Redartz: Hello, everyone! It's another opportunity to "chew the fat" here at BitBA. And for our discussion today, we owe thanks to our pal Colin Bray! Colin recently commented via email that while moving some comics, he wished he had "invested in short boxes rather than long boxes". He then stated his impression that this thought was "such a sign of (his) age", and wondered how others among us might be showing our Bronze age. And so, our question:" You know you're a Bronze Ager when...". Have you had any thoughts or experiences that make you stop and think "well, that dates me a bit". Perhaps your kids or spouse recognize your Bronze age origins showing and give you a friendly nudge, wink or sideways look. Mine do...
For instance, I show my "Bronze age" at the movies, when I'm barraging my wife with minutiae about the Easter eggs in the latest Marvel film offering. "That sign read Milgrom, he was a writer/ artist!" "Ooooh, that's Mantis, she first appeared in Avengers!" " Hey, you see that? That's an Infinity Stone. Thanos is after those!" You get the idea. And to be fair, my wife is a great sport about it, and actually seems to enjoy being told all the background data about whatever she just watched.
She also recognizes my "Bronze age" whenever I take the wheel of her car. She has Sirius satellite radio (my old wheels have the old fashioned broadcast radio), and the driver always gets to choose the station. It's usually the 70's station or the 80's station. Ah well, it's the music of my youth. I can't help it...
So what about the rest of you? How do you all "show your Bronze Age"?
18 comments:
I definitely show my Bronze Age in my music and movie tastes. I have many films that are standbys -- I'll catch a few minutes of them if I run across them on the TV. And like Redartz, my music listening tends to stay in the "classic rock", 70s, and 80s eras. I am sure that life has passed me by. But I really don't care. I like what I like and that's fine by me.
And of course I am definitely stuck in the Silver and Bronze Ages for comics, with only the occasional venture forward. But you knew that...
Doug
I think that I show my (now gray) roots when I watch the new films and find myself disagreeing with a character's construction based on what they originally were in the Bronze Age books. For example, Iron Man. I understand that the Tony Stark can't have had his experience in Vietnam, and so Afghanistan is probably the best choice. But I do disagree with portraying that experience as the cause for his renouncing weapons production so suddenly and completely in the film because I think the books did a better job by relating that he actually doesn't do that. Rather he continues to manufacture weapons for SHIELD for some time, and that seems consistent with his understanding that the right piece of technology in the wrong hands can be a very dangerous thing. (Probably why he appeals so strongly to a post-9/11 generation). The Bronze Age depiction of his answer to this problem, inventing better weapons technology and building a better, more consciously moral self to wield it, seems much more in keeping with his character than a wholesale eschewing of weapons manufacture.
My girlfriend is really patient when I start talking like this...
Also, I really love Doug's comment, "I am sure that life has passed me by. But I really don't care." Sounds like a really great song lyric!
As a sort of oblique example, I will point out that Sirius/XM FINALLY was able to launch a dedicated Beatles channel at 9:09 this morning-- and that I hung around the shop for a few extra minutes just to hear it start-- and that I may never change the channel again. . .
I know that they are absolutely contemporaneous with the Silver Age. . . but I came to 'em in earnest around '73 or '74-- so in my mind's "ear" they are a HUGE part of my Bronze Age soundtrack. Heh. . .
HB
HB -
I have been looking forward all day to my drive home and listening to that very station.
Doug
Ha! That’s a good question!
I let everyone know I read the comic book before seeing the movie!
Still walk through the (vanishing) toy aisle, at department stores.
Still stop at magazine stands, to take a glance.
Have no problem with movies and TV in black and white. No color required.
Still work out, jog, etc. without headphones. Still play the radio, not having a desire to wrap myself in a cocoon of me.
I guess I'm a lot like Doug ... my tastes tend to skew toward the familiar, though I do try to check out newer music from time to time just so I don't feel like a total dinosaur.
I do tend to make "old-fashioned" references at times, to older movies or shows that anyone my age or older gets, but which are completely foreign to younger people.
Agreeing with both Doug and HB here..., Doug's refrain sounds like a 'theme' for this page gentlemen. Either that or, 'When Adulthood takes a nap...'
And yes as most of you know, 1973/1974 was my heyday in comic collecting, so it's primarily either mix CD's I have for long drives or my 'library' at home with all the GI Joes and the 7-8 shortboxes, plus.. of course..., my work cube which I took a few of you on a tour of last year.
You know you're a Bronze Ager when you had Sweet's 'Fox On The Run' on your iPod BEFORE it was used in the Guardians 2 trailer. I also have a live bootleg version of the song on my iPod.
Also, when someone is talking about bands and mentions "The Cult" I sometimes have to ask if their talking about "The Cult" fronted by Ian Astbury or Blue Oyster Cult!
Solid Blue Oyster Cult reference, JA.
Which immediately makes me think of "more cowbell".
Doug
"...when you pretty much agree with all of the above."
I was also looking for to the new Sirius Beatles channel, although I'm not sure why. The wife's newer car has XM. Mine has a radio that I typically keep tuned to an oldies station which suits me just fine.
And I really don't care for much music or comics that came out after about 1980.
"I am sure that life has passed me by. But I really don't care." Definitely could be song lyrics. Or the subtitle of this blog. :-)
Tom
That should be "forward" to the new Sirius Beatles channel.
Tom again
Thanks for chiming in today, guys!
Doug, HB and Tom- you are all right on target looking for the Beatles Channel. I got to hear it for a few this evening when taking my wife's car to pick up supper. Liked it already.
Charlie- great comments; your 'activities' seem quite reasonable, and very familiar. Except I do play my Iphone while walking, usually enjoying a very eclectic mix.
Mike W.- it seems many of us share pretty similar music tastes. It's admirable to keep an ear open for decent newer music. I try to as well, but if you were to check the 'bell curve', my listening would fall mostly from 60's through the 80's.
When the hot chicks you grew up with now have cooking shows...
(Little ditty about Jack and Diane
Two American kids growin' up in the heartland
Jackie gonna be a football star
Diane debutante backseat of Jackie's car
Suckin' on chili dogs outside the tastee freeze
Diane's sittin' on Jackie's lap
He's got his hand between her knees
Jackie say, hey, Diane
Let's run off behind a shady trees
Dribble off those Bobby Brooks
Let me do what I please
Say a
Oh yeah, life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Say a
Oh yeah, life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
They walk on
Jackie sits back
Reflects his thoughts for the moment
Scratches his head
And does his best James Dean
Well you know, Diane
We oughta run off to the city
Diane says, baby
You ain't missin' nuth-in
Jackie, say-a
Oh yeah, life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Oh yeah, I say, life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Gonna let it rock
Let it roll
Let the Bible Belt come
And save my soul
Hold on to sixteen as long as you can
Changes come around real soon
Make us women and men
Oh yeah, life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Oh yeah, I say, life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin' is gone
Little ditty about Jack and Diane
Two American kids done the best they can).
PS: Computer taunt of the day:
My algorithm can out compute your algorithm...
I mostly show my Bronze age when, on a daily basis, I quote lines from old movies like "Enter The Dragon", "Superman 1 & 2", "The Wrath of Khan", and the original Star Wars and Indiana Jones trilogies, etc.
"Mr. Han, suddenly I'd like to leave your island." "Kneel before Zod!" "Lex Luthor, why do you say such things when you know I will kill you for it?" "I have been, and ever shall be… your friend." "All too easy." "I'm not afraid." "You will be. Yooou will be." "He chose… poorly."
Also when I complain about modern comic writing and art. (I miss the black inks and bright colors). I also think that today's music all pretty much all sounds like the same over-produced garbage, and I think there is too much CGI in movies.
"Hey you kids, get off my lawn!!"
Tom, totally agreed with you about any music or comics after 1981, exceptions are rare.
Give me the Silver and early Bronze, both music and literature any day. :)
I have found everybody’s comments on music particularly interesting …
Because …
… there are just some songs that rank as ‘classic rock’ that make me insane nowadays.
I feel like these songs and bands were played into the ground in 70s-80s (for instance, Led Zep, some Stones, some Beatles, Tom Petty … Pink Floyd — though I’m huge PF fan but if I hear ‘Money’ one more time I’m going to go postal… ) and I am more than willing to listen to something new… as long as the new music is intelligent and well made.
You know you're a Bronze Ager when ...
... a fan mentions Captain America and you immediately think of the comic book character co-created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, NOT the MCU movie version played by Chris Evans!
... you chuckle loudly when you see the 'Milgrom hotel' in the Ant-man movie and know who they're referencing!
... you think Gal Gadot is cool but you still harbor a secret crush on Lynda Carter!
- Mike 'books before movies' from Trinidad & Tobago.
I show my Bronze Ageness when I still think of Radiohead as "new" over 20 years since their first big hit, or when talking about the latest Guardians of the Galaxy film I can't help but mention the original members and how different Yondu and Mantis are from the characters introduced in comics I read when they were new over 40 years ago. When it comes to the radio, these days I mostly listen to NPR or cds and occasionally even cassettes or vinyl. Every so often, on one of NPR's music programs, I'll hear new music by an artist I'd never heard of before that really piques my interest, but otherwise I'm pretty clueless when it comes to new music of the last 20 or so years. At trivia games, which I've been taking part in once or twice a week for several years now, I'm usually the music expert when it comes to classic rock of the '60s to early '90s, but not so much for most music after that.
I stopped listening to commercial stations mostly because I got fed up with commercials but also because, IMO, the corporate hogs dominating the airwaves have driven out most DJs who had the freedom and taste to play a wide variety of music, including deep cuts or great songs that just didn't become big hits, and too much of what's played now is either drivel I can't stand or songs I like but have heard far too many times.
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