IDW #39: Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster Cocktail Machine

**yoitisi** · July 12th, 2007, 07:32 AM

Topic: Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster Cocktail Machine

Background: As suggested by ATAnderson this topic is taken from a book, although it still allows for a lot of freedom. For people not familiar with Douglas Adams' "the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (and for the ones who need help remembering) here is the passage from the Guide about the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster. It's quite a long story, but I think some background on this topic is helpfull. And it's a good read, believe me

Here's what the Encyclopaedia Galactica has to say about alcohol.
It says that alcohol is a colourless volatile liquid formed by the fermentation
of sugars and also notes its intoxicating effect on certain carbon-based life forms.

The Hich Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy also mentions alcohol. It says that the best drink
in existence is the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster.
It says that the effect of drinking a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster is like having your brains
smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick.

The Guide also tells you on which planets the best Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters are mixed,
how much you can expect to pay for one and what voluntary organizations exist to help you
rehabilitate afterwards.

The Guide even tells you how you can mix one yourself.

Take the juice from one bottle of that Ol' Janx Spirit, it says.

Pour into it on measure of water from the seas of Santraginus V - Oh that Santraginean sea
water, it says. Oh those Santraginean fish!!!

Allow three cubes of Arcturan Mega-gin to melt into the mixture (it must be properly iced or the
benzine is lost).

Allow four litres of Fallian marsh gas to bubble through it, in memory of all those happy
Hikers who have died of pleasure in the Marshes of Fallia.

Over the back of a silver spoon float a measure of Qualactin Zones, subtle, sweat and mystic.

Drop in the tooth of an Algolian Suntiger. Watch it dissolve, spreading the fires of the
Algolian Suns deep into the heart of the drink.

Sprinkle Zamphuor.

Add an olive.

Drink...but...very carefully...
The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy sells rather better than the Encyclopaedia Galactica.

(The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 1979, p. 27)

Brief:

1. Design a cocktail machine that can produce a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster.
2. It is not necessairy to include all of the ingredients in the drawing, but it must be clear from the outside that the machine contains at least some of them.
3. The book never actually talks about a machine to mix this drink, so how the machine should look is up to you.

Deadline: Friday July 20th

**yoitisi** · July 12th, 2007, 07:41 AM

Please let me know what you guys think about the topic, I thought it worthwhile to test the idea of having a more specific brief from a book but if you all rather have a two-word brief I'll stick to that the next time.

I think it's fun anyway

**grenogs** · July 12th, 2007, 01:43 PM

omg! you call this more specific? lol i guess you've never illustrated book jackets for a living. hehehehehe

by the way, nice topic

**MrSmith** · July 12th, 2007, 03:44 PM

i like it!

**s_vanwinkle** · July 13th, 2007, 01:35 AM

Well, this will be my first idea for any of these contests, thought i would post this and see if it met the regulations of "industrial". Its a bio-engineered machine. You have to rub its "sensitive spot" which is pointed at by the little arrow, which sends it into an orgasm which makes the various fleshy body parts girate, mixing together all the chemicals for the drink perfectly, finished by secreting your drink into your glass. Its pretty out there, but then again so is the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. Its obviously still just a wip, and just pencil on some copy paper, just let me know if this is acceptable as industrial enough etc. And crits etc always welcome as this is my first time.

**Seedling** · July 13th, 2007, 10:47 AM

OOh. OOoooh. I may have to make some time this weekend to try this assignment. :-)

**Mark Hershberger** · July 13th, 2007, 06:49 PM

Great Topic...the Answer Is 3! ( And A Smashed Self Aware Pot Of Petunias!)

**chaosrocks** · July 13th, 2007, 08:48 PM

42....

hehehe the product of several hours during a play production..... I love the topic of course

**yoitisi** · July 14th, 2007, 09:42 AM

Good to see that y'all like the topic

Chaosrocks: I like it already, fits really well with the style of the book I think.

S vanwinkle: Nice try but at the moment it looks more like something for COW to me. Take the idea a bit further and make a machine with this bio engineered creature in it or something, but at least add some recognizable 'machine' bits to make it more IDW-ish please. Also, show the whole of the cocktailmachine, at the moment part of it is outside the frame.

**BobB** · July 14th, 2007, 10:09 AM

This is my first post on CA.

This is my entry:
The Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster Cocktail Machine was built in the human year 1976 and was the first automatic Gargle Blaster maker. Ever since, it has evolved to the size of a human toaster. the new cocktail machines uses single-use-capsules and is way cheaper to afford. But real Gargle Blaster fans say that this 1976 machine is unmatched.

I hope you like it, critics are welcome.

**Sundance** · July 16th, 2007, 08:22 PM

I feel like I just got my brain smashed by a slice of lemon wrapped around a large gold brick.

**Chiko** · July 17th, 2007, 06:01 AM

I've always wanted one!!

The thought of Zephod personally making my own gargle blaster was always more pleasant to me though hahaha.

**mackerman** · July 17th, 2007, 04:22 PM

hilarious topic... kudos, m8.

i want to post this link on this thread, figuring that most IDW viewers will be checking this one first...

CNN reported a contest from the US Military to design a powered suit / load reducer to lighten the weight that infantrymen carry:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/07/16/w...ize/index.html

Potential IDW topic there, me thinks.

**neo-nine** · July 18th, 2007, 08:28 PM

my first go at one of these!

**Seedling** · July 19th, 2007, 10:22 AM

Ugh. My attempt at this is so bad that I may not post it.

[edit] Yeah, sorry, I won't be submitting anything.

**Xplode** · July 20th, 2007, 12:22 AM

new here!

like the topic, here's my entry

im a beginner, so please give crits/advice

**yoitisi** · July 20th, 2007, 04:30 PM

There's still some time left for late entries

I will set up the poll for this one somewhat late because I'm in the middle of moving to a new apartment so I'm kind of busy.

Sundance: That still is no excuse for not posting anything that looks like an entry

Chiko: It would be hard to find a machine that can beat the inventor of the drink indeed

Mackerman: Just a suggestion, but could you post it in the topic suggestion thread as well, otherwise I might forget about it.

Neo-Nine: So..where is it?

Post soon or be late.

Seedling:

NoooOooo

It can't be that bad...