From the Editor’s Desk
Welcome to the Summer Issue of PCR. We hope the contents afford you
some relief from the sweltering heat. Oddly in Las Vegas, we seem to be
sweltering much less than the rest of the country, an anomaly of the climate
change it seems.
This summer sees us awash in blockbuster films about super heroes,
many based on comic book characters, and genre smashers such Cowboys and
Aliens which Roger Ebert says is based on a pulp cover. Reality shows
dominate television. Some food shows offer us tasty ways to destroy our
arteries, while others go a step further extolling the virtues of gluttony with
competition eating competitions and visits to “diners, drive-ins and dives.”
Competitions among cupcake bakers, cake sculptors, chefs, home and fashion
designers and grotesque tots in tiaras provide new couch potato sports arenas.
Pawn brokers are elevated to star status, as are pickers and restorers.
All of this, of course, reflects the times and shows what we are or want,
or, at least, what media moguls think we are or want. What I am not seeing are
many submissions either to PCR or our annual conference (February 24 - 26,
2012) dealing with this most obvious popular culture. There is plenty to say that
hasn’t been said this editor would certainly welcome articles and papers in these
areas.
That said, I’ll put in a plug for my favorite escape this summer, NBC’s
Chaos, a witty and entertaining CIA spoof well worth your time.
February conference details are at http://farwestpca.blogspot
This issue of PCR is brought to you through the efforts our new editorial
staff Carol Turner and Claire L. Hand to whom I am incredibly grateful.
F e ltc to /
Felicia Felicia F. Campbell
Professor of English
Editor, Popular Culture Review
[email protected]
http://www.farwestpca.blogspot.com