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Post by Datelessman Mon Aug 09, 2021 2:32 pm

Enail wrote:Dustin Nguyen's art Drooling

Yes, Dustin Nguyen's art has been a thing of beauty for a solid decade or so now. He did a lot of good work for DC Comics in the past, with his claims to fame being BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM along with BATMAN: LIL' GOTHAM and a run on DETECTIVE COMICS, among others. He's won two Eisner awards for DESCENDER with Jeff Lemire over at Image Comics. 2013's LIL' GOTHAM in particular got buzz not just from being a quality all ages comic, but because it provided solid depictions of characters who were either missing or drastically altered during DC's "New 52" era of the time, like the Cassie Cain version of Batgirl (who has since became "the Orphan" because in DC's infinite wisdom, having 3-5 Robins who all look alike at once is fine but god forbid there be more than one Batgirl, but I digress). Thumbs-up
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Post by Enail Mon Aug 09, 2021 5:45 pm

It's Descender I've been reading, I've always liked his work but those watercolours in Descender just kill me.  I'm loving the whole thing so far, too, not just the art, it's got the pacing and character writing and balance of mature without being excessively edgy down in the ways that most Western comics in the DC/Marvel/Image vein, even the really good ones, always slightly miss the mark on for me.
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Post by Datelessman Mon Aug 16, 2021 11:36 pm

Enail wrote:It's Descender I've been reading, I've always liked his work but those watercolours in Descender just kill me.  I'm loving the whole thing so far, too, not just the art, it's got the pacing and character writing and balance of mature without being excessively edgy down in the ways that most Western comics in the DC/Marvel/Image vein, even the really good ones, always slightly miss the mark on for me.

I haven't read Descender and Ascender but I've heard good things. I have no doubt it is good. I honestly haven't given too many creator owned Image books a try since INVINCIBLE ended and SAGA went on its 3 year (and counting) hiatus. Too many Marvel books on my pull list.

Lemire and Nguyen have just been tapped to do a ROBIN & BATMAN mini series. https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/49044/jeff-lemire-dustin-nguyen-do-robin-batman
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Post by Enail Mon Aug 16, 2021 11:39 pm

Oh, nice, I enjoyed their collab enough that I'd probably check it out just on that.
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Post by Datelessman Tue Aug 17, 2021 12:03 pm

Enail wrote:Oh, nice, I enjoyed their collab enough that I'd probably check it out just on that.

Cool. Yes, the pair are quite well known for their DC Comics work.

As you no doubt know, the "formula" for most comic creators these days is to try to have a good run at one of the "big two" on something and then position the fame and at least some of the readership onto a creator owned project that they can control and profit from. DC offers a pittance (and credits) to creators whose characters grace TV and film, and Marvel/Disney usually offers less than that. Ed Brubaker noted that he'd earned more from SAG residuals for a film cameo then he ever did for his Winter Soldier work which the MCU strip-mined. It's been characterized as "a $5,000 check and a thanks," at best. But then again, part of the reason why DC may be slightly more generous is because Gerry Conway kind of guilted the publisher about it years ago (to say nothing of the public campaigns from the estates of the Superman creators, or Bill Finger).

Descender and Ascender are doing well enough to get Netflix attention, but a brief DC mini series which will see way more readers is a good move. Plus, I am sure, they like the characters. But that is why some creators turn back up. Like Jonathan Hickman coming back to Marvel after years at Image to, essentially, revive the X-Men. It is a shame the "big two" and WB/Disney behind them are not more generous and gracious, but we could say that about bigger matters.
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Post by Hielario Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:27 pm

So I caught 68 Kill on the weird TV movie channel and I am utterly amazed. Not just because it's a well-done example of the grindhouse thriller.  Its protagonist is the PERFECT portrayal of a man who's psychologically incapable of hurting others or defending himself! Who is systematically provoked, manipulated and hurt by most women around him because they can tell from a mile that there won't be any consequence! And the way the female lead and other actresses picture that sort of sadistic glee!!

Yes, I feel SEEN in a way i didn't believe possible. Although for me, it never had that sexual element, sadly.

No, it doesn't go "revenge fantasy" in the end. It's more of a "simply stopped caring" with neither joy nor anger.

The acting, casting, camerawork and acting direction are in general BRILLIANT!

I am, however, slightly worried about how i felt about the girlfriend's crazy brother's moments at the end. I think I need a psychiatrist.
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Post by bomaye Sat Aug 21, 2021 7:35 pm

Pro wrestling is back, baby!
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Post by Datelessman Tue Sep 14, 2021 5:54 am

As an update to my eclectic DVD binges, in the world of older American animation I finished watching the original 1985-1989 run of THUNDERCATS due in large part to impulse buying the box set at a local Best Buy. I'd almost gotten it a few times on Amazon but there it was, right there. As a kid for whatever reason I never saw that many episodes of it (maybe 3-5 from start to finish) so it was fun revisiting it. A lot of it is, of course, typical of 1980's era animation but I was surprised by how much held up. The animation in particular (from a Japanese studio Disney later purchased which later became known as "Disney Japan") is among the best for a syndicated cartoon of the time. I found myself liking Panthro and Cheetara more than Lion-O personally, but even he grew on me. I also was surprised it used terms like "refugee" pretty accurately, and a later episode involved the evils of indentured servitude. In comparison, by 1989 TMNT was nearing its prime with goofier, less well animated fare (which at the time I adored).

I also binged one of the biggest cult cartoons of the 90's aside for Gargoyles, which was Hanna-Barbera's PIRATES OF DARK WATER. It was also a series I saw little of as a kid (circa 1991-1993) which was great to revisit now. Warner Brothers sells it as a print-on-demand set via their website and Amazon. Considering it has a bright and colorful palette, the subject matter is pretty dark and the character models are quite ambitious for the time. The voice cast was also a surprisingly enjoyable mix, especially for their pedigrees. George Newbern, these days best known for voicing Superman when Tim Daly can't be bothered, stars as Ren. You have Jodi Benson, before she was permanently on staff at Disney to reprise her roles as Ariel and Barbie, playing Tula (who, sadly, never got a toy). Hector Elizondo, who usually plays villains when he does voice acting (aside for Gargoyles), voices Ioz, the battle ready rogue and ne'er do well of the cast. Frank Welker voices Niddler, the token anthropomorphic character who has a darker past than his sweet voice implies. And then you have Brock Peters as the surprisingly ruthless pirate Lord Bloth, Peter Cullen (forever Optimus Prime) as his first mate Mantus, and Tim Curry as Blonk. The animation quality often can't overcome its budget and the challenges of the scenery and models, but the show is well done and surprisingly well serialized. The premise is pretty straightforward; a band of unlikely heroes (including Ren, who is really a prince) have to travel the world of Mer to gather the 13 Treasures of Rule to save the planet from the titular Dark Water, which consumes everything and is controlled by a demon. The series aired 21 episodes and only got to 8 treasures.

Why did it die? I looked at the original schedule, and it was nuts. The first 5 episodes aired as a mini series on FoxKids in 1991, which would have also been the same year PETER PAN & THE PIRATES was ending (which was another pirate related show starring Tim Curry). That alone may have confused kids, especially since pirates were not part of the zeitgeist in 1991; TMNT was still in its prime. Then about 6 months later the rest of season 1 aired on ABC, another network, and likely another day and/or time. And then a whole year later, the second season of 8 episodes aired as part of Hanna-Barbera's local station syndication block of shows that usually aired on Sundays. This was the pre-Internet, TV Guide exclusive era for following shows. And, to be frank, many of the episodes are extremely tightly connected without any recap beyond the intro (which just recaps the basic premise), so if you got behind or forgot stuff it could get confusing. Throw in the fact that 1991 was the year Turner Broadcasting bought Hanna-Barbera and the collective THUD of the toys, comics, and video games to make any impact, and it was a swirl of bad luck. But I can see how it became a cult hit.

Now I've just started a binge of the live action Jim Henson sitcom, DINOSAURS, which I did watch pretty regularly back in the day.
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Post by KMR Tue Sep 14, 2021 8:53 am

Pirates of Dark Water was one of my favorite shows as a kid, and I was always confused and sad that it never got finished. I remember continually watching reruns of the show and just hoping for the day that we would get new episodes. I didn't realize at the time that it was actually canceled and there wouldn't be new episodes in the works; I just assumed they would finish the story someday.
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Post by Datelessman Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:13 pm

KMR wrote:Pirates of Dark Water was one of my favorite shows as a kid, and I was always confused and sad that it never got finished. I remember continually watching reruns of the show and just hoping for the day that we would get new episodes. I didn't realize at the time that it was actually canceled and there wouldn't be new episodes in the works; I just assumed they would finish the story someday.

The pre-Internet era was definitely a different time for a kid. One never knew whether a show was gone for good or not. Even if your folks had a TV Guide, they rarely talked about every "kids show." The shifting of the schedule for POTD likely made hunting down first run episodes almost like finding treasure itself.

It was definitely one of those "holy grail" cult shows of the 90's. By the time I was in high school lots of people were talking about that as much as Gargoyles (which at the time was more recent or airing the non canonical "Goliath Chronicles"). I never saw it and always thought I missed out, but between DVD's, streaming, and so on, it's hard to miss anything anymore. I know Cartoon Network did some April Fool's kind of schtick once where they professed to have some "lost episodes," only to show video of a cat lapping up milk in a joke about accidentally recording over them.

I will say it is lame that Tula never got a toy. They only had one wave and they even picked a villain who only turned up in one episode over her to keep it all dudes. Plans were set for her to get a toy in a second wave, but c'mon, she was in the regular cast. I hate when toy lines do that.

In a lot of ways it really was one of the few serious "fantasy" cartoons of the time. The only other show which comes close "Dungeons & Dragons" from the 80's (which also had Peter Cullen as a villain), but that wasn't nearly as dark. Characters die on POTD on screen pretty often, and references to death or slavery were all over. It contrasted with the bright and colorful character models (even Bloth had pink armor) and scenery, but that is what I liked about it. I agree it is a shame it was never finished. More than a few folks want to see a revamp of some sort. Why not? BIKER MICE FROM MARS somehow came back in the early 2000's.
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Post by bomaye Sat Sep 25, 2021 12:17 am

Nintendo Directs sure are comfy <3
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Post by Hielario Tue Nov 23, 2021 8:51 am

So, I've become aware that at least two people who aren't men are simping online for Glenn Dolphman, and now my morning looks a lot better.

(Inside Job looks pretty cool, even if I can't watch it whole because of my lack of Netflix.)
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Post by Datelessman Thu Dec 16, 2021 4:59 pm

My binges remain eclectic and limited to what I have or feel like watching on the random DVD sets that I get. I am an old fogie who prefers physical media.

I wrapped up a rewatch of the first 5 seasons of the 2003 version of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" cartoon, produced by 4Kids Entertainment and Mirage Studios. It is owned by Viacom/Nick now (circa Viacom's purchase of the TMNT franchise from Peter Laird in 2009) and currently streams on Paramount Plus. For some it's become a sort of "middle series" between the original from 1987 (which ran 10 seasons, 7 of which were on CBS) and the 2012 CGI version that aired on Nick for 5 seasons. It ran for 7 seasons, but the last 2 were far from their prime and some could argue it began "jumping the shark" after the 5th.

Until then, though, I thought it was a cutting edge version which juggled being a contemporary action cartoon for the kid crowd of the early 2000's while also being faithful to its roots as a Mirage Studios comic. Many issues and arcs from the original comics were adapted, some quite faithfully. It had a very serialized story and some great storyboarding for the action sequences. And for a non Disney/WB production, Dong Woo did some great animation.

The FoxBox/4Kids TV censorship board changed after season 3 and they started getting on the show's case about graphic content. One episode of season 4, "Insane in the Membrane" was even banned from airing in America until 2015, when it aired in syndication on Nick. So for seasons 6-7 the tone got lighter, the character models got simpler, and they started chasing more fads. Season 5 arguably was chasing the Naruto fad; season 6 went to "the future" and season 7 was trying to ape the feel of the 2007 CGI movie by Imagi. It ended with a TV movie in 2009, which was heavily edited. An unedited version was available online for a month and then zapped from existence. Seriously, it is rarer than Bigfoot.

Right now I am binging another series about someone green - the classic 1977 INCREDIBLE HULK. I was a kid when it was in syndication but at the time I never saw much of it, and I've never had cable so I never saw it on SciFi. I figured it was past time since it was the most successful live action Marvel TV show on broadcast TV until AGENTS OF SHIELD somehow lasted 7 seasons. Classic Bill Bixby in his prime with lots of growls and flexing by Lou Ferrigno. I like how every episode is usually a different genre, even if it is kind of hilarious how no one can figure out who the Hulk is unless he literally transforms right in front of them. Although David Banner being able to rent one bedroom apartments on the salary of menial, unskilled labor is definitely something which could only happen in 1980, and is now a bigger feat of science fiction than the Hulk himself. I even have the TV movies (1988-1990), but those are a few weeks away at my pace.
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Post by bomaye Thu Dec 16, 2021 5:28 pm

Early seasons of TMNT 2003 were fucking great. The twist on the Shredder and how they handled Baxter Stockman were probably my favourite elements of it.
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Post by Datelessman Thu Dec 16, 2021 7:25 pm

bomaye wrote:Early seasons of TMNT 2003 were fucking great. The twist on the Shredder and how they handled Baxter Stockman were probably my favourite elements of it.

Agreed. I loved the "Utrom Shredder" and thought the twist fit that incarnation of the franchise very well. I wasn't as satisfied with season five, which back peddled a bit and claimed that the Utrom had merely adopted the identity of an older, demonic, once-human Shredder. It felt like the kind of subplot tacked on after the fact to either come up with an idea or respond to criticism, which contrasted with much of the series until that point. But for those first 100 or so episodes, I dare say it was one of the best comic based animation series produced in the U.S. and it is a shame it isn't recognized better. Still, after the 1987 Shredder, it was the first animated version who was threatening. James Avery was great, but that incarnation of the character was played more for laughs like many villains of the time were.

Baxtor Stockman was handled great, too. It was terrific to not see a bumbling, whitewashed version. He did always get mutilated, but he never lost his massive ego or ambition. As I have gotten older I kind of appreciate what a properly done Stockman adds to the franchise, and even for comics (as one of the first really recognizable "mad scientist" villains who was not a white dude). I think the version appearing in IDW Publishing's comics is even better (reaching a near David Xanatos level of continued success over time), but the main series writer for that, Tom Waltz, was also a fan of the 2003 show, so it comes full circle.
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Post by Datelessman Mon Dec 27, 2021 1:18 pm

So, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME isn't perfect but it is very entertaining and offers gobs of satisfying nostalgia. Thumbs-up
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Post by Datelessman Fri Dec 31, 2021 3:02 pm

I finished my binge of the 1977 INCREDIBLE HULK TV series and am now wrapping it up with the three TV movies which ended that continuity from 1988-1990. For those not in the know, reunions or revivals of canceled TV shows are nothing new; in fact many TV series seemed to have longer lives as TV movies than they did as weekly series (COLUMBO and PERRY MASON especially).

If finally watching the old Bixby & Ferrigno INCREDIBLE HULK series was correcting a "geek wrong" in my life (finally watching one of Marvel's best and longest lasting live action network TV shows), then seeing some of these TV movies is akin to testing the testimony of fans. To those not in the know, as beloved as the Hulk TV series was, those TV movies were often lambasted by fans for as long as I can remember. Wizard magazine, back in the day, used to routinely rag on them. And I get it; they are products of their time and during an era when it looked like the Incredible Hulk would be the peak of live action Marvel fare, they may have seemed frustrating. But now that we live in a post-MCU, post-Avengers, post-Netflix era, I think it is easier to see them as what they were: noble first attempts at adapting some characters on a TV budget. I mean, you'd never see Marvel or Sony try a live action Spider-Man show today, but CBS did in 1977. I admire the tenacity and ambition of that 1977-1990 era, even if it wasn't always perfect (which may be kind).

After all, Stan Lee wasn't wrong when he decided in the 1970's that the future of the empire he helped create was not limited to comics, toys, or cartoons, but in live action promotions with notable actors. Bill Bixby was one of the most popular male TV performers in the 1970's, after all. You don't get the near perfection of the MCU era without these rough drafts.

1988's RETURN OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK and 1989's TRIAL OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK were both reunion movies (at least for Bixby and Ferrigno), but shameless attempts at backdoor pilots for other heroes. RETURN introduced Donald Blake and Thor, and TRIAL introduced Daredevil. Both featured the usual awesome cheesy 1980's action sequences and music, and of course, Obvious Toronto trying to be New York. I swear, Lou Ferrigno looked EVEN BIGGER six years after the TV series ended!

The most bizarre thing about Thor in RETURN is the introduction of supernatural elements (of a cheesy, ADVENTURES OF HERCULES sort) into a universe which never had any before or after. I was fascinated by the choice to include Donald Blake, since by 1988, Thor's alter ego had long been retconned in the comics as basically being a phantom identity Odin trapped him in as punishment (the godly equivalent of grounding Thor for a month). Even weirder is Blake is just a normal schmuck who summons Thor by holding his hammer and screaming, "ODIN!" and then issuing commands to him. This Thor is powered way down, but no less hilarious in modern settings. Maybe some fans didn't like seeing Thor, Hulk, and Blake take down generic white gunmen in a warehouse with cheesy 1980's synthesizer music playing, but I love that crap sometimes. Although Charles Napier's attempt at a Cajun accent was very bizarre. The dynamic between Blake and Thor allows them to mirror David Banner's, since Blake is also troubled by an alter ego, albeit one he can summon and vanquish at will, and even interact with. The dude playing Blake was like the king of TV movies around that time, because he also popped up in 1989's "GET SMART, AGAIN."

TRIAL was all around a better outing. It was darker, more serious, and more harrowing for David. Yes, the version of Wilson Fisk here is cheesy and over the top (even without the white suit), but this was one of the first live action portrayals of a Marvel super villain ever. Cut it some slack, people. Beyond that, it is a pretty solid guest shot for Daredevil, who is wearing his black 1986 "Born Again" suit that the Netflix series loved. I think the reason why it gets so much hate is the title is very misleading (beyond a dream sequence, there is no "Trial") and the Hulk himself does not appear in the last act. For the record, Stan Lee has his first cameo in a Marvel movie here. Jack Kirby had a cameo during the series itself.

I suppose for many fans, they saw the TV series and/or the TV movies as filling time until the green guy appears, which is a recipe for disappointment. I actually liked Bixby's Banner a lot and usually enjoyed the plots around him for what they were. As the new year arrives I'll wrap it all up with 1990's DEATH OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK, which is actually the rarest on DVD. Buying it third hand on Amazon cost as much as the box set of the whole TV series.
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Post by Enail Fri Dec 31, 2021 3:59 pm

I love Obvious Toronto trying to be New York Lurking/sketchy
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Post by Datelessman Fri Dec 31, 2021 6:06 pm

Enail wrote:I love Obvious Toronto trying to be New York Lurking/sketchy

Thanks. Laughing Yeah, the trains and subway stations aren't even close.

The TV movie, to its credit, never actually outright claims it is in New York; it's just heavily implied with all the graffiti and the fact that Wilson Fisk and Daredevil are featured. But I guess if "THE PUNISHER" from 2003 can relocate Frank Castle to Tampa, Florida, maybe Matt Murdock and Fisk really were in Toronto.

As a Toronto jam, of course, it got to feature some folks better known for voice acting roles like John Novak and Mark Acheson (as Turk). Virtually every Canadian actor of a certain age has usually worked on either "STARGATE SG-1" or some incarnation of "DA VINCI'S INQUEST" (or to a lessor degree, "INU YASHA"). And Gimli (or Macbeth) himself, John Rhys-Davies, played Wilson Fisk. The late 1980's were crazy times.
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Post by Datelessman Mon Jan 03, 2022 2:56 pm

I finally ended my binge of the Bixby/Ferrigno Hulk era with their last TV movie of 1990, "DEATH OF THE INCREDIBLE HULK." Gee, I wonder what happens this time? It allowed the TV incarnation to extend into a third decade (1977-1990), albeit with kind of a whimper. The special effects actually look worse than some of the stuff in the TV series from a decade earlier, especially the finale. And it is, amazingly, the only "episode" of Incredible Hulk to involve the then-current antagonism of Soviet-era Russians. In comparison, "THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO" ran around the same time (three seasons in the early 1980's) and they had Commie plots about a third of the time.

Anyway, this time around Less Obvious Vancouver stands in for Portland, Oregon. David Banner has once again gotten a job as a janitor at a lab so he can sneak in and work on a cure. This time around it involves acting like a human "Ratatouille" to Dr. Pratt, fixing his various formulas so they're actually correct. That is because Dr. Pratt's own research about boosting human regeneration dovetails into Banner's condition (since he regenerates as the Hulk). Along the way, of course, Banner is mugged for about the 4th or 5th time and dispatches with them as the Hulk. I always pity muggers who target him. The only target worse for a mugger than David Banner is Paul Kersey.

Meanwhile, a sexy Russian spy names Jasmin (played by former Miss America Elizabeth Gracen) is forced into yet another mission against her will by her Soviet handler, Kasha, under the supposed pretext that her sister, Bella, will be slain otherwise. In truth, Bella is actually Kasha's superior and gets off on manipulating her sister. There also is Zed, their scarred psychopathic henchman, played by John Novak.

Of course, Jasmin decides to infiltrate the lab and steal files (1990 era compact floppy disks) at the same time as Dr. Pratt is running an experiment to cure Banner (after they met and traded notes with Pratt's wife Amy). The lab catches on fire and Banner Hulks out, and due to various circumstances both are on the run together, having fled the same lab explosions. Jasmin is double-crossed by her handlers and shot, but David decides to help her because he saw her save Dr. Pratt from dying in the fire, so he knows she isn't all bad. Plus, well, David hadn't had a girlfriend since the first TV movie. The pair make plans to live together on the run, with Jasmin using her flair for disguises alongside David's incredible ability to improvise to escape both the law and the evil Commies. But when Jasmin's bosses kidnap Dr. Pratt from the hospital, they both go in to rescue him. Jasmin finally gets to kick Zed's butt while the Hulk winds up grabbing onto the plane Kasha and Bella try to flee in. It explodes mid-air during the fight, and the resulting fall kills him.

For the longest time, this TV special had geek controversy because it was claimed that such an incident shouldn't have killed the Hulk, even on the show's terms (where he was far less powerful than in the comics). For me, I thought the incident was fine; it's the sloppy special effects which make it look worse than it is. The green-screen explosion is laughably bad, and a bit where the Hulk is supposedly falling is really just him laying on his back somewhere waving his arms and legs around. The death scene only gets tender in the last minute, thanks to that "Lonely Man" theme playing one last time, and Bill Bixby saying he "is free."

Contrary to rumors, it wasn't Bill Bixby's health which doomed another TV movie; it was bad ratings. Bixby did die in 1993 due to cancer (collapsing on the set of "BLOSSOM," where he was directing episodes of their second and third seasons), but he could have probably directed/co-produced/starred in at least one more beforehand. But considering the supposed plot of the next one (where David was to survive but be cured of the Hulk, only to recreate the experiment and become the Hulk all over again due to shenanigans), it may have been for the best to end it there. It certainly was a tragic ending, but Kenneth Johnson's "Incredible Hulk" TV series was, at its heart, a tragedy. David made many friends and saved the day many times, but his chronic condition was incurable. Many comparisons are had to Jekyll & Hyde or Frankenstein, but I always saw a bit of Larry Talbot, the Wolfman, in the portrayal. The Hulk was at least kinder to civilians than the Wolfman, though. While I imagine the audience would have liked to see David cured and live happily ever after, it may not have been as honest.

The other TV movies were draped in some late 1980's cheese, yet this one seemed covered in early 90's mediocrity. Despite the serious tone and stakes, it all seemed kind of pedestrian. Lou Ferrigno was as huge as ever, but the special effects were surprisingly bad. Still, at least it got a finale; not every TV franchise does. I did find it amazing that this TV movie kind of predicted the MCU era "AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON" flick where Banner hooks up with Black Widow, since Jasmin wasn't far removed from her.
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Post by Datelessman Mon Jan 10, 2022 12:55 pm

My latest rewatch is actually something I have owned for a while and rewatched a few times, but I may as well talk about it here: the 2019 animated DTV (direct-to-video, or OAV if it were an anime) "BATMAN VS. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES." It was based off of the first of three comic book crossovers between franchises by Jason Tynion IV and Freddie Williams III from 2015-2016. It was the first collaboration between WB and Nickelodeon since 1985 and the first Ninja Turtles thing released thru WB since 2007's "TMNT"

Much like the comic, what you get is in the title; a crossover between the franchises. The animated special isn't a direct adaptation of the comic, but a few scenes are adapted pretty faithfully, as well as a few lines or exchanges. I'd argue the biggest deviation is a second act that heavily involved the Joker, because WB thinks we can never have enough of the Joker. There's also no dimension hopping here; Batman's Gotham and the TMNT's NYC just operate in the same universe, and the Turtles just drove across town chasing after the Shredder and the Foot Clan in a scheme which also involves Ra's Al Ghul and, briefly, the Penguin. Some voice actors reprise some roles from other cartoons and video games, while others are new. This may've been the first Batman cartoon where Batman and the Joker are voiced by the same guy (Troy Baker).

The deviations from the original comic don't matter, because at heart this is a fun, fun movie. The Ninja Turtles are at their quipping best, especially Mikey, as they encounter the Batman tropes. Batman is gruff, of course, despite being in his pre-Crisis SUPERPOWERS costume. Batgirl and Robin (Damien Wayne) and the rest are in more modern costumes. There are many references to past comics, video games, movies, toys, etc. featuring the Turtles, including some mock covers in the credits.

If the character models look different, it is because they were designed by Andy Kuhn. He was the second regular artist on IDW Publishing's TMNT as well as the creator of FIREBREATHER (which got a CGI TV movie on Cartoon Network about 15 years ago).

It's not perfect, but it's a good time if you're a fan of either franchise.
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Post by Datelessman Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:42 pm

I apparently wanted to keep my "Bill Bixby solves mysteries" marathon going after wrapping up INCREDIBLE HULK, so I went a little further back in time to binge the NBC TV series he did before that: 1973's "THE MAGICIAN." It had a pilot TV movie and then 21 regular episodes across one season, and that was it. It's become something of a cult series with quite a few higher profile TV creators and producers referencing it. In X-FILES, it was agent Mulder's favorite show as a kid, and QUANTUM LEAP referenced it in one episode. Quite a few episodes, scenes, and plots from CHARLIE'S ANGELS, which debuted a couple years later, seemed cribbed from THE MAGICIAN. CBS released a DVD box set of it around 2017, and I am not sure if it is streaming on one of their services.

The premise of "stage magician solves crimes" is actually a pretty old one, going back at least as far as Lee Falk's MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN newspaper strip which debuted in 1934 (which predated the Phantom, Superman, and Batman). Nowadays the most well known comic example is Zatanna (since Doctor Strange is a sorcerer, not a magician, and he rarely solves "crimes"). So it is actually fascinating to see how NBC handled this concept in 1973-1974, and on the whole they did a good job, at least overall.

Bill Bixby stars as Anthony "Tony" Blake (renamed from Anthony Dorian after the pilot, since that turned out to be the name of a real stage magician), and he applied his own skills as an avid amateur magician to the role. Many episodes (though not all) are prefaced with a claim that all of the magic tricks done are genuine and without trick photography. His origin, which is summarized several times during the first few episodes, goes like this: Tony Blake was a fairly famous stage magician who found himself railroaded for a crime he didn't commit in South America and thrown in prison. His time there scarred his wrists from his shackles and effected him greatly. He eventually escaped, alongside another elderly (and presumably innocent) inmate, who willed his entire estate to Tony after he died. This made Tony independently wealthy enough that he could ditch performances at a moment's notice to pursue justice for both associates and strangers alike, since he'd felt the sting of injustice. Bixby seemed to have a lot of enthusiasm for the stage performances and magic trick, and plays Blake as a well intended hero who certainly has a mischievous and flirty side. Although Blake can defend himself in hand-to-hand combat on occasion, he usually prevails by entrapping or escaping villains with his wits or magic tricks. In particular, he often uses exploding cigarettes and playing cards. Nothing is funnier than seeing him disarm a gunman by literally throwing a handful of playing cards in the dude's face. Naturally, Blake's skills also allow him to escape death traps, handcuffs, and prisons.

For the first half of the season, Blake's supporting cast involved the snobby syndicated columnist Max Pomeroy (Keene Curtis from CHEERS), his handsome yet wheelchair bound genius of a son, Dennis Pomeroy (Todd Crespi), and his pilot, Jerry Anderson (Julian Christopher). Blake actually lives on a privately owned Boeing 720 jetliner called "SPIRIT," and drives a flashy white Chevvy Corvette with a matching vanity plate. This allowed Blake to travel anywhere the plot demanded.

Midway thru the season for reasons I cannot fathom, the cast and setting got retooled. By the 11th episode, Blake started living at a posh apartment (with a weird puppet as a doorbell) at the Magic Castle, a real life exclusive club for magicians set in L.A. (which Bixby was a member of). Jerry continued to aid Blake on cases, even though he rarely acted as a pilot anymore. The Pomeroys were replaced by Dominic (Joseph Sirola, one of the kings of voice overs), an ex-actor and apparent Maitre 'D or host of the Castle. Dominic is obsessed with figuring out how Blake does his tricks, and like all Italians in TV shows of the time, has working knowledge of local crime figures. He's kind of generic and the Pomeroys were missed.

Besides the setting, in the second half of the season, the titles got on the nose. Out of 21 episodes of THE MAGICIAN, 12 have the word "illusion" in them. Also, while the first half of the series showed that Blake was willing and eager to help total strangers, the second half focused mostly on him aiding friends, associates, or ex lovers. Blake at least keeps the white Corvette, though, which was as obvious a car as Speed Racer's MACH-5. Part of the fun is Blake's particular tastes; he always drinks white wine, and always wears sunglasses and gloves when he drives. His Corvette also had a piece of then-sci-fi technology; a car phone (which was a rotary dial). Dennis was also a fan of bulky 1970's computers and MICRO-FILM.

I may as well mention that one unfortunate cliche of "magician crime-fighters" is that they have an assistant who is a man of color, and usually a stereotype at that. Mandrake had Lothar, who wasn't handled very well until after the mid 1980's and the "DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH" cartoon tried to rehab him. Doctor Strange, of course, has Wong; Zatara (Zatanna's father) had Tong, and so on. Fortunately, while Jerry does technically fill the role of "man of color who aids a magician in fighting crime," he isn't a stereotype or subservient to Blake in any way, despite often being his pilot. Their relationship is more like friends, with Jerry aiding in cases even when he's not piloting. Unlike Blake, Jerry is a capable brawler, able to overcome 2-on-1 odds. Unfortunately, little is known about his character besides his association to Blake, and the actor's performance. Max Pomeroy, on the other hand, usually got a bit more depth. Still, for 1973-1974, having a male character of color as part of the supporting cast of a prime time drama who was not treated as a stereotype or a thug was pretty rare. After all, at the time the only black-led sitcom was "SANFORD & SON," and a year later, "STARSKY & HUTCH" would rely on the overly cliched "Huggy Bear."

The show had some fun geeky guest actors of the time showing up. A 22 year old, pre-STAR WARS Mark Hamill turns up in one episode. On the other hand, both William Shatner and Yvonne Craig (who Bixby used to date), who both were struggling to find work once the 70's started, also show up but don't get top billing as guests. The late Jessica Walter, from DINOSAURS and ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, guests in the series finale. Unfortunately, Joseph Wiseman, the titular DR. NO, also turns up as a worse "yellow peril" villain for one episode. If you thought the Mandarin in IRON MAN was bad, sheesh.

I have no idea why the show changed up so much or even why it was canceled. Ratings were mediocre, but it was well liked at the time. It was theorized that the gasoline shortage of the 70's made the Boeing plane house look too "unsympathetic," and the first modern writer's strike was also playing out at the time. In 1986, NBC tried the premise again with "BLACKE'S MAGIC" (starring Hal Linden), but that was even less successful or liked. But, the episodes are clever, Bixby's performances are great, and the theme song kicks butt (seriously, YouTube it). If you come across it and want a more original "crime show," give it a binge. It definitely was too clever for the early 1970's. Even if modern day digital clarity did Bixby's Obvious Stuntman no favors.
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Post by Datelessman Thu Jan 27, 2022 3:25 pm

My eclectic viewing tastes at least shifted back to recent history with a re-watch of the 1997 Fox Animated movie by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, "ANASTASIA." When it came out I was solidly in my "I am too cool for any cartoon which isn't anime" phase as a teenager so I didn't see it. In fact I only watched it for the first time a few years ago, along with "FERN GULLY," because an associate of mine who I was chatting with (and in the name of honesty, have a crush on) really liked both and recommended them to me. So it stands as proof at least that I am willing to watch films or TV shows which are not normally my bag if someone, especially a woman, recommends them. Some geek dudes get hung up on that (i.e. wanting her to watch One Piece, while refusing to try Sailor Moon). But I digress.

Naturally this is an animated musical/comedy/adventure based on the old legend of Grand Duchess Anastasia from the last royal family of Russia secretly surviving the various revolutions that culminated in 1918. This was totally a valid conspiracy theory and I distinctly remember at least one episode of UNSOLVED MYSTERIES devoting a segment to it. Ironically, not long after Fox released this movie in November 1997, the actual gravesite of the Romanov family was unearthed, and in 2007 DNA testing proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Anastasia died there. That didn't stop this from being commercially successful, or even getting a live action Broadway musical version. In fact, it would be Don Bluth's last profitable movie as a non-Disney director; three years later he did TITAN A.E., which bombed and it more or less ended his film career.

Anyway, this is a more optimistic take on the story intended for families, which leaves out the whole "people's revolution" thing to mostly blame the fall of the empire on the evil wizard Gregori Rasputin (and his talking bat, Bartok). Meg Ryan plays Anastasia, John Cusak plays Dimitri, Christopher Lloyd is Rasputin, Hank Azaria uses one of his spare SIMPSONS voices as Bartok, Kelsey Grammer is Vlad Vasilovich, Frank Welker once again gets paid to bark into a mic as Pooka the dog, and Angela Lansbury voices the Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna Romanov, Anatasia's grandmother who really did survive the revolution in real life, dying in exile in Europe in 1928.

To sum up, the last Czar of Russia, Nicholas II, banishes Rasputin for treason, and he gets revenge by selling his soul to demons in exchange for a magic amulet which he uses to mesmerize the rabble into revolting against the royals and sacking their castle (as one does). Nearly the entire family is killed aside for Anastasia and Marie, who are led to a secret compartment by a servant boy. A decade later in 1926, Anastasia is suffering amnesia from the trauma of the incident and lives as "Anya," a tomboy from an orphanage whose lingering memories and strong will make her a poor choice to live out her life with the rabble. Along her way she sings a bit and finds Pooka, and stumbles into Dimitri and Vlad. Both of them are seeking to earn the reward offered by the Dowager Empress in France for the discovery of Anastasia by training local girls to act the part. Dimitri, of course, was that servant boy and thus has inside knowledge, and an item of MacGuffin Jewelry, to pull it off. Ironically, the con artist finds himself actually finding the genuine Anastasia, and then falling in love with her despite their bickering demeanors. CUE THE DRAMA. This flick is mostly about their back and forth banter and budding romance, which is occasionally interrupted by a rotting corpse and his talking bat trying to kill them.

I was never a fan of musicals, in part because I was force fed so many as a kid since nearly all children's animated fare are musicals and producers think all kids like that. As an adult I have realized I can tolerate musicals so long as I like the songs, which is fair but subjective. For example, I love the songs in "NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS" or in the "BATMAN: BRAVE AND THE BOLD" TV show. Most of the songs in "ANASTASIA" I find kind of okay, neither good nor bad, with the exception of Rasputin's "IN THE DARK OF THE NIGHT," sung by Jim Cummings, which is awesome. In many of these things, the villain song is usually the best (i.e. Tim Curry's "TOXIC LOVE" from "FERN GULLY" or even "BE PREPARED" from "THE LION KING"), and this one is no exception. "In The Dark Of The Night" kind of sums up a lot of my feelings about this version of Rasputin. The song details how he wants to scare, stalk, and kill Anastasia with personal relish, despite the fact she barely met him and was in no way responsible for his exile or troubles. He also laments how he's stuck as a zombie who smells bad and has body parts randomly fall off and is so hideous he scares himself. Is he an incel? Wink Which brings me to a plot hole: Rasputin is stuck in limbo because he sold his soul in exchange for the power to kill the Romanov's, yet because he failed to kill Anastasia, he didn't move on until he does her in. But what about her grandmother, the Dowager Empress? Unlike Anya, her location was pretty well known. Or even the Empress' cousin, Sophie? That's the problem with selling your soul without reading the fine print, I guess. Or with trying to be like the Queen of Fables from "HARLEY QUINN" and "end the bloodline."

The vocal performances are all good and I can totally see how my friend and other people liked the dynamic between Anya and Dimitri here; the give and take, back and forth budding romance between two people who both have their secrets and are not perfect. It is kind of amusing to me to hear the original voice of Doctor Blight from CAPTAIN PLANET getting to be animated romantic princess here, but only because I am a weirdo. The 2D animation is great, albeit with some very-1997-looking CGI. It is kind of surprising how Rasputin's body parts falling off or stretching could be played for laughs back then without grossing anyone out. I suppose if I wanted to be a stickler I could point out that "ANASTASIA" is like many animated flicks where the villain, despite being a man, is "coded" with feminine details (long hair, long nails, avidly using perfume, getting giddy with big eyelashes in one scene, etc.) while the heroine, despite ultimately being revealed as a princess, starts out coded as "male" as an assertive tomboy who doesn't take crap from anyone (even a man she likes). But back in 1997 we didn't have Tumblr or Twitter to go on rants about this. I did like that unlike a lot of children's movies, who have the villain die yet arrange for the heroine to be almost blameless in it (it's called "a Disney death" for a reason), Anastasia solidly does Rasputin in at the end by stomping his amulet to bits. His death is actually pretty gruesome looking, too. And Bartok makes sure to rebel against Rasputin so he can go on to star in a made-for-video prequel without being unsympathetic. Bartok's fine, but he's obviously the "jokey character who mugs for the easily distracted children" character who is very common in children's animation. Unfortunately, Pooka also serves this role (albeit without talking), and too many flicks overload on these characters.

So, yeah, 1997's "ANASTASIA." Good animation good acting, some nice dialogue, an awesome villain song, but it has some elements which were kind of typical for children's animation at the time, and song preferences are subjective. But at least this time I watched something from the Clinton era.
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Post by Datelessman Tue Feb 08, 2022 5:15 pm

The latest series I am in the middle of binging is (hopefully) well known and was the only major chunk of the "DC Animated Universe" or DCAU which began with 1992's "BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES" and ended with 2006's "JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED" which I did not own (previously) or saw all of. That is "STATIC SHOCK," which ran from 2000-2004 and was co-produced by two of the creators of the character from the comics, the late Dwayne McDuffie and Denys Cowan, as well as Alan Burnett, who was usually involved in the Batman cartoons, and subsequent (and related) WB animated projects. Both McDuffie and Cowan had created STATIC as a comic in 1993, and while comic book heroes becoming animated TV stars by then was not uncommon, it was still rare for the original creators to be so heavily involved in it (at least aside for Stan Lee). In contrast, while the Fred Wolf produced 1987 "Ninja Turtles" cartoon brought the comic out of the indies to the mainstream, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird had little involvement with it.

It debuted in sort of an interesting time for TV cartoons about comic books. On the same network (Kid's WB), "BATMAN BEYOND" and "MEN IN BLACK: THE SERIES" were airing their final seasons and "X-MEN: EVOLUTION" (perhaps the first and last union between Marvel and WB on any project) had also begun. Fox Kids, formerly the home of a lot of comic based cartoons, fizzled out with the lackluster "AVENGERS: UNITED THEY STAND" and decided to just air more anime like "MONSTER RANCHER," and CBS was mostly finished from the Saturday Morning cartoon business beyond for toddler-centric educational obligations. It also became the first cartoon based on a comic book to be titled after, and star, an African-American hero.

There were some critics who claimed "STATIC SHOCK" was too similar to Spider-Man, but that was baked into the cake; any franchise starring a teenager who lives in a major city who isn't rich and wisecracks will seem similar. In fact, many people saw Static, even in '93, as sort of a modern recreation of Spider-Man (much as some people saw Kamala Khan after 2014). Virgin Hawkins is an overachieving 14 year old in the fictional Michigan city of Dakota City who lives with his widowed father and sassy older sister, and hangs out with his best friend, Richie Foley. After being bullied and manipulated into showing up for a "gang war" between two street gangs, Virgil is caught in the middle of a chemical explosion once some trigger happy cops get involved. He gains electomagnetic powers and decides to become a crime fighter, Static, with a bit of help from Richie in terms of tactics and gear. That explosion is dubbed "the Big Bang" and those who got powers from it "Bang Babies," who provide the majority of threats that Static faces. While the show relies on the "villain of the week" gimmick a lot, so far his main enemies are Ebon, who leads a team called "the Meta-Breed," Rubberband Man, Ebon's brother who becomes an anti-hero, and Hotstreak (a former school bully).

I caught a few episodes when it was new but for various reasons never watched it faithfully, and I am enjoying it now. Phil LaMarr had done voice acting even before (and during) his tenure on "MAD TV" brought him fame, but in a lot of ways "STATIC SHOCK" was one of his first major starring voiceover roles in TV (as in a role attached directly to him, rather than as a "supporting/guest voice" on stuff like "KING OF THE HILL" or "THE PJ's"). He and Jason Marsden, who voices Richie, have a lot of rapport with each other. It's good, solid superhero stuff so far; I am 2 out of 4 seasons in.

After the first season, "JUSTICE LEAGUE" launched on Cartoon Network and McDuffie started to work on that series, too. It was also decided to start bridging "STATIC SHOCK" over with the "main" DC cartoons then. So the second season debuts with a team-up between Static, Batman, and Robin against (of course) the Joker. I haven't gotten there yet in this binge but I know this kicks into overdrive a bit in the third and fourth seasons, with more team-ups (including a two-part Justice League guest stint). Maria Canals, who voiced Hawkgirl in JL, was originally playing a reoccurring TV reporter in "STATIC SHOCK," which is a fun connection. As with many WB productions, there is a bit of stunt casting, especially with guest stars. Neil Patrick Harris, Tone Loc and Coolio show up to play guest villains, with Shaq and AJ McLean (of the Backstreet Boys) playing themselves. "STATIC SHAQ," in particular is VERY generous of Shaq, who gets to learn Static's identity and then beat 2 out of 3 villains in the finale. Imagine if an episode of "SPIDER-MAN" not only had Hulk Hogan guest star as himself, but the Hulkster got to beat most of the Sinister Six!

So far the last episode I watched was the Emmy nominated season two finale, "JIMMY," which centers around Richie being shot by a fellow classmate who was driven over the edge by a bully and brought a gun to a school event. I remember this episode often being compared to "DEADLY FORCE" from Disney's "GARGOYLES" which dealt with a similar gun-related plot involving a regular series lead being shot (albeit years earlier). Overall I think "DEADLY FORCE" was the better episode, since it was willing to show blood (even if later Disney reruns edited it out) and showed Elisa recovering from the injury over several subsequent episodes, as well as said injury being an accident from one of the cast (Broadway). "JIMMY," in contrast, focuses on characters we'd never seen before or since, and Richie heals up quick. That said, it aired barely 2 years after Columbine and some of its handling of the "bullying/school shooting/survivor's guilt" aspect was chilling, especially as such incidents would become far more common after 2001. I could have done without the end where Static talks to the audience like he's He-Man, though; he may as well have said, "For your Emmy consideration..."

Anyway, fun show, and I look forward to binging the last 2 seasons of it. At this time the only DCAU cartoon I do not own is "THE ZETA PROJECT," which I don't plan to since I never cared for the character and still remain bewildered that out of all the characters from "BATMAN BEYOND," that Zeta got a spinoff. And it actually ran for two seasons! It lasted as long as "SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN"! Insanity!
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