RIP Chadwick Bozeman

Prayers and condolences out to the friends and family of Chadwick Bozeman, a fine actor who passed away at age 43 today from colon cancer. Most famous for portraying Marvel's Black Panther in one of their best movies, he had much fine work ahead of him. An outstanding talent who will be missed.

Comics: Warlock by Jim Starlin: The Complete Collection

I was just a kid in the ‘70s, but I remember them as trippy times for comics. No creator was trippier than Jim Starlin, and no characters were trippier than the ones he worked on. While the beginnings of Adam Warlock were with Lee & Kirby (created as the character Him in Fantastic Four), Starlin and other writers morphed and grew Warlock into the space spanning, cosmic demi-god he became. 

Warlock by Jim Starlin: The Complete Collection includes Strange Tales #178-181, Warlock #9-15, Avengers Annual #7, and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2. While Starlin would return to the character frequently in subsequent decades, this book collects a brilliant contained story, with a beginning, middle and end. There are some side trips, but they all add up to an extremely satisfying, and surprising, conclusion. Starlin introduces some classic characters in these stories, including Pip the Troll, Gamora daughter of Thanos, and Drax the Destroyer. 

The Magus and his 'fro

In the first half of the book, the antagonist is the Magus, a future version of Warlock (with the trippiest afro you’ve ever seen). The Magus runs the Universal Church of Truth, an evil mind control organization. Starlin must have had a negative experience with religion as a child, as evil churches and clergymen are themes he revisits repeatedly in his work. For the second half of the book, Thanos was front and center as the villain who wants to destroy half the universe to please his mistress, Death. I didn’t understand that as a kid and I still don’t, but it is rather horrifying, then and now. 

In these stories, Warlock’s journey concludes in one of the coolest rock-n-roll endings ever, crossing over between Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2. When I read these books as a child I hadn’t read the Warlock stories that led up to them (nor would I have fully understood them) and they still blew my mind. It would have been fine if Marvel had left Adam Warlock where he was at the end of this epic, but I understand that Starlin made him a popular character through these tales and there was more of his saga to tell. In the meantime, while definitely products of their time, these stories still hold up and provide a thinking man’s version of a cosmic superhero. It was great fun to revisit them and they are highly recommended. 

Grade: A

Worth your valuable time: Unequivocally. 

Graphic Novels: The Twilight Man by Koren Shadmi

I never knew much about the background of Twilight Zone creator and host Rod Serling—except he worked briefly at local Cincinnati radio station WLW in the 50s, writing commercials and radio dramas. I heard other things about him—he wrote the first draft of the Planet of the Apes screenplay, he was prolific, and he sold the syndication rights to The Twilight Zone much too cheaply, never dreaming it would be broadcast worldwide in perpetuity. The Twilight Man, an expertly researched graphic novel/biography by writer/artist Koren Shadmi, changes all that. Shadmi, a comic creator from Israel, digs deep into Serling’s WWII experiences (where he was one of the few Jews in his platoon), his boxing experience—he was small and looked for ways to be tough—and his first attempts at writing and storytelling.

After the war, Serling dealt with his diagnosis of shellshock by writing stories and poetry. He found he had both a talent and knack for writing. As a former paratrooper, at first he supplemented his income by being a parachute tester, a dangerous—but lucrative—way to make a few extra bucks (then left him with several new injuries). After a few years toiling away at WLW in Cincinnati, Serling struck it big with his first live national presentation for Kraft Theater, a show called Patterns. His career took off from there. Multiple offers and a move to New York soon followed.

Throughout his career, Serling had to fight the TV censors and the balance between art and commerce. After years of this battle, he was inspired to create The Twilight Zone, where he could write about almost any TV taboo subject he wanted, as long as he cloaked it in a fantasy/sci-fi metaphor. Then things really took off. Twilight Zone did well enough for a five year run, but was never a runaway ratings hit. With his reputation now established, Serling wrote everything from live TV theater to books and endless Twilight Zone episodes. Not to mention being the on-air host of the show and the producer. Life was busy and hard on his marriage. After Twilight Zone, he taught screenwriting at Ithaca College and loved it, then smoked himself to an early death.

Artist/author Shadmi expertly handles the pacing of the story and Serling’s mental state during each phase. He shows the writer warts and all, and how intensely creative people give so much of themselves because they want to take advantage of work and popularity that may be gone at any time. This usually ends in burnout, as it did with Serling several times. However, Rod always bounced back and had something new to say. He didn’t always make the right decisions, but who does? Serling’s life ended too early during open-heart surgery after a major heart attack. Hollywood had permanently burned out one of the finest writers it ever produced at only 50 years of age. The Twilight Man not only deals with the popular parts of Serling’s career, but also the beginnings of live television and the battles artists have to fight to defend their voice and non-traditional points of view. For lovers of history and the mass media. 

Grade: A

Worth your valuable time: Yes, a fantastic read. 

Movies – The Man Who Killed Hitler and then The Bigfoot

This is a strange one, and won’t be to everyone’s taste. I enjoyed it.

Ace actor Sam Elliott plays a weathered and grizzled old man, living a quiet and lonely life in his suburban home. He’s also the man who, near the end of World War II, killed Hitler in an Allied plot quickly covered up by the Germans. I’d add a spoiler warning, but, hey, it’s right there in the title! Through the years, Elliott’s character, Calvin Barr, has become disillusioned with life. The war led to a dim view of human nature, killing other humans, and cost him his best girl. Now he lives a settled and decent life, treating others kindly and not reliving his “glory” days.

Until the government comes to him and tries to recruit him to kill the Bigfoot. There are legitimate reasons why, as well as why Calvin is the best and only man for the job. Initially declining, after a talk with the younger brother who idolizes him (beautifully played by comedian Larry Miller), Calvin decides to strap on the rifle once again and go hunting.

Elliott does such a wonderful job portraying a man who is tired of killing, tired of taking the world’s problems on his shoulders. But as an honorable and practical man, he knows he must do what’s right. So he does it, efficiently and without question.

This quirky gem has a tone which varies from humor to soap opera drama, with a hightened sense of spectacle added for good measure. It’s silly and absurd while also being dramatic and moving. The film is cast perfectly, from Elliott himself to Aidan Turner (Poldark) as young Calvin and Caitlin FitzGerald (Masters of Sex) as the girl-next-door teacher who is the love of his life. Like any man, Calvin’s life holds great achievements—certainly more than most men—and great disappointments. It’s how he handles these events that show what kind of man he truly is. And that man is both honorable and worth watching.

Grade: B+

Worth your valuable time: Yes. 

Read my Celebrity Crush column in Retro Fan #8!

More stuff to read during the apocalypse! Retro Fan is a slick, color magazine that deals with pop culture of the 60s and 70s. It’s not only a great mag with articles about everything from ViewMaster, classic toys and The Flintsones to food and tourist attractions, but this month features my “Celebrity Crush” column! My subjects? Only the best—Jeannie the Genie vs. Samantha Stevens. Yes, I look at my ongoing crushes on two fine ladies, Barbara Eden and Elizabeth Montgomery. I actually planned to meet Ms. Eden last week at the Lexington Comic & Toy Show, if it hadn‘t been cancelled. Curse you, Coronavirus! Anyway, the mag is a great read. Pick it up if you’d like to see whom I picked as the ultimate Celebrity Crush. Order your copy online here. 

Books: Cardinal Black by Robert McCammon

Cardinal Black is McCammon’s latest entry in his early American colonies thriller series featuring Matthew Corbett. Corbett is sometimes referred to as a young James Bond, but I’m not sure why. He’s not a spy (although he certainly does some spying), is much more of a thinker than a fighter, and while attractive to women (especially the femme fatal type), he’s not really a ladies’ man. I suppose that’s just an easy way for reviewers to put him in a box for easy consumption. 

In the series, Matthew is a good man in a world of brigands. Ostensibly working as a detective for the Herald Agency, he is based in early 1700s New York, a colorful and immersive world brought to life by master raconteur Robert McCammon. The book is the best entry in the series since the first, Speaks the Nightbird (one of my favorite books of all time). The story is a thrill a minute, with high stakes, major battles with villains, narrow escapes and twisty alliances that change every few pages. 

Cardinal Black is continued from the last volume, Freedom of the Mask. Matthew has promised to regain a book of evil potions for the crime boss Professor Fell. He is assigned a chaperone to keep him in line, a charming psychopath named Julian Devane. Starting out as bitter enemies, the two come to, if not an understanding, at least a mutual respect. Why would Matthew agree to such a thing? Berry Grigsby, the love of Matthew’s life, is a drugged prisoner of Professor Fell, and will stay in a permanent brainwashed and drugged state unless Matthew can recover the book—which contains the antidote to Berry’s ills. 

The mission takes Matthew and Julian to the heart of the English countryside and some very bad men. And women. The villains, a rogue British Admiral and Satan’s helper, the aptly named Cardinal Black, are auctioning off the potion book to the highest bidder, buyers that include killers from the worst criminal groups in the world. Any of whom would kill Matthew in a second. And believe me, they try. 

I couldn’t put this book down; McCammon is a master of suspense and cliffhanging chapter endings. Will Matthew get the book and save Berry? Will Professor Fell kill him when his task is accomplished? How will they escape? And who will change the other the most, Matthew or Julian? Cardinal Black is a brilliant thriller and a true treat. So go treat yourself.

Grade: A

Worth your valuable time: Yes! 

Life imitates art ...

Master artist George Perez salutes his most famous cover ... 

Crisis on Infinite Earths #7, from 1985.

I just reread the Crisis series, and it holds up just fine, thank you. 

Comics: Q-Ball #1

Man I have missed reading comics by Mike Baron. Sure, I could raid the long boxes and dig out out everything from Nexus to The Grackle—but new Baron is always welcome in this house. Imagine when the great one offered to send me a review copy of his newest effort, Q-Ball. Signed, yet! Of course I jumped at the chance.

Q-Ball is another outstanding and quirky puzzle piece in the Baron oeuvre. Seems that our title character is a Detroit native named Curtis Ball, a Merchant Marine who wanted to see the world and learn the visually cool arts of Kung Fu and stick fighting, or Escrima. Curtis’s current day job is managing a warehouse in Manila. After an altercation with a potential client without the correct paperwork, Curtis discovers a dead body in the warehouse and is forced to battle some vile gangsters interested in illegal withdrawals from the warehouse stock. This is not something of which Curtis approves, and he is forced to confront the miscreants with staggering violence. Digging further into the situation, Curtis meets, and ends up protecting, Donna Wing, a Chinese national busy exposing human rights abuses by people who don’t want their rocks turned over. 

It’s an enticing first issue, setting up an intriguing plot and introducing our players in dramatic ways. The art by Barry McClain Jr. is excellent storytelling, with clear action and gorgeous, flowing martial arts sequences. The last page left me wanting more and I desperately want to find out what happens next, something every good comic should do. No decompressed storytelling here, only the beginning of another epic Bloody Red Baron production. Bring on #2! 

Grade: A 

Worth the cover price: Unequivocal yes. 

My BACK ISSUE Hulk Article is Published Wednesday!

Just a note that my article on the comic story "Future Imperfect" starring the Incredible Hulk is published tomorrow in BACK ISSUE #111! I'm really excited about it because I was privileged to interview writer Peter David and one of the greatest artists of all time, George Perez! Also, Future Imperfect, about the Hulk going to a dystopic future to fight an evil version of himself, the Maestro, is probably my favorite Hulk story. This one was really a blast. As editor Michael Eury says, don't ask, just BI it! 

Dr. Smith Anecdote

From ace writer Mark Evanier's website, a funny story from Jonathan Harris, Dr. Zachary Smith from Lost in Space. It's weird to hear Dr. Smith say the f-word. Here's the link. 

Television: Punisher Season 2 (Netflix)

Unbelievable. It really is. I hated the first season of The Punisher, the show was truly awful. Slowly paced, very little punishing, story all over the place. However, someone learned from their mistakes and in the process discovered who the Punisher was. Season Two was the best Marvel show so far and its last episode was the best single Marvel TV show to date. I’m not sure what happened, but more like this please.

Recovered from the events of Season 1, Frank Castle is wandering through the American Midwest, reveling in his freedom. When mercenaries invade a bar and go after a teenage girl, Frank steps in to rescue her and gets sucked in to a major situation. Meanwhile back in New York, Billy Russo, who Frank defeated and disfigured last season, escapes a mental hospital with help from his smitten female therapist and goes on a crime rampage. Eventually the two storylines come together (at least in the same place) and Frank does some major punishing.

What’s so good is that the producers have finally let Frank Castle just be who he is meant to be. No evil person is safe. He punishes women, devout religious types, deranged psychotics and politicians.

The pacing is a lot better this season, and the story concentrates much more on Castle and his immediate supporting cast. The girl he saves in the bar, Amy, becomes a surrogate daughter whom he protects at any cost. And the cost is high. The story does screech to a halt for a while when all the characters get to New York, but picks up the pace again quickly. I think in a Punisher show it’s reasonable that Frank should kill one person in every episode—at least! He does this in most episodes, a welcome relief from sitting on the sidelines for most of Season 1. The fights are expertly choreographed, especially Franks’s hand-to-hand combat with a gym full of Russian gangsters. That was fun, if brutal, to watch.

There are very few negatives to this season. Billy, who becomes the villain Jigsaw, is far too pretty. In the comics, Jigsaw’s face looks like a 1000-piece puzzle. Billy only has a few scars. They should have gone with a lot more damage. The pacing was still slow in a few of the episodes, and Frank doesn’t wear his skull near enough—but those are minor nitpicks. He does wear his chest skull at all the right times, and the last scene of the show is a triumph right out of the comics. Thank you Marvel, for finally making an action-filled show that pulls no punches—literally. The show has already been renewed for Season 3—let’s hope it is half this good.

Grade: A

Worth your valuable time?: Oh, yes. 

Update ... And now for something somewhat different ...

Time to do some blogging again! For the six or seven of my regular readers, hopefully I’ll have a bit more time this year to share some obsessions and point out various oddities. First off, a change in the review system. In order to give more accurate opinions of different media, we’re trying a few new things. First, the 5-Star review system will change to a grade system, A thru F. Don’t worry, I don’t think I’m a teacher, doling out the final say to media professionals from my ivory tower. It’s just a handy way to share an opinion. For the record, I realize that even the worst media is usually created by people trying their best to entertain—and sometimes failing miserably. No one sets out to make bad entertainment, but sometimes things go spectacularly wrong. The only exceptions are when story quality or entertainment value is booted in favor of an agenda. Doesn’t matter what the agenda is, SJW or white nationalism, progressive or alt right. If someone is more interested in pounding me over  the head with their political or cultural message than telling a story, it usually means a bad story and a low grade will be forthcoming. Given that this is every Marvel comic book published since 2010, I don’t have hopes for good reviews for Marvel comics. However, I won’t be reviewing (or reading) many Marvel books, so that shouldn’t be a problem. I want to like and enjoy pop culture, so I tend to avoid things that have proven to be toxic. I don’t “hate-watch/read” anything. I like being happy. 

The other change is just to ask, and answer, a simple question at the end of each review: Is this movie/comic/TV show worth your valuable ticket price, money or time? I’ve read mediocre reviews that are not positive or negative that leave me confused not only whether the writer actually liked the subject; but also was it worth the time/price? That’s what is important to me when reading reviews, and I will endeavor to provide it in my own. 

Just remember, this is one man’s view. You are free to differ or see/read/watch stuff I disliked. It’s all just my Humble Opinion. 

Books: Monster Hunter Memoirs: Saints by John Ringo and Larry Correia

I look at this book with mixed feelings. On one hand, it’s a fantastic read, full of nonstop excitement, crazy ideas and page-turning action. On the other hand, it’s probably the last book in the Monster Hunter International Universe by John Ringo—and that is a sad thing.

As the story goes, MHI author Larry Correia picked up the phone one day and established writer John Ringo was on the line. He’d written a bunch of books in Correia’s MHI Universe and wanted to know if Correia was interested in having them published. Not being dumb, Correia happily accepted the offer and now we have Monster Hunter Memoirs: Grunge (See my review here), Monster Hunter Memoirs: Sinners (ditto here), and now the final book in the trilogy, MHM: Saints. Correia is very clear that he does some editing and streamlining to make sure the books fit smoothly with the MHI Universe mythology, but this is mainly Ringo’s rodeo. To me, that is a very gracious author.

I can see why Correia was so open to the Memoir series; they’re great. The protagonist, Chad Gardenier, is a working-class genius, ladies man, sword/gun nut and all-around tough guy. Someone you would definitely want on your side in a fight. Ringo perfectly chooses the elements of the MHI Universe he wants to work with; fighting monsters of course, as well as MHI’s ongoing battles with their main nemesis, the U.S. government’s Monster Control Bureau. Here, after a harrowing experience, Gardenier actually brings a personal lawsuit against the MCB—and the results are spectacular!

Taking place in the 1980s, this last book in the spinoff series (for now), brings a definitive close to Chad’s story. Forshadowed in the first book, it's an ending we dreaded but all knew was coming. How it happens is the important thing, and Ringo provides an epic ending. Chad is his usual lovable self (unless you piss him off, which can be deadly), killing monsters in New Orleans and trying to avoid the MCB. When he ends up on their **** list, he decides to leave town and investigate a nefarious plot they claim he is part of. He finds evidence of a Lovecraft-level threat existing under New Orleans, one that will take an army of MHI team members to fight—and even that won’t be enough if he can’t figure out how to dispatch it! Along the way, Chad meets and romances many beautiful ladies, finds new monster species (both friendly and not so much), obtains a doctorate from Oxford and kills a lot of evil creatures. Then he writes it all down, which is the basis for this memoir. The final pages are written by another, filling in readers on Chad’s (possibly) last mission. The final sentence in the book is a triumph and gives readers hope for a bright future for the Gardenier family.

Are these books better than the mothership series, Monster Hunter International? Who cares, both series are the best modern fantasy has to offer. Let’s just say I can’t wait to read every new MHI book by Larry Correia and they are extremely satisfying. And I couldn’t wait to read every new MHI Memoir book, and each one in the series was extremely satisfying. All MHI books are highly recommended. Now I go in search of everything John Ringo has ever written.

Rating: ***** out of 5 stars. 

Books: John Wayne: A Life by Scott Eyman

John Wayne is hands down my favorite movie star of all time. The swagger, the walk, the voice, the presence ... all combine into a mish-mash of screen glory. An odd result for someone who never set out to be a movie star. Born Marion Morrison, Wayne wanted to be a football star, but those dreams were sidelined by an injury early on. He found stunts fun in the movie business, and slowly graduated to bit parts and eventually starring roles in B-movies. Then B+ movies. Then he met director John Ford and his star took off like a rocket. It was only then he became John Wayne.

Author Eyman is in love with his subject, as so many biographers are, but it doesn’t prevent an honest look at Wayne’s life and career. Readers are taken through Wayne’s slow burn to superstardom; his several marriages (including his second to a Mexican prostitute), his affairs with many of his leading ladies, the facts of his failure to serve in WWII and a good look at his generous and larger than life personality. His years-long dalliance with Marlene Dietrich was a surprise. She saw him in a studio cafeteria one day and said to her agent, “Daddy, I want that!” She got it, and they did several movies together.

As with Elvis Presley, Wayne had so many financial commitments and kept so many people working, he was forced to take one job after the next to keep the enterprise rolling. Both celebrities were so busy chasing cheap, easy projects, they missed prospective gems. Especially galling was the failed project featuring Wayne as an aging rancher and Clint Eastwood as a young cowboy, fighting against an evil land baron. That would have been fun, but Wayne thought it too violent and the project faded away.

I saw The Spoilers recently, a 1942 gold rush story with Wayne, Randolph Scott and Dietrich as the love interest. The film was good and Wayne did a good job. However, he wasn’t yet John Wayne. Movie star Wayne was totally comfortable in his skin. This was an actor learning his craft. Although it was good to see Wayne throw back his head for a loud belly laugh, something the actor rarely did as a movie star.

Early in his career, John Wayne’s screen persona was everyone’s best friend. Then he became everyone’s older brother. Then everyone’s dad and finally everyone’s loveable grandpa. His star never tarnished and he is still a top favorite movie star all over the world. John Wayne: A Life fills in many knowledge gaps about the star’s rise and struggle to stay on top. I could have used a lot more anecdotes and “making of” stories of individual films, especially my favorite Wayne film, Big Jake (followed closely by North to Alaska and The Quiet Man), but perhaps that will be another volume. This book is about the man, and does an outstanding job showing that man, warts and all.

Rating: ****½ stars out of 5 

R.I.P. Steve Ditko

Mr. Steve Ditko

Sad to hear of the death of Steve Ditko at 90 years of age. Mr. Ditko was an eccentric individual who had more influence on modern comic books than anyone other than Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. He was the co-creator of Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Squirrel Girl and one of my all-time favorite B-characters, The Creeper.

I've seen a lot of remembrances of Mr. Ditko, which is surprising because he was such a privacy-obsessed recluse. But the best has been a very personal story from ace comic book and action writer Chuck Dixon. Here it is:

Chuck Dixon remembers how Steve Ditko affected his life. 

Rest in Peace, Mr. Ditko. Stan Lee may have written the words, but you gave me my favorite comic book story of all time with my favorite comic panels of all time, in Amazing Spider-Man #33. Thank you for some of the finest entertainment ever put on paper, or into the universe of ideas.

I'm sure it brings some comfort to Mr. Ditko, wherever he is, to know that his work will live forever.

Avengers: Infinity War

There is a disturbing trend affecting recent comic book movies, which I think is only going to get worse. When Marvel Studios formed over a decade ago, the idea was to make comic book based movies the way they wanted, without studio interference. After all, if a studio was footing millions in production costs, they had the right to insist Spider-Man wear his web-shooters in his nose and have a blue hoodie and sweatpants instead of a costume.

           

When the Marvel Cinematic Universe began, Marvel enlisted creators who either grew up loving the stories they were adapting (Sam Raimi—although he worked for Sony, Joss Whedon) or were more than happy to reflect the comic book aesthetic (Jon Farveau). As we get further and further from those early days, the directors and production staff and Marvel Studios itself not only avoid the comic aesthetic and sources, but hold them in red-hot contempt. Soothing actor egos, eliminating costumes and letting directors de-comicify the look and stories of the films are the active agenda of Marvel Studios today.

 Avengers: Infinity War is good. It’s not great. I admire the director’s ability to fit everyone in and give them their moment while still telling a coherent story. There are some nice one-liners and comedic moments, again differentiating Marvel from DC films, which wallow in their own misery and lack of humor. I did hate the ending and don’t want to wait a year to see it finished. My biggest gripe with the movie is that many characters are unrecognizable.

This is Captain America

T’Challa, the Black Panther, looks good. Viewers can identify the Guardians of the Galaxy. Dr. Strange is identifiable. But the default superhero costume in every superhero movie made, black leather ninja crap, is pervasive in this film. The most egregious example is Captain America, who is not in this film. Part of the film’s title is Avengers, yet not recognizable in it are any Avengers. 

Somewhat acceptable as Captain America

Captain America is an Avenger. Cap has a specific costume that he has worn since 1941 (with some brief exceptions). In the first Avengers film, Cap wore a close version of this costume. Instead of Captain America, Avengers: Infinity War features Chris Evans in a beard and black ninja crap. The public gets Captain America in a movie what, every two years? And they couldn’t put a recognizable character on screen for five minutes? One can’t really have an Avengers movie without Captain America, yet here we are. Stupid.

Not Captain America

Thor is another example. This eye-patched, shorthaired weirdo looks more like the real Nick Fury than Thor. Thor has worn long hair a cool winged helmet for over 50 years in the comics. It looks great. Chris Hemsworth wore a similar helmet for five minutes in the first Thor movie, it looked great. 

This is Thor

Marvel Studios really hates wings for some reason. The Black Widow’s trademark is long (and sometimes short) red hair. She has never changed her hair color in the comics. She is, through costume and hair color, instantly recognizable as the Black Widow. Why did she go blonde in the movie? So the action figure could be different? That’s what you get when everyone is in black leather ninja crap; you have to change the hair color to tell characters apart.

Not sure who the #$%& this is, but it's not Thor

I really hate the moronic Spider-Man costume they forced Tom Holland into for Infinity War. I think it was the DisneyXD one. It looks awful, and a great costume is available! Just look at the comics. It’s been basically the same for 50 years BECAUSE IT WORKS.

As the years go by, Marvel Studios care less and less about respecting their source material. I’m not sure Anthony and Joe Russo, directors of Infinity War, have ever read a comic in their lives. Have any current or upcoming Marvel directors? Sometimes it doesn’t matter—Black Panther wasn’t really taken from a specific Marvel story, but they got the tone, and the costume, right. But it was already black leather (vibranium?). 

Kid Flash from The Flash on CW

For some reason, directors and producers think colorful costumes are stupid and the public won’t accept them. WRONG! Most of the CW superhero shows present colorful costumes and they look great—and that is on a TV budget! I’m not saying every costume in the comics would work on screen—but most of them could be much more similar with some development by a determined costume designer. Give Cap his costume and head wings! Give Thor his helmet (and hammer)! Give Black Widow silver bracelets and red hair! These things have worked for over five decades for a reason. People like them! Don’t make everything bland black ninja crap. And don’t let the actors go without masks because of their attention-grabbing need to show their faces all the time. Captain America wears a mask. Iron Man wears a mask. Spider-Man wears a mask. If you don’t want to adapt comic books, try YA novels, like everyone else! Not many of those characters wear costumes. But if they did, I’m sure they would wear black leather ninja crap. It’s tiiiiiiiiiiiiime to stop!

If most of the characters from Avengers: Infinity War were recognizable as Marvel comic book characters, as in Avengers 1 & 2, I would have loved this film. Since they weren’t, I had no emotional attachment to them. As it is, I somewhat liked it.

Rating: *** stars out of 5

Don't Mess With His Neighborhood ...

All kidding aside, I have nothing but respect and admiration for Mr. Fred Rogers. Kind, humble and a true gentleman, I wonder what Mr. Rogers would make of today's television landscape--even PBS? I'm sure he would handle it in stride, with an eye towards making children's--and everyone's--lives better. I'm looking forward to the Mr. Rogers' documentary this summer. 

Television – The Punisher (Netflix)

*Slight Spoilers* 
How simple is the Punisher concept? A Special Forces soldier comes home from the war to his loving family. While on a picnic in Central Park, they get caught in the crossfire of a mob hit and are killed, he barely survives. Vowing revenge, the soldier devotes his skills to a new war, taking down violent criminals and mobsters in a variety of permanent ways. That’s the story of Frank Castle, Marvel’s Punisher. It’s so uncomplicated.

Not for Marvel TV though! Marvel TV has never met a creative concept they can’t mangle for politically correct television. I really looked forward to this show—how could anyone get it so wrong? First, these Marvel Netflix shows are too long! That is on them, Punisher could have easily filled a hundred episodes with the right ideas. Instead, Marvel TV is addicted to one major storyline (with several boring sub-plots to eat up time) over the magic number of 13 episodes. The first episode of Punisher is pretty good, the last is excellent. The rest drag like hell. Were the writers as bored as the rest of us? If they were it certainly shows.

Jon Bernthal rarely dressed as the Punisher

Actor Jon Bernthal’s performance as the Punisher is good. However, the writers have no idea who the character is. They are too absorbed with their themes of guns; good or bad?, American military veterans and shady government operatives. And NO ONE comes out well. While some of the characters and storylines are layered. ALL soldiers and former military are portrayed as insane, evil or suffering from PTSD. At least no one is all three. Well, except for the psycho serial killer who kills everyone he wants to before the Punisher fails to stop him. Oops, spoiler. The most weak and sniveling of these ex-military villains OF COURSE wears an NRA shirt. Is there any other way for a Marvel writer?

One of the most iconic symbols emblazoned on the Punisher is the painted skull he wears on his chest armor. It’s been a part of his gear from day one. It’s a big part of what makes Punisher the Punisher. Marvel TV loves to ignore everything that makes a hero iconic, so they pretty much do away with this too. I think he wears a half-painted skull on his chest in maybe two of the thirteen episodes. Marvel TV thinks all cool costumes or icons need to be limited to the last five minutes of a show’s last episode. Don’t want to fans to get any service, you know! That might cause them to watch it or recommend it to others. Conservatives might end up watching the show. Can’t have that!

The worst part of Marvel TV’s Punisher is the slow, unevenly paced storytelling. The first episode, where Frank Castle is reintroduced from his run on Daredevil, is all right. The last episode, where Frank takes on the military bad guy back in Central Park, in full Punisher regalia including his chest skull, is great. Of course in the show it’s the military, not the Italian mob, who kills Frank’s family, another stupid idea. Episodes 2 through 12 are not all terrible, but have little to do with the Punisher. We have military hijinks, Department of Homeland Security politics, highly corrupt government officials doing bad deeds, and endless yawn-inducing similar scenes. And what is the Punisher doing? Romancing a co-worker’s wife. Sitting in his concrete bunker and squinting menacingly. Oh, and in episode 8, Punisher and his partner Micro talk about their feelings for an hour and then Micro shows Punisher his penis. Really.

Writers, for a much better show, read a Punisher comic (something I’m not sure anyone connected to this show actually did). Doing a show the opposite way would have made for a much better experience. Make the main plot about the Punisher, and sub-plots about all the political intrigue. Make it more episodic—maybe Punisher against a different bad guy every few shows—and make the military thing the overall subplot that resolves in the last show. They could have done this and kept the first and last shows pretty much intact, while adding a lot more Frank Castle action along the way. But no, instead the audience has to be bored by endless sub-plots and social commentary, while the star sits in a bunker and looks at computer screens.

Overall the Marvel TV’s Punisher was a massive and boring disappointment. There were good moments along the way, and when it hit the fan things got violent and the right folks got punished. The Punisher even wore his skull once. But there is massive room for improvement here. Again, try reading any Punisher comic by Dixon, Ennis or Baron and just follow the outline. Is it really that challenging?  

Rating: **½ stars out of 5 

The Time I Met Chuck Norris

The eyes of a Ranger are upon you ... 

This past Sunday I was lucky enough to score a free pass to the Lexington Comic & Toy Show. I wasn’t going to go, but I checked the attendee list and one of the guests was the one and only Mr. Chuck Norris. Of course I grew up with Chuck Norris—Good Guys Wear Black, The Octagon, Silent Rage and the greatest movie ever made, Lone Wolf McQuade. Frankly, I was giddy about meeting the great one. The man who doesn’t sleep, he waits. A cobra bit Chuck Norris once. After three days of agonizing pain, the cobra died. This is the man.

After a pleasant Sunday drive to Lexington, I entered the con and headed for Chuck’s booth. The line was crowded but not that bad. I saw him from afar. Walker, Texas Ranger himself, smiling, shaking hands and signing autographs. From afar he looked like a young, middle-aged man, as if his 78^th birthday wasn’t the day before (it was). While I waited patiently, I struck up a conversation with one of his bodyguards, an armed, off-duty Lexington police officer in full uniform. I asked him about Chuck. He said he had been with Chuck all weekend, and he had never seen such a kind, involved, enthusiastic celebrity. Just what you want to hear about your hero.

I finally had the opportunity to approach Chuck. After a full weekend of being “on,” mixing with fans and pressing flesh, he looked like he was having the time of his life. I chose a photo to sign from his assistant, an Invasion U.S.A. photo of Chuck brandishing two Uzis. I stepped up to him.

“Hi Mr. Norris, I’m Jerry.”

“Hi Jerry!” said the man.

He took my photo, turned it around and started to sign in a tight, readable script. Chuck would not have prospered in medical school.

“Can you sign it ‘to Jerry’?” I asked.

His assistant butted in and told me signature only. Celebrities have different rules about this—Adam West would only personalize with a specific name, which I didn’t want at the time. For the man, I wanted the world to know Chuck Norris signed a photo directly to me. Oh well, that’s life.

I engaged Chuck. “Lone Wolf McQuade is my favorite Chuck Norris movie!” I squealed like a 12-year-old schoolgirl meeting Justin Timberlake. He smiled and said “Oh yeah?” “Yeah!” I replied. “If you have time I can quote all the dialog from beginning to end,” I joked. He smiled and handed me my photo.

“It’s been a total pleasure to meet you, Chuck.” I said. He smiled like a kid and stuck out his hand. I shook hands with Chuck Norris. Read that suckers! I shook hands with Chuck Norris!

“Tell your buddy I said hi,” said Chuck.

Without missing a beat I said, “Thanks, I will!” I walked away holding my photo. Eventually it occurred to me that I didn’t know what in the world he was talking about. I racked my brain. What buddy? Was the great one confusing me with someone else? After thinking about it, I think the noise of the convention hall messed with Chuck’s hearing a bit. I think he must have thought I told him Lone Wolf McQuade was my buddy’s favorite movie. Not sure why I would say that, but he must have thought he meets all kinds, so what? Anyway, I can now divide my life into two parts—before I meeting Chuck Norris and after meeting Chuck Norris. This part is definitely better!

And yes, I realize I only survived the encounter because Chuck Norris let me live. 

Contrast: Kirk vs. Picard

From the February issue of Previews, a peek at McFarlane Toys’ new Star Trek action figures. I think this brilliantly contrasts the differences between Captains Kirk and Picard. Kirk is the warrior/diplomat. He comes with a communicator and a selection of weapons. Picard is a pinky-lifting surrender monkey, whose accessories include a flute and some kind of male marital aid. 

Yeah, that’s about right.