Voltron Merchandise

Inspired by this link, Tom came up with two great ideas that could lead into a giant merchandising campaign all centered around a rather underrated 80's cartoon, Voltron.

Idea #1: Big puffy slippers (adult-sized) in the form of the Blue and Yellow Voltron Lions. They have other cartoon characters and sports team slippers, but none fits so perfectly with footwear as the Lions that formed the feet of Voltron!

Idea #2: An outfit for a baby/toddler that includes pants that look like the Yellow and Blue lions and a hoodie with the red and green lions for sleeves (complete with lion mouth cuffs) and the Black lion as the head/hood. Dads who grew up watching Voltron would choose this over the "Grandma Spoils Me" shirt every time.

Google "Voltron Clothes" and you'll see how little there is out there (just a few shirts). Definitely nothing this sweet...

Great idea Tom!

Wooka- The Wookie Wash Service

Wookies wash stuff! Your car, your windows, the side of your building.

OK. Now seriously, you have a business where Wookies (or people dressed up as Wookies if you aren't lucky enough to find a real Wookie) go around and wash your car, your house, or your dog. Imagine the fun you could have at a fundraiser. Star Wars fans would line up around the block for this!

We've used our awesome skills to mock up what it might look like:


I'd totally stop at a car wash run by Wookies instead of a bunch of dumb cheerleaders.

Gamma Bomb

Credit for the creation of this idea goes to Tom and Brother Dan. I'll let Tom edit the post and fill in the details of its creation. All I can say is I tested this creation in it's weaker form and it's awesome.

This recipe, when concocted properly, creates an awesome green hue reminiscent of the Incredible Hulk. It's name is derived from the Marvel vs. Capcom video game. The Incredible Hulk's Special/Finishing Move was the Gamma Bomb. He would leap off screen and come back down with a giant boulder which he used to crush his foe. It was unstoppable and knocked you on your ass.

After having a few on Saturday night, I can say that the drink mimics the move (and I had the light version using Vodka). The best evidence of this drink's awesomeness came the morning after our testing sessions when my wife said "Ugh, I can still taste Gamma Bomb in my mouth" Combined with the fact that no one wanted orange juice the next morning means this idea gets an A+


The Gamma Bomb
Add 1 shot Grain Alcohol (where unavailable, Vodka will do) over orange juice and ice. Add just a splash of Blue Curacao and mix. (Perfect Hulk Green! - Tom)

Handle with Caution! Best advice is to use this drink between other, easier to handle, drinks and not to have seven or eight in a row, especially if you are using the grain alcohol. Or the next morning you may find yourself angry... and we wouldn't like you when you're angry.

It is all in the name...

Based on this article...

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6533169.stm

I proposed to the guys that we get into some space real estate. And what better place to buy than the planet Uranus. While it may seem juvenile, what planet could we better market? I mean Saturn has rings, Jupiter is big, and Mercury is a great place to get a tan, but Uranus...its in the name. So after that we talked about what we could put on bumper stickers. And here are some of our ideas...

"Welcome to Uranus"
"You Don't Know the Sun From Uranus"
"Cheer Up. Even the Sun shines on Uranus sometimes"
"Nothing is more famous than the ring around Uranus"
"You won't believe the gas on Uranus"

If you'd like a bumper sticker, let us know. We'll design it and get it to you.

MASK The Movie

It is high time that I write about one of my favorite cartoons growing up. While Transformers, GI Joe, and He-Man hit more of a mass popularity, MASK was always one of my most beloved cartoons growing up. With CGI and good actors, I think this could make a fabulous movie. You have MASK vs. VENOM and vehicles that transform. That is awesome.

I think the story should be that of an origin story. While the story can be deemed somewhat prototypical (is that a word?), you have a team set out to do good until one of their own wants more power and creates a team of adversaries for the "good" team. In this case, Miles Mayhem is part of MASK until he turns face, steals some masks, and starts his own criminal organization called VENOM. I think its always cool in the movie when each team recruits their own members and then you see this team put together. So while MASK is somewhat intact, I would like to see Miles put together a VENOM team in order to compete with MASK. After the formation of the teams VENOM gets word of something and tries to steal it. I know that is really, really descriptive but I am just trying to outline things here.

Now, the tricky thing would be deciding on who to have in the movie and who to cast. Here is my list so far. Now, I know I can't have everyone but hey...that is what sequels are for. I am trying to think of a cast...and that is what comments are for.

MASK
Matt Trakker - Thunderhawk
Scott Trakker
T-Bob
Bruce Sato - Rhino
Alex Sector - Rhino
Gloria Baker - Shark
Brad Turner - Condor
Hondo McLean - Fire Cracker
Julio Lopez - Firefly

VENOM
Miles Mayhem - Switchblade
Sly Rax - Piranha
Vanessa Warfield - Manta
Bruno Shepard - Stinger
Nash Gorey - Outlaw
Lester Sludge - Iguana
Floyd Malloy - Vampire

So what do you think...do I smell a movie deal?

Retro T-Shirt Website

Ok, this probably isn't that tough to do and the three of us could possibly pull this off somewhat easily. BUT... we need to do a retro T-shirt site ala www.80stees.com and www.nerdyshirts.com.

We could do things like the shirts I've made:
- Porkins is my Co-Pilot
- Rush Alpha Beta
- "Bloodbath" (Flair vs. Dusty)
- Van Halen Memorial Day 1983

Plus all kinds of others. We can all come up with them and I'll do the graphic work. How do we set up a back end e-commerce site and get an on-demand printing vendor?

Great Ideas That We'll Come Up With Later...

Hey Everyone! Steve here...

Well, we have a lot of great ideas we'll be explaining more in the upcoming weeks. For now though, here is something from the 'we should have thought of this first' file...pretty cool.

http://www.uncrate.com/men/gear/outdoor/mentos-geyser-tube-010482.php

BSBA: The Movie

The story of a bunch of jabronies sitting around, doing crossword puzzles, and practicing wrestling moves starring David Lawrence.

The Cast:
Tiger: Jack Black
Beth Lodderhose: Lauren Graham
Pat Nierle: Jimmy Kimmell
Rob Will: Steve Carell
Paul Bonnett: David Schwimmer
Belinda McNamara: Claire Danes
Geoff Shoemer: Anthony Edwards
Tom Kirby: Adam Sandler
Steve Bauer: John Cusak
Joel Thurston: Will Freidle
Ken Shamus: Alan Ruck (circa 1986)
Janice Raybuck: Andrea Barber (the girl who played Kimmy Gibbler)
Andy Garrison:Ricky Schroeder or Jeremy London
Kelly Batts: Mekhi Pfifer or Farnsworth Bentley or Andre 3000
Heather Razzi: Joan Cusak
Danielle Desimone: Eliza Dushku or Christina Applegate
Mike Butkovic: Judge Reinhold or Bob Saget
Keith McMellen: Chevy Chase
Phil Santos: Horatio Sanz
Erin Horswood: Lisa Kudrow (more so in the Phoebe character) or Allison Hannigan
Justin Sweeney: Breckin Meyer
Justin Kuzma: Dave Coulier
Adam Rahn: Sly Stallone or that guy who plays "Turtle" on Entourage
G:Money: Redd Foxx

Our Comic Book Shop

I know we wanted to lease the Beehive - but I'm nervous that while the physical building is awesome, and you know I love Oakland, I just don't think the overall location is right. What with Phantom over on Craig. But that store kind of sucks. I forget where we said we'd put the thing though. I know there's not much in the North Hills - except Duncan out on Perry. But near where I grew up, there's really nothing, and in Aspinwall, the closest store was probably Phantom on Craig, believe it or not.

Don't know if we should sell roleplaying games or not. There's some money in that, but I'm completely confused by that world.

We'd totally rock though as comic store clerks.

- Tom

GI Joe in College Movie

So I don't remember the exact details that we came up with, but I fill some new ones in for good time. The story is basically the origins of COBRA which start when Cobra Commander (real name Ronald Johnson) gets rejected from the cool fraternity on campus, Gamma Iota, and decides to start his own house with his roommate Steve Destronowski. They form Gamma Omicron, whose Greek letters look this

C O

At their first party, some freshmen show up, pay their $3 and find out they are the only ones there, except for one goth chick who was hanging out.
"What kind of lame house is this?" one of the freshmen asked. Destronowski replied, "This is CO, Brah!" and the name stuck.

The movie then explores the deep-seeded hatred of Cobra Commander for the Gamma Iota "Joes".

Honestly, I feel like the original version of the story was better, but it could be worse. Ok, no it couldn't. But anyone who has seen the SNL sketch with Jesus, the Apostle Paul, and their buddy Barry might find this amusing.

A Beer and Wing Machine

I can't take sole ownership of this idea but all great ideas are usually a product of the environment around us. So while cruising these tubes we call the internets, I came across an article for a vending machine that would vend a pizza. I thought it was a pretty brilliant idea, though I think the Pizza will come out a little less than stellar. But then Ken brought up the idea of putting a beer machine right next to the pizza machine. Brilliant I thought...

There was something missing though.

What else could it be but wings? Everyone is familiar with a coffee machine. You know, the cup comes down and fills up with a coffee, tea, or hot chocolate of your choice. Well, I think wings would be a great natural extention of that idea. The bucket comes down and fills up with your choice of 3, 6, 9, or 12 wings. You could pick buffalo, bbq, spicy, or ranch. And this is just a start. Think about how HUGE these could be in places where guys bring their ladies too. Say your lady wants to go to the mall and you are starving. You don't want the typical chicken that they try to pass off at the Japanese, Chinese, Cajun, and Indian places. You want some wings dammit. Problem solved! And while she's trying on clothes at the Limited, you are sitting on the bench outside of the dressing rooms chomping on some wings. Think about how every trip could be enhanced...the grocery store, Target, Home Depot, etc.

Too bad we didn't major in engineering...

Worst Script Ever

***Just getting the topics generated***

The Lando Movie

There were two basic ideas to this idea. And to be clear, it could either be a movie or a TV series. Either way it's awesome.

Option A- The time is after Return of the Jedi and follows Lando across the galaxy on his many adventures. Like James Bond, there's always a new female companion and Lando is getting into trouble with his smoothness. We can also watch him exorcise her personal demons that still remain from when he betrayed his friends.

Option B- The time is well before Star Wars and follows Lando on his early exploits as a scoundrel. Obvious opportunities here for a Han and Chewie cameo and the story of the Millenium Falcon. You could do an entire season on Lando losing the Falcon or on his adventures in acquiring the Tibanna Gas mines.

Lando is a likeable character that was never deeply explored in the Star Wars movies so there's lot of room for creating a fresh story that people will enjoy. And of course, you could always get Colt 45 to sponsor the show.

Lando's not a system, he's a verb...

We're working on developing a new IT application for our product development department. When we first started we were told that the user interface would be custom-designed and very intuitive. There is even an entire department here that specializes in user interface design and
best designs, etc.

We started working with these people and they were coming up with great ideas and we had these really cool screens designed. Then, the manager of our systems group who is in charge of the funding swoops in and says "that's great, but the new screens you develop need to fit into some generic templates that we've already had built." No big deal, we can work with that. Then every day after that we would come in with an idea on the screen, they would say "No, the template won't support that." So what started as "anything you want" has become "here's what your screens will look like, we don't care what you think the actual users will want to
see"

We have dubbed it "being Landoed" as in:
"You said they would be left here under my protection…"
"I am altering the deal, pray I don't alter it any further…"

Superhero Football Video Game

Certainly not our first idea, but the first one we're posting:

Premise: A sports video game, presumably football, where the teams are made up of Superheroes.

A "Blitz-"style interface where each player chooses a group of five superheroes to play football. Most plays are normal, but every once in a while you can use that characters super power to perform an awesome move. Use Juggernaut to blast through the offensive line, or Nightcrawler to teleport right to the end zone. Could also work for basketball.

You'd have to build up power-usage ability - like "momentum" on Madden or NCAA. That way, Nightcrawler can't 'bamf' into the endzone on every play.

(It's weird - I am liking DC so much better these days, but I completely see this game being Marvel based. So much fun. - Tom)

Why haven't we started trying to figure out the starting lineups!?

Oh you didn't know...

...your ass better call somebody!!!

For those of you wondering what the hell this is:

We're college friends who spent a lot of time in school sitting around doing crossword puzzles or throwing out random ideas that usually started with a phrase along the lines of "You know what would be cool..."

Since college, we've all spread across the country and now continue our banter oiver e-mail throughout the day. Usually our e-mails are about random ideas we have that we think through to a point and then shelf by the next day.

This blog is one of our ideas. It's an idea-catching space for us to throw our ideas on. If you like an idea, you're welcome for the entertainment, just don't steal it. If you don't like an idea, I got two words for ya...


Suck It!!