You read the title. The Once-ler won’t stop biggering, and neither will this fandom! Despite our community numbers having decreased a bit since our heyday, those passionate few still hanging around continue to find ways to up the ante and bring some needed joy the Seussian way, with a little help from the talented artists and writers whom have contributed to the project. The zine aims to focus on the 10-year anniversary of the animated film, The Lorax, and more specifically the character of the Once-ler. Even better? All proceeds go to charity: Trees, Water, People.
For more information, be sure to check out the zine’s official Tumblr blog and Carrd here:
I’d personally like to tip my hat to those whom have put in the time and effort to make this zine a reality. It never ceases to amaze me just how much love and dedication there still is in this fandom. <3
Dear Readers,
After the thunder, and succeeding the lightning, comes a quiet calm that washes away the storm. But just because the skies have cleared (mostly...), it doesn’t mean there’s any lack of activity. Despite the loss of members, there is still a sprinkling of fans out and about, keeping the community alive, fresh, and fun as best they can -- a bit of after-rain, if you will.
In today’s update, we will cover some recent ask blogs that have cropped up out of the good earth, as well as a collaborate homage to one of the songs in Illumination’s The Lorax, and more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blogs Away!
While the heart of the fandom has always been its, well, fans, a big part of what’s made our community unique is its plethora of ask blogs, and, folks, they’re still coming after seven years! Below are just a few that have made an appearance within the last year. Some are more active than others, of course, but it’s worthwhile to acknowledge that their creators have made an effort to ensure their existence.
Bow-ler - Dapper, dandy, and deliciously ripe with fashion sense, Bow-ler is on the clock for all your clothing needs (at least in the bow and hat department). A post-Greedler who is trying to clean up his act, Bow-ler would appreciate a little understanding and business. Just don’t make fun of his name or style. As he very succinctly points out in his “About Me” page, you’d best heed his wishes if you want to remain on his good side.
Cake Once-ler - One of the sweetest ‘lers you’ll ever meet... both inside and out! He has a passion for baking, as you may have guessed, so much so, in fact, that things kind of got out of hand.... Right now he’s on a bit of a hiatus, but you’re still invited to send an ask, if you so desire!
Lab-ler - Lab-ler is definitely one of the more interesting specimens you may meet on your journey down ask blog road. An inventor and a professor, Lab experiments with potions to make life for himself more bearable. And what are those strange blue tear streaks he sports, you ask? Why, they are the result of an experiment gone wrong, of course. Alas, science is a dangerous profession at times. Although he hasn’t posted in quite some months (since January, in fact), make sure to browse through his answers to asks and admire the detailed fan art to go with them.
Chrys-ler - “Please, buy a car,” asks this very forward Once-ler. Seriously, it’s in the name. He hasn’t posted much over the last four months, but perhaps that’s because business has been lax? Maybe someone will be bold enough to fix that.
~~~~~
Active Once-ler Ask Blog Masterpost
Fandom member Whisper-ma-phone must have noticed that the original masterpost hasn’t been updated in quite some time. Henceforth, they took matters into their own hands and made an updated one, which is rather nifty. You can view the list here:
Active Ask Blog Masterpost
Obligatory shout-out to Bitter Once-ler who, amazingly, is considered active, even though he hasn’t posted in the last ten months. This is fair play, however, as he tends to pop up once in a blue moon, as if to simply remind everyone that, yes, he’s still here.
~~~~~
The Return of Ghoul-ler
Those of you from back in the good ol’ days may remember a particular ask blog who went by the name of Ghoul-ler. Although he disappeared for some time, his owner certainly had not forgotten about him. That’s right: Ghoul-ler is back... in a web comic! You can find out more about these recent changes here:
Ghoul-ler
You can also find his creator via this link:
Fluffy-bonezz
~~~~~
“Thneedville”... Re-imagined
What’s better than dancing along to “Thneedville” from The Lorax? Dancing along to a live action re-enactment of it, of course! A bunch of folks actually got together and made this a reality -- not just a small family, or a little group of friends, but seemingly a whole neighborhood! Check it out here on YouTube:
Thneedville (Live Action) - The Lorax
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That’s all for now, but keep an eye out for more news in the future! As always, we say... let it grow!!
Dear Readers,
Despite the passage of time transforming our seven year old fandom from a thriving forest to a somewhat parched desert, the lack of activity can’t seem to choke out the annual emergence of Camp Weehawken!
Yes, the festivities are once again returning for 2019, complete with a Discord server for group chats, camp cabins and activities, and even new features such as a calendar and the option to suggest additional event ideas.
For more information, check out the official Camp Weehawken page:
https://campweehawken.tumblr.com/
This year marks Weehawken’s 6-year anniversary. The first emergence of said camp began when fandom member Pinkcakery’s interpretation of some of Swag Onceler’s post entries “exploded into a fandom-wide event”, as mentioned here:
On a different, rather artistic, note, you might want to check out fandom member Alisha’s (lorax-ascending’s) art page, where she’s drawn some lovely Once-ler and Norma pieces! You can find her artworks here:
Dear Readers,
We here at The Unless Press wish you all a very Happy Earth Day, and hope that your Easter Sunday was joyous and blessed, as well!
Those of you who remember the good ol’ days may recall that Earth Day unofficially became the Once-ler’s birthday, as decided by many in the fandom. Perhaps this would be a good day to pop in that Lorax DVD, bake some truffula cupcakes, or simply enjoy the beauty of the outdoors!
This year also marks the 7th anniversary of Illumination Entertainment’s The Lorax. That’s right. It’s been seven years since the film came out on March 2nd, 2012. Seems like only yesterday we were throwing water balloons and setting up camp in Weehawken. How the time flies.
On a bit of a sad note, many of you are most likely aware that Audrey Geisel, Dr. Seuss’s late wife, passed away last year on December 19th. She was 97 years old. Mrs. Geisel is succeeded by her two daughters, Lark Grey Dimond-Cates and Leagrey Dimond.
- Pluto, Unless Press Moderator
Dear Readers,
As many of you are most likely aware, Tumblr recently updated their policy so that adult content is no longer welcome on the site as a whole. What defines “adult content”, and even what doesn’t define it, has already resulted in many blog posts that are not inappropriate getting flagged.
Now, the question for us is:
What does this mean for The Unless Press?
So far, none of The Unless Press issues have been flagged, but I’m not placing any bets that they won’t be. Although none of the pages host any inappropriate content, save for the occasional swear word, this does not mean that the paper is safe. Erring on the side of caution, I will be backing up every single page. I did have the originals on a travel drive... until said drive failed on me (with me stupidly having not backed up some of those files anywhere else). With the help of an application, this shouldn’t take too long.
My hope is that the pages will remain on the site and avoid getting flagged, but there’s no promise of that. Do bear in mind that, should this happen at any time, I will do whatever I can to resolve the issue.
Thank you for your time,
Pluto, Unless Press Moderator
Dear Readers,
The day is November 12th. The year? 2018. And for the second time since its birth in 2012, the Once-ler fandom has made the headlines:
Polygon Article - The Grinch vs. The Once-ler
The first official article that zoomed in on our community was back in October of 2012, when The Daily Dot highlighted the Jack Frost/Once-ler “wars”:
The Daily Dot - Fandom Wars!
While it is more than likely that there have been other instances of our fandom making the news, these are the two most prominent that I’ve seen over the last six years, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see more in the future.
The Polygon article casts the Once-ler fandom in a somewhat negative light, namely focusing on the infamous topic of Oncest and some of the more unusual ask blog creations. They also bring to the stage various pieces of fan art with a sexual nature, including compositions by Froggyflan, Miru667, and Angelwingkitsune. Three of the more popular ask blogs are mentioned, as well, those being Swag Once-ler, Greed Pimp Once-ler, and Gentleman Once-ler. And, yes, the Ed Helms video is spoken about and given a link to.
The main topic of conversation in this article, however, and the real question everyone is biting their nails over, has to do with the Grinch: Will Illumination Entertainment’s version of the Grinch become the next Tumblr sex icon?
As the article states, only time will tell if history will repeat itself, but in the meantime we will continue to chug on as a fandom that, despite what news reports may say, is ever so much more than Oncest and ask blogs.
Extra! Extra!
Yours truly just got back from seeing The Grinch, Illumination Entertainment’s latest animated film. What’s the final verdict? Posted below is a short review, but if you’d like all the juice, check out the spoiler-y review at the bottom.
Short Review:
After tackling mass-produced thneeds and truffula trees in The Lorax, which, while aesthetically pleasing, received mainly lukewarm reviews, Illumination has returned to the Dr. Seuss scene with a little Christmas cheer. Brimming with flavorful, eye-catching sequences, sweet character moments, and freshly-baked additions to the original story, The Grinch is a film that I would describe as “appropriately cute”. It doesn’t stray far from the original source material, yet also offers a new take on such topics of the Grinch’s backstory and Cindy Lou Who’s family dynamic. Thankfully, rather than detracting from the tale, these new additions actually help strengthen this hour and a half-long take on it.
In juxtaposition with Chuck Jones’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, this latest adaptation presents our main player as more of a tragic soul, with Cindy Lou playing a much larger role in the story and in assisting in his development. It’s sweet and gentle, its presence like a soft candle that brings a smile to a room. That being said, I must admit that the charm of this film cannot hold up to the fire-y warmth that emanates from the original short. For all its flair, the Chuck Jones version simply feels more genuine and dives deeper emotionally in a much shorter length of time. This is simply my opinion, as I was hoping for a more touching film that really pulled at my heartstrings, and this production simply didn’t do it for me, although there are a couple of sweet scenes that make it stand out as a film.
For certain, this movie is better than The Lorax. It feels more linear and sure of itself, and it provides a stronger narrative that knows where it’s headed. It will appeal to both adults and children, I think, and to fans of Dr. Seuss in general. Animation fans will want to check it out for the beautiful set pieces, bouncy and fun animation, and charming character designs. You may not walk out of the theater feeling 100% fulfilled emotionally, but it’s not a waste of your time either.
Final rating: 6/10
For spoilers, see below.
(Drawing by me. Done for Strapple some months ago. Figured I’d post it again here ‘cause it’s appropriate. Heh.)
Spoiler-y Review:
Adding on to what was said in the general review:
This is a sweet little movie, and I’d recommend it, but I would also still say that the original short succeeds emotionally where this film fails.
As previously stated, Illumination presents the Grinch as a tragic character -- a lost and lonely soul whom has never known the warmth of a family’s love or the comfort of a kindly home. His closest, and only, companion is his faithful dog, Max, a non-speaking character who lives to please his master like any loyal pup does. The Grinch exploits him in his schemes, but genuinely cares for him all the same. Perhaps Max, like the Grinch, was once an orphan as well....
Unlike the original tale, which gave no explanation for why the Grinch so hated Christmas, this one gives us a backstory. Christmas is almost something of a trigger for our green-furred Who, bringing back painful memories of his past as an orphaned, family-less lad who was always on the outside looking in. Christmas doesn’t just annoy him; it torments him. The only way to rid himself of this affliction, he figures, is to destroy the source, and so he sets out to do just that.
Meanwhile, Cindy Lou Who, who is a little bit older than two in this tale, has her own set of problems. Her single mother, stuck working overnights at her job and day-times trying to manage rascally twins, can’t seem to catch a break, and Cindy figures that the only way to stop this madness is to ask Santa if he can somehow make her mom happy. She recruits several other children in the neighborhood to assist her in this task, and they do so rather humorously.
Illumination manages to balance out the Grinch’s tale with Cindy’s very well, never leaning too far on one side or the other, and the manner in which the two lines bridge is sweet and meaningful. I particularly like how they portray Cindy -- she’s a tender-hearted, bouncy little thing who isn’t afraid to do what she must to make others happy, and this extends to the Grinch. Pretty much any scene with Cindy in it I unabashedly enjoyed.
On the flip side of the coin, the Grinch himself, though lovingly animated, wasn’t presented as bad as he should have been, for when the change of heart for him does manifest, it not only blossoms way too quickly, but simply doesn’t feel as meaningful, and I think the reason for this is because he isn’t given the chance to be portrayed as bad as he was in the original. In the short, he is shown to be so “devilish” (albeit in a very cartoon-y and hilarious way) that, when the change comes, its affect is much heavier and emotional, where in this latest film it comes off as lukewarm. Perhaps I’ve simply seen too many movies and so have a harder time being affected, and if it touched you then great, but it didn’t hit me as hard as I wanted it to hit.
Also, on a rather nit-picky note, I simply couldn’t buy Benedict Cumberbatch as the Grinch. He’s a great actor and has no problem doing the role, but the voice just didn’t fit the character to me.
Adding on to this, screen time that could have been spent more wisely was sadly wasted. For example, there is a good 5+ minute-long sequence in which the Grinch sends Max out to spy on the Whos and count how many houses are in the town. However, once this is finished, we transition to a room in the Grinch’s abode where he already has a detailed, fully-built model of the town. If he could simply count the number of houses easier and faster here, why send Max out in the first place? Moments like this could have been cut, or the time allotted to other parts that could have used more character development. Time is a precious resource that should be spent wisely.
That being said, there are some nice things to take away from this movie. Some of the backgrounds are absolutely delicious to look at, and it’s evident that the crew put their all into the designs, animation, and effects work. I actually like the additions to the film, and I commend them for managing to turn a short book into a feature-length film. This is difficult to do, and the only two Seuss films that I feel have managed this fairly effectively are “Horton” and this one.
And now for the question you’ve all been waiting for.... Does this film have any nods to The Lorax in it? Well... yes... and no.
There are a couple of things that give a little nod to their last adaption of a Seuss book, whether it’s intentional or not. I believe it’s simply their style or how they went about doing things, but it’s still fun to point out stuff.
1. One of the Whos looks very much like Audrey, especially in the hair. I’m of the suspicion that they simply took Audrey’s hair and placed it on this character; it’s that similar.
2. One of the kids is wearing a red-striped shirt that looks a bit like Ted’s shirt.
3. The layout of the town that the Whos live in is similar to that of Thneedville, in a way -- lots of curves, hidden paths, and ups and downs that spiral around. It’s fun to look at and admire.
No sign of the Once-ler anywhere, although I’m not giving up the possibility that there may be a nod to him somewhere in the background. At the very least, I’m sure that I missed seeing some reused props from The Lorax.
So yeah. Check out the film. It’s cute. Not great, but sweet and worth an hour and a half of your time. It’s nice to see that more effort seems to have been put into the story this time around as opposed to The Lorax, and I love the overall message of The Grinch: show kindness and love, two things which we could use a lot more of.
Dear Readers,
In April of this year, a YouTube channel by the name of Big Joel uploaded a video in which he dissects The Lorax. It’s a rather interesting review that analyzes the film in ways we in the fandom never thought of; at least, not to my knowledge.
Having said this, here is a link to the video, in case any of you are curious:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC_8vkD1-H8
- Pluto, Unless Press Moderator
Dear Readers,
On August 24th, Mads, creator of the long-running Truffula Tribune fandom newsletter, announced that the paper would be going on an indefinite hiatus due to the start of a new life in college.
It’s been an honor to see the torch be passed from The Unless Press... to the Thneed Times... to the Truffula Tribune. I can’t thank all of you enough for being this dedicated to keeping the news circulating for so long, and I wish you all the best, Mads, in college and appreciate what you did to help keep the fandom alive! :)
You can find all of the Truffula Tribune articles and announcements on their main Tumblr blog here: https://truffula-tribune.tumblr.com/
On another note, many of you may be aware that Illumination Entertainment has been at work on another Seuss production: The Grinch. Directed by producer Scott Mosier (Good Will Hunting, Clerks II) and director Yarrow Cheney (The Secret Life of Pets; production designer on The Lorax and Despicable Me 1 & 2, The Grinch hits U.S. theaters on November 9, 2018.
There has been some debate as to whether or not this film will result in a resurrection of sorts of the Lorax/Once-ler fandom, be it significant or not. Will The Grinch surpass The Lorax in ratings? Will it spawn its own fandom? Are we to expect a cameo from one or more of The Lorax’s cast in the film? Only a few months remain until these questions are answered. Are you one of those who dread what the results of this film might bring, or are you excited and curious as to how this production may affect the fandom?
Although The Unless Press, as a newsletter, is not returning in full, I may, on occasion, post updates as to what is happening in the world of Illumination Entertainment and Seuss, as well as significant fandom events. These updates would only occur every few months at the most.
To reiterate what the Truffula Tribune posted in one of their last submissions, it is interesting to note that several big name ask blogs, including Entre, Rocky, and Bitter, recently ventured out of their holes after quite a long hiatus. Does this mean that we’ll be seeing a resurgence of ask blog activity? Who knows..?
Thank you very much for reading and, as always, let it grow!
- Pluto, The Unless Press Moderator
Almost a year has gone by since our last update, with the most current issue at 11 months of age serving as a eulogy to the “Press” publication, but with the new year comes new surprises....
In an unexpected move, Nostalgia Critic returned to the 2012 film, The Lorax, in which Doug Walker and his brother, Rob, give their “Real Thoughts” on Illumination Entertainment’s first shot at a Dr. Seuss tale. Doug’s opinion on the film hasn’t changed much, and for good reason, but whether you love or hate the movie, it’s still fun to hear others talk about it. Listen to Doug and Rob chatting up their opinions here:
Nostalgia Critic Real Thoughts on - The Lorax
On a separate line, it’s worth noting that the Truffula Tribune is still active and reporting news on a bi-weekly basis, so check them out if you haven’t already:
A minor update has been made to the “Issues/Papers” section of the blog. The page was previously “double-titled”. This error has since been rectified. In addition to this, a link to the 50th issue has been included (a bit late to the party, I know; it was a mistake I had not noticed until today). You can see the change and addition here:
http://theunlesspress.tumblr.com/post/136351651664/let-it-grow-let-it-grow-let-the-love-inside-you
I would also like to take the time to shed light on The Truffula Tribune, the fandom’s latest community newsletter. As of late, one of the moderators of the paper (Mads) has been going through some difficult times. Please send prayers and well wishes their way. They are also looking for someone to assist them in gathering news and whatnot for the Truffula Tribune, so if anyone can help them in managing the publication I’m sure Mads would greatly appreciate it. You can find the Truffula Tribune blog page here:
Seeing as I completely forgot to mention this in the last issue, I’m going to do so here....
A fandom member (I can’t recall who) asked me before I released the last paper if I could include in it a message on spreading kindness and love to others in the community. I whole-heartedly agree with their comment. In this fandom, on this website, on the internet, and in real life, let’s all remember to refrain from sending hate to others... and to instead let your love grow from within you. Let it burst out of you and spread to those around you! In this world, we all could use a lot less hate and a lot more charity. You can make a difference.
Let the love inside you show.
Additionally, I’d like to personally thank everyone whom has supported and stuck by The Unless Press paper for these last few years. It’s been a real pleasure communing with you awesome folks. No matter how small or large the fandom may get, I will never leave it, and I shall never forget you lovely people. Thank you for making this fandom the most awesome one I’ve ever been in. :)
I would like to apologize for neglecting to credit one other artist! Fandom member Once-lier collaborated with Miru667 on a couple of the art pieces featured in the 50th newsletter. The issue will be corrected in the paper itself as soon as possible!
Update: The issue has since been corrected! :)
“Let it grow, Let it grow!
Let the love inside you show!
Plant a seed inside the earth,
Just one way to know its worth,
Let’s celebrate the world’s rebirth,
We say... let it grow!!!”
All of you have let this community grow into something beautiful, something memorable, and something lovely. Never stop caring. Never stop loving. And never stop planting. Because unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all so much for being amazing, wonderful, kind, generous, incredible, and loving people. From one friend to another, thank you. I love you all!! We say... LET IT GROW!!
- Pluto
The Unless Press has just been pressed! The last issue is complete and will be released tomorrow, December 31st, at 3:00 PM PST.
I’m sad to see this go, but I’m ever so grateful to you -- my friends and the Once-ler community -- for making these years such happy ones. See you on Thursday! I hope you enjoy the paper, and Happy New Year!! :)
The 50th and final issue of The Unless Press shall be released on December 31st, 2015. We’re ending this year with one last paper! It’s been a great run. See you next Thursday! :)
