here exist certain parodies that are so lovingly done, so perfect in execution, that they instantly supersede whatever "real" object they were modeled on, and become in and of themselves the new dominant reality. Such a creation is Villain Supply.com. This site, devoted to all things super-villainous, is so flawless in its presentation—and so damn funny—that you will instantly be converted to its zany worldview.
The premise of the site is simple: Here is a single source for all villains to acquire the tools of their trade. Whether you're a simple henchman looking for a small sap ($4.95) or a mad scientist seeking a Doomsday Star Satellite System ($1,200,000,000), this site has the goods for you. Store them in your cheapo Budget Lair with Mini-Dome ($4,999) or your Subterranean Island Base with Optional Volcano Upgrade ($999,999,999.99), and then get busy threatening and extorting world leaders.
The text that accompanies each catalog item is extremely witty, pitch-perfect in its mix of hucksterism and megalomania. For instance: "DON'T USE A BIGGER WEAPON THAN NECESSARY. I remember when my friend, Son of Mole Man, tried to destroy the Chrysler Building with his moon-based Magma Ray. Of course, the League of Propriety stopped him, because he spent so much time trying to perfect the Magma Ray. He'd forgotten that a few well-placed C4 charges, or one small briefcase nuke, would have done the trick!" The thumbnails of each item are brilliant as well. (Some, such as the trapdoor illo, utilize clever animation.) Click on the traditional "Add to cart" link, and you go to a checkout page which explains why the purchasing option is temporarily down (interference from do-gooders, natch). But don't worry: There's an active link to bring you to Sears as a fallback option! Other links from the main page allow you to shop on Amazon for villain-related books; to contact your Evil Realtor; and to participate in a Supervillain Forum, among other nefarious choices.
With the third Austin Powers movie brightening summer movie screens, this URL should be flashed subliminally during every showing!
— Paul Di Filippo
Site of the Week—July 1, 2002
hat distinguishes The Tourist's Guide to the Uncharted Territories from all the other Farscape fan sites out there? For one thing, it is extremely up to date, with comprehensive reviews of episodes coming out as they air. For another, it is one of the most enduring, a Web page that has been educating visitors about all things Farscape almost since the series premiered. This isn't one of those sites that looks beautiful and hasn't been updated since season one. No, site owners Kiki and Peri have a commitment to the series and its Web page that is breathtaking in its depth.
In terms of content, TGUT has everything a guest might expect—character and actor biographies, photographs of the principal actors in and out of makeup, fan fiction, convention reports and sound files. Its links page connects to a large but carefully selected group of relevant Farscape resources, including the official Jim Henson page for the show and other excellent fan pages of note. Its FAQ is indexed by topic, providing detailed answers to all those thorny canon questions. It is also laid out in such a way that viewers who don't want to be exposed to spoilers can easily avoid them.
It doesn't hurt, either, that TGUT is as friendly and orderly as its namesake is violent and chaotic. It features beautiful graphic design and site organization. Everything a visitor could want to find is easily accessed with a click or two, making the page a terrific place to pick up lore on the show, data about its cast and crew and a host of online articles and interviews.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—June 24, 2002
he X-Files is known for its inside jokes, most notably Chris Carter's propensity for scattering "1013" as cell, office and report numbers. But there are far more jokes than just a few dozen references to Carter's production company (and birthday), and the X-Files Inside Joke List chronicles them all.
Sections for each of the series' nine seasons detail hidden gems like characters named for friends, cast, crew and even family dogs. True fans might find their names listed in FBI reports, while those with a literary bent might be surprised at the number of references to Herman Melville's books. The total number of jokes chronicled—from homages to science-fiction authors to sly wordplays—numbers into the hundreds.
The episodes are only the beginning, though. The "He & She Said" section features common phrases by the series' leads, including Scully's classic "Mulder, it's me" and Mulder's (David Duchovny) various come-on lines to Scully. "X-Files Lists" tracks the number of times Fox dropped his gun, checked out porn or he and Scully traded hugs or kisses.
"Bathrooms" lists all of the grisly ways that series' victims have died while in the lavatory. "Outside-Inside Jokes" looks at the series from the outside, quoting references from other television series, comics, books and songs. As is the case throughout the site, the episode and season is given for each entry.
And finally, those curious about variations in The X-Files' signature "The Truth Is Out There" tagline or wondering what some of its more obscure episode titles mean will find complete rosters and explanations for both.
— Kenneth Newquist
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