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Five Things – 11.24.14

Nov 24, 2014 ·

1.  Jack and Jill Magazine Covers –  Jack and Jill is a kids’ magazine that started its run in 1938 and is still in publication. Think Highlights with less Goofus and Gallant and more of an outside-the-doctor’s-office circulation.  It was created by the same family behind Country Gentleman, and maybe that explains why I can’t get enough of Jack and Jill‘s covers either.  The more recent covers aren’t much to write home about but it’s interesting to see how the covers of the past reflected the design sensibilities of the day. Here’s a batch from the ’60s that I’m tempted to print out and frame and/or live in:

1967

Halloween

November 1967

November 1966

“My Father is a Personnel Consultant” – riveting!

1966A preview for the Grinch! Amazing.

2.  The Big Bounce: Project Echo – Who knew a boring documentary about satellites could be so interesting 40 years later? The idea of this film being produced at the cusp of the global communications revolution and all of the development that took place after this film being just a glimmer of an idea to these people makes the flat-toned sixties enthusiasm of the whole thing really charming.  Throw in the fonts and the play-acting and the graphics and the color treatments and you’ve got quite the stew going.

 

3.  Dig Dug 2 – The original Dig Dug might have been a hit all by itself but in typical ’80s fashion the creators took a look at their setup and asked “what if it happened on a tropical vacation?”

Dig Dug 2

Dang, looks like Dig Dug just can’t catch a break, even on vacation! The graphic enhancements between this and the original Dig Dug are pretty impressive for the time.  There’s less actual digging in this one and more full-blown terraforming; in addition to destroying enemies with the  air pump, Dig Dug can remove full portions of the island and by doing so sink his enemies into the sea.  Apparently the threat these guys pose is large enough that this sort of action is justified.

Here’s some gameplay from the arcade version.  The NES port is a bit cruder but still impressive!

 

4.  B.C.: The First Thanksgiving – Remember when the kind-of-popular B.C comic strip had a cartoon Thanksgiving special in 1973? Me either!

I do remember the old video game, B.C.’s Quest for Tires. I should look into that one.

 

5.  MST3K Best Brains 1996 Tour – In honor of Mystery Science Theater 3000’s Turkey Day this week, here’s a 1996 videotaped tour through Best Brain’s Headquarters.

The fan art on the walls is pretty great.  Nice cameo by the Interociter!

 

-ds

 

1960s, 1990s, design, Five Things, mst3k, Nintendo, video games documentaries, ephemera

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