Thursday, February 29, 2024

Disney's Zorro

 

From Wiki- Zorro (also known as Disney's Zorro) is an American action-adventure Western television series produced by Walt Disney Productions and starring Guy Williams. Based on the Zorro character created by Johnston McCulley in his 1919 novella, the series premiered on October 10, 1957, on ABC. The final network broadcast was July 2, 1959. Seventy-eight episodes were produced, and four hour-long specials were aired on the Walt Disney anthology series between October 30, 1960, and April 2, 1961.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

HOTW- Wonder Man


 From Fandom Wiki- Fred Carson was a radio engineer who enjoyed traveling. While on a trip to Tibet, he met a yogi who put him through a series of rigorous tests. Fred passed, proving that he had the physical and moral strength to do good. As a reward, the yogi gave him a magic ring. Fred used it to fight for humanity and justice as Wonder Man.  In his only appearance, Wonder Man delivered aid to Tarovania that was suffering under the occupation by an unnamed invader. In the context of the time, this was most likely meant to be the Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia.

Monday, February 26, 2024

Calvin Monday 3-6-89

 

Poor Hobbes.  He is far less excitable about such things than Calvin is.  Since we have already seen the end result, it turns out that Hobbes is right about the whole debacle, even if he does not quite know it yet.  This would happen to millions of kids from the 60s to the 80s, or whenever premiums would go out of style.  All the sugary cereals tended to have these premiums at some point or another.

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Super Genius

The Road Runner was Wile E. Coyote's primary target, but he did tangle with Bugs a time or two.  He did not fair any better with the wabbit than he did with the bird.  The most fun was that Wile E. got to talk to Bugs.  That was always fun, since Bugs would let the air out of the rather obnoxiously snooty coyote.  The two characters mixed it up in five classic episodes, and have probably met up several more times in newer incarnations.

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Fire Radon (1993)

 

The original Rodan was an awesome monster, capable of battling Godzilla to a standstill. (from Wiki now) Rodan was revived in 1993's Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, this time portrayed entirely via a wire-manipulated marionette[9] and hand puppets. Having received criticism for his emphasis on battle sequences relying heavily on beam weapons, special effects artist Koichi Kawakita sought to make the confrontation between Godzilla and Rodan as physical as possible.

Thursday, February 22, 2024

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (1996)

 

From Wiki- Dr. Quest, a famous phenomenologist, investigates mysterious occurrences and exotic locales with his son, Jonny Quest, adopted son Hadji Singh, bodyguard Race Bannon, Race's daughter Jessie, and pet bulldog Bandit.[2][4][70] Real Adventures is set a few years after the classic series, making Jonny and his friends teenagers. (X7 again)  This does help, for the most part, though a little more connection to the original series would have helped out a bit.  Jessie is Race's daughter, but at this point in time I am not sure if Jade is her mother.

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

HOTW- The Golden Age Atom

From Wiki-  Initially a proverbial 98-pound weakling, bullied at school and unable to impress the girl of his dreams, Mary James, the 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m) Al Pratt was trained to fighting condition by ex-boxer Joe Morgan (the same man who trained Pratt's fellow mystery men Wildcat and the Guardian). Pratt soon became a founding member of the Justice Society of America, appearing in the team's various stories during their original Golden Age appearances. In All Star Comics #3 (Winter 1940), the Atom describes himself to his fellow JSAers as "Al Pratt, a quiet sophomore at Calvin College". He later became a founding and active member of the All-Star Squadron. During World War II, Pratt served as a tank driver for the United States Army.[1]  Al also gained some super powers in 1948.  He, like most of the other JSA, retired in 1951 due to governmental pressure.  He unretired a decade or so later.

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Monday, February 19, 2024

Calvin Monday

 

We interrupt "Calvin and the Quest for the Propeller Beanie" for a Sunday full color strip.  I doubt Calvin took Hobbes lesson here to heart, at least not at age six.  What would Hobbes do with this money anyway?  Tigers don't pay for things!  It was probably so Hobbes could have one over on Calvin, more than the monetary value of the coin.

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Bride of Frankenstein castle

While watching The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) again on Svengoolie last night, I was very much taken with the incredible miniatures they used.  The destruction of the castle at the end was astounding.  It is so refreshing to see actual physical miniatures these days.  It is well photographed and if you are not paying close attention and looking for the effect, you would think it was a real castle.  It also matches seamlessly with the inside of the castle as well, since there are miniatures of that when it is blown up.

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Xenorama #64

Here is the latest issue of Xenorama, Journal of Heroes and Monsters.  It is about the genre called "kyodai" heroes, or giant heroes fighting giant monsters.  We cover Spectreman, Mirrorman, Zone Fighter and more!  It is all in full color, and you can order it through the link to the right!  There are episode guides and just a look at the various cool shows we were denied over here in the States.  It would have been a much more fun childhood seeing a few more shows like this over here.  Or any, if you lived in Colorado.

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Wild Wild West 1065-1969

 

From Wiki- The Wild Wild West told the story of two Secret Service agents: the fearless and handsome James West (played by Robert Conrad), and Artemus Gordon (played by Ross Martin), a brilliant gadgeteer and master of disguise. Their mission was to protect President Ulysses S. Grant and the United States from all manner of dangerous threats. The agents traveled in luxury aboard their own train, the Wanderer, equipped with everything from a stable car to a laboratory.

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

HOTW- Blue Diamond

 

From Wiki- Elton T. Morrow is an archaeologist who finds a mysterious blue diamond on an expedition to Antarctica. The diamond is a piece of the Lifestone Tree, which powers the alien Chosen Eight of Fate. A German sub attacks Morrow's ship on the way home and Morrow is the only survivor. An explosion shattered the diamond during the battle, forcing innumerable tiny diamond particles into Morrow's body.[6] After he is rescued by a British ship, he finds that the shards of the diamond gave him diamond-hard skin, giving him superhuman strength and nigh-invulnerability.[7] Dubbing himself the Blue Diamond, he battles Nazi spies during World War II as part of the Crazy Sues.[8]

Monday, February 12, 2024

Calvin Monday 3-4-89

Boy Howdy, I have been here.  I really remember waiting for my FOOM (Friends of ol Marvel) kit to arrive, I was so excited for whatever may be in that box.  I was sure it was going to be the coolest membership items ever!  I am sure I have no idea what was going on during those weeks at school.  Since it was in the mid-70s, I wouldn't remember anyway.

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Sven- The Monster that Challenged the World (1957)

From Wiki- In the Salton Sea in California, an underwater earthquake causes a crevice to open, releasing prehistoric giant molluscs. A rescue training parachute jump is conducted, but the patrol boat sent to pick up the jumper finds only a floating parachute. One sailor dives in but also disappears. The other sailor screams in terror as something rises from the water.  There are giant molluscs living in the sea, and they drain people dry.  Explosives are used to destroy the eggs, and a final mollusc is shot to death.

Saturday, February 10, 2024

Wicked- the musical


 From Wiki- The citizens of Oz are celebrating the recent death of the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda the Good arrives and reveals the Wicked Witch's past: her mother had an affair with a traveling salesman while her father, the governor of Munchkinland, was away. As a product of that affair, Elphaba was born, with green skin. Her father rejected her at birth, cursing her to have a troubled childhood ("No One Mourns the Wicked"). When one citizen asks Glinda if she was the Witch's friend, she begins to reminisce about their past.

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

HOTW- Super President

 

From Wiki- The President of the United States, former astronaut James Norcross (voiced by Paul Frees) is given superpowers as the result of a cosmic storm during a space mission. The future President gains increased strength and the Metamorpho-like ability to change his molecular composition at will to any form required (like granite, steel, ozone, water and even electricity). A hidden panel in the Oval Office allows him access to his secret base, a hidden cave beneath the "Presidential Mansion" (a somewhat modified White House). Super President travels either by using a futuristic automobile/aircraft/submarine called the Omnicar, or by using jets built into his belt. 

Monday, February 5, 2024

Calvin Monday 3-3-1989

 

Time sure is relative, isn't it?  When one is six years old, six weeks is forever.  When one is of an older vintage, six weeks goes by in the blink of an eye.  I believe Einstein was even better at summing it up- "Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity."

Sunday, February 4, 2024

70 years of the Creature!

 

This year marks seventy years of the Creature from the Black Lagoon.  This dawned on my while watching Revenge of the Creature last night on Svengoolie.  It is considered one of the new run of Universal sci-fi monster movies, and also the last of the great Universal monsters.  The original Xenomorph, from It Came From Outer Space debuted a year before, but never returned for a sequel.  Now the name has been been taken by drippy, gross (though iconic) destroyers in scarlet.  Be that as it may, the Creature has lasted much longer in popular culture.  Three movies, and many, many homages, ripoffs and appearances in other shows, books and movies.

Saturday, February 3, 2024

The Rainbow Music Hall


My first concert that I went to was at Fulsom Field in Boulder.  I saw the Who on their "final" tour.   To this day I have not seen another concert there.  The Rainbow Music Hall in south Denver was the second place I ever saw a popular music concert.  It was on my birthday in 1983.  Yes, I went my parents, the girl I liked and my sister.  We saw the rockin' BJ. Thomas.  It was quite fun, though my stepfather complained that the music was too loud.  He would have been 55 years old then.

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Avengers by Perez

Here is a lovely team portrait of the Avengers.  It is by the late, great George Perez.  It is kind of an amalgam of teams, or perhaps the version he did with Kurt Busiek.  I can't remember if the Beast was in that relaunch.  I always preferred the Beast in the Avengers, rather than the X-Men.  I liked the tie he gave both teams as well.  I do think Quicksilver should be in the picture, but it is rather crowded.  Some fans wanted the Hulk to be there, but he was hardly an Avenger for most of his published history.  I am glad the MCU went to Professor Hulk, since Hulk smash Hulk gets old and boring in a hurry.  Where is Triathalon?  I thought he was kinda fun.  At this point in time, everyone in Marvel has been an Avenger.  Including Wolverine and at least half of the Fantastic Four.