There was a time when Dr. Wertham tried to get rid of comics, as I’ve been chronicling. Well, nowadays comics are finally getting the love they deserve. Here’s an article from the Oxford University Press’s blog (h/t to Four Color Media Monitor) about comics being collected by libraries, which namedrops the book. Now libraries are seeing the value in comics, and you can find comics from independent publishers like my Art Soundoff compatriots that you might not see in comic stores, so check those out. Just remember to bring them back on time.
I’ve seen all but one King Kong remake, not counting the recent Kong: Skull Island which isn’t a remake of the original movie. The only one I’m missing now is The Mighty Kong, an animated musical with Dudley Moore and Jodi Benson. No, seriously, it exists. I hope to see that because it can’t be as bad as the 1976 movie, which I just finally watched today.
Like Seduction Of The Innocent this is something I’ve seen brought up a lot and something I’ve referenced solely on what others have said. And I’ve seen most of the King Kong movies, although I haven’t seen some of them in years and may have only seen once as a kid. They don’t fall under Finally Watched, but the 1976 King Kong is one I’ve always wanted to see because I wondered if it was as bad as I’ve heard. Is it bad? Yes, it may be the worst of the two remakes I’ve seen, and not just because I really like the original. Even my dad said it was bad. Was it as bad as I thought it would be? Thankfully no, but man does this movie need work.
While I was in the hospital last year my father was doing some long-needed improvements to the house. With nothing better to do in between doctors and therapists I ended up watching what few channels I had, and I ended up drawn to a few renovations shows. One of them was Fixer Upper. Renovation and design team Chip and Joanna Gaines along with appearances by their four kids brought fun and interesting design ideas, plus a strong belief in God. They have since created a business juggernaut under the Magnolia brand that includes home renovation, furniture and decor, a bakery, and the famous Silos in their hometown of Waco, Texas, where they have other businesses. The only other home renovation show I watch is Property Brothers although The Vanilla Ice Project and Rehab Addict have gotten my attention, and I’ll occasionally watch Love It Or List It and anything set in my home state of Connecticut.
I bring this up because the Gaines family have recently announced that this fifth season will be the final season of Fixer Upper as they focus on the Magnolia empire and more importantly their children. From Chip’s antics to Joanna’s design skills and the love of the family as they grow older, it will be a missed show, but considering how many families, including on renovation and flipping shows like the original Flip Or Flop, have been torn apart by reality TV stardom, it’s probably the best move they could make as they focus on other projects. Thank you Chip and Joanna for letting us into your homes…you know what I mean…and seeing a happy, loving family. May the Lord bless you in all things as he already has and good luck whatever the future may bring. Stay awesome!
Meanwhile, I know what can be HGTV’s next renovation show:
They could always make money as an “upside down house” attraction.
The “Powers Of Grayskull” line featured cybernetic dinosaurs and yet was set in “Preternia”, basically prehistoric Eternia. It was intended as a full spin-off toyline but was canceled, three dinosaurs–the drone-launching Tyrantisaurus Rex, the armored Bionatops, and the jet-propelled Turbodactyl–being released. Although teased in a minicomic created to introduce the line, which I have yet to do for Free Comic Inside but did use for a Friday Night Fight, the line was never created and we would never meet He-Man’s ancestor, He-Ro. Later continuities identified He-Man’s ancestor as King Grayskull, and in the currents Classics toyline continuity He-Ro is simply Grayskull’s wise counselor and sorcerer since both were finally given action figures.
And yes, I know that Filmation planned their own spinoff with a He-Ro who was Adam’s adopted son. I’m also not surprised it never happened. It just seems like an off-concept to me. Sounds like they really wanted to use that name…although I’ve heard better GoBot names and that’s from a GoBot fan.
To my knowledge the only other time the cybersaurs show up besides that minicomic is in these newspaper strips. We already saw King Hiss summon a Tyrantisaurs in a previous chapter, and his friends show up in this story, which also introduces Mosquitor, another character not seen outside of the minicomics and Star Comics run. That means this is our first time travel adventure in the newspaper strips and will feature the Evil Horde. Skeletor is named once in a caption box and that’s it.
Terror Takes Time
WRITER: Chris Weber | ART/LETTERER: Gerald Forton | COLORIST: Connie Schurr | EDITOR: Karen Wilson
English: Enrique Iglesias and Ronald McDonald (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Those of us who remember the McDonaldland marketing campaign (back before the parent groups threw hissy fits at anything marketed to kids because they had to listen to their kids having desires for stuff) probably remember when Hamburglar was still a bad guy. Some of us even remember Captain Crook, a pirate who stole filet of fish sandwiches. But did you know there was a time when Ronald McDonald’s best friend Grimace was….EVIL! Dinosaur Dracula brings us this lost past of a four-armed “Evil Grimace” and his drink obsession.
