Betty in Wonderland

Fans of comics from the 1950s might appreciate the Betty and Veronica Digest, No. 195 (June 2009), which leads with "Betty in Wonderland" (pp. 1-21). Betty is babysitting for the Anderson kids, who beg her to read Alice in Wonderland every night. This time she changes the story a little. Betty (Alice) chases Archie down a big hole to Wonderland, where she meets the Cheshire Dog and other characters. Milkshakes and burgers make her shrink and grow, respectively. Veronica appears as the Red Queen who wants to take Archie from Betty, sticking her with Dee and Dum. Instead of croquet, Alice/Betty and Veronica/Red Queen have a bowling contest with Archie as prize. Betty loses, but fortunately Veronica’s parents appear and help Betty escape from Wonderland.

Thanks for the heads up, Clare!

A question for you...

Given the opportunity, what question would you ask Mr. Tim Burton about his upcoming movie Alice in Wonderland?

(Let me just say that this is not a spurious question...)

Syfy's Alice

Announced at least a year ago, Syfy has finally started releasing pictures and press information for its four-hour miniseries Alice, slated for December of this year.

"...writer/director Nick Willing has created the modern-day story of Alice Hamilton (Caterina Scorsone), a fiercely independent twenty-something who suddenly finds herself on the other side of a looking glass. She is a stranger in an outlandish city of twisted towers and casinos built out of playing cards, all under the rule of a deliciously devilish Queen (Kathy Bates) who's not very happy about Alice's arrival. ...Rounding out the stellar cast are Tim Curry as Dodo, Colm Meaney as the King of Hearts, Philip Winchester as Jack of Hearts, Matt Frewer as the White Knight, Andrew Lee Potts as Hatter, Alessandro Juliani as 9 of Clubs, Timothy Webber as Carpenter, Alex Diakun as Ratcatcher, Zak Santiago as 10 of Clubs, and Eugene Lipinski as Doctors Dee and Dum."

Should be interesting, but wouldn't it be nice to have an adaptation where the Red Queen/Queen of Hearts isn't the bad guy?

Dark Wonderland Ball

Once again I am reminded that Portland is just too cool for words. Then again, what do you expect of a city where the major tourist attraction is a bookstore?
The 6th Annual Dark Alice in Wonderland Ball (click on 'Special Events') will be held at the Bossanova in Portland, OR on Friday, September 18th at 9PM. Traditionally a costumed event celebrating the dark side of Alice in Wonderland with proceeds benefiting local animal shelters. Costume contest at midnight, with dancing and debauchery dark Alice style!

A change of pace

Many musical works have been inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice books, and even by The Hunting of the Snark, but I can't think of anything other than academic books that have been inspired by his letters. Fortunately, Free Music Archive fills this void by making available Igor Ballereau's "Lettres à des amies-enfants", five songs for voice, flute, clarinet, violin, viola and cello performed by Jody Pou and Ensemble SIC.

Based on Lewis Carroll's letters to his child-friends Marion Richards, Dolly Argles, Ethel Arnold, Jessie Sinclair, and on his poem "The Mad Gardner's Song," the five pieces are what I would call (not actually knowing anything about it) experimental classical, and may or may not be your cup of tea. But for the whopping price of $0.00, they are definitely worth a listen.

Craftier and craftier

Everyone is getting into the "Alice next March" act... Somerset Studio paper-crafting magazine has a call for Alice in Wonderland-themed submissions: "Get inspired by the madcap adventures of little Alice. And feel free to interpret Alice through Tim Burton's eyes, as we anticipate his long-awaited film that honors this timeless tale by Lewis Carroll. Send us all of your mixed-media creations featuring Tweedles Dee & Dum, the Caterpillar, the Mad Hatter, and all the other fantastic characters from Alice in Wonderland to be considered for the Mar/Apr 2010 issue. We must receive your artwork by October 15, 2009."