guest post by Aaron Muszalski
With the interwebs still abuzz from last week’s debut of Joss Whedon’s independently-produced musical miniseries, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, reports have surfaced of a budding rivalry in the (evidently crowded) world of singing super-geniuses.
Dr. Phineas Waldolf Steel, a musical mad scientist with a secret laboratory in Los Angeles, California, is asserting a prior claim on the title of “future World Emperor.” An artist, philosopher and composer, Dr. Steel has been performing in labcoat and goggles since 1999 as part of his lifelong goal of “manifesting as much creativity in the world [and] utilizing his multi-talented mind to build a Utopian Playland.”
On his fan club site, Toy Soldiers Unite, Dr. Steel has issued a directive to his followers instructing them to post Dr. Steel propaganda – a term he proudly embraces – wherever Dr. Horrible is mentioned, and to point out that their Doctor is the one true original. However, upon closer examination, the two doctors are actually quite distinct from one another, despite their outward similarities.
For example, while both aspire to usher in a New World Order of their own devising, Dr. Horrible seems to have taken a more traditional route to super-villainy, performing a variety of criminal acts in the hopes of securing a place in an elite crime syndicate. (In this case, the Evil League of Evil.) In contrast, Dr. Steel’s goal is the creation of a “Utopian Playland” in which the people of the Earth are required to do nothing but that which makes them happy. To achieve these ends, Dr. Steel uses musical performance, puppets, and a line of modified toys. Whereas, to achieve his ends, Dr. Horrible uses his Wonderflonium-powered Freeze Ray.
Despite his claim that the “status is NOT quo,” Dr. Horrible’s musical tastes are also fairly traditional, featuring songs that would hardly seem out-of-place in any of the currently popular contemporary Broadway musicals. Dr. Steel, on the other hand, has chosen to spread his message via a more dance-oriented style: funky, industrial, and heavily sample-laden. Consequently, Dr. Steel’s music would make a better soundtrack for leading an army of giant robots into battle, while Dr. Horrible’s songs are more instantly memorable, and easier to sing along to.
Dr. Steel is also a supporter of organized labor (Member, Mad Scientists Union Local 42) while Dr. Horrible, insofar as can be determined from his actions thus far, appears to be a Libertarian.
Given these differences, and in the hopes of averting a potentially dangerous feud between these two misunderstood visionaries, Laughing Squid would like to humbly suggest that – at least for the time being – the world is big enough for two spuriously-degreed, mentally-unhinged masters of scientific mayhem.
See Also:
- Doctor Steel interviewed by Fractal Suicide
- Plans for the Toy Soldiers Invasion of ComiCon
via io9
Dr. Steel propaganda images by Dr. Steel
photo by Chad Michael Ward
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
There's been a lot of buzz lately about who stole what from whom for how many animal cookies, and it's really a shame.
I think the initial reaction of Dr. Steel fans was of an over-zealous nature, feeling the pinch of ‘too close for comfort’ when a big-named producer makes a show that in many ways does mirror Dr. Steel’s. That is not to say that Joss Whedon ripped him off, most of the elements are nothing new, but to put them all together in a similar fashion does raise the eyebrows.
But that’s neither here nor there. I doubt Joss is a theif.
Really now, there’s room enough on this big old planet of ours to enjoy BOTH mad scientists, and I figure there will be a lot of cross-over fans who love both, or who personally prefer one over the other.
That’s human nature – to have a preference.
So while hasty words and mis-applied zeal may have been the initial reaction, I think most everyone realizes that there is no need for any sort of ‘fan-war’ over this. Growing pains, and nothing more.
Be that as it may, Dr. Steel will always be my first love – … Mind Control Cookies… mmmmmmm..
I completely concur, Miss Zarah. The lab-coated, goggle-wearing evil genius is an iconic cultural image, and one that certainly predated both Dr. Steel and Dr. Horrible. And while both doctors owe a debt to that larger tradition of pseudo-scientific megalomania, they've each clearly added to it, and made it decisively their own, in different ways.
I hadn't known about Dr. Steel until now – which is strange, as he appears to have been well-known among my many friends and co-conspirators in SoCal, including Pixie of Pixievision Productions, and famed Suicide Girl, Fractal Suicide. If it hadn't been for Dr. Horrible, I might not have learnt of Dr Steel at all, so for that I'm grateful.
Surely there will come a time, once the two doctors have vanquished all their other foes, when they will have to turn upon one another, in a final contest for ultimate dominion over the world. But until that (hopefully long-distant) time, we should all enjoy and assist them BOTH as they work for change. “¡Sí, Se Puede!” as they say.
Anyway, it's either that, or be obliterated by their death rays and robot armies, so… y'know.
OK, nice ideas and all, but everybody can tell you who is really going to straighten out the planet.
I'm Ryan, and I am going to be President of Earth.
feel free to check out some of the work at myspace.com/gravityphoenix
But honestly, the day before the United States holds their Presidential election, I will assume office as President of Earth.
I'm sorry to all of you that didn't vote, we'll be more than happy to run the election again.
Some of the other candidates are listed within my blogs, let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.
I will not be using Wonderflonium powered freeze rays.
Thanks for your time,
Ryan
There is one major difference, Dr.Horrible is a character created for 3 short videos.
Dr.Steel is the real deal, he has been around since 1999. He has a real army of Toy Soldiers and the robots will soon be built (he just needs to work out some *technical* dificulties)
He WILL be World Emperor.
http://www.doctorsteel.com
Huge difference between the two. DH is a self-contained story, told in a basic “musical” fashion. While DS has his live shows, and all, that he focuses on. Hell, I can only find one episode of the Doctor Steel Show. And that's #3. What happened before that? Where are they? Why aren't they on the site?
I love them both, but let's just let both creators do what they do best. One can make TV shows and one can go out and perform.
Nix
Two words people, “Young Frankenstein”.
I guess everybody commenting is too young to remember the original singing mad scientist.
And I do love ALL the singing men in lab coats.
But never forget Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks were first.
Grant Morrison.
This is all I say.
The thing with Dr.Steel is that hes not just doing all of the singing and dancing for show he REALLY does think he can take over the world. In fact some of Dr. Steel’s songs are based of of real life for example “Lament for a Toy factory” was based off of a real event it was even an article in the LA times or his song “Greedy” were he escapes a mental institute is real. The article is named “Toy Maker” Escapes Mental Institution and it was in the LA times on Monday, June 12, 2001 here is a portion of it. “The patient, a male in his mid twenties, was committed after setting setting fire
to his employer’s toy company. “He had made great strides in his recovery.” Said
Dr. Dayton Hangford, psychiatrist at Preston Windsor. “He was actually very
helpful around the hospital and enjoyed performing puppet shows for the other
patients.” Go look it up you will find it just type in Toy maker escapes mental institution, its the first link on the page
i myself, enjoy every aspext of drsteel and what he’s doing, i do have to note, for record…. when you search for what prophet chaos said to in google, you do get an article for dr.steel… whoever….. it’s not real… if you look at the actual url, it’s one of dr.steel’s… i admit, it’s one of the best pages i’ve seen made….. every link clickable to the actual LA times site… he obciously put time into it, but like some sites, for example myspace, you always look at the url to see what site you’re really at… one thing you will also notice, if you go to the LA times offical site, then search the article, you get nothing…
still…. Dr.Steel for world emperor!!!!!