Friday, September 30, 2011

Lost Hits of the New Wave #2



"Walking in the Rain" by Grace Jones.

We touched on this one in the last entry of "Lost Hits of the New Wave." This song was originally recorded by Flash and the Pan on their debut album. The legendary Grace Jones covered it with unique Grace style as the fourth single from her classic LP "Nightclubbing," one of several covers on that album.

I love Grace, she's one of my favorite artists. She's still out there, and most recently toured in 2009, with her newest album, "Hurricane."

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Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Collingswood Book Festival 2011


Every autumn, booklovers celebrate reading when they converge in the historic town of Collingswood, NJ.  This award-winning, all-volunteer book festival is a big literary event with a small-town, friendly ambiance.  A week of activities will culminate on Saturday, October 1, 2011, 10 AM to 4 PM.

Festival-goers will have an opportunity to stroll more than six blocks of the main street filled with nationally recognized authors/speakers for adults and children, as well as booksellers, storytellers, poetry readings, workshops, exhibitors, kid-friendly activities, and entertainment for all ages.

All events are free. Stay tuned to this website for more details.


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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for 9-28-2011

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live in a real comics and gaming store in West Berlin, NJ - All Things Fun! - co-hosts Allison (Con Voodoo) Eckel and Glenn (Pro Voodoo) Walker (giver of leis Ed Evans jumps in once or twice) discuss the new comics out this week in two fun video segments, now in high definition, and also available on YouTube. See it here!

The first segment includes discussion of the following topics: Gifts from Hawaii, The New DC 52 including Geoff Johns' fantastic Aquaman #1, also Peter Milligan's Justice League Dark #1, Francis Manapul's Flash #1, Savage Hawkman #1, Blackhawks #1, Gail Simone's Fury of Firestorm #1 and Superman #1.



The discussion continues in segment two including: The Avengers and orange comic book covers, Mighty Thor #6, FF #9, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #2, Spider-Island and the rest of the Marvels, Brilliant #1 and Castle: Deadly Storm both by Brian Michael Bendis, I Vampire #1, Batman The Dark Knight #1, New Guardians #1, Teen Titans #1, Superman HeroClix, Star Trek Fleet Captains, a million trades, and much discussion of Ron Marz' Voodoo #1.



Be sure to check out the All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and ATF! on YouTube.

And be back here every Wednesday morning at 11:30 AM EST to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!



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Monday, September 26, 2011

Lost Hits of the New Wave #1



"Hey, St. Peter" by Flash and the Pan.

This one-hit wonder tune hit hard in the summer of 1977, and was provided unprecedented airplay on both top 40 and rock radio stations in the Philadelphia area. I recall hearing it exhaustedly on WYSP, WPST, and WIFI, all radio stations now deceased. The band was spun out of The Easybeats and had some success in its native Australia and in the UK.

A self-titled album from Flash and the Pan hit in 1978. Although they never pulled a second hit from it, the record also included "Walking in the Rain," which Grace Jones would later have her own hit with as a cover. "Hey, St. Peter" was their only US hit.

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Sunday, September 25, 2011

Happy Birthday, Aquaman!


This week will be a historic week for fans of DC Comics' reigning Sea King - Aquaman! Not only is it the launch of his new ongoing series by the all-star creative team of Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado, but Aquaman #1 also just happens to coincide with the King of the Seven Seas' 70th anniversary of his first appearance in More Fun Comics #73!

The Aquaman Shrine will be marking this special event in a unique way on SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25th by throwing a birthday party for Aquaman exactly 70 years to-the-day after More Fun Comics #73 hit the stands for sale on September 25, 1941!

Who will be attending this party? Dan Abnett, Tony Bedard, Kurt Busiek, Nick Cardy, J.M. DeMatteis, Ramona Fradon, Pat Gleason, Dan Jurgens, Paul Levitz, and Joe Prado are just a few of the many creators who will be visiting the Shrine on Sunday to wish Aquaman a Happy 70th and to share their unique perspective with fans, friends, and family of Arthur Curry. Special surprises will be in store and this event will be fun for comic book fans of all ages!

And that’s not all! In addition, the Shrine will be following up the big 70th birthday party with EXCLUSIVE CONTENT from Aquaman artist Ivan Reis every day leading up to the release of Aquaman #1 on September 28!

Check it all out here at The Aquaman Shrine!

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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for 9-21-2011

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live in a real comics and gaming store in West Berlin, NJ - All Things Fun! - co-hosts Allison ("I remember the 1980s") Eckel and Glenn ("Hey you kids get off my lawn") Walker (boss man Ed Evans returns next week!) discuss the new comics out this week in two fun video segments, now in high definition, and also available on YouTube. See it here!

The first segment includes discussion of the following topics: The New DC 52 including Scott Snyder's Batman #1, the multiple Robins and their heights, iffy Teen Titans continuity, Catwoman #1, Wonder Woman #1, Birds of Prey #1, Blue Beetle #1, Supergirl #1, J.T. Krul's Captain Atom #1, and the rest.



The discussion continues in segment two including: We forgot about Ed, Hawaiian hot dogs, the Fear Itself comics of the week including Avengers #17, Brian Michael Bendis' talking heads and dissing 9/11, Allison's kids comics, Kevin Smith's Bionic Man #2, Tiny Titans and Young Justice, Treehouse of Horror, more Marvels, a pair of X-Factors, Ultimate X-Men in a bag, the indies, and the trades.



Be sure to check out the All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and ATF! on YouTube.

And be back here every Wednesday morning at 11:30 AM EST to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Projectionist

The Projectionist ~ I had the pleasure of attending a showing, an incomplete version apparently, of The Projectionist: A Passion for Film. This is a documentary about local film historian and preservationist Lou DiCrescenzo. While unfinished, it's rather bittersweet as viewers learn of Lou's fight with diabetes, and how the disease has beaten him down in recent years. He still keeps on kicking and providing a wonderful asset to the film community in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area.

I've gotten to know Lou from afar very slowly as he's introduced older films at first the Ritz, and then the Rave in Voorhees for a couple years now. They run a program on Monday afternoons called Silver Screen Classics, each week featuring a classic (and sometimes not-so classic) movie from the past. Except when he's been ill, Lou was right up front with a microphone before each showing giving background and telling the secrets behind that week's feature. Sometimes we'd even get a short or a cartoon from Lou's private collection. His knowledge and insight are always a treasure.

I look forward to when this documentary might be finished and can be shown publicly. It's a great story of a great man. Look for it, if you see it, it'll be worth it. A couple upcoming shows are listed here. In the meantime, don't forget to check out Silver Screen Classics on Monday afternoons at the Rave.

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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for 9-14-2011

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live in a real comics and gaming store in West Berlin, NJ - All Things Fun! - co-hosts Allison (The Fangirl) Eckel and Glenn (The Misanthrope) Walker (Ed Evans will be back in two weeks) discuss the new comics out this week in two fun video segments, now in high definition, and also available on YouTube. See it here!

The first segment includes discussion of the following topics: The New DC 52 Batcave including Batman and Robin #1, Bruce Wayne's parenting skills, Batwoman #1, and Suicide Squad #1, also Red Lanterns #1, Green Lantern #1, Mister Terrific #1, Paul Cornell's Demon Knights #1, Superboy #1, and why does Deathstroke need his own title? We don't know.



The discussion continues in segment two including: Matt Fraction's Fear Itself Book Six, the rest of the Fear Itself titles, Mark Waid's Daredevil #3 joins Brian Michael Bendis' New Avengers #16, Allison's Spider-Island by Dan Slott and the rest of the Marvels, Allison's indies and kids comics including Buffy Season 9 and Super-Dinosaur #4, and the rest of the New DC 52 including Legion Lost, Grifter, Frankenstein and Resurrection Man, and the trades of the week. We miss you, Ed.



Be sure to check out the All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and ATF! on YouTube.

And be back here every Wednesday morning at 11:30 AM EST to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Underdog

Underdog ~ When I first heard about this flick, a live-action version of General Mills' animated "Underdog" with Jason Lee in the title role... I have to admit I was more than little turned off. Recently however I was checking out the movies of Peter Dinkage from HBO's fabulous "Game of Thrones" and I saw that he was in it. Then after seeing a pic of him in the role of Underdog arch-villain Simon Barsinister, along with "Seinfeld" supporting cast member Patrick Warburton as his henchman Cad - I was sold. I had to see it, if for nothing else, the inspired casting.

The opening credit sequence showed clips from the cartoons, I had a little more hope but still wasn't sure. We had to sit through the mandatory origin story, which was interesting as we had never seen it before. I was a little disappointed the hero was linked to the villain as happens so often in movie versions of superhero origins. Although as the movie went on, even with Jason Lee's annoying voice and voiceovers, there were more and more things that made me smile. It's not perfect, but they tried real hard.

I would recommend this version of Underdog for the kids on one condition. When it's over, sit your kids down with the real "Underdog" cartoons, so they know what's what.

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Friday, September 09, 2011

The Fire and Water Podcast

I'm a big fan of my friend Rob Kelly's Aquaman Shrine (as well as both Rob and Aquaman separately too), and recently he, along with the Irredeemable Shag of the Firestorm Fan site got together to do a podcast about their mutual loves of the characters Aquaman and Firestorm - The Fire and Water Podcast.

The first episode is an entertaining voyage into the hows and whys of doing blogs devoted to Aquaman and Firestorm, the new DC 52 and what it has in store for their favorite characters and just some really fun chemistry that doesn't often happen in many podcasts. Rob and Shag are a good team and provide a really good listen. And it's not just Aquaman and Firestorm talk here, there's a bit of comics history as well and even some love for the classic Mark Evanier/Dan Spiegle Blackhawk, always a plus for me. Recommended, check it out here or on iTunes.

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Thursday, September 08, 2011

The New Superman

Most everyone involved in the comic book world, and those who are just well informed about pop culture, know about the big doings if DC Comics this month. The eight decade old comic book company is relaunching their entire line of comics, starting with all new #1 issues with mostly new characters and continuities. One of those most anticipated and in some cases dreaded is Superman.

In reviewing DC's new 52 initiative, many of the titles looked impressive or at least interesting to me - except for one. Superman. Beyond the erasure of the Lois and Clark marriage (shades of One More Day), I found the previews simply visually unappealing. Now this isn't the first time Superman has been rebooted, and it won't be the last, but I don't mind telling you I'm worried, just a little.

The advanced images for the new Superman were not promising. Either of them. Just for the record, we are getting two distinct Supermen, even though they are the same person. Action Comics will be exploring the early years of this new Superman while the Superman title will be telling current tales of the man of steel. Action will be featuring an angry and careless young man, almost Peter Parker-like, whose superhero costume consists of a red cape, a blue shirt with the red S shield on it, and jeans and boots. I hate this look.

Whenever I see it, especially the promotional image, I am reminded of the Earth-One Solomon Grundy, whose only wish was to fly like Superman and was given a cape and sent to the moon, where the lower gravity allowed him flight. That's what I see whenever I see that shadowy image. It's not a good memory. The current day version of Superman wears a bizarre segmented armor version of the original costume, with new red belt, and sans underwear-on-the-outside pants. It should be noted however, that at least this version, in the pages of the new Swamp Thing #1, acts like Superman. Just don't get me started on the guy who shows up on the last page of Justice League #1.

The protagonist in the new Action Comics #1 is a brash young man, who while doing good, is dismissive of the police and is an arrogant grandstanding wisecracker. What's most intriguing about what may be a polar opposite of what most folks may want in their Superman - is that the real Superman does shine through. It's all there, baby, you can still see our hero underneath this kid's immaturity.

This is the work of writer Grant Morrison. Often controversial, but always showing a passion and love for the comics of his youth (and mine as well), Morrison is notable for writing what I consider the best Superman in decades in the mini-series called All-Star Superman. Even in other comics like Final Crisis, Superman Beyond and JLA, he shows that he understands what Superman is all about, should be all about.

I have faith in Grant Morrison, despite this unorthodox representation of the man of steel, I have faith that we will eventually see this punk kid mature into the Superman we know and love. And as the author of "Supergods", as well as the above-mentioned comics, I think Morrison is the man to do it. For those who doubt, have faith, Superman is coming, back.

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Wednesday, September 07, 2011

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for 9-7-2011

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live in a real comics and gaming store in West Berlin, NJ - All Things Fun! - co-hosts Ed (Batwing) Evans, Allison (Batgirl) Eckel and Glenn (Animal Man) Walker discuss the new comics out this week in two fun video segments, now in high definition, and also available on YouTube. See it here!

The first segment includes discussion of the following topics: Action Comics #1 by Grant Morrison and Rags Morales, Detective Comics #1 by Tony Daniel, Batgirl #1 by Gail Simone, Batwing #1 by Judd Winick, Paul Cornell's Stormwatch #1, Justice League International #1 and Men of War #1.



The discussion continues in segment two including: Brian Michael Bendis' New Avengers Annual #1 with Wonder Man and the Revengers, Spider-Island, New Thunderbolts vs. New Invaders, Ed's Marvels including Wolverine week, Ed's indies, the rest of this week's new DC 52 including Green Arrow #1 by J.T. Krul, Swamp Thing #1 and Animal Man #1 by Jeff Lemire, and Ed's trades.



Be sure to check out the All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and ATF! on YouTube.

And be back here every Wednesday morning at 11:30 AM EST to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

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Sunday, September 04, 2011

The Mercury Men

Aside from the occasional mini-series, a Saturday night Asylum movie just for laughs, and of course, "Warehouse 13," I don't watch all that much Syfy Network anymore. I gave "Alphas" a momentary spin but it just didn't keep my interest.

I do however have the Syfy app on my iPhone and there were some very cool previews on there. The one I was most excited about was a black and white movie serial-ish thing called "The Mercury Men." I couldn't wait for this thing to air, as I would be riveted in front of my TV. Sadly as the airdate got closer, I discovered it was a webseries, not for TV. Disappointed a little, I was still excited.

So when the day came I watched each five to ten-minute installment with anticipation. It was everything I thought it would be - black and white movie serial goodness. The brainchild of writer/director Chris Preksta, The Mercury Men is a wonderful sci-fi adventure in the style of Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers or any of the rayguns and rocketships serials back in the day.

When a off hours office worker is attacked by glowing men who shoot lightning from their hands and is turn saved by a cross between Indiana Jones, Buck Rogers and Airboy - the rollercoaster of action and suspense begins and doesn't stop. Have I mentioned how much I love this?

Right now, you can see "The Mercury Men" here, or OnDemand, although I wish Syfy would just put it on the air, or better yet, make it a regular series. How about it? In the meantime, everyone else check out this great web series.

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Saturday, September 03, 2011

The End of an Era


Yesterday WYSP-FM changed their format and call letters to all sports and WIP-FM. I'm not a big sports fan other than Wings lacrosse and sometimes the Philadelphia Eagles or Dallas Cowboys (you know where to send the hate mail), I think it's unfair for me to ask why we need another sports station in Philly, but there it is, ya know? It's not the first time WYSP has changed formats, but never so drastic a change before.

I grew up with WYSP, from when I first became aware of FM radio in the mid-seventies to when I fell away from terrestrial radio a few years back and discovered the more eclectic satellite radio. In the radio wasteland of Philadelphia, WYSP was always the cooler, hipper choice when compared to direct rival WMMR and distant competitor WIOQ. I envisioned stoned ex-hippies at the former and future NPR listeners at the latter, whereas WYSP listeners seemed like either myself, or folks I wanted to hang out with. WYSP always had the new, newer and newest music and trends.

WYSP was originally the FM version of AM pop/rock station WIBG, and its call letters stood for "Your Station in Philadelphia." It started rocking in the early 1970s and quickly became WMMR's biggest competition. As I mentioned, WYSP always seemed to have newer music and harder rock than WMMR. Those that listened could usually tell the difference with hearing a DJ or a station ID. WYSP was the first place I heard DEVO, Adam and the Ants, the Sex Pistols, Joan Armatrading, and even Rick Springfield.

When WYSP had news, it was cool news, same with the talk. I remember the Source days with Cyndy Drue, the Dr. Demento show and the Comedy Hour on Sunday nights. I remember the engineer who did the dead-on Mr. Rogers imitation and recorded versions of "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Iron Man." I remember Ask Anita. I remember listening to "Innerview" with Jim Ladd, as he talked with Roger Waters about what "The Wall" was really about, and when he interviewed Ray Manzarek telling apocryphal tales of the late Jim Morrison. I remember learning of John Lennon's death from WYSP.

I remember the Howard Stern years, along with the Opie and Anthony years. I remember the two weeks after 9/11 when WYSP was all talk, taking calls from listeners twenty-four hours a day and letting them vent, grieve or just talk. This is not as sad as that, but it like losing a lifetime friend. Even if I haven't seen you in a while, you were a friend. I will miss you, WYSP, and so will all of Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Goodbye, old friend...

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Friday, September 02, 2011

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark 2011

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark ~ The original 1973 ABC TV movie of the week called Don't Be Afraid of the Dark scared the crap out of me. The idea of little buggers running around about a foot high with razors and other implements of cutting danger kept me from enjoying what is for the most a comedy - the Gremlins movies. Yeah, I admit it, I'm that frightened of little people, malevolent or not. I doubt I could deal with Darby O'Gill or The Gnomemobile because of this movie.

Guillermo del Toro has given many interviews citing the original version of this movie, as well as several "Twilight Zone" and "Night Gallery" episodes that similarly scared me, as scaring the crap out of him. He has the same weaknesses, and in this 2011 remake, he pushes those buttons hard, nay, he twists them 'til they fall off.

The only thing that disarmed the original monsters from being truly scary was how fake they looked. The new creatures are del Toro makeovers in the mode of his terrifying creations in Pan's Labyrinth and the Hellboy movies. If there's one thing del Toro can do, it's make monsters. And there are also dozens of them, as opposed to the trio in the original. He also ties in other panic buttons with the themes of children in danger and the irrational reality of the tooth fairy concept. Add in more than a few broken teeth, and I'm terrified just typing this.

The story, slightly altered from the 1973 original, has a young couple renovating a huge mansion with the man's young daughter from a previous marriage joining them after a long time. Secret rooms, evil fairies and mysterious murder attempts follow in suitable movie of the week horror fashion. Del Toro adds a bit more to the background and origins of the creatures and the house with frightening, almost Lovecraftian, zeal.

If you look deeper, del Toro, who has help from co-screenwriter Matthew Robbins and director Troy Nixey, has produced a love letter to those old telemovies that ABC made on a regular basis in the early 1970s. There are many nudges and winks here in names and camera angles to those great flicks. There is much love here, and much horror as well.

Going back to the monsters, I was almost hoping we never saw them, because the human imagination is usually more powerful than anything we can be shown. As you might guess, I'm a big fan of Curse of the Demon and the original The Haunting for this reason. When I finally did see the new monsters, I wanted them to go away, and I know I'm not going to sleep tonight. It's rare that a remake improves on a film in this way. I'm not going to see this movie again, and that's a compliment.

The cast is okay, neither Katie Holmes nor Guy Pearce, despite their star power, really bring anything extra to their roles. The little girl, Bailee Madison, already an acting veteran at twelve, is the real star here and is wonderful. If the Academy ever even looked at horror movies (which they don't), they might find a treasure here. Remember her name, even if they won't.

One plot point bothered me and seemed way out of place. Spoilers ahead, you have been warned. The creatures, weakened by bright light (don't say it, they did predate Gremlins by at least a decade), are attacked by little Bailee with a Polaroid One-Step camera plus Flashbar. First, a One-Step camera in the day of the cellphone seems like an anachronism, and the Flashbar only had five flashes before it neede to be reversed or changed. This camera keeps going like a bad guy's gun in a Rambo movie. Small point, but it pulled me out of the flick.

The above aside, this was a pretty good horror flick, with appropriate scares, I recommend it despite the fact I will never watch it again. It's that scary, and that's a solid recommendation. Check it out, if you dare.

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