You may have noticed the Smart Pop blog fell a little quiet last week, and that’s because the Smart Pop team (Leah and Jennifer) flew out to San Diego, to participate in Comic-Con, a little-known* convention held in San Diego every year.

(*HA!)

We had quite the time meeting some past and current contributors and readers, attending loads of television panels to see what our favorite shows have in store for us this fall (and what new and exciting shows we can expect to be dazzled by), and passing out some awesome promotional materials for our Glee, True Blood, and Dollhouse anthologies.

Here are the highlights of the show from our viewpoint:

• The Transmedia Entertainment panel we attended early Thursday and given

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» Continue Reading “Smart Pop’s Comic Con recap (part one)”

And, the latest episode of True Blood is also being recapped today, as well, by Nick Mamatas.

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In my essay “Working Class Heroes” in A Taste of True Blood, I took a look at the class composition of our protagonists, and the mechanisms of soft control—religion, social work, etc.—that society uses to dominate the working class. Season three continues to offer class politics aplenty with Sam’s family of shifters (who apparently make their living in the underground dog fighting ring), Jason’s dalliances with the police force and with Crystal, and with the uber-suave King of Mississppi and his army of biker-werewolves. In Season three, True Blood has taken us into the world of the lumpenproletariat.

The lumpenproletariat are basically, according…

» Continue Reading “True Blood “I Got a Right to Sing the Blues” (3.6) Recap”

This recap (from last week’s episode) is from Paula Rogers, who we got to know better a few weeks back.

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My essay “To Live and Live in Dixie” examined how traditional Southern culture was changed, or not, by magical creatures. Much of my essay focused on Louisiana, and since most of season 3 seems to be taking place in Mississippi … well, at least it’s not Nebraska.

Actually, Mississippi is considered more a part of the traditional Deep South than Louisiana, what with the confederate flag still part of the current state flag, and all. The conflicted Southern legacy of slavery, secession, and segregation (among other things) that I mention in my essay is especially dramatic in…

» Continue Reading “True Blood “Trouble” (3.5) Recap”

Will you be at Comic-Con next week? If so, take a break from the crowded convention center and come visit the Smart Pop Team.

Smart Pop will be hosting a meet-and-greet Saturday evening at the House of Blues (a quick 15-minute walk from the convention center) to celebrate so many pop culture enthusiasts being in one city at the same time and to provide a sneak peek at the upcoming Smart Pop fall line.

Party details:

Saturday, July 24, 2010 from 8-11 p.m.
At The House of Blues (website)
1055 Fifth Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
(link to map)

For our guests:

• A copy of A Taste of True Blood: The Fangbanger’s Guide while

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» Continue Reading “Smart Pop Party at Comic-Con!”

Recap by Joe McCabe, who we got to know a little better a few weeks back and his essay in A Taste of True Blood is “Pure Blood.”

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My essay in A Taste of True Blood – “Pure Blood” – is concerned with the differences and similarities between True Blood and the granddaddy of all vampire sagas, Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Bill Compton rides a perpetually swinging pendulum between the Southern Antebellum era gentleman and the beast of Stoker’s narrative. The pendulum continues to swing in season 3 of the show, particularly in the fourth episode, “9 Crimes,” which sees Bill Compton return to the savagery from whence his undead existence began.

The episode begins with Sookie tending to Alcide’s…

» Continue Reading “True Blood “9 Crimes” (3.4) Recap”

Thanks for all your sharing your great entries to our “Share Your Glee” contest. Reading your stories about how Glee‘s characters and music have touched your life was (much like Glee itself) even more affecting than I expected.

You’ll get to read a few of them yourselves this fall. Specifically, submissions from:

Debbie Duncan
Suzan Hyssen
S.R. Johannes
Caitlin Marceau
Maria Mora
Jacob Sanchez

Congratulations to all of you!

» Continue Reading ““Share Your Glee” winners”

Before we introduce you to another talented writer who also happens to be contributor to our awesome anthology A Taste of True Blood, let me bring to your attention a great deal. For today only, check out our Facebook page for a great offer on the book (think: serious discount).

Now, onto the talent! Alisa’s essay “Blue-Collar Bacchanalia” takes another look at the much-talked-about character of Maryann. Here are the same questions we’ve given all the contributors with Alisa’s original answers.

Who is your favorite True Blood character?

Oh, this is hard. I had so much fun with Maryann the maenad, who really delighted in her own bitch-goddessness. As a kid, I always wanted to be a villainess for Halloween. But…

» Continue Reading “A Taste of True Blood: Meet Alisa Kwitney”

Recap by Kirsty Walker, who we got to know a little better a few weeks back and her essay in A Taste of True Blood is “True Stud.”

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(Editor’s note: we’ve left the English spelling of certain words to retain Kirsty’s voice in this recap.)

In my essay “True Stud” I examined the relative masculinities of the main male characters of True Blood and episode 3.3 was a smorgasbord of complex male behaviours.

Eric starts the show by displaying how he can straddle primal masculinity and metrosexuality. He’ll rip the throat out of a fleeing werewolf but will then apologise for getting your rug wet with the unfortunate creature’s blood. Was it just…

» Continue Reading “True Blood “It Hurts Me Too” (3.3) Recap”

Since Peg Aloi recapped the latest episode of True Blood for us, I thought we should get to know her better. It’s also been a little while since we featured A Taste of True Blood contributor.

Peg’s A Taste of True Blood essay, “Night Is the Color of Blood,” is on the importance and meaning of color in True Blood, and it’s a fascinating read, full of things I had never considered about the show before.

Here’s her Q&A:

Who is your favorite True Blood character?

When a friend of mine in Florida found out I was watching True Blood, he texted me “Bill or Eric?” And I wrote back “Sam.” Then he texted back to say his wife…

» Continue Reading “A Taste of True Blood: Meet Peg Aloi”

Recap by Peg Aloi, whose essay “Night is the Color of Blood” in A Taste of True Blood examines the importance of color in the series.

One thing I enjoy about True Blood’s storytelling is the way nearly every episode ends on a high note of action and suspense, leaving viewers feeling like they can’t wait to find out what happens next. It’s a very apt approach to a series that deals so strongly with issues of addiction, no?

My Taste of True Blood essay was on True Blood‘s use of color, and season two’s cliffhanger ending was emphasized by the way the episode was steeped in color symbolism, with Sookie wearing lavender (a lighter version of purple, which signifies death…

» Continue Reading “True Blood “Beautifully Broken” (3.2) Recap”