12th Feb: A new policy is being put in place for TRS threads: Make your case that the name/page is broken in the Opening Post, or the thread will be nuked immediately. See Everything You Wanted To Know About Changing Names for what "Make your case" means.
5th Feb: Echo Chamber Season 1 blooper reel on Youtube here
Calvin and Hobbes is funny and enjoyable for a kid. Coming back to it as an adult just makes it more impressive; it not only works on several levels; it works wonderfully on each of them.
Seconded- absolutely. This troper was a follower from the time she was about Calvin's age. In fact, it really spawned her interest in at least half a dozen other long-running strips.
This "elderly" troper, who discovered the series as an adult, recommends it heartily, enthusiastically, and repeatedly. Best. Comic. Ever.
The strip is timeless and universal. It has something for everyone.
I have to say that yes, this is probably one of the few newspaper comics that I seriously loved. It's a beautiful trip into a child's imagination, and it brings about a wonderful rush of nostalgia every single time I read it. I really do love this comic. It's beloved by many for a reason.
Calvin and Hobbes is one of the few comic strips of which I know that doesn't just use cheap gags, Author Tract, or Getting Crap Past the Radar. Not only does it have well-thought-out humor that also inspires the reader to consider his or her life more deeply, but it's beautifully drawn, too.
I don't care what anyone else says, For Better or for Worse always makes me smile. It's not perfect but that's not the point. It's just a little collection of all the moments in life that are funny and nostalgic.
Get Fuzzy is Garfield, but actually good. It has the same hapless owner/stupid dog/sociopathic cat setup, but it packs so much humor in that any single panel is clever enough to elicit at least a chuckle. Plus, it's far too beautifully drawn to be truly appreciated on the comics page. Plus, it's indulged in◊ Getting Crap Past the Radar, which I always appreciate.
On that note, Garfield is one of the most famous faces in newspaper comics for a reason. Something about that misanthropic cat is absolutely endearing.
Also, Jim Davis is the absolute master of the visual gag.
This troper genuinely likes Garfield, even WITH his general preference for satirical, off-beat comics (such as, well, Calvin and Hobbes). He's particularly fond of the strips around the late 80's/early 90's, but regardless, there's no real Garfield strip he honestly dislikes. Garfield strips are a big part of what taught him how to read (and made him love it), bolstered his vocabulary, sparked his interest in drawing, and actually, to a point, taught him to be happy with who he is— the troper may not be fat, but Garfield's pride taught him that it was okay to work around your faults, and be proud of them. I could gush for hours about the fat orange cat, because no matter what anyone says, I like him.
Peanuts is definitely one of the greats - the reruns of old strips since 2000 just show how timeless it really is.
Non Sequitur is one of the cleverest and funniest comics still running. Maybe it has something to do with this troper's personal bias on political and social issues, but its willingness to mock every fringe of society, even things like religion, contribute greatly to its appeal. And despite Danae being practically a female Calvin, her Deadpan Snarker personality meshes perfectly with the bleak but crazy world that is all too familiar.
Seconded. Goes down in history. Some of those gags were so simple, too, but that's what honestly made it work.
Any cartoon that lovingly depicts the Pillsbury Doughboy getting squashed into oblivion is awesome in my book.
Frazz is a work that is far too good to have to compete for space with Cathy and The Born Loser.
Ditto Lio, a bizarre, subversive delight in the tradition of the aforementioned Calvin and Hobbes and Far Side which packs more genuine wit into its wordless format that most comics can manage with Walls of Text.
Dilbert is to frustrated office workers what Clerks is to kids with their first job.
Seconded. Amidst the sea of nauseatingly sunny and sugary stuff that get into the comics page nowadays, seeing a well-drawn and unfailingly funny comic that maintains a firm root in the realist end of the scale is a real treat.
This troper knew Dilbert thanks to the book (Dilbert's Principle), and instantly said "Wow, that's real". And as the author once said: "No matter the bizarre that this office gets, people keep saying me: "This is my office"." So you can imagine how I feel when I read that strip.
Before it completely shifted focus after September 11th, The Boondocks was fucking brilliant, seamlessly blending spot on political humor with great character writing and sharp dialogue. Even if one didn't agree with its politics, there were so damn many laugh out loud moments and wonderfully crafted characterization to make this a gem. I like the cartoon ok, but the strip allowed for some truly hilarious moments like a strip where Riley muses to himself: "Hmm... mischief... danger...trouble... malevolence... discord...pandemonium... TOTAL CHAOS...MASS CONFUSION!" as a slow smile spreads across his face and his granddad demands him to stop whatever it is he's thinking about.
Foxtrot was amazing throughout its run, from its earliest Sitcom-y days to its later Nerd Joke Renaissance.
This troper agrees wholly. The strip is an example of good geek humor in the funny pages. It also helps that it does running gags well, too (anything with Jason is gold).
Let's not forget the numerous self-plugging, ego-stroking bonuses Amend added to the newspapers they read: "Cartoonist dumps devastated Cyndi Lauper", "Cartoonist joins the Yankees ('We're guaranteed to win!!', says coach)", etc.
I have more fond childhood memories of Fox Trot than I do of most movies, and being the movie buff I am that's saying a lot. Remember the gag in which Roger tells Andy over the phone that he doesn't know when he'll be home because he has a sea of paperwork to wade through, and in the last panel you see him literally trying to wade through a room filled to the brim with paperwork? I actually printed out reams of paper and imitated that as a little kid. Boy was my mom pissed! But that's how good the gags are in that comic.
Cul de Sac. A family-oriented comic that is genuinely funny. It doesn't angst about how haaaaaaarrrd it is to raise children, neither does it gush about how adorable children are.
You know that a strip is good when Bill Watterson praises everything about it. I mean, he gushes. As he should.
Mafalda = best strip to ever be made in South America.
I LOVE BABY BLUES. That is all.
Pearls Before Swine. Wonderfully groanworthy wordplay and meta out the wazoo, outright misanthropic without ever seeming bitter or angry, and even manages to be seriously heartwarming at times (but not to often, lest people confuse it with For Better or for Worse.) Rat and Pig are one of the greatest comedic duos on the comics page today.
Magazines & E-Zines
Ever since Cracked picked up David Wong as editor, they've gone from a cheap Mad clone into a genuinely interesting satire site, the sadly-rare form of satire that has something to say, rather than just attacking (or just referencing) everything in sight.
You left out this one. It's an uncommonly well-balanced article on that issue that actually tries to explain what each side is about, rather than trying to convince either one that they're wrong and need to convert to the other.
Cracked is an excellent site... I wish more e-zines like that in my country!
Mad itself, particularly older iterations. As a history buff, old Mad magazines have taught me lots about the recent past through a satiric lens. Seriously.
Misfiled Dreams - An entirely plausible sequence of stories set a few months ahead of the current Misfile webcomic storyline.
Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness and its sequel Sluagh. Quite possibly the best fanfic ever written, anywhere, ever. Thanfiction, you are truly a genius.
On that note, Lightning on the Wave's Sacrifices Arc, which starts with Saving Connor. A fascinating AU, and one that truly deserves to be called an AU: the characters have been stripped down to their basic selves and set in an entirely different situation, but react to it the way they would were it canon. With the except of Lily, perhaps, everyone fits their characterization like a glove, and there are no handwaves. This is a fic that manages to make Harry a Slytherin and friends with Draco, among other things that I won't say in case someone wants to read it, and it works, beautifully and tightly. Lightning introduces his/her OC's so well that multiple people have said they thought they were canon characters that simply didn't get enough time in the original books to make an impression, and this troper for one has been surprised at the mention of characters in other, unrelated fics that I'd thought were OC's. It is the only fanfic that I will say this for: were it not for its dependance on Rowling's world and characters, it would be published as-is, with the exception of about three typos per book (there are seven "books", getting longer as the story progressed beyond what Lightning had originally intended). Granted, it would be shelved strictly in the adult section, but I find myself not wanting to go back to a universe that doesn't contain these characters and situations.
Sam Vimes/copperbadge is absolutely brilliant. His Stealing Harry/Laocoon's Children AU series is what Harry Potter would be in a better world, and all of his other series and stories are so wonderful I want to hug the screen. I could go on and on about how wonderful his fics are, but I will say this: that man truly does Remus Lupin justice.
The Cyclonus Diaries by Pivot is probably the funniest Transformers Armada fanfic out there. It's a parody of Mary Sue fanfiction that is completely random and makes perfect sense at the same time.
The true awesomeness of Shinji and Warhammer 40K cannot accurately be expressed in words, although using tropes comes close; it's basically a combination and distillation of Refuge in Audacity, Beyond the Impossible, and Moment Of Awesome to create what is possibly the most unbelievable, incredible experience on the internet.
I love Yuletide Treasure. If that archive were a person, I would marry them. During the time it was down for Christmas I was so sad at being cut off from the fun experience of finding stuff for fandoms you never knew you had that... I started writing again. I hope to contribute to it as soon as I can myself. And just for an extremely random taste of things— this gushing comment was brought on by rereading Small Monsters again. It was the last awesome straw that broke the awesome camel's forcefield protecting it from becoming more awesome. And now it's even awesomer.
Titan Legends. A fanfic that could probably pass for a highly obscure alternate DC continuity in and of itself.
Eyrie Productions' works, especially Neon Exodus Evangelion. This fic is great, I love the plot twists, long digressions, painstaking research, and Alternative Character Interpretations. I even love DJ Croft no matter what anyone else says. And the ending is simply one Moment Of Awesome after another.
I can't speak for NXE, but the EPU's flagship work, Undocumented Features, is frankly a little frightening in terms of sheer scale (hundreds of megabytes of plaintext!) and awesomeness. Even the "crap years" are very entertaining (thanks in part to excellent use of Beyond the Impossible), and it quickly gets awe-inspiring.
This troper is writing a serious literary analysis of Full Life Consequences.
4Paws Studios' "Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Chosen" is, to me, the definition of what a good Fix Fic should read like. I was referred to it by this very Wiki, and haven't looked back. There isn't a page for it yet in the Fanfic section (why?!), but it's miles and miles of good characterization and character development, humor, tenderness, and a generous dollop of awesome. It's like the Buffy-fic equivalent of rich, fulfilling chocolate. ^_^
It breaks this troper's stupid little heart that he seems to be the only one to have read X to the Zoltan's Godzilla Daioh crossover series. Sure, it sounds crazy, but it's Better Than It Sounds! Or even better, his Azumanga Daioh / Star Wars fusion! The writing, the characterization, the tragedy, it's SO GREAT! AAGHH, why does this reduce me, normally The Stoic to a little pile of heart-wrenching joy and love and sadness every time?! It is this troper's dream that this author return to (Azu Dai) fanfiction someday...
whydoyouneedtoknow's Harry Potter AU Dangerverse and associated AUs (yes, AUs of AUs) have been called "better than canon". This is, of course, highly subjective, but I think it's true.
This trooper really likes The Great Disney Adventure and it's growing sequel on Fanfiction.net. Though technically unoriginal since it's interpretations of the movies have the same ending, it has several saving factors. 1. It throws some original characters into the mix/ characters that don't belong in the story. 2. It takes the effects of it's main character more seriously than one might expect. 3. It's super funny. 4. It has a lead female who's not only cynical, but also pushy, realistic, and sly; hardly Disney hero material, and watching her interact with our childhood's favorite characters really makes it for me. Plus, it's got Pirates of the Caribbean messing up all the movies ever so slightly.
Manchester Lost and its marvelous sequel, Paradise Thwarted. Wonderfully hilarious fanfic that lampshades itself to the moon and back, yet it still has time to go through a marvelous plot and sweet moments of complete fluff.
Now, let's not be so hasty as to simply post the fic. Let's explain why this thing is a total masterpiece. It's a cocktail of insanity, a twisting of plot so horrendously bizarre that it stops being stupid and becomes what could possibly be called PureSpiralEnergy, engulfing the reader in its amazing attitude, incredible nature, and disregard for rationality all in one amazing package.
Code: Total Drama Reality is an excellent blend of the Total Drama and Code Lyoko series, which sounds a bit far-fetched at first, but Lord Maximus is able to squeeze every bit of adrenaline out of such a premise and make a completely awesome crossover. It's also recommendable by how LM keeps characters from both shows intact, even coming up with rather Tear Jerker backstories for quite a few as well as the chance for several Total Drama favorites and Aelita to take major levels in badass.
My Immortal could easily be the best ever example of So Bad, It's Good. This is the most genius troll fiction (it must be!) I have ever read, and it probably made me laugh more than anything else on the internet.
Light And Dark The Adventures Of Dark Yagami is a brilliant, hilarious Troll Fic. But what sets it apart from the crowd is its unique execution; it doesn't just rely on poor grammar and Rouge Angles of Satin. No, it contains not only all the good qualities of your standard troll badfic, but also a wonderful sense of humor that will leave the reader in stitches. An amazing read that will have you laughing for days.
I, Grognor, love the Hell out of Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. I never read Harry Potter, I don't understand four-fifths of the references, and I'm missing probably all of the subtle foreshadowing. I still love it. When I first started reading it, I couldn't do anything else for several days.
Other
TV Tropes.org, I salute you. You are an invaluable and vital resource to my life, you're making me a better writer, and gosh-darn it, you're a hell of a lot of fun, as well.
The Mary Sue revamp has brought back my faith in Tv Tropes. Everyone who helped at it deserves a badge.
If TV Tropes was a person, I would trust him as much as I trust my father, maybe more, and I love my dad to bits. Actually, I already do trust TV Tropes that much, even though it's a wiki. I love you guys; I don't know how I lived without this website, and I only first stumbled upon it five months ago!
If TV Tropes was a person, and was female (okay, even if it were male), I'd be totally, completely in love with them and definitely considering marriage. ♥ I spend way too much time here now and I don't think I've ever been happier with a wiki (sorry, Wikipedia). Just...every little geeky thing I'm into, you're into it too; you're cool and inviting, as opposed to Wikipedia's increasing uptightness; and you're fun. I love you all. * hugs*
If TV Tropes were a person and I weren't asexual I'd do naughty naughty sex related things to it. If it were a person, I might do that anyway.
Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you to Trope-tan?
We need a male mascot, so we can slash him madly with genderswitch!Wikipedia.
TV Tropes has made it so this troper can actually put his ideas down— by writing his ideas for stories and characters in trope form, he can more easily plot things, organize his characters, and expand them. I salute the site, indeed.
Even if TV Tropes does ruin my life and contribute to my falling behind on homework, I still love it anyway ♥
This troper had no idea what he was getting into when he accidentally stumbled onto the Superpowered Evil Side page just over a year ago. This is, without a doubt, the greatest place on the internet. Ever. Smart, witty, insightful and fun. It reminded me that even when it seems like no one around seems to see and love fiction in the way you might, the truth is... Well...You Are Not Alone.
The very last words on the home page? Go on, have fun!
If you know where to look, you can actually learn a bit from there. Like stuff about Hideaki Anno too touchy for the main wiki....
Even if I sorta like Avatar: The Last Airbender, it feels good to hear dissenting opinions about it for some reason.
Maybe 'cause it assures you that your positive opinion of it is genuine, and not the result of some kind of Hive Mind?
EMBRACE MANKIND! LOVE ALL THAT HAS LIFE!
This section, motivates me to live to the fullest. Everyday.
There are some very clever Reasonable Authority Figures working behind the scenes. Case in point: someone had created some lovely, well-written character descriptions for Neon Genesis Evangelion's characters; Shinji, Asuka, Misato and so on. The trouble was,they weren't supposed to be in separate pages. One day they disappeared,and this troper assumed they'd been axed. Then, "Hang on... Character Sheets? * click* NGE?" ... and there they were. THAT is what makes TV Tropes different. No other wiki would create a whole new category to preserve good articles.
If I may point to one page in particular: Warhammer 40,000: So incredibly good I bought the Fifth Edition rulebook just so that I would be up to date and accurate when editing the article.
Warhammer Fantasy, equally as awesome as its sci-fi spin off. A shame it doesn't get as much love on TV Tropes.
This video made this male troper nearly cry. He finally understood what ballet was so popular for. Beauty from grace, Elegance from courage, Awe from passion.
This troper found an amazing machinima version of the music video to "Everybody's Fool" by Evanescence. The math is quite clear: epic game + epic song = 2(epicness)!
Lamb of God is by far my favorite band. With every album they just keep getting better and better. Every member of Lo G is very talented with their instruments and they know exactly how to make songs sound brutal yet aesthetically pleasing. They are original, talented, and most importantly, they sound great. They are the exact opposite of everything I hate about the music industry today. Lamb of God Forever!!!
The Internet. Everything about it. Sometimes I fantasize about being able to speak to a person 30 years ago just so that I can tell him every single thing that is awesome about the Internet.
Games
Killer Bunnies And The Quest For The Magic Carrot. I could play it all night. My family could play it all night. My extended family could play it all night. It never gets boring, the game is never the same twice, and even when you feel like it might you have the option to completely change the game around with an expansion pack or even your own imagination. It quenches my thirst for the arbitrary so I have the time to make the rest of my life a bit more orderly and sensible. In a nutshell, it keeps me from driving everyone around me to insanity.
In Nomine desperately Needs More Love, the system is quirky but simple, and the setting will EAT YOUR BRAIN (in a really awesome, good way). It can be played in so many different ways from dark to light and happy to satirical, to just plain silly depending on your preferences. And just to add icing on the cake, it would likely tick off any religious fundamentalists that found out about it, due to it's let's say....non-traditional treatment of angels, demons, and theology.
Exalted creates a Fantasy Kitchen Sink world where absolutely everything has been turned Up to Eleven for maximum awesomeness, then has excellent writers lovingly tie all the disparate ends together, until you find yourself pondering the geopolitical ramifications of demon pirates battling ghostly ships crewed by zombies on the western oceans.
Freeze tag 'Nuff said.
People
Ian MacKaye, for daring to take a stand against drugs, alcohol, and promiscuous sex in a hardcore punk scene that was positively rife with it. When I started going to college, I was pretty much the only person I went to class with who wasn't going to parties and constantly getting drunk (I have nothing against people who do that stuff, it's just not for me). Having lived a pretty sheltered life up until that point, I was unprepared for the culture shock. I felt extremely alone because I couldn't relate to anyone. The music of Minor Threat taught me that it was ok to be yourself, even if no one else thinks so. I have no idea what kind of destructive turn my life would have taken without that message. Ian, you are my hero.
J.K. Rowling. After going through a horrible time, where she was broke, and her mother had died, and her husband had left her, she wrote a wonderful series that united people all over the world, regardless of gender, age, race or nationality, helped people out of depression, giving away all the profits of three books to charity, creating organizations to help the unfortunate. I applaud you Rowling.
As someone who spent much of his young life alone and unloved, I am not ashamed to say that the first time I read a Harry Potter book in the sixth grade, it made me happy for the first time in a long time. I am eternally grateful, Jo.
Tom Kenny. Aside from being the best darn voice actor ever, he's also one of the funniest, most creative guys in the world. Some of the gags he comes up with for the shows he voices on are the best. And what about all that range in his voice? Could you tell, upon first listening, that Spongey and Eduardo are voiced by the same guy?
You can quite easily tell that Spongebob and Starscream are voiced by the same guy, but that actually makes it all the more awesome, because Optimus Prime is being beaten up by evil robot Spongebob. Tom Kenny is a pile of win.
On the same note, Tara Strong is definitely the lady version of Tom Kenny. Bubbles, Raven, Ben 10, Kylie Griffin, Truffles... the list goes on.
Mel Blanc. Need I say more?
Don't forget Steven Jay Blum!
General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. This troper was extremely frustrated with the fact that it seems that notable American Black male role-models are limited to either rappers, actors, comedians, athletes, or Civil Rights leaders. And then he discovered Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. The leader of the Tuskegee Airmen. The man who became the first Black general in the Air Force. Forget f—in Tom Cruise, this man was the REAL Top Gun! This troper is furious that so few people actually know who he is, which is why when he becomes a film director he's going to make a movie about him and make sure he gets his proper fame.
There's a reason Roger Ebert is one of the top critics. He's freaking hilarious. He was doing the Caustic Critic thing way before any of the internet reviewers came along, and with his incredibly witty, perceptive, Genre Savvy, or even simple, but well-timed remark stabs at bad movies, it's no wonder he won the Pulitzer Prize. Even if Your Mileage May Vary on his actual reviewing ability, he's certainly much smarter than a lot of the stuff he reviews.
In a World of awesome trailers, one man and his sexy, sexy voice left this planet too soon. This Troper and all of his fans presents... Don LaFontaine: Rest In Peace.
Jim Henson. Who could have thought someone could give so much life to bags of felt and ping-pong balls? You don't see too many puppets with their own star on the walk of fame.
My 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Perry. I can only hope you all have had at least one teacher comprable to her, though I would doubt it as I have to believe she is one in a million.
My 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Van Covern is made of win and cows, but mostly win.
Mrs. Schroeder (3rd grade), Mr. Macedonia (4th), Mrs. Murphy (5th), Mr. Gallagher (6th), Mrs. Milton (9th & 10th): you all shaped my, Eric Geores, life more than I can ever thank you.
Heck, thank God for good teachers wherever they be. Teaching is one of the most exhausting and frequently thankless jobs in the world, and it's also the most important (aside from parenting). Bless the good teachers, those who care about their students and their material, and give their best. Every. Single. Day.
Robin Williams. I know he's been Entry Pimped to the point of annoying some people, but it's never really been said here why he is so loved. I initially had a whole paragraph planned about him, but I think it's best I keep it short and sweet: He is smart, he is kind, he is talented, and he is indeed very funny. And also, I think he's pretty cute... but Your Mileage May Vary there. What else can I say? I just adore this man. He's my ideal man... hell, my ideal person, full stop.
Meryl Streep is made of enough win to explode the universe, if win can do such a thing. She's the best damned actress the world has ever seen, and yet her head is not up her ass. She gives the best awards speeches in the known universe, is always shocked when she wins despite having been nominated half a billion times, and is one of the funniest people ever in real life. And she can do anything... and I do mean anything. She can dance, she can sing, she can make me laugh, she can make me cry, she can do action, comedy, romance, and drama... I LOVE YOU MERYL!!!!!
Hayao Miyazaki. Has any other director ever brought so much happiness to so many people?
Jackie Robinson. Bob Costas put it the best when speaking about him, "Are there better baseball players? Sure. Is there a more important baseball player? Who??? Damn right!
Kristin Chenoweth! What's not to love about her? She's cute, she's a wonderful singer, she's funny and sweet and kind... it's impossible to watch her for more than five minutes and not feel a lot happier.
Second!
I do believe I have been changed for the better! Because I heard her, I have been changed for good
Everyone in my family has a crush on her.
Oh, and her performance in The West Wing... Made the show, in my opinion.
Ditto Idina Menzel.
Seconded so hard.
Thurl Ravenscroft had not one of, but THE greatest voice of all time. Both women AND men have orgasmed at the mere sound of his richly deep yet playful bass voice. Hell, even his NAME is kickass!
DeForest Kelley, most famous for his portrayal of Leonard McCoy. Sure, he was in some truly ridiculous movies, but he was a kind, sensitive, gentlemanly kind of guy who loved his wife and his fans. How many people grew up to be doctors, nurses and social workers because of him? Not to mention his contribution to charity — especially animal funds — and to friends and fans themselves. Plus he passed up the chance to be the subject of an experimental medical treatment because he feared he was being given priority as a celebrity and thus taking away some poor person's chance to live a longer life.
Skip Hinnant of Fritz the Cat and The Electric Company fame. Yes, he is well known for both a ground-breaking children's show and the first X-rated theatrical cartoon. And even though that's more or less all he's known for, that does not diminish his awesomeness. The few things he did, he did well. He helped bring Fritz The Cat to life, and on The Electric Company, he played Fargo North, Decoder with the gusto that character needed. He also played Pogo in Pogo For President, which is really cool. On top of that, he's a very sweet and amicable man. And hey, name one other heterosexual man who prefers to be called "Skip". His real first name is Joseph. He actually attended the school where Dead Poets Society was filmed.
Weird Al, for making parody an art form, while still being awesome enough to have his original works be super awesome.
Ummm... WALT DISNEY!!!
What can this troper say about Walt Disney? Besides that he pretty much set the standard for traditional animation and made animated films not just a bunch of flat, mindless people doing stupid things onscreen, but realistic, loveable characters that had minds, emotions and souls. When the audience first cried during Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, it changed the way we looked at cartoons forever. This troper salutes you, Walt.
Seconded.
Madeline L'Engle. Her stories are a little confusing, but there's just something to her books that gives it an underlying sense and she has some of the most profound quotes besides Cs Lewis. She's definitely not as appreciated as she should be.
Imagine, if you will, an actor who starred in a 1950s radio show that helped redefine British humor and inspired both The Beatles and Monty Python (not to mention he worked with members of both); who worked with Stanley Kubricktwice; who originated perhaps cinema's most famous Breakout Character; who survived what is generally reported as an octuple heart attack and lived another 15 years afterward; who helped save Mel Brooks' fledgling directorial career by supporting his first film when the studio wouldn't; who perfected the art of Loads and Loads of Roles; whose penultimate film/dream project emerged as the success so many actors only wish their dream projects were; whom Robin Williams once called "the master"; and without whose inspiration Austin Powers and Borat might never have existed. You don't have to imagine it, of course, because Peter Sellersdid exist.
Mohandas. K. Gandhi. Finally got the Indian independence movement really rolling, took no crap from Britain or anyone else, and did so with a serene smile on his face. He also had the balls to write a letter to Hitler asking him politely to quit the whole 'fascist' thing.
Everything about that man is awesome incarnate. Best person of the last 100 years? Undoubtedly. Even reading quotes by Gandhi is enough to bring tears to this troper's eyes.
How can you forget Martin Luther King, Jr.? Not only was he one of the major driving forces behind the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's and 1960's, but his "I Have A Dream" speech was nothing but a pure Moment Of Awesome.
Not just The Lord of the Rings as a book, but J. R. R. Tolkien as a person. Honestly, yeah, he expressed some views on race and class that I personally consider unconscionable, but the man was a genius with words and language whose lifelong experiment in world-building has inspired me deeply. Thank goodness we had you, Professor.
It's worth noting that though some of Tolkien's views were an unfortunate "product of his time", he was also one of the exceptional few cases who genuinely tried to grow beyond his prejudices, and many of his later additions to his legendarium were attempts to circumvent some of the unfortunate implications that were present in some of his writings. Also, the man was a God's honest war hero.
YES. J.R.R. Tolkien has been this troper's hero since she was a little girl. He's sorta who she wants to be when she grows up.
Quoting the caption from his page, "He's a smiling Oxford don with a pipe. How can you not like and trust him?" I agree completely on the fact that Tolkien was truly talented. His impact on the Fantasy genre is phenomenal, and ever again will someone make an impact on Fantasy as big as he did.
Imagine a man whose most known role is an intergalactic sociopath, and many of his other roles are those of murderers, rapists, or just morally-ambiguous sleazebags. What would you imagine that man to be like in real life? Would you imagine he was a kind gentleman with a good sense of humor (and just a little bit of a Chivalrous Pervert) who loved to play cricket? Well, you don't have to imagine, because that man was real. He was Anthony Ainley, most known as being The Master in The Eighties, but he played many other roles before that. His father, Henry Ainley was a Shakespearean actor, and his brother, Richard was a star of stage and screen. As noted before, Anthony played a lot of very evil characters, but was very sweet in real life. Sadly, he passed away in May of 2004, but not before he started a friendship with this troper and let her know that someone cared about her.
Steven Moffat, the Scottish god of Accidental Nightmare Fuel. He now scares millions of people, not a few of them jaded grown-ups, twelve weeks a year (not counting DVDs) through what is usually described as a children's show, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is awesome.
Not to mention his work on Coupling, in which he produced some of the most hilarious Cloudcuckoolanders this universe shall ever see.
Black people.
White People
One people
Two people
Red People, Yellow People, Brown People, Blue People.
Rick Moranis. He's funny, versatile, and kind of cute. The lot of us still gush over him even after his retirement.
Heinz Erhardt. Most people here won't know him, but he's the best (German) comedian of all times.
Sir Terry Pratchett. I'm amazed he wasn't mentioned yet. When he passes, hopefully many centuries from now, I have every confidence that he'll ascend to the heavens as the God of Modern Literature, and spend the rest of eternity surrounded by stuffier but similiarly British literary deities.
The man managed to parody something nearly a decade before its release. If that doesn't deserve knighthood, what does?
All you have to do to understand Sir Pratchett's wisdom, intelligence, humor, clear-eyed understanding of humanity's foibles, and undeterred compassion towards the world, pick up one of his books.
Erik Wolpaw is one of the funniest people in the entire world. The list also includes Chet Falisczeck (sp?), David Wong, James Lileks and Seanbaby. I have never in my life laughed harder than when reading what these guys write. They can make the written word positively burst.
Christopher Lee. We hold very different political beliefs, but otherwise he's kind of who I want to be when I grow up. A Cool Old Guy extraordinaire, he is posessed of one of the coolest voices EVER. A classically trained actor/singer who's made a career of showing up and being awesome with minimum of ego. Speaks five languages including English, and dabbles in another three. Has played Dracula, a Mummy, Frankenstein's monster, Holmes, A Bond villain, and a Sith. His friend are just as cool as he is; he hung out with Vincent Price, and was close with Peter Cushing for decades. Listens to heavy metal music. Is very likely One of Us, as he had some very strong opinions about things that had been rearranged or cut from The Lord of the Rings and The Last Unicorn. Oh, and he hasn't slowed down AT ALL with age; at eighty-seven, he's got six movies coming out in the next year.
You forgot to mention that he was a cousin of Ian Fleming.
I don't think you people understand just how utterly badass this man is. During the filming of The Lord of the Rings, when he was stabbed in the back by Grima Wormtongue, he was stopped by Peter Jackson, who said that he was doing it wrong and that he should do a different noise. Lee turned around and said that he knew what he was doing because HE'D DONE THAT TO PEOPLE IN THE PAST WHILE SERVING AS A WWII COMMANDO.
Ian McDiarmid is just so marvellously kick-ass, and not above indulging in a little Ham and Cheese.
Shigeru Miyamoto. He did so much for videogames and he still fun games to this day. And they're nice creative games that anyone can play, without having to rely on crazy violence.
Hear, hear!
His work is the one reason why I got so involved with video games. He's my hero for showing the world that adults should be able to have fun too!
Stephen Jay Gould was a force of awesome during his time on earth, with writing that makes me happy about everything except for the fact that I will never get to meet the man. Plus, he used his science skills to fight against institutionalized racism and prejudice (see The Mismeasure of Man), which is all kinds of nifty.
Rachel Carson. The most awesomest scientist and environmentalist who's never talked about in school.
This troper remembers reading about her in elementary school.
And on that note, the founder of Earth Day (and a native to my hometown/city), Gaylord Nelson.
Tim Curry is perhaps one of the best actors in the world today. He's got a wide range of media to work with, and has one of the most distinctive voices in animation. Plus, people who have met him say that he's one of the nicest guys on earth and that he truly appreciates his fans. Oh, and he's best known for playing Dr. Frank N Furter. You can't get more awesome than that!
If you think that's awesome, the late Princess Diana actually told Tim Curry that she was a big fan of Rocky Horror and told him, "Thank you for completing my education.".
He's also living proof that you don't have to be a scrawny metrosexual or a big muscle-man to be considered sexy by tons of fans. Yes, you can be pudgy and still be considered attractive. Thanks, Tim, thanks a lot.
Nathan Fillion is an underrated actor and a very nice guy in Real Life. Not only does he give Shout Outs to fans of his previous work (especially Firefly) but he's also willing to do charity auctions (like lunch with a fan and signing items) and he was a founder of Kids Need To Read. Basically I would like to be best friends with him.
Eddie Izzard is the openly Transvestite, who sometimes has to remind people he's straight as if they're mutually exclusive. A Brittish comedian who often does gigs featuring history and religion in a very conversational style who is greately loved by most Brits and many abroad.
In 2009, he also ran 43 marathons in 51 days for charity. That's more than 1100 miles in seven weeks and he raised £200 000 for Sport Relief in the process. He wasn't even in an amazing athletic form to start with. My hat to you, sir.
Bill Bailey is a popular musical comedian in Britain from England's West Country and a bit of a geek to go with it too. Often launches into non-sequiters with amusing little voices using the ideas of goblins, faries and trolls as common themes within his act.
On the subject of inhumanly adorable Firefly actresses, Jewel Staite. While her non-Firefly roles are generally not quite as awesome as Summer's, her sheer untapped comedy genius more than makes up for it.
Carl Sagan. This man made modern science accessible to the public. He explained the most sophisticated scientific ideas of the day in the simplest terms he could and esposed a philosophy of universal wonderment, curiousity and appreciation. He fostered a generation of interest in space travel and understanding the exquisite complexity of the world around us. He helped me to Love the Universe. Sagan is a hero.
Sienna Guillory. She is the only person who was spot-on in her character's interpretation in Resident Evil: Apocalypse and showed her work for playing Jill Valentine. I would personally like to thank her for it, even though her work was overshadowed by Milla's character, Alice, taking over the script.
Tim Burton. Someone who didn't lose his imagination when he grew up. Plus, he's shown that you don't have to be ridiculously handsome to find true love with an insanely beautiful woman.
John and Hank Green are two of the nicest, most inherently funny guys ever, they redefined the word "awesome" for millions of Peeps (nerd jokes!) and their love for Nerdfighteria is so passionate. Nerdfighters themselves (this troper being one) are all about gushing, and their noble goal is to purge the world of all suck. How can you not love this group?
Akira Toriyama, Manga artist extraordinaire. Screw all the people who hate his art style, this man's influence on Manga is phenomenal and he well deserves all the success he made from his work. From Dr Slump to Dragon Ball, and Dragon Quest to Chrono Trigger and Blue Dragon, all earned their success with some of his input. Is there any other Mangaka who could put as much consistent quality he put in his work despite all the Executive Meddling he had?
Russell Howard. A fantastic comedian. There isn't much more to say. Words fail me.
Felicia Day is my own personal hero. She created, writes and acts in one of the web's tentpole series which she built from the ground up, is the patron saint of geek girls, refuses to compromise her principles to make an easy buck, and even Joss Whedon was inspired by her. Oh, and she's beautiful in a very unconventional way.
Neil Patrick Harris. He's an awesome actor, has an amazing voice, is openly gay, and all around awesome.
Nevermind that he seems like the nicest guy on the planet. Not sure why! He's just very loveable.
George Lucas. Yes people love to bash him nowadays. But you know what? He started out with THX 1138 and American Graffiti. But most importantly he made Star Wars. While some might disagree what he has done to it, he still made it. He was a man with a vision that he fought to get made, which it not only did, but it became a phenomenon. Not only that, but he has made some major contributions to special effects and video games. A true visionary and a milestone in filmmaking. He's the reason this troper got into it in the first place.
Your mother. And my mother. And everybody's mother. Mothers, as a general rule of thumb, are awesome.
Fathers are pretty great too.
Sisters are among the most awesome things on the planet.
Likewise for brothers.
Douglas Adams. For his brilliant wit, and bringing not only one of the greatest comedy series ever, but for his clever writing from Dirk Gently to 'Last Chance To See', and writing for one of the funniest Old School Who episodes. Rest in peace!
Osamu Tezuka. I mean, come on people, he's the freakin' God of Manga. The medium wouldn't be what it is today without him. Not to mention he could write anything, shonen, shojo, action, drama, comedy, scifi, horror, kid stuff, adult stuff, etc. This man had no limit and he more than deserved his title. RIP.
Tommy Douglas. Not only did he bring Medicare to Canada, but he was also a huge proponent for social justice and all-around nice guy. Greatest Canadian indeed!
Bono. Yeah, there's the on-stage preaching and the tax avoidance. Doesn't change the fact that the man is the closest a musician gets to a superhero. He's a poet, a bookworm, a global crusader for justice. He never takes his audience for granted, and often goes out of his way to show this, the Live Aid leap being just one of many examples. While you'll have to go a long way before you'll find anyone describing him as modest, he's also known for humility, and will very happily engage in self-deprecating humor. He's an incredibly creative musician, and has inspired so many people to simply think beyond themselves and go outside their comfort zones to help others. And last but not in any way least, he's simply a fantastic vocalist. Paul David Hewson is, without argument, the epitome of awesomeness.
Emma Thompson. Oscar winning screenwriter, Oscar winning actress. Intelligent, funny, charming, down to Earth. How can you not love her in everything she does?
Kenneth Branagh. An amazing actor and an equally amazing director, who's not afraid to take 400 year old plays in a new direction, even at the cost of his street cred. Seriously, the guy does a fantastic Henry V, a beautiful Much Ado About Nothing, one of the few film adaptations of Hamlet that uses the entire text, and then he turns Love's Labours Lost into a fun 1930's-style musical! Plus, he does a mean Gilderoy Lockhart.
How about, Craig McCracken and Lauren Faust? They are both producers of some of the more popular cartoons in this modern time. My Little Pony Friendship is Magic is the most popular meme right now, and is currently a subculture according to Know Your Meme.com. Not bad for a show meant to be merchandising bait aimed at girls.
Romeo Dallaire: Force Commander for the UN intervention in the Rwandan Genocide, his decisions are credited with directly saving about 32000 lives. He advocates for human rights and argued for UN intervention in Darfur; he also suffers PTSD and is an outspoken advocate for Veterans mental health, and trust me when I say that advocating for mental health issues is hard at the best of times.
Darren Criss is not only a wonderful actor and musician, but a truly beautiful person as well. He exudes enthusiasm and passion in every single thing that he does. He has a deep and unconditional love for his fans, and will go entirely out of his way for them. He pours his heart and soul into his performances, his relationships, his work, his everything. And thanks to his role as a gay teen on Glee, he has become a role model for thousands of kids struggling with their sexuality. My favorite quote of his? "There's nothing more badass than being who you are."
Jesus. He was really, really nice.
Lewis Carroll wrote two wonderful childrens' books, and his love of children and incredible imagination make him a truly excellent person.
The Jazwares Sonic line. They paid attention to every single detail of the characters. They are even doing Mighty the Armadillio, a character who has not been seen in over a decade.
LEGO's BIONICLE line. It has an incredibly complex backstory that literally cannot be placed within a single genre, characters that leap out at you, whether in plastic, written words, comic book pages, or tv screens, and a head-writer (Greg Farshtey) who is unbelievably devoted to his work.
Hasbro's Marvel Universe line of 3.75-inch figures. They're in the same scale as the G.I. Joe figures, meaning that you can get some of the craziest crossovers yet. Wanna see Captain America and Snake-Eyes teaming up against Cobra and the Red Skull? Now you most certainly can.
Meta
This page is awesome. This is what I like to think of when I think of this wiki - people coming together to celebrate their favourite shows, not bitch about them endlessly.
Agreed. It makes this troper feel all warm and happy and stuff. For that matter, Sugar Wiki!
Seconded. This troper feels so happy just clicking the link to bring me here.
Meta Meta
That comment is awesome.
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No, you're awesome. You're all awesome. Let's hug!
