OTR: Science Fiction Classics, pt.1

The good folks at Radio Spirits have put together a wonderful compilation of radio adaptations of science fiction short stories. Many are written by well-known writers such as Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke among others, while others are by writers possibly not as well remembered today.

The collection is on 10-CDs, so I’ve broken up my reviews into several posts rather than having this one go on longer than even my most devoted readers would like.

OTR had a number of SF programs over several decades, many only short-run summer replacements, while some longer running anthology programs would occasionally have an SF episode. Of course, you had regular SF shows aimed at kids (Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers) and things like SUPERMAN, which were SF of a type. The shows collected on these Radio Spirits CDs are aimed at an adult audience, many of whom may not have been SF readers but were interested in radio drama.

While Radio Spirits has collections of programs from some of the SF anthology shows, this compilation is made up of shows from over a half dozen different programs from different networks. They range from tales of rockets and aliens to quieter shows taking place in the future here on Earth. One of the unintended amusing things is hearing the year 1985 given as a far-future period, which we naturally see as the past. It’s like looking at the covers of those issues of POPULAR MECHANICS from the early twentieth century that show folks of the 1990s using rocket belts and flying in hovercraft through mile-high cities.

Among standouts on the first couple of disks are radio adaptations of two stories, which were initially turned into motion pictures. Robert A. Heinlein’s “Rocketship Galileo” made as DESTINATION MOON by George Pal and Harry Bates’ “Farewell to the Master” which was turned into the film THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. The later has Michael Renne recreating his role as Klaatu, the alien emissary.

Something a bit different is an episode of THE SHADOW, which was written by SF author Alfred Bester, a regular scriptwriter for that show and other OTR programs at the time. This one called “The Man Who was Death” is not only chilling, but makes more use of Lamont Cranston in his role as police consultant than it does the “invisible” hero of the program. In fact, The Shadow only makes his presence felt in the last few minutes of the show confronting the title villain, a scientist contaminated during a laboratory explosion.

More on some other great SF shows in later posts.

By the way, a click on the headline above will send you over to the Greater Northern Audio site, where you can find more on SF on radio, that will in turn take you to the home of the "Mark Time Award". Damn, but the guy in that helmet looks familiar?

Not that this needed an explanation for some of you!

I mentioned these characters in my previous post and thought that I should briefly explain them for non-comic geeks.

FLAMING CARROT was created by Bob Burden in the late 1970s, eventually having the spin-off MYSTERY MEN (which was turned into a disappointing but still fun movie), of which FC was a member in the comics version. The character has popped up with several publishers, along with Burden's self-published efforts. When the action figure was announced, I was pretty much an FC completest and couldn't resist. I still need an FC lighter though, for those moments when I want to impress folks as I light up a cigar.

LOBO THE DUCK is a bit harder to explain.

Back in 1997 Marvel & DC comics were doing one of several cross-over type events, in which characters combining various traits of one publisher's characters were merged with those of the others. (For instance, BATMAN & WOLVERINE were combined to become the character DARK CLAW; Doctor Strange & Dr. Fate became Doctor Strangefate, etc.) For some reason, LOBO was especially popular, so somebody decided to combine the one-note thug with Steve Gerber's far more witty creation HOWARD THE DUCK. I thought it worked only partially, but couldn't resist buying the action figure when I saw it at a convention.

Your mileage may vary in all this, I'm sure.

Back in the saddle again!

I'm going to have to start paying Dave Kellett one of these days.

If you're not getting the strip on a regular basis you are missing out on one of the most delightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny strips on the 'net.

Psychotronic Video: the website

Back in that 'other life', I was a huge fan of strange & bizarre movies. Whether low-budget slasher/thrillers or old forgotten B&W oddities from small Hollywood studios. I was a regular at the Film Forum showings of Sci-Fi and Noir classics, as well as reviewing low-budget/direct-to-video stuff for the old Joe Bob Briggs Report. There was nothing more fun than joining Vinnie, Dorian, Matt, Debbie D. and Michael Gingold (now managing editor at FANGORIA) to watch the animation festivals and such

Before and after that time I was a subscriber to Michael Weldon's gone but never forgotten PSYCHOTRONIC VIDEO magazine. I also have both trade paperback books, compiled from the thousands of reviews which Weldon and his staff did over a decade. Weldon and I actually had a brief e-mail correspondence going, dealing primarily with a group in the mid-West trying to co opt the 'psychotronic' name. I was in contact with both sides back then and can tell you that it got pretty nasty.

For a while I had an almost complete collection of PV, but over the past five years I have sold or given them away to other fans. I believe I may have an issue or two among the comics and fanzines I brought with us from New York. I think it's in the box with my FLAMING CARROT & LOBO, THE DUCK action figures. :-)

Weldon, as he explains over on the PV site, has pretty much closed shop on the printed version of the magazine, but a lot of the articles, reviews & interviews (amazing behind the scenes stories from some of the most interesting actors, directors and screen writers you may remember from B-movies & cult films) are available online. You might also want to check out the PV store if looking for hard-to-find weirdness.

Once again, I don't make anything from plugging these sites, but I do want to make them available to you as I find them myself. Hell, a few of the links over on The Right were created by folks who contacted me after reading something here. Discovering that anybody but the usual six of you read this thing is a surprise!

Oh, despite what the first paragraph implies I'm still a big fan of that stuff. I just get fewer opportunities to indulge.

Wasting more time!

You can tell that I have way too much free time today, so I'm adding links and throwing things here into the blog that I haven't gotten around to before.

The headline at the top there and a link over on the Right will take you over to '1000 Misspent Hours'. You'll discover reviews of movies you've been trying to forget, or never knew about in the first place. The reason I discovered the site was while seeing who else out there has fond (or not so fond) memories of my favorite "guilty pleasure" movie.

THE KILLER SHREWS or ATTACK OF THE KILLER SHREWS (it's advertised by either title) is a film that used to show up on Saturday nights and afternoons on local stations. It's been a few years since I last saw it, so I'm going to hold off on doing my own review. Of course, I could do it from memory, but I'm sure that I've forgotten some great stuff.

If you're not familiar with the movie, you really should try and locate a copy. At only 69 minutes (depending on the cut you see) it won't take long and we've all misspent time doing other things just as senseless. Haven't we?

Big Bang for your buck!

Back when I was more seriously into comics two of my favorite publishers (or imprints) were AC Comics (you’ll find a link to their site over on The Right) and Big Bang. While AC was a publisher of new (Fem Force, Sentinels of Justice, etc) and reprint material (westerns, including licensed items & Golden Age super-heroes), Big Bang (BB) was a smaller publisher (later distributed by Image) which put out new material which looked and felt old, if you know what I mean.

The writers and artists at BB are obvious fans of Golden & Silver Age comics, especially super-heroes of the Julius Schwartz era. Their characters like Ultra Man, Knight Watchman and Thundergirl were homages (some would say rip-offs, if they were unkind) of Superman, Batman,and Mary Marvel with other characters standing in for various Justice Society & League members, and similar heroes of the period. The thing about BB, and many of AC’s books, is that they still contain that element of fun, which the Big Two seem to have forgotten.

I’m adding a link to the Big Bang site, and hope that you’ll go and check it out. I also want to remind you that you should click on the AC Comcs site, since they continue to produce a nice assortment of material (including some ‘good girl’ stuff) for comic fans, not just fans of Western comics with Roy, Gene and other B-movie stars.

More about Simon Templar

I'm adding a link to Dan Bodenheimer's great SAINT blog. He has tons of information on Leslie Charteris' most famous creation, not just OTR.

As I said in my previous post, I've been a fan of the character since seeing Roger Moore playing Templar in the '60s. Probably one of the reasons I had for not totally believing Moore in his "James Bond" role, was he appeared to be playing Templar under a different name. I liked the films, but always felt like the real Bond had asked his buddy Simon to fill in for him on some missions.

If you are interested in THE SAINT in any medium, give Don's blog a glance. I was clicking away for almost an hour and lost track of time.

Old Time Radio: The Saint

Chances are I may have seen some of the films featuring THE SAINT when I was a kid, but my first memories of the Leslie Charteris character was the television series. That, of course, the one which starred Roger Moore in the role of Simon Templar (aka The Saint). Later, when going through my first ‘mystery phase’ I read a couple of the novels and several short stories featuring the character. At least, early on Simon could be quite blood thirsty, easily taking the lives of murderers or those he felt preyed on innocents.

From the books it was an easy transition to the screen beginning in 1935 with Louis Haywood as Templar, followed by George Sanders (possibly the best known actor in the role until Moore) and then Hugh Sinclair. THE SAINT first came to radio in 1940, with American produced programs starting in 1945.

While not the first actor to bring Templar to life over the air, it was surprisingly (at least to me) Vincent Price who played the role for the longest period, from 1947 until 1951. Knowing Price for his screen persona, it is odd at first to hear him doing this wise-cracking and lighthearted rogue. Some episodes in the Radio Spirit collection are almost slapstick, with Price being hit over the head, slapped and even thrown overboard in a single episode. It’s apparent that Price is having fun with the show, possibly as it allows him to play the handsome leading man rather than the darker heavies he was already beginning to be known for on screen.

One intersting side note is that when Price left the show he was replaced by actor Tom Conway, the real life brother of George Sanders. At the time Conway had recently finished appearing in a series of films as The Falcon, a character almost identical to that being played by his brother also for RKO Studios.

Old Time Radio: Alfred Hitchcock

Just about everyone is familiar with director Alfred Hitchcock, if not from his many classic motion pictures, then from his long running television anthology program. The man’s name is synonymous with mystery and suspense. While he was working just about every major motion picture actor either appeared in or wanted to appear in a Hitchcock production.

Considering how influential Hitchcock was it shouldn't’t be a surprise that he sometimes made his presence felt on radio, which until the early 1960s was still a major source of entertainment other than just music & news. While he never had his own regular program he did allow some of his films to be adapted for radio, sometimes taking part in their production or simply introducing them. Even when he had no direct hand in their production, some radio programs did adaptations of the same novels & short-stories that the director used as inspiration.

The Smithsonian Institution and Radio Spirits (the later producing the GUNSMOKE & HOPALONG CASSIDY CD-sets I reviewed before) has compiled a six-CD set of classic radio broadcasts. Among these are Lifeboat (with Tallulah Bankhead), Rebecca (with Loretta Young), 39 Steps (with Glenn Ford) and Strangers on a Train (with Ray Milland). Joseph Cotton reprises his role as the mysterious uncle in Shadow of a Doubt.

The set also includes Hitchcock’s attempt at his own radio program, called Suspense (years before a successful show with that title began without Hitchcock connected). Here the director tries an adaptation of “The Lodger”, which was one of his early silent films made while in his native England.

You can’t really go wrong with six-hours of Hitchcock, no matter what the medium as far as I’m concerned. Thow in the talents of dozens of the era’s best known radio and film actors it just makes for some great entertainment and pretty smooth commuting.

If you think you might be interested in any of the OTR stuff I’ve been talking about you might want to head over to http://www.radiospirits.com/ and see what else they have. You can not only check their catalog, but also listen to some of the OTR absolutely free. (No! I’m not making a cent from any of this, before you ask.)

Misc. TV stuff of no importance

JERICHO, according to a CBS announcement yesterday, has been rescued, for seven to eight episodes this Fall. Looks like if everybody can work it into their schedules we can expect the show to appear as a mid-season replacement. Apparently, a compromise which would have let the show's creators wrap things up with a two-hour "movie event" was turned down. We fans couldn't be happier, although I expect some characters won't have survived the gunfight.

Donna and I are watching both AMERICA'S GOT TALENT & THE NEXT BEST THING, so you know that there's not much else except reruns. We have also started watching episodes of DEADLIEST CATCH, which is deals with crab fishing in Alaska. When Fran was here over the Memorial Day weekend, she recommended the show, and we've been catching (pardon the expression) the show when we can.

Bravo's TOP CHEF: Season 3 is starting next week. Last night was a face-off between the winning chefs from the first two seasons, which was pretty good. We won't be missing Marcel, but some of the Season 3 folks look to be just as smug, so we're sure to have some nastiness to enjoy.

LAST COMIC STANDING also begins a new season next week, which we liked last season so are going to give it a try at least for the first couple of weeks.

I may have more to say about all these shows over the next few weeks, so you can understand why even Donna thinks I should go back to reading comics!

Wikipedia, just for fun!

As with everything Internet I’m pretty late getting into the new stuff. Folks had been blogging for a while before it was suggested that I give it a try. As for WIKIPEDIA I’ve only really started getting into it over the past few months, although I had taken a peek at it last year while still in New York.

As with Google, you can’t always trust 100% what you’ll find in any given search, especially since just about anybody who signs up can make changes in any given entry. Still it is amazing the things you can learn about just about any given subject, including tons of entries on fannish things of all kind.

I already have a link to WIKIPEDIA over at PARTING SHOTS, but wanted to add one here as well. Whenever I use information from the site I’ll try to remember to add that link to my headline. Just in case, you can go over to The Right and click on the permanent link there.

Old Time Radio: HOPALONG CASSIDY

I can’t honestly say that HOPALONG CASSIDY was the first western I ever saw, but apparently he must have made some sort of impression on me quite early. According to both my parents, I would run around the house yelling “Hoppy!” when I was about three years old. Somewhere I have an old photograph of me dressed up as a cowboy, about that age. My first childhood accident (from which I still have a small scar on my nose, which shows where it was split) was from a fall down a flight of stairs caused by my tripping on the gun holster you can see me wearing in the picture. (I promise to dig that out and scan it one of these days!)

I also don’t recall the last time I saw a film featuring William Boyd in his most famous role. I’m going to guess that it may have been more than twenty years ago, and even that might be a decade off. Encore Western channel broadcasts plenty of Roy Rogers & Gene Autry, along with other western B-movies stars, but I haven’t seen a single Hoppy film since we subscribed to the service.

Anyway, after Boyd was already known for the role he was smart enough to actually buy up the films and appeared in the black & silver outfit for just about the rest of his life. While Roy & Gene were basically playing fictionalized versions of themselves, Boyd, was probably better known as the character than by his own name. At least, he didn’t have to spend his later years fighting to wear a mask, like his fellow TV westerner Clayton Moore.

Since it’s been so long since I saw Boyd on the screen I can’t say for sure how much the character he portrays in the radio show compares or differs from the film version. I doubt very much, since Boyd was very careful to maintain control of the character, which made him fairly well off in later years, I assume. Unlike Roy, Gene and the LONE RANGER, it wasn’t unheard of (pardon the expression) for the radio Hoppy to actually kill someone in a gunfight or while they were taking part in an illegal activity (he kills at least one bank robber in the shows I have listened to recently). Be interesting to see what Hoppy’s body count was in those 60 + films and 40 episodes of hit television program (where actor Edgar Buchanan {Uncle Joe on Petticoat Junction} played his sidekick, “Red Connors”).

In the radio program actor Andy Clyde portrays “California Carlson”, a character he also played in dozens of the Hopalong movies. Clyde began his career in his native Scotland before coming to the U.S. to work with the Mack Sennett studio. During most of he later career he basically played the same gruff, old timer whether with Boyd or in other western films. He remained acting until about a year before his death in 1967, playing the reoccurring character “Cully Wilson” in the series LASSIE.

As with GUNSMOKE you can find these OTR programs available at your local library, on Amazon and over on LIVE 365 Internet radio, among other places.

Old Time Radio: GUNSMOKE

I’ve been listening to Old Time Radio (OTR) recordings the past few weeks. They have about a half dozen different OTR on CD sets at the library and I’m working my way through them. As I do I’ll have a few comments which I’d like to share. For those with no interest in OTR, feel free to skip these, which I’ll try to identify by a photo of the subject and in the headline.

I’ve been a fan of GUNSMOKE, the TV series, since I was a kid. It was one of my father’s favorite shows, so I was allowed to stay up and watch it with my parents. James Arness seemed to have been born to play the role of Marshal Matt Dillon, so it was surprising to discover years later that the role had been originated and offered to somebody else. William “Bill” Conrad, was known to me as the narrator of the Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoons and later as CANNON, the rather large P.I. on network television. Conrad had been the voice of Matt Dillon since the radio program began in 1952 and continued until the show ended in 1961 (one of the last of the OTR series), and it was his size which persuaded the television producers in 1955 to look else where.

Along with Conrad, were Howard McNear (best known as Floyd the Barber on “The Andy Griffith Show”) as Doc Charles Adams; Parley Baer (who you would recognize from just about every situation comedy and many dramatic programs from the 1950s through the late ‘90s.) as Chester Proudfoot, Matt’s unofficial deputy; and Georgia Ellis (who did a lot of radio, as well as appearing in films and as one of Jack Webb’s reoccurring group of actors in a number of episodes of DRAGNET) as Miss Kitty Russell.

If you’ve ever seen the television version of GUNSMOKE, you’d find few surprises in the OTR version. Truly an “adult western” it often touched on subjects like racism, domestic violence and prejudice, among other things. It was not unusual for the show to have a gunfight or two, often ending with Matt putting a permanent finish to the show’s villain. Appeared the marshal had to shoot more men than he locked up. It this is your type of thing I’d recommend you check out your local library or Amazon.com and other sites. You can also find GUNSMOKE among the OTR broadcasts on LIVE 365 internet radio.

Mark Verheiden & Me

To be honest, Mark probably would not even remember me after all these years, but we have met and exchanged e-mails. Back in that other life, when I was involved in fandom Mark and I were both members of the comics apa, Capa-Alpha (generally referred to as K-a). At least once, but perhaps a couple times, we attended the annual K-a breakfast/brunch get-together at the San Diego Comicon.

Now Mark has had his name attached to seemingly half the SF/fantasy/comics related shows on television, as well as writing several films and hundreds of pages of comics. Back when I knew him he was best known as the writer of The American, a great take on the idea of a Captain America type hero who worked for the government. Seemingly invulnerable and ageless, it turned out that there was actually an entire group of government agents who were trained and surgically changed. Any one of them could replace the current American, if he was killed or otherwise unable to appear at any given crisis or event.

It appears that Mark has been signed to writing a live action TEEN TITANS film for Warner Bros. If anybody can do a great job on that project it will be Mark.

To keep up with all things Verhheiden I'm adding a link to his blog, but in the meantime you can check it out by clicking on the headline above.

Trina Robbins & Neil Gaiman: just because....

I’m reading the current issue of Library Journal, with a nice overview of the career of Japanese manga artist Rumiko Takahashi (Return of Lum, Ranma ½, etc.). Along with this there reviews of a new selection of both manga translations and graphic novels from American publishers.

What caught my eye was a review of the book, “Masters of the Comic Book Universe Revealed!” by Arie Kaplan. Reviewer Martha Cornog mentions that while the book deals with well known creators like Stan Lee, Will Eisner, and the like it also discusses more recent folks like Kyle Baker and Ho Che Anderson. The striking thing is in listing some of the folks she places Neil Gaiman among the long-standing ‘grand master’ and Trina Robbins as a ‘recent notable.’

Maybe it’s just me but I seem to recall Trina having a nice career & fan following well before Neil’s name started showing up on the cover of a DC comic. I’ve been fans of both for years and have had the opportunity to actually meet both at some point face-to-face (ask me about exchanging e-mail with Gaiman sometime!). I realize that a quick mention in a book review shouldn’t be taken as a slight, but a quick Google search on Robbin’s name would not have been to much to ask.

Star What?

Has it really been thirty years since we all first saw STAR WARS (now known as SW: A NEW HOPE) in the theatres? Unbelievable!!

I attended the San Diego ComiCon in ’76, where there was a guy trying to get folks to stop at his table where he was promoting this movie by the director of AMERICAN GRAFFITI. He had a book full of production sketches and some photos of actors in costume. Sometimes that weekend he also did a slide presentation, with much of the same material and told us a bit about the project. No hint that it was going to be more than a single stand alone film.

Thirty years ago, give or take a week my father, who had no interest at all in science fiction, won a contest at work which included promotional material and a free ticket to the film. He was then working at King-Seeley Thermos which had signed a licensing agreement for SW themed lunch boxes and thermoses. I was working for the summer at Thermos, while attending college and he gave me the pass.

To say I was blown away was an understatement. Who knew when that huge spaceship filled the screen that it was only the beginning of a phenomenon?

Hats off to Mr. Lucas and the folks working with him. A light-saber salute to all the fan boys & gals at the “Star Wars” Celebration IV being held in the LA Convention Center this weekend.

Where has all the time gone!

I used to live a very different life. I’m happy with my present one, but it continues to amaze me how different my life has been at various points.

I have been married to three very different women and have had several different careers. I’ve been working as a Librarian almost longer then all three marriages combined, if I count the months I worked as a Library Clerk even longer.

I have made cement urns for cemeteries; worked as an electroplater, motion detecting alarm assembler, short-order cook/dishwasher, and retail-store manager and fork-truck driver. I’ve served eight years on active duty in the U.S. Navy, plus reserve time. For several months I worked as a file clerk for a law firm in the North Tower of the World Trade Center. During all this I have written book, movie and comic/graphic novel reviews for both online & print newsletters, plus dozens of issues of my own publications for fandom.

In this time I have visited five continents, over a dozen countries and lived in eight cities in three states.

I have no reason to admit to all this, except noticing that between my two blogs I’ve written over a thousand posts since January of 2003. Whenever I think I’ve run out of things to write about I just think back.

The season so far!

It’s only the end of May, so you really can’t predict at this point which MLB teams will be ending their seasons in October and which will be facing each other in the play-offs (let alone the World Series). Still it’s nice to see at this point that both the New York Mets & the Boston Red Sox are leading their respective divisions in the East. The fact that both teams have beaten or led in the stats the Damned Yankees makes it even sweeter.

It is quite possible that by August the Sox will have their all too predictable slump and the DY’s will move up to the top spot, but at this point it doesn’t seem likely. The Bronx Bombers play and look old out there, while their track record for the past few years doesn’t make for much hope even in the most die-hard of their fans. Being out here I can’t see the headlines or tabloid photos that probably damn and then praise the Bombers on any given day. I just know in my heart of hearts that this is going to be another ‘also ran’ year for the Bronx Bumblers. How well the boys from Beantown come out is just gravy!

Joe Bob Briggs Reviews

They have finally begun posting a back-log of the book reviews over at the Joe Bob Briggs Report. You can see my review of "An Innocent Among Them" by Jack Allen (which I posted here sometime last year) if you click on over.



Use the above headline or the link over on The Right and see what else Joe Bob has in store.

"Lying in the Gutters" with Rich Johnston

I've known Rich Johnston for over ten years, although it has been almost that long since we've actually been face-to-face. Back when I used to do the fan circuit with Elayne I'd get a chance to chat with Rich, even having him up to our hotel room for our pre-con parties a couple of times.

My introduction to him was when I spotted him selling his comic X-FLIES in an Artist Alley. This was when Fox TV's X-FILES was one of the most popular shows on network television. Rich's insect spoof of Scully & Mulder was a real treat whether you were a fan or not.

Every so often I'll hear about some rumor or story that Rich is writing about over at Comic Book Resources, but I keep forgetting to link to it. I'm now correcting that lapse and hope that you'll click on either the headline above or the link on The Right.

Glad to have you around Rich!

JERICHO falls!

According to what I’ve just read online CBS is going to pull the plug on JERICHO. I’m really sorry to hear about this, as the show was one of the few ‘new’ shows from last season that Donna and I really enjoyed.

I'm going to guess that the show was expensive to produce and we do live in the age where 'reality' shows seem to be what the network wants.

If it’s true, and I have no reason to doubt it, I’m hoping that perhaps SCI FI or one of the cable networks picks it up or at least gives the okay for the show’s creators to put together a made-for-TV movie which would resolve some of the series plots.

San Diego Comicon: Not this year!

Well, after checking my work schedule it's become obvious that I won't be able to make it down to San Diego this year. Needless to say I'm disappointed, as this would have been my first visit to that con in a decade. Next year, as I'll have Annual Leave available, I'm definitely going to be down for at least a couple of days.

On another note, I just want to let folks know that Donna and I are very much further south than the current fires in the hills near Griffith Park & the observatory. This should be the rainy season, but things have been very dry so the fire danger is throughout the Southland. We have hikers, bikers and even a paint-ball group that take advantage of the trails in the arroyo behind the complex on weekends, so I've taken to keeping an eye out for any open fires or smoke from the area.

How to be a super-hero!

I missed Free Comic Book Day, but I wanted to share the latest installment of Sheldon.

He's got it down pretty well, doesn't he?

This Saturday is Free Comic Book Day!

The new Spider-Man film may bring in some more folks to Free Comic Book Day, especially in those shops close to theatres. Still, I thought the decision had been made NOT to tie the annual event into a major comics-related film. It may be a coincidence this time around, or the film's distributors may be doing it to tie-in the day (which I really doubt).

It doesn't look like I'll be able to take part this year (for the second time in a row), since I'm working again this Saturday. I'll have to check to see if the closest store will be open after 6:00pm.

Anyway, even if I'm not going to be able to enjoy the freebies there's no reason all of you should miss out. Call your local shop or head over to www.freecomicbookday.com and see where the closest event will be held in your neighborhood.

In Denial!

Just in case you folks missed today's UNSHELVED.

The strip will occasionally throw in a comic reference or do a story arc dealing with Dewey's (the main character seen here at the computer) love of the medium. That's Buddy The Book Beaver, with the shield rug, by the way. He is actually wearing a costume, which he never removes for some odd reason.

Evil, Inc.: How to raise funds for global conquest.

Here's the 1st EVIL, INC strip. The next few weeks of material introduce the major characters and give you a good idea if you'll enjoy what Brad Guigar is up to. If you enjoy comics and have a sense of humor about super-heroes I think, like me, the strip will quickly become a favorite.

If you click on the headline it will bring you to the homepage, but you can also head over to www.evil-comic.com and see where it takes you. I'll be adding a permanent link over on the side later today.

What Kryptonite?

I know I shouldn't keep posting the strips from Sheldon Comics, but I couldn't resist.

Again, follow the link on the Right to the actual Sheldon Comics webpage. You might also want to check out EVIL, INC., a great strip for comic & super-hero fans.

I hope you can click on today's SHELDON. Nothing like bursting that fanboy bubble!

Oh, you might also want to go over to the artist's website: www.sheldoncomics.com and check out his blog and products and past strips.

Hat tip to the guys at Unshelved for passing along information on Sheldon.

Chuck Jones "Read To Succeed" Exhibit

The following exhibit will be held at the new library in the City of Orange, CA. Since I'm working there and was thrilled to see the stuff being put up I wanted to pass this along to folks who may be in the area.

**************************
Chuck Jones “Read To Succeed®” Art Exhibition
Displayed at New Orange Public Library & History Center

Orange, CA – A special art and animation display planned to coincide with the grand re-opening of the new Orange Public Library & History Center began on Saturday, April 21, and will run through mid-September of 2007.

The Read To Succeed® art exhibition, part of Orange’s “Year of the Library” celebrations, was enthusiastically announced today by officials of Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and Orange Public Library. It will be on display at the new Orange Public Library & History Center during the following schedule of regular library service hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(Closed Sunday)

The Read To Succeed® art was created in 1988 by Chuck Jones, four-time Academy-Award winner; internationally renowned animator, director, artist, and author; and graduate of Chouinard Art Institute (now California Institute of the Arts) as part of a still‑active program designed to encourage young people to read. A voracious reader himself, Chuck relished the opportunity to sketch and paint a variety of colorful works showing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, Porky Pig, Sylvester, Tweety, Pepé Le Pew, and other characters finding knowledge, fun, and adventure in the pages of books.

The library exhibition includes the initial, rarely seen series of nineteen-year-old posters, as well as original, hand‑painted animation cels which have never before been available for public viewing. Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and Orange Public Library consider this display of art, free to all, to be a unique opportunity for library visitors of all ages to immerse themselves in Chuck Jones’ vision of the world: A place where everyone opens their minds to the unparalleled joy of reading.
Chuck Jones “Read To Succeed®” Art Exhibition at Library, ADD 1-1-1


Chuck Jones Center for Creativity (sharing space with Chuck Jones Gallery and Archive) and the new Orange Public Library & History Center are both located in historic, pedestrian-friendly Old Towne Orange. The Read To Succeed® art exhibition represents the first of what both organizations hope to be many cultural collaborations benefiting the residents of Orange, Orange County, and beyond.

Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, a nonprofit private operating foundation, is dedicated to fostering and encouraging creativity, especially in young people, using the drawings, films, and writings of legendary animation director Chuck Jones as inspiration. For more information about Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, go to www.ChuckJonesCenter.org or call (714) 516-9540.

The mission of Orange Public Library is to welcome and support all people in their enjoyment of reading and pursuit of lifelong learning, to preserve local history, and to provide equal access to information, ideas and knowledge through books, programs and technology. For more information about Orange Public Library, go to www.cityoforange.org/library or call (714) 288-2471.

Read To Succeed® is a registered trademark of Six Flags Theme Parks Inc.

No Flying, No Tights: graphic novel reviews for all ages

NO FLYING, NO TIGHTS was created by Robin Brenner a librarian at Cary Memorial Library in Lexington, Massachusetts. It's a great site for those librarians (and the public) who don't know a whole heck of a lot about graphic novels. Robin was actually named one of the "Movers & Shakers" of the year by the Library Journal, just missing being in the Top Ten.

She and her fellow comics reviewers seek out some of the best material being published, review it and then decide for which age level it is best suited. While NFNT was created for teens (and those YA librarians without a four-color clue), Robin has started two additional sites aimed at both older and younger readers (The Lair, for older teens and adults; Sidekick, for kids).
All three sites give the reader basic information on just what 'graphic novels' are, some of the terms used in reviews and even the Name Dropping section listing some of the major creators in the field.

I was going to add this link to Parting Shots, along with some other Library/book related links, but decided that it was probably more appropriate here. Set aside an hour or so and check all three sites. Even jaded fans may discover some titles with which they are not familiar.

WHO is that guy anyway?

DOCTOR WHO was a show that didn’t really capture my attention when I first saw it. If I recall correctly, it was back in the mid-1970s, while stationed out here in San Diego. These were the shows with Jon Pertwee, as the Third Doctor. From Pertwee’s costume, gadgets and flashy automobile it struck me more as a strange James Bond-ish thing with monsters. Hardly something that caught my interest and only seeing an occasional episode didn’t make it any easier to understand.

As a kid I had seen the two DW movies with Peter Cushing, probably either at the local drive-in or on a Saturday afternoon matinee, but neither really did much for me. I remember them being rather confusing, perhaps because DW was totally unknown here in the states. At least he was to me, although it’s possible I may have read of him in an article in FAMOUS MONTERS OF FILMLAND or one of many similar magazines I read ‘religiously’ growing up. It was only years later, while living in Westport that I began seeing the Tom Baker episodes, which turned me into a fan of the character. During fund-raising marathons the various PBS stations would sometimes show older programs featuring the earlier regenerations. It was then that I began to have an appreciation of what each actor had brought to the role.

I’ve rediscovered DOCTOR WHO, or rather discovered the Ninth Doctor. Christopher Eccleston was a nice surprise when I first happened upon a recent DW marathon on BBC-America. I haven’t regularly watched the series for several years, only dimly remembering the attempt to bring the show here to the U.S. with Paul McGann back in ’96. Ill received as I recall by fans and non-fans it seemed to be the sad end of a wonderful series. Several friends had mentioned the new show, but I hadn’t had a chance to see it until Donna was away and BBC-America ran a mini-marathon of Eccleston’s last few story arcs. I think the thing that got me hooked was Eccleston’s similar approach to the character that Tom Baker had brought. He seemed to be enjoying himself and had a sense of humor no matter the chaos happening around him. I also found that after the first few episodes I began to grow fond of Billie Piper as the Doctor’s companion Rose Tyler.

This weekend I caught the initial outing of the Tenth Doctor, played by David Tennant. I think I’ll have to catch a few more with this ‘new’ Doctor before I can judge how much I like him. While I do miss Eccleston I’m willing to give the new guy a chance.

KDOC: Retro Classic TV in the OC

While Donna was away and now when she’s at work, until I’m working regularly, I have a lot of free time to watch way too much television. Thanks to COX Digital we get the Encore series of channels so there is always something I haven’t seen before. Also, AMC and Turner Classics will sometimes show an old favorite.

When there’s nothing there I can generally find something on TV Land, but recently I’ve discovered a channel out of Irvine, near the John Wayne Airport. KDOC is broadcast over Channel 12 here on Cox Cable and I love it. The station’s tag line is “Endless Classics” or what the announcer calls “Retro Classics”. Basically, it seems to show stuff that TV Land isn’t currently running. This includes “Carson’s Classics” at 10:00pm, consisting of various bits from the old Johnny Carson show. While you do see some guests on the coach, the program mostly is made of the things Johnny would do either in character or with whatever guest happened to be on that night.

My other faves over on KDOC are Perry Mason, Quincy, Magnum P.I., The Untouchables, Mission: Impossible and the great Vic Morrow WWII series Combat.

Going through some changes!

I've made some changes to the links over to the side. I have rearranged a few items trying to get items related to each other (at least in topic or interest area) next to each other. I've also renamed the World Famous Comics site to the more accurate Tony Isabella, since it's to Tony's page at the WFC site to which you are actually guided towards.

You might note that I've finally added a link to Comic Mix, the rather new site dedicated to comics reviews & news. You'll see reviews and commentary by such folks as Dennis O'Neil, Michael Davis, Elayne Riggs, John Ostrander, Peter David, Mike Gold and many others. Several of whom I've had dinner or lunch with and one with whom I've actually slept. (Peter and I don't talk much about that!)

Seriously, I know I have promised to post a bit more frequently, but I really do plan on doing so. I have fallen way behind on blogging and reading those of others, and I want to apologize. It was never my intent to let things lag around here, but life at Chez Chaput has taken a number of turns which were not expected. Some of those have been mentioned at Parting Shots, but others will remain within these walls.

From off the shelf: two quick reviews

Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters and the Birth of the Comic Book
By Gerard Jones

I’m probably the last comic book fan to get around to reading and reviewing this book, so I just have a few things to say.

From the many other reviews and high praise this book has received I’m sure you don’t need my say so. Simply put this is the best overview I’ve read of the rich history of the industry from which comic’s fandom has sprung. Amazingly enough it was another fandom that influenced so many of the later lights in the four-color world to begin with. It is also a remarkable look at the lives of several men whose goals (not always benevolent) shaped the four-color empire.

Much of the book centers on the lives and work of Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, who created a character that, would become the cornerstone for much of the industry. SUPERMAN became not only an incredibly successful marketing phenomena but one of the most highly recognized fictional characters of the twentieth century. These two kids, who came from such different backgrounds luckily found each other and together brought to the American public something which instantly resonated with millions of other kids.

From its first hesitant beginning in the time of the Great Depression to the final days of Siegel & Shuster, Jones (a comic’s writer & creator himself) demonstrates not only his wit but also a historian’s ability of research and examination. If you’re a reader of comics, used to be or just someone interested in the shaping of American public culture in the middle of the last century you really owe it to yourself to read Jones’ book. Highly recommended.
***

Thunderstruck by Erik Larson

In this day and age of instant communication whether by telephone, television & radio or the World Wide Web, we forget that in the beginning of the last century rapid communication was severely limited. The fastest method of reporting or getting any sort of information from one point on the globe to another was via telegraph lines. While this was remarkable compared to an earlier age, there were still vast distances around the world where the hum of wires couldn’t reach. This was especially so across the vast miles of ocean around the globe. Once a ship was out of sight of land or other ships they were lost in a “great hush” separated from knowledge of the world’s events even as they were part of them.

As in his earlier works, ISAAC’S STORM and THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, Larson thoroughly brings to life an earlier age different in many ways, yet eerily similar in others. Since we were school kids we heard the name of Guglielmo Marconi, but probably didn’t really know much beyond the fact that he was credited with the invention of wireless communication. Larson introduces us to this difficult, yet brilliant man, showing us his shortcomings as well as his remarkable tenacity in the face of personal and financial hardships.

In his previous book on the Chicago World Exposition or World’s Fair, Larson followed the lives of both New York City’s Flatiron Building architect Daniel Hudson Burnham, the Fair’s Director of Works and murderer Henry H. Holmes, one of the most fiendish and brilliant serials killers in American history. While Burnham and Holmes may never have actually met the life of one might have been very different if it had not been for the other. So to in this book where Marconi’s new technology makes possible the capture of another murderer, the hardly frightening Dr. Hawley Crippen. The quiet and unassuming Dr. Crippen would have passed through the pages of history unnoted, had he not decided to end his not-so-happy marriage in a most disagreeable fashion.

As with his previous two books, THUNDERSTRUCK causes the reader to care about these long-dead people, many of whom are of note simply because of their proximity to major events. I don’t know what Larson has coming up next, but I’m sure I’m going to be picking it up.
Highly recommended.

See you in the Funny Papers!

Some of my earliest memories are of lying on the living room floor, reading the Sunday comics. When I was a kid growing up in the mid-1950s my family subscribed to three newspapers. During the week we received the local Norwich Bulletin and the New York Daily News (which my father always took to work with him, but brought back each evening for my mother), but on Sunday we also got the Boston Herald-American. That was primarily so my father could keep up with the latest Red Sox happenings.

Even before I started reading comic books at six or seven, I loved seeing what was happening in those big four-color sheets. Along with such classic strips as PRINCE VALIANT, DICK TRACY, THE PHANTOM & LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE which are still going strong, you would get FLASH GORDON, STEVE CANYON and SMILIN’ JACK among others. Add to those more light hearted fare such as PETE THE TRAMP, LIL’ IODINE, MOON MULLINS and HENRY.

As I’ve said before it’s been a while since I was getting a newspaper on a daily (or almost daily) basis, so it was a pleasure to get back into reading comic strips. The Orange County Register carries a few dozen strips, most of which are of the daily gag variety. Oddly, the ‘adventure’ strips are not located in the Entertainment section during the week, but rather in the Job Classified section. There you’ll find something called “Classic Comics” along with a second crossword puzzle. What made the editors do this is beyond me, but at it’s nice to see some old favorites no matter where they are.

The five ‘classic’ strips are DICK TRACY, ANNIE (the ‘Little Orphan’ part apparently dropped since most kids and even adults are familiar with the character more for the musical & movie than the actual strip), GASOLINE ALLEY, BEETLE BAILEY (how did he end up here?) and JUDGE PARKER.

Four of these strips I’ve enjoyed since I was a kid, although I have to admit that I’m more a fan of GASOLINE ALLEY now than I was back then. Perhaps it has something to do with the characters growing older as I have, something few other strips allow. About a month ago Walt, now a widower, found himself amongst ‘retired’ comic strips characters. It was a nice kick seeing Walt along with MUTT & JEFF, THE YELLOW KID and dozens of other long-gone creations. BEETLE BAILEY is ageless, of course, and any reference to current events is rare. You won’t see him being shipped out to Iraq any time soon.

DICK TRACY just completed a silly adventure featuring a mind-reading machine, which had Tracy discovering things he might not have wanted to know about his fellow squad members. The whole story reminded me too much of the era when Tracy & Company were flying around in magnetic-force hovercraft and Moon Maid was dating Junior. Best left forgotten by old time DT fans, like me. ANNIE, on the other hand, is finding herself caught in time. Somehow transported from the Bermuda Triangle into pre-catastrophic Atlantis, our young heroine & Sandy have also encountered an earlier version of herself in WWII as she was fleeing from Nazis. The current creative team of Jay Maeder and Ted Slampyak, are doing a great job keeping Annie and her companions a pleasure to read. Heck, Ted even slipped in a reference or two to his own comic book JAZZ AGE, several months back when Annie was shown reading a comic which featured a fedora wearing gent on its cover.

I don’t know much about JUDGE PARKER, except for the fact that I haven’t really figured out who all the characters are, or why I should care. The current storyline has several American girls in Paris, where one of them may be about to inherit a large estate from an elderly widow. Created by Dr. Nicholas P. Dallis, who also created APARTMENT 3-G & REX MORGAN, M.D., in 1952, the title character isn’t seen much, although the Kings Features website implies he’ll be re-introduced soon.

If I get the chance I’ll talk about the other comics, over in the primary comics’ page in the next day or so.

Still reviewing!

For those keeping track of such things, I'm going to continue with the book reviews for the Joe Bob Briggs website. It seemed a bit hit or miss, but they now have someone who will be updating the site and posting at least some of the stockpile of reviews.

It was a nice surprise to receive a box of ten paperbacks in the mail today. Once I finish off the three books I'm currently reading (for personal pleasure) I'll get started on the stack.

By the way...Am I the only person who regularly will start more than one book and have no problem going back and forth between them?

"The Strand Prophecy": a comic for & by young readers

I was reading today's Orange County Register and came across this story about two young sisters creating a comic. It's the sort of thing that Leah Adezio would have loved to hear about. I certainly wish the Weiner girls and their father all the best of luck.

If you click on the headline above you'll find the Register's article.

I know I really haven't written much about comics the past few months, but when I start working again I plan to get back into the four-color habit.

San Diego Comic Con International

The headline above will bring you over to the official SD Comic Convention site. It's my not so subtle way of announcing that I'll be attending the convention this year, at least for a day or so.

My hope is to be able to meet up with former and current members of Capa-Alpha, the comics apa. I was a member and waitlister for that particular apa for over ten years, during my extreme fanboy phase. We're talking about the years between 1982 and 1998, with a bit of fannish activity until 2004 or so.

My very first SD con was back in 1975, while I was actually stationed in the area on the USS Waddell. My actual first convention was a few months before that, in a high-school gym. There were only a few 'pros' in attendance, but I was only interested in picking up the latest issues of DC & Marvel comics in addition to any fanzines I might find. The actual SD con later in the year was a real eye-opener, as you can imagine. Who'd believe that guys like Jack Kirby, Jim Steranko and a very ill-looking Wally Wood would actually talk to a kid from Taftville, Connecticut?

I'll be talking more about the convention over the next few months, as my plans become more defined. If any of you are going to be there, let me know and maybe we can meet up.

National Gorilla Suit Day

I know this link won't work, since I can't for the life of me figure out how. But you will learn some useful information about this most wonderful of holidays if you click on the headline above.

What is REALITY? On television, at least.

Originally, at least if I recall correctly, so-called “reality television” were shows like COPS. We’d see video of police officers doing their ‘real jobs’ and what happened while they were on patrol. Then you had various medical shows popping up on the cable stations, which showed operations, procedures and actual footage of women giving birth. That was about as REAL as you could get.

Somebody over at MTV came up with the idea of “Real World”. Here we would follow the daily lives of a group of Generation X types, forced to live together in an apartment or house. Each season the show would feature a different group in yet another city.

With the introduction of SURVIVOR everything seemed to change. You didn’t have folks dealing with remotely ‘real’ situations, but rather placed in totally strange environments and made to compete against each other in physical and psychological fashion. Shows as different as BIG BROTHER, TOP CHEF and AMERICAN IDOL now compete against each other for Emmy and People Choice awards. Where is the reality in any of this?

All that leads up to this:

Donna and I are actually enjoying “ARMED & FAMOUS” which started last week on NBC. If you haven’t seen the show, or the commercials, I’ll explain the basics. You have five “C” list celebrities undergoing three weeks of ‘boot camp’ training and becoming police officers in Muncie, Indiana. We’re treated to some of the training, their graduation and taking of the oath, followed by their being paired with senior patrol officers. The following shows are comprised of the nighttime patrols of the various celeb/officers fighting crime in a small urban environment. If not for the fact that the five individuals are already well known the show might be little more than second-rate COPS. In fact, many of the encounters the officers have are exactly the same as those you’ll see any evening on COURT TV or Saturday night on Fox.

The series stars actor Erik Estrada (probably still best known as ‘Ponch’ from CHiPS), La Toya Jackson (the other Jackson sister, who like her brother had a bit of work done) Jack Osbourne (fresh from rehab and a couple of years of being straight), Trish Stratus (who is known to WWE wrestling fans as a former seven time Women’s Champion), and Jason Acuña (a.k.a. "Wee Man" on Jackass).

Estrada actually seems to have brought some of the skills of his character to his current time in uniform. Osbourne & Stratus appear to be taking this very seriously, which is hard to believe having watched Jack for all those seasons on his parent’s show. It is hard to take either Acuna or La Toya totally seriously, in first case because you know a police department would never hire somebody of his physical stature (although he really does give it his best in some situations against larger criminals). You get the impression that, like her brother, La Toya, really hasn’t had much contact with the everyday. From her phobia with cats to her total confusion about shopping you feel that she has never had to actually fend for herself. You find yourself laughing, but then you begin to feel bad for her and actually feel sympathy.

There are only a couple of more episodes, but I recommend you give it a try. There are certainly worse ways to waste an hour.

Off the shelf

I have some good news to report regarding the Joe Bob Briggs reviews. At least it's good news to me.

John, to whom I send my reviews, let me know that they have somebody who will be taking over the site and reviews will once again be posted. I have about a half dozen waiting and I'll let you know if or when they become available. On the other hand, John didn't say if any new books would be sent out.

Since I can now concentrate on my own reading I've begun trying to go through the books co-authored by Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston. Just finished both BRIMSTONE (featuring FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendagast) and the stand-alone RIPTIDE. I'm making it my goal to catch up on the Pendagast series and to read the rest of the books the two authors have written together & separately. Pedagast was originally introduced as a secondary character in the author's first collaboration, RELIC (made into a half-way decent monster flick), but quickly became a favorite, reappearing in several more books and taking on a life of his own.

As for non-fiction, I just began MEN OF TOMORROW: Geeks, Gangsters & the Birth of the Comic Book written by Gerard Jones. For those of you unfamiliar with the book, it covers the beginnings of the comic book industry, focusing on some of those individuals who helped to found it. It also documents the early lives of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the co-creators of SUPERMAN, as well as how their creation was ultimately stolen from them by their publishers. Easy to see why the book garnered so many great reviews and stirred a bit of controversy in & out of fandom.

Our Christmas Village

This is Donna's Christmas Village up in our living room. There were a couple of other buildings, plus the 'skating ring' set which couldn't fit. Maybe next year.

If you go over to Parting Shots you'll see pictures of the Chiara & Chaput pets enjoying the holidays.

Some Christmas photos

Pictures of Kristina & Marissa's tree with and without presents. Also the whole Christmas group around the table, minus me taking the picture.

Starting from the left you have Donna, Marissa, Kristina, Marissa's grandmother Marion, her sister Dana, and Marissa's parents Lynn & Jerry, with Michael (Kristina's father) last but not least.

The cat on the couch is Kristina's Wilber.

The usual rambling....

I think I may be watching those old B&W movies from the Thirties on Encore Western a bit too much. I actually caught myself saying "Dag nabbit!" when I dropped something the other day. I've lost the Gabby Hayes whiskers, but still find myself channeling him.

Damn, but it seems like there's nothing else going on around the world since the 'war' between Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump is the top story on just about every entertainment program. I guess we should be thankful that that has pushed Anna Nicole and Britney's bad behavior from the headlines. One more segment with an obviously drugged up Anna Nicole or digitized Britney crotch shot would have had me tossing heavy objects at the Sony. Remember when all the newscasters were saying something along the lines that "after the events of 9/11 everything will be different"? Television and popular entertainment seems pretty much like it did in August of 2001 to me!

Maybe I'm not watching TV at the right time, or not checking the schedule, but I have only seen a single showing any version of "A Christmas Carol" so far this season. This was the made-for-television one featuring Patrick Stewart as Scrooge, hardly one of the best. Don't get me wrong, I was lucky enough to seen Stewart's one-man show version of the Dicken's story in New York and he was absolutely brilliant. Sadly, he just doesn't seem to bring the same level to this particular telling. He almost seems bored with the whole thing. Give me George C. Scott or Alastair Sim anytime!

Review: No Time to Hide by Rob Palmer

Here's the last Joe Bob Briggs review I'll be doing for the near future, at least. They haven't posted a new review over on the Joe Bob site for over a year now, and I haven't received new books for more than half that time. I'm sorry to see it end.

*****************************
No Time to Hide by Rob Palmer
Published by Leisure Fiction/Dorchester Pub.
ISBN: 0-8439-5667-4

I actually wanted to like this book better than I did, but I don’t blame writer Rob Palmer for that in the end. It just seems that of the last four books I’ve reviewed this is the third one featuring political turmoil in Cuba as the backdrop. Also, considering the current events taking place on that island the stuff here seems dated.

Psychologist Ben Tennant works for the U.S. Marshals Service as specialist in the Witness Protection Program. It’s his job to see if candidates for the program are psychologically prepared for the types of emotional changes necessary in successfully completing the change to a whole other way of life. If Ben feels the person will simply return to criminal or anti-social behavior they are rejected.

Ben also has a kind of side business, which is known to only a few associates and pretty much ignored by those of his fellow Marshals Service agents who know of it. Under the code name The Laundry Man, Tenant will help people who don’t qualify for the ‘official’ program disappear into another identity safe from those who may be hunting them. Patrice Callan, a con artist is one of those unofficial clients, with whom Ben had spent several months creating a new identity. Unfortunately for Ben, he also found he was falling in love with her. When Patrice disappears Ben realizes that he was also one of Patrice’s cons and she has taken files which reveal the identities and locations of all of his other clients.

When elements of the CIA begin pressuring Ben to turn over Patrice, he finds that several other people including anti-Castro Cubans are seeking Patrice for their own reasons. It’s up to The Laundry Man to help Patrice, despite what she did, and stop what could be an international incident which would take hundreds if not thousands of innocent lives.

Palmer does a good job making Ben someone you like, and even allows some of those on the other side moments of humanity. Sadly, for me, it was Patrice who is the weakest character, so you don’t have as much sympathy for her as you should given the events. Even at the book’s end you get the feeling that things aren’t going to remain quite as sunny as they are. Whether this is setting up a sequel or not, remains to be seen.

I think Palmer has created a very interesting character with Ben Tennant, but I think I’d like to see him in action either before or after Patrice is part of his life.

Two and a half stars

Dogue Vogue: Who are these folks?

Two weeks ago I attended DOGUE VOGUE, which was held at the Cox Sports Park. As it is located right next to Heritage Park, I couldn't resist walking over.

I have more pics, but just wanted to give you a taste of what some folks put their canine friends through just to prove how much they love them. Right! Food, boarding and companionship aren't enough.

Remote viewing: Encore

With Cox Cable here in Ladera Ranch, we have a number of stations we didn't have access to back in Brooklyn. Part of their Digital Tier gives us the full range of Encore stations, which feature older movies and TV shows in various genres, plus we also get IFC & Sundance.

Naturally, I'm loving the ability to watch hours of Westerns any time I want. Encore Westerns not only shows the usual major films with Big Name stars, but also older B&W stuff with Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Don "Red" Barry and others. I can't get enough!

Click the above headline and it will take you to the Encore Western site where you can check out for yourself what I may be viewing.

One of my favorite non-movie things on Encore Western is "Cowboy Poet" Bob Boze Bell, who is featured on the True West Moments every day discusssing how things actually were in the Old West, as opposed to what we are seeing in some of the films.

Happy Trails!

Cardinals Win!

Well, it's all over and the St. Louis Cardinals have won the World Series. I feel bad for the Tigers, but at least I saw them whip the Damned Yankees. :-)

Wonder what company will be using the team in promotions? Expect to see some ads hitting the airwaves in the next few days.

Review: A Time to Run by Barbara Boxer

Personally, I like Senator Boxer but that has nothing to do with my review. Again, it is one of those books that I get sent by the Joe Bob Briggs folks that I don't feel fits the 'thriller/suspense' genre I'm supposed to be reviewing.

Oh, and in case you're wondering I'm rooting for the Detroit Tigers.

**************************************

A TIME TO RUN by Barbara Boxer with Mary-Rose Hayes
Published by Chronicle Books; ISBN: 0-8118-5043-9

The first novel by Senator Barbara Boxer is set in a world she knows very well, namely the insider world of Washington, D.C., with the usual suspects. You have the ‘good’ liberal Senator from California, first-timer Ellen Fischer and her staff, up against the ‘evil’ former GOP member whose seat she won, long-time political wheeler-dealer Carl Satcher. This takes place during hearings for a Supreme Court nominee, the ultra-conservative, Frieda Hernandez who just may be the one to swing the Court votes over on a number of issues.

Senator Boxer, aided by Mary-Rose Hayes (who has several romance novels to her credit), certainly knows what it’s like in the nation’s capital, but we can only hope that political decisions there are not made in the fashion described in this book. Frankly, it appears that the authors really wanted to write a straight romance novel about three people who meet in college and become friends. Since there is one gal and two guys it is evident that both men will fall in love and when the lady chooses one guy the other spends the rest of his life trying to win her back. After they got that part down, Boxer & Hayes probably figured that throwing in a bit of politics would help, given the Senator’s name on the cover.

The novel begins in 2001, several months before 9/11 and sets up the plot of Fischer being given documents showing that the Associate Justice nominee may be guilty of child abuse against her own daughter, going back years. It doesn’t take long to discover that the ‘evidence’ may not be all it appears and that the Senator is being set up by old foe Satcher. We then jump back to 1974, where Ellen meets Josh (who would become her husband) and his friend Greg (who would become a muck-racking journalist and eventual cause of Josh’s death), all of whom are attending Berkeley at the same time. The rest of the story weaves through the next several decades following the lives of the three characters until we get back to the current situation.

The story of whether Ellen falls into the trap set by her enemies, or is able to rise above it, sort of disappears while Boxer & Hayes spend most of the book in a Harlequin Romance tale of love & betrayal. Not badly written and actually more interesting than I would have expected, still not the political novel that folks would seem to be looking for given the well-known author.

Two and a half stars.

So much for that Subway series, huh?

While there wasn't a lot of joy this post-season for me as a Red Sox fan, it is great to see the Mets doing so well. I know that Donna, Fran and Donna's Aunt Marge couldn't be happier. Also, my friend Sue Raboy and my ex will be delighted I'm sure.

For me, of course, the icing on the cake was seeing the Damned Yankees once again fall short after the season ended. There won't be many tears shed west of Queens on that account. :-)

I think a Detroit/New York series would be pretty interesting myself, but we still have to see the Mets through one more NCS. Fingers crossed for Willie's boys!

Remote viewing: the fall season

Haven't been able to catch all the new shows and not sure that I'd want to. It was so much simpler back when there were only the three networks and a few syndicated shows. Now it seems that everybody from Animal Planet to The Weather Channel are bring in new programming at the same time. Thankfully USA won't be showing new episodes of MONK, PSYCH & THE 4400 for a couple of months.

Caught one episode each of THE CLASS, 'TIL DEATH and SMITH. Not sure that I'd set the DVR for any of them at this point. The first two episodes of STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, both of which I enjoyed. Matthew Perry & Bradley Whitford are both doing great jobs as the writing/producing partners out to save a threatened network comedy show. However, I just don't see this as drawing in the audience that the show's creator, Aaron Sorkin captured with WEST WING. Come Emmy time the show might garner some nominations, but I don't know if the show itself will still be around.

I really like JERICHO, especially as they are keeping much of what actually happened to the U.S. a mystery. Two episodes in and there are several characters, including Skeet Urich (as Jake Green) the lead who has about five years in his past that he is keeping hidden. It appears that Robert Hawkins (played by Lennie James) is hiding things for some unknown reason from the rest of the town also, including just where the bombs may have gone off.

I'm sure you're surprised that a fanboy like me hasn't seen even a single episode of HEROES. Maybe I'll eventually have a chance, but as in the case of CSI: MIAMI the show is on opposite something else that Donna and I are watching.

Probably have more to say on television later, but that's it for now!

Watching zombies & other creepy stuff

Donna had to be recertified in CPR before returning to work, so was attending a class last night. I took advantage of that and our free HBO on Demand to see a couple of horror movies I haven't had that chance to catch.

The most fun was George Romero's LAND OF THE DEAD from last year. Dennis Hopper chews the scenery as a nasty business tycoon who has created a 'safe' haven for the living in what used to be Chicago. Simon Baker & John Leguizamo are mercenary types who go out among the walking dead to scavenge goods which Hopper can then sell to his clients. Plenty of zombie action, with pretty clever leader "Big Daddy" (played by former CLF offensive lineman, Eugene Clark), bringing the dead into the city. Romero's movies are always a lot of fun, as he doesn't take much of this seriously. His zombies in the mall scenes have become a zombie film staple.

While each of the four "Dead" films stand alone, Romero has created a history of sorts which you can follow. I read a neat book a few years ago called "Book of the Dead" which takes place in Romero's world. Sadly, it was one of the books I donated to the library before moving out here. Recommended for some great zombie stories by Stephen King, Richard Laymon, Ramsey Campbell and others with an introduction by Romero himself.

The second film was a sequel to one of my favorite horror films of the past few years, THE RING 2. Simon Baker is in this film also but has a smaller, though pivotal, role as a co-worker of Naomi Watts. Watts returns as Rachel Keller, whose son Aidan is the focus of supernatural forces. Once again a videotape starts the action, but it switches to that of Watts attempts to keep Aidan from becoming possessed by Samara ( the girl from the well in the first film). Not as good as the first American version (and no where as excellent as the Japanese original), there are still some nice scare scenes. If nothing else it proves that even deer can be pretty damn scary if used in a certain fashion.

I still recommend the original Japanese version RINGU with English subtitles. It is different enough from the Americanized film, but you can see why it created a cult in its native land, with novels, sequels and manga adaptations. In fact, the director of that film, Hideo Nakata, directed this American remake of his own Japanese sequel.

The first movie, along with the previous year's MULHOLLAND DR. made me a huge fan of Naomi Watts.

I'm back!

Hard to believe that it has been a month since I last posted here. I've dropped a line or two over on the other site, but haven't gotten around to this one.

Not going to go all political here, but I must note the anniversary of 9/11. Almost all the stations have had something to commerate the event this past weekend, and the major networks & news channels have gone overtime. Best to just take a moment to reflect on those who lost their lives and their family members who will always remember them.

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Caught a few segments of Stan Lee's WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPER-HERO? sometime last week. If nothing else it shows how silly the costumes are and why super-heroes in movies often modify (as in the BATMAN films) or do away with them (as in the X-MEN). SUPERMAN really isn't SUPERMAN without the red/yellow & blue outfit, so you can't do much about that, although SMALLVILLE seems to be doing quite well without Clark putting on the cape & tights.

Kristina & Merissa were over the other night and we all watched DERAILED, with Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen. Not a bad film at all and with a number of surprises, I suppose I should have seen coming but didn't.

Just finished DR. DEATH by Jonathan Kellerman this morning. I'm a fan of Kellerman having read or listened on tape to over a half dozen of his books, including DOUBLE HOMICIDE which he co-wrote with his wife, Faye Kellerman (an equally well-known writer). I'm going to get started on the last two Joe Bob Brigg's review books I still have on hand. As I've said before, the website hasn't posted a new review since last year, but I still feel obligated to finish what I started. The Kellerman book was not a JBB book, by the way, but rather something I picked up out of the apartment complex 'library'.

I will try to post at least once a week from now on, if I can.

Mike Douglas Passes Away

I was sorry to read over on Mark Evanier's site, as well as at CNN.com (you can see the CNN obit by clicking on the above headline), that talk-show host Mike Douglas as died. Along with Merv Griffin, Douglas commanded a very loyal following for years. Doing during the day what Johnny Carson was dominating on latenight, Griffin & Douglas were both entertaining and yet were hardly similar. Douglas was more like Carson, in that he brought a gentle mid-West style to his show, while Griffin was totally Vegas/Atlantic City in the way he did things.

I was always more a Jack Paar/Steve Allen kind of guy, but my mother loved Douglas.

Respect and condolences to his family and many friends.

Going, going, gone!

Seems that those boxes of comics (photo posted last week) are going to go to a good home. Or at least not taking up space at the soon to be vacated Chez Chaput. Apparently, Christina Stoffo's boyfriend Dan will take them off our hands sometime next weekend. Fortunately, just a few days prior to the movers coming in to remove everything else.

For those who care about such things dozens of fanzines, comics related magazines and other such things from the past are heading to recycling tonight. Trust me, it hurts to see much of it go like this but we have to be realistic.

You don't even want to know about the boxes of photographs, videos and other personal stuff that both Donna and I are parting with.

Quick Review: The Flash #2 (DC)

THE FLASH #2 (Sept. '06)

Writer Danny Bilson and artists Paul Demeo & Ken Lashley do another nice job bringing the latest Scarlet Speedster into the DCU. I’ve always been fond of Bart from his introduction as Barry’s grandson from the future. The IMPULSE series was a lot of fun, as was Peter David’s YOUNG JUSTICE stories. This Bart is older and much more serious, but I think I could grow to like him as much as I grew to like Wally before him.

This story continues to fill in new readers and folks returning to the character, by retelling much of the history of not only Bart but the other speedsters in the DC Universe who he has encountered. It also shows us a new speed oriented character, but it’s not yet known if this one will be a hero or villain. By issues end Bart has put on the costume we all know, this one a “clone” of Barry Allen’s which S.T.A.R. Labs created from remains of the original. I thought that was a nice touch and, of course, the Flash ring once again makes its appearance.

As I mentioned in my review of the first issue, I’m not regularly reading and buying comics at this point. If this series continues to be this good it might be something to bring me back.

FLASH back!

My co-worker, Carlos, has let me read the first issue of the new FLASH series from DC. Bart, once Impulse & then Kid Flash, has aged several years and has lost his powers. At least until something apparently happens at the end of the first issue. It's always great seeing Jay Garrack (the original Flash) around and I'm curious about the problems with the good old 'speed force'. Since we see The Flash on the covers of both #1 & 2 we assume that Bart will take on the name and red costume before too long.

The first issue also introduces a few characters, new to me, and brings in our friends from S.T.A.R. Labs.

I haven't been reading new comics for over a year, so I'm only aware of changes in the DCU thanks to folks like Tony Isabella reviewing stuff online & in CBG. I'll let you know what I think about issue #2 in a day or so.