Gotta give some link love to The Museum of Uncut Funk!  

Described by curator Pamela Thomas, aka “Sister Tofunky,” as “The planet’s first virtual museum dedicated to the celebration and preservation of the FUNK!,” The Museum of Uncut Funk has more galleries than the Smithsonian Institution.  Before you click the link, get yourself a two-day pass and pack a lunch, ’cause you’ll definitely be there a while and you’ll STILL have to come back for more.  

The Museum of Uncut Funk is split into approximately 7 different virtual “galleries.”  The galleries spin off from the main collection.  Each gallery focuses on a different aspect of 70’s Black pop culture, and most combine the blog format with permanent exhibits dedicated to that focus.  My favorite gallery is sort of a hodge-podge, catch-all for Ms. Thomas, entitled “Can’t Get Enough…Of that Funky Stuff Blog,” however I also dug the “Jim Kelly Exhibit,” for its breezy, but informative, multi-media look at the man’s life and career .  Each gallery boasts a wide array of funky memorabilia from Ms. Thomas’ personal collection, like Blaxploitation movie posters, Blaxploitation soundtrack album cover art,  and Blaxploitation-themed comic books.  One of the most interesting aspects of The Museum of Uncut Funk is that every exhibit contains at least one “Where The Hell Did She Get That?” entry.  I thought I knew a little something about Blaxploitation culture, but Sister ToFunky humbles even the most jaded collector with unexpected treasures like the Egyptian poster for Sheba Baby  or original production art from an aborted Hanna-Barbera cartoon called The Blackstones. (Think The Flintstones, but…y’know, Black.)  

Along with the fun, Ms. Thomas’ site includes sobering glimpses of how Blacks were depicted before we had the means and opportunities to control our images with an exhibit showcasing pre-Civil Rights era crate labels that included stereotypical images of  bug-eyed mammies and barefoot pickaninnies toting baskets full of yams.  The Museum is also building exhibits dedicated to Blacks on stamps and currencies from around the world.

The only minor drawback to The Museum of Uncut Funk is that the main gallery pages are embedded with sound files that automatically load when you go to the page.  The sound files are fantastic, tight cuts from groups like The Ohio Players and The Jimmy Castor Bunch, but if your computer loads slowly, it could be the equivalent of going to the museum and waiting in line behind an old lady with six screaming grandkids, trying to pay by check.  You might be in line a while, but it’s definitely worth the wait.

- JEP

Remember, Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow, Saturday, May 2, 2009!

Make sure you visit your local comic shop tomorrow…and each week after that.  If you’re not fortunate enough to live in a town like I do that has at least four independently owned and operated comic book stores, or you don’t know where to find one in your town, check out www.comicshoplocator.com and just enter your zip code or call 1-888-COMIC-BOOK.

- JEP

Today marks the release of the film, Star Trek, a reboot of the hoary, 43 year-old sci-fi franchise created by the late Gene Roddenberry.  To commemorate the occasion, I bring you the whore-y YouTube mash-up, Trek Turner, featuring original Star Trek cast member Nichelle Nichols. 

The role of Lt. Uhura,  the regal communications officer of the USS Enterprise, defined Nichelle Nichols’ career, but she played completely against type as Dorinda, a vengeful, foul-mouthed madame in the 1974 Isaac Hayes Blaxploitation vehicle, Truck Turner (no pun intended).  The venomous verbal tirades Dorinda launches at her stable of prostitutes are some of the most deliciously profane moments ever committed to celluloid, so, like peanut butter and chocolate, it was only a matter of time before someone brought Truck and Trek together.  In this case, snippets of Nichols’ Truck Turner dialogue are synched with clips of the cartoon Lt. Uhura from Star Trek: The Animated Series and, needless to say, the results are more than a little NSFW:

So far, everything I’ve seen of the new J.J. Abrams-helmed Star Trek looks really good, but there are legions of Star Trek devotees who are a lot more zealous about these matters than I am. 

The new cast may have a tough hill to climb bringing in new fans to the franchise, while pleasing the vast army of long-time Trekkers, but I think they just might pull it off.  So, best of luck to Zoe Saldana, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Karl Urban and the rest of the crew…”Now get out there and make it look good!”

- JEP

Mornin’

I’ve been in Houston, TX the past few days for my brother’s 40th birthday bash and Mother’s Day.  (I’m still there as a matter of fact.)  My family had a great time bowling, touring Johnson Space Center, and just hanging out.  My brother loved the birthday present I got for him, but that will be the subject for another post. 

I also got to handle a 7 ft. albino Burmese python named Janeane, whose owner let me borrow her copy of the original, vinyl, double-album soundtrack for the movie Shaft.  Heck, except for the slit cut open to remove the albums, the thing was still in its original cellophane wrapper!  But that too will be the subject for another post.

Be sure to come back tomorrow, for the next episode of WORLD OF HURT: The Thrill-Seekers.  Now that a simple missing persons case has turned into a murder investigation, Pastor puts some pieces on the board and calls in a favor before he starts the work of finding Alicia Patterson’s killer.

- JEP

*Nope, nothing Freudian there.

PAINFUL AD COPY IN 3…2…1…

Two new t-shirts have been added to the WORLD OF HURT Online Store.  Both shirts feature the above sports-themed image on the front and the WORLD OF HURT logo in black and red on back.  You’ll look like a Major League badass at the ballgame, the park or while working out in these cool, white cotton tees.

END PAINFUL AD COPY.

- JEP

Thanks to the magic of the world’s #1 social networking site and the nonstop promotional hustle of my ardent supporters, particularly Guess Who? and The Pirate Musketeer, in one short month of operation, WORLD OF HURT has developed a truly international outreach.  I would like to take this time to welcome my readers in the United Kingdom (Good afternoon), Sweden (God dag), Germany (Guten tag), and the Independent Republic of South Carolina (Wh’sup) who have joined the WORLD OF HURT Fan Club on Facebook.  Keep spreading the word and we’ll bring the world together one old-school ass whuppin’ at a time.  If I mangled your native tongue or if I missed any nations, just drop me a line and I’ll gladly give you a shout out.

Now what better way to celebrate our newly formed brotherhood of international players than with the instrumental version of  ”International Player’s Anthem?”  The 2006 hit by underground  hip-hop phenoms, UGK, featuring an appearance by Outkast, incorporates an extensive sample from Willie Hutch’s song “I Choose You” from the soundtrack of the seminal 1973 Blaxploitation film, The Mack. 

Enjoy:

Thanks for choosing to stop by.  Again, I genuinely appreciate your support and enthusiasm.  

Remember, I have a new strip every Wednesday and update my blog every Friday. 

Come back again and make sure to invite a friend.

- JEP

Frequent commenter, Rodney Blackwell aka “Rodbuddah,” just posted a review of WORLD OF HURT on his website, Planetgriffin.blogspot.com.

My first review. 

…

I HAVE ARRIVED!

Make sure y’all check out Planet Griffin, and not just for the great review of  “The Internet’s #1 Blaxploitation Webcomic.” 

So what’s Planet Griffin like, you ask?  Is it any good? 

“Is it any good?”  Is an elephant heavy?  Is pig pork?  Of course it’s good! 

Rodbuddah really holds it down for the old school and genre movies and comics over there.  His site was the first place I saw the teaser poster from Stallone’s new movie, The Expendables (which every action fan should be highly, highly anticipating), but I most enjoyed Rodbuddah’s post on “The Next 100.”    It’s a really nice wake up call for the comic book industry and a solid manifesto for aspiring cartoonists out there.  It also nicely encapsulates why WORLD OF HURT is here in the first place.

I’ll see you all tomorrow with the next installment of The Thrill-Seekers.

- JEP