tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11639129497772437572024-03-15T18:09:43.351-07:00Portrait of the ArtistThe official blog of Randy Reynaldo, creator-writer-artist of Rob Hanes Adventures and Inkpot Award recipient. Visit the WCG Comics website at https://wcgcomics.com for more details about the comic book series.Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.comBlogger550125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-8416708194592655382024-03-10T16:20:00.000-07:002024-03-10T16:20:03.636-07:00Culver Studios Legacy<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frandy.reynaldo%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02G7wzkaCSqYdVeMpgZ93YRdA5wXxraZrN8ek663kGoQrikoWWP6WqsQfooWyTDiaKl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="793" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-22809640410350008762024-03-06T16:09:00.000-08:002024-03-06T16:09:53.305-08:00Will Eisner Week 2024<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frandy.reynaldo%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02m1tJ6YANQBuv5u4yc15yDefLosBzfF9RozyFmc6CVaizGEurnMimwtUcySV8wesyl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="710" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-67356271382770501022024-03-06T10:30:00.000-08:002024-03-06T16:08:39.318-08:00That's a Wrap!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TbiPcmnwbE" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="874" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlK7aph4xumE2fGxoAchaqDywp9w2matlCkydm6ki5ZovsKGPdiSDJLqhjVS2rp_XbsPgZwS97QDV_reyt3HYbEHv0vaX4UIV5ZpP4Z7PRz_xn0OItxuy97Q70iCKBOyx1qZKOlpufY9OaYA5vhKrvAJ0MqEBDEGcoIs91bHv8jrj9uknQZDB-ufw/w640-h370/Screenshot%202024-03-06%20at%208.54.07%20AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Had a great time as the guest on That Silverline Show on Tuesday last night. My thanks to hosts Tim T.K., Jose Fuentes, Kasisi D. Harris, and David Rios for a fun time, and the opportunity to talk shop and to answer questions about the creative process and my comic-book series,<i><b> Rob Hanes Adventures</b></i>.<div><br /></div><div>If you missed it, it's available on their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TbiPcmnwbE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a>. I’m told I even sounded coherent!<p> </p></div>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-48902988957197884482024-03-04T08:12:00.000-08:002024-03-05T08:20:53.964-08:00That Tuesday Night Show on Silverline! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugmiMzrPBFD4Uzu1E_0WJLk7E5xCy4kRPOGwy6ObLhDAu1kRdOBj9Ycv884tEKkAR-Y95De6QVPSxOd7EtL3z5llhtmqgbpcBqv8O_NBUynbKORQfrhyphenhyphenRyGXw3kKp1xtPmqxBx9t3IWr2r_ywJNfNz-i6ZMfC5CWkTa7gL6SmXKPePk-xOGiHcRSe/s370/Silverline-Promo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="219" data-original-width="370" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugmiMzrPBFD4Uzu1E_0WJLk7E5xCy4kRPOGwy6ObLhDAu1kRdOBj9Ycv884tEKkAR-Y95De6QVPSxOd7EtL3z5llhtmqgbpcBqv8O_NBUynbKORQfrhyphenhyphenRyGXw3kKp1xtPmqxBx9t3IWr2r_ywJNfNz-i6ZMfC5CWkTa7gL6SmXKPePk-xOGiHcRSe/w400-h236/Silverline-Promo.png" width="400" /></a></div>I'm the guest this Tuesday night on <b>That Silverline Show on Tuesday</b>,<b> </b>on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@SilverlineComics" target="_blank">Silverline Comics YouTube channel</a> on March 5 @ 8pm PST/11pm EST.<p></p>
<p>Hear about my action-adventure comic-book series, <i><b>Rob Hanes Adventures</b></i>, my several decades self-publishing and producing comics, my Inkpot Award, and more!</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@SilverlineComics" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">See you there</a>!<br /><br /></p><hr /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW65VK_1RyEkO2QnRRWdXKsFddOASkLk2YGizZMFsX9ym4pS72Z7p_Lq-2tYaCLgVxEL_kK86wlUsfCibD6szk3Exi2Vwa59cThxw6tJHIg-5urbAntibKsZP1rc1A8eOaRzO2clkTcJEwomWMuJut44fT_bq_EDgBr7XhtLgZkCDwsTnfpUyQMZjc/s393/SilverlineInterviewInfo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="393" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW65VK_1RyEkO2QnRRWdXKsFddOASkLk2YGizZMFsX9ym4pS72Z7p_Lq-2tYaCLgVxEL_kK86wlUsfCibD6szk3Exi2Vwa59cThxw6tJHIg-5urbAntibKsZP1rc1A8eOaRzO2clkTcJEwomWMuJut44fT_bq_EDgBr7XhtLgZkCDwsTnfpUyQMZjc/w640-h524/SilverlineInterviewInfo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-77345840854209328982024-02-14T12:28:00.000-08:002024-02-14T12:28:13.797-08:00Valentine's Day Post<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frandy.reynaldo%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0c9bxKaTtnwGT9X95yHycmsUZ69ak4ZHj7qyryADuLdMoM4YoBXuvXgqDr3cGoeSdl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="767" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-53997918183634383342024-02-12T17:30:00.000-08:002024-02-16T22:41:37.994-08:00Update on Rob Hanes Adventures #25<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl25NMbIY7le-0DNPnQ89MnN86Bl7egWslD70Vmo8W25vced7CeC0aQF-Uz1x7BEwZ3zsgDPnGMwk6OV0XTjABy0VJOBykYKt5hWbVacosUsQ9c5YIWMdoe78BBIlW2xOK-vxWqIIqJLMzc4j3tIQg-T_EhEu9fcNt4sZ24C5JVNcLrV1lJhMZlXjj6Eg2/s773/15-RHA25.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="772" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl25NMbIY7le-0DNPnQ89MnN86Bl7egWslD70Vmo8W25vced7CeC0aQF-Uz1x7BEwZ3zsgDPnGMwk6OV0XTjABy0VJOBykYKt5hWbVacosUsQ9c5YIWMdoe78BBIlW2xOK-vxWqIIqJLMzc4j3tIQg-T_EhEu9fcNt4sZ24C5JVNcLrV1lJhMZlXjj6Eg2/w400-h400/15-RHA25.png" width="400" /></a></div>I’m entering the home stretch of the milestone 25th issue of <i><b><a href="http://wcgcomics.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rob Hanes Adventures</a></b></i>, where Rob goes back to the 1930s for a story that teams him up with other soldiers-of-fortune from the era who readers familiar with classic comics may recognize—and even if you don’t, it’ll still be a fun ride!<p></p><p>In tribute to the era, each page is a complete “Sunday page.” It’s a fun exercise that’s required a slightly different rhythm and beat, where each page contains a complete sequence, ending with a mini-cliffhanger or punchline. It’s also one of my longer stories in awhile, and I look forward to its release this summer. Whether the story is “real” or “imaginary,” readers will have to decide!</p><p>Meanwhile, I’m also already looking ahead to the issue that follows (#26)—it’s not only another change of pace for the series, but pretty much a complete 180 degree turn from issue 25. In fact, one could say it takes Rob from the jazz age to the space age—but ‘nuff said for now, I’ll keep it at that!</p><p>Oh, and here's a bit of trivia—that classic old-school "Rob Hanes" logo was designed and gifted to me as a surprise by comic book writer and classic adventure comics fan Kurt Busiek back in the '90s!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-V5Bzg3rYnehALU-2SZt-kredMCeFk5fOg0Tn1EUsiNQ3_o-YaCBM62urBKfU4qAsJfrYVqfGfc0B9urGCSYkSm6H4SU_Q4TVDFu11YJmRDzP5lGWcfRh3DIfU7AE8zkW-OGdDy1BOozWpoNBxEbwwTNAOxfZ36l6GFcc29n0JX02XPSlSlIwWaBqu98w/s772/14-RHA25.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="772" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-V5Bzg3rYnehALU-2SZt-kredMCeFk5fOg0Tn1EUsiNQ3_o-YaCBM62urBKfU4qAsJfrYVqfGfc0B9urGCSYkSm6H4SU_Q4TVDFu11YJmRDzP5lGWcfRh3DIfU7AE8zkW-OGdDy1BOozWpoNBxEbwwTNAOxfZ36l6GFcc29n0JX02XPSlSlIwWaBqu98w/w640-h634/14-RHA25.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9n5sGTXVzr1eWbkB13YddI8fLhYcokFWFEjM6EuhVb8cYmiVq5q70YJG-n6SU0RlC9xUDb3UY8gmR-23GALHaHO8cDdoUY5S5VydD_0cU8o1v6AUzLJ2SrRgEUaO9q6JD4XPsdl4I-vz8SqoNCS_-PDZKVKDUKmHNGpIpQquYhraEHcUBP9y7JrYud6pH/w426-h640/RHA25-cover-promotional.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00399234989901450597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-41732694599785627182024-02-09T22:30:00.000-08:002024-02-09T22:30:47.094-08:00A Really Big Shew...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5q-HASesVjvsiUUGy-mT9zkYZV6lAwz98rVJjUi1SypD7wuz-LuRsae9ISKvlkWmUI9VnL0fu8Zl9f7dMBi1nQEcmIea8G49ziwaWEUWUMZwYr7qAcwcDQYjB4VV0wkm4q9Q8h9-5ZHRGsoU8bLOkqnVIlEBWGyLfa6yNG7ENjipPMSoRUfCdHn2/s1024/Beatles_with_Ed_Sullivan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1014" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5q-HASesVjvsiUUGy-mT9zkYZV6lAwz98rVJjUi1SypD7wuz-LuRsae9ISKvlkWmUI9VnL0fu8Zl9f7dMBi1nQEcmIea8G49ziwaWEUWUMZwYr7qAcwcDQYjB4VV0wkm4q9Q8h9-5ZHRGsoU8bLOkqnVIlEBWGyLfa6yNG7ENjipPMSoRUfCdHn2/s320/Beatles_with_Ed_Sullivan.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>Today is the 60th anniversary of the Beatles’ splashy introduction to the U.S. on the Ed Sullivan Show! I was about 15 days shy of my 2nd birthday—and more significantly, it was my brother’s first birthday (so happy birthday to him)!<p></p>
<p>Though I was too young to see or remember their debut (my dad reportedly had a repairman come out quickly to fix our tv so that he and my mom could watch the show), I've nevertheless been a huge fan of anything Beatles my whole life and imprinted on them early. Just a few years after their Sullivan debut, we badgered our parents and received their Capitol Records<i> Early Beatles’</i> compilation album (as seen in the accompanying photos). Then when I was five, an uncle came home bearing the newly-released Sgt. Pepper album for us—their new look totally puzzled to us. There were other touchstones—hearing <i>Meet the Beatles</i> at a family party; seeing <i>Let It Be</i> in a local store; discovering the <i>Abbey Road</i> album at the apartment of our aunt and her cool groovy roommate; staying up late way past our bedtimes (with our parents' permission) when we discovered a local channel was playing <i>Help!</i>; and going to the first revival moviehouse we ever went to in order to watch a double bill of <i>A Hard Days Night</i> and <i>Help!</i>.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddkf_ua3yOc7ZwlnL4FHDcLvv7CVl5RrTsL7B2LtWfe44fwFs8ArTiv4ZiyfJ-RzFV_b3ssoJuTgD-nq4w37rh-Rcw4TV8LpDuGN2Jvv1EfQPjY9sS0xYkMwDzpd5WtJpMJD1cOlSQt8S6PYyKhXO87b9Gu_bK46AbWrwklPUU6MTWlM_j_J18E2O/s1114/Beatles-Sullivan.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="1114" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddkf_ua3yOc7ZwlnL4FHDcLvv7CVl5RrTsL7B2LtWfe44fwFs8ArTiv4ZiyfJ-RzFV_b3ssoJuTgD-nq4w37rh-Rcw4TV8LpDuGN2Jvv1EfQPjY9sS0xYkMwDzpd5WtJpMJD1cOlSQt8S6PYyKhXO87b9Gu_bK46AbWrwklPUU6MTWlM_j_J18E2O/w400-h225/Beatles-Sullivan.png" width="400" /></a></div>By our teens (which technically was after the band broke up), we had a full collection of Beatles albums. So, yes, the Beatles were a big presence in my childhood and throughout my life.<p></p><p>When I was in college in the ‘80s, the university I attended screened that Sullivan episode of the Beatles’ appearance—I realize now that was in 1984, to mark the 20th anniversary of their appearance! And now here we are marking the 60th.</p>
<p>Quite a few years back, I picked up the DVD pictured in the photo gallery that contained the first four appearances of the Beatles on Sullivan, from 1964-65. (As many know, Davy Jones also performed on the same show the Beatles made their first appearance—the cast of the Broadway musical “Oliver!” performed in that broadcast, with Jones as as the Artful Dodger.)</p><p><i>Update: I rewatched those Sullivan episodes. As I mentioned to my wife, it's amazing what passed for entertainment in those days lol. That said, I recognize that tastes (and humor changes). But I have to say, I found most of the acts unwatchable and couldn't sit through them, even for the nostalgia factor. </i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa2hTyKA3WNXCg9GMZTIC0icqM6UsZdtnCpRSq0vze_qNGoPSMr1umBSJE2a_8jQAySMHHoe06h55In7EvYBp4LAqGiTWLo0_6umlmgHimh4wZihhEJTunJMDTkeM9HUqvibox5SAdenjqhbIDkYgKqFEun_jjyd21Sxa6L_TZQajbYEWFMmywh02/s4032/IMG_5591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAa2hTyKA3WNXCg9GMZTIC0icqM6UsZdtnCpRSq0vze_qNGoPSMr1umBSJE2a_8jQAySMHHoe06h55In7EvYBp4LAqGiTWLo0_6umlmgHimh4wZihhEJTunJMDTkeM9HUqvibox5SAdenjqhbIDkYgKqFEun_jjyd21Sxa6L_TZQajbYEWFMmywh02/w480-h640/IMG_5591.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNf9XB41E7OEGwwuPruOFefoBEMo3qGTM2hTg_Os4By7imNRshMEVQsbNWNphyphenhyphenuUteUNOBumBE0JROtOUQEs56arKl8FS74aUjuG_H7cw5ISAaqgF3t2cGTIEj2bq1sO2TV1CLrzELqQ_Afea7N3LgR9I8ZeOgVIVKVpy2r4PyyvGZgGu1xWYy5eEg/s3024/IMG_5592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNf9XB41E7OEGwwuPruOFefoBEMo3qGTM2hTg_Os4By7imNRshMEVQsbNWNphyphenhyphenuUteUNOBumBE0JROtOUQEs56arKl8FS74aUjuG_H7cw5ISAaqgF3t2cGTIEj2bq1sO2TV1CLrzELqQ_Afea7N3LgR9I8ZeOgVIVKVpy2r4PyyvGZgGu1xWYy5eEg/w400-h400/IMG_5592.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-82138891380653747252024-02-08T17:06:00.000-08:002024-02-08T17:06:44.935-08:00It Was a Very Good Year...<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frandy.reynaldo%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0244LBfe94HDeULj5AQKBhUV2SVGMrZGVfMUhoxZGFpuGTy7CEdwUUJxiPKnLQhhWwl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="582" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-85820298444107710772024-02-04T15:53:00.000-08:002024-02-04T15:53:41.451-08:00REVIEWS: Blue Eye Samurai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijA9vkGlCmv3ClTF8UWZoegFi9MlqoF1h3_R1bV-PJ2HMRKmd7YUnlQ5BB3JByW71BeBuRmEkrEn2OpFi9X4S8mhrzDP-BGNmj2fq6wvrEVp5kp70Nyc8_OCzSCEEUNP-IE19g5kXDDqKCUX1vIinZyd6brlcV43_jVQZAModRUa8875KiiwjfX7kX/s3840/pKAGrx74moaGptJd3NLWAM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijA9vkGlCmv3ClTF8UWZoegFi9MlqoF1h3_R1bV-PJ2HMRKmd7YUnlQ5BB3JByW71BeBuRmEkrEn2OpFi9X4S8mhrzDP-BGNmj2fq6wvrEVp5kp70Nyc8_OCzSCEEUNP-IE19g5kXDDqKCUX1vIinZyd6brlcV43_jVQZAModRUa8875KiiwjfX7kX/w400-h225/pKAGrx74moaGptJd3NLWAM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I’m enjoying a lot of great series and films right now, but one that’s totally captured my attention and admiration at the moment is <i>Blue Eye Samurai </i>on Netflix.<br /><br />
Yes, it’s got an impressive voice cast, including Randall Park, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Masa Oka, George Takei, Ming-Na Wen, Maya Erskine, Brenda Song, and Kenneth Branagh. But the writing, animation (by a French company), storytelling, production design, staging, fight choreography, and more, are all also topnotch across the board—the series is stylish, emotionally complex and engaging, full of twists and surprises, and conveys a strong sense of place and environment. The fairly graphic sexual content and explicit fight scenes—still done with taste and style (mostly lol)—also puts it into solid adult/R-rated territory. Japanese art and culture—both traditional and more recent pop culture ranging from Kurosawa to Lone Wolf and Cub—are all clearly part of its DNA.<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j12mFLA45ATMM10uvDRxzlbu3MC0RTHvtqdvje7172U_fechAmbkvv8o0pvyRPDTB5YibmcrOpK0fWy1m1JiIFm-BJyncE9oCywqB2P_n8eB5nRBYUF3Wr2Eh0qoiFjxRb6E3KS_U6OJVA-51HAapSWK-gUXmtNxoa5XFfbWMcStj7iCmNnNntRo/s353/Blue_Eye_Samurai_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="282" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5j12mFLA45ATMM10uvDRxzlbu3MC0RTHvtqdvje7172U_fechAmbkvv8o0pvyRPDTB5YibmcrOpK0fWy1m1JiIFm-BJyncE9oCywqB2P_n8eB5nRBYUF3Wr2Eh0qoiFjxRb6E3KS_U6OJVA-51HAapSWK-gUXmtNxoa5XFfbWMcStj7iCmNnNntRo/w320-h400/Blue_Eye_Samurai_poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Though it focuses on a warrior—who is mixed race and, as such, seen as a demon and outcast—seeking personal revenge in Edo era Japan, a time when the country had closed itself from the outside world (approximately the early 1600s to late 1860s), the series is also set against the larger canvas of the political rivalries of the time involving rival clans and a bit of European/Western incursion. It also touches on other issues, such as gender identity and inequity. One of the pleasures of the show is watching changing alliances and finding friends in unexpected places. There also are moments of comedy to lighten the mood. The warrior, of course, has a comic sidekick—an other abled character voiced by Oka. I’ve even been struck by the music—from traditional score, to traditional Japanese gagaku music, to Metallica, and a bloody fight scene that used what sounded like a rollicking Japanese rockabilly song as the underscore. One entire episode presented the story in real time, intercut with it being told in retrospect as a stylized kabuki play(!).<br /><br />
I don’t want to give away much more of the story since the way it unfolds and reveals back stories is part of the fun, but I’m two episodes from the end, and so blown away by its brilliance and art. (It’s already been renewed for a second season).<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ3SQvqv9J-RLVEzii9XypdTJUrwxCw_1zw3jVaCEY91s3nEHbwg_udovKU4ddZXJ3TRCwH_o5INYY60iSWIcdI_l4KsMz7QEL3Tctt6pSCqd8gGD8875h2G3OmsNK1TeC72OFNNxPHsfifckZchrAaGQiBiJZdiRkB1dHiAjo-Zmq6WUzesLO9UZA/s1581/BLUE_EYE_SAMURAI_u_S1_E2_00_17_33_0896.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="1581" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ3SQvqv9J-RLVEzii9XypdTJUrwxCw_1zw3jVaCEY91s3nEHbwg_udovKU4ddZXJ3TRCwH_o5INYY60iSWIcdI_l4KsMz7QEL3Tctt6pSCqd8gGD8875h2G3OmsNK1TeC72OFNNxPHsfifckZchrAaGQiBiJZdiRkB1dHiAjo-Zmq6WUzesLO9UZA/w640-h426/BLUE_EYE_SAMURAI_u_S1_E2_00_17_33_0896.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynX8DgvB5CXqBxmGbB8fbBMi7TsV4I4gh25rHHPpDXBOktexuNX5THWJKNuOTSa_pIOPE55lO58GYABvZUk7SoTDA6Whom1dY3kdFk3SsO2OEPzallvJrieD3eHVTT03oRdisDEF3PW3rI62dqnkAHkLmYF8Ft8MK-enmY8o1m9eYKcnrgdQee9CS/s1296/BLUE_EYE_SAMURAI_u_S1_E3_00_08_11_22_R.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1296" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjynX8DgvB5CXqBxmGbB8fbBMi7TsV4I4gh25rHHPpDXBOktexuNX5THWJKNuOTSa_pIOPE55lO58GYABvZUk7SoTDA6Whom1dY3kdFk3SsO2OEPzallvJrieD3eHVTT03oRdisDEF3PW3rI62dqnkAHkLmYF8Ft8MK-enmY8o1m9eYKcnrgdQee9CS/w400-h225/BLUE_EYE_SAMURAI_u_S1_E3_00_08_11_22_R.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFJnLHtKPMTSDAWwE3Rle6wMhRj7ylSW-oXmGGxZGpqQ9l8zJtKXs6c6Y-59rBKhTc79P7iwHxRf0cgs3hfBBieN8u0j9FgbNElUp5YNRe1wfrVt2vrg1ge_HMEQOyrKXd7xo_z6B0hqr3f3Q-gpkIyWlYs1FsURKjdN4QWUdlXIrpQHJhlDnNlSl/s500/MV5BM2RmMTdkMzEtZTlmMi00YWVlLThkZWYtYTAxNGJlYzY3MmZkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXNvbG5vbXM@._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFJnLHtKPMTSDAWwE3Rle6wMhRj7ylSW-oXmGGxZGpqQ9l8zJtKXs6c6Y-59rBKhTc79P7iwHxRf0cgs3hfBBieN8u0j9FgbNElUp5YNRe1wfrVt2vrg1ge_HMEQOyrKXd7xo_z6B0hqr3f3Q-gpkIyWlYs1FsURKjdN4QWUdlXIrpQHJhlDnNlSl/w640-h360/MV5BM2RmMTdkMzEtZTlmMi00YWVlLThkZWYtYTAxNGJlYzY3MmZkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXNvbG5vbXM@._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQus1kqCtO71C7LIkXioYziWslc4aYt3KFo-40PVSQ-umdcBMZRSDZapoR5r0FlAy4Vgg96SpNJeri9vs-d2yJWV7B80fMZcnymwYAxHy22RgI6JgBmA53V9sbf2tNR84Q3sT0AAcJspI9leNOqrwNF2I33cHOItkKTMtniJi_ohKIC4LVVEwmhIq/s1200/3600.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQus1kqCtO71C7LIkXioYziWslc4aYt3KFo-40PVSQ-umdcBMZRSDZapoR5r0FlAy4Vgg96SpNJeri9vs-d2yJWV7B80fMZcnymwYAxHy22RgI6JgBmA53V9sbf2tNR84Q3sT0AAcJspI9leNOqrwNF2I33cHOItkKTMtniJi_ohKIC4LVVEwmhIq/w400-h300/3600.webp" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-45729965443716226412024-02-03T09:40:00.000-08:002024-02-04T15:41:53.759-08:00Remembering Carl Weathers<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frandy.reynaldo%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02QGhYu72B8bStCVa17ZsyRYaag4knFXGpbD5KnrexSvyqvKhKrLuJqMoqbwhiLeMLl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="798" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-23996424092632533562024-02-01T00:39:00.000-08:002024-02-01T00:39:14.269-08:00Happy 95th Birthday, Jules Feiffer<div class="separator"><p style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Comic Book Heroes Cover" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_urvxFh4Ji5kVGsmyPNAhc6WjWETTqgRdrsggIyfjg8GC6Yk2CxxIdNAFDBSee7psmoBjROm4Roc5koBEgjfp2WwGnG-tfT2SsP8MemYE2dWjrxo24PcapUH60z2sR4wYiMTQC6Bu/s400/gcbh.jpeg" width="250" /></p></div><p>I’m a little late, but I wanted to mark the 95th birthday (on Jan. 26th) of cartoonist, author, children’s book writer, comics historian, playwright, and screenwriter Jules Feiffer! </p><p>I’ve always been aware of Feiffer when I was growing up, occasionally seeing his Feiffer strip that appeared in the <i>Village Voice</i>. And like many people my age, he introduced me to golden age comic book work through his seminal book, <i>The Great Comic Book Heroes </i>(1965), which I came across in the '70s. Though I was familiar with most of the classic comic book heroes featured, it was through this book that I first learned of the <i>Spirit</i> by Will Eisner—with whom Feiffer famously got his start in comics as an assistant (and eventually a writer) on the series, which ran as a syndicated Sunday newspaper comic book insert from 1940 to 1952.* About 10 years ago, I also read Feiffer's wonderful memoir, <i>Backing Into Forward</i>, which I reviewed <a href="https://wcgcomics.blogspot.com/2012/06/reviews-backing-into-forward.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. It was a great read, though I initially read it out of curiosity about his years in Eisner’s shop!</p><p><i>The Great Comic Book Heroes</i> also served as a bit of an early personal memoir for him—I loved how he included a cover shot of one of his own home made comics made as a child (included in the accompanying photo gallery), which was a comfort knowing I wasn’t the only one who did that!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MLd-Yjww4LroYIMqGBpgHabAyeH_TcYvMG6dj0k20NKaBa3IPv_QBKhBu7NeGzCXYGNAgrfIGRUrD43JC7DjkbfW8CBW4mwJwMTApRAT7s5iH0qiMQLIMfSjq3GVTw9OGxPmmwVCDin_fUYLpEKRmVQBSdOg96CyhLdJMeQ3xQe3DeuHw4RSnCET/s3264/IMG_6278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MLd-Yjww4LroYIMqGBpgHabAyeH_TcYvMG6dj0k20NKaBa3IPv_QBKhBu7NeGzCXYGNAgrfIGRUrD43JC7DjkbfW8CBW4mwJwMTApRAT7s5iH0qiMQLIMfSjq3GVTw9OGxPmmwVCDin_fUYLpEKRmVQBSdOg96CyhLdJMeQ3xQe3DeuHw4RSnCET/w300-h400/IMG_6278.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>I had the opportunity to see and meet Feiffer in 1994 when he spoke as part of an "American Comix" lecture series sponsored by the Los Angeles Central Public Library. Afterwards, when I asked him to sign my copy of his book, <i>The Man on the Ceiling,</i> I brought up an anecdote from <i>The Great Comic Book Heroes</i>—one of his first assignments as Eisner’s assistant was signing the artist’s name on the stories, claiming he was immediately better than Eisner himself. So Feiffer chuckled when I asked him to sign in Eisner’s name, inscribing my book, “Jules Feiffer aka Will Eisner.”)<p></p><p>Feiffer is an old-school lefty, who came of age professionally during a heady time in New York when the city was still the center of much of the art, entertainment and publishing worlds. Intellectuals, playwrights, actors, movie directors and, yes, cartoonists like Feiffer mingled and cross-pollinated at parties and salons in those days. On stage, he worked with people like Alan Arkin, and on film, Mike Nichols (<i>Carnal Knowledge</i>) and Robert Altman (<i>Popeye</i>). (I recently rewatched a documentary about Nichols and May, and was delighted to see Feiffer included among the talking heads throughout the piece.)</p><p>Feiffer is a talented hyphenated artist, but proudly a cartoonist first—in his twilight years he has returned to producing graphic novels, being one of the first to dabble in the form, with 1979’s <i>Tantrum</i>.</p><p>I’ve heard that Feiffer also wrote a never-produced screenplay for a film adaption of Milton Caniff’s <i>Terry and the Pirates</i>—that screenplay has always been a bit of a holy grail of mine.</p><p>Anyway, happy birthday to one of the greats.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>* After I discovered the <i>Spirit</i>, I drew him early on in the way he appeared in Feiffer’s book, which reprinted a pre-war <i>Spirit</i> story. It’s generally agreed that the post-war period after he returned from service is when Eisner really matured, but Feiffer has always preferred the pre-war <i>Spirits</i> (before he worked on it himself lol). So it wasn’t until years later when I stumbled across the Warren Magazine <i>Spirit</i> reprints did I learn how much Eisner’s style had changed later!</p>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-48296693191825387622024-01-27T16:18:00.000-08:002024-01-27T16:18:59.077-08:00Revisiting the Rocketeer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQMy1skD5FU5JeBMeFQ9RmunTgZ440swvwsJFBLAeiXBijmmTQLjT0E9EcKh5ixUubl7MJtRnu9hMmS1zeLncJUekGYMsRKsqM_qsSi31xL2F0jQwPy6ffzsTwHyB3Dh2ve9HbYoNoNCRPdSvP_0LDzz0g4jO9Gf-6LLumECsP06orAyH-6po5VtO/s4032/IMG_5156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQMy1skD5FU5JeBMeFQ9RmunTgZ440swvwsJFBLAeiXBijmmTQLjT0E9EcKh5ixUubl7MJtRnu9hMmS1zeLncJUekGYMsRKsqM_qsSi31xL2F0jQwPy6ffzsTwHyB3Dh2ve9HbYoNoNCRPdSvP_0LDzz0g4jO9Gf-6LLumECsP06orAyH-6po5VtO/w300-h400/IMG_5156.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>I recently re-watched <i>The Rocketeer</i>, a film that still stands up and I've always enjoyed. Though the movie never quite manages to kick into high gear, it's fun and well done, nicely capturing the spirit and charm of creator-writer-artist's Dave Stevens' original comic book series. (The movie turned out to be director Joe Johnston's calling card for <i>Captain America: The First Avenger</i>, which shares a similar milieu.)<p></p><p>I followed it by pulling the graphic novel collection of the original comic book series off my bookshelf to re-read and savor Stevens' great writing and art.</p><p>It also turned out to be the perfect time to watch the documentary, Dave Stevens: Drawn to Perfection, a great overview of his life and career, which recently became available on Prime. Though I know many of the talking heads in the documentary and often saw Stevens at his booth at San Diego Comic-Con, I never found the opportunity to meet Stevens personally (he tragically passed away in 2008 due to a rare form of leukemia).</p><p>An interesting side note: in December 1991, following <i>The Rocketeer</i>'s release in June, I went to see <i>Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country</i> at the Mann National Theater in Westwood (in L.A., now closed and torn down)—actors Bill Campell and Jennifer Connelly, who were dating at the time, sat in the seats in front of me!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bqQYPQ3kfcdACBnBCzAPnhcjO4NVBezdutpOJxKVZ3uilQT66nQBNsOmgFLID6YBi1axbRV0ipG_4c0bY6FOPCN2R6Q7wkn21Z1yJAzpfMGLg7QZhCMFC5VwSs2ISmRAIei_OJKUQH_vCFJ3ya4M5VtRbQPWGdRn4Ir5Be_803dlzDlsapBZz9ns/s740/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%202.43.45%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="740" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bqQYPQ3kfcdACBnBCzAPnhcjO4NVBezdutpOJxKVZ3uilQT66nQBNsOmgFLID6YBi1axbRV0ipG_4c0bY6FOPCN2R6Q7wkn21Z1yJAzpfMGLg7QZhCMFC5VwSs2ISmRAIei_OJKUQH_vCFJ3ya4M5VtRbQPWGdRn4Ir5Be_803dlzDlsapBZz9ns/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%202.43.45%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtyJMsW5RxsWN0m9xhptlmsPpuHDTQYN10cDWCXZ0bBv7UAkTRq99GIBGl9d5K0v1sYMRrdNC4Q53PXHyIuCdw4UwJH4ZsZSCD9j4sLMXqfAmOpV1WVaOK_GnqB2vvoQr1mamdWZF5p2tdDViPFD5ZtXkbzAr7SScf1b5jeAoTy7rxCIYGL12egUt/s300/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtyJMsW5RxsWN0m9xhptlmsPpuHDTQYN10cDWCXZ0bBv7UAkTRq99GIBGl9d5K0v1sYMRrdNC4Q53PXHyIuCdw4UwJH4ZsZSCD9j4sLMXqfAmOpV1WVaOK_GnqB2vvoQr1mamdWZF5p2tdDViPFD5ZtXkbzAr7SScf1b5jeAoTy7rxCIYGL12egUt/w640-h358/download.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwvjNWYmkgU2QA4GX2KNQCbrhNY550ugcK8erlVfrRJpNGvXw6nfIkwJPaWd3DQj1kNsgmFP4NPwmin93Po6aa5u9UtIamSZM9CvD6Eb8sRurvd3sF_-fs2Ns_wuoMdgnoXkJtZUhjbJTajC3kO59meLozLCdTH3MA5gHbTgmEustaFLb1llduEkt/s891/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%202.43.19%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="592" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitwvjNWYmkgU2QA4GX2KNQCbrhNY550ugcK8erlVfrRJpNGvXw6nfIkwJPaWd3DQj1kNsgmFP4NPwmin93Po6aa5u9UtIamSZM9CvD6Eb8sRurvd3sF_-fs2Ns_wuoMdgnoXkJtZUhjbJTajC3kO59meLozLCdTH3MA5gHbTgmEustaFLb1llduEkt/w426-h640/Screenshot%202024-01-27%20at%202.43.19%20PM.png" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhUwp8DnNjuOjlxr1gp57H4mNeeIpEflhc2KGX4vZupwHRAdOZ3HKLVKNFb4oJ-guE-MlNiEviwPog6zRZQ9R6DrU7O4I2GKd4vmiPJLYfxzWC3m4kdYYluVDHVUiTIHE296gA01fDurtgZiR7q0ZVmjqOydf4zQba3LSaYowzkRh1FVKyjUyNz57/s1280/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHhUwp8DnNjuOjlxr1gp57H4mNeeIpEflhc2KGX4vZupwHRAdOZ3HKLVKNFb4oJ-guE-MlNiEviwPog6zRZQ9R6DrU7O4I2GKd4vmiPJLYfxzWC3m4kdYYluVDHVUiTIHE296gA01fDurtgZiR7q0ZVmjqOydf4zQba3LSaYowzkRh1FVKyjUyNz57/w640-h360/maxresdefault.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-25564015132725504652024-01-21T21:44:00.000-08:002024-01-21T21:44:06.668-08:00Visit to Capitol Records<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISTfk6TD50BVkakAo2pXZmDkC84y5jSKP7SEOJlgHup4RYM4wAdMGmaIeRSpi8VdX9-K5Hji9DnMoYK832zWoLudtBtM8wtKXk_vNhSs_UPwHldKY8LmJaXqYzldybTPxC9E9o71yjROYSR0YcetuBwW1XRTravg_FVjkJgjzEZHtGfJ17JxmVxlV/s4032/IMG_2994.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhISTfk6TD50BVkakAo2pXZmDkC84y5jSKP7SEOJlgHup4RYM4wAdMGmaIeRSpi8VdX9-K5Hji9DnMoYK832zWoLudtBtM8wtKXk_vNhSs_UPwHldKY8LmJaXqYzldybTPxC9E9o71yjROYSR0YcetuBwW1XRTravg_FVjkJgjzEZHtGfJ17JxmVxlV/w300-h400/IMG_2994.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div>For the first time since moving to L.A. more than 40 years ago, I visited the storied Capitol Records building in Hollywood, located on Vine Street, near the intersection of Hollywood Blvd. and Vine.<br /><br />Late last year, while I happened to be driving past the iconic structure in the middle of the work day, on a sudden impulse, I decided to stop and check it out up close. It helped that I immediately found a metered parking spot across the street, making the visit pretty easy and straightforward.<br /><br />
Although I learned there's no public street entrance into the building—access appears to be through a private garage with a security entrance—I was thrilled to discover the Hollywood Walk of Fame Stars for the individual Beatles all in a row, appropriately placed near the building's base, as seen in the video at the bottom of this post. Nearby were stars for Joan Crawford, Bob Dylan and Buddy Holly.<div><br />
I reside less than 10 miles from Hollywood (and only need to take local streets), but going there sometimes feels like a big production and hassle due to traffic, parking, and because it's so touristy.<br /><br />
That said, I've visited Hollywood many times for shows (such as at the Pantages and Kodak Theaters), dinner (including Musso and Frank's), movies (the original Graumann's Chinese Theater), and drinks (with my wife); and shopped at Amoeba Records. In all those years, however, it never really registered with me how close I'd often been to the building, since it's just around the corner from the Pantages and a block from Amoeba. So I'm glad I finally swung by!<br />
</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='444' height='369' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw0d-VZ7r76uuYOrWk4xHN2X5yIiks0Ns4CCSP7J6geM3YBl-BaH7cuwVGEwDe8nPaAHYHMcxTZ3S-tL20mjg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tB9Puv2DKHVaw5Ff14KXLbXdVFxQ7IUMCsFRw7MP_1Wdort9bSeblQnVdZpTKm3RTqUVCgSP2rG8prMfMdiTwVZ9VQQYC7SRPOVb9YOsBJzR6DQH9AFMnuHpgHoV0IZ2wNikmcHlGhT2DyPMU4UYVuFrEx1Cbws_GtjQUfZ1OcUwFCdRlBePYNHx/s4032/IMG_3003.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tB9Puv2DKHVaw5Ff14KXLbXdVFxQ7IUMCsFRw7MP_1Wdort9bSeblQnVdZpTKm3RTqUVCgSP2rG8prMfMdiTwVZ9VQQYC7SRPOVb9YOsBJzR6DQH9AFMnuHpgHoV0IZ2wNikmcHlGhT2DyPMU4UYVuFrEx1Cbws_GtjQUfZ1OcUwFCdRlBePYNHx/w640-h480/IMG_3003.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTsvV8FbM-4mWglAEcReAkS6m1jTSSQBuU0X8VOjtlIxWDEbwQb_b212ZjJTP5Q5u44AtsdyWZVIw_O1eDRMLYH-Arg4LNp6cqd_Jmi1Ws7Bm_kzLZQpmE9HHc-8rEGWwVAzfQG8GHDBvykr7evbXrv5XJo4d1dyCaopzMFlYV9b9tYJXdmvLa4oC/s4032/IMG_3018.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTsvV8FbM-4mWglAEcReAkS6m1jTSSQBuU0X8VOjtlIxWDEbwQb_b212ZjJTP5Q5u44AtsdyWZVIw_O1eDRMLYH-Arg4LNp6cqd_Jmi1Ws7Bm_kzLZQpmE9HHc-8rEGWwVAzfQG8GHDBvykr7evbXrv5XJo4d1dyCaopzMFlYV9b9tYJXdmvLa4oC/w480-h640/IMG_3018.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDeDzbstwuMeQH05Znn6TA-St_VVpzYzDORapsIEXpYCI77F3rzr9B5FiKtSmAxp94V75hWfoaYmxwna6vq3d06-qaNhuP9DZSDPAhnXA-u-dnEqYQN7y4vvgB8chrtnaojGrLLHg74OsYwRdrJmNRbyKVMXRWkA1bnFurS_l0eadh9ab8jfw53bQ/s4032/IMG_2997.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcDeDzbstwuMeQH05Znn6TA-St_VVpzYzDORapsIEXpYCI77F3rzr9B5FiKtSmAxp94V75hWfoaYmxwna6vq3d06-qaNhuP9DZSDPAhnXA-u-dnEqYQN7y4vvgB8chrtnaojGrLLHg74OsYwRdrJmNRbyKVMXRWkA1bnFurS_l0eadh9ab8jfw53bQ/w300-h400/IMG_2997.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-73411677504788532542024-01-13T22:04:00.000-08:002024-01-13T22:04:40.026-08:00REVIEW: The Boys in the Boat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobycR0q67ck575ytml5X6wC1H70WRIwUmvudgFaewJJE7WwpGoaDB2gveHmgQkI0_paMLouWhe2AfrbkImTpNKoMAhatPOaenqmIWbRQ0zj8MYl8A_r-OK3JyRlAY8Bkih6GhnJPfzpp74U7-W-fAcRuMSB7V1r6XjFLVrnMW221Lhwpeb3c57owa/s1000/81uQRVpi2UL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="652" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobycR0q67ck575ytml5X6wC1H70WRIwUmvudgFaewJJE7WwpGoaDB2gveHmgQkI0_paMLouWhe2AfrbkImTpNKoMAhatPOaenqmIWbRQ0zj8MYl8A_r-OK3JyRlAY8Bkih6GhnJPfzpp74U7-W-fAcRuMSB7V1r6XjFLVrnMW221Lhwpeb3c57owa/w261-h400/81uQRVpi2UL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>Saw <i>The Boys in the Boat</i> in the movie theater this past week. I read the book last year (by Daniel James Brown) and learned afterwards that George Clooney was directing the movie adaptation. So I made a point to see it in a theater.
The book and film tell the inspiring story of the underdog junior varsity 8-man crew team from the University of Washington that came out of nowhere to win the West Coast regional college championship and then the national championship regatta on the East Coast (beating national powerhouses like Penn State and the Ivy League schools), earning the right to compete in the 1936 Olympics—the games held in Berlin that Hitler used as a propaganda showcase.<br /><br />
Like the book, the film is primarily told from the point of view of real-life rower Joe Rantz. A true product of the Depression, he was abandoned by his family when he was around 14 and forced to fend for himself. Many of his fellow rowers faced similar tough challenges, in contrast to those programs with athletes from more affluent families and better funded programs and schools. Rantz’s personal story is incredibly harrowing and amazing, making the success he found as a rower and later in life all the more inspiring. <br /><br />
While the film doesn’t follow the details of the story closely, it certainly does in spirit, through scenes that touch on or hint at the backstories. The book provides fuller portrayals of the other individuals who took part in these events, including the other rowers and the coaches, but they nevertheless are touched upon here and the actors (particularly Joel Edgerton and James Wold as the coaches) do great jobs bringing them to life. As I watched the film, I actually thought the full story might have worked better as a limited streaming series. The film also makes great hay in the climactic final race as the underdog American rowers face off against the competing teams from other countries, including the favored Germans, egged on by chants of "Deutschland! Deutschland!" (And, yes, the Fuhrer attends the race.)<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtHmWd2Hp_pgLGRl51HX7zEOA-rAG69nae9LwXF4Gi601KXt7kIupu2uNTZ_WrGuduclkZaSIhy8TYiRZ9u0vllaVYxRVCstrXhZUX6ovr9uqGhlLIfXTIColbPdX6nbiqZGKyCOhyphenhyphenHrF961ysUnRpSNDigcb8Z_F86iqMEkIiUUAyY0lgwmWk_kV/s1600/CIN_BoysInTheBoat_1600x900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtHmWd2Hp_pgLGRl51HX7zEOA-rAG69nae9LwXF4Gi601KXt7kIupu2uNTZ_WrGuduclkZaSIhy8TYiRZ9u0vllaVYxRVCstrXhZUX6ovr9uqGhlLIfXTIColbPdX6nbiqZGKyCOhyphenhyphenHrF961ysUnRpSNDigcb8Z_F86iqMEkIiUUAyY0lgwmWk_kV/w640-h360/CIN_BoysInTheBoat_1600x900.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>As an aside, a few years back, I read <i>Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption</i> by Laura Hillenbrand, about the harrowing story of World War II POW survivor Louis Zamperini (Angelina Jolie directed the film adaptation, but I’ve never seen it). For me, the two books are complementary—like Rantz, Zamperini also competed at the 1936 Olympics, in track and field, where Zamperini had quite the personal experience (he was nearly arrested trying to steal a Nazi flag on display lol). Presumably because of this, Zamperini is briefly mentioned in<i> The Boys in the Boat </i>book as one of the passengers aboard the ship carrying the U.S. Olympics Team to Europe. So I wondered whether, as a nod, he might have a cameo in the film—he doesn't, but the ‘36 Olympics breakout star, Jesse Owens, is acknowledged, as he is in both books. Owens even has a line in the film when the crew team encounters him during the Games' opening ceremony.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhfJTaznw0hk39eRwirVO69VfZr0H2vwflPwT44NYDEmOvyooZBFdjdEsI95FWqfyp4rL7sqE1QF7RnadGuKdX4qVO4H2NyERcehX75M8bxHsN4ozRRC8MDWARR7G9OPhOgXU2N6NxKvmDQcGGu1szS0MFPigqdtqPD_E0mmmCBEGj4XTcUWdFW3Y/s864/206069549_the-boys-in-the-boat_1eqXo7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="864" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhfJTaznw0hk39eRwirVO69VfZr0H2vwflPwT44NYDEmOvyooZBFdjdEsI95FWqfyp4rL7sqE1QF7RnadGuKdX4qVO4H2NyERcehX75M8bxHsN4ozRRC8MDWARR7G9OPhOgXU2N6NxKvmDQcGGu1szS0MFPigqdtqPD_E0mmmCBEGj4XTcUWdFW3Y/s320/206069549_the-boys-in-the-boat_1eqXo7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Though I'm a fan of Clooney, I've always found his work as a director to be competent, though not exceptional. But it's hard to miss with such an underdog, inspirational feel-good story that hits the expected notes for these kinds of inspirational sports biopics, so I greatly enjoyed the film, particularly since I had read the book. I also thought it was beautifully shot, which made me glad I saw it on the big screen!
I also learned that the lead in the film, Callum Turner, will be appearing in another period piece around the same era, as he’s billed as the co-lead with Austin Butler in the upcoming <i>Masters of the Air</i> mini-series set to stream soon on Apple+, another series under the <i>Band of Brothers</i> mantle.
</div>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-4528232235671151532024-01-08T22:11:00.000-08:002024-01-08T22:11:02.456-08:00First Roundup of Capsule Reviews for 2024Below are mini-reviews of some of the series I’ve watched or binged over the past year, or am watching currently. For some reason, I’ve gotten into the habit of juggling several series at once and not binging any straight through unless they’re exceptionally compelling. Although I recently posted my <a href="https://wcgcomics.blogspot.com/2023/12/entertainment-roundup-for-2023.html" target="_blank">year-end entertainment wrap up</a> for 2023, what follows is a data dump of sorts of mini-reviews. I’ve been meaning to write more full-length reviews but fell behind, so hopefully these will allow me to catch up and clear the slate as we enter the new year…<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;">
Doctor Who Specials 1–4</span></b> (<i>Disney+</i>)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tSibf0y7BRl0-Xi2ddyQou7PDQamkOjW9CjWSkrww8XaRBB4GgFpmc1licA1BDCPM9jI4TZdWZrP2FEymIt498J9ET5ZUGSxdCvOLhu83VIM06V11PTrns8bN1t6NqChyx4p81aTxqh9x8xgmODyO2RiqZ6pltdHZB4cZ0Nk8FzlV_w2Fwh4bF_Z/s600/00drwho-new-doctors-tvbh-articleLarge.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tSibf0y7BRl0-Xi2ddyQou7PDQamkOjW9CjWSkrww8XaRBB4GgFpmc1licA1BDCPM9jI4TZdWZrP2FEymIt498J9ET5ZUGSxdCvOLhu83VIM06V11PTrns8bN1t6NqChyx4p81aTxqh9x8xgmODyO2RiqZ6pltdHZB4cZ0Nk8FzlV_w2Fwh4bF_Z/s320/00drwho-new-doctors-tvbh-articleLarge.webp" width="320" /></a></div>At the risk of losing some of my geek cred, I’ve never watched a full episode of <i>Doctor Who</i>, though I’m familiar with the series. But when I heard that Ncuti Gatwa had been cast as the new Doctor—an actor with boundless exuberance and charisma who I first encountered on the Netflix series <i>Sex Education</i>—I made it a point to keep an eye out for the new series since it seemed like perfect casting. Come the holidays, I was surprised to discover that <i>four </i>Doctor Who Specials dropped on Disney+. The first three specials featured the return of a popular past Doctor Who, David Tennant, which included a fun turn by Neil Patrick Harris as a villain in the third special. The fourth and final special was the Christmas Show, which featured Gatwa’s first full adventure as the new Doctor. I’m now a convert—the episodes were fun, funny, thrilling, and emotional and full of heart. I look forward to the first full season with Gatwa this spring.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;">
Spy X Family</span></b> (<i>Hulu</i>)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYbKOkLlsnGJ8XYaPszocMTJ1wpx_HIvRyU0MbjhXfA5YvFm1u6hzOmyoS19cIR4rhz9we-nC4IV3q6N_qj6yUvBbnA2SDB26tvS3qRsYyOeuKUSeEgqVqLj3Eb3iWSRXbwZaKpnU6T86QHjQr1JDEPr_Vsf1tB_iX-4mcmSsaSRs2SgV90iY4EY2/s1696/SPY_x_FAMILY_Key_Visual_1.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1696" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYbKOkLlsnGJ8XYaPszocMTJ1wpx_HIvRyU0MbjhXfA5YvFm1u6hzOmyoS19cIR4rhz9we-nC4IV3q6N_qj6yUvBbnA2SDB26tvS3qRsYyOeuKUSeEgqVqLj3Eb3iWSRXbwZaKpnU6T86QHjQr1JDEPr_Vsf1tB_iX-4mcmSsaSRs2SgV90iY4EY2/w283-h400/SPY_x_FAMILY_Key_Visual_1.webp" width="283" /></a></div>This anime series was recommended by a friend, because the lead character reminded him of my own comic-book character, <a href="http://wcgcomics.com" target="_blank">Rob Hanes</a>. The superficial resemblance is obvious, with the lead character—a super-spy codenamed Twilight—being a sort of anime version of my character. But the two series, if I can say with some modesty, share somewhat similar tones too, as seemingly high gloss adventures on the outside with humor and tongue in cheek underneath. In the series, based on a manga series of the same name, Twilight is given a mission that requires him to create an instant family to use as a cover—this leads to a kindergarten-aged girl at an orphanage to pose as his daughter and a young woman in need of a companion to get her family off her back. However, unbeknownst to him, his new “daughter” is a telepath (due to some sort of government experiment) and the “wife” a highly trained assassin. Along with Twilight’s role as a super spy, these are secrets each keeps from the others, while also leading their double lives. Hijinks ensue.<br /><br />
Though the series on the surface seems to be a high stakes spy drama with plenty of twists and turns, it’s also a sly comedy with over-the-top characters. While Twilight must “act” the role of devoted father and husband in the same way the others must play traditional roles in the family, the series ironically also shows them actually coming together as a family. But who knows how this will come to a head....<br /><br />
This series frequently made me laugh aloud and featured characters like a a school headmaster obsessed with “elegance” and a dodgeball game portrayed as a life-and-death epic battle in the minds of the student players. My daughter is the big anime fan in the family and she told me that this is a well known, popular series. I may have to check out the manga next! <br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;">
Lessons in Chemistry</span></b> (<i>Apple+</i>)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDsXoVbuzXMYTDXwJfBeofx5-0eQRugGMxvaQU4SnCj_qAz0q7YZ3iH-vLTUvChlJ8rMKdX18ZPKWNfQD4aND5LghuO7vOsAr0hoJaHb7o1fgiUTKbeChDs2cceFcnAydVCV_zmVDjnJNKP7JjH0CFOhSXr1iBPMup4OPnuB4iBqLGuOb24BNt4ef/s2380/ems.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2380" data-original-width="1999" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDsXoVbuzXMYTDXwJfBeofx5-0eQRugGMxvaQU4SnCj_qAz0q7YZ3iH-vLTUvChlJ8rMKdX18ZPKWNfQD4aND5LghuO7vOsAr0hoJaHb7o1fgiUTKbeChDs2cceFcnAydVCV_zmVDjnJNKP7JjH0CFOhSXr1iBPMup4OPnuB4iBqLGuOb24BNt4ef/s320/ems.png" width="269" /></a></div>This was one of my favorite series this year, based on the book of the same name, that was both moving and immensely entertaining. Set in the 1950s, it follows the life of a brilliant young woman named Elizabeth Zott who’s dream to be a research chemist is sidetracked when she meets a young man, falls in love and, despite not wanting to marry or have children so that she can focus on her career, soon finds herself a single mother. Though the social mores and institutional sexism of the era close the doors to a career in scientific research, her skills as a culinary artist—perfected by her scientific approach to cooking—leads to her becoming the successful host of a television cooking show, á la Julia Child. Overcoming grief and obstacles, Elizabeth eventually gains happiness, fulfillment and even a new family of sorts in her journey. <div><br /></div><div>Though Elizabeth is very much the focus of the series, the show features a diverse cast and widens its scope to explore the inequities of the era faced by women and people of color, both in the workplace and in the community. The show is incredibly moving as Elizabeth (and others on the show) challenges the system to forge a career path and be a single mom. I must admit I found the final episode a bit of a letdown relative to the rest of the series, but this was a story that stayed with me nonetheless. Full credit to Brie Larson, in a wonderful turn as Elizabeth, and the entire cast and production for a terrific show.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;">
Julia</span></b> (<i>Max</i>) -<b> Season 2</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRT4DiDwtxiLjZctt0lhqgDy3rHh9f4MXJ4fqGG_WLBH3CQEenbobKRs0kt9rKwMhZH0ib2vQ95ZwHR0nZwtXM_WhI2nf2LdSobTN9i5bmm6kbMUlJqEaSFXQD1SQJ_5yM1uB6UC_FqGnvNse2ajuZ-jgY3KAvcRMXDVgcChbeZQvYrW03zp0q642h/s1280/p21630670_b_h8_aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRT4DiDwtxiLjZctt0lhqgDy3rHh9f4MXJ4fqGG_WLBH3CQEenbobKRs0kt9rKwMhZH0ib2vQ95ZwHR0nZwtXM_WhI2nf2LdSobTN9i5bmm6kbMUlJqEaSFXQD1SQJ_5yM1uB6UC_FqGnvNse2ajuZ-jgY3KAvcRMXDVgcChbeZQvYrW03zp0q642h/w400-h225/p21630670_b_h8_aa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This is a wonderfully written and acted series about the life and career of tv personality, author and chef Julia Child. Like<i> Lessons in Chemistry</i>, the show features a large, talented ensemble cast (even broader than <i>Lessons</i>) that are similarly deployed to explore a wide range of issues, such as the growing desire of women to advance in the workplace and to be heard and respected, the sexual revolution, civil rights, McCarthyism, and more. Though the figure of Child is the anchor, the series features a rich cast of characters (including David Hyde Pierce as Julia’s husband Paul Child, Bebe Neuwirth, Isabella Rossellini, Judith Light and more) as they navigate their careers and the changing culture, as well as evolving and complex personal and professional relationships. This description doesn’t do justice to the depth of the show and its characters and the excellence of the writing—like many outstanding shows, I continue to be surprised and delighted by the series. Highly recommended.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;">
Ms. Marvel</span></b> (<i>Disney+</i>)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdR1khG7qReNsKDFCpzZxXLTDU__2DOUc1dt6dqygQmCNcZz-IvrMgOwk0pdZZW0sMeH99xeX1bC_iKDjQpz5hkVQd9Pcc2JGTgFEVb8RZsU9Djf0b2lomfR5p1hcCbYleT-txzfitkdpG2IPCWLe5JLia1Ma0X5FAJuAJI2wG1VT0chwpTk7XGEdo/s720/resize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdR1khG7qReNsKDFCpzZxXLTDU__2DOUc1dt6dqygQmCNcZz-IvrMgOwk0pdZZW0sMeH99xeX1bC_iKDjQpz5hkVQd9Pcc2JGTgFEVb8RZsU9Djf0b2lomfR5p1hcCbYleT-txzfitkdpG2IPCWLe5JLia1Ma0X5FAJuAJI2wG1VT0chwpTk7XGEdo/w400-h225/resize.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Although the Marvel film, <i>The Marvels</i>, was considered a box office disappointment (and a target for those who engage in the culture wars), I very much enjoyed it. So much so, that it encouraged me to watch the <i>Ms. Marvel</i> series. I tried the show when it dropped, but initially couldn't get past the first episode, for some reason turned off by the teen energy of the show, lol. But I’m glad I gave the series another try because I loved it and ended up binging the entire series over a few days—in fact, I consider it one of my favorite Marvel series to date. As the child of immigrants myself, I identified with Kamala (who soon becomes Ms. Marvel, played with great enthusiasm by newcomer Iman Vellani) and her efforts to reconcile her East Asian and first-generation American identity. I also appreciated the show’s efforts to integrate the character’s Pakistani and East Asian roots and history into the series, while also offering viewers with a suspenseful adventure that offered a <i>Home Alone</i> vibe at the end, as Ms. Marvel and her school friends grapple with rogue federal agents. It was great fun and a tribute to Marvel's efforts to appeal to different audiences.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;">
The Deuce</span></b> (<i>Max</i>) - <b>Season 3</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb82Ys_yMYZz7kZ650GbFjRILkxnmG-ylJQT2bf0v_rxz712pxmXT1p7jWTYLa8x16Q9jxirsdTgsJpH-W0_exiP2KJeuacwWb13VZDjslCFM048ZpBuhJmB8ukSWdmkys5n0b_7QG0FNHZg-LGdj_B4CHW7Kk8w_wxfFSu1fp7whZMxkj7xGvndWI/s790/the%20deuce.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="790" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb82Ys_yMYZz7kZ650GbFjRILkxnmG-ylJQT2bf0v_rxz712pxmXT1p7jWTYLa8x16Q9jxirsdTgsJpH-W0_exiP2KJeuacwWb13VZDjslCFM048ZpBuhJmB8ukSWdmkys5n0b_7QG0FNHZg-LGdj_B4CHW7Kk8w_wxfFSu1fp7whZMxkj7xGvndWI/w400-h200/the%20deuce.webp" width="400" /></a></div>This show ran for three seasons from 2017-19. I loved and binged the first two seasons in 2021 then took a break…two years later in 2023, I finally picked up and finished where I left off. It’s a sprawling series that fictionalizes the colorful history of Times Square in the 1970s (located in the general area of Manhattan known as “the Deuce”). I grew up in New York City during this time—a period I describe as the “Ford to City: Drop Dead” years—though, as a preteen during most of much of this time, I was comfortably sheltered in a very suburban outer borough, though I still have some memories of Times Square from those days. It was an area rife with drugs, prostitution, brothels and sex shops and the series portrays this era in its gritty, sordid glory, touching on the involvement of organized crime and the rise of the golden age of porn, including the industry's transition from dirty loops, to feature-length x-rated movies, to home video. Though the cast is led by actors James Franco (playing twin brothers) and Maggie Gyllenhaal, the show features a large, talented ensemble who portray the denizens of Times Square and their dreams, both broken and fulfilled. (Ralph Macchio has a small recurring role as a somewhat shady but amiable vice cop who knows how to play both sides of the street.)</div><div><br />
While it’s hard to feel nostalgic for a time rife with crime, drugs and prostitution, the show nevertheless exposes the downside of gentrification. The area may have been cleaned up and made family friendly (and Disneyfied), but it also lost some of its color and character—and of course became less affordable and hospitable to the working class and disenfranchised inhabitants who populated the area. Indeed, the show makes clear that this transformation was achieved through a somewhat shady partnership between land developers and city officials, who made sure they procured those properties—many admittedly distressed and some run by "slum lords"—at a bargain without paying existing property owners a fair market rate for properties that would eventually be developed and become valuable real estate in one of the priciest markets in the world. As the series shows, Times Square was ignored and allowed to fester until the city and its real estate barons saw money in it (it should be noted that Rudy Giuliani, mayor of New York at the time, played a role in cleaning up the area and is name-checked in the series). In the last season, the series time-jumped to the 1980s to portray the final throes of sordid Times Square and sticks the landing in its finale episodes.</div><div><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;">
Minx </span></b><i>Starz</i>)<i> - </i><b><i>Season 2</i><br />
</b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygtYUNbo8WjL2JWaPmCntem1MJX0w5kzzHxD-5V4jPmckH49nGNFAxpGok-TCFGfgH2-K5zTe6NRI4LBgRvFU08qNnkIQWOVh2f_UkDjxSdAps6TWen-xMzJ7IZC1RobAMrmBZ4jxRvFoso7H-ufGvzutlya7jhN16VeaCUBKZpUNkd8B7iWfP97y/s568/323357029_681829456804134_1534674627526157571_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="568" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygtYUNbo8WjL2JWaPmCntem1MJX0w5kzzHxD-5V4jPmckH49nGNFAxpGok-TCFGfgH2-K5zTe6NRI4LBgRvFU08qNnkIQWOVh2f_UkDjxSdAps6TWen-xMzJ7IZC1RobAMrmBZ4jxRvFoso7H-ufGvzutlya7jhN16VeaCUBKZpUNkd8B7iWfP97y/w400-h293/323357029_681829456804134_1534674627526157571_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Like <i>The Deuce</i>, <i>Minx </i>covers the same era of the sexual revolution through the lens of the rise of a fictional Playgirl–like magazine called <i>Minx</i>, founded by an uptight feminist and a dirty magazine publisher of the old Larry Flynt school. (I reviewed the first season <a href="https://wcgcomics.blogspot.com/2022/10/capsule-reviews-in-time-of-coronavirus_21.html" target="_blank">here</a><https: capsule-reviews-in-time-of-coronavirus_21.html="" wcgcomics.blogspot.com="">.) However, while <i>The Deuce</i> is gritty and doesn't shy away from showing the underbelly of the porn world, <i>Minx </i>is a playful comedy of manners that's both sex-positive, and even more graphic in its portrayal of sex and nudity (including the most full-frontal male nudity I’ve ever seen anywhere!). Like many of the other top shows I’ve listed here, such as <i>Lessons in Chemistry</i> and <i>Julia</i>, the show gets better, richer and broadens its scope with each episode. After a somewhat critically acclaimed first season run on the streaming platform Max, the show was cancelled following Warner Brothers’ merger with Discovery, but then was picked up by Starz. I found the second season just as well done and fun, but alas, shortly after the season dropped, Starz announced that it too was ending the series. Which is a shame since the season clearly had set the table for another season.<br /><br /><span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;"><b>
My Adventures with Superman</b></span> (<i>Max</i>)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76qcP5gVR3V0bUC2A6uem-uq8IE-Nm6mUuEsg3CM4bqIVMunTCp2WAMfQLjjQG3nUMqJotNeGeJahEp0CevNvqjmxoGzZucY7ZOkFDwQny6HkkOrndSLk_6ikom_LO5xkkvH2wo4pmJzQm8n_FHzU8_FSTjMFM152Ol7NVt6SrrTSGY7S0fe-4_pn/s300/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76qcP5gVR3V0bUC2A6uem-uq8IE-Nm6mUuEsg3CM4bqIVMunTCp2WAMfQLjjQG3nUMqJotNeGeJahEp0CevNvqjmxoGzZucY7ZOkFDwQny6HkkOrndSLk_6ikom_LO5xkkvH2wo4pmJzQm8n_FHzU8_FSTjMFM152Ol7NVt6SrrTSGY7S0fe-4_pn/s1600/download.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Some have decried this “anime” version of the iconic character, featuring a Black Jimmy Olsen and an Asian Lois Lane, but I found it incredibly fun and engaging. At first I thought the series was simply episodic, but though the episodes feature stand alone stories, the first 10-episode season builds an engaging arc for both the series and the characters, among them being Superman/Clark Kent trying to find out more about his alien identity—unlike the comics, he has no awareness yet of his origin as the last son of Krypton. It’s an entertaining series that feels like a good welcoming entry point to the character and I look forward to the next season.<br />
</https:></div>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-40622527967812284092024-01-08T00:30:00.000-08:002024-01-08T22:14:53.128-08:00How Long I've Toiled in Comics<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frandy.reynaldo%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02HTLvvDVW3fLQZVXGu4ZKunz7Wh7LSma9f3KFPZCZHWycRYCPM6VD9htRGsFwLRb6l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="767" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-90675449425049543882024-01-04T22:37:00.000-08:002024-02-12T22:47:22.022-08:00On the Beat<p>Hey, I was included in the The Beat's <a href="https://www.comicsbeat.com/the-beats-2024-creator-survey-part-3-money-and-change/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2024 annual creator survey</a>! </p><p>Here's a screenshot of the top part of my entry—go to the link to see the full entry and my predictions for 2024!</p><hr /><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EixE_5fz7eOZbz1amPAHMgZVQhI9hPZ-HMDt_K37_XDpYS6S7f9tWOq-piXcchGu56nukwvJQ7rRKu7u2XMQm0iszZMNEARk8wb1cPXRGw58HA-HFujj5obrkaCG9UH_FARQGZHfa_JLh73jp0BSTTCtxaMLJgD9AMvu3hqYjL27lgIf_NOPN9HqnulY/s732/Randy_on_the_Beat-0102024.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EixE_5fz7eOZbz1amPAHMgZVQhI9hPZ-HMDt_K37_XDpYS6S7f9tWOq-piXcchGu56nukwvJQ7rRKu7u2XMQm0iszZMNEARk8wb1cPXRGw58HA-HFujj5obrkaCG9UH_FARQGZHfa_JLh73jp0BSTTCtxaMLJgD9AMvu3hqYjL27lgIf_NOPN9HqnulY/s16000/Randy_on_the_Beat-0102024.png" /></a></p><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00399234989901450597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-31332486825951095362023-12-30T15:21:00.000-08:002024-01-01T22:26:25.189-08:00Entertainment Roundup for 2023<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpDpInDJmIfgWiXtcHJq2LG1ini8ve2dOzAl5ibAqIuYW_Z6TncY7ek9akfupvEVTzaE2Ajud_1H6ITGiSKmUghhoXr0NjyQLk0FzN5wB5QxpLf2VM3mrGg3s-LF2X-iCxvbCicm7EBXaE3JXAJZBGl4qAipsSr5zTxsSisMEepmyp6mNIs16jxf9/s1696/SPY_x_FAMILY_Key_Visual_1.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1696" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpDpInDJmIfgWiXtcHJq2LG1ini8ve2dOzAl5ibAqIuYW_Z6TncY7ek9akfupvEVTzaE2Ajud_1H6ITGiSKmUghhoXr0NjyQLk0FzN5wB5QxpLf2VM3mrGg3s-LF2X-iCxvbCicm7EBXaE3JXAJZBGl4qAipsSr5zTxsSisMEepmyp6mNIs16jxf9/w283-h400/SPY_x_FAMILY_Key_Visual_1.webp" width="283" /></a></div>Though the streaming services industry seemed to have hit a wall given the rising costs of the content race while profits and the numbers of subscribers have flatlined or declined, there continued to be great series both old and new available. And though films seem to end up on streaming faster than ever, I nevertheless saw more films in the theater this year (12) than I did the year before (10). </span></h4><div><span style="font-weight: normal;">Among my favorite films in the theater, <i>Godzilla Minus One</i> was a real standout—among streaming films, my favorites were <i>Air</i>, <i>Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent</i>, </span><i>Tetris</i>, <i>Empire of Light</i>, and <i>See How They Run</i>. See the films and other projects below for my other favorites. My least liked film was <i>Babylon</i>—if this is intended as a love letter to Hollywood, as its director Damien Chazelle asserts, then it was a serious misfire that missed the mark. For what it's worth, I also felt <i>Barbie</i> was a bit overrated (I say that as a fan of its director, Greta Gerwig). Keep in mind that some of these films were released in 2022, but I didn't watch them until 2023.</div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-weight: normal;">Television and streaming series seemed especially strong this year. Among the most outstanding: <i>Lessons in Chemistry</i>, </span>the Doctor Who Specials, <span><i>Julia</i> (season 2), </span><i>Ms. Marvel, </i><i>Mythic Quest </i>(season 3), <span><i>Spy X Family</i>, </span> the <i>Gilded Age</i> (season2), <i>Loki</i> (season 2), <i>Lawmen: Bass Reeves</i>, the <i>Deuce</i> (season 3), <i>Minx</i> (season 2), <i>My Adventures with Superman</i>, <i>Gaslit</i>, <i>White House Plumbers</i>, <i>Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</i> (season 5), <i>Powerless</i>, and <i>Ghosts</i>. Honorable mentions include <i>For All Mankind</i> (season 3), <i>Ted Lasso</i> (season 5), the <i>Diplomat</i> <i>Lucky Hank</i> (cancelled after its first season), <i>Single Drunk Female</i>, the <i>Outlaws</i> (season 2), <i>Slow Horses</i> (season 1).</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Though I didn't read as many books as I would have liked, in 2023, I greatly enjoyed <i>L.A. Confidential</i> by James Ellroy, the <i>Boys in the Boat</i> by Daniel James Brown (now a motion picture) and <i>Cinema Speculation</i> by Quentin Tarantino. </div><div><br /></div><div>I got a bit backed up and overwhelmed in organizing and posting reviews this past year, so may soon do a quick dump of mini-reviews. Meanwhile, here's a list of my entertainment consumption in 2023.</div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTP0j0gJDQW6faWFEU-qo9etLv7w6NcolpoMQohhimr8lsAlVOvmJn-IbFrXYYbpRtX7pFsrDjBD_Aeg9In07IDBb6Rtf0TT4Ue7m1SxkQRho-a_2Aa1LuW1C5R5Xi4QpfJAj0rxyw20BhPq9AvDbgq_cNBdZQJ-UkwlcAG_GqZ60wyCVTsIt4tWTP/s1296/TM_Payoff_1-Sht_Printed_v7_lg-H-2023.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1296" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTP0j0gJDQW6faWFEU-qo9etLv7w6NcolpoMQohhimr8lsAlVOvmJn-IbFrXYYbpRtX7pFsrDjBD_Aeg9In07IDBb6Rtf0TT4Ue7m1SxkQRho-a_2Aa1LuW1C5R5Xi4QpfJAj0rxyw20BhPq9AvDbgq_cNBdZQJ-UkwlcAG_GqZ60wyCVTsIt4tWTP/s320/TM_Payoff_1-Sht_Printed_v7_lg-H-2023.webp" width="320" /></a></div>Films:</b></span></h4><b>
Wonka – Culver Theaters (12/25/23)</b><br /><b>
Godzilla Minus One – Regal at L.A. Live (12/2/23)</b><br /><b>
The Marvels – Culver Theaters (11/10/23)</b><br />
Dumb Money – Culver Theaters (10/1/23)<br />
A Haunting in Venice – Culver Theatres (9/16/23)<br /><b>
Oppenheimer – Village Theatre (70mm) – Village Theatre (7/30/23)</b><br />
Barbie – Howard Hughes Theater (7/26/23)<br /><b>
Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Part I – Howard Hughes Theatre (7/16/23)</b><br /><b>
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - Village Theatre (7/1/23)</b><br /><b>
Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse – Culver Theater (6/19/23)</b><br /><b>
The Flash - Village Theatre (6/16/23)</b><br />
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - Village Theatre (2/18/23)<div><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">
Streaming Films/DVD/BluRay</span></b></h4>
The Man Who Invented Christmas – Prime (12/28/23) – rewatch<br />
The Awful Truth – TCM (12/22/23)<br />
John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial Eps 1–4 – AppleTV (12/12/23)<br />
Still: A Michael J. Fox Story – AppleTV (12/12/23)<br />
Clear History – Max (12/12/23)<br />
Hollywood Ending – Tubi (12/10/23)<br />
Confess, Fletch – Paramount+ (12/8/23)
Walk, Don’t Run – Tubi (12/8/23) - rewatch<br />
Wackiest Ship in the Army – Tubi (12/8/23)<br />
Bell, Book and Candle – Tubi (12/8/23)<br />
Fred Clause – Hulu (12/5/23)<br />
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – Disney+ (12/4/23) - rewatch<br /><b>
Blue Beetle – Max (11/25/23)</b><br /><b>
Blackberry – AMC Series (11/16/23)</b><br /><b>
It Ain’t Over (Yogi Berra documentary) – Netflix (11/15/23)</b><br />
Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King – Netflix (11/14/23)<br /><b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7ziL7u5X1OU8rb4J8M34-MnczGWALiDdLwY9Wl2dgInJrNbln_EDxt1rjKzefWx9dE0vOWos_peuLSj3DS3yJjGKZT7yhQ9SN0Vg4nbsLXdahOEqxmXApk1djlg8jTokIJMMKg4gFREeF3T4AXrPgNw7_JIv9IzykXMIwM3ENs5HEZgox651RZP4/s900/the-unbearable-weight-of-massive-talent-button-1647970748882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7ziL7u5X1OU8rb4J8M34-MnczGWALiDdLwY9Wl2dgInJrNbln_EDxt1rjKzefWx9dE0vOWos_peuLSj3DS3yJjGKZT7yhQ9SN0Vg4nbsLXdahOEqxmXApk1djlg8jTokIJMMKg4gFREeF3T4AXrPgNw7_JIv9IzykXMIwM3ENs5HEZgox651RZP4/s320/the-unbearable-weight-of-massive-talent-button-1647970748882.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Tetris – AppleTV+ (11/13/23)</b><br />After the Thin Man – Max (11/5/23)<br />
No Hard Feelings – Netflix (11/1/23)<br />
Pain Hustlers – Netflix (10/30/23)<br />
The Thin Man – Prime Rental (10/27/23)<br />
Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood – Starz (10/26/23) - rewatch<br />
Clerks 3 – Starz (10/25/23)<br />
Spy Game – Netflix (10/22/23) - rewatch<br />
The Out-Laws – Netflix (10/22/23)<br />
Only in Theaters – Prime Purchase (10/20/23)<br />
Othello – National Theatre/YouTube (10/19/23)<br />
Toy Story Hawaii Vacation – Disney+ Pixar short (10/12/23)<br />
Auntie Edna – Disney+ Pixar short (10/12/23)<br />
Dug Days–Carl’s Date – Disney+ Pixar short (10/12/23)<br /><b>
Loki S2 Eps1–2 – Disney+ (10/12/23)</b><br />
36 Hours – YouTubeTV (10/9/23)<br />
Heartbreakers – Max (10/7/23)<br />
The Swan – Netflix (10/2/23)<br />
Poison – Netflix (10/2/23)<br />
The Ratcatcher – Netflix (10/2/23)<br />
The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar – Netflix (10/2/23)<br />
Midway – Netflix (10/1/23)<br /><b>
Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent – Starz (9/15/23)</b><br />
Dragnet – Netflix (9/15/23)<br />
Ghosted – Apple+ (8/31/23)<br />
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – Amazon Rental (8/31/23)<br />
The Nice Guys – Netflix (8/30/23) – rewatch
<br />The Flash - Max (8/25/23) – rewatch<br /><b>
Puppy Love – Freevee (8/22/23)</b><br />
Dog Day Afternoon – YouTubeTV (8/20/23)<br />
Into the Deep: The Submarine Murder Case – Netflix (8/19/23)<br /><b>
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story – Roku (8/19/23)</b><br />
Babylon – Prime (7/26/23)<br />
The Curse of the Jade Scorpion – YouTube (7/25/23)<br /><b>
Rogers: The Musical – YouTube (7/9/23)</b><br /><b>
Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story – TCM (7/9/23)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-3P7uJrxnwc_yhQNOzKGzOwlXNOxDuKIzGtvHTnFnv-c1pvgrPRs_2IGS5NP9RU84e0kmK5hx0yGquNoP-hZKICwnBZqYDU5eKDyrHo9SaNpz_-ypL2xBzATt2f3rL18E_m58DbEVS_GgTPdeNzBbp7AlM951l2hijhDw8q5bvLSjlQx6785lp3B/s1195/DIal%20of%20Destiny.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="1195" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-3P7uJrxnwc_yhQNOzKGzOwlXNOxDuKIzGtvHTnFnv-c1pvgrPRs_2IGS5NP9RU84e0kmK5hx0yGquNoP-hZKICwnBZqYDU5eKDyrHo9SaNpz_-ypL2xBzATt2f3rL18E_m58DbEVS_GgTPdeNzBbp7AlM951l2hijhDw8q5bvLSjlQx6785lp3B/s320/DIal%20of%20Destiny.png" width="320" /></a></div>The Adventures of TinTin – Paramount+ (7/8/23) – rewatch<br />
Wham! – Netflix (7/8/23)<br />
Ford Vs. Ferrari – Hulu (7/3/23) – rewatch<br />
Reacher – Paramount+ (7/3/23)<br />
Celluloid Closet – TCM (7/3/23)<br />
Mandalay – TCM (7/2/23)<br />
Tea and Sympathy – TCM (7/2/23)<br />
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed – Max (7/2/23)<br />
A League of Their Own – Netflix (7/1/23) – rewatch<br /><b>
Air – Prime (7/1/23)</b><br />
What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael – TCM (6/28/23)<br /><b>
Floyd Norman: An Animated Life – TCM (6/28/23)*</b><br />
Downfall – YouTube (6/22/23) - rewatch<br /><b>
BBC David Hockney’s Secret Knowledge – YouTube (6/22/23)</b><br />
Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl – Netflix (6/22/23) - rewatch<br />
Dungeons and Dragons – Paramount+ (6/19/23)<br />
Greenberg – Netflix (6/17/23)<br />
Henry V – Prime (6/17/23) – rewatch<br />
Justice Society: World War II – Max (6/27/23)<br />
Hot Fuzz – Prime (6/12/2023) – rewatch<br />
MacArthur – Prime (6/12/2023)<br />
Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring – Max (6/10/23) - rewatch<br />
A Man Called Otto – Netflix (6/9/23)<br />
Tar – Prime (6/8/23)<br />
Band of Brothers series – Max (6/6/23)<br />
Being Mary Tyler Moore – Max (6/3/23)<br />
Dave – YouTube (6/3/23) - rewatch<br /><b>
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind – HBOMax (5/5/23)*</b><br />
17 Again – YouTubeTV (5/4/23)<br />
Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood – YouTubeTV (5/4/23) - rewatch<br />
Whip It – HBOMax (4/28/23)<br /><b>
Whiplash – Prime (4/26/23)*</b><br />
Guys and Dolls – Prime (4/26/23) - rewatch<br />
Jobs – Netflix (4/23/23)<br />
Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal – Netflix (4/21/23)<br />
Marnie – Netflix (4/21/23)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJwJ6cjL3_t_8h3qeRL3TDWG09VzUyxCCOcLCpqbc5Hy6CUceBcfcIAreFG8l7K_hpmljqeK_p5oI4dM4eWY0OtksvsEONAKUP3hJgvYXPkA22qR9CnmOZMFSO0WurpoakBaBbdZ3mpu5zsaX05K0wHuq6-bVqX8cuel-3bk7yW6Fp5flJ2P0OtLg/s960/354909088_10226373140175774_1578919717416316905_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJwJ6cjL3_t_8h3qeRL3TDWG09VzUyxCCOcLCpqbc5Hy6CUceBcfcIAreFG8l7K_hpmljqeK_p5oI4dM4eWY0OtksvsEONAKUP3hJgvYXPkA22qR9CnmOZMFSO0WurpoakBaBbdZ3mpu5zsaX05K0wHuq6-bVqX8cuel-3bk7yW6Fp5flJ2P0OtLg/w400-h225/354909088_10226373140175774_1578919717416316905_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The Enforcer – Prime rental (4/20/23) - rewatch<br />
Magnum Force – HBOMax (4/19/23)<br />
Dirty Harry – HBOMax (4/19/23) - rewatch<br />
Lethal Weapon 4 – HBOMax (4/18/23)<br />
The Hating Game – Hulu (4/16/23)<br />
The Brothers Warner – TCM (4/12/23)*<br />
Jack Warner: The Last Mogul – TCM (4/12/23)*<br />
Bullitt – TCM (04/09/23)<br />
Good Night Oppy – Prime (03/31/23)*<br />
You Only Live Twice – HBOMax (3/30/23) - rewatch<br /><b>
Reggie – Prime (03/29/2023)</b><br />
Role Models – Prime (03/27/2023) – rewatch<br />
Horrible Bosses 2 – HBOMax (03/27/2023) – rewatch<br />
Hot Tub Time Machine – HBOMax (03/26/2023) – rewatch<br />
We’re the Millers – Prime (03/26/2023) – rewatch<br />
Goldfinger – HBOMax (03/20/23) - rewatch<br />
Judgment at Nuremberg – Prime (03/20/23) – rewatch<br />
Dr. No – HBOMax (3/18/23) – rewatch<br />
Police Squad 33-⅓ – Paramount (03/18/23)<br />
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb – HBOMax (3/16/23) <br />
Spotlight – HBOMax (3/15/23)<br />
The Wrecking Crew – Prime (3/13/23)<br />
The Oscar – TCM (3/7/23)<br />
Easy A – Netflix (3/1/23)<br />
Behind Enemy Lines –YouTubeTV (3/1/23)<br />
Red Dust – TCM (2/26/23)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IWTxNUObv1RhmVQrk8JeQpRQEPQVQHcFK7W53Bdmg6JuaTKLpIEFjgyx6Pe9-bPHLJWHd28C9SSKdbRw_81A3RBvn5Vw9pFeRENI7Q0lAIO8zayBrk5pxaWHggNAJ4l3juPS2UJrtoVkMmFuaoNxZVIA1IPUqINu9BMlOBvyvMk_JCcasDin1Gvv/s568/323357029_681829456804134_1534674627526157571_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="568" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IWTxNUObv1RhmVQrk8JeQpRQEPQVQHcFK7W53Bdmg6JuaTKLpIEFjgyx6Pe9-bPHLJWHd28C9SSKdbRw_81A3RBvn5Vw9pFeRENI7Q0lAIO8zayBrk5pxaWHggNAJ4l3juPS2UJrtoVkMmFuaoNxZVIA1IPUqINu9BMlOBvyvMk_JCcasDin1Gvv/w320-h234/323357029_681829456804134_1534674627526157571_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Godzilla vs. Kong – HBOMax (2/25/23)<br />
The Apartment – TCM (2/22/23) – rewatch<br />
Batman – HBOMax (2/22/23) – rewatch<br />
Tower Heist – Prime (2/20/23)<br />
Driven – Tubi (2/20/23)<br />
Dirty Weekend – Hulu (2/14/23)<br />
The Storied Life of A.J. Filkry – Hulu (2/13/23)<br />
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – Prime (2/11/23) – rewatch<br />
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – Prime (2/11/23) – rewatch<br />
Empire of Light – HBOMax (2/8/23)<br />
The Journey – TCM (2/5/23)<br />
You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger – Netflix (2/4/23)<br />
This is Where I Leave You – HBOMax (2/1/23)<br />
See How They Run – HBOMax (2/1/23)<br />
Cradle Will Rock – Prime Purchase (1/30/23) - rewatch<br />
Amadeus – Prime Purchase (1/30/23) - rewatch<br />
Julia Misbehaves – TCM (1/30/23)<br />
Wedding Crashers – Netflix (1/27/23)<br />
You People – Netflix (1/27/23)<br />
Bridesmaids – Prime (1/26/23)<br />
Morning Glory – FreeVee (1/24/23) – rewatch<br />
Juliet, Naked – Prime (1/23/23)<br />
Mindhorn – Netflix (1/23/23)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUwXZF_iAv8vbarmgFcDrCGGsIKenpDhRLqpF74JnPYzElEE1svj-0CUeEYUtHj8TmElLJC8d9d72TBwxVIKYng706MIwbQFet8H2IW3WRDcT0na8hBO_yCjjundz85_gdWgjXQXVH-97uDHCDHp5r7fzLoz_4IwXT9w2b-J2MeqHpjSPZfLmH35d/s936/4505077297_2f173d8484_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="936" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUwXZF_iAv8vbarmgFcDrCGGsIKenpDhRLqpF74JnPYzElEE1svj-0CUeEYUtHj8TmElLJC8d9d72TBwxVIKYng706MIwbQFet8H2IW3WRDcT0na8hBO_yCjjundz85_gdWgjXQXVH-97uDHCDHp5r7fzLoz_4IwXT9w2b-J2MeqHpjSPZfLmH35d/w320-h238/4505077297_2f173d8484_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King – Netflix (1/20/23)<br />
So I Married an Axe Murderer (1/17/23) - rewatch<br />
Night Shift – TCM (1/15/23)<br />
Four Seasons – Netflix (1/15/23)<br />
Annie Hall – TCM (1/14/23) - rewatch<br />
Abe Lincoln in Illinois – TCM (1/13/23) – rewatch<br />
Leap Year – Netflix (1/13/23)<br />
A Nice Girl Like You – Hulu (1/12/23)<br /><b>
Looking for Lulu – Documentary on Louise Brooks – YouTube (1/9/23)</b><br />
The Sting - Prime purchased (1/7/23) - rewatch<br /><b>
Pandora’s Box – TCM (1/8/23)</b><br />
Florence Foster Jenkins- Prime purchased (1/3/23) - rewatch<br /><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">
TV/Streaming Series</span></b></h4><b>
Julia S2 Eps 3-5 – Max (12/30/23)*</b><br /><b>
Doctor Who Specials 1–4 – Disney+ (12/30/23)*</b><br /><b>
For All Mankind S3 Eps 1–7 - Apple+ (12/27/23)*</b><br />
Monarch eps 4-6 – Apple+ (12/26/23)<br /><b>
Spy X Family Eps 1–10 – Hulu (12/22/23)</b><br />
Such Bad Girls S1 Eps 1-2 (Hulu) (12/19/23)<br />
Gilded Age Eps 3–6 – Max (12/7/23)<br />
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Eps 1–3 – Apple+ (12/6/23)<br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTlJiEdBTwurjhighAPrurTY0j6KEhQqqwynJcgLxb3aLZ96FMrfvtjIlOyrVNK2bVHxKRUOqcIMkBhG_nS5NxWrrgo9faN0MlehoX0BwZoBrjjAHDrYUvm6lmy6_f40f026t51aqjFY_w-SKobNzi1ybyFXIx0Xz9MNLaEh6JvVC34biwovBWN5U/s2380/ems.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2380" data-original-width="1999" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTlJiEdBTwurjhighAPrurTY0j6KEhQqqwynJcgLxb3aLZ96FMrfvtjIlOyrVNK2bVHxKRUOqcIMkBhG_nS5NxWrrgo9faN0MlehoX0BwZoBrjjAHDrYUvm6lmy6_f40f026t51aqjFY_w-SKobNzi1ybyFXIx0Xz9MNLaEh6JvVC34biwovBWN5U/s320/ems.png" width="269" /></a></div>Ms. Marvel – S1–2 – Disney+ (11/13/23)*</b><br /><b>Lessons in Chemistry Eps 6–8 – Apple+ (11/9/23)*</b><br />Gilded Age S2 Eps 1–2 – Max (11/9/23)<br />
Lessons in Chemistry Ep 5 – Apple+ (11/9/23)<br /><b>
Loki S2 finale – Disney+ (11/9/23)</b><br /><b>
Lawmen: Bass Reeves – Paramount+ (11/9/23)</b><br />
Quiz Girl – Hulu (11/5/23)<br />
Toast of Tinseltown Eps 3–6 end – Roku (11/4/23) - rewatch<br />
Lessons in Chemistry E1–3 – AppleTV (10/20/23)<br />
Joe Schmo S3 E2 – YouTube (10/9/23)*<br />
Joe Schmo S1 E1 – YouTube (10/9/23)<br /><b>
Murder in the Building S3 Finale – Hulu (10/3/23)</b><br /><b>
The Deuce S2–3 Finale – Max (9/29/23)</b><br /><b>
Minx S2 Finale – Starz (9/27/23)</b><br />
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields Eps 1–2 – Hulu (9/19/23)<br />
Toast of Tinseltown Eps 1–2 – Roku (9/17/23)<br />
100 Years of Warner Bros Eps 1–4 – Max (9/4/23)<br />
Superpowered: The DC Story Eps 1–3 – Max (8/27/23)<br />
My Adventures With Superman S1 Eps 1-9 – Max (8/25/23)<br />
Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me – Netflix (8/24/23)<br />
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story – Netflix (8/23/23) - rewatch<br />
Captain Falls – Netflix (8/23/23)<br />
Trailer Park Boys eps 1–3 – Netflix (8/23/23)<br /><b>
Gaslit Eps 3–8 – Starz (8/18/23)*</b><br />
Minx S2 Eps 3–4 – Starz (8/11/23)<br /><b>
Party Down Seasons 1–3 (8/6/23)</b><br />
Minx S2 Eps 1–2 Starz (8/3/23)<br />
Party Down eps 1–3 (8/1/23)<br />
Gaslit Eps 1–2 – Starz (7/29/23)*<br />
Superpowered: The DC Story – Max (7/29/23)<br />
The Outlaws S2 Eps 3-6 – Prime (6/27/23)<br /><b>
My Adventures with Superman – AdultSwim (7/7/23)</b><br />
FUBAR – Netflix (7/7/23)<br /><b>
Hot Wet American Summer: Ten Years Later – Netflix (7/5/23)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ciIaugb-yFn-AteX6LBvGTK0tzL0aOLBhlkLln0Dt5KAJVgd_-3AKQYgMj2MArkGgMKUTJ34l7VB2wDr7yCX_2AUodRwAxlbTj1_d5fQiIGW-orf2fn_06CYtObKhBeeXvdsViuuE0jsI8pEgyCgAi30y2S5WH2bo4pKboYeeB8vAJhx-GJ21QmG/s268/271122005_10223388086071287_4759011458292886654_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="268" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ciIaugb-yFn-AteX6LBvGTK0tzL0aOLBhlkLln0Dt5KAJVgd_-3AKQYgMj2MArkGgMKUTJ34l7VB2wDr7yCX_2AUodRwAxlbTj1_d5fQiIGW-orf2fn_06CYtObKhBeeXvdsViuuE0jsI8pEgyCgAi30y2S5WH2bo4pKboYeeB8vAJhx-GJ21QmG/s1600/271122005_10223388086071287_4759011458292886654_n.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>Pan Am S1 Ep 1 – YouTube (7/3/23)<br />
Monty Python Almost the Truth – Netflix (6/22/23) – rewatch<br />
The Diplomat Ep 7 – Netflix (5/31/23)<br /><b>
Ted Lasso Series Finale – AppleTV (5/30/23)</b><br /><b>
White House Plumbers Eps 3-4 – HBOMax (5/26/23)</b><br />
The Diplomat S1 E4 – Netflix (5/25/23)<br />
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S5 Eps 7-8 – Prime (5/25/23)<br /><b>
Ghosts season finale – (5/24/23)</b><br />
Ted Lasso Ep 9 – AppleTV (5/24/23)<br />
WKRP (random episodes) – YouTube (5/11/23) - rewatch<br />
White House Plumbers Ep 2 – HBOMax (5/6/23)<br />
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S5 E6 – Prime (5/9/23)<br /><b>
Lucky Hank, S1 E8 – AMC (5/9/23)*</b><br />
White House Plumbers Ep 1 – HBOMax (5/4/23)<br />
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S5 Eps 8-10 (4/28/23)<br />
The Outlaws S2 Eps 3-6 – Prime (4/27/23)<br />
The Crown S5 Eps 8-10 – Prime (4/27/23)<br />
The Diplomat Eps 1–2 – Netflix (4/24/23)<br />
Ted Lasso Ep 5 – AppleTV (4/18/23)<br />
Lucky Hank S1 Eps 4-5 (4/18/23)<br /><b>
Powerless Eps 5-11 – CW (4/18/23)</b><br />
The Trial of Mary Astor – YouTubeTV (4/17/23)<br />
Powerless Eps 1–4 – CW (4/16/23)<br />
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S5 Ep1-3 – Prime (4/16/23)<br />
Single Drunk Female – S1–2 (4/14/23)<br />
Schmicago –S2 Eps 1–2 – Hulu (4/14/23)<br />
Succession S4 Ep 3 – Max (4/14/23)<br />
Lucky Hank S1 Eps 2-3 – AMC/YouTubeTV (4/8/23)<br />
Ted Lasso S3 Ep 4 – AppleTV (4/11/23)<br />
Lucky Hank S1 Eps 2-3 – AMC/YouTubeTV (4/8/23)<br />
Outlaws — HBOMax S2 Ep 1<br />
Vice Principals S1 – HBOMax (3/28/23)<br />
Lucky Hank S1 Ep 1 – AMC/YouTubeTV (3/20/23)<br />
Great News S1-2 – Netflix (3/11/23) - rewatch<br />
Duchess Eps 1–6 – Netflix (3/8/23)<br />
History of the World Part II – Hulu (3/7/23)<br />
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Cancal Eps 1–3 – Netflix (3/5/23)<br />
Shrinking Eps 4–6 – Hulu (2/28/23)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvGaTVop20rgBnIuI_4UBDwdLnQ5TOsuFdyLrPduiEpevZsBk7iWsvRztdzsVCm_CL7cucw0Z0RRmDkQfP75_VFP7S3Qx8qJWx0eFzFyz_bQj2wNNenH3SS3APZCveMBOBRrMwuuZ45VflFgwrhgNhk7nxP-aEkcVEj2Q_xIMP3VWRhtlU-nlUG4N/s980/powerless-premiere-pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="980" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpvGaTVop20rgBnIuI_4UBDwdLnQ5TOsuFdyLrPduiEpevZsBk7iWsvRztdzsVCm_CL7cucw0Z0RRmDkQfP75_VFP7S3Qx8qJWx0eFzFyz_bQj2wNNenH3SS3APZCveMBOBRrMwuuZ45VflFgwrhgNhk7nxP-aEkcVEj2Q_xIMP3VWRhtlU-nlUG4N/s320/powerless-premiere-pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Better Off Ted – S1–2 (2/19/23) - rewatch<br />
Dick Tracy Zooms In – YouTube (2/12/23)<br />
Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence - Hulu (2/12/23)<br />
Ghosts S2 eps 11–12 (2/3/23)<br />
Loudermilk S3 Finale – Prime (2/3/23)<br />
Shrinking Eps 1–3 – Hulu (2/2/23) <br />
Eat the Rich: The Gamestop Saga – Netflix (1/28/23)<br /><b>
Mythic Quest S3 (1/15/23)</b><br />
New Girl S1 – Netflix (1/14/23)<br />
Just a Boy from Tupelo: Bringing Elvis to the Big Screen – HBOMax (1/14/23)<br />
Bernie Madhoff – Netflix<br /><b>
Slow Horses S1 – AppleTV (1/11/23)</b><br />
Hogan’s Heroes – S1 (1/4/23)<br />
Mythic Quest – S1-2 – AppleTV (1/6/23)<br />
MASH S4 – Hulu (1/3/23)<br />
Welcome to Chippendales Eps 6–8 – Hulu (1/3/23)<div><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">
Podcasts</span></b></h4>Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra Eps 5–6 (9/5/23)<br />
Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra Eps 1–4 (9/1/23)<br />
Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast (of note):<br /> Tim Matheson (3/11/23)<br /> Drew Friedman (9/5/23) <br />
YouTube (of note):<br /> The Beatles - Now And Then - The Last Beatles Song (Short Film) (11/1/23)<br /> SBF Trial summaries – Overpriced JPEGs – YouTube (10/15/23)<br /> Task & Purpose – YouTube (10/15/23)<br /> The SCTV Guide to Showbiz (2021 Documentary) – YouTube (10/4/23)<br /> Out of the Inkwell: The Fleischer Story – Technology for Storytelling (7/10/23)<br /> BBC David Hockney's Secret Knowledge – Göktuğ Demir (6/22/23)<br /> In Discussion with Paul Pope – Alex Toth in Depth Episode 022 (4/24/23)<br /> Why Britain Fought for the Falklands (5 parts) – Imperial War Museums (4/24/23)<br /> Eva zu Beck<br /> The Making of Casino Royale – Mister Peter Sellers (3/4/23)<br /> Voices of the Past Channel (3/4/23)<br /> Horrified Soviet Tourist Describes California and Hollywood (1936) // US Road Trip<br /> Early Japanese Visitor Describes "Competitive and Unhealthy" European World (1872)<br /> First Japanese in Europe: Incredible Story of the Tensho Embassy (1582 - 1590)<br /> Putin’s Road to War – Frontline PBS (1/26/23)<br /><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UNPukkhKY3-fD0PUg2FdyIe_WkXO24aaleDaXCgzHPUn5XYgMglzU0rv7NheKFW9MIe8BQFbhQ-MdmFAW1o9it0fXqdCxuIR7kIUUZwNjjD0SPbxT1DTVi_yS0Fr9KnUhuwXDZcntqnPdpDXvZ02U4QN9lfXDU7pGsEHWlZWZvzcU2eN5pRQUPD0/s3024/IMG_0803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UNPukkhKY3-fD0PUg2FdyIe_WkXO24aaleDaXCgzHPUn5XYgMglzU0rv7NheKFW9MIe8BQFbhQ-MdmFAW1o9it0fXqdCxuIR7kIUUZwNjjD0SPbxT1DTVi_yS0Fr9KnUhuwXDZcntqnPdpDXvZ02U4QN9lfXDU7pGsEHWlZWZvzcU2eN5pRQUPD0/s320/IMG_0803.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Theatre/Live Performance:</span></b></h4><b>
Peter Pan Goes Wrong – Ahmanson Theatre (8/16/23)</b><br />
Much Ado About Pooh – Actor’s Gang (8/13/23)<br /><b>
Disneyland (5/15/23)</b><br />
Les Miserables – CCHS Robert Frost Theatre (3/4/23)<br /><b>
Hollywood Babble On – Flappers (2/25/23)</b><br />
Ubu the King – The Actor’s Gang (1/28/23)<br /><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">
Books/Comics</span></b></h4>Star Wars Memories by Craig Miller (12/20/23) - reread<br />L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy (10/27/23)<br />
Cinema Speculation by Quentin Tarantino (4/26/23)<br />
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (2/16/23)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1mRAg4OzBy7ibXdgYjLJ1rOwNW9YChHBOtoxdcwF88n1LQxCQ_VeWJ31mojjNVCFRHnhUYt2ElRh3qjp6k2bW4BaW5MIM_-eJ7s9t8h_BwPn9hpbLZ3OEJClBaQk6BPuZFcOmvD6JcgwhHrJvXgrmOUAEC4-H0B4kPPF2WuHeWV3-qTUwPPUiQvI/s888/CinemaSpeculation-Tarantino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="652" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1mRAg4OzBy7ibXdgYjLJ1rOwNW9YChHBOtoxdcwF88n1LQxCQ_VeWJ31mojjNVCFRHnhUYt2ElRh3qjp6k2bW4BaW5MIM_-eJ7s9t8h_BwPn9hpbLZ3OEJClBaQk6BPuZFcOmvD6JcgwhHrJvXgrmOUAEC4-H0B4kPPF2WuHeWV3-qTUwPPUiQvI/w294-h400/CinemaSpeculation-Tarantino.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
Halina Filipina: A New Yorker in Manila by Arnold Arre (2/25/23)<br /></div></div>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-63589773844620061352023-12-24T15:07:00.000-08:002023-12-24T15:08:17.049-08:00Revisiting a Christmas Classic<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESrJmd-Rncp9hEjNe4y0j-xIJ9BbYYRUuo9Vo9a29ZcRbU180cJb3WvpxmdiTiufUHsdbRFmEJInh0EhsciAxwS-XPOZoyK3xtpr_hVyJ2AqSzyQeBZ8pYx9tWkfJe1hwjRh0Ad0fBnXopHyV5d-3s9oNdPsE1WhNWL34bbTPGCkFc8jcyNlgJgOM/s2149/IMG_3853.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1594" data-original-width="2149" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESrJmd-Rncp9hEjNe4y0j-xIJ9BbYYRUuo9Vo9a29ZcRbU180cJb3WvpxmdiTiufUHsdbRFmEJInh0EhsciAxwS-XPOZoyK3xtpr_hVyJ2AqSzyQeBZ8pYx9tWkfJe1hwjRh0Ad0fBnXopHyV5d-3s9oNdPsE1WhNWL34bbTPGCkFc8jcyNlgJgOM/w400-h296/IMG_3853.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I've watched the Frank Capra Christmas classic, <i>It's a Wonderful Life</i>, many times over the years. The first time I saw it was on the big screen, at UCLA, where the film program screened it (for free) at the end of the year as an annual tradition for several years running.<p></p><p>So when a screening was offered of it at a local theater just prior to the holidays—actually a live theater venue, the Actor's Gang Theatre in Culver City—we jumped at the opportunity. It was only $10 per ticket but attendees were also encouraged to bring a toy for a holiday drive. </p><p>It was a joy to see it with an audience—as is often the case when a film is shown on a big screen, it was a slightly more heightened experience. A lot of the emotional beats hit me much harder, partly perhaps because I'm older now. </p><p>Anyway, happy holidays to all!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTYg5rK2RkTWPPLM_ljgMUGnYiQcpqJa0pzrH83w-wuKPSb98Q0lBIdgPby71-e5G85OgZfyo-2hjwukAdMmh1pRe87MXyzMhiyY_rE1bsdSRZAcOVEtMI3aWnIthUvzfDkvw2j2LmGM62RpY6FCbDyUx9ZxP-ZKttjRkXf3vZCKeTsJeuUrRkknA/s4032/IMG_4016.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTYg5rK2RkTWPPLM_ljgMUGnYiQcpqJa0pzrH83w-wuKPSb98Q0lBIdgPby71-e5G85OgZfyo-2hjwukAdMmh1pRe87MXyzMhiyY_rE1bsdSRZAcOVEtMI3aWnIthUvzfDkvw2j2LmGM62RpY6FCbDyUx9ZxP-ZKttjRkXf3vZCKeTsJeuUrRkknA/w480-h640/IMG_4016.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweqJZUjl-j4yg-FMLo2P9JvKkH-gSKPHs0sV7_UAz1Oagq27iCAXyWLZDG8e62mGNVx9TH9jV-Nvig_jXP9Ij42ohqba82SWHp7HdsEoF_x07eNRJumAFnTX4zoJJwXLFmqpJa6ZUHXrC-I3tjnwiJoFRGMXGa4xXe-_jLrAyYDSGOHmu7AQRtIm0/s4032/IMG_3842.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhweqJZUjl-j4yg-FMLo2P9JvKkH-gSKPHs0sV7_UAz1Oagq27iCAXyWLZDG8e62mGNVx9TH9jV-Nvig_jXP9Ij42ohqba82SWHp7HdsEoF_x07eNRJumAFnTX4zoJJwXLFmqpJa6ZUHXrC-I3tjnwiJoFRGMXGa4xXe-_jLrAyYDSGOHmu7AQRtIm0/w640-h480/IMG_3842.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrHz0ex95BImjZy89sISOxkkj-N-utNWZCTcZMt3vHPgrd7MN-SlEULJeuvx24ksViOiwinqsg36AKdogfdPJwCr_9yPckcqiDXMkFT0F7V3c2H8i2CDPkopipkUDwzFEOOqkFediI1FC6udTaYHCfnVRRH7Xd9Xvih77Qh1h2DBF8RpZuznq80S7/s4032/IMG_3847.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrHz0ex95BImjZy89sISOxkkj-N-utNWZCTcZMt3vHPgrd7MN-SlEULJeuvx24ksViOiwinqsg36AKdogfdPJwCr_9yPckcqiDXMkFT0F7V3c2H8i2CDPkopipkUDwzFEOOqkFediI1FC6udTaYHCfnVRRH7Xd9Xvih77Qh1h2DBF8RpZuznq80S7/w640-h480/IMG_3847.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmk6w6CCZc0NQmO6UotJUmSFYnXpJt16pudFcA3nWntkkQXcWcTLZSzbZOM2zHI_l_Q9UN4iE7bC6D8nVaXGvngKm1i02YQp8y6qEeofQ2eIrX8E9ipiOggha0otIaZkd9RyZm7cnDxWj7fNUP_4RnATWTqpAYOVvTVBzJ0ssuaaY3tAbMBHEgFN9/s4032/IMG_3850.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmk6w6CCZc0NQmO6UotJUmSFYnXpJt16pudFcA3nWntkkQXcWcTLZSzbZOM2zHI_l_Q9UN4iE7bC6D8nVaXGvngKm1i02YQp8y6qEeofQ2eIrX8E9ipiOggha0otIaZkd9RyZm7cnDxWj7fNUP_4RnATWTqpAYOVvTVBzJ0ssuaaY3tAbMBHEgFN9/w640-h480/IMG_3850.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jPs4iWVSOBust0DOu86foVV18UmOz_NFSk_Y4nbY2w9qB66AkrvUqpy9sz4R8TSkVCc5OlqJq3lc_KrmswSgSEbg0h8PQi-mDBc8y3ojtxyFuEQLB9q-6zXwNSrjCUF6_Uq2_4J3YLA4LBfuX5PvvgPRXT0x-AH2NgwF9i5uU6WqGoWoMidX57qO/s4032/IMG_3849.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jPs4iWVSOBust0DOu86foVV18UmOz_NFSk_Y4nbY2w9qB66AkrvUqpy9sz4R8TSkVCc5OlqJq3lc_KrmswSgSEbg0h8PQi-mDBc8y3ojtxyFuEQLB9q-6zXwNSrjCUF6_Uq2_4J3YLA4LBfuX5PvvgPRXT0x-AH2NgwF9i5uU6WqGoWoMidX57qO/w400-h300/IMG_3849.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-84397570342321331852023-12-12T21:48:00.000-08:002023-12-12T21:49:48.614-08:00The Fans Strike Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8bTRzgoLA-Uj22Rapn8NuqNHk67_UQWkN8C3fLNU1eA33jfNuCrxOMLYfFflN_r6bZpqWK91XRYDYeX85leccMTqADvzx1DCauVeb_gXm-xOnZqLegZPE20klhU4yGl9Ffba0Fu4-PxN73uhyRabW2M_QW_kUV2UiaClwiCIbRkbW7EEwV4RIDPE/s4032/IMG_3583.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8bTRzgoLA-Uj22Rapn8NuqNHk67_UQWkN8C3fLNU1eA33jfNuCrxOMLYfFflN_r6bZpqWK91XRYDYeX85leccMTqADvzx1DCauVeb_gXm-xOnZqLegZPE20klhU4yGl9Ffba0Fu4-PxN73uhyRabW2M_QW_kUV2UiaClwiCIbRkbW7EEwV4RIDPE/w640-h480/IMG_3583.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>We visited the extended showing of The Fans Strike Back: A Star Wars Fan Exhibit, an exhibition of fan produced and owned Star Wars collectibles, maquettes, dioramas, full sized props, etc., at the Santa Monica Art Museum, located on the Santa Monica Promenade. </p><p>Below are some photos from the event—see the full gallery <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/CTpm3NRuFQzHtpLf9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gmyUD6gsrF-dkqJYcmPdXH637eYQuOBD9lGC4_FdJyrp7K8gngId9tzHyUIvexCI8Zq27ZSuCWUA7PqeOmYFAw4717Banw3LJftHwTPXhT0V9ZHr7bTFsYWz2wEjIJAAscL8OaSSYA6oTvvT1qzb_CVxqybq4JDg9e0GmfOSxGl19aMadiWH6tcY/s4032/IMG_3593.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gmyUD6gsrF-dkqJYcmPdXH637eYQuOBD9lGC4_FdJyrp7K8gngId9tzHyUIvexCI8Zq27ZSuCWUA7PqeOmYFAw4717Banw3LJftHwTPXhT0V9ZHr7bTFsYWz2wEjIJAAscL8OaSSYA6oTvvT1qzb_CVxqybq4JDg9e0GmfOSxGl19aMadiWH6tcY/w300-h400/IMG_3593.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJdOzjzsIDshna2AgHuVdQkLVa1IJ-gB7iUdY2kvSkgVMIxV5YN2uHcA29cS_3cQ6Lma3Dd9S3JG_CqH28AwruoZJh8paMn1FShVlGpeBXV9znDdxpENlWnj4RszlJ2RdApHE6LHXmGha6XGKS2ma9KlwB2uhBh-jQTHv_LlWapR8unBYacxmCxnO/s4032/IMG_3605.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJdOzjzsIDshna2AgHuVdQkLVa1IJ-gB7iUdY2kvSkgVMIxV5YN2uHcA29cS_3cQ6Lma3Dd9S3JG_CqH28AwruoZJh8paMn1FShVlGpeBXV9znDdxpENlWnj4RszlJ2RdApHE6LHXmGha6XGKS2ma9KlwB2uhBh-jQTHv_LlWapR8unBYacxmCxnO/w480-h640/IMG_3605.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy56FK7G7t2HAfmVGcD6Vjs8NGTgKo_n04rr_aQhnJ3WYqn-lgOLOwyc25l_ZL2eU5l2Idoq4BESa9MTDL1mNyDHRondP3QSb6Fad0-frTWURLvK34NMCPvShD9gBpvKIxF8W9Rl0G3YsEUZoczpTsp7hMbf_cyF9S5Hz9dvv45wTZAfq5NrKTzrWj/s4032/IMG_3580.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy56FK7G7t2HAfmVGcD6Vjs8NGTgKo_n04rr_aQhnJ3WYqn-lgOLOwyc25l_ZL2eU5l2Idoq4BESa9MTDL1mNyDHRondP3QSb6Fad0-frTWURLvK34NMCPvShD9gBpvKIxF8W9Rl0G3YsEUZoczpTsp7hMbf_cyF9S5Hz9dvv45wTZAfq5NrKTzrWj/w640-h480/IMG_3580.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiybD4P4QV1Lko4rqZDMQ-HpgnzHpP1l5Mk4436C8FrV7-VmhTLUuKgZ-tCub_kqVr52cKg9sQBc__16wKyjhDPN_Vc29NFEK3rCVvzsprlTMqslUYhq8GYKgIil95oPJslLhIKGp7B6bBTOQgrgNEprnSCch1wkNppYU6PJ3VX25eia4b84kCEkT/w400-h300/IMG_3571.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zsOve3kUqG1v4Rr6FbYyBnaoo1miWNDo11gKrlFfTx3OWmRtymwyYXrCou2zqEgBNBT1mDxDs9UnAijEPBuJtL_OzYHhq1uEVYQrWFw2pKnZcWIcnji7-JUptMTG3fCxTql3sRDa77jVswbWVS1PDu8exj8ISYqHRiN1nMrgavIzGpontk2_kjYe/s4032/IMG_3614.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zsOve3kUqG1v4Rr6FbYyBnaoo1miWNDo11gKrlFfTx3OWmRtymwyYXrCou2zqEgBNBT1mDxDs9UnAijEPBuJtL_OzYHhq1uEVYQrWFw2pKnZcWIcnji7-JUptMTG3fCxTql3sRDa77jVswbWVS1PDu8exj8ISYqHRiN1nMrgavIzGpontk2_kjYe/w480-h640/IMG_3614.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-4716808710240111102023-12-05T00:31:00.000-08:002023-12-05T00:33:14.552-08:00L.A. Comic Con 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRmSMvJUltPad2UCX0N1izJYzjif_ku2NU3H2UNxMmwnAyx3cdqaJBI9NvzvkawLEip43BQSM9HRPQCR7lBanyiAjS9O6fpUMhuaj-PxAvZFOI5K4jU4Oc7uE3LyBhGuyNGanaYlaGAMqd2rmTQZ33XGjgUDDxVZJRBxMitQOqTQ_5SFUnqNxCWdw/s1066/HQXS9500.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="1066" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDRmSMvJUltPad2UCX0N1izJYzjif_ku2NU3H2UNxMmwnAyx3cdqaJBI9NvzvkawLEip43BQSM9HRPQCR7lBanyiAjS9O6fpUMhuaj-PxAvZFOI5K4jU4Oc7uE3LyBhGuyNGanaYlaGAMqd2rmTQZ33XGjgUDDxVZJRBxMitQOqTQ_5SFUnqNxCWdw/w400-h230/HQXS9500.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Thanks to a fortuitous set of circumstances, I was fortunate to exhibit for a part of this year’s Los Angeles Comic Con, specifically Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2–3.<p></p>
<p>But first a confession: My primary goal for attending this year’s show was to see actors Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monagham, and Billy Boyd who, of course, played the four lead hobbits in Peter Jackson’s <i>Lord of the Rings</i> film adaptation. Wood and Astin actually appeared at last year’s 2022 L.A. Comic Con. However, when I showed up to see them, it turns out that I got my wires crossed and showed up on the wrong day! So when I discovered that all four of them were going to be at this year’s show, I saw a chance for redemption!</p>
<p>On the first evening of the show, Friday, Dec. 1, I went to the L.A. Convention Center in downtown L.A. where the convention was being held to pick up my badge. I hoped this would enable me to avoid the lines on Saturday when the hobbits were scheduled to appear. I also scoped the floor and visited friends and colleagues who were exhibiting. I was impressed by how busy it was. While there, I discovered that CAPS (Comic Art Professional Society), the cartoonist organization I belong to, had two booth spaces. One of the publishers there with a table to themselves graciously said they could clear space for me to sell some of my comics! So on Saturday, I brought in some books to sell and was heartened when I quickly sold several items the brief time I was at the table. So I decided to return the following day with more product. </p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxw5R5WApx6MmVGXUA9Syse95SH8aJa2_8CQn7hBPXYCFs7LF_Krz_IB2FWvhK9SZZCXs3y22khu6aSckVpB0hWeEfTZ22lksCQWzYUoDb2dgwJY8s3LyNsSoW2p8YYkrqHHUsGpxJublH0vZ3PdV9dcMGPEBUdSc52NTMnIO2LXy1Cuc-9qEdyhV/s4032/IMG_3259.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxw5R5WApx6MmVGXUA9Syse95SH8aJa2_8CQn7hBPXYCFs7LF_Krz_IB2FWvhK9SZZCXs3y22khu6aSckVpB0hWeEfTZ22lksCQWzYUoDb2dgwJY8s3LyNsSoW2p8YYkrqHHUsGpxJublH0vZ3PdV9dcMGPEBUdSc52NTMnIO2LXy1Cuc-9qEdyhV/w298-h397/IMG_3259.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>As for the hobbits, they didn't disappoint—being in the same room with them was a geek moment come true. They have wonderful chemistry and a great (dare I say it) fellowship, having done the films together and, in more recent years, making appearances and "touring" (as they joked) to mark the twentieth anniversary of the films. In fact, this very month marks the release of the final film of the original trilogy, the <i>Return of the King</i>. They were engaging and hilarious, and deeply appreciative of what the films mean to so many people.<p></p>
<p>What's great about the L.A. Comic Con is that rather than hosting these appearances in a restricted hall with limited seating, the "main stage" is just on the floor of the exhibition hall, open to all attendees. And there's a huge screen above for those having difficulty seeing the stage. It's standing room only in front of the stage, with some seating off to the sides. I couldn't get a seat, but was able to stand on the raised platform with a great view.</p>
<p>As a bonus, when I showed up about 15 minutes before the scheduled panel to ensure I had a seat, actor Matt Smith was on stage!</p>
<p>Seeing the hobbits was a wonderful treat and a dream fulfilled, so anything that followed—like making sales—was gravy!</p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3btErUqiMVGqxIsD5i0zXrzFqua9YC05dV6EpygL0yC7pevs-4sc02FBOiEK-MMftAPqJTln52S-SO8dqkc943h1AHi-MgdFhPgljv1FohTk73gdqCLbTmlbOucXr_WtO4pNXFnzNOx6EzKwsgiX6MNDhhTDonGqvR1VHCgLJJhhQT-q9bZ1t5Qsp/s4032/IMG_3314.HEIC" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3btErUqiMVGqxIsD5i0zXrzFqua9YC05dV6EpygL0yC7pevs-4sc02FBOiEK-MMftAPqJTln52S-SO8dqkc943h1AHi-MgdFhPgljv1FohTk73gdqCLbTmlbOucXr_WtO4pNXFnzNOx6EzKwsgiX6MNDhhTDonGqvR1VHCgLJJhhQT-q9bZ1t5Qsp/s320/IMG_3314.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div>Another panel I attended was Craig Miller’s "Star Wars Memories." Miller was director of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm from 1977–80, going on to a career as a marketer, writer and producer in film and television. The panel is based on his book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Memories-Death-Trenches/dp/1696218705" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Star Wars Memories: My Time in the (Death Star) Trenches</a></i>, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the start of his career and working at Lucasfilm and on the original <i>Star Wars</i> trilogy. I purchased and read the book in 2019, and have had the pleasure to get to become acquainted with Miller partly because we have exhibited at some of the same conventions!<p></p>
<p>I must say this year’s L.A. Comic Con had a great vibe and good crowds—I know the show’s been around awhile, but to my eyes it really felt like it came into its own. It helps, of course, that the show is in my own backyard—each day, I simply took L.A.’s Metro line to the convention center from West L.A., a ride of only about 35 minutes (and this included taking a small box of comics and a banner stand in a carrying case with me on Sunday!). I always enjoy the opportunity to soak in downtown L.A.’s atmosphere—indeed, the convention center is just next door to L.A. Live, an entertainment complex with concert venues, theaters and restaurants, as well as the Crypto Arena sports arena.</p><p>For more photos from L.A. Comic Con, see additional photos at the end of this post or see the <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/mK1sawMSCfejzbo27" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">full gallery</a>. Some of the friends I saw at the show can be seen <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/UKQTRixQwndcmh7t9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Godzilla Minus One</span></b></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3DatDXujVsQsQGxQpwNdQOA_uDG5gVq0X1aa7R_d2Cj1TDwoXqT9dPgfMzS3wDJ4nAFHjVFQrOQIZjigHamuKJfv0rn0ryDFqgVVE8DHuwAHZh5yU3DAQvJI_w_Lb7k2KgHqeFnW_vJHTQEOJSTdUvH-NzkfjvawmTd7bnTm62imnyR-TgMxIOwc/s640/Godzilla-%20Minus%20One-thumb-700x394-258654.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3DatDXujVsQsQGxQpwNdQOA_uDG5gVq0X1aa7R_d2Cj1TDwoXqT9dPgfMzS3wDJ4nAFHjVFQrOQIZjigHamuKJfv0rn0ryDFqgVVE8DHuwAHZh5yU3DAQvJI_w_Lb7k2KgHqeFnW_vJHTQEOJSTdUvH-NzkfjvawmTd7bnTm62imnyR-TgMxIOwc/w400-h225/Godzilla-%20Minus%20One-thumb-700x394-258654.png" width="400" /></a></div>So I took advantage of being in downtown L.A. to catch the new Japanese film release, <i>Godzilla Minus One</i>, at the Regal LA Live movie theater just up the street. (Located right next to L.A.’s Crypto Arena, I’m embarrassed to say it’s the first time I’d walked through L.A. Live, though I did go to Crypto for the first time earlier this year to see the Go-Gos in concert.)<br />
<p>The film was AMAZING—indeed, an epic spectacle that was so fresh and exhilarating, it felt like watching a Godzilla movie for the first time! This is a Japanese production from Toho Studios, the studio that owns the franchise, which has released 34 films to date featuring the mega-monster since 1956, and not part of the franchise produced in the U.S. under license.</p>
<p>The production design, music score (a callback to the original Japanese Godzilla theme), cinematography, storytelling, and special effects were all top notch—in fact, the film credits Takashi Yamazaki at the end for "writing, directing and vfx." He's a special effects artist turned director, who apparently put this film of wonder together for only $15 million, though it easily looks like (and surpasses many) $150–200 million films.</p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HIYF03c_q_DDOpeQqgI67WFdFcAh3EAriTLl8pYBEEE1NfcijXjy2TMR9zcjtYejNPEc9aGpJ3LC-0c7kiuBlUFICN-WADclsYJbXY2oGYC5FRGIVbnhnjPdFFT1Ium1w02YNNA7oU-LowO1cHrgBhqlHjSAPGMj7KRL_7QD1wxdxldSl1Zaail6/s275/download.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HIYF03c_q_DDOpeQqgI67WFdFcAh3EAriTLl8pYBEEE1NfcijXjy2TMR9zcjtYejNPEc9aGpJ3LC-0c7kiuBlUFICN-WADclsYJbXY2oGYC5FRGIVbnhnjPdFFT1Ium1w02YNNA7oU-LowO1cHrgBhqlHjSAPGMj7KRL_7QD1wxdxldSl1Zaail6/w400-h266/download.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And though the film is very epic, the story is still very intimate and human-scale. The movie begins in the final weeks of World War II, where we meet a Japanese pilot who feels guilt for failing to fulfill his final duty as a kamikaze pilot due to not wishing to senselessly die for a conflict that's already over, and anguish for not aiding his comrades when they first encounter Godzilla in the opening scene of the film. Though fate brings him a young woman and a foundling child who, like him, have lost their families in the war, he remains haunted and anguished, and cannot accept the second chance he’s been given at life until he can find redemption—which he eventually decides can only be achieved by joining the cause to fight Godzilla, which may mean certain death. As the friend I saw it with and others have noted, it’s a Godzilla film by way of Steven Spielberg, with fleshed out main and supporting characters dealing in their own way with post-war trauma and the threat of the atomic age—down to its <i>Saving Private Ryan</i> color palette.<p></p>
<p>Like many of the original Godzilla films, the movie also has serious themes on its mind, with the mega-monster a metaphor for the threat and horror of nuclear war, but puts the impact on the people who have to live deal with the traumatic aftermath (from both the monsters and war alike) at the forefront. </p><p>Nevertheless, at the end of the day, this film is still to be enjoyed as a grand epic spectacle of the old school with plenty of thrills and surprises, and highly recommended!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXUXoH-mKJkqNawvJwXV2V1H6iTkuZsTbQlY1zzk1lYKagU9NyNYlKPPYvAGz5EACFMpbOX5bKhW2ixpjMWyZfPUmXRIy-Jw4suNR-CyYRcrW14ICxGXjXB1JOz3A7HHDT1rJ40FU4aRXBqAdZydKjqdktnx6m2Dvvj_NsmHjpouR2qpMFcmyGJ5i/s1170/MV5BNDQ0ZjZmMmMtYmMyZS00NGFmLTk1MDMtNGI1N2Y1ZGM1NWExXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTYzMDE1MTYx._V1_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1170" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXUXoH-mKJkqNawvJwXV2V1H6iTkuZsTbQlY1zzk1lYKagU9NyNYlKPPYvAGz5EACFMpbOX5bKhW2ixpjMWyZfPUmXRIy-Jw4suNR-CyYRcrW14ICxGXjXB1JOz3A7HHDT1rJ40FU4aRXBqAdZydKjqdktnx6m2Dvvj_NsmHjpouR2qpMFcmyGJ5i/w640-h422/MV5BNDQ0ZjZmMmMtYmMyZS00NGFmLTk1MDMtNGI1N2Y1ZGM1NWExXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTYzMDE1MTYx._V1_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><h3><b><span style="color: #990000;">More Photos from L.A. Comic Con</span></b></h3><div>See below for more photos from L.A. Comic Con—see additional photos at the <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/mK1sawMSCfejzbo27" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">full gallery</a> and some of the friends I saw at the show can be seen <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/UKQTRixQwndcmh7t9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKMMtGoPqqIYf1ROGWUjxF0AFNSL4aj3GcMfQDOYII_ta30HAdx1uOI5HmxMRGJ3Ub4unTtF0pGsKtrxmkEcdcR7nv_SG4q9-bYhAPaTXFUri4rDpvL0pkLtGyTHNqavzjr0yIGJjvtrsIL8M7uudT8olXdhdI2QSTmq0239r-bWd7aqYh3HB7wqI/s4032/IMG_E3281.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKMMtGoPqqIYf1ROGWUjxF0AFNSL4aj3GcMfQDOYII_ta30HAdx1uOI5HmxMRGJ3Ub4unTtF0pGsKtrxmkEcdcR7nv_SG4q9-bYhAPaTXFUri4rDpvL0pkLtGyTHNqavzjr0yIGJjvtrsIL8M7uudT8olXdhdI2QSTmq0239r-bWd7aqYh3HB7wqI/w360-h640/IMG_E3281.HEIC" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #999999;"><br />My booth</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4doP4X4E9hyphenhyphenHh_EqNBpN5j6DWlLXSFxbdJSun74MbLIlazSG3XmknY0k819QvQmWKzTmYHIZZimbrtC226oNAGNtT9gjDPxYh39kF9WUl7y8AF3pqoAzUK8iiqsIEYCqlApLBQlGUB2lfveLsQCvvBPTF841M2wLgaLs-ZCkFs5fbz988JusonYN/s4032/IMG_3291.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4doP4X4E9hyphenhyphenHh_EqNBpN5j6DWlLXSFxbdJSun74MbLIlazSG3XmknY0k819QvQmWKzTmYHIZZimbrtC226oNAGNtT9gjDPxYh39kF9WUl7y8AF3pqoAzUK8iiqsIEYCqlApLBQlGUB2lfveLsQCvvBPTF841M2wLgaLs-ZCkFs5fbz988JusonYN/s320/IMG_3291.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2GqEW0I4Hzj8UN3vR1VdDo0tid2n1ksYPjyH4jkuuTn6QpQKww015J_til577WlO9sIx0ZHSj-A1XEdDx_zgYRjnT18vHlzFffQCvrw7pGi1fFfu6E5OOy7Q08r6-yhFNaVsfllYkzTfb42bgUzky6niVnb4wjDPegTgFweunEGn_NZm7B69csb8/s2592/DSC03530.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2GqEW0I4Hzj8UN3vR1VdDo0tid2n1ksYPjyH4jkuuTn6QpQKww015J_til577WlO9sIx0ZHSj-A1XEdDx_zgYRjnT18vHlzFffQCvrw7pGi1fFfu6E5OOy7Q08r6-yhFNaVsfllYkzTfb42bgUzky6niVnb4wjDPegTgFweunEGn_NZm7B69csb8/w300-h400/DSC03530.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #999999;"><br />Craig Miller at his Star Wars Memories panel</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMRLbgABKyX3ubKmWA6GhLGapA7UmxQh3JWcHMhkupkt9s641YXjDx0aP_PMOq2Rn5NeeLYcJEx0dvJ7V-QnGSauBIoAyS3jBn_RRFW3m8pMCOWAm5bCKbgl2nlWcf7DInTdST10LHJswDx9iqUFprrqRoyKlawJkGZFm6CR9g4lxvutQGYWU1kms/s4032/IMG_3224.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyMRLbgABKyX3ubKmWA6GhLGapA7UmxQh3JWcHMhkupkt9s641YXjDx0aP_PMOq2Rn5NeeLYcJEx0dvJ7V-QnGSauBIoAyS3jBn_RRFW3m8pMCOWAm5bCKbgl2nlWcf7DInTdST10LHJswDx9iqUFprrqRoyKlawJkGZFm6CR9g4lxvutQGYWU1kms/w640-h480/IMG_3224.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozaX79vw4WdvoQS3atVp6e2nTyChqsR7yEjE2JmX7w7c-qfnwLv1MdlIvd9SV6JZBUy6_BHzRcUzETC4ZNSi07rZnbezWjCwykFsReOneFnmQMaQH4A9u_plQ9bFVTdFCzRYhZW4s2JUaccT6P4cqrG7WYeA_lkf-RAFA7N8xSRmXLOoesbAWNIjM/w640-h480/DSC03539.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUUNqHeepThyphenhyphenMJmK5r6MWw0sKcdPVxnfBgHL7Kr43DV-1iFtRnU-2SUYrXdM1igfMHjn_fZBAuDMtcwgm1n0pNaQ1w11BK8Hn87B49D5NLKXwznuI-z9H7mCAkdzRDvSR1jxVrS27NIhlG0hre5OL76fTQKy1gf25lFnZzDXZgSkGHfKh76EEHcg6/s4032/IMG_3247.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUUNqHeepThyphenhyphenMJmK5r6MWw0sKcdPVxnfBgHL7Kr43DV-1iFtRnU-2SUYrXdM1igfMHjn_fZBAuDMtcwgm1n0pNaQ1w11BK8Hn87B49D5NLKXwznuI-z9H7mCAkdzRDvSR1jxVrS27NIhlG0hre5OL76fTQKy1gf25lFnZzDXZgSkGHfKh76EEHcg6/w640-h480/IMG_3247.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1a94EvisxXuIDV5vfle9hm_v8SqhMkLMAas5QfivBJ5KUjpACW63wJjF6monpQz-9LyqZOZ0Wdv3WXLbCwMT45lZ4PfPDAnLNcVu13OxmaxhKr3X4vbqXbiEOa76Y3QDL_Z3PDZZQp4mKm1vKIYUHbzsYPkQ-fFsP34jyA1hZbKj2PIUCeHvp3-2Z/s4032/IMG_3269.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1a94EvisxXuIDV5vfle9hm_v8SqhMkLMAas5QfivBJ5KUjpACW63wJjF6monpQz-9LyqZOZ0Wdv3WXLbCwMT45lZ4PfPDAnLNcVu13OxmaxhKr3X4vbqXbiEOa76Y3QDL_Z3PDZZQp4mKm1vKIYUHbzsYPkQ-fFsP34jyA1hZbKj2PIUCeHvp3-2Z/w640-h480/IMG_3269.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-49193185630194457942023-11-15T00:20:00.000-08:002023-12-30T15:25:26.204-08:00Capsule Reviews<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">The Marvels</span></b><br />
Putting aside its box office performance and the predictable toxic complaints from the incel crowd, <i>The Marvels</i>—the sequel to 2019’s <i>Captain Marvel</i> starring Brie Larson in the title role—is a fun, action-packed romp that’s a fine addition to the Marvel Comics Universe (MCU) franchise. The movie brings together Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau and Ms. Marvel (introduced in the Disney+ streaming series of the same name) as they begin involuntarily switching places through teleportation during a Kree attack on different fronts. The Krees are led by a warlord named Dar-Benn, who is out to rebuild her dead home planet, Hala, and exact revenge against Captain Marvel who was responsible for the world’s near destruction (for reasons explained later in the film). Samuel Jackson also shows up as Nick Fury, lending important assistance and helping to ground the Marvels team as well as the film.<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibDB6qL_9ACi8P-rJNChC0sTp1bEUSKlCikGbATcw2kqjZv-9eJIvsum6qSdrv3V3wfiwEeVY-Fv1r3Cr5AZYBslx408TkUuGelyGxmKvm6mqr-m0ixf3V682KzzpiDnQdh8EU4wmPznCMWggQJRWhYiac0GeSX1ORElhb4sraeD9p2R-0zwrXVnxZ/s1296/TM_Payoff_1-Sht_Printed_v7_lg-H-2023.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1296" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibDB6qL_9ACi8P-rJNChC0sTp1bEUSKlCikGbATcw2kqjZv-9eJIvsum6qSdrv3V3wfiwEeVY-Fv1r3Cr5AZYBslx408TkUuGelyGxmKvm6mqr-m0ixf3V682KzzpiDnQdh8EU4wmPznCMWggQJRWhYiac0GeSX1ORElhb4sraeD9p2R-0zwrXVnxZ/w640-h360/TM_Payoff_1-Sht_Printed_v7_lg-H-2023.webp" width="640" /></a></div><br />I must admit this was the first Marvel film that made me feel a little behind the curve having not watched the <i>Ms. Marvel</i> and <i>Secret Invasion</i> Disney+ series. But the story never lost me and provided enough information to bring me up to speed.<br /><br />
The movie features the usual artful blend of character development, slam bang action, heart and humor that have made the MCU films crowd pleasers. Of course, given the studio’s output at this point, not every film or series can be a winner—and there is always the risk of fatigue and overexposure—but <i>The Marvels</i> proves there is still plenty of magic left to be mined. It was great fun, particularly the performances and chemistry of the main leads.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">
Ms. Marvel </span></b><i>(Disney+)</i><br />
Watching <i>The Marvels</i> inspired me to watch the <i>Ms. Marvel</i> series on Disney+. When the series first aired, I initially couldn’t get past the show’s youthful exuberance and decided I wasn’t the target audience for the series. But after picking up where I left off, I ended up loving it. As the child of immigrant parents, I particularly found the family scenes and the relationship of lead character Kamal Khan (played with exuberance by Imam Vellani) very relatable. The show weaves some of the character’s mythology into Khan’s Pakistani culture and heritage, sometimes movingly. The final episode even has a bit of a <i>Home Alone</i> vibe, as Kamala and friends from high school—after defeating the show’s main other-dimension baddies— face off against rogue federal agents. The post-credits scene of the final episode also has a quick scene that tees up <i>The Marvels</i> movie, reviewed above.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Tetris</span></b> <i>(AppleTV)</i><br /><i>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbpJAK7sUn03F-oFHslKZgAQik20u-Dg1Mj5zSrB509kR4T0xIr3o20m28PD2z7es2oKhc8_4hZcMvptC-cbkIqtFUzIS4lHaBBb_Re3GVP2nqY4d9pn_v1LgfKuE7W8z5dcnGzwa6g_9fvTnxyxnw9wh3xnOKgtYhsUsG9ZJ5MaE_aFrIpzx-bm1/s1400/tetris-movie-trailer-syndrome-horror-story.avif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcbpJAK7sUn03F-oFHslKZgAQik20u-Dg1Mj5zSrB509kR4T0xIr3o20m28PD2z7es2oKhc8_4hZcMvptC-cbkIqtFUzIS4lHaBBb_Re3GVP2nqY4d9pn_v1LgfKuE7W8z5dcnGzwa6g_9fvTnxyxnw9wh3xnOKgtYhsUsG9ZJ5MaE_aFrIpzx-bm1/w400-h200/tetris-movie-trailer-syndrome-horror-story.avif" width="400" /></a></div>Tetris</i> is the somewhat true and fascinating story of the birth of the popular and iconic video game. Invented by a Russian computer programmer in the Soviet Union, an American software developer based in Japan (played by Taron Edgerton) soon finds himself in the middle of intrigue worthy of a twisty spy thriller as he tries to obtain and unwind the licensing rights to the game. Though he cuts a deal to get the rights for Nintendo, he must also face off against Sega and media baron and cutthroat businessman Robert Maxwell and his son—as well as corrupt Soviet apparatchiks who attempt to use the power of the state to line their own pockets, turning into a nifty thriller at the end. Though some of the story's details have been exaggerated and heightened for dramatic effect, it's a fascinating and fun tale.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">It Ain't Over </span></b><i>(Netflix)</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjL4Ln8EL1dqonskfFkDKTB-i5_QvdnWoMw49wfVeuwSJ9TmP8hJ_tV6hxNCrT9Sw9xbwACy2wcC3yQUfq76ZPZTfvtUAPCakDHVP7uMw-MFKEjBV_Q4Y_39kyz0L-AMU75kmJF-qsfmwX8oAdnEyhJ0Td1fp1MNSy1LAUC_cC12lfTekcZUIADUZH/s1600/Yogi-Berra-New-York-Yankees.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="1600" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjL4Ln8EL1dqonskfFkDKTB-i5_QvdnWoMw49wfVeuwSJ9TmP8hJ_tV6hxNCrT9Sw9xbwACy2wcC3yQUfq76ZPZTfvtUAPCakDHVP7uMw-MFKEjBV_Q4Y_39kyz0L-AMU75kmJF-qsfmwX8oAdnEyhJ0Td1fp1MNSy1LAUC_cC12lfTekcZUIADUZH/s320/Yogi-Berra-New-York-Yankees.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div>This great documentary of Yankee icon Yogi Berra gives the star catcher his due as one of professional baseball’s finest players. Somewhat overshadowed by his penchant for pithy malapropisms and a cuddly tv cartoon persona, this documentary—made with the participation of his family and children, as well as many of his peers and baseball greats who followed him—paints a more fuller picture of the man, the ball player, and the loving husband and family man. </div><div><br /></div><div>He was a D-Day veteran who was on the right side of history when baseball integrated. He also was an individual with principles and pride, who did not step foot in Yankee Stadium for nearly 15 years, after team owner George Steinbrenner reneged on promises made to him. But above all, the documentary serves to restore Berra's place in history as one of baseball’s true greats. His record 10 World Series championship rings as a player—more than any other player in Major League Baseball history—is just a tip of the iceberg of Berra’s achievements. This tribute to Berra’s overlooked legacy is long overdue.
</div></div>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-27270899342610234912023-11-07T00:30:00.000-08:002023-11-07T00:30:21.124-08:00Update on Rob Hanes Adventures #25<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAqVUzqZaMquAh4ZwbaG1i6Fnq3qmVKseVl8nz5Ota4DP3Q-XVT2RIzNbAr0YD1NFVQjAEzX4hhsRAlRSKx_gIfOCQgHZLYAHA1OAM2kifAsRGnEfW-zV-J1GjWReCAab6cVJbriOeQ9Yknny9nEM9SVoRWdaBHl2H8Npk_4OurWz5YZS_i0wD43egLwD/s1000/RHA25-cover-promotional.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAqVUzqZaMquAh4ZwbaG1i6Fnq3qmVKseVl8nz5Ota4DP3Q-XVT2RIzNbAr0YD1NFVQjAEzX4hhsRAlRSKx_gIfOCQgHZLYAHA1OAM2kifAsRGnEfW-zV-J1GjWReCAab6cVJbriOeQ9Yknny9nEM9SVoRWdaBHl2H8Npk_4OurWz5YZS_i0wD43egLwD/w266-h400/RHA25-cover-promotional.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Work on the 25th issue of <i><b>Rob Hanes Adventures</b></i> continues! As recently announced, a unique experience is planned for this milestone issue—a story made up entirely of "Sunday pages,” in a rollicking, high-concept nod to the classic soldier-of-fortune newspaper strips that inspired the series.<p></p>
<p>Entitled "Old Adventurers Never Die…", the story is set in the 1930s (don’t worry, it’s explained!) and features many faces that will be recognizable to anyone familiar with the adventure strip heroes of yesteryear. And for those who aren’t, it’s still a rip-roaring adventure!</p>
<p>At right is a full-color cover mock up and below are new teaser pages and excerpts from the story currently in progress. (All art subject to change prior to publication.)</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2kGOtYA1CDnTLvpNtA9Dhha0Fe5mimuvwP1sWg32DBBWNyg_cOlnPo8jfST2nm1brdXZtqFOdnP7NTTnVLdrixvJ_f6jxQzAu2m8uf-Jrqhk4TtPXXqZb_poS8y4FziJblv60LzS6fltTuwBM1SWPra96SomjlPA41YK10g4jTvbk2OEpXJQkmdXqmF3/s859/07-RHA25.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2kGOtYA1CDnTLvpNtA9Dhha0Fe5mimuvwP1sWg32DBBWNyg_cOlnPo8jfST2nm1brdXZtqFOdnP7NTTnVLdrixvJ_f6jxQzAu2m8uf-Jrqhk4TtPXXqZb_poS8y4FziJblv60LzS6fltTuwBM1SWPra96SomjlPA41YK10g4jTvbk2OEpXJQkmdXqmF3/s16000/07-RHA25.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkx4p6FecwMGgdZuTkFa8HMqTR-c3pLTT9T4mibJPOax3x-3CPRBXowNbB3fcDiFWs65o1aXzm-h8jfAalTyCh9JAx-o7qW1ZUXtmVMx-IHt7CfK7TQ1zEww_B0xTRzgow27oUSbUr51ALFLOUEeawSx2ZMuQtH3q4B7oeseJIYDz5HAUJVmfowpYpPOYe/s855/08-RHA25.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkx4p6FecwMGgdZuTkFa8HMqTR-c3pLTT9T4mibJPOax3x-3CPRBXowNbB3fcDiFWs65o1aXzm-h8jfAalTyCh9JAx-o7qW1ZUXtmVMx-IHt7CfK7TQ1zEww_B0xTRzgow27oUSbUr51ALFLOUEeawSx2ZMuQtH3q4B7oeseJIYDz5HAUJVmfowpYpPOYe/s16000/08-RHA25.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYWkMn9tI_Wzdh7H_xpXhdhyphenhyphen1HWWm5P0LWcLopg_GKW77SaLLjC00i5gc3jy4-CTezRkWDZUWezW3LHLX3cDQVPVCQb0yEinNEW133XpPRRFT_CDJYX77Fk-gx8w1f37p5lai4UX6wXfFdpSZnl9NFAZqGifnAJMYSZDv-HXEgNNuedAvH78siUIVhucv/s672/10-RHA25-panel05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="587" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYWkMn9tI_Wzdh7H_xpXhdhyphenhyphen1HWWm5P0LWcLopg_GKW77SaLLjC00i5gc3jy4-CTezRkWDZUWezW3LHLX3cDQVPVCQb0yEinNEW133XpPRRFT_CDJYX77Fk-gx8w1f37p5lai4UX6wXfFdpSZnl9NFAZqGifnAJMYSZDv-HXEgNNuedAvH78siUIVhucv/w350-h400/10-RHA25-panel05.png" width="350" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45TREkKn_8aEl8E2tm6jlvlzPM-N9tPbKvOhZs43yCzmTBMHxhBmxbmcRRaWvrZw2ifjEGAHT9z4_q3NzliwVYiIRRVYtrCsU44VowINxBTE-k5PlyWMD8Svy5hF58fPNftjPoCSsZ-dNYP_GHdxfVGrOP-uy_X4_t9tT6IcFJnH8e-yu24nPOyCTIid2/s669/10-RHA25-panel06.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="666" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45TREkKn_8aEl8E2tm6jlvlzPM-N9tPbKvOhZs43yCzmTBMHxhBmxbmcRRaWvrZw2ifjEGAHT9z4_q3NzliwVYiIRRVYtrCsU44VowINxBTE-k5PlyWMD8Svy5hF58fPNftjPoCSsZ-dNYP_GHdxfVGrOP-uy_X4_t9tT6IcFJnH8e-yu24nPOyCTIid2/w638-h640/10-RHA25-panel06.png" width="638" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00399234989901450597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-4972982995403227942023-11-02T16:59:00.054-07:002023-11-02T17:15:22.503-07:00More Found FootageA few months back, I posted <a href="https://wcgcomics.blogspot.com/2023/08/found-footage-from-sdcc-2010.html" target="_blank">found footage</a> posted on YouTube from a 2010 San Diego local television news report that featured an interview with my then 5-year-old son dressed as Batman.<br /><br />
Returning the favor, our son recently sent us a link to a Quentin Tarantino featurette he found online that covered a signing the writer/director did in 1993 at Video Archives, the video store in Manhattan Beach, CA where he worked before breaking into Hollywood, for the VHS release of Reservoir Dogs.<br /><br />
My son thought he spotted my wife at the 7:41 mark (the video link below is cued to start at 7:40). That is indeed her head popping up way in the back lol—we were at that signing and have the signed poster for the movie framed and hanging in our house. A photo of the signed poster is in the comments, as well as a screenshot of when my wife appears.<br /><br />
I have to give my son credit for spotting her—it's only a partial headshot for a second or so and she's waaaay in the background. But I guess there's no missing her curly blond hair! (As much as I looked, I didn't see myself, though I was there—someone with dark hair and glasses is in front of her to the side, but I don't think it's me.)<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4l0s4tU3Lgc?si=-Aiqw_921nEfWXMM&start=460" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Below is a screenshot where you can see my wife's face, with blond hair, peeking over someone's shoulder way in the back in the middle left of the photo.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYiYfCOGtrtDzPJtAep7MRSiGmzQ98nIWrwdlkih6EkppBYiw5kvkLOrp4bs0788_gIPJnYHq9L4KSP0FSEFO6Sfmq8Ye1940UwrEnQQYfJK_Ru4ABASCyuDU5JHH40XvOiaTxG_B-mqnYNNJtuC8uc97T4257LZbFyrmco1Lj0s_Ro47wSqX9y7Z/s822/IMG_E1778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="822" data-original-width="739" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYiYfCOGtrtDzPJtAep7MRSiGmzQ98nIWrwdlkih6EkppBYiw5kvkLOrp4bs0788_gIPJnYHq9L4KSP0FSEFO6Sfmq8Ye1940UwrEnQQYfJK_Ru4ABASCyuDU5JHH40XvOiaTxG_B-mqnYNNJtuC8uc97T4257LZbFyrmco1Lj0s_Ro47wSqX9y7Z/w576-h640/IMG_E1778.JPG" width="576" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And below is a photo of the <i>Reservoir Dogs</i> movie poster that Tarantino (and actors Tim Roth and Chris Penn) signed that day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At my wife's request, Tarantino wrote, “Mr. Pink lives!” But then Roth wrote, “No, he doesn’t!” (Mr. Pink was Steve Buscemi’s character—he runs off, so you never know what really happens to him, though you do hear gunshots off screen lol.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0c4lDAxCPhfCESHW8Qv7fLoSX6hJbqMZN2sfVLnmwClBQnGcvOuD8dnItMdQ7b2I2xUCGHAb7xWM7fpzRYaYWTDgxuGo6C6X3m05Syp-eqfQYbx4J-ThQWFaKWVdfTKBXvMiJqmn56x6SThcOPz6zwEaMn8_h9NvLvu1CitlKqloCSJYZksILdsP/s4032/IMG_2318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0c4lDAxCPhfCESHW8Qv7fLoSX6hJbqMZN2sfVLnmwClBQnGcvOuD8dnItMdQ7b2I2xUCGHAb7xWM7fpzRYaYWTDgxuGo6C6X3m05Syp-eqfQYbx4J-ThQWFaKWVdfTKBXvMiJqmn56x6SThcOPz6zwEaMn8_h9NvLvu1CitlKqloCSJYZksILdsP/w480-h640/IMG_2318.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163912949777243757.post-53570019194459305082023-10-29T16:57:00.001-07:002023-11-02T16:58:20.949-07:00Remembering Matthew Perry<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frandy.reynaldo%2Fposts%2F717585126932143%3A717585126932143&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="712" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>Randy @ WCG Comicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08105266129029859540noreply@blogger.com0