Free Comic Book Day 2017

Having recently moved to Florida from New Jersey and not getting that many comics any more, I was at a loss as to what to do for Free Comic Book Day this year. I dearly miss All Things Fun! up in my home state, along with Ed, Dina, and Allison, who I did the All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast with (which you can still see here), but it's just too far a drive these days.

The Bride and I decided to drop in at a newer comic shop here in downtown Lakeland, Uncanny Heroes. They had Darth Vader, Chewbacca, George Lowe from "Space Ghost Coast to Coast," and a DeLorean parked out front, I was sold, let's stay a while. Having Max 98.3 FM broadcasting live and barbequed hot dogs and burgers was just a bonus as far as I was concerned – Uncanny knows how to celebrate Free Comic Book Day. I picked up a handful of the free comics, a cool Krypto shirt, and Batman/Shadow #1. Here's what I thought of some of the books:

Batman/Shadow ~ I was wary of this one as my friend and podcast partner Ray thought I might like it. Anyone who listens to The GAR! Podcast knows that's never a good sign. I can't say I hated this, but I didn't like it either. The Shadow is the antagonist here, not the way I want it, and Scott Snyder and Steve Orlando get it right except which side of the law the Shadow is on, and I did love the Maniaks reference. This book earned a second issue and a second chance, but a tentative one.

From the free comics I picked up Riverdale, which was very readable but in the long run not as enjoyable as Archie Comics of the past. Very hooked into the CW show of the same name these two tales are set in that continuity. And if you dig the show, there's a cool character guide in the back of this one.

In anticipation of the upcoming live-action The Tick series on Amazon (I loved the pilot) I picked up that comic, fun but not as good as it used to be. Hmmm, seems to be a pattern. Underdog, from American Mythology, the company that currently publishes Eagle, was fun, with both a new story and an old one. I just may pick up the new Underdog comic based on this. And then there's Wonder Woman. I was not a fan of Greg Rucka when he wrote the character before and I remain unimpressed.

The Bride picked up a few of her own as well. The nice thing about Uncanny Heroes is they had no limit on how many free comics you could get. It's important to note that even though the comics are free to customers, the stores till pay for them, so remember that every Free Comic Book Day and buy as well as get free stuff. Jenn picked up four books from the FCBD selection.

The first was Avatar, which didn't do much for me, but I am excited for the film sequels and the new park in Disney's Animal Kingdom. The next one was also Disney-related, a manga version of Descendants from Tokyopop that was interesting, but I prefer the movie. Next was Doctor Who from Titan Comics with a fun tale of four Doctors that I dug quite a bit.

The Bride's final choice was All-New Guardians of the Galaxy as a dessert to seeing the movie the night before. The comic wasn't bad, pretty much in line with the real series of the same name, but what really irked me was the second story of this Marvel FCBD book - Defenders. So Bendis is writing a book called Defenders featuring the Netflix version of that team, nothing I can do about that, I guess, it's typical Bendis, but do they have to use the original logo? To me that logo means the real Defenders – Doctor Strange, Hulk, Sub-Mariner, Nighthawk, Valkyrie, Hellcat, etc., not these guys. How about a new logo, huh?

Marvel had two other offering for the day, one a reading chronology for the "All-New, All-Different Marvel" that is basically a glossy and pretty book of ads for Marvel's trade paperbacks – in correct reading order to be sure – but still a book of ads. And then there's Secret Empire, a heart crushing addition to the Captain America as Hydra agent saga where the villain (Cap, as hard as that is to believe) defeats the Avengers by wielding the hammer of Thor. Yes, it defies logic, like all of this story. Thankfully it's followed by a sneak peek at Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man featuring Spidey, the Vulture, and the new Trapster. That's kinda fun at least.

For the most part, a fun Free Comic Book Day, thanks to Uncanny Heroes.

Riverdale

The newest of the loosely based comic book shows debuted last week on the CW. One might say, don't they have enough of those over there already? And while DCTV mastermind Greg Berlanti is one of the executive producers, this isn't a DC Comics show, it's Archie Comics.

Now Archie and the gang have been translated to the small screen many many times, but only animation seems to stick, the live action attempts have flailed in the ratings and vanished. This time the showrunners have the characters and concepts solidly into the adult 21st century. Behind this is specifically Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa - the award winning writer from "Glee," "Big Love," the remakes of Carrie and The Town that Dreaded Sundown, dozens of comics, and one of the current heads of Archie Comics.

From the opening moments the first episode is very Lynch-ian, as if the intent was to do "Twin Peaks" rather than the Archies. Most of the characters are here, and well cast, but mood is very Blue Velvet and Shadow of a Doubt, a small town where innocence only hides darkness. The high school vibe borrows much from a "Beverly Hills 90210" feel, which is painful for us old folks as Luke Perry plays Archie's dad. Ooof. I'm old, but so is he.

Feeling old isn't the worst this show has to offer though. Before the opening credits even roll, we learn that Archie had a torrid summer sex encounter with Ms. Grundy. Yeah, they go there, but before you gouge your eyes out, this Grundy teacher is young and hot. Future episodes tempt us with Betty and Veronica kissing and Josie and the Pussycats doing a modern remake of "Sugar Sugar," I'm not sure which is the bigger outrage… I have to say I also kinda dug Jughead as the creepy loner/writer with the Silent Bob vibe.

All that said, the show is compelling and worth watching, especially for viewers out there cold turkeying for the new "Twin Peaks" and the lesser "Wayward Pines." However, other than a couple cool Easter eggs, and characters with the same names, there's not much here for Archie fans. I'll give a few more episodes. What did y'all think?

The Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story

Full disclosure first. I have never seen more than a few fleeting moments of any episode of "Saved by the Bell." I know it was a sitcom about high school, I could probably pick the guy who played Screech out if a line up, and I know one of the girls from the show eventually starred in Showgirls, but that's about it. I am virtually a "Saved by the Bell" virgin.

So why am I watching this Lifetime drama about the show? You could say I'm a masochist, or a glutton for punishment, or, like testing weird potato chip flavors over at French Fry Diary, I do it so you won't have to.

"Saved by the Bell" was a sitcom, sort of, on Saturday mornings. It began on the Disney Channel as a show about a teacher played by Hayley Mills, when it turned out viewers were watching more for the kids, it was turned into "Saved by the Bell" on NBC on Saturday mornings. The kids were basically templates of the Archie kids, with an African-American girl added for diversity.

This all seems very cookie cutter and formulaic on the surface, but it worked. Today, we're up to two spin-off sequels, two TV movies, at least two unauthorized musicals, and this movie, based on the book "Behind the Bell" by Dustin Diamond, the actor who played Screech. Later, Diamond would recant much of the blaming his ghost writer for making up some of the juicier bits. With Diamond as an executive producer, I wonder how much of the juicy stuff made it into this flick?

For me, with no real background in the show, I actually kinda enjoyed it. Perhaps unencumbered by facts this was a good movie, and that's about as left handed as I can get about it. I liked the breaking the fourth wall storytelling of the young Dustin Diamond character, and being a child of the eighties, I liked the soundtrack, even though none of the songs matched the years.

Again, I can't say whether it's true or not, but it was fairly entertaining, even if there were a lot of subplots left unresolved. A pleasant pass of two hours, even if I had to sit through ads for the new Brittany Murphy movie fifty times.

Stan Lee's Mighty 7

When Stan Lee jumped to editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics in the late 1960s and early 1970s, he cut his writing down quite a bit. Letting go of Fantastic Four, Thor, and finally Silver Surfer, by the middle of the seventies when he moved to the west coast, Stan Lee wasn't really writing anything any more. Every once in a while he'd pop up for projects like the creation of She-Hulk, Ravage 2099, and when he recreated the DC Universe, but for the most part he was done writing.

More or less a figurehead, a promotions guy, a pitch man, and the godfather of modern comics, when he does write any more it's not really up to snuff, at least in my opinion. He's still a great concept man, but as far as execution… well, it's hard to be original when everyone else is already doing what you pioneered. He still does come up with great ideas however. Mighty 7 is a case in point.

Done initially for Archie Comics and animated for the Hub Network, Stan Lee's Mighty 7 does have an intriguing twist if old hat characters and execution. The twist is that it stars Stan Lee as himself. While trying to figure out a new comic idea for Archie he comes upon space refugees from outer space, who he teaches to become superheroes. His writer's block is solved.

As I said, the characters are kinda cookie cutter and indistinguishable other than their super powers, mostly unoriginal, but the Legion fan in me does like the idea of another hero with Bouncing Boy's abilities. The best part of the feature, and the reason to watch, is that Stan gives himself all the good lines, or rather the writers do. He is the star here. And that's saying something considering the voice cast includes Armie Hammer, Sean Astin, Teri Hatcher, Mayim Bialik, James Belushi, Flea, and Michael Ironside. Nice. Worth watching for Stan. The jury is still out as to whether this pilot will generate a series or not.

RIP Lou Scheimer

Lou Scheimer, the father of Filmation, and the king of American television animation for many of our childhoods, has passed away at the age of 84.

Filmation was a small animation studio, one of the few still doing animation in the United States, rather than shipping it overseas. Founded by Scheimer, Hal Sutherland, and Norm Prescott in 1962, they did some little known cartoons like "Rod Rocket." They really caught fire when they licensed the DC Comics characters in 1966.

Beginning with "The New Adventures of Superman," they began to expand to shorts that featured other characters like Superboy, Aquaman, Batman and Robin, and later the Justice League of America and the Teen Titans, as well as those groups' individual members. These cartoons were, along with the 1966 "Batman" TV series on ABC, my gateway drug into comic books. My love of Aquaman, Superboy, and others sprang from early viewings.



The DC deal brought another comics company to Filmation's offices, and Archie came to Saturday morning animation for years under their guidance. Later in the 1970s, Filmation became a major player in the animation game, producing cartoons of "The Brady Kids," "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids," and "Star Trek: The Animated Series" among many others.

Filmation delved into live-action with shows like "Isis," "Space Academy" and Shazam." While the studio began to get a reputation for repeating backgrounds, limited animation, recycling designs, rapid jump cuts, and using the same music over again, they had also produced some real quality programming as well.



In the 1980s Filmation produced some of its most well known shows like "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe," which featured, like many of the previous shows, a lesson at the end of every episode. Before closing up shop in 1989, Filmation also produced over the years some very cool versions of Flash Gordon, Tarzan, and the Lone Ranger, using then fairly new rotoscoping techniques.

With the loss of Lou Scheimer on Friday, we have lost one the legends of animation, and for me, a big chunk of my childhood. He'll be missed.

This Week's All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast features co-hosts Ed Evans, Allison Eckel, and Glenn Walker, as they discuss the new comics out this week! You can see the show here, or check it out below.

Discussion featured in this week's special DMX Christmas Viet Nam Goodness episode includes: Rudolph Gangnam Style, Legends of the Dark Knight #3, Action Comics #15, Earth 2 #7, Rotworld, DC in seven minutes, All-New X-Men #3, Amazing Spider-Man #699, more Marvel NOW!, Thunderbolts #1, Ultimates #18.1, Invincible #98, indy wardrobe concerns, the lewdest Zenescope cover of the week, Cobra's ranch, the battle over New Crusaders, Allison's kids holiday comics, and Ed's trades and manga.

Be sure to check out the All Things Fun! website, and the 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!).

And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the South Jersey/Philadelphia area's best comics, toys and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ. Don't forget to visit us at Facebook!

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for the Week of 11-7-2012

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the South Jersey/Philadelphia area's best comics and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ.

Co-hosts Ed (All Green Lantern) Evans, Allison (No Marvel Girl) Eckel, and Glenn (Batwing Again?) Walker discuss the new comics out this week in wicked high definition video, and also available on the YouTube. See it here!

Discussion featured in this week's special post hurricane episode includes: Action Comics #14, Green Arrow #14, Earth 2, the Batcave, Dial H #6, Rotworld, Green Lantern #14, Iron Man #1, Deadpool #1, Ed's Marvels including the final issue of Avengers Academy, Avengers #33, the final issue of Defenders, Life with Archie #24, Allison's kids comics, New Crusaders #3, Road to Oz #3 (of 6), Danger Girl GI Joe #3 (of 3), Freelancers #1, Transformers Regeneration One #85, The Shadow #7, Shadowman #1, Dejah Thoris, stiffies, and Ed's trades, toys, and manga.



Be sure to check out the crazy new All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, now featuring The Vidcast Drinking Game so you can play along at home, and 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!).

And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

Remember, every time Glenn says 'awesome,' or Allison says 'mash-up,' take a shot!

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the South Jersey/Philadelphia area's best comics and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ. The store celebrates its Eighth Anniversary this Saturday (the 8th of September), so come on down, there will be free stuff, prizes, Batman will be there, and everything will be on sale!

Co-hosts Ed Evans, Allison Eckel, and Glenn Walker discuss the new comics out this week in wicked high definition video, and also available on the YouTube. See it here!

Discussion featured in this week's Special 8th Anniversary Sale Episode includes: The 8th Anniversary Sale, obscene hand gestures, Action Comics #0, two from the Batcave, two from Earth 2, Green Arrow #0, Green Lantern #0, Rotworld comics, Phantom Stranger #0, Smallville #5, Matt Fraction goes Marvel Method, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #14, Avengers Academy #36, Dark Avengers #180, First X-Men #2, Thanos Quest, Road to Oz #1 (of 6), Spawn of the Dead, Bronies unite, New Crusaders Rise of the Heroes #1, The Boys #70, Army of Darkness #5, Archer and Armstrong #2, Zenescope comics of the week, Flash Gordon Zeitgeist #6, Ed's trades, Star Wars hats, and manga.



Also this week we have this year's last installment of our special kids comics segment, featuring Thomas giving us the ten year old's perspective. The discussion included: Thomas is not a Brony, the Snarked trade and The Muppets #3 by Roger Langridge, Scooby-Doo at MonsterCon, Garfield superheroes, Phineas and Ferb Magazine #12, Amelia Rules, Winx Club, the 8th Anniversary Sale, and hats galore.



Be sure to check out the fantastic All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and 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!).

And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

Don't forget the All Things Fun! 8th Anniversary Sale Saturday!

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for 8-15-2012

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the area's best comics and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ.

Co-hosts Ed (The Answer Man) Evans, Allison (Alvin) Eckel and Glenn (The Question Man) Walker discuss the new comics out this week in wicked high definition video, and also available on the YouTube. See it here!

Discussion featured in this week's Special Gruesome Headwear Episode includes: The Walking Dead #101 and 100, Pathfinder #1, Voltron #7, The Victories #1 by Michael Avon Oeming, Ed's indies, Zenescope catfight, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman #12, Captain Atom #12, Birds of Prey #12, mysterious crashes, Legion of Super-Heroes #12, Blue Beetle #12, Supergirl #12, A vs. X Round Ten, Avengers comics of the week, Deadpool fun and furious, X-titles of week, Marvel action figures, Captain Marvel #2, Amazing Spider-Man #691, Daredevil #17, Ed's trades, manga, Doctor Who toys, and Justice League HeroClix.



Be sure to check out the fah-bulous new All Things Fun! website, and the All Things Fun! Blogs, by Allison and Glenn, and ATF! on YouTube (don't forget to subscribe to the channel while you're there!).

And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for the Week of 6-27-2012

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the area's best comics and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ.

Co-hosts Ed (Blue Lantern) Evans, Allison (No-Marvel Girl) Eckel, and Glenn (Doctor Mist) Walker discuss the new comics out this week in wicked high definition video, and also available on the YouTube. See it here!

Discussion featured in this week's episode includes: Ed's solo project, ATF! announcements, Teen Titans #10, Batman Inc. #2, All-Star Western #10, Superman #10, Justice League plain and Dark, Aquaman #10, Batman Dark Knight #10, Green Lantern New Guardians #10, Voodoo #10, Before Watchmen Nite Owl #1, Spider-Man vs. the Lizard everywhere, Spider-Men #2, X-Men Legacy #269, Juggalossus in X-Men #31, Glenn's thoughts on AvsX, how to tour Wakanda, The Cap and the Bold, Ultimates #12, free card, Star Trek and Doctor Who, Hit-Girl #1, Voltron #6, Buffy stuff, Archie the serial groom, and the trades of the week. Schism.



Also for the rest of the summer, our special kids comics segment returns, featuring Thomas giving us the ten year old's perspective. The discussion included: Happy Birthday, Thomas, Sonic Universe #41, Robert Kirkman's Super Dinosaur #11, Superman Family Adventures #2 by Art Baltazar and Franco, Marvel Universe Ultimate Spider-Man #3, Courtney Crumrin #3, Adventure Time #5, mystery box toys, and the unicorn with the kryptonite heart.



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

Special thanks go to Dina Evans who keeps us all in line, and on the straight and narrow, as well as running the show from behind the scenes.

And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

Playing bass for Ed's new solo project... Michael Anthony!

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for the Week of 5-2-2012

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast is shot live every week at All Things Fun! - the area's best comics and gaming store, located in West Berlin, NJ.

Co-hosts Blue Lantern Ed Evans, Honorary Avenger Allison Eckel, and the Glenn Walker of Earth 2 discuss the new comics out this week in two fun video segments, in wicked high definition, and available on the YouTube. See it here!

Discussion featured in this brand new extended episode includes: Free Comic Book Day 2012, the Batman Court of the Owls hardcover signed by Scott Snyder giveaway, the FCBD comics, Avengers and X-Men titles for the week, Invincible Iron Man #516 by Matt Fraction, Spider-Men, Earth 2 #1 by James Robinson, Action Comics #9, Night of the Owls, Red Lanterns #9, Dial H #1 by China Mieville, Teen Titans Annual #1, Smallville Season 11 #1, X-O Manowar #1 from the new Valiant Comics, Avengelyne #8 by Mark Poulton and Owen Gieni, Dynamite's The Spider #1 by Davis Liss, Voltron Year One #2 sans Voltron, guess who Archie marries this week, Allison's kids comics, and Ed's trades.



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

Special thanks go to Dina Evans who keeps us all in line, and on the straight and narrow, and runs the show from behind the scenes. And be back here every Wednesday (or Tuesdays at midnight) to watch the new broadcast, and thereafter throughout the week!

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for 2-8-2012

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 (Green Lantern) Evans, Allison (Exoristos) Eckel and Glenn (Kevin Keller) 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: Glenn finds out The Shadow is coming to Dynamite, comic news, Vertigo 2012 Previews, Deadpool #50, Scarlet Spider #2, Captain America #8, Secret Avengers #22, the AvX event at ATF!, Ed's X-titles, Demon Knights #6 by Paul Cornell, Bat-Demon-Seed, and Allison defends Superboy and the Teen Titans.



The discussion continues in segment two including: Ed does DC Comics, Mark Poulton does Savage Hawkman, Green Lantern #6, Frankenstein vs. Dr. Manhattan, very very quick DCs, Suicide Squad #6, Glenn likes Star Wars, the great gay Kevin Keller controversy, Ed likes Star Wars more, Thief of Thieves #1 by Robert Kirkman, Powers #8 by Brian Michael Bendis, Allison's kids comics including Adventure Time #1 and All-New Batman The Brave and the Bold #16, Ed's trades including the wrong Warlord of Mars, and Glenn gives up.



Be sure to check out the curious new 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!

Why does the All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast rock so hard? Because we're smarter, we're prettier, and we haven't killed each other ...yet.

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for 1-4-2012

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 (iZombie) Evans, Allison (Silver Swan) Eckel and Glenn (Batman Surprise) 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: Batman surprise, Huntress #4, Glenn has more comics than anyone else, Allison's DC books, Action Comics #5 and other Grant Morrison goodies, Ed's Marvels, outdated New Jersey references, Defenders #2, and stretch streeetch wrap it.



The discussion continues in segment two including: Ed's X-Men titles, Ultron War?, Rick Remender's X-Force, Avengers Annual and Academy, Fatale #1, Flash Gordon German lesson, John Carter goodness, Atlas Unified #1, Irredeemable #33, Godzilla goodies, Allison's kids comics, Life with Archie #16, Marvel action figures, and new manga.



Be sure to check out the outrageous new 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!

The Office-Bound Pokemon Tournament Allison-less Final 2011 Edition of the All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for 12-28-2011

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 Ed (X-Man) Evans, Allison (she'll be back next week) Eckel and Glenn (Avenger) 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: Trapped in the backroom, Green Lantern New Guardians #4, Teen Titans #4, Flash # by Francis Manapul, Savage Hawkman #4, Voodoo #4, Batman Dark Knight #4, Aquaman #4, DC Universe Legends #20, Vertigo, the X-Men titles, the Avengers books of the week including Young, Secret and Solo, and more Captain America than you can swing a shield at.



The discussion continues in segment two including: Forever Lazy, Black Panther #527, Matt Fraction's Mighty Thor #9, Archie meets KISS part two, Dungeons & Dragons #14, Star Trek #4, Buffy season 9 Angel and Faith #5, Max Damage vs. Plutonian is coming, Kirby Genesis Captain Victory #2 by Sterling Gates, Crossed Badlands Opening Salvo, booty of Mars, Mice Templar Book 6, Kick-Ass 2 #6, Sonic the Hedgehog #232, TMNT Micro-series Michelangelo #2, and awesome goodies I wish I'd gotten for Christmas.



Be sure to check out the terrific new 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!

And don't forget to check out highlights from our live Christmas Eve Eve vidcast here!

Don Kirshner 1934-2011

One of America's greatest music producers, and a driving force in popular music for decades, Don Kirshner, passed away yesterday from heart failure in Boca Raton, Florida. He was 76.

I think it's sad that there are probably generations who don't even know his name, or if they do, it's because of late night infomercials, or they think he's a character Paul Shaeffer played on "Saturday Night Live." Of course they are other generations, before the advent of MTV, who know the man and his contributions.

Kirshner was instrumental in starting the careers of numerous songwriters in the 1960s with his "Brill Building" school, where friend and producer Phil Specter also worked. 'Graduates' included Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond, Howard Greenfield, and Gerry Goffin. Together they scored dozens and dozens of hits, before they went on to have careers of their own, while Kirshner himself started several record labels and moved on into television. Known as "The Man with the Golden Ear," he was one of the folks who created the Monkees, as well as the cartoon Archies, both groups prefabricated, and he also discovered many 'real' music acts as well like Bobby Darin and Kansas.

Kirshner was also a 1970s fixture on Sunday late nights with his legendary "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert." There he introduced many acts to America for the first time like Prince, Blue Oyster Cult, Earth Wind and Fire, Parliament Funkadelic, the Sex Pistols, Alice Cooper, Rush, Linda Ronstadt, KISS, Ted Nugent, David Bowie, and the Ramones, just to name a few of the hundreds who appeared on the program. The series, which ran from 1973-1981, was notable for being live and not allowing acts to lipsync, a widespread curse of the 1970s. We didn't have MTV, we had Don.

We have lost one of the true geniuses of the music industry, he will be missed.

What's Your Lunchbox?

I'm old, I grew up waaay back in the 1970s. Back then, in public school at least, everything you had was a status symbol. I've talked about SSP Racers before, but the real status symbol of those elementary days was The Lunchbox.

First it was all about the lunchbox you got, whether you picked it out yourself, or your parents got it for you, you were psyched for the first day of school, so you could show it off, and show everyone how cool you were. Or not.

I was a geek, I am a geek, I mean. I was never the cool kid, never. Round about first and second grade I was all into comics and also Peanuts. I loved Snoopy and Charlie Brown, and especially Linus. Why I never had a blanket or thumbsucking problem is beyond me. But the point is I had a Snoopy lunchbox.

My lunch box was a big goofy yellow dome metal lunch box that kind of had Snoopy sleeping on top as if it was his doghouse and said, "Go to school with Snoopy" and "Have lunch with Snoopy." Again, me being a dopey kid, I had two of them, cuz I left one at the bus stop one morning. Dopey and forgetful.

At the time, and in hindsight, I really was very uncool. I still remember decades alter who had the really cool lunchboxes. "Land of the Giants" and "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," "Johnny Lightning" and "The Archies," and the Beatles Yellow Submarine - those are the folks you wanted to sit next to at lunch, just to look at their lunchbox.

Throughout my elementary school days things changed as tin turned to plastic, the Archies turned to Josie and Pussycats, and "Land of the Giants" turned to "Six Million Dollar Man," but the lunchbox continued to be a status symbol. It faded away as I entered junior high and high school obviously. Heck, those places had vending machines - what did we need with lunchboxes any more?

As with most nostalgia however, lunchboxes, especially the tin kind have made a comeback. We have a miniature Superfriends lunchbox as a Christmas tree ornament, and The Bride uses a Nightmare Before Christmas lunchbox for her stage make-up. So what's your lunchbox?

The All Things Fun! New Comics Vidcast for 11-30-2011

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 (Bronze Age) Evans, Allison (Post-Crisis) Eckel and Glenn (Silver Age) 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: Tiny Titans #46 and the identity of the New DC 52 Mystery Girl, Green Lantern the Animated Series #0 - both by Art Baltazar and Franco, Archie Meets KISS!, Archie Babies, Ed's Marvels including Thunderbolts, Ghost Rider and the X-Men titles, and Glenn's Marvels including Red Skull, Mark Waid's Daredevil, the FF and the whole Marvel Universe B through C.



The discussion continues in segment two including: Paul Levitz' Legion: Secret Origin #2, THUNDER Agents new and old by Nick Spencer, Fables and its television counterparts, Ed's indies including Star Wars from Dark Horse, Buffy Season 9, TMNT, and Avengelyne by Mark Poulton, Allison's kids comics, Star Trek #3, Green Lantern action figures trades and winter Angry Birds.



Be sure to check out the crazy new 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!

Archie Comics Interview

My Silver Bullet Comics interview with Fernando Ruiz of Archie Comics is now online:

http://www.silverbulletcomics.com/news/story.php?a=4916

Check it out.