Month: September 2014

Marvel Spectacular #13, 1974 “The Scourge of the Super Skrull”

Posted on by billyd75

Originally presented in Thor #142 (1967), this issue features Thor, accepting a challenge from a man on a motorcycle that wishes to race against him! Well, OK, that’s not the main part of the story, but it is the funniest. The story’s best parts, involved Thor fighting against the menace of the Super Skrull. This villain that regularly gives the Fantastic Four all they can handle, sets his sights on the thunder god, with a little motivation from Loki, Thor’s devious brother! There’s also a backup story “Aftermath,” and shows more of the machinations of Loki.

You get the usual magic from Kirby in this issue, but of course, the jury is still out on whether Vince Colletta did the pencils justice or not. Personally, Colletta’s inks don’t bother me as much on Thor as compared to The Fantastic Four, but to each his own. Written by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack ‘King’ Kirby, inks by Vince Colletta, and letters by Artie Simek! The glory and grandeur of the mighty Thor will always be tops thanks to the king of comics!

 

Image

Image (2)

Image (3)

Image (4)

Image (5)

Image (6)

Image (7)

Image (8)

Image (9)

Cinema Sunday: World Without End (1956)

Posted on by billyd75

worldwithoutend

Title: World Without End

Distributor: Allied Artists

Writer: Edward Bernds

Director: Edward Bernds

Producer: Richard Heermance

Starring: Hugh Marlowe, Nancy Gates, Rod Taylor, Nelson Leigh, Shawn Smith

Release: March 25, 1956

MPAA: PG

 

I’ve been dying to return to some Science Fiction, so why not return to the best decade for that genre, the 1950’s! The theme of space exploration was used heavily in this decade (and for the next couple), but for me, as long as the story is good, and the acting at least above average, it never gets old. This film has a solid cast, good sets, and a very good music score! Oh, and the first thing you see (even before the credits), is an atomic bomb detonating! C’mon, you know you’ve got a good movie on your hands when the beginning brings something that cool!

Well, rather than going on about this one for too long, I’ll just say that you should really see this film for no other reason than Rod Taylor, and a pack of gorgeous women! They have this film on Warner Archive now, so get over there and give it a watch!

 

wwe1

 

The film begins with a group of military men telling the Pentagon that a ship out in space has gone silent for a couple of days. A spokesperson then tells some reporters that they can’t give any information about it until they investigate further. This same spokesman, comforts a woman and her children, because apparently her husband is one of the men on the mission. Switching to a TV station, a man tells the world that the space mission near Mars may have ended in disaster, with the ship losing communications with Earth. Speaking of the ship, we see it hurtling through space, as the communications officer, Ellis (Rod Taylor – The Time Machine, The Birds), informs the commander, Galbraithe (Nelson Leigh – Gunfight at the O.K. Corral), that they still cannot connect with Earth. Along with the rest of the crew, science officer,  Borden (Hugh Marlowe – The Day the Earth Stood Still), and engineer, Jaffee (Christopher Dark), they are all optimistic about their return to Earth. Just as they finish some a last pass by the red planet, they ready themselves for the long trip home. Suddenly, the ship is tossed all over the place, and the crew hangs on for dear life!

 

wwe1.5

After a crash landing, the crew believes they’ve landed on Mars or another nearby planet. As they look out the window, they see snow-covered mountaintops. They initially theorize, that they might be on Mars, but quickly discern that they are most certainly not. A Geiger counter tells them that there is some radiation, but nothing toxic. Ellis attempts to use the radio to contact someone, but gets static. The crew then packs up their gear, and heads out to explore this strange new world.

After walking for a while, they stop for a rest, and talk over a game plan. Jaffee is having a difficult time adjusting, and the rest of the crew wishes someone with a family hadn’t been allowed on the mission. They discover a cave, and upon exploring it, find a huge spiderweb. Ellis gets a bit too close though, and gets tangled up in it, then attacked by a huge spider! They wrestle with it, then shoot it at point-blank range. Another one tries to ambush them, but they put the kibosh to that one quickly with their pistols. Back outside, they find a clearing, but decide it will take too long to get anywhere else today, so they settle in for the night, and make camp.

 

wwe2

During the night, we see a group of savages surround the camp, and they viciously attack the crew. Eventually, Ellis gets to his sidearm, and puts a couple of them down, and the rest flee. They notice that the attackers seem to be part human, part animal. The next day, they grab their gear and head off for the clearing they saw the day before. They come upon a gravestone, and it is then that they realize that they have time traveled into Earth’s future. Borden tells the rest of the crew that they were caught up in a time dilation, and pierced the sound barrier, and traveled into the far-flung future. Jaffee is having a tough time dealing with the fact that his family is long dead. They believe that there must have been a giant catastrophe that decimated the world, years before their arrival. They also think that the beasts that attacked them earlier are mutated human beings.

As they search on, Borden sees some unnatural smoke, and volunteers to investigate. The rest of the crew talks about his family, that died in a plane crash years ago. Just as they finish talking, another group of mutates attacks Borden, but between his fighting prowess, and the others hooting, they manage to fight off the mutates for a while. The mutates outnumber them by a long-shot though, so they hide in a tunnel nearby. As they look around, they find a steel door, that is obviously man-made, and harboring something. Another steel door closes to seal off the cave, and then another opens, inviting them inside. They enter, and are almost immediately met by a man who asks them to follow him down a corridor. They are brought before a council that informs them that Armageddon ravaged the planet, and that they are all that’s left of the human race, along with the mutates. And also, that it is now the year 2508!

 

wwe3

As they get more familiar with each other, a door opens, and a beautiful woman enters, Garnet (Nancy Gates), and introduces herself as the leader’s daughter. She escorts the men to a room where they can relax, and then two other women, Deena (Lisa Montell), and Elaine (Shirley Patterson) . The weary explorers are at a loss for words. Galbraithe then asks the girls why they haven’t gone back above ground since the radiation levels are livable. She explains that they have come accustomed to living there, and that the mutates might kill them, so they’d rather live below in peace.

A few hours later, Galbraithe meets with the council to discuss some things, but they only want to talk about ancient history, and he wishes to discuss fixing the ship to explore the rest of the planet. One of the council members, Mories (Booth Coleman – Planet of the Apes), is very skeptical about their intentions, and wants them to either conform or leave. The men take a tour of the complex, and Garnet gives Borden a “private tour” because they seem to be sweet on each other. There’s a bit of jealousy on the part of Mories, as he gives Borden the evil eye when he sees Garnet giving him so much attention.

 

wwe5

The crew repeatedly attempts to sway the council to rise to the surface, and defeat the mutates, and live as humans should, on top of the surface. The council seems to think the crew might have a point, but Mories keeps frightening them with stories of how they’ll be murdered by the mutates. The crew even asks to just be able to use some men to make it to their ship, and also use their factory to make weapons, but they are told that isn’t possible. Mories is then seen spying on them, and then tells the other council members that the crew is planning a coup. Garnet talks to her father, Timmek (Everett Glass), (the leader of the underground people), and tries to convince him that they are sincere, and just want harmony for all mankind.

 

wwe6

One of the other council members reports this to Mories, who then devises a plan to frame the crew for crimes against the council. He steals the weapons of the crew (that were confiscated earlier), and then hides them in their room, and accuses them of subterfuge. The council has a kangaroo court that finds them guilty, and they’re locked up and told that they’ll be thrown out with nothing more than what they had when they came to the community. As Mories was stealing the weapons though, he was discovered by one of the other council members, so he killed him to hide his actions. He blames the crew for that as well. The women don’t believe it though ( as they’ve fallen in love with the crew members), so they agree to help them escape. Unbeknownst to Mories, Deena saw him enter the room of the crew, and tries to report him, but he attacks her as well. She eventually recovers, and outs Mories.  He runs to the only place where he can get away, the outside world. Within seconds he’s savagely attacked and killed by the mutates.

 

worldwithoutend3

The council changes their mind, and agrees to help the crew with furnishing weapons and some men to help them make their way to the ship. Will they be able to fight off the mutates, and make it to the ship? Will they ever see the 20th century again? Only watching the movie will get you those answers!

 

OK, here are my thoughts:

There’s no two ways to say this other than if you like Sci-Fi, you need to see this movie. It’s not as flashy as Forbidden Planet, but I’d guess that the budget was significantly less, so you’d have to factor that in the equation. The crew of the ship really do grow on you, and have you on their side from the beginning. Rod Taylor does a fantastic job at playing the young, cocky space-jocky type, and Hugh Marlowe and Nelson Leigh really excel at being the “father figure” types for the younger two crew members.  Of course you get some of the same tropes in this film that you get in most others of this period, but if you think about it, they’re still being used to this day in one way or another, so they can’t be labeled as tiresome in a movie from 1956.

The sets/locations for this film were pretty good, and really looked best in the outdoor scenes. The underground community set was solid as well, and looked like something straight out of a Star Trek episode (even though this movie predates that series by ten years!). There’s a bit of social commentary in the film but it doesn’t get too heavy or ridiculous. The music score (Leith Stevens), was very good, and I haven’t personally ever heard of this gentleman, but I’m definitely going to keep my eyes open and look for more of his work.

As I said above, either grab this film on DVD (you can get it in a double pack with Satellite in the Sky (1956) for around $12-15. Or if you have any kind of tablet, download the Warner Archive app, because you can get a month of free movies, where this flick is available as of now. Do yourself a favor, and give some of these classics a shot. They really did lay the foundation for the rest of the movies and TV shows for years to come in this genre!

 

 Click here for a clip!

 

 

Moon Knight #23, 1982 “Perchance to Scream”

Posted on by billyd75

I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of Moon Knight. No vitriol here, but I just never was a huge fan for some unknown reason. That being said, I am picking up a few issues to give the character a shot. One of these issues is Moon Knight #23, and with a cover like this one (by Bill Sienkiewicz), you cannot deny the high “cool” factor it delivers. The issue is basically a part two of  an encounter between Moonie and his foe, Morpheus. I’m not too familiar with this adversary, but he looks completely deranged, and a perfect fit for this title. Oh, and if you didn’t know, “Perchance to Scream” is a riff on “Perchance to Dream”, by Shakespeare (Hamlet).

Let’s be honest about this book. Doug Moench (writer) and Bill Sienkiewicz (pencils & inks) made this character what he is to this day. It’s the defining run for Moon Knight, and from what I have read/heard, rightly so. Sienkiewicz is definitely an acquired taste, and one that you definitely have to give a chance with reading a few issues and just not one or two before you make up your mind. Personally, I find his work striking, and just flat-out different from everyone else in the biz. Letters by Joe Rosen, colors by Christie Scheele, and edited by Denny O’Neil!

 

Image (240)

Image (242)

Image (243)

Image (244)

Image (245)

Image (246)

Marvel’s Greatest Comics #71, 1977 “The Madness of the Mole Man”

Posted on by billyd75

Switching gears for a moment away from the Marvel team books, I’d like to showcase this one adventure of the Fantastic Four. There very first adversary, and always a classic, the Mole Man, is back, and ready to finish off Marvel’s first family! The brilliance of Jack Kirby shines through, as we see a subterranean skirmish, a wonderful photo collage of outer space, and the electronic wonders of Kirby’s limitless mind. You come to expect this when you read anything Kirby, and that is the greatest testament to the man’s status as a comic book genius.

Honestly, you can never go wrong with Kirby/Lee Fantastic Four. These issues had a certain newness to them, and a charm that no other comic book has had ever, or in a very long time. Written by Stan Lee, art by Jack ‘King’ Kirby & Joe Sinnott, and letters by Sam Rosen! A marvelous splash page of the Mole Man attacking the team is just one of the gems in this issue! Enjoy!

 

Image (43)

Image (44)

Image (45)

Image (46)

Image (47)

Image (48)

Cinema Sunday: The Frozen Dead (1966)

Posted on by billyd75

the_frozen_dead

Title: The Frozen Dead

Distributor: Warner/Seven Arts Pictures

Writer: Herbert Leder

Director: Herbert Leder

Producers: Robert Goldstein, Herbert Leder, Tom Sachs

Starring: Dana Andrews, Anna Palk, Philip Gilbert, Kathleen Breck, Karel Stepanek

Released: October 1966 (U.K.), November 15, 1967 (U.S.)

MPAA: UR

It’s been a while since I reviewed a Nazi zombie flick, so why not check out another one? Of course, that question is redundant, but let’s not lose sight of something more important. Why aren’t there more movies like this around? I actually like this movie more than the previous one I reviewed (Shockwaves), and it pains me to say that because Peter Cushing is in the other movie, but not this one. Alas, not every movie has Cushing in it, and most are poorer because of that simple fact.

Anyways, as we forage on to the meat and potatoes of this flick from 1966 (also the year that Hammer Studios released Plague of the Zombies, The Reptile, Rasputin the Mad Monk, Dracula Prince of Darkness, The Witches, and so on), that never seems to get any adulation. Be advised, this one is a bit convoluted, so it’s going to be  a long one. Alright, I now present to you  – The Frozen Dead!

The film begins in a wooded area outside a large mansion, and we hear an incredibly terrifying scream. From a window of the mansion, a creepy looking butler-type dude watches, as a man, Karl Essen (Alan Tilvern), is leading a chain gang towards the house. These men have a strange look about them, and suddenly one actually attacks Karl. He’s quickly shrugged off though, and then Karl uses his whip on him, beating him mercilessly.

Inside the mansion, Dr. Norburg (Dana Andrews) is working in his laboratory. Karl joins him after putting the men in a locked room, and the two begin to conduct an experiment. Dr. Norburg remarks that a General Lubeck (Karel Stepanek) is coming to check on his progress, and he can’t understand why Lubeck chose now to visit. Karel makes an odd facial expression, and Dr. Norburg then realizes that Karl is the one that reported to General Lubeck about their progress. Karl attempts to deny communicating behind Dr. Norburg’s back, but quickly realizes it’s useless. Dr. Norburg tells Karl that he’s been aware of these “secret” communications for sometime now. General Lubeck has also told Dr. Norburg to revive another one of his “soldiers” and have him ready for inspection upon his arrival.

frozendead0

You see, it has been made clear, that Dr. Norburg is part of some secret scientific experiment, where he freezes, then later revives frozen Nazis for some unheard of purpose. Dr. Norburg then commands Karl to get the latest subject ready for unfreezing. Meanwhile, there’s a knock at the front door, and the creepy butler opens the door. General Lubeck and Dr. Tirpitz have arrived, and immediately go to the laboratory to see Dr. Norburg’s progress. Dr. Norburg and Karl are excited to see them, and then the process is begun. As they begin to revive one of the subjects, another knock at the door occurs, and when Joseph (the butler) answers the door, we see Dr. Norburg’s niece, Jean (Anna Palk), has arrived home, a week or so early from school. She also brought a friend, Elsa Tenney (Kathleen Breck), who seems a bit leery of showing up unannounced. Jean assures her it will be OK with her uncle, and they head inside.

Dr. Norburg tries to explain to General Lubeck that he can easily revive a body, but it’s the brain that is posing the greatest difficulty. He exclaims that he needs a live brain to study, and learn how to revive it that way. He then shows them a room full of “zombies”, or the revived Nazis. Most of them are catatonic but have one memory that has been revived along with their body. Each Nazi keeps acting out one memory from their earlier lifetime, before they were frozen. One of them attacks General Lubeck, and we then find out that it is Dr. Norburg’s brother (Edward Fox). Back in the lab, Karl and Dr. Norburg attempt to revive the last Nazi, and poke him in the brain, giving him life. Just then, the door bursts open, and Karl surprises Dr. Norburg, and he pokes the brain a bit too hard, and the experiment is a failure.

frozendead1

Dr. Norburg tells his “buddies” that he’s invited an American doctor to help him, and that this man has  great deal of experience in this area of expertise. Karl tells Dr. Norburg that he can get him a brain (from the morgue), but Dr. Norburg tells him that a dead brain is no good. later that night after everyone is in bed, Karl is creeping around, and peeks in on Jean. She hears the door squeak, and gets up to investigate. Karl hides, and then takes a trip to Elsa’s room. She starts to wake up, but Karl sticks a needle into her neck, and then carries her off. The next thing we see, Elsa is downstairs, with a pair of hands nearing her neck. Karl then wakes Dr. Norburg and tells him there’s been an accident. We see Dr. Norburg’s brother, leering over her dead body. Karl tells Dr. Norburg that they should use her brain for the experiment, but Dr. Norburg is hesitant. Eventually, Karl tells him that General Norburg wouldn’t be happy if he let this opportunity pass by unused.

The next day, we see Karl buying a train ticket for a woman. We don’t see her face, but we know it’s obviously not Elsa. Jean wakes up, and immediately goes to Elsa’s room, and finds her missing. She searches for her, but cannot find her anywhere. Back at the train station, we see Dr. Ted Roberts (Philip Gilbert), as he gets off of the train. He arrives at the house, and Karl invites him inside, he then is shown to his room (the last occupant was Elsa). Jean is then told that Elsa asked to be taken to the train station early in the morning, and that she would call when she gets to London.  Later,  Dr. Ted walks around the bed of his room, and he sees a pair of feet dangling out from under the bed. He asks the person if they need a hand, and Jean comes out from under the bed, and is annoyed. She’s looking for some evidence that there was foul play with her friend, Elsa. Jean then storms out of the room.

frozendead3

Down in the lab, Dr. Norburg and Karl are marveling about the “head” that’s being kept alive. Dr. Norburg tells Karl to keep it locked up, and to tell no one. He then invites Dr. Ted to visit his lab, and the two discuss their love of science. Dr. Norburg then shows Dr. Ted a wall that has human arms hanging out of it, and the other side has electrical wires attached to them. With a couple of buttons and switches, he activates the arms and makes them move as if alive. Dr. Norburg and Dr. Ted head upstairs, and run into Jean. She’s all excited because she found a button from one of Elsa’s suits. Dr. Ted tells her that he saw a woman with similar buttons on a hat get on a train as he got off the day before. Jean is still unconvinced that Elsa left without telling her. Downstairs, Karl wants to peek at the “head”, so he unlocks the cabinet. We now see the hideous head of Elsa (blue for some reason), and it sneers at Karl with hate-filled eyes.

At night, Jean is having a nightmare about Elsa, but is it just a nightmare or Elsa calling out to her mentally? She screams out loud, and Dr. Ted comes in to see if she’s OK. She tells him that it was a nightmare, and he comforts her. She tells Dr. Ted that she had a dream that Elsa was dead, and decapitated, and that her body was buried nearby. Dr. Ted then tries to put the moves on Jean, but she’s not having it, and takes a sedative. He asks her to show him around tomorrow, and she’s hesitant. She agrees to show him around, but also to visit the train station and ask about her friend boarding the train.

frozendead2

The next day they go to the train station, but the man at the gate said that he didn’t see the woman’s face. Just as they are about to give up, Jean sees a man boarding the train with Elsa’s baggage. They try to stop him, but the train takes off too quickly. Jean then snaps at Dr. Ted, and they split up. She then visits a Mrs. Miller (a neighbor perhaps?), and asks if her husband just boarded the train with someone’s luggage. The woman gets furious, and tells her that her husband knows no other women. She leaves, and the scene switches back to the mansion, and Dr. Ted walking around the estate. He then hears one of the Nazis scream (like at the beginning of the flick), and investigates. Dr. Norburg sees that the Nazis aren’t doing well, and questions Karl about it. Karl snaps at him, and blames the “head” in the box.

As Dr. Ted is about to find the Nazis, Karl hits him over the head, knocking him unconscious. He wakes in the office of Dr. Norburg, who in-turn blames his brother. Dr. Norburg then tells Dr. Ted about the “accident” that killed Elsa, and that they lopped her head off and are keeping it for study. He then shows it to Dr. Ted, and the two of them are in full arousal about the achievement. Elsa looks at both of them with bad intentions, and then Dr. Ted agrees to help Dr. Norburg with his experiments. That night, Jean (and her plunging neckline nightie) is visited by Dr. Ted, and makes another attempt to seduce Jean. Down in the basement, Karl sees that the Nazis are scared of something, and we see Elsa trying to communicate with Jean telepathically. She wakes up in the night, and realizes that something is incredibly wrong.

frozendead5

The next morning, Jean is having breakfast with her uncle and Dr. Ted, and she asks to see his laboratory. He’s caught off-guard, but relents to her request, and tells her that she can visit as soon as he and Dr. Ted are done with an experiment. He gives Karl a look, and then we see him down in the lab, inspecting the head. Dr. Norburg sees that Karl is getting agitated. but he tells him to calm down. Dr. Ted is creeped out by the head, so they agree to put off the experiment for another day. General Lubeck thinks that Karl may have given out information about the experiment, so he tortures  him until he gives up that he knows the “Smith’s” from in town. They are the ones that aided him in the ruse at the train station. They are also former Nazis that would be in trouble and get deported and charged with war crimes if the police found out. Speaking of the police, Jean has told them that there are some shenanigans going on, and pointed them in the direction of the Smith family.

Karl begins to crack up, and General Lubeck has had enough of his timidity. Lubeck decides to deep freeze Karl to shut him up, and Dr. Norburg realizes this is getting out of hand. Lubeck orders him to continue with the experiment, so he gets the head out of the box, and tells Dr. Ted it is time to continue. Dr. Norburg has the head wired to the arms in the wall, and he commands the head to move the arms. The arms never move, and Dr. Ted seems to be losing his interest in the project, and also that he suspects something has happened to Karl. Dr. Norburg gets furious when Dr. Ted contradicts his theories on why the experiment failed, and now General Lubeck and Dr. Tirpitz are also wondering if things can go ahead as planned. Will the experiment be completed or will the head survive!

frozendead4

OK, here are my thoughts:

I don’t care what anyone says, this film rocks! Where else can you see Nazis Popsicle guys, a severed head, a wall of arms, and oh yeah, two beautiful women!?! This film was brilliant because of how quirky it is from start to finish. The very small cast is quite good, and everyone is professional and spot on with their characters. Anna Palk initially started out a bit like the dopey girl in distress, but she quickly became more than that when she began to investigate further into the disappearance of her friend. Dana Andrews (Night of the Demon, Battle of the Bulge), gives a great performance, and makes you believe in Dr. Norburg, who’s a tortured soul, to say the least. Alan Tilvern also gives us a great “Igor” for lack of a better description. You do feel terrible for him at the end, but then you remember what he did earlier, and you for get that notion.

The sets were pretty good, nothing crazy awesome, but definitely sufficient for the film. The music score (Don Banks) was as to be expected when you see the name attached.  Banks has always done a good job in my opinion, and deserves a pat on the back. You can definitely poke holes in this film, no doubt about it, but you should also give it its due and sit down to watch it sometime. It really does leave you feeling creeped out but also like you just saw a solid film. Maybe you can argue that there’s too much going on at certain points, or maybe that the Nazis, Lubeck and Tirpitz, are kind of unnecessary, and nothing more than a device to move the plot along  but really, they aren’t that much out-of-place. Either way, the film deserve some attention from horror/sci-fi fans out there in the world!

 

Click here for the trailer!

Marvel Two-in-One #92 “This Evil Returning” and #93 “And One Shall Die” (1982)

Posted on by billyd75

In this double-sized post, I’ll be showcasing a two-part story featuring the Thing, as he takes on the menace of Ultron! The good news is, he wont have to face him alone. The bad news is, that even with Machine Man and Jocasta, he’s still in over his head! The entire series of Marvel Two-in-One was just something to marvel at (no pun intended). The myriad of stories and creators was a melting pot during the Bronze Age for some of Marvel’s best, and most talented creators. Especially when you look at the fact that most don’t get the recognition they deserve. Names like Ron Wilson, Chic Stone, Tom Defalco, David Anthony Kraft, Jo Duffy, Alan Kupperberg, and so on. These professionals gave it their all, and whether you want to admit it or not, were just as big a part of the industry as some of the more recognized names at that time. They kept characters roles expanding, as well as keeping them in-line with continuity and moving forward.

This great two-part story was given to us by Tom Defalco (writer), Ron Wilson (cover and interior pencils), Chic Stone (cover inks) Joe Rosen (letters), Don Warfield and George Roussos (colors), and edited by Jim Salicrup! The inking was done by committee, but at no time did the work suffer for it. Sometimes when you get too many hands in the pot, you have a recipe for disaster, but not here! Some really good character interaction plus great humor as well. Feast your eyes on these two books!

 

Image (3)

Image (4)

Image (5)

Image (25)

Image (26)

Image (27)

Image (28)

Image (29)

Image (30)

Image (31)

Image (32)

Fantasy Masterpieces #10, 1980 “A World He Never Made”

Posted on by billyd75

This issue is my first grab of this title, and I can’t wait to get my hands on more of them! When you see the wondrous world that ‘Big’ John Buscema creates just in the first couple of pages, you’ll be awestruck. He can really make you believe that you’ve exited your body, and entered another world. His uncanny ability to capture characters, especially when they’re in an emotional distress, coupled with his great use of anatomy, is what made him so very special.

In this story, the Surfer is trying to further understand the human race, and that’s something that has proved most difficult for him since his former master, Galactus, banished him to Earth. After witnessing a cop trying to help a suicide attempt on a bridge, the Surfer dresses up like Dick Tracy to “blend in’, and assess mankind down among the people! He hangs out in South America for a while, but realizes that a militaristic group has taken control of the area, and will kill anything they deem untrustworthy. In a subplot, out in space (but nearing Earth), the beloved of the Silver Surfer, the beautiful Shalla Bal, is a passenger aboard the ship of Yarro Gort, and he means to embarrass the Surfer, and take Shalla Bal for his own!

A good story with powerful art! Buscema was such a master at anatomy, and facial expressions specifically. He really knew how to get everything out of a character in pain, or that was suffering. The back-up story is one I own in a couple of different formats, but it’s still very cool. Jim  Starlin gives us “The Terrible Trial of Adam Warlock” (Strange Tales #180, 1975), and the whole cast is here for the ride! Pip the Troll, Gamora, and the Universal Church of Truth! Other creators include – Dan Adkins (inker – SS story), Sam Rosen (letters – SS story), Stan Lee (writer – SS story), Tom Orzechowski (letters – Warlock story), Alan Weiss (inker), Len Wein (editor), and Danny Fingeroth (reprint editor)!

 

Image (232)

Image (233)

Image (235)

Image (236)

Image (237)

Image (238)

Image (239)

Image (241)

 

Marvel Two-in-One #48, 1978 “My Master, Machinesmith”

Posted on by billyd75

As promised, here is the second part of the Thing/Yancy Street Gang/Jack of Hearts story! At the end of the last issue, we saw the Thing get captured by the Machinesmith, and his robots. Now, Jack of Hearts enters the fray, and the plot thickens! Everything actually looks like it’s going to get better, as Ben Grimm escapes his bonds, and attempts to attack the Machinesmith. He gets mind-controlled though, and is then sent to kill Jack of Hearts! A great brawl between both heroes ensues, and then more craziness with the Yancy Street Gang, as well!

Another great one from Bill Mantlo, and pencils by Chic Stone (RIP),but sadly, Stone doesn’t ink his pencils again (as he did in the earlier issue), and no offense to Tex Blaisdell (RIP), but the artwork was definitely sub-par compared to last issues brilliance. Not that it’s bad, but it’s just not up to the level that Stone gave us before. The colorist is Mario Sen, letters by Elaine Heinl and Gaspar, edited by Roger Stern, and the cover once again, by Chic Stone! Enjoy!

 

Image (225)

Image (226)

Image (227)

Image (228)

Image (229)

Image (230)

Image (231)

 

 

Marvel Two-in-One #47, 1978 “Happy Deathday, Mister Grimm”

Posted on by billyd75

As we all know, the Yancy Street Gang is usually the type to tease, heckle, and even try to injure their former friend, Ben Grimm. But in this issue, they actually lend a hand in helping the Thing defeat the menace of the Machinesmith! Well, the issue in question doesn’t actually hold good tidings by the end for Mr. Grimm, but I can tell you that there are gangsters, and a game played between the members of the FF, including Agatha Harkness, and Franklin Richards. Also, a special appearance by that loveable letter carrier, Willie Lumpkin!

With a great story by the incomparable Bill Mantlo, pencils and inks by Chic Stone (great inker, and incredibly underrated penciler- just look at this issue!), colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Diana Albers and Gaspar, and edited by Roger Stern! And let us not forget the awesome cover by Ron Wilson, Joe Sinnott, and Irv Watanabe! This is one of those kooky issues that really is a great read. You get a fantastic heart-warming scene in the beginning with the FF and Ben, then some solid action with the Yancy Street Gang and robots, which are operating under the influence of a quirky villain like the Machinesmith. It’s all just perfection. It’s a no-brainer to grab this issue! Enjoy (and since I’m a day late with this post, look for part 2 of this story, later today) !

Image (218)

Image (217)

Image (219)

Image (220)

Image (221)

Image (222)

Image (223)

Image (224)

Cinema Sunday: Horror of Dracula (1958)

Posted on by billyd75

dracula_1958_poster 8

Title: Horror of Dracula

Distributor: Hammer Studios/ Universal Pictures

Writer: Jimmy Sangster (Screenplay)

Director: Terence Fisher

Producer: Anthony Hinds

Starring: Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough, Melissa Stribling, Carol Marsh

Released: May 8th, 1958

MPAA: PG

It just occurred to me that this film wasn’t among the many Hammer films that I’ve reviewed. This cannot be so any longer, as I intend to showcase the first vampire film that Hammer Studios released, and the one that vaulted the career of Christopher Lee into orbit! Peter Cushing was already a commodity, and Michael Gough, Lee, and others had plenty of experience, but Cushing is the driving force behind the movie, make no mistake. Rather than me slobbering on forever about it, I’ll just get to the plot, which isn’t exactly like the Bram Stoker novel, due to legal issues with Universal and the estate of the Stoker family, but rest assured, it still is a classic!

The film opens with Jonathan Harker (John Van Eyssen), a young man who’s making his way through the Carpathian mountains, to reach a castle. Once there, his internal monologue tells us that he has a “job” to do, but what that is, we’re not sure. He sees food on the table, and decides to sit down and dine. After starting a fire, he begins to go through his personal items. He accidentally knocks over a plate, and as he’s picking it up, a beautiful woman (Valerie Gaunt) approaches. He introduces himself as the new librarian of the estate, but the woman only wishes to be rescued from being held a prisoner by the owner of the castle. Just then, the woman quickly races away, and Harker has a feeling there’s a good reason. He slowly turns around, and at the top of the staircase, is a dark figure, looking down ominously. The man quickly descends, and greets Harker, introducing himself, as Dracula (Christopher Lee).

dracula#1

After they exchange pleasantries, Count Dracula shows Harker to his room. He informs him that he’ll be away until tomorrow evening, so he can make himself at home. Dracula then notices a picture on the desk, and asks who the woman is, and Harker tells him that it is his fiancé, Lucy Homewood. Harker then writes in his journal, that he has gained access to the house, and that he is ready to do what must be done, about Dracula. As Dracula leaves, Harker is startled by the fact that he locks him in his room for the night. Later though, he hears the lock get unlocked, and he investigates to see who it was that was responsible. He heads downstairs, and runs into the same woman who approached him before. She pleads with him to rescue her from Dracula, but she isn’t clear about why she needs rescuing in the first place. As she hugs on to Harker, she also moves closer to his neck. He fangs pop out, and she readies herself to feed on the unsuspecting man.

Just as she attempts to bite him, Harker feels it, and shrugs her off. In the next seconds, you hear a godawful hiss, and we see Count Dracula at the top of the stairs, blood dripping from his mouth, and looking insane. He pounces on the woman, and scares Harker. But Harker tries to stop him from manhandling the woman. Dracula chokes him nearly unconscious, then grabs the woman, picking her up like a child, and carries her off to some other place in the castle. Harker then passes out in the living room.

dracula#3

The next morning, Harker awakens in his room, and is horrified to see that the woman actually broke through his skin, and bit him on the neck. He breaks down emotionally, and we see that he has some knowledge of this affliction. He writes again in his journal, and leaves a message for someone who he hopes will read this, and be able to help.

The next day, Harker embarks on a mission through the castle, to find the resting place of Dracula. He finds the woman, slumbering in a coffin. He wastes no time in driving a stake through her heart, but then notices the sun has gone down. As he looks towards the door, Dracula creeps in, and you know that Harker is no more.

dracula#2

Soon after, a pub is the new scene, and we watch as a man, Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Cushing), enters and begins to ask questions about his friend who recently passed by, named Harker. The pub owner (George Woodbridge) acts as if he doesn’t know anything, but the waitress tells Van Helsing that she remembers him. The pub owner scolds her, and sends her into the kitchen. Van Helsing questions the pub owner some more, but he refuses to get involved. When the meal is ready, the waitress brings it out, and hands a journal to Van Helsing. It is the journal of Harker, and it details the happening at the castle. Apparently, both men are sort of vampire hunting team.

dracula#4

Van Helsing goes to the castle, and searches for Harker (having not yet read the journal). He finds that Harker’s room has been ransacked, and that he seems to be missing. As he descends into the lower levels, Van Helsing finds Harker, dead in a coffin, with bite marks on his neck. He then reaches into his bag, and pulls out a stake and a hammer, then proceeds to do the deed. The next scene shows Van Helsing at the residence of the Homewood family. Van Helsing informs them that Jonathan is dead, and that he was cremated. Arthur Homewood (Michael Gough), is the brother of Lucy (Jonathan’s fiancé), and he is quite upset with Van Helsing, and his being very mysterious about Jonathan’s death.

dracula#5

later that evening, Lucy is in bed, and she gets out, with a very creepy look on her face. She makes sure that her door is locked, then she unlocks the patio doors, that lead to her bedroom. She also removes her crucifix, and readies herself for a visitor. We then see that she has bite marks on her neck. Across town, Van Helsing is listening to a recording about ways of fighting these undead creatures, such as Dracula. The following morning, Lucy is very ill, and almost on the brink of death. Mina Homewood (Melissa Stribling) goes to see Van Helsing, and to ask for his help with Lucy. Van Helsing then examines Lucy, and sees the bite marks on her neck. He then instructs Mina to keep her doors and windows locked at night-time, and to keep garlic flowers in her room.

dracula#6

After she does what Van Helsing instructs, night falls, and Lucy cries out to the maid to take away the flowers, and to open the windows. She does as Lucy asks, and the next morning, Lucy is dead. Van Helsing visits, and Arthur is very crass towards him. Van Helsing then tells him to read Jonathan’s journal, and then, he will understand. In the evening, a policeman visits and brings Tania (Lucy’s niece) back to the house. Tania claims to have been visited by Lucy. Arthur then goes to the crypt, and finds that Lucy is missing. He then witnesses Lucy, as she’s about to snack on Tania. He calls out to her, and she attempts to attack him, but Van Helsing is there as well, and brandishes a cross. He burns her forehead with it, and Lucy runs away screeching. Van Helsing and Arthur then go to the crypt, and pound a stake through Lucy’s heart, ending her nightmare, and releasing her soul.

dracula#7

Dracula then focuses his attention on Mina, and it’s up to Van Helsing and Arthur to try to stop this evil entity!

OK, here are my thoughts:

If there’s anyone out there that hasn’t seen this film yet, get to it. Even if you aren’t the biggest horror movie fan or a fan of old movies, you need to see this one. This is the beginning of the Cushing-Lee horror combo, that Hammer Studios would use to build an empire. The acting is superb, as the two main characters, along with Michael Gough, put on performances that make this classic what it has been and always will be as a landmark in cinema. This film was made only one year after Hammer struck gold with Frankenstein, and the hits would keep coming for more than a decade.

Along with the great acting, the people behind the scenes were just as responsible for this gem. Starting with James Bernard, and his wonderful music score. You get some thunderous music, and other times a frightening interlude. He really nailed this one, and was simply perfect. The script by Jimmy Sangster was quite good considering he couldn’t use the story from the book or the screenplay from the Universal film either. Terence Fisher gives us his usual brilliance with direction, and the team of Hinds and Keys rounds out the production of the film. Everything from the costume designs, the sets, lighting, you name it, this film was top-notch. Hit up your local store or just get to Amazon and grab a copy, you wont be disappointed. I own a set a four Hammer Films that TCM put out a few years ago. It has this film, plus three other classics that you’ll love.

 

Click here for the trailer!