Authors, Phil Lewin, Prejudice, Religion, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Technology, Theosophy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Not Dying Today

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Nathan

Someone proposed on a Facebook post that you don’t actually kill the monsters in the Dragon Quest series. I don’t think I can link to it, since it’s on a private group. It generally seems like you are killing them, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alchemy, Animals, Authors, Cartoons, Comics, Dragon Quest, Greek Mythology, Magic, Mario, Monsters, Mythology, Percy Jackson, Pokémon, Rick Riordan, Super Mario Bros. Super Show, Television, Video Games, Zelda | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fact Within Fiction

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Nathan

It’s a strange thing to me that a world presented in a work of fiction can be basically just like ours, except without that work, and often related ones, existing in it, even if it’s very popular in the real … Continue reading →

Posted in Characters, Comics, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Humor, Jack Snow, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Melody Grandy, Oz, Oz Authors, Rachel Cosgrove Payes, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sweets to the Sweet

Posted on August 28, 2021 by Nathan

Candyman – WARNING! SPOILERS! I think it would be fair to say the original movie is one of Beth’s favorites, so she was cautiously optimistic about this one. We both liked it, although there were a few things that didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Monsters, Music, Politics, Prejudice, Urban Legends, VoVat Goes to the Movies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wiggler Wednesday

Posted on August 26, 2021 by Nathan

I’ve discussed many enemies from the Super Mario franchise over the years, but I don’t think I’ve said that much about Wigglers, the giant caterpillars introduced in Super Mario World. Their thing is basically that they’re normally cute, yellow, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Art, Cartoons, Mario, Monsters, Television, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Shave and a Haircut, Two Squits

Posted on August 25, 2021 by Nathan

Jenny Jump might well be the foremost stylist in Oz, but there are other mentions of hairstyling being a thing in Oz even before her arrival, if perhaps less creative. There’s a pun in The Patchwork Girl of Oz when Bungle … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Characters, Edward Einhorn, Etymology, Humor, Jack Snow, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Language, Oz, Oz Authors, Places, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Death and Transformation

Posted on August 22, 2021 by Nathan

WARNING! SPOILERS for all four movies! Tickled – This is a weird movie directed by David Farrier, a New Zealand filmmaker who stumbled upon sites about competitive endurance tickling for young men. Further investigation revealed that this whole thing came … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Conspiracy Theories, Dragon Quest, Fairy Tales, Families, Magic, Music, Relationships, Video Games, VoVat Goes to the Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Drawn Into Divine Drama

Posted on August 21, 2021 by Nathan

I’ve had some of these book reviews already written for a while, and I’ve finished a few more books, so I think it’s time to put the finishing touches on this post. City of the Plague God, by Sarwat Chadda … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Arthurian Legend, Authors, Babylonian, Book Reviews, British, Christianity, Families, French, Hinduism, History, Holy Roman Empire, Humor, Islam, Magic, Malaysian, Monsters, Mythology, Percy Jackson, Poetry, Relationships, Religion, Rick Riordan, Semitic, William Shakespeare | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

You Oughta Be in Pictures

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Nathan

When I wrote my review of The Wonder City of Oz, Marc Berezin mentioned that he thought John R. Neill had written some of it to make use of pre-existing art. Repurposing his art is definitely a thing Neill did; … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Art, Bill Campbell and Irwin Terry, Celtic, Characters, Eric Shanower, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Mythology, Oz, Oz Authors, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment