Avengers #92
Marvel Comics (September, 1971; featured in the comiXology digital trade collection “The Kree/Skrull War”)
“All Things Must End!”
WRITER: Roy Thomas
ARTIST: Sal Bucema
INKER: George Roussos
LETTERER: Sam Rosen
EDITOR: Stan Lee
Previously in this series of reviews when a chapter flowed into another one, like our last installment, I’ve done two articles together. However, skimming through the next few chapters as they seemed to be doing the same thing it’s at least three chapters if not more connecting together. Plus this week’s chapter is short and so is my time tonight, so a shorter chapter is to my benefit.
Anyway, Jake and Bethdroid are still on the run from the bad guys. Who are they and what are they after besides Beth’s android “sister”? I don’t know and we may not find out this chapter. Let’s get back to the chase.
Robotech #4
WildStorm Productions (May, 2003)
“Conflict Of Interest”
STORY: Tommy Yune
SCRIPT: Jay Faerber
ARTISTS: Long Vo, Charles Park, & Saka
LETTERER: Jenna Garcia
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Kristy Quinn
EDITOR: Ben Abernathy
I know the game was about Baby Pac-Man (interesting game, a video game/pinball machine hybrid I’ve seen once but didn’t get a chance to play), but having the BABY run around town on his own and building things in a workshop seems an odd choice. Nice story, though.
Bonus fact: I didn’t have this but I did have The Pac-Man Picture Album, a full-size record with pictures on it, that was a musical about the world inside the Pac-Man video games (at the time just Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man). Same theme song so I’m guessing it was the same company.
I wonder how they’re going to do it, since they’ve said there isn’t going to be magic involved, like when Mxyzptlk restored DC 2 Superman as the definitive DC 3 Superman, only now with a son they hyperaged because they hate kids? Will Jon get to keep his boyfriend, will Lois remember, what about the Supertwins, and just exactly how are they going to screw this up. It’s sad that they’ve done such a poor job in the past decade that I’m waiting to see how they’re going to screw it up rather than be excited that “Clark” is coming back…unless they give him a new secret identity and continue to completely miss the point.
Over at The Clutter Reports this week I decorated the studio for Christmas.
Looking over my Watch Later playlist’s numerous Christmas offerings on hold Saturday Night Showcase isn’t going to be enough to go through all the potential new Christmas specials I want to add to the playlist. I’m weighing my options, but the new Christmas songs and shorts should be easier to manage. Meanwhile, we continue looking at TekWar for Chapter By Chapter because nothing says Christmas like noir anti-drug sci-fi story…look, some things are beyond my control, and scheduling is a pain this year. At any rate there will be Christmas and non-Christmas stuff all month so everybody wins. Have a great week, everyone!

I should make a Christmas version of this someday. Not sure how.
It’s December, which means adding to my Christmas YouTube playlists. Tonight I bring you two versions of A Christmas Carol: Being A Ghost Story Of Christmas. Well, three really since I’m also linking to Project Gutenberg’s post of the book itself free and legal to download. They even have a version for the Kindle, so…more than three? However, only two of them feature the actor Alistair Sim as the reformed miser. (Yeah, people keep forgetting how that story ends.)
A Christmas Carol is an amazing work by Charles Dickens. It doesn’t chastise Ebenezer Scrooge for his wealth but how he acquires it and what is done with it. The ugliness of humanity is present in any financial demographic and Dickens highlights that. Rich or poor, there is good in evil in both, as seen with the Cratchits and Scrooge’s uncle as well as the people shown to Scrooge in the visions, especially from the Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come. Meanwhile, Present tends to throw his own words back at him, since Future can’t talk. Through Past we see how he became the old miser of today and it makes perfect sense. He isn’t put down for what happened to him so much as how he reacted to it, hardening his heart and focusing on his wealth rather than using that wealth to help others. Again, the story doesn’t attack him for what he has but who he is, and believes that he can become a good man, which in the end he does, presumably avoiding Jacob Marley’s fate.
Tonight I bring you two version of Alastair Sim portraying Scrooge and Michael Horden as Jacob Marley, and only because I know someone will be bothered if I only look at the one. Yes, both men took on the two roles in animated and live-action form. Adding to the Christmas special playlist this year is the 1971 animated version, originally airing on ABC, produced by Chuck Jones and directed by Richard Williams. However, it’s master animator Ken Harris whose visual styles make this a stand out take among the many, many interpretations.
If you’re here for Sim and Horden themselves however you were probably expecting the 1951 live-action black and white movie where they physically plays the old and dead respectively misers. Well, I have that too for everyone’s benefit. Or maybe you’re a fan of both, in which case it’s a double special event. Whichever you prefer, enjoy!