Site of the Week -- Jan. 25, 1999
hen Star Wars was first released 20 odd years ago, it wasn't just the movie that amazed kids, it was the toys. The tiny Luke Skywalkers and Millennium Falcons took the world by storm as much as the film did, and the upcoming Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace will likely be no different. The movie promises to make gigantic strides in toy technology, and The Fandom Menace site is committed to covering every step.
The site's featured toys include Darth Maul (the alien with the two-handed lightsaber in the trailer), the "old" C3PO, young Anakin Skywalker and a Naboo fighter. There are shots of each toy both inside and outside of its packaging, and the site also includes a handful of features that complement these images, such as .WAV files of the Naboo fighter firing its weapons and doing flybys.
But The Fandom Menace does have a dark side. Diehard fans who refuse to even think about the prequel before seeing it in theaters probably shouldn't visit here--the sneak peeks show creatures, villains and vehicles that have only been hinted at in the movie trailer.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- Jan. 18, 1999
ill Robinson wishes he had it so good. Instead of just one robot, the Robots Web site has nearly a hundred bots intent on taking over the world, or at least the local toy store. Conky is a small plastic wind-up robot that rose to fame in the 1980s with Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Sparky is a spark-shooting metallic wonder from 1950s-era Japan. Electric Robot and Son comes with a proud father and a baby robot in diapers.
But don't go looking for R2-D2 or any of his modern pals on this site. The nearly 100 inhabitants of Robots follow the classic design standard that dictates that bulky is good, but clunky is better. The site's monthly reviews include a brief description of a featured bot, as well as pictures and, if available, related Web links. While the robots on the site might not be as snazzy-looking as their latter-day counterparts, they've got a nostalgic feel that makes Robots worth a visit.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- Jan. 11, 1999
here's something odd about the town of Billingdon. There's a "long man" carved into the side of a hill, a couple of guys are pirating satellite television from around the world, and Ken is running about in a Viking helm, muttering prophetic warnings. The Giant Steps Web site chronicles these and other fictional oddities as it follows in the footsteps of the British radio classic The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
The site is made up of Real Audio episodes that tell the story of entrepreneurs Gary and Tim as they make bootleg satellite TV videotapes. Meanwhile the space station Zeus suffers a mishap, and its owners determine the cause originated in the boys' hometown. From there, things get weirder. Augmenting the site's audio clips are image maps that provide highlights and memorable quotes from the episodes. This site's a great stop for fans of British science fiction, as well as anyone else looking for a good laugh.
-- Kenneth Newquist
