Popcorn for One: Fantastic Four -Rise of the Silver Surfer

I don’t have as much to say about this film as I did about 1408. Partly, because everybody else has blogged and reviewed the movie to death from every possible angle. Also, if you have already seen the movie you know how you felt about it and if you don’t want to see it I doubt I’ll change your mind.

If you are at all familiar with the Fantastic Four mythos you already know that the Silver Surfer, once Norrin Radd, became the herald for the entity known as Galactus in order to save his own planet. Endowed with cosmic power beyond imagining the Surfer seeks out planets upon which Galactus may feed. Since Mars, Venus and every other planet in the neighborhood just doesn’t have the right nutritional value the Surfer chooses our own world and this doesn’t sit right with certain people.

Naturally, the government picks one of the few people that Dr. Reed Richards doesn’t get along with to be the person to request his assistance. Adding insult to injury the government also forces Richards & Co. to work with the man who tried to kill them several times. Basically, we get several story arcs from the FF’s first few years tied together into a single movie. Not only do we get the introduction of the Surfer, but also a later plot which involved Doctor Doom stealing the Surfer’s power and board.

If you liked the first movie in this series you will absolutely love this one. If, like most folks, you felt lukewarm about the film or didn’t care for that initial entry you might be pleasantly surprised. Put me in that second category. I didn’t think the first FF was much better than the low budget & never officially released Roger Corman version that has been available on bootleg for years. I actually thought that this second film captured some of the spirit and sense of family that the best issues of the comic series always had.

I’ll not give anything away, but you probably already know that the FF win and the Earth is not destroyed. Two things happen during the closing scenes, which set up events for future films. Sadly, the worst performance in the film is once again by Julian McMahon in the role of Victor Von Doom. There just is no sense of menace and certainly he doesn’t come across as the dominant personality we see in the comics. There is already talk of a Silver Surfer movie, so that may take some of the suspense out of the movie for you.

Not saying you should run out, but I think you might enjoy this on DVD when that is released or on the premium cable stations when it pops up in a few months. Personally, I think I’dl actually pay to see a third film in the theatre as well.

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes: Stange Visitor from Another Century

I have read so many reprints of the early adventures of the Legion of Super-Heroes and their early meetings with Superboy, that it is hard to remember when I read one of their stories for the first time. I know it was after the group began their own series of adventures and the membership was expanding beyond the first half dozen, I’m sure. Over the years my interest in the LS-H has fluctuated, often depending on the writer or story arc. It’s probably been over ten years since I was actively buying the series. Since then there appear to have been at least three or four incarnations of the group with which I’m not familiar.

As usual of late, I’ve been doing a lot of reading in Wikipedia trying to catch up on what has been going on in the DCU for the past five years. I’m still not completely filled in on the 21st century heroes, so I haven’t gotten around to checking on what happened a thousand years later. It may be time to do so, since I think I like where the current LS-H is going.

SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: Strange Visitor from Another Century collects the issues of LS-H that brings the ‘original’ Girl of Steel to the 31st century. It’s unclear how she arrived there, following the events in Infinite Crisis, and in the early stories she doesn’t even know herself. In fact, she still believes that she’s back on Krypton and her current adventures are all part of a holographic dream. She has no memory of her arrival on Earth a thousand years before, nor what happened to her cousin Kal-El or the rest of her family. It may have something to do with a plot by the Dominators (probably the creepiest alien race found in the DCU, at least in physical appearance) to once again invade and conquer Earth.

Her appearance at this particular time causes a bit of a problem for the Legion, who have only recently settled their differences with the United Planets. Members are just learning that they may not be able to trust each other completely, especially Brainiac Five who has his own agenda (consistent with his incarnations the past decade). As somebody just getting back into the DCU I find it confusing to see several LS-H characters here, knowing that they somehow will end up in the 21st Century on the Justice League satellite during the events in COUNTDOWN.

Throw in a robot rebellion in the making, a ‘mysterious’ person recruiting non-Legion members with powers, the continuing tensions with the Science Police (another group who seem to be hiding something) and the series really has captured my interest. Not sure that I’ll be picking up every issue, but I will be on the look out for when further issues are collected in TPB format.

Mark Waid, has been in my Top Ten list of comics writers for over a decade. He hasn’t always been in the Top Five, but I’ve never been really disappointed in any title he’s written. I don’t recall coming across Tony Bedard until I picked up a few issues of COUNTDOWN, but I think he’s doing a pretty good job there, along with the other creative teams working on the series. The art on the Legion stories by Barry Kitson, Adam DeKraker, Mick Gray and others is almost consistently good, though there are some panels where faces just don’t work. However, given the large cast of characters and many crowd scenes they work with I can’t fault them a few panels here or there.

Overall I have to recommend this book, at least for those who like super-hero teams with a touch of humor and don’t need everything cleared up by the end of each issue.

Teen Titans: Titans Around the World (a DCU review)

I was never a big Teen Titans fan, although I did buy the series for a while on and off. I picked up some of stories back in the sixties when they formed, but by that time I was pretty much a Marvel Zombie (back before there was such a term). I’ve sort of followed the team, but it’s been a few years so my knowledge is second & third hand at best.

Since beginning to buy COUNTDOWN I’ve been reading reviews and synopsis of previous series and books so that I wouldn’t be totally lost. When I found that our library had this TPB I decided to check it out and overall I was pretty pleased. The book collects issues #34-41 of the current TT series, which featured a couple of story arcs. It begins with those “One Year Later” issues and leaves clues as to what had happened to the group after Infinite Wars, but I recommend you click on the link in the above headline and check out the Wikipedia article on the Titans.

The stories are all written by Geoff Johns who happens to be one of my favorite writers currently working on the DCU books. The pencils are by Tony Daniel, with the assist of a half dozen inkers (basically guys who trace what Tony has painstakingly already put on paper), and does a nice job giving all the characters enough individuality so that even when in group shots you can identify them. Both of them get high marks in my book.

We find that Vic Stone (Cyborg) has been out of action, having been injured. His systems are being rebooted and while he’s out he has become a confidant/confessor for various members of the Titans, even those whom he never met. Upon waking he is surprised to find Rose Wilson (Ravager), the daughter of Titan’s enemy Slade Wilson is now a member. Needless to say he is not happy about the situation, nor with other members of the Titans he finds at the tower. The remaining stories on the book fill in some of what happened the previous year and introduces readers to some of the fill-in Titans who came and went during that time.

The middle section deals with a newly reformed DOOM PATROL. While I wasn’t a huge fan of TT, I have loved almost every incarnation of DP, since those long-ago issues of MY GREATEST ADVENTURE back in the early 1960s. (Before you were born. Remember, kids?) While it’s great to see the old team restored, I’ve never liked how the originally noble and sympathetic Niles “The Chief” Caulder was turned into a sociopathic manipulator. For me it’s a kick in the teeth of DP creators Bob Haney, Arnold Drake & Bruno Premiani. Still Robotman, Elasti-Girl, Negative Man are back again, joined by Beast Boy (who has left the TT to be with his “parents”), Mento, Vox & Bumble Bee (the last two who were also former Titans for a while). Through in those old nasties The Brotherhood of Evil and you can’t go wrong.

The final section finds the ‘new’ Teen Titans searching for Raven and the identity of the Titan who was actually a traitor. I don’t want to give things away except that it really should not have been a surprise to anybody who has read the Titan series at all who the surprise villain behind the scenes would be. I mean you could figure it out with one eye closed. J

If you like the Titans you probably have already read the issues contained here, but if you haven’t I certainly recommend you find it at your local library or budget bin at a comic shop. However, I still think that “Titans Together” is a silly battle cry.

DC Countdown #47- 45: I'm still clueless!

The panel I use here was also chosen as “Panel of the Week” by the guys over at Comic Book Resources. It does sum things up; at least issue #45 pretty much. We get chicks beating on each other and the back-story for Forerunner, or a Forerunner. Cover featured on the cover of #46, she really doesn't do much except smackdown Donna Troy & Jason Todd (neither of whose 'hero' names I'm clear on right now) by rushing up and blindsiding them. Wow!

In what passes for an explantion of some sort in #45, one of the Monitors (in dialogue by writer Tony Bedard) explains to us, or rather to a character that should already know her origin, that she is part of a race created by the Monitors as attack dogs. What a bunch of sweethearts, huh? It seems that this new character is going to play an important part in the story. We can only hope that's wrong, unless they really do something with this cliche warrior-babe. (Isn't the whole cutting/ripping off your ponytail or other facial hair stale by now? Oooh! How defiant!)
`
I have to admit that while the art by Jim Califiore is good (as are most of the artists working on this title), he and the others don’t really distinguish one Monitor from another all that well. I really shouldn’t have to keep track of whether one has a full beard or muttonchops, bald or dreads. I get the point! They are basically identical, but give me something to work with, huh? Than again maybe my eyesight isn’t what it used to be. Also, why do an occasional female or alien looking Monitor show up in the background or crowd scene and then disappear by the next panel? I wonder if everybody got the same memo?

Although Jimmy Olsen did display some powers previously in the series, it is evident that his contact with Lightray, at the time the New God seeming passed, has created some link. It was kind of cool seeing Jimmy imprisoned on The Wall, which was a nice Jack Kirby concept which I don’t think was every really utilized by him that much. I don’t know that much about current DCU continuity, but is it still gospel that Jimmy hung with the Forever People and the Newsboy Legion, etc.?

It seems that the character I identified as Star Boy in my last rant is called Star Man, at least from my reading of his entry in Wikipedia. He also apparently is aware of his fate but has decided to remain in this era. I’m expecting some of this to be cleared up eventually.

By the way, I’ve picked up a couple of TPBs of recent Teen Titan & Supergirl/Legion of Super-Hero stories that I’ll be trying to get to shortly. I hope these will clear things up a bit since they take place after Infinite Crisis. I’ll let you know what I think when I’m done.

Maybe next time out I'll be in a better mood.

Popcorn for One: 1408

If you have been reading this blog since it started I don’t have to explain the headline above. On the other hand, if you aren’t familiar with it you just need to know that PfO was the name of the review section of my old apa-zine. It was for movies I saw alone, and not with first Elayne and later Donna. I don’t know that I’ve used it since we moved from West Haven back to Brooklyn.

I hadn’t originally planned on seeing either of the two movies I attended, until they popped on DVD or on cable. Still when Donna told me that she and Kristina were heading to Las Vegas, I felt this was a good opportunity to catch a couple of films.

While multiplexes aren’t the perfect place to see movies in the opinion of some folks, I don’t have a problem with them. In fact, they are perfect for those of us just sneaky enough to want to take in two or more movies and pay one admission. I can’t tell you the number of times I've done this before, but I found it just as easy here. Frankly, I doubt that most theatres even care anymore and certainly the minimum salaried folks working the ticket booth and snack stand couldn’t care less. Who can blame them?

1408, is based on a short-story by Stephen King, which features John Cusak as writer Mike Enslin. Early on we learn that although Enslin has made his reputation searching out ‘haunted’ hotels, graveyards and other such places, he himself has no belief in any of it. In fact, Enslin feels that he has good reason even to doubt the existence of God, let alone ghosts & ghoulies. We learn as the story progresses that Enslin may indeed be justified in his non-belief, at least as he sees the situation.

I haven’t read the original story, so I can’t tell how much remains under the hands of director Mikael Hafstrom and his three credited screen writers. Visually the film is great, really giving us a sense of the claustrophobia and paranoia that begins to skim away Enslin’s cynicism. Hafstrom was the director of the Jennifer Aniston/Clive Owen film DERAILED, which also played with audience perception of events. He is definitely a filmmaker I’m going to keep my eye on if these two are an indication of what he can do.

Doing research on a new book, Enslin finds that the Dolphin Hotel in New York City has a room noted for its history of problems. Suicides, and an abnormal number of ‘natural’ deaths have led the hotel to have a policy where Room 1408 is not given to any guest. Enslin decides that no matter what he is going to stay in that room, if only to prove that the hotel is faking the entire situation to build up interest. When he arrives at the Dolphin he is met by the hotel’s manager, Gerald Olin (played nicely by Samuel L. Jackson), who tries without success to convince Enslin not to stay the night.

I’ll not give anything away that you can’t see for yourself in the trailers and promotion of the movie. Cusack is outstanding and carries a good portion of the film by himself. The effects early on are nice and there are some real scares and a feeling of menace. Unfortunately, later in the film the FX go a bit over the top and basically just bring attention to themselves rather than add to the sense of dread. It’s Cusack’s intensity that make most of the movie work. Marie McCormack has a small but pivotal role as Enslin’s wife, and one of my favorite actors Tony Shaloub has a cameo as Enslin’s editor.

I highly recommend the movie, if this is your kind of thing. It really does have some good scares. Be warned however that it takes some strange turns in the last reel. Finally, if you are going to this movie because you are a fan of Jackson, you’re going to be disappointed. I doubt that he is on screen for more than fifteen minutes at most. It’s John Cusack’s movie from beginning to end and he more than does his job well.

Next time out the movie I originally set out to see. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

ROBOT CHICKEN: The Star Wars Edition

Donna is NOT a big fan of animation, although she has enjoyed some of the Pixar/Disney films and will watch The Simpsons with me on occasion. Because of this I generally catch up on this stuff, either on those days I have off and she’s not here or late at night when I can’t sleep.

I’ve caught a few episodes of ROBOT CHICKEN before and loved it. However, last night I was lucky enough to see the new “Star Wars” special episode and was absolutely stunned. The fact that George Lucas and Mark Hamill actually take part, is a bonus. Lucas “as Himself” is obviously having a good time even poking fun at SW fans.

I could give away tons of great jokes, but will refrain. However, if you loved the original trilogy you will love the scene where the Emperor receives a call from Darth Vader. In some ways it reminded of those old Bob Newhart routines, where he would be on the phone with some historical character. The bigger fan of SW you are the more you will like this. Trust me!

African Ice: a book review for Joe Bob Briggs

Here's my latest review for the Joe Bob Briggs Report Book Club. As always, this is my draft and the folks over at the site are free to edit and make changes. They don't do that as often as they used to, which means I'm either getting better or their standards are going down. :-)

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

African Ice by Jeff Buick
Published by Dorchester Publishing
ISBN: 0843957204

Despite the 350+ pages, this international thriller is a pretty quick read. Ranging from New York City to the Congo, with side trips to London, Cairo and Amsterdam the cast of characters seems to be constantly on the move. While I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the writer’s description of each place, he certainly makes them seem real. Whether through personal experience or careful research, Buick’s Congo is as easy to imagine as the streets of Manhattan. Also, through the thoughts and dialogue of his main characters he presents a sympathetic view of a continent riddled with violence and corruption, yet filled with people doing the best they can for themselves and their loved ones.

Hired by the Gem-Star company, to locate a diamond rich location in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, noted geologist Samantha Carlson is at first hesitant. While she enjoys working in the field, rather than a laboratory, her past experiences in Africa have made her a bit uneasy. She is also still grieving the loss of both her parents in an accident several years before. Eventually she meets Travis McNeil, who will command the security team which will accompany her, and considering her other options she decides to take the job. Little does she know that it is not Gem-Star seeking the diamonds, but the unethical president of that firm, Patrick Kerrigan.

When Samantha, Travis and his team of ex-SEALs arrive in Africa they quickly discover that they might not be able to trust either Kerrigan nor those he has hired to get the team in and out of the remote jungle. Eventually, they discover that they are not the first team that Kerrigan has sent in and then betrayed, leaving no survivors to tell the tale. Even escaping from the initial ambush, the group finds that Kerrigan is willing to remove anyone who stands between him and the diamonds. His wealth gives him access to resources that Samantha & Travis may not be able to overcome.

Buick brings his characters a dimension not always found in books of this type. Even the bad guys, in some cases, have reasons they feel justify their deeds. While some of the author’s detailed description of diamond mining and other minutia will glaze your eyes, overall I enjoyed the story and would be more than willing to pick up another book by him.

Three stars

OTR: More Classic Science Fiction

I’m finally getting around to finishing my overview of the 10-CD compilation of radio shows put out by Radio Spirit & the Smithsonian Institute.

Lux Radio Theatre presents an adaptation of George Pal’s 1953 classic film: “War of the Worlds” with Dana Andrews in the Gene Barry role. While based on the H.G. Wells novel the program is a straight re-enactment of the Pal movie. They even have the same opening narration by voiceover great Paul Frees. Between the Pal film, and listening to the Mercury Theatre broadcast by Orson Welles I’ve almost forgotten how the original novel presented the same material. I think it’s time to go back and read the classic, in the same way that I re-read Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN a couple of years ago.

There’s an adaptation of “The Seventh Victim” by Robert Sheckley, which was turned into an Italian film by Elio Petri,“The Tenth Victim.” This 1965 movie, which I don’t believe I’ve ever seen completely, featured Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress. In a future where war has been banned, how do folks with 'killer instincts' get their kicks?

“A Pail of Air” by Fritz Leiber is an eerie end of the world story. It does something a bit different with a fate similar to that confronted by the characters in Wyllis Cooper’s “Adam and the Darkest Day.” The classic TWILIGHT ZONE also played with the idea of climate change in Rod Serling's "The Midnight Sun."

In “Junkyard” by Clifford D. Simak, the captain of a spaceship must figure out what to do if you land on a planet and forget how to get off again? For some reason this reminded me of some early episodes of the original Star Trek series, especially when they put crewmembers in danger while the senior staff stands around discussing things.

”Finally, “Mr. Costello, Hero” by Theodore Sturgeon is a cautionary story about paranoia and how easily people will turn over control of their lives if they feel threatened. I find it especially prophetic now in the age of the Patriot Act. “They” don’t have to have done anything but you can’t trust “them” not to be planning something.

In listening to many of these shows it is fascinating how many actors turn up over and over again. The recognizable voice of Bill Conrad pops up in at least four of the shows in this set, and Parley Baer has a role in “War of the Worlds” as a forest ranger.

Fair warning! I’ll have more OTR stuff to review in the next few weeks.

DC Countdown: So, what's up with Jimmy Olsen?

Man, am I glad that we have Wikipedia around! I've been taking time the past few days trying to catch up on the DCU for the past three years. As I may have mentioned before, the last DC book I read was IDENTITY CRISIS and there appear to have been several 'events' between that series and COUNTDOWN.

(This might have some SPOILERS so keep that in mind and don't say I didn't warn you!)

Looks like all or most of the old Charlton Heroes have been killed off or gone MIA, now we have this new Blue Beetle and The Question is either dead or soon to be. Wikipedia has several dozen characters listed as being dead, including the Earth-Two SUPERMAN & WONDER WOMAN and the partial clone SUPERBOY (Connor Kent) among them.

I'm glad I'm taking my time with COUNTDOWN, reading only one issue a day, since there's so much to absorb. I have to stop every few pages to try and recall who this or that character is or was (in some cases). With the Multiverse back, that makes things even harder since a hero/villain from another Earth might have been very different from their Earth One counterpart.

So, Jimmy Olsen has his signal watch and is back to being Superman's best friend. Jimmy's 'guardian angel' is keeping tabs on him and apparently a number of heroes & villains know this. The coolest thing (in my book) is that Olsen appears to have super-powers and doesn't know it. When he's attacked by Killer Croc (still in his devolved lizardy appearance) and goes all rubbery I wanted to cheer. What a fanboy, huh? Can't wait for him to turn into Giant Turtle-boy Jimmy in a future issue!

Seriously, I like the fact that Olsen seems to be as clueless about this as the reader. It seems as if, at least initially, the story will focus on the mystery of Jimmy's new abilities and Mary Marvel trying to regain her own.

Finally, where did several members of the LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES come from? I've seen Karate Kid (who really has to get a new name) and Star Boy so far, and assume there may be one or two others up there in the Satellite of Love...er, Justice League headquarters. The Wikipedia articles mentions that the LS-H come from Earth-247, if I remember correctly.

Do I have to say that I love this?

DCU's COUNTDOWN: What the...?

(This post may contain SPOILERS for the series COUNTDOWN, so if you care about that sort of thing you are officially warned off, fangirl!)

I was rushed on Saturday, so didn’t go to Comic Quest after working in Lake Forest. Sunday, Donna and I did some grocery shopping and after lunch I decided to try a place closer to home.

You can’t see Nuclear Comics & Skateshop from the street, so I didn’t know it was there until checking the phonebook. Ken, the store’s owner, is really nice and couldn’t have been more pleasant to all the customers in the shop. We will ignore the fact that guy would be Central Casting’s choice for a role in “Baywatch: Laguna Beach.” When it finally got around to my turn he took several minutes to ask what I read, or rather what I used to read when I was a regular comics buyer.

It was a surprise to have him actually recommend I NOT buy several titles, since it would have made him more money. He directed me to the new DC title COUNTDOWN, telling me that I could probably skip 52 and wait for it to be collected in TPB. I bought all the issues so far (#51 – 45), and have already read a few. I’ll try to get around to reviewing, or at least commenting on them more once I get my feelings straight.

Part of the problem, of course, is that having not read a since the hardcover edition of INDENTITY CRISIS two years ago, I’m sort of confused. When the hell did the Multiverse come back? Who are some of these charaters on the covers? There’s more than one Monitor?? Finally, how sad was it that I could still recognize all but three characters on the fold-out cover of #51?

Since when is Captain Marvel, Jr. blonde? That is Freddie, isn’t it? I thought the Red Hood (if he is called that) was a bad guy. Should I feel bad that certain characters are already being killed off even if they are former Titans? Lastly, just because the next Batman film will feature The Joker, shouldn’t mean the DCU version shouldn’t have been killed off along with Lex Luthor and Darkseid. Haven’t all three been used way too much over the past decade?

I’ll only say that Paul Dini, the series chief writer, is doing a nice job filling in some things. I don’t know if somebody totally unfamiliar with the DCU could figure things out, but there was enough so that I didn’t feel totally lost. It’s good to be reading comics again.

The Next Comic Who Wants to be an American Chef

As I’ve written before, I’m hooked on some of the ‘reality shows’ the networks and cable stations are showing this summer. You should feel free to ignore this post, just as I do when I see anything on shows like “Survivor” or “The Great Race.” They are all equally fluff, but that sums up 90% of the shows on television anyway.

I was sorry to see Tom eliminated from “Who Wants to be the Next Food Network Star?” He seemed like a genuinely nice guy, but it was obvious that his heart wasn’t in it and he missed his family. I’ve noticed that the folks doing this show seem to have been taking notes on Bravo’s “Top Chef”, or maybe the contestants have. The folks this season sure seem more ‘in your face’ and have attitudes that weren’t evident in the first season.

Speaking of “Top Chef”, this season also has its share of drama queens. It’s funny that the guy I dislike most, namely Hung, knows last season’s biggest jerk, Marcel. Just like last season, when I wanted anybody but Marcel to win I’m feeling the same way about Hung. I appear to be in the minority, if you read the comments over on the TC fan site. Maybe I’m letting my total distaste for Marcel cloud my judgement.

“Last Comic Standing” is kind of hit or miss with us. It’s hard to get much of a feeling for the comics when you get between 15-30 seconds (if that!) of a routine. Also, the show’s producers give a short interview piece with some contestants, but ignore others. Naturally, they want you to feel something for those particular folks, but you feel bad for those nameless comedians you see standing in the group when the selection is made. As with past seasons, I don’t think anybody will come into focus until the final group is together and interacting. I’ll be curious to see if some of the comedians from outside the U.S. make the final cut. There was one Australian female comedian (originally from London, if I remember correctly) that we thought was very funny.

“America’s Got Talent” has a slightly different feel this year, with Regis Philbin gone as host. Jerry Springer seems like a genuinely nice guy, without the sometimes-phony vibe you got from Regis. I’ll never understand why David Hasselhoff believes he’s a legitimate celebrity, and Piers Morgan is doing his Simon Cowel imitation more than ever. He’s actually making children cry and feels as if he has to hit the buzzer fifteen seconds into almost every performance. Then when changes his mind and votes the performer on he claims he hit the buzzer just to see how they would react. I’m not sure how I feel about Sharon Osbourne. I think I like her more than I should and believe she votes performers on who really shouldn’t get past the initial spot. I still admit to enjoying this show more than I ever did “American Idol”.

Finally, “The Next Best Thing” is an odd guilty pleasure. How could you not love a show, which looks for celebrity impersonators? Seeing bad Elvis(s) {Elvi?), transvestite Tina Turners & Chers! That’s entertainment! So far the guy from New York who is a ringer for Howard Stern, a Lucille Ball and a Roseanne are among the best. I’m looking forward to dueling George Bush and “young” Elvis going up against Little Richard.

Getting back into stuff

Well, I just resubscribed to the Comic Buyer's Guide (CBG) yesterday, so we'll see how long it takes for my first issue to arrive. I plan on trying to get over to the comic shop in Lake Forest this Saturday, since I'm working at the El Toro Library. I'm hoping to pick up the most recent CBG, and at least glance at a few comics if not actually pick up a couple.

Once I start getting the magazine in the mail each month, I'm going to read and review some of the material in each issue. Since I don't read any current titles, it might be a chance to catch up on things, besides what I read in the comics related sites. I'm also sure that the section that reviews older books will probably trigger some memories that will get me blogging.

If memory serves me, I owned the issue of CBG with the Jack Kirby cover. I first read and quickly subscribed to CBG, back with it was known as The Comic's Buyers Guide (TCBG) and Alan Light was the publisher. In fact, my ex Betsy and I both had subscriptions for a while when we first moved in together.

"Fanboy?": I'm okay with that!

Beau Smith, a comics writer and columnist has a piece over at Silver Bullet Comics.com about the term 'fanboy' and how he really dislikes the term. You can check it out yourself by clicking on the headline above.

Personally, I've used the term when referring to myself and haven't really been bothered by it. Maybe because when I was seriously into fandom it wasn't the totally negative expression which it has become. I guess it's right up there with 'geek', but that's a term with a longer and nastier history. As in the short-lived DC comic of that title, the term was used for those lowest of carnival/freak-show performers generally seen biting the heads of chickens or other sub-human behavior. Later it became a term used to label unpopular kids by those who were popular, or at least accepted into whatever cliche happened to rule the school.

"Geek" is used all the time now, especially in movies and TV shows as shorthand for the guy or gal who happens to be the computer whiz. That's, of course, before the 'geek' saves the butt of the same group that had been harassing him or her.

Anyway, I'm cool with being a fanboy, or even one of the "Old Farts of Fandom" (OFF), since I've been reading, collecting and/or writing about comics, SF and other silly stuff before I was even in my teens.

Old Beau could easily kick my butt, but it still wouldn't change my mind.

He does look good in leather!

Once again I had to share today's installment of SHELDON. If you go to Dave's site you will see the strip from yesterday which set this up.

OTR: Classic Science Fiction, pt. 2

Dimension X adapted Robert Bloch’s “Almost Human” for its May 13, 1950 performance. The story had been originally published in ’43, which showed that early on Bloch was good at creating deeply complex characters. His “Junior”, is a huge robot with no initial understanding of human emotions. The episode is especially creepy, ending in a fashion that implies rather than reveals what is about to happen. Brrr….

Ray Bradbury has two stories adapted for X-Minus One that demonstrate both Bradbury’s poetic side and his occasional dark sense of humor. “There Will Come Soft Rains” deals with want might continue when mankind’s creations go on after he is no longer around. “Zero Hour” is a morality tale for parents, at least for those who have more important things to do than pay attention to their children.

Wyllis Cooper, today is probably best known as the screenwriter of the classic Universal monster movie, Son of Frankenstein. Originally a reporter, Cooper wrote for radio and created the show “Lights Out” which is also represented in this collection. Here Cooper’s later program “Quiet Please” brings forth “Adam and the Darkest Day”, which tells of a possible future for this planet and the last man living. When the story is over you’ll find yourself wondering to whom Adam is speaking.

Known more for his fantasy and “sword & sorcery” work, L. Sprague de Camp has his take on time travel gone wrong in “A Gun for Dinosaur” another great show from X-Minus One. I believe that this story introduces his ‘Reggie Rivers’ character, but you might want to double-check me on that.

Gordon R. Dickson’s “Speak No More” about a pair of telepaths was brought to the air on “Exploring Tomorrow” hosted by long time SF editor & writer John W. Campbell. While the prestigious CBS Radio Workshop does a great job with Robert A. Heinlein’s “Green Hills of Earth”, with Everett Sloane in the role of Rhysling.

Finally, for now, we have one of my favorite SF writers, Philip K. Dick popping up with the very eerie “Colony”, that works quite well in this X-Minus One adaptation. When apparently inanimate objects become deadly, what is a good starship captain going to do? You don’t want to think too long and hard about the fate of the spaceship’s crew.

In the next part of these posts I’ll talk about Fritz Leiber’s “Pail of Air” and stories by Sheckley, Silverberg, Simak & Sturgeon.

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.