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Dan Wallace

Dan Wallace


Last Updated: 11/25/2009

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Gender: Male
Status: In a Relationship
City: Minneapolis
State: MINNESOTA
Country: US
Signup Date: 12/2/2005

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Tuesday, December 22, 2009 
Did you think Avatar raised more bio- and science-based questions than the movie had space to answer? If so, there's quite a bit of background detail up now at Pandorapedia.com. 



The site is apparently set up to operate as a user-generated Wiki, but is also apparently an official extension of the 20th Century Fox marketing arm (the domain name is registered to 20th Century Fox). As of this writing, most of the info seems to be prepackaged "starter info" put up by the site's creators (most of it carries a last modified" date of December 8) and therefore I'm guessing it can be considered official lore.

If you're a loregeek like me, this stuff is catnip. Lots of questions are answered here, such as:

Q: What's "the company"? 

A: The Resources Development Administration (RDA) is the largest of the quasi-governmental administrative entities that have presumably all but taken over from traditional governments in the 22nd century. It started as a Silicon Valley garage startup in the early 21st century, so invest now.

Q: Why does Earth need unobtanium? 



A: For maglev trains, among other things:

Within a few decades, the company had the stature to propose the construction of a world-spanning rapid transit system that would allow entire population groups to conveniently commute hundreds or even thousands of miles to perform work where it was needed, without impinging on the cultural values of host populations. This led to the current global network of maglev trains that require the superconductor unobtanium for their continued operation.

Also, unobtanium is used to build and power the Alpha Centauri starships (whose only purpose is to get more unobtanium).

Q: How are conditions on Earth? 

A: Whales are extinct, according to a mention of the "Ocean Phoenix whale revival project" on this page. Also, only those with Alpha-level insurance can receive cloned organs (or, presumably, new legs). Plus there's all the maglev trains mentioned earlier.

Q: What's the extent of humanity's space colonization?

A: Colonies on the Moon and Mars are mentioned here, but Pandora is probably the only interstellar colony given the expense involved. (Pandora's Alpha Centauri is the closest star to our own at 4.4 light years.)

Q: Who invented the Avatar program? 


A: Amusingly it was an outgrowth of Dr. Cordell Lovecraft's "Dark Dreamer" project. (Dark Dreamer is sometimes used as a name forCthulu, who was created by writer H.P. Lovecraft. This is the only entry that makes me suspicious of fans beginning to mess with a site's early Wiki, but we'll see.) The first Avatar-like sensory bonding occurred between human twins, brain-wiped primates, and human-animal hybrids.

Q: How many avatars are there?

A: They've only made twenty (presumably that means twenty Na'vi avatars), but it's not clear how many remain. Only three are used in the movie, which seems kind of low.

Q: Why use avatars on Pandora? 

A: Says the site:

The Avatar Program was originally intended to create mine workers who did not need environmental protection systems and could eat Pandoran foodstuffs. But the cost of the mental link system remained too high for the numbers needed. Avatars are now used only for field work and, when the opportunity arises, to interact with the Na'vi, to study them and to study the Pandoran ecosystem.

Q: Why does Jake's avatar have five fingers?


A: I confess I didn't notice this until reading this passage from the site:

The cloned avatar has the body structure and physiology of a Pandoran native. However, adding the human genes necessary to create the mental linking ability to the avatar's genetic makeup altered the anatomy to the extent of producing five digits (different from the normal four on a Na'vi) on the hands and feet, and reducing the size of the eyeballs. The reason for this is not yet known.

Q: Isn't it convenient that the intelligent aliens look almost identical to humans with only a few cosmetic differences?

A: Yes, and Cameron has admitted as much, explaining he needed relatable aliens that could act and show emotions without turning off a reluctant audience. Note also that the Na'vi are the only creatures with four limbs instead of six, which makes little evolutionary sense. The site directs a nod toward this with this passage:

The existence of the Na'vi was the most surprising discovery on Pandora. For theoretical reasons, intelligent life was not expected to be found here. Given the known age of the galaxy and the relatively brief period since the evolution of man, it was assumed that any alien intelligence would be far older and more sophisticated than us, would have an advanced technological civilization and probably not be humanoid. Thus the discovery of jungle-dwelling neolithic humanoids was not anticipated.

Q: Where are the Na'vi on the civilization scale? 

A: All tribes across the moon are hunter-gatherers, but with "incipient agriculture, including brewing."

Q: What's up with the tail? 


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3:25 AM 
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Friday, December 11, 2009 
I'm a contributor to the epic (and epicly titled) 976-page George Lucas's Blockbusting: A Decade-by-Decade Survey of Timeless Movies Including Untold Secrets of Their Financial and Cultural Success.


The book covers 300 of the most successful movies of all time, looking at the concept, production, release, and reception of each one to find what makes a movie a blockbuster. George Lucas personally selected the 300 movies, which span the decades from Hobart Bosworth's The Sea Wolf(1913) to Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds (2005).

It took a lot of people to put this book together. I wrote the sections on the following films. They're all favorites of mine -- yes, even Batman Forever -- and it was illuminating to dive into each of these movies anew:
Richard Donner's Superman (1978)
Richard Lester and Richard Donner's Superman II (1980)
Steven Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Tim Burton's Batman (1989)
Kevin Reynold's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
Tim Burton's Batman Returns (1992)
Andrew Davis' The Fugitive (1993)
Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever (1995)
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (1999)
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 (2004)

The writers were recently invited to pick their Top 10 movies from the book, and here's my Top 10. I avoided the movies I wrote about (and also avoided some of my more obvious faves), but this is still a list of movies I will readily watch again and again.

George Lucas has friends in high places, and here's what a couple of guys named Howard and Scorsese are saying about Blockbusting:

"[Blockbusting] is a fantastic book for sophisticated movie lovers... I learned a hell of a lot from this book." --Ron Howard

"Fascinating and carefully documented... An invaluable historical tool." --Martin Scorsese

George Lucas's Blockbusting goes on sale January 5 from HarperCollins.
6:56 AM 
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Wednesday, December 09, 2009 
More updates and tie-ins for Star Wars: The Essential Atlas! The official site just launched the all-new article "The History of Xim and the Tion Cluster."


Written by Jason Fry with all-new maps by Modi, this is essentially a missing chapter of the Atlas. More than 25,000 years before the Star Wars movies, the pirate prince Xim the Despot conquered known space until squashed by the mercenaries of the Hutts at the Third Battle of Vontor. Check out the full article here.

This article is part of "Xim Week" on the official site, which also includes the online premiere of Mike Kogge's multi-part The Despotica. This hyperspace-only feature is a mind-blowing mix of short fiction, in-universe screenplays, and imaginary history that is hugely entertaining and well worth your Hyperspace dollars.

As always, all of the Atlas' online extras can be found atstarwars.com/atlas.
8:45 PM 
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009 
The official site has posted the latest extra for Star Wars: The Essential Atlas -- a updated appendix of known star systems.


The online appendix is the living mirror of the book's printed appendix and is now updated with new and missing information. Many of these additions, including Veccacopia, Shawti, Dandelo, and Crakull, were pointed out by readers who contacted us at essential.atlas@gmail.com. Others are new creations that have arisen since the Atlas was sent to press.

As a fan I used to complain when authors would create all-new planets instead of picking one of the thousands of pre-existing worlds that would have worked just as well. Ironically I'm now one of the worst offenders in this department. Many items on the list below, including Hydra, Waymancy, Slession, Kwapi, Vagar Praxut, and the Oolex Pulsar, come from stuff I've recently completed for Wizards of the Coast. (Weakness: I like creating nonsense words that resemble real words.)

Here's a full list of the new additions: 

Abrihom, Anduvia, Ankori, Arthon
Begali, Bettok, Blair Cluster, Borga, Brachi, Bresallis
Calast, Canoliss, Cataalda, Chuzalla (site of the lawless city of Zallakesh), Crakull
D'Anjon Nebula, Dandelo, Din Nebula
Echani, Elliirad, Esyvam
Fallowan
Golh, Graador
Hydra
Juma
Khorm, Kishpaugh, Kur Minor, Kwapi
Leafar, Lessuris, Londori, Luxiar
Maill, Monic
Nam Priax, Nath Goordi
Oben, Oolex Pulsar, Ord Dycoll, Orocco
Pleida
Quilken
Raltac, Reega, Refgar, Rim, Ryborea, Rychel
Shawti, Sintheti, Slession, Spee, Stribos, Sumarin
Tabiid, Taborin, Talcim Cluster, Telkadis, TerraAsta, Tortali
Udnil, UR-1060, UR-2650, UR-3741, UR-8827, UR-9353, Urun
Vagar Praxut, Varlinaar, Veccacopia, Vosteltig
Waymancy, Werta, Wranag
Xantar
Ychthyton
Zircon, Zissh, Zuggit

As always, new online updates for the Atlas can always be found atstarwars.com/atlas.
8:18 PM 
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Monday, November 16, 2009 
From this vintage Mattel ad, a pocket knife that transforms into a cap pistol! Yeah, just try bringing that to school, Agent Zero M.


Also note that the movie camera transforms into a machine gun. For pity's sake, even the "secret message set" includes a blowgun!

Also in the same issue -- a PSA (public service announcement) advertisement hilariously titled "Get Hip to Old Folks," in which a generational breakthrough occurs due to an elderly man's intimate and detailed knowledge of horrific bird-on-bird violence.


(Both ads from Green Lantern #47, September 1966.)
3:30 PM 
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Friday, November 13, 2009 
Had a great time participating in a post-performance discussion with playwright Dominic Orlando for "The Sense of What Should Be"!


Strong performances all around in this stage play centered on a teenager who wants to remake his world through the prism of comic books, particularly from Dylan Frederick (a high-school senior!) who plays protagonist Adam. The script deftly mixes humor, philosophy, social commentary, and action.

Post-show, Dominic and I fielded audience questions about the play's themes, the role of comics in culture, and whether Superman is Jesus. I also met Star Wars fan & creator Ki-Aaron-Mundi!

A video interview with Dominic, including rehearsal footage from the show, can be seen at 3 Minute Egg.

The show is running through November 21 at the Playwrights' Center, so if you're in the Twin Cities catch it before it's gone!
6:50 AM 
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Monday, November 09, 2009 
Thursday November 12 I'll be appearing at Minneapolis' Playwrights' Center to participate in a post-show talkback following a performance of "The Sense of What Should Be."


The latest show from Minneapolis' Workhaus Collective has a comic-booky premise: small-town high school student Adam Parker believes that comics can provide him with a step-by-step guide to the acquisition of power, including winning the heart of the most popular girl in school. His scheme begins with the blackmail of corrupt politicians and ends with an apocalyptic showdown at a hydroelectric dam worthy of a true supervillain. The show is getting rave reviews.

Says playwright Dominic Orlando: "It seems like many of the things I thought I'd left behind as a child - like comic books - have somehow taken over the culture. 'The Sense of What Should Be' is about what happens when comics and pop culture are valued as much as, maybe more than, the Bhagavad Gita and the Bible."

Both Dominic and I will be running a post-performance talkback on Thursday, discussing the themes of the play and how pop culture influences all culture.

You can check this page for more information about "The Sense of What Should Be" and all remaining performance dates in November.

For more information about the Playwrights' Center including street address, visit their site here.

11:43 PM 
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Friday, October 23, 2009 
Superfluous dialogue balloon:


This particular offender is the textual equivalent of those parachutes that popped open every time G.I. Joe shot down a Cobra Rattler.

Bonus feature: do you ever despair that humanity is getting dumber after reading a YouTube comment thread? As Will Shakespeare would say, 'twas ever thus:


(Panel is from Showcase #24, February 1960, letter is from Green Lantern vol. 2 #1, August 1960.)

4:50 AM 
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Saturday, October 10, 2009 
Star Wars: The Essential Atlas tells some stories through maps, but that means some connections aren't entirely clear. Here's a list of continuity bits that weren't formally stated in the text.


Because all of these have been run by the folks at Lucasfilm, they can be considered part of official continuity!

Antipose is Raskar's world from the old Archie Goodwin-penned newspaper strips.

Cranan is the system where Han fought off pirates who attacked Jabba's ship (as told on p. 100 of The Hutt Gambit.

Entuur is the site of Han and Chewie's military-script scam, referenced on p. 3 of Han Solo and the Lost Legacy.

Feenix is the system where Han and Xaverri bilked a moff's assistant, as noted in The Hutt Gambit, p. 170.

Forscan is the site of Han and Chewie's clothes-legging scam, also fromLost Legacy.

The Galaxy Gun, from Dark Empire II, also targeted Hirsi andKrinemonen.

Hoszh Iszhir, the Gektl homeworld, is in the Gekto system.
Gar-Oth's attendants in Republic #27 are Jilruans.

Keskin is the site of the battle involving Tank in Dark Horse's Rebellion: My Brother, My Enemy. If you don't remember the one we mean, surely you remember the amazing visuals of the TIE bomber crash?

Revyia is the site of the meeting Han recalls on p. 2 of Children of the Jedi.

Sarlucif is the base used by Doc's outlaw-techs in Han Solo at Stars' End.

Syngia is the site of Han's blowout party, remembered on p. 222 ofRebel Dawn.

The Tascallon Nebula is the nebula discovered by paying careful attention to the bas-relief in "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rodian," from the Living Force series of RPGA adventures.

More to come soon! If you have questions about the Essential Atlas, think you've spotted an error, or just have a comment for Jason and I, please write to us at essential.atlas@gmail.com.
12:10 AM 
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Friday, October 09, 2009 
This Saturday I'll be at Gaylaxicon 2009, the "international Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Convention for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered people and their friends."


The con runs from 10/9-10/11. On Saturday at 11:00 PM (late!) I'll be on a panel discussing GLBT characters in comics. Hey, the industry's come a long way on the journey from Northstar to Batwoman. Or has it?

Here's the details, and the full con schedule can be seen here:

Saturday 11:00 PM
CY2
State of GLBT Characters in Comics
A look at GLBT inclusion and representation in mainstream and independent super-hero comics and novels such as Perry Moore's Hero.
M. Nicholas Almand, Terrance Griep, Andy Mangels, Mike Penick, Dan Wallace

Guests include Margaret Weis, Terrance Griep, and Andy Mangels (the writer of what I still maintain is the best Boba Fett story of all time). Can't wait!
3:06 AM 
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