Friday, January 7, 2011

Hulk's nemesis was Ahab

I was reading a Hulk comic book and came across a Moby Dick reference.

Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1 (February 2010)

The Thing of the Fantastic Four is delivering a eulogy for General Thunderbolt Ross, who was killed by the Red Hulk. The Thing says, "Like Ahab, the Hulk was Ross' white whale. S'okay, so, Reed [Mr. Fantastic of the Fantasic Four] wrote that 'Ahab' bit, but I'd bet my last nickel that if Ross were here, there's nothing I said that he wouldn't want said."

This is just in the middle of the comic book. Out of nowhere, this analogy comes up. There is not even a preface for it. Also note how The Thing said that the smart guy had to write the analogy. Not the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing, the "regular guy" on the Fantastic Four. The smart guy had to come up with it. The analogy is spot on, by the way, almost like it was originally conceived that way. I wonder if it was.

Just very interesting where these references come up and how they are used.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

It's a prime example

Yesterday while I was at the laundromat, washing and drying our comforters for the new year, I was perusing through a Family Circle magazine from November 2010. Trust me, it was the best choice of magazine they had there...

Anyway, it had one of those little articles that compare and showcase different types of the same product. This one showed different versions of the e-Reader or Kindle product. Some were showing readings of the daily variety--you know, download today's paper and such.

Two showed books. One showed To Kill a Mockingbird, the other showed Moby Dick.

I don't know who set up the shoot. Is Moby Dick really the book you want to push your product?

Granted, that's how I finally finished Moby Dick. I had it on my e-Reader from Sony. I don't know if I ever could have finished it in paper form.

I just find it fascinating that Moby Dick was chosen as one of the books to showcase the entire realm of fiction available to read.