@Brangdon: You are right about bridges. The same applies to shoes, books, or pencils. If only the same analytical brilliance could be used to construct a plausible model for producing 1G of artificial gravity on a small space vessel, then we'd really be getting somewhere.

@birdmocker: Yes, check out Girl Genius. It is a wonderful steampunky graphic novel from the Foglios, presented one page at a time every M-W-F at www.girlgeniusonline.com. Each year the pages are collected into a graphic novel volume and, usually, released by Comic-Con. They are into volume 10 at this point.

I think this show looks like a lot of fun. For me, I think, it will come down to how clear and deep a vision they have for it.

@diuy: To my eyes, the fingers moved too slowly and with too much "drag" (like servos trying to overcome momentum). But that seems to be a common problem with all animatronic technology. There's just no replacing myelinated sheaths...

@a_of: I remember Lucas saying that he would never release the original versions of 4-6 again after the deluxe editions back in 1997 (or whatever). And he stayed true to his word for a long time until he sort of caved and released them as "special features", so to speak, on the recent special edition DVD releases.…

The prequels are a waste of shelf space and a waste of time I could be using to do something more valuable and interesting, like counting the blades of grass on my lawn.

Could you please stop using the term hobbit? Tolkien is probably spinning in his grave right now (as he should be).

@Hatebunny: Maybe so.

I see no need for a Superman/Batman crossover until WB/DC acquires the creative capacity to do a proper Justice League movie. But we pretty much know that nobody over there has any vision whatsoever, so chances are we'll see an Avengers 2 and an Avengers 3 before we'll see the first Justice League film.

@Brangdon: I think you are arguing for an overly broad notion of artificial gravity. The commonly recognized meaning of "artificial gravity" in genre fiction is "gravity that is provided by a technologal device" (and technology needs power). You are, of course, free to invent a fictional technology that needs no…

@Brangdon: If you read the thread, you'll see that the only thing I ever argued against was the idea of using (narratively) "artificial gravity" without a power source and without any kind of alternate explanation of how it is achieved in the absence of one. When you do that you are using handwavey magic, not…

This guy clearly wants to get shot by some punk with nothing to lose.

@Brangdon: Suppose Whedon and Co. had decided to actually figure out how artificial gravity was generated on small vessels like Serenity. Imagine all the interesting plot hooks that knowledge could have provided (to the writers). In completely abandoning that effort, they not only earned a Stoopid Science Award (from…

@Brangdon: I agree with you on all points. I'm just saying that when stuff like artificial gravity—the kind where the science behind it is completely handwaved by the writers—we're talking magic, not technology, and we've entered the realm of science fantasy.

@Jogfrog: What I don't get is why the gems in the prop are different (color-wise) from the ones in the illustration. Are they intentionally ignoring the source material? To what purpose?

@Brangdon: I'm afraid I don't quite understanding the bridge reference. What sort of bridges create their own gravity?

@paramount20: You have no idea how much I wish the latest stereoscopic "fad" was passing into memory. I'm not convinced it is, though. Not if the present slate of fx-heavy movies coming down the pike is any indication...

I wouldn't be surprised if:

@Brangdon: Well because it's, you know, artificial. It's not naturally occurring. Serenity it not massive enough to generate 1G of downward force towards the bottom of its hull.

@Grendelzz: And when you cast Robert Downey Jr. expressly for all his bad boy baggage, you don't throw all that away by making Stark a saint. You make him a bit of a prick with a colossal ego and let Downey inhabit the character instinctually.