omething little, green and different has swung its way onto the Web. Bloop, the alien monkey sidekick from the daily Internet comic Astounding Space Thrills, has swung his way over to Bloop.tv to star in his own webisodes. The comic-strip-sized "webisodes" are animated shorts viewable in QuickTime, Real, Flash and gMOVIE, a format for hand-held computers. The episodes last a few minutes each, and new ones are posted about every two weeks.
The animation is reminiscent of the classic Golden-Age style that graces Astounding Space Thrills, which isn't surprising since they're both done by artist/creator Steve Conley. The episodes have a smooth, clean grace that's missing from a lot of Web-based animation, and the soundtrack does an excellent job of reinforcing its sense of wonder. The site includes an e-mail newsletter to let folks know when new episodes are online and a few other Bloop-related goodies. A nice addition would be a page linking to Bloop's notable appearances in AST; although knowledge of AST's stories isn't needed to enjoy Bloop, it would be a nice touch.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- May 7, 2001
ASA's two flagship space programs--the space shuttle and International Space Station Alpha--are chronicled in exacting detail on its Human Spaceflight web site.
Current news and headlines grace the front page, offering astronaut profiles, mission updates and space facts. Casual fans can find histories of NASA's manned space efforts, including the glory days of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo, as well as modern accomplishments like the shuttle-Mir missions.
Diehard enthusiasts will find much more, though. The site's real-time data section includes a Java applet that lets folks predict when the shuttle or space station will be passing overhead, so they can go outside and eyeball it for themselves. Another applet mimics the big orbital data projection screens at Mission Control and shows exactly where the space station (and the shuttle, if it's spaceborn) is in its current orbit. There are also links to NASA TV, which includes live coverage of events like space walks. It's a feature that's gotten even cooler now that they broadcast views from the cameras mounted on the astronauts' space suits.
The site does a great job of organizing a tremendous amount of information in an attractive, easy-to-use design that tames (well, partially at least) NASA's historic love of jargon. It's well worth visiting any time the shuttle takes off or there's a crew on the space station.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- April 30, 2001
he stylized signature is unmistakable to any lover of fantastic artwork: sensual glyphs with a vaguely Oriental/Middle Eastern cast to them. The famous last name enshrined in the sinuous strokes? The one and only Frazetta. This bold signature is the first icon to capture your eye when you visit www.frankfrazetta.com. But the visual wonders and hard data that lie behind the signature are manifold.
First comes an engagingly written biography of the artist that must approach monograph-length, copiously illustrated with charming family photos and examples of work from all stages of Frazetta's life, including rarities seldom before seen. Divided into decades from the 1940s to the 1990s, this captivating life story recounts how a talented Brooklyn youngster born into very average circumstances pursued his vision through years of struggle in the fields of comic books, newspaper strips, paperback illustrations, movie posters and album covers, finally reaching the pinnacle of having a museum dedicated to his work. (The absolutely newest information on Frazetta is contained in the "News" section, archived from month to month.)
The Frazetta Museum itself--newly opened this April, though an official celebration is still scheduled for June--can be explored via another link. (An earlier incarnation of the Museum closed after a fire, which fortunately spared all the artwork.) The Museum is located on the grounds of the Frazetta family estate, and consequently visiting hours are limited. This portion of the site offers a handy means of confirming the times of entry.
A storefront offers everything from inexpensive calendars and bookmarks through moderately priced lithographs to high-end original paintings. And paid memberships to this site--ranging from Trial ($15.00) through Exclusive ($40.00) to Premier ($75.00)--bring a host of online and purchasing advantages.
-- Paul Di Filippo
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