"Yow! A Pair Of Human Eyes!"

Plop yourself down and let the jaws slacken a bit, kiddies -- it's retro-weirdo TV time at And I Am Not Lying, For Real again...

Do you ever get phrases stuck on endless repeat in your head, echoing around in there until you can't take it, and everything you hear or say sounds like that phrase? For days now, I've had "rodeo gangsterphone" bouncing around in there to the point that I have to consciously decide NOT to say it every time I open my mouth. When I hear sentences with similar sounds, or even a similar internal rhythm, my heart skips a beat . I am a man stranded on a weird little island, and whoever says "rodeo gangsterphone" is my instant long lost soul mate.

No fair pulling it on me after you read this post.

I have a point here, I swear.

Years ago, MTV ran a show called Liquid Television. It was this incredible mishmash of insane, arcane independent animation. It gave birth to "Beavis and Butthead" and "Aeon Flux" before dying a quiet, lonely death a few short seasons later. I used to tape the show at a friend's house who had cable, then watch the episodes religiously, repeatedly rubbing my hungry teen brain with every frame.

I loved the distinctly non-commercial art, the colors, the eerie music. My favorite series, though, was an odd little series of shorts by underground cartoonist Richard Sala called "Invisible Hands."

It's based on semi-supernatural detective stories like The Shadow, but has no real story of its own. Stuff kinda happens in a linear fashion, but there' very little in the way of discernible plot or characterization. It kind of floats along our expectations of what a supernatural detective story should be, triggering character types rather than actual characters. The whole thing is driven solely by style, there is no real substance.

But man, is "invisible Hands' ever awesome. I haven't seen it in years, although I have not stopped hearing the phrases "Ahh, SatisFACTION," and "Yow! A pair of human eyes!!" daily since oh, maybe 1988.

Here they go. Geek out, my nerd herd, and don't forget where you came from ...

posted by Jeff Simmermon @ 12:08 AM