General Hospital Revisited

Oh how quickly and flawlessly we are pulled back in.

I’m in the doctor’s office trying not to lose my mind. My cellphone is off. I, unlike the others in the waiting room, read and obeyed the sign saying to turn off all cellphones and pagers. Really, can that many people not read, or do they just not care? I have exhausted the copious supply of women’s and golf magazines, some multiple copies of the same issues, and I hear a word I haven’t heard in decades.

Cassadine.

Yes, decades. Was it thirty years ago or more? I look up at the TV in the upper corner of the waiting room and see another face from the shadows of the past, Luke Spencer, as played by Anthony Geary.

Memories flood back in a rushing tide and in just one minute I am back on the “General Hospital” bandwagon. Once again it was the summer of 1980. The reign of Luke and Laura on afternoon television and pop culture was in full swing. Everyone was talking about such arcane things like ‘the left-handed boy’ and ‘the ice princess’ and it was a code that only GH viewers were hip to.

I remember one particular afternoon I was mocked by friends because I wanted to see GH and they sat down with me to watch it ... and they were mesmerized by a tale of a madman attempting to freeze the entire eastern seaboard. It blew their minds. That wasn’t what soap operas were supposed to be at all.

Later Luke and Laura got married in a ratings extravaganza that guest-starred Elizabeth Taylor as the matriarch of the evil Cassadine family. A novelty rap song came out about the show. Richard Simmons, Rick Springfield, Richard Dean Anderson and John Stamos all jumped from the soap opera to overnight success.

Soon everybody was into GH and it just wasn’t special anymore. Anthony Geary and Genie Francis, who had played Laura, left the series for a time. The thrill was gone. But here I am, back in the groove. Damn soap operas... just like crack...

Mighty Avengers #32 Review

"Back on Track" - my comic book review of Mighty Avengers #32, by Dan Slott and Khoi Pham, is now online at Avengers Forever.

The Mighty Avengers vs. the Dark Avengers, Henry Pym vs. Norman Osborn, the Absorbing Man returns and the creative team gets things back on track - all this and more - check out my review here:

http://www.avengersforever.org/reviews/default.asp?RID=635

Enjoy!

If you want to discuss this review, this issue or anything Avengers, please check out the Avengers Forever Forum.

Art Clokey 1921-2010

The stop motion clay animation genius who created Gumby, as well as Davey and Goliath for the Lutheran Church, passed away yesterday in his sleep.

Art Clokey, born Arthur Farrington, was the first to bring claymation as it came to be called, to television. He introduced Gumby on "The Howdy Doody Show" in the 1950s and soon was spun off into his own television adventures, becoming pop culture icon. This master will be missed.

Catching Up with the Mighty Avengers

"The Secret Return of Nick Fury" - my comic book review of Mighty Avengers #12, by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev, is also now online at Avengers Forever.

Where has Nick Fury been since the Secret War and what’s he been up to, and why can’t he trust anyone any more? Find out all this and more – and check out my review here:

http://www.avengersforever.org/reviews/default.asp?RID=607

"New Howling Commandos #1" - my comic book review of Mighty Avengers #13, by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev, is also now online at Avengers Forever.

Where are the Avengers? Not a one in sight as Nick Fury gathers a new team to fight the Skrulls’ Secret Invasion in this seeming pilot for a new series - all this and more - check out my review here:

http://www.avengersforever.org/reviews/default.asp?RID=609

"Skrulls, Secrets, and the Sentry" - my comic book review of Mighty Avengers #14, by Brian Michael Bendis and Khoi Pham, is also now online at Avengers Forever.

Young Gun artist Khoi Pham begins his run on Mighty Avengers and rocks the house with this Sentry solo spotlight - all this and more - check out my review here:

http://www.avengersforever.org/reviews/default.asp?RID=610

"Personal Worst" - my comic book review of Mighty Avengers #15, by Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita Jr., is now online as well at Avengers Forever.

Whatever happened to Henry Pym? Trust me, you don’t want to know… another of Pym’s darkest hours at the hands of Bendis - all this and more - check out my review here:

http://www.avengersforever.org/reviews/default.asp?RID=612

"Eulogy for the Wasp" - my comic book review of Mighty Avengers #20, by Brian Michael Bendis and various artists, is now online at Avengers Forever.

After the final battle of the Secret Invasion, the Avengers mourn one of their own - all this and more - check out my review here:

http://www.avengersforever.org/reviews/default.asp?RID=615

Enjoy!

If you want to discuss these reviews, these issues or anything Avengers, please check out the Avengers Forever Forum.

Loews Cherry Hill Does Not Want My Business

You’ve all heard my rap on Loews Theatres in Cherry Hill NJ before, but after my experience Christmas night I have come to the conclusion that not only don’t they want my money – they don’t want your money either, and furthermore, they just don’t care.

For the scary high prices they now charge for a movie ticket, well over ten dollars, they expect you to watch a film sometimes with the lights on, usually with audience members talking loudly, either to each other or on their cellphones, and texting throughout. And if you say anything to these other audience members they will sometimes go as far as to threaten you. That’s just part of the experience at the Cherry Hill Loews it seems, part of what you’re paying for I guess.

Now when I brought this to the attention of the manager on duty, Kathryn by name (and only first name as employees are not allowed to give their full names, nor are they allowed to give the names of superiors), the theatres are supposed to be checked by an employee once per show. I never saw anyone come in, and if they had, they would have seen all the lit cellphones and also noticed that the audience noise was drowning out the sound of the film.

Now an argument might be made that they were busy that night and might not have had time to check the theatres. Why then did more than a few employees I saw (before the film when it was even busier) have time to chat with friends, throw cups back and forth behind the snack counter, and chase each other into the rest room? Yeah, they were busy all right.

Now Kathryn No-Name was nice enough give us passes to see another film at the wonderful Loews Theatres where we would be treated to probably a similar experience. I would have rather gotten my money back. After all, if I had gotten rat poison instead of Frosted Flakes, do you think the folks at Kelloggs would have given me my money back or another box of rat poison?

Is this what the movie theatre experience is about these days? At least at Loews Cherry Hill it is. There is an alternative. I would like to direct anyone seeking a movie night out to the Showcase at the Ritz in Voorhees. It’s not far from Loews and has just about the same variety of films and even some from off the beaten path. Not only is the viewing experience a pleasure, but the staff is friendly and cooperative. They also have various special events and goodies all the time. They have my full endorsement, and would love your business. And no, I don’t know anyone there, nor do I work for them, they just know about customer service unlike some theatres.