Boom boom POW. Hey look, it’s a strip! It totally explains our long, drawn-out absence, I swear.
The 80’s certainly was an awesome time to grow up, filled with wonder and excitement. The decade, sometimes referred to as MJ B.C., Michael Jackson Before Crazy, really showed the extent of how pop culture can span an entire population, an era that birthed some of the most creative minds and franchises that the entertainment industry still depends on today. I feel sorry for you 90’s kids, what, with your internet and your Ace of Base. Those things never did anything for anyone.
I now draw your attention to the first panel of the strip. That, kids, is a screenshot taken from the Sega Genesis release of Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? You may recognize it as the nerdier, less popular younger sibling of the piece of software entirely responsible for your knowledge of geography, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Remember, it was the only thing worth going for at the school’s computer lab? Well, that and Oregon Trail. If you haven’t played Where in Time, it’s just like World, except it spans across history, and kind of hard by little kid standards (but probably not as hard as the obscure Where in Space is Carmen Sandiego?). Not only do you have to know the suspects’ hair and eye colors, but you are presented with opportunities to deduce their favorite authors and artists. Seriously, how many little kids would know who Fyodor Dostoyevsky is? If I was the only one, then they did a poor job of indoctrinating Crime and Punishment into us at my school district. Anyhoo, Time may have proved to be more of a challenge, but it was sorely lacking in its television gameshow adaptation.
This…
…ain’t got NOTHIN’ on THIS:
Rockapella was awesome, but for some reason I can’t find a short video of them singing the theme song on the original show anywhere. This stupid video is probably the closest thing:
And yes, I know it’s a 90’s show, and no it doesn’t make up for Ace of Base.
They need to revive this franchise in a big way. Right now, though, this is what you will find on PBS’s website:
That damn bitch is proving to be more elusive than previously thought.
Launch my Chronoskimmer to the 80’s, please.
~Race
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For the last couple of days, I’ve been up in the mountains to photograph a wedding, and I refused to leave without having made a snowman. I realized I was wearing two items that Parappa wears, the hat and sneakers, but everything else is found. He’s got acorn eyes, a rock nose and trashbag ears, hahaha. By the way, I had to shovel snow for the first time in my life, and I can now sympathize (a little teeny bit) with you cold-weather-dwellers. Kudos to you. Now get out, why the hell do you live there?! You can’t be like Parappa and be all, “You gotta believe! That you’re not dying of hypothermia!” Ugh. It’s good to be home.
~Race
Posted from my Superphone
Welcome! To those of you who have been with us before, welcome back! To the latter, you may notice that Level 99 has undergone a major makeover, and a complete content-management-system overhaul; consequently, old links will probably be broken, and I implore that you update our RSS feed in your bookmarks and aggregators. After a tough time with web servers and domain name changeovers, and moving the entire archive manually by myself, I hope that we will settle well, and hopefully for a long while, in our new home. We also invite you to overstay your welcome as much as you like. There’s plenty of food in the pantry, and our archives are somewhat extensive enough to keep you occupied for a while. Make yourselves at home…just, ya’ know, take off your shoes or my mom will yell at me.
To those of you who have been following us for a while, you guys are awesome, and I send you warm internet hugs. We’ve been around (on and off ) for 4 years now, and I want to be around longer. Level 99 has always been something I’ve loved doing, and I want to continue it, regardless if life or whatever else gets in the way every once in a while. In the mean time, the forums are upgraded and are open again. Thanks to UltraMagnus, who helped me migrate the forum while I was busy with the archives. Thanks again for all the support, and I hope to see you guys around. =)
~Race