Editing 1477: Star Wars
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{{comic | {{comic | ||
| number = 1477 | | number = 1477 | ||
| date = January 23, 2015 | | date = January 23, 2015 | ||
| title = Star Wars | | title = Star Wars | ||
− | | image = | + | | image = star_wars.png |
| titletext = A long, long time (plus 40 years) ago, in a galaxy far, far away (plus a corrective factor involving the Hubble constant) ... | | titletext = A long, long time (plus 40 years) ago, in a galaxy far, far away (plus a corrective factor involving the Hubble constant) ... | ||
}} | }} | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
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− | + | This is another comic based on pointing out just how much time has passed since the release of a particular film. The same basis is found in [[1393: Timeghost]] and [[891: Movie Ages]], and a similar theme is used in [[647: Scary]] and [[973: MTV Generation]]. Many people remember going to see major films at the time of release, and in their mind it seems like 'just a few years ago'. In reality however, many years have passed, and it comes as a shock to realise just how long ago it was. | |
− | + | In the first panel, [[Cueball]] states that we are approaching the Back to the Future date (October 21, 2015), which is the date Marty McFly travels to in {{w|Back to the Future Part II}}. Megan adds that we're even closer to May 13, 2015, the "Star Wars Tipping Point". This "Tipping Point" is when the length of time between the current date and the release date of the first of the Star Wars prequels, {{w|Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace|''The Phantom Menace''}} will be longer than the length of time between ''The Phantom Menace'''s release and the release of the last of the movies in the original Star Wars trilogy, ''{{w|Return of the Jedi}}''. ''Return of the Jedi'' was released to theaters on May 25, 1983, and ''The Phantom'' menace was released exactly 5,839 ([http://www.timeanddate.com/date/durationresult.html?m1=5&d1=25&y1=1983&m2=5&d2=19&y2=1999&ti=on ref]) days later, on May 19, 1999. May 13, 2015 is another 5,839 ([http://www.timeanddate.com/date/durationresult.html?m1=5&d1=19&y1=1999&m2=5&d2=13&y2=2015&ti=on ref]) days after that. (Fun fact: 5839 is a {{w|Prime number|prime number}}.) | |
− | In the final panel, Cueball points out how weird it is that he (along with most other people) are regularly surprised at the passage of time, given how predictable time is by its very nature. Megan's last line is a reference to the famous opening | + | In the final panel, Cueball points out how weird it is that he (along with most other people) are regularly surprised at the passage of time, given how predictable time is by its very nature. Megan's last line is a reference to the famous opening sequence used in the {{w|Star Wars}} films, which begins "A long time ago...". |
− | The title text repeats the opening text from the films, inserting Megan's suggestion for changing the duration, and extending it to include the {{w|Hubble constant}} for | + | The title text repeats the opening text from the films, inserting Megan's suggestion for changing the duration, and extending it to include the {{w|Hubble constant}} for changing the distance. The Hubble constant is a value that describes an estimated rate of expansion of the universe. This expansion means that during the 40 years that have passed since the release of the first Star Wars movie, the "galaxy far, far away" has gotten even farther away due to expansion of the universe. |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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:[Cueball and Megan are walking together.] | :[Cueball and Megan are walking together.] | ||
− | :Cueball: We're almost at the | + | :Cueball: We're almost at the Back to the Future date. |
− | :Megan: We're even closer to the | + | :Megan: We're even closer to the Star Wars tipping point. |
:Cueball: The what? | :Cueball: The what? | ||
− | :[Diagram showing a timeline from before 1980 to | + | :[Diagram showing a timeline from before 1980 to beyond May 13th 2015. Markers on the line indicate the release date of Return of the Jedi, the release date of The Phantom Menace and May 13th, with arrows showing the intervals in between these three points.] |
− | :Megan: On May 13th, | + | :Megan: On May 13th, The Phantom Menace will have come out closer to Return of the Jedi than to the present. |
:Cueball: Wow. | :Cueball: Wow. | ||
− | :[Cueball and Megan stop walking. Megan is in a reflective pose | + | :[Cueball and Megan stop walking. Megan is in a reflective pose.] |
:Cueball: It's weird how I'm constantly surprised by the passage of time when it's literally the most predictable thing in the universe. | :Cueball: It's weird how I'm constantly surprised by the passage of time when it's literally the most predictable thing in the universe. | ||
:Megan: You know, "A long time ago" should have "Plus four more decades" added in rereleases. | :Megan: You know, "A long time ago" should have "Plus four more decades" added in rereleases. | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]] | [[Category:Comics to make one feel old]] | ||
[[Category:Star Wars]] | [[Category:Star Wars]] | ||
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