WELCOME TO HELL ~ by Glenn Walker

Arrow: Sacrifice

2013-05-17T23:28:00.000-04:00

Finally we're at the season finale of "Arrow." It's been a long road, sometimes bumpy, sometimes kinda cool. We enter shortly after we last left our hero. Stephen Amell's Oliver was unmasked and unconscious, and at the mercy of John Barrowman's Malcolm Merlyn. Amell's chest makes a welcome return as Barrowman plays Bond villain and gloats a bit before leaving our hero hanging chained and flashbacking.

After a pretty dynamic escape, wishy-washily aided by Diggle, Oliver jumps from character to character playing emotional catch up. There's a real sense of finality to it all. Tommy to potential villain, Laurel to potential girlfriend, Quentin to potential ally, everything but Arrow to the rescue. There's a nice bit while Felicity is taken in for questioning, and she channels "Smallville"'s Chloe to Detective Lance, saying maybe The Hood is a hero.

As the gears begin to click together, it seems that Moira Queen is more of a hero than anyone else in the cast. She calls a press conference, revealing The Undertaking and naming Merlyn responsible. The problems? You can't stop John Barrowman, and Thea goes to The Glades to get Roy. Meanwhile Oliver and Diggle go after Merlyn while Felicity and Quentin look for the Markov Device. Why do I get the feeling someone's not making it out of this alive?

I have to say I was surprised who it was that wasn't going to make it. I have to wonder if it was a last minute decision by the showrunners as well. In hindsight, it seems to be more tidying up than anything else. I liked Tommy a lot, and would have dug his young, hip, and vengeful Merlyn the Magician.

The one thing that really bothered me about this episode was the lack of resolution, both on the island, and in the present. While the thinking behind Merlyn's redundancy plan is sound and logical, it's very unsatisfying storywise. I don't want to see the hero lose. Maybe that's something they can work in next season...

The Final Entries of the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest

2013-05-17T19:50:00.001-04:00

Sweden - "You" by Robin Stjernberg

It's a nice pop tune, but I guess Sweden doesn't really want to win two years in a row.

Spain - "Contigo Hasta El Final (With You All The Way)" by ESDM

At first it seems like Spain has gone traditional. I just wonder if the audience will still be with them by the time the song really kicks in.

Italy - "L'Essenziale" by Marco Mengoni

Wow, that's some hair.

Germany - "Glorious" by Cascada

Germany is usually a strong competitor, despite most of Europe still hating them for that World War II business, and this year is no exception. It's a great dance tune that would have won if it were from the Ukraine, but not Germany.

France - "L'enfer Et Moi (Hell and Me)" by Amandine Bourgeois

This is a great song, and per usual, it's in French, but it's much better than most years' entries. It seems the French are in it to win it this year. I can't wait to see what this looks like on stage. That will make or break it.

Along with the UK entry, "Believe in Me" by 1980s songstress Bonnie Tyler, the above finalists join Semi-Final winners Lithuania, Moldova, Finland, Belgium, Estonia, Belarus, Malta, Russia, Armenia, The Netherlands, Romania, Hungary, Denmark, Iceland, Azerbaijan, Greece, Ukraine, Norway, Georgia, and Ireland in the Grand Final tomorrow afternoon. Those of you in the States can watch it live here.

Arrow: Darkness on the Edge of Town

2013-05-15T14:55:00.000-04:00

Not the final episode of the season, but this is what all roads have been leading up to on "Arrow." We know what The Undertaking is - some sort of seismic device that will level The Glades, and Malcolm Merlyn is behind it. Can Oliver stop him, and save the city? The clock is ticking.

The episode begins with a late night killing raid on Unidac Industries by the Black Archer. Unidac is of course the company that made the Markov Device. Killed in the attack, Brion Markov, who in the comics, is Geo-Force. Just so we wouldn't have a fast paced action adventure show, we're stalled by more romantic parrying between Oliver and Laurel. It's getting monotonous.

Meanwhile the two Speedies, Thea and Roy, are still stalking The Hood. It doesn't take a genius to know they will be in the middle of it when the Markov Device goes off, and also likely for Hood vs. Archer, round two, as well. I hope we're not headed toward Thea dying and Roy joining Oliver under the name Speedy.

But let's not say this series can't surprise me. A clever ploy by Oliver and Diggle forces Moira to confess the specifics of The Undertaking. Nice to see Diggle back in the Arrow togs though.

Revelations continue on the island, in flashback of course. Fyers plans to blow up all planes entering or leaving Chinese airspace to destabilize their economy. He has set Yao Fei up as the fall guy, after blackmailing him by shooting up Ollie, Shado, and Deathstroke. Fun reference for the comics folks, the first target is a passenger jet from Ferris Aircraft.

Back in the now, the Markov Device must be found, and the only way to find out is through the mainframe at Merlyn's corporate headquarters, thus demanding a break-in with all of the Arrow crew. Nice to see Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity going all Oceans 11. Oh yeah, I want a Big Belly Burger jacket like Felicity's if there's anyone listening who can do anything about such a thing. I'll take a XX.

What I don't get is that as soon as Oliver knows for sure what The Undertaking is, and who's behind it - what dies he do? Try to find the Markov Device? Showdown with Merlyn? Any kind of Arrow action? Nope. Booty call with Laurel. And quite possibly creating a new archenemy in Tommy. Yep, we're back to bad idea theater.

Eventually The Hood does go after Malcolm, and we finally get to see John Barrowman do something other than talk and look pretty. Not for the first time, he hands Oliver his ass, this time getting a look under the hood. A perfect cliffhanger to lead into the season finale.

The Dumpsta Players Present: Eurotastic!

2013-05-15T00:28:00.000-04:00

Tonight! Wednesday, May 15th, doors open at 10 PM, show time is 11 PM sharp!

...at Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA. 215-545-4511
$1.99 to get in, must be age 21 and up!

www.dumpstaplayers.org

What's so gay about May? Eurovision, that's what!!

Come camp it up complete with heinous costumes, flamboyantly flaming backup dancers, and a pan-European spectacle so ridiculous no American broadcaster would ever dare air it!

It's the Eurovision Song Contest and we have an evening of unparalleled Euro Pop sure to stop up your orifices for weeks to come!!

More than fantastic, almost orgasmic, it's - "EUROTASTIC"!!!!

You can also check out The Dumpsta Players on YouTube and Facebook, as well as on PhillyCAM television.

More Eurovision 2013

2013-05-14T22:15:00.000-04:00

The First Semi-Final was held tonight in Malmo, Sweden, and yielded the following Finalists: Moldova, Lithuania, Ireland, Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus, The Netherlands, Russia, Denmark, and Belgium.

Now, here are the last of the Second Semi-Finalists:

Israel - "Rak Bishvilo" by Moran Mazor

Another ballad? Really?

Latvia - "Here We Go" by PeR

Kind of a happy 1990s vibe here. I like when it finally kicks in.

Malta - "Tomorrow" by Gianluca

This could be a dark horse. It's happy, catchy, and memorable, and most importantly in a contest that includes so many different cultures - inoffensive. I think we'll see this one in the Finals.

Romania - "It's My Life" by Cezar

This guy's voice, wow. A novelty, and a possible Finalist.

San Marino - "Crisalide (Vola)" by Valentina Monetta

One wonders two things, how will it translate to the stage, and will the audience still be awake when it finally kicks in?

Switzerland - "You and Me" by Takasa

This is another favorite, I hope it's a Finalist as well.

The second Semi-Final will take place on Thursday, the 16th of May.

Eurovision 2013: Norway

2013-05-14T19:22:00.000-04:00

Norway - "I Feed You My Love" by Margaret Berger

That's some dress, huh? This is my absolute favorite this year. I love this song, and there's no justice if it doesn't win.

The second Semi-Final will take place on the 16th of May.

Eurovision 2013: Five More from the Second Semi-Final

2013-05-13T17:31:00.000-04:00

FYR Macedonia - "Pred Da Se Razdeni" by Esma & Lozano

Translated, it's a song of hope ("If I Could Change the World") and those kinds of things always do well in Eurovision. Plus it's got a beat you can dance to, and seriously this one grows on me each time I hear it.

Georgia - "Waterfall" by Nodi Tatishvili & Sophie Gelovani

I usually like Georgia's entries, but this slow motion love ballad barely kept my attention for three minutes. Zzzzzzzz…

Greece - "Alcohol Is Free" by Koza Mostra, featuring Agathon Iakovidis

Greece usually hits the contest with an upbeat dance club number, but this year they went with something a bit different. What at first seems like a very traditional old country song turns fun and madcap very quickly. The title is "Alcohol Is Free," you get the picture. I like this one a lot. It won't win, but I hope it gets to the finals.

Hungary - "Kedvesem (Zoohacker Remix)" by ByeAlex

More catchy pop fun that grows on me with each listen, slowly becoming a favorite, but again, I don't think it will win.

Iceland - "Eg A Lif" by Eythor Ingi

Yet another European lesson in just because you look metal, it doesn't mean you are metal.

The second Semi-Final will take place on the 16th of May.

Ray Harryhausen 1920-2013

2013-05-07T22:22:00.000-04:00

Possibly one of the greatest special effects artists who ever lied passed away today. Ray Harryhausen was a big part of my childhood, and a big part of my adulthood. He influenced so many people, and in turn, he was influenced by another genius, Willis O'Brien, whose work in stop motion animation made King Kong the classic film, and the classic character he is today. He learned at the master's side and took that art even higher. Harryhausen was one of the greats.

I can't even guess how many times I've seen Jason and the Argonauts. I seriously think a hundred times would be a conservative guess. There's nothing by Harryhausen that I didn't love (and that includes oddities like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and the Puppetoons), but Jason is probably my favorite. I remember as a kid, channel 29 had the rights to it, and I never missed it when they aired it. The film is a beautiful piece of art, from start to finish, and it fueled my early love of the Greek myths.

I love the Sinbad films, 20 Million Miles to Earth, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, and It Came from Beneath the Sea. I watch them relentlessly when they air. Harryhausen's involvement in Beast led to a semi-rational hatred of the Godzilla films, which he felt both ripped off and cheapened his work. His statements to that effect didn't lessen my respect and awe for his work, but man oh man, it did hurt this Godzilla fan.

I was never really a fan of Clash of the Titans, as by then, his age, and the amount of time it took to do his Dynamation, made him begin to cut corners and it just didn't look as good any more, to me at least. But then again, Harryhausen cutting corners was nothing new, as 1955's It Came from Beneath the Sea featured a five-tentacled octopus.

None of that diminishes Harryhausen's accomplishments and my love for his films. We have lost one of the living legends of Hollywood, and a master of an animation style that may never be the same again. Ray Harryhausen will be missed.

Eurovision 2013: The First Five of the Second Semi-Final

2013-05-06T20:52:00.000-04:00

Albania - "Identitet" by Adrian Lulgjuraj & Bledar Sejko

I love the drums, and the music video, which I don't know if they will be able to reproduce its energy and creativity on stage. Luckily it's a catchy well done song. No idea what they're saying, but I think this one will definitely get through to the finals.

Armenia - "Lonely Planet" by Dorians

Pretty song, and being pretty always gets you far in this contest. We'll see.

Azerbaijan - "Hold Me" by Farid Mammadov

Azerbaijan is always a strong competitor, and this pretty boy power ballad is no exception. Not my favorite, but it has good odds.

Bulgaria - "Samo Shampioni (Only Champions)" by Elitsa Todorova, Stoyan Yankulov

These Eurovision veterans are back. Their previous "Water" remains one of my all time favorite songs from the ESC. Always great percussion, but I don't think this is their best sadly.

Finland - "Marry Me" by Krista Siegfrids

Finland is another nation who always has a strong submission. This year they enter a more pop and dancey tune. The music video shows off Krista's range and humor, but I wonder if that will come off on the stage. I'm kinda rooting for this one, but then again, I'm partial to Finland.

The second Semi-Final will take place on the 16th of May.

Free Comic Book Day 2013

2013-05-03T19:28:00.000-04:00

Don't forget, tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day 2013!

What is Free Comic Book Day? Shame on you for not already knowing, but if you don't, the details are here.

If you would like a rundown of what's going to be available, here's the official preview video from the All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast crew:

And if you're in the South Jersey/Philadelphia are, the place to be is All Things Fun! in West Berlin NJ, where there will also be games, sales, and a live appearance from Batman! All that and more, doors open at 11:00 AM sharp. Be there!

Arrow: The Undertaking

2013-05-02T20:03:00.000-04:00

About mid-season of the "Arrow" series, the powers that be finally gave a name to the master plan that the bad guys of The List had for Starling City. They called it The Undertaking. It's never been clear what it actually was, but we know it has sinister implications for The Glades - the 'bad' section of the city, and home to Roy Harper, the Verdant nightclub, and the ersatz Arrowcave. One supposes by the title of this episode, we'll finally find out exactly what The Undertaking is.

From all indications, we might just find out what happened to Walter as well. A unique flashbacknot to the island, shows us a meeting of The List several years prior. It seems their original plan was to blackmail bad people into doing good things, but John Barrowman's Merlyn suggests a new 'undertaking,' leveling The Glades and starting from scratch. No Glades, no crime. And there it is.

And OMG, the thing that's going to level The Glades is called the Markov device. Comics readers know that half-siblings Brion and Tara Markov are Geo-Force and Terra, metahumans with earth elemental powers. Brion was a hero who joined the Outsiders and later the Justice League. Tara was a teenage psychopath who joined the Teen Titans in order to betray them to... Deathstroke, with whom she had a very unhealthy and possibly illegal relationship. Wow. I'm guessing The Glades go in an earthquake.

In the soap opera zone, Laurel goes to Verdant to cry on Oliver's shoulder about her break-up with Tommy. Felicity's awkward walk-in may have sent odd signals to Laurel. Sigh. To quote one of my favorite "Simpsons" lines, "When are they gonna get to the fireworks factory?" In this case, fireworks factory equals superhero action.

In a slightly more high quality melodrama moment we get to watch Barrowman tell of his wife's death in order to convince Oliver's father to go along with The Undertaking. It really the first time "Arrow" has given the man room to act. Finally. And we get a glimpse into the making of a villain.

In the distracting secondary plot of the episode (because on "Arrow," the overarc is always the main plot), Felicity goes undercover in a casino to find clues of Walter's whereabouts. As I've said before, Emily Bett Rickards' Felicity cleans up real nice, but then again I like her in and out of nerd.

With no Diggle for back-up, The Hood has to save her, doing so like a bull in a china shop. I counted at least four arrows to the chest, one a woman, probably some of them only patrons to the casino. Once again, I find myself rooting for the police to put this murderous Bizarro version of Green Arrow away.

At first it seems that Walter was dead, and then alive. The Hood saves him, plowing through henchmen to get him, but first parachuting down onto their hideout from a plane. I couldn't get past that. Who was flying the plane? Wouldn't they know it was The Hood on board, and jumping out? Seems like a major loose end here.

Things are heating up and finally coming together. Oliver makes up with Diggle. And he admits to Laurel he still loves her. And, most importantly, he knows that Merlyn and his mom have been lying to him, and they are behind The Undertaking. The secrets are out, time for the real game to begin.

Other shout outs to the comics in this episode include Ted Kord for whom a fundraiser was held in flashback. Ted Kord was the second Blue Beetle. And Walter was being held in Bludhaven, Dick (Nightwing) Grayson's old stomping ground.

Yes, things are finally heating up, I can't wait for the next episode. As long as they keep tying up loose ends, that is.

RIP Chris Kelly

2013-05-01T23:59:00.000-04:00

The NJ DIS Weekend Meet 2013

2013-04-30T17:41:00.000-04:00

Folks who follow my blogs regularly know that I write a lot about Disney. I like Disney a lot, and not just because they own the Avengers either. The Bride is the Disney nut, and I'm just along for the ride most of the time, but I do enjoy that ride. The movies, they do good work; the parks, meh, I'm not a park person, but I have had my fun there; but the Disney Cruise, that's my happy place. There's nothing like standing (or sitting) on deck or on a veranda and watching the open sea. I love it, and yes, any cruise can provide that, but the customer service and the way they take care of you on DCL is phenomenal, and second to none.

Rant and sales pitch over. The point is, The Bride likes this stuff even more than me. And with all the podcasts and vidcasts I subscribe to and/or am involved in, DIS Unplugged is not one of them. I'm kinda ashamed to say I've only heard it a dozen times or so, usually when in the car with The Bride. She loves it, and has even appeared on the podcast more than a few times. Such a fan, when they announced they would be just an hour or two away in Bridgewater NJ doing a fan get-together and live podcast, we made plans to go. Either way, a weekend getaway was a welcome break in routine.

DIS Unplugged is a hardcore professional podcast I should mention. This isn't two guys having fun on Skype without a plan, just saying anything that pops into their head. What surprised me the most upon arrival is how friendly and welcoming everyone was, especially the hosts. Friday night was game night, starting with some music trivia, various kinds (everyone had their own rules) of Bunco, and then a Tastykake Krimpet eating contest. Heh, I don't think these tourists to the Philadelphia area have ever had Butterscotch Krimpets before.

As I said, the live vidcast was very professional. Not only did everyone have headsets, they also had a sound engineer(s) and a sound check. They have been around for almost a decade, so of course they know what they're doing. Professional and friendly are watchwords with this group. I think now I will be putting the DIS Unplugged on my regular podcast subscription list. Good folks, good show, and thanks for a great time.

And stay out of the damn lakes.

Arrow: Home Invasion

2013-04-29T23:15:00.000-04:00

Deadshot has been a growing threat in the world of "Arrow." While a minor Batman villain and Suicide Squad superstar in the comics, here he is a one-eyed super-assassin for hire. His most twisted attribute, besides the weird red eye piece, is his penchant for tattooing the names of his victims on his body.

His biggest claim to infamy on the series is that he killed John Diggle's brother. Diggle is now obsessed, perhaps ever more so than Oliver. Not only is revenge biting his ass, but Diggle's can't really move his relationship with his sister-in-law (his late bro's wife) until Deadshot is dealt with.

We open on Diggle training with Oliver, while Deadshot makes another hit. Felicity has hacked into ARGUS and is tracking Deadshot. I really have to wonder where this is going with ARGUS. Is there a Justice League in Oliver's future? Probably not, as this ARGUS acronym isn't the same as the comics.

Diggle's contact in ARGUS has a little more fire. Named Lyla in the show, she's given the surname Michaels in the Arrow companion comic. Lyla Michaels is the real name of Harbinger, a power player in DC Comics' Crisis on Infinite Earths way back in 1985. Harbinger was missioned with the task of collecting the superheroes who would then save the universe/multiverse. Harbinger is even her codename in the show. What an interesting connection.

The opening shoves a whole lot of plot, subplot, and information into a very short amount of time, so much so, my head began to spin a bit. The current dynamic of Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity is counterpointed by the flashback dynamic of Oliver, Deathstroke, and Shado. We also learn Oliver is lunchdating Laurel even though he's on the outs with Tommy. Bad, Oliver, just the first of many bad decisions this episode.

This is all under eight minutes, before the credit sequence. We are also introduced the main plot/subplot of this episode. Laurel is working with a family who were testifying against a bad man, List-worthy, but surprisingly not on it - it could be his dumb name, Edward Rasmus. His hired killer, Mr. Blank, gets the parents but misses the seven year old son. Laurel takes the kid in. Don't think the thought hasn't crossed my mind that most times when you add a kid, you've jumped the shark.

This is all in about ten minutes. The episode hasn't really even started. It doesn't get less complicated as the episode continues. After a few awkward moments between ex-friends Oliver and Tommy, some bonding between Tommy and the kid, and a fairly cool scene where Mr. Blank attacks Laurel, the couple and the kid move in with the Queens to enjoy the heavy security there. I found that puzzling. Besides Diggle, Queen security has seemed extremely lame. Obviously it's The Hood who will protect them, but Quentin Lance shouldn't have agreed to it.

It gets very predictable at this point. There are newborn kittens who knew Oliver will be distracted with Deadshot the next time Mr. Blank attacks, letting everyone down, duh. Or the other way around, although it should have been the former. As one would expect, Oliver makes the bad choice. The worst choice, and we lose Diggle over it. At this point, the only thing that could make this worse would be an appearance by the Huntress.

Speaking of bad choices, on the island, while being trained in archery, Oliver kisses Shado. For comics fans, we know how that works out. The cliffhanger here finally means forward motion on the island at least.

Mr. Blank is an intriguing villain, played by J. August Richards, formerly of "Angel." He reminds me a lot of Chiwetel Ejiofor as The Operative in Serenity. He's very calm, very precise, and likes to make conversation with his prey. He was a very suitable foe for this version of Green Arrow. His clash with Oliver is perhaps one if the best of the series so far.

As if there's not enough going on, Roy Harper, who is apparently dating fellow Speedy, Oliver's sister Thea, is trying to track down The Hood. There is a good scene where finally it's addressed that The Hood is a murderer. Finally. Thea agrees to help Roy find The Hood. More shark jumping in the form of idiotic 1950s secret identity protection? I hope not, cuz that's what breaks up Tommy and Laurel. Worst case scenario - Oliver takes on a teenage sidekick (or two) to replace Diggle. I know it's the natural progression, but damn it, I liked David Ramsey's Diggle a lot.

This was a very uneven episode, save some great character bits, a throwaway Wonder Twins reference, and of course, Mr. Blank. Only three more episodes to go, I wonder how it's going to go...

Curious Alice

2013-04-24T18:25:00.000-04:00

This 1968 curiosity from the folks at Something Weird is a semi-animated fantasy based on Alice in Wonderland but with a more obvious drug theme woven through. It tries to be psychedelic, and probably would be if you were high, but the limited animation makes it difficult.

I can imagine this may have been pretty risqué back in the drug days of the late sixties, but its kinda tame for these days. But let's face it, back in the day, Ralph Bakshi went much further. Hell, Bakshi could have even done this better.

In this Wonderland, the characters all seem to be using one drug or another - marijuana, pills, even LSD - though I'm unsure whether this short is actually supposed to be pro-drug or anti-drug. It is definitely worth a look-see, at least once, if only as a time capsule to a mostly lost culture.

Evolve or Die, A Star Trek Rant

2013-04-23T18:15:00.000-04:00

Those Star Trek people infuriate me. You know the ones I mean. Whether they call themselves Trekkers or Trekkies (and yes, I do know the difference), it makes no difference when it comes to the 2009 reboot of the franchise, and its upcoming sequel in just a few weeks.

Let’s be serious now – if Gene Roddenberry had actually gotten his “Star Trek: Phase II” on the air when he wanted to, would we be still talking about Trek now or would the proposed series just be an embarrassing footnote like “Rescue from Gilligan’s Island” or “The Brady Bunch Hour”? Let's all be thankful that Star Wars was so successful, and Paramount made Roddenberry move it to the big screen.

And while we're being thankful, let's be thankful for J.J. Abrams for finding a way to both be faithful to continuity, and to free himself of it. He paid respect to the fans, and opened up the field for a new generation of fans. It works in the story, and you have the old continuity and the new continuity existing side by side. And come on, it's not like time paradoxes and parallel universes are foreign territory for the franchise. It's almost the norm if you look at the original series.

Let's talk about TOS, as "The Original Series" is called. It may as well stand for The Old Series, because it's dated. Worse than that, "Next Gen" is even more painful when it comes to looking dated. Special effects and hairstyles weigh down TOS, but man oh man, ST:TNG just screams eighties. It's so bad, it's almost embarrassing. And for most of these Trek people, TNG is the gospel canon.

I lost interest in Trek television, when "Deep Space Nine" came along, and once the Captains met in the movies, I was out of there too. "Enterprise" brought me back. The Trek people hate "Enterprise." I think it was great, it not only brought me back to Trek, it brought The Bride as well. The Trek folks whined about how the Vulcan protagonist behaved, behavior that was rationalized in the context of the series by the way.

These are the same people that don't have a problem with Klingons not having ridges in TOS, faulty physics, jumbled histories and timelines, and of course the fantasy of a cashless society. But a Vulcan enacting free will, that's wrong. It's okay for Spock, but nobody else.

Seems to me that the Trek folks have a problem with the mainstream taking their toys. It was okay when no one else liked Star Trek, but when there's a blockbuster movie, they get defensive. And I throw the "Doctor Who" latecomers into the same garbage bin.

I loved Abrams' Star Trek, and can not wait for the sequel. All y'all old Trekkies and Trekkers, feel free to stay home and not see it, just shut up about it. You're ruining it for the rest of us.

Sadly, Two More…

2013-04-22T19:58:00.000-04:00

Richie Havens 1941-2013

Crissy Amphlett 1959-2013

Today is a sad day in music…

The GAR Podcast

2013-04-21T16:00:00.000-04:00

I know, as if I don't have enough on my plate, right? This project has been in the wings for more than a few years. My friend Ray Cornwall and I have had long conversations about comics and other stuff, and have talked about doing it as a podcast for some time. I finally bit the bullet, kicked Ray in the butt, and we got it done. It was nowhere as hard as we thought it would be.

The final product can be found here. Yeah, it's our first one, so it's amateurish, badly edited, incredibly raw, and so much damned fun.

The topics covered in this inaugural podcast include: Who we are, "Storage Wars," Man of Steel, Batman '66, Green Hornet, Mark Waid, Insufferable, Peter Krause, Marshall Law, Ray's comics childhood, Justice Society, Fantastic Four, Age of Ultron, Iron Man, Hank Pym, Marvelman, Brandon Peterson, Captain America and Bendis.

Links for this episode: Man of Steel trailer, Insufferable, Marshall Law. Age of Ultron, and Age of Ultron Book Six.

Check out the podcast here, and see what a star my buddy Ray is. Enjoy! We'll be back next week!

The All Things Fun! Vidcast FCBD Edition 2013

2013-04-18T17:59:00.000-04:00

Superman came back from the dead, Captain America came back from the dead, Wolverine will come back from the dead once he dies, as rumored, later this year… and now, The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is back!

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast features co-hosts Ed Evans, Allison Eckel, and Glenn Walker, as they discuss the comic book related topics in every episode! You can see the show here or on All Things Fun!'s YouTube Channel.

It's that time of year again, Free Comic Book Day, always the first Saturday in May, when comic shops the world over offer a plethora of comics for free, all introductory issues designed for readers old and new to get a glimpse into what the hobby is about and what it has to offer. At All Things Fun!, as always, there are events and sales galore, so come on out, get your free comics, and get in on the fun!

Discussion featured in this Free Comic Book Day Preview Episode includes: Cagematch draft, Free Comic Book Day 2013, Marvel's Infinity, cartoons for kids of all ages, Plop!, Catfishtress, Spoon!, real authors, NFL Superpro, Ryan Reynolds' bulge, Valiant, Grimm, 'for kids,' The Walking Dead, Captain Midnight!, Superman, Allison's kids comics, steampunk in Oz, Absolution, Graphic India, Buck Rogers! and Damsels for the guys.

Be sure to check out the All Things Fun! website, and the newly revamped All Things Fun! Blogs, written by Allison and Glenn, featuring The Vidcast Drinking Game so you can play along at home, and watch ATF! on YouTube (don't forget to subscribe to the channel while you're there, and leave a comment or two on the Vidcast as well!).

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live at All Things Fun! - the South Jersey/Philadelphia area's best comics, toys and gaming store, located on Route 73 in West Berlin, NJ. Come on down, check out the store, and say hi to Ed and Dina!

Don't forget to visit us at Facebook!

And hope to see you all on Saturday, May 4th, Free Comic Book Day!

HBO's Phil Spector

2013-04-17T20:46:00.000-04:00

I was completely taken aback by the title card that preceded HBO's Phil Spector. Here's what it said: "This film is a work of fiction. It is not "based on a true story." It is a drama inspired by actual persons in a trial, but it is neither an attempt to depict the actual persons, nor to comment upon the trial or its outcome."

What?? Wow. I wonder how many lawyers between HBO and Phil Spector it actually took to write that nightmare up? I understand it's worded to keep either party from suing the hell out of each other, but it also seems like open season to make up whatever the hell they want about real people and not get sued. Wow.

The facts: Phil Spector, perhaps one of the world's greatest music producers, shot model and actress Lana Clarkson in his home in 2003. Spector claimed it was suicide, was tried twice for murder, and finally convicted to serve nineteen years in prison.

This film: Helen Mirren plays defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden who enters Spector's madcap mental ward world in an attempt get him out of the murder charges. Jeffrey Tambor as attorney Bruce Cutler provides occasional comedy relief.

Al Pacino plays Spector as subtle but completely insane, sort of like a sedated homeless clown person with voices in his head and a violent streak. His home is like cross between a museum, a circus, the Addams Family house, and the Psycho house. And oh, those wigs. Sadly the wigs were real.

The film's soundtrack, like the performances of Pacino and Mirren, is one of its few saving graces. HBO's Phil Spector is a wonderful example of a few diamonds hidden within a piece of dog crap. If I didn't know about the case, and Spector's career, I wonder if this movie would even made sense. It seems built for footnotes.

The film is surprisingly and unrecognizably written and directed by David Mamet. What was he thinking? And what did Phil Spector ever do to David Mamet? These are the mysteries I would like solved. I love Mamet, and this was a major disappointment.

As the tagline for this flick says, 'the truth is somewhere in the mix.' Unfortunately, I think that mix has been erased and taped over multiple times. This is a mess. This is two down in my book as far as HBO movies go. Between this and The Girl, I think they should stop making movies about real people, it's just not working out. I'm dreading the Liberace biopic coming later this year now.

PromTrash Desperate

2013-04-16T23:33:00.000-04:00

"PROMTRASH DESPERATE"

Tomorrow night! Wednesday, April 17th, doors open at 10 PM, show time is 11 PM sharp!
…at Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA. 215-545-4511
$1.99 to get in, must be age 21 and up!

www.dumpstaplayers.org

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the trashiest Prom Queen of all?!?? That's right, folks, time again to pick America's trashiest Prom Queen! The Dumpsta Players celebrate their 17th Annual stag, drag, come-as-you-were/are/is "PROMTRASH DESPERATE" @ Bob and Barbara's! Mall rats Myrna and Marble panic when stood up on Prom night. What's a gurl to do??? Can 80's teen queen Tiffany save them?!?! Find out who's got the F-C-K for U!

2012 Prom Trash queen Xanadu Xanax returns! Will last year's runner up, K & A's finest, Margaret Orthodox be back? It's revenge of the dreadful prom, so join in the ffffun! We invite all to put on a prom dress, don a tux and compete with the gender bending drag kings, queens, straight up females and males, faghags, pretty princesses and assorted other freaks!

Come enjoy the sensational crowning in - "PROMTRASH DESPERATE"!!!!

In honor of our very first PromTrash queen, Lori with the Story, a portion of proceeds from this month's show will benefit One Step Away, a Philadelphia street paper that helps raise awareness of homelessness and providing employment to those in need. The street paper, which costs a dollar, earns money to give Philadelphia's homeless opportunities to gain employment and improve their living situations. Lori with the Story was our reigning PromTrash queen from 1997-99 and passed away in 2004.

You can also check out The Dumpsta Players on YouTube and Facebook, as well as on PhillyCAM television.

Family Band: The Cowsills Story

2013-04-15T23:44:00.000-04:00

Family Band: The Cowsills Story ~ I would wager most of the folks reading this have zero idea who the Cowsills are, and I also think those that do know, only know the footnote.

The Cowsills did "Hair," the title track from the Broadway show, the theme to "Love American Style," and oh yeah, they were the inspiration for the Partridge Family - literally the real thing. Again, just a footnote. That's pretty much all I knew as well until I watched this great documentary on Showtime.

The doc, done through interviews with the Cowsills, and their contemporaries, as well as footage of the time, tells the tale of the family band's meteoric rise and eventual fall into oblivion. There's a tragic side in the form of the manipulative and abusive father. It doesn't end well, probably why you don't remember them, but you should.

RIP Jonathan Winters

2013-04-12T21:32:00.000-04:00

April has been terrible with loss. Today we have lost another of the greats. Award winning comedian, actor, writer, impressionist, and recording artist Jonathan Winters passed away today. More of my childhood has gone away.

When I was a kid, Jonathan Winters was everywhere. He was always a guest star on various sitcoms and variety shows, even game shows and talk shows. I'm pretty sure he even had a few short-lived shows of his own as well. His manic improv and madcap characters were always a treat for me.

I loved him in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and it was a family event whenever the film aired in our household. We always couldn't wait for him to tear the gas station apart. Classic classic comedy. Below you can see that scene, as well as Winters talking a bit about it, and how it helped him come back from a breakdown.

Later in life, he played Mearth, the son of Mork and Mindy in the final season of that sitcom. Being Robin Williams' idol and inspiration, it is wild to watch him work with and against Winters in a comedic battle of wills.

Later I loved the man in the 1994 version The Shadow, playing it straight as he also did in the dark comedy The Loved One and an episode of "The Twilight Zone" called "A Game of Pool."

Winters also did voice acting in animation, recorded dozens of comedy albums, wrote poetry, and appeared in television programs as myriad as "Hee Haw," "The American Sportsman," and "The New Scooby-Doo Movies." His final movie role will be the voice of Papa Smurf in The Smurfs 2. We have truly lost another of the legends.

Talkin' 'Bout the Avengers

2013-04-11T21:53:00.000-04:00

There been a lot of talk lately over at Biff Bam Pop! lately about the Avengers and Age of Ultron, most of it coming from me.

But if you'd like to get in there and talk too, this Sunday evening is your chance.

Reaperradio is hosting an Avengers Chat at the LadyNightsRealm Chatroom on Sunday, April 14th at 8:00 PM EST with a second chat wave at 9:30 PM EST.

The Chat will be covering any and all Avengers and Avengers-related comics titles, as well as the Animated Series, the movie, even the toys.

Hope to see you there. Let's talk Avengers!

Arrow: Unfinished Business

2013-04-10T20:05:00.002-04:00

We begin with a girl dancing and dying in traffic, drugged up on a new version of Vertigo. This results in visits to see The Count in the asylum, by both The Hood and Detective Lance. For the second episode in a row, the Joker parallels are there. The Count is obsessed with Arrow, and more focused in his presence. While Starling City is under siege from this new Vertigo, yeah, you guessed it, The Count escapes.

While Arrow pursues The Count, Diggle is still looking for Deadshot, the villain who killed his brother way back when. He gives all info that Felicity found on him to an old friend named Lyla, who now runs with an outfit called Argus. Comic readers will recognize the name. A.R.G.U.S. is the organization that manages the Justice League, and does all their gruntwork, as well as their PR.

Tommy has problems of his own. Lance thinks there's a connection between Verdant and the dead girl who died from Vertigo, and starts to investigate the club. He finds a suspicious $10,000 missing in its records. At first I'm thinking, wait, the 'Arrowcave' only cost ten grand??

It turns out however that the cash was used to pay off a corrupt building inspector. Lance wants to see the sub-level to the club now, and has brought a search warrant. In what should have been some clever switch, we merely get some rearranged furniture and crates. It's still not clear who packed up the Arrowcave - Oliver, because he inexplicably knew Lance was coming, or Tommy because he was afraid of what Oliver might do. This best friends one minute, assailant/victim thing the next is getting old.

Speaking of supporting cast, Felicity is not as much fun now that she is in on the secret. Rather than an actual player in the show, she's become simply an errand girl. Find this, do this, she may as well have "Yes, sir, no, sir." as her only lines. I want the old Felicity back. And as long as we're talking about the women in Oliver's life, on the island, Shado starts training him finally.

In the end, the Vertigo is tracked back to the asylum. Another Joker reference emerges. How many years did the Joker operate out of Arkham, his own headquarters beneath the mental hospital itself? But it's not The Count doing the dirty work, but his doctor and intern. Once they have been dispatched, Oliver mercifully does not take out the apparently insane Count.

This is just like the Carl moment in this past week's season finale of "The Walking Dead." Carl kills a surrendering kid, not for what he had done, but for what he might do in the future. Will Oliver live to regret not killing The Count, or should he have Carl-ed him?