A fictional, heroic character featured in the Masters of the Universe media franchise. He is considered the alter ego of Prince Adam and also the twin brother of She-Ra. He-Man and his friends defend Eternia and the secrets of Castle Grayskull from the evil forces of Skeletor.
On this day in 1939, The Wizard of Oz had its premiere screening. Dorothy is the main character in this American musical fantasy film based on the 1900 fairytale novel. When a tornado approaches her family’s Kansas farmhouse, she and her dog Toto take shelter inside. Dorothy loses consciousness and awakens in Munchkinland in the fictional Land of Oz.
Note: In gay slang, a “friend of Dorothy” is a term for a gay man, dating back to at least World War II. It is commonly understood as a reference to the film because Judy Garland, who starred as Dorothy, is a gay icon. In the film, Dorothy is accepting of those who are different.
A fictional superhero created by Hanna-Barbera in the 1960s. In his original incarnation, he fought supervillains in outer space. In the 1990s, he was the host of the animated parody talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, which I quite enjoyed. In the 2000s, he was revamped as a serious superhero by DC Comics.
The fictional gorilla monster in the movie Queen Kong, a 1976 British spoof of King Kong with the gender roles reversed. A female film crew journeys to Africa where a giant ape falls in love with the crew’s male star. The film has a cult following in Japan. A version of the movie with new Japanese dialogue was released on DVD in 2001 (with hot pink bikini art).
You can see a poster of the 2001 Queen Kong art in some Laughing Planet Café locations, including the new restaurant in Corvallis, Oregon.
A fictional character in the Pierre Boulle novel Planet of the Apes, and the film series (1968, 1970-73) and television series based on it. He is an anthropomorphized orangutan who serves a dual role in the ape society, as Minister of Science and as Chief Defender of the Faith. Zaius knows the true origins of the ape society and how mankind fell as the dominant species.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a reboot of the Planet of the Apes series, opens today in theaters nationwide. I am curious about the new drug-based origin story. Unrelated to this is the amusing @Zaius13 Twitter account.
A 40-foot-tall purple gorilla and star of The Great Grape Ape Show, which was a late-1970s Saturday morning Hanna-Barbera cartoon. His catchphrase is repeating his name twice (“Grape Ape, Grape Ape”) after anything anyone says, usually as a form of agreement or acknowledgment. He travels the countryside with his canine pal Beegle Beagle.
Grape Ape is also one of my favorite items from Oregon’s Voodoo Doughnut. It’s a raised yeast doughnut with vanilla frosting, grape dust and lavender sprinkles.
After the enormous success of King Kong (1933), Merian C. Cooper and the same Hollywood creative team responsible for Kong made another film about a giant ape, this time named Joe. Mighty Joe Young was a 1949 RKO Radio Pictures film about a girl from Africa who brings an oversized ape (10-12 feet tall) to Hollywood to become a nightclub performer.
A fictional gorilla monster created by Merian C. Cooper that has appeared in several remakes and sequels since his 1933 movie debut. The original stop-motion animated film, in which Kong battles an airplane on top of the Empire State Building, is the most significant work featuring this 50-foot-tall gorilla who kidnaps and lusts for a human woman.
An almost-unstoppable enemy in Kid Icarus, which was an action platform video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System, first released in 1987. The Eggplant Wizard (or, as we affectionately called him, the Eggplant Priest) could turn the protagonist’s (Pit’s) upper body into an eggplant by tossing eggplant projectiles at him. See this evil creature in action.
A comic fictional character created and portrayed by American comedian Paul Reubens. He is best known for his television series and movies (including Pee-wee’s Big Adventure) during the 1980s. On this day in 1991 (it’s the 20th anniversary!), Reubens was arrested for public masturbation in an adult theater in Florida. Oh, the childhood memories.
A fictional half-Vulcan character in the Star Trek media franchise. He served as the science officer/first officer and commanding officer of the USS Enterprise. He was first portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series.
A fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. Captain Kirk was born and raised in Riverside, Iowa in the year 2233. He was the youngest individual to become a Starfleet captain and served as the commanding officer of the USS Enterprise. He was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series.
The Man of Steel is a DC Comics superhero and icon of American culture who was created in 1932. He was born on the planet Krypton, before being rocketed to Earth as an infant by his scientist father. After being discovered and adopted by a Kansas farmer and his wife, he was raised as Clark Kent.
A culturally influential German-language novelist born on this day in 1883. Kafka is most famous his 1915 novella “The Metamorphosis” featuring Gregor Samsa, who wakes up to find that he has been transformed into a giant insect-like creature. This 8-bit Kafka character is based on Samsa, who was the fictional alter ego of Kafka.
A fairy character from J. M. Barrie’s 1904 play and 1911 novel Peter and Wendy. Tinker Bell has appeared in multiple film and television adaptations of the Peter Pan stories, including the 1953 animated Walt Disney picture Peter Pan. She is one of Disney’s most important branding icons.
A cartoon character created in 1934 by Walt Disney and Dick Lundy. He is an anthropomorphic Pekin duck and temperamental friend of Mickey Mouse. Creator Walt Disney is from Chicago, Illinois.
Note: Donald Duck and the Oregon Duck college mascot are one and the same character. They just wear different clothes. The University of Oregon licenses Donald from Disney.
An American cartoon character created in 1928 who has become an icon for the Walt Disney Company. The Mickey ears, they’re everywhere! Creator Walt Disney is from Chicago, Illinois.
Disney was referenced multiple times at the HOW Design Conference 2011 in Chicago during the past week. And I have finally returned to Oregon.
A fictional character in Anthony Burgess’ novel A Clockwork Orange and the film adaptation by Stanley Kubrick. Alex DeLarge is a sociopath whose greatest pleasures are Beethoven and ultraviolence. He leads a gang of rebellious “droogs” to rob, rape and murder for their own amusement. Watch the first two minutes of the film.
The Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom and legendary damsel in distress in Nintendo’s Mario series. She was always in another castle.
Hulk – No. 165
A fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics universe who first appeared in 1962. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Incredible Hulk is the emotional and impulsive alter ego of physicist Dr. Bruce Banner. The Hulk appears shortly after Banner is accidentally exposed to the blast of a test detonation of a gamma bomb he invented. Hulk smash!
Like many kids in the 1980s, I recall happily jumping across furniture to avoid my house’s lava floor while wearing Hulk-themed Underoos.