Doctor Who'ing

It's been quite a while since I last posted. But I wanted to write down my thoughts as Beth, Wes (and now the adorable Pike) continue our Doctor Who marathon of the Classic Series. We finished "The Ark" and got through "The Celestial Toymaker".

Of the two, "The Ark" was enjoyed the most, while "The Celestial Toymaker" turned out to be a difficult story to get through. They liked the idea of the Doctor and his companions unwittingly bringing an illness (and its consequences) down on the space-ark. Wes commented on the early sci-fi trappings of aliens being referred to by numbers instead of names

"The Celestial Toymaker", for its part, was seen as a good idea executed badly. I've never understood why a certain portion of fandom holds this tale up as a classic, because--let's face it--the story isn't very good. I'd go so far as to say it's the weakest of an otherwise strong season. My friends praised the Toymaker for being an interesting character. We all agreed he needed a better outing.

Beth didn't like the inconsistency in which the companions--particularly Steven--were portrayed. She saw Dodo, who despite having an unfortunate name and appalling fashions, being the most sensible of the two. I've always liked Dodo, even if the majority of fandom doesn't. She's no Vicki, that's for sure. But I don't think she deserves any hate.

Wonder Woman: The Early Years

Being a Wonder Woman fan pretty much since day one, I can remember the Lowndes Middle School library having several of the early comics in plastic binders for reading. I spent many happy hours devouring them, and when I learned that DC had reissued the early adventures in omnibus format, I ordered myself a copy. As corny and as cheesy as these initial strip stories can be, they are a lot of fun. What struck me was how closely the pilot for the WW TV series starring Lynda Carter adhered to the original comic.

Of course there are some things that are risible. Including Diana changing places with a nurse who just happens to look like her and is named Diana Prince. Then there's the fact that she carries a small suitcase around with her WW costume in it for when she needs to change. Thank goodness for Lynda Carter coming up with the idea to spin around and become WW!

Being of its time (the 1940s) there's quite a bit of racism in these strips; Blacks are depicted in the minstrel style while Asians are referred to as "Japs." Women are not as independent as they could be. Even Diana finds herself constantly mooning over Steve Trevor, at one point even bursting into tears when he leaves the hospital and she thinks she'll never see him again. Get a hold of yourself; you're Wonder Woman for goodness' sake!

In hindsight WW's creator William Moulton Marston's predilections for kink are very evident in the stories. I lost count of how many times WW ended up in chains or tied up. There's even a housewife character whose husband chains her to a stove! Not to mention WW's allies - the girls of Holliday College - being shown hazing potential sorority members with paddles.

Putting the negatives aside, I really enjoyed diving into these stories and I found the book difficult to put down. Looking forward to getting the second volume!