Pop Culture Chronicles

Batman '66

It's good to see the 1966 Batman back again. The Batman '66 comic is a concept whose time is long overdue. Never before has there been an ongoing comic series, or even a limited series, based on the Batman TV show with characters in the likenesses of the actors. Just the cover of the first issue with the Adam West/Burt Ward version of Batman & Robin is worth the price of the book. 

The stories leave much to be desired if you're looking for serious drama. They are intentionally campy, like the TV series. They are good for a chuckle and especially good comics for children (there are so few comics good for kids these days). 

In addition to the new comics, Mattel has released classic Batman TV series action figures. You can get a two-pack with Batman & Robin which comes with a batrope and a wall for them to climb. A photo of this toy was used for an alternate cover of Batman '66 #1, which was exclusively available at San Diego Comicon. Other figures in the series include Riddler, Penguin, Catwoman, and Joker. They are sold separately, as are Batman and Robin if you prefer to buy them that way. A Batmobile is also available. Another Batman figure in swim trunks with a surfboard has also been released, in homage to one of the sillier third season episodes.

While on the topic of toys, the high-end Japanese toy manufacturer, Hot Toys, has come out with Batman & Robin TV series figures as well. These guys are so realistic they're almost creepy, like wax museum figures. But we've come to expect no less from this company. While the Mattel figures are around $16 each, the Hot Toys versions are in the $250-300 price range. 

With all this renewed emphasis on the Batman series it appears that some of the licensing issues regarding the series are being resolved. Of course I'm thinking what most other Bat-fans are thinking. Can a DVD collection of the series be far behind? We shall see. 

Man of Steel and Star Trek

Man of Steel is an almost constant thrill ride. If you think Avengers was full of non-stop action and destruction, Man of Steel is about as extreme. It’s really over-the-top to say the least. Henry Cavill is a decent Superman, bearing enough resemblance to both Christopher Reeve and Tom Welling, IMO, that he is a good follow up to others who’ve played the strange visitor from another planet.

The movie does mess with a couple of points in the Superman mythos, most notably the fate of Jonathan Kent and some adjustments to the Clark and Lois relationship. Russell Crowe does a great job as Jor-El, a million times better than Brando. I’m surprised that Lois is not a brunette, which is typical, but not really a big deal. In all it’s a great movie, but be prepared for more action than human interest. Far more sci-fi than I expected. 

The new Star Trek movie pays homage to the original TV series, the first movie series, and the previous film in this current reboot. Since the reboot establishes an alternate timeline, the stuff from the original still happened, sort of, so the present can still build on the past.

Since most of you probably know by now that Leonard Nimoy shows up, now billed as “Spock Prime,” I’m not likely spoiling anything by saying that it was great to see him back again. If possible, before seeing the movie, I’d recommend re-watching Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and the first installment of the current series. You’ll be glad you did.

It was also good to see Peter Weller, who years ago played the title role in Buckaroo Banzai and was more recently Jack Bauer’s arch enemy, Christopher Henderson, on 24.

The addition of Carol Marcus to the crew leads one to question how much she and Kirk’s relationship will parallel that of the original timeline. We were given a few hints, but that may only have been to throw us off.

And oh, yes—the lens flares. I didn’t notice them in the previous film, but my kids did and they told me to watch for them in this one. 

Summer is super hero movies season. I've so far taken in Ironman III, Man of Steel, and Star Trek Into Darkness. The Lone Ranger starts July 3, and I'm looking forward to it. 

Mission: Impossible

My family is currently enjoying the original Mission: Impossible TV series on Netflix streaming video. We started with the fifth season due to recognizable cast members and faster-paced plots than previous years. We've now completed that season. The fifth season is notable for having Leonard Nimoy, Leslie Ann Warren, and Sam Elliott together on the IMF team. This has led me to start researching the series and here are some things I learned:

1) Peter Graves did not join the cast until season 2, replacing Steven Hill as Dan Briggs, the original IMF leader.

2) Sam Elliott (Doug) was brought in to replace Peter Lupus (Willy) who contemplated quitting the show. Elliott was assimilated into the cast appearing in episodes alongside Lupus with Elliott listed as a guest star. Elliott's appearances in episodes without Lupus had Elliott replacing him in the opening credits. Once producers recognized Willy's popularity, Elliott was dropped and Lupus' complaints about his character's screen time were remedied.  

3) The Mission: Impossible comic book ran five issues in 1967-1969. Issue 4 had the only photo cover with Peter Graves and was the only issue featuring the Jim Phelps character. Issue 5 was a reprint of issue 1. The comic only coincided with the first two seasons of the show. 

4) During the fourth season, there was no female regular, but only female guest stars as IMF agents. The only recurring female agent was Lee Meriwether who appeared as Tracey in four episodes. She is loved by comic fans as Catwoman in the 1966 Batman movie.    

5) Barbara Bain, who played Cinnamon Carter in seasons 1-3 reprised her role for an episode of Diagnosis: Murder titled Discards in 1997. Both Bain and her character, Cinnamon, had earlier careers as fashion models. 

6) There was a revival series running on ABC from 1988-1990. Peter Graves was the only regular cast member from the original series, although Greg Morris (Barney) and Lynda Day George (Casey) reprised their original roles in guest appearances. Morris' son, Phil, was a regular on the revival series. The original series was on CBS from 1966-1973.  

Here are just a few more interesting facts: 

1) Female IMF agents appearing in multiple episodes include Barbara Bain (Cinnamon) seasons 1-3; Lee Meriwether (Tracey) season 4; Leslie Warren (Dana) season 5; Lynda Day George (Casey) seasons 6-7; and Barbara Anderson (Mimi) season 7.

2) Greg Morris and Peter Lupus were the only actors to stay with Mission: Impossible its entire run, although Lupus was absent for much of season 5.

3) Leaonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock on Star Trek) played The Great Paris on seasons 4-5, replacing Martin Landau who appeared in seasons 1-3.

Mission: Impossible is one of the true classics and a true original. It also had one of the best themes of all time.   

The Wild Wild West

I love introducing my kids to stuff I grew up watching. Sometimes they rate my old TV favorites as awesome and other times they find them cheesy. All four seasons of the TV series The Wild Wild West are on DVD, so we recently watched the first four episodes of season two. I started with season two since it was the first color season. 

The same plot formula was used in the first three episodes. An evil maniacal genius wants to take over the world (or a part of it). His henchmen are mostly silent bafoons. There is a damsel in distress, but James West isn't sure he can trust her. The sets, colors, and costumes are outlandishly over-the-top. The villains were played by such notables as Victor Buono (King Tut on Batman), Boris Karloff, and Michael Dunn as Dr. Loveless, a recurring character who is an evil dwarf and West's arch nemesis. He is instantly my teen-aged son's favorite villain, as he was mine when I was a kid. My 11-year-old daughter says West's pants are too tight, so she attributes his fighting abilities to "spandex power."

The fourth episode was a little less formula with Ida Lupino as a kind-of female Dr. Frankenstein who resurrects cadavers and disguises them as government agents to carry out assassinations. West and Gordon are both kidnapped and locked in her dungeon one dark and stormy night. The episode is notable for being the only one in which Robert Conrad gets less screen time than Ross Martin whose Artie Gordon character is a bit more developed and gets to fall in love and to demonstrate his fencing prowess. It's definitely the best episode of the four. 

For the uninitiated, The Wild Wild West was far from being a conventional western. It was about two secret service agents, James West and Artemus Gordon who worked under President Grant and traveled by private train car. While West was typically the fighter and the ladies' man, Gordon was a master of disguise and inventor of gadgets. West was created to be a James Bond on horseback.

I hear that the third season was slightly more conventionally western which makes me want to watch it and refresh my memory. I was excited to get home from school on weekday afternoons at four o'clock during the 70s to watch this series in syndication. I later watched it on Saturday nights at nine on an independent TV channel out of Texas.

The series combined the western, spy, and sci-fi genres. It was popular enough to be a comic book with seven issues published in 1969, the final year of the TV series run. The final season saw little of Ross Martin who was recovering from a heart attack throughout most of filming. He and Conrad were reunited in 1979 and 1980 for two made-for-TV movie sequels. A James West Limited Edition Action Figure in the likeness of Conrad was produced in 1997.

The theatrical Wild Wild West with Will Smith bears little resemblance to the TV series and is best forgotten. But rumor has it that the man who revived Battlestar Galactica will soon be pitching a revived Wild Wild West to the TV networks. We shall see.        

A New Way to Watch Old TV

Remember the old days when you actually had to wait until your favorite program came on before you could watch it? If you weren't in front of the TV at that time, you were just out of luck. Then came VCRs. We could now record shows while we were away, but there was still that matter of setting the timer and hoping you went through all the steps just right. (The DVR has greatly simplified the recording process).

But recording wasn't fool proof. If the start of your show was delayed by a news bulletin or sporting event in overtime, you might not get the ending recorded. When you did, there was still all those commercials to fast forward through.  

But it wasn't long before programs started coming to video, and later DVD, and still later Blue Ray. Now we can purchase what we really want to watch. But that could run into mountains of money, so the video rental store became popular. But if every copy of what we wanted was already rented, or did not even come to that store, again we were out of luck. Plus we had to waste time and gas driving.  

Then came the mail order video rental, but now Netflix has gone even a step farther offering streaming video as a part of their monthly membership package, the least expensive of which is only around $11.00 a month. This provides unlimited streaming video and unlimited DVD rentals (but only one DVD out at a time. If you want more you must pay more).

What I really like is the streaming video feature, but that doesn't mean you have to watch TV on your computer. You can buy a Roku player for less than $100 which puts the streaming video right on your TV. It is ridiculously easy to install. High speed internet is a must. You can use ethernet if you like, but Roku is also set up to handle a wireless router.

We've had our Roku for over a year now and we have greatly enjoyed it. It's like TV a la carte. Pick what you want to watch, click on it with the remote, and you're in business. You can pause it if you get interrupted. You can even design your own instant queue. The selection of what is available on streaming video does rotate. Shows are on for a while and then replaced just like on syndicated television.

While this is old news to many, I am especially excited about what this means for comic fans and western fans, of which I am both. The available programs include old TV series like westerns that also came to comics. These include Gunsmoke, Cheyenne, Have Gun Will Travel, and Wagon Train. Other shows that have since been made into comics include 24, the A-Team, Dark Shadows, Heroes, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and the Munsters. All of these are currently available to watch at any time. Shows whose characters began in comics include Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Incredible Hulk, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and a number of the DC "straight-to-DVD" animated features.

In terms of mail order, our Netflix queue has Superboy, the animated Batman, Superman, and Justice League series, the 1967 Spiderman cartoons, Wonder Woman, Young Indiana Jones, the Three Stooges, Star Trek, Laramie, Bonanza, The Wild Wild West, and Gomer Pyle all on standby. Right now the new Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey, Jr. is waiting to be watched and returned. So in case some of you didn't know about this, for me it is a dream come true as I journey to retroville to watch many of the TV series that I have loved through the years.  

Now, all that being said, some of the newer TVs can show Netfilx streaming video without a Roku player, but I would still recommend you get the Roku. New channels are being added constantly, many of which are free. These include Whiskey Media whose offerings include Comic Vine News videos. Local weather and various radio news sites are available as well. With the Roku player you can have Hulu on your TV screen for a small monthly fee. One channel I like is Pub D' Hub (A free channel) which includes an almost endless list of public domain movies and TV series. You can watch the Drive-in variety "Teenagers from Outer Space," "Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter," or "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians." (I'm not making these titles up! Lots of B variety sci-fi and westerns are available.

With this new way of watching TV, I think we'll be cancelling our cable soon. Who needs overpriced cable when you can buy a Roku player and then pay $11.00 a month for Netflix? Well, I know there is sports, but for ESPN, live broadcasts are often online at ESPN3.com. But thankfully, we're not big sports fans. If you are, you can still get locals with a digital antenna for around 100 bucks.         

A Very Brady Blog Post

Recently Watching A Very Brady Christmas with my daughter caused me to wonder how many Brady reunions there have been since the cancellation of the original series. My research has revealed that there have been three spin-off series from the original: a variety show, a sit-com, and a drama. The original series is available in its entirety on DVD.

The first reunion was the Brady Variety Hour in 1977 which lasted only nine episodes. The second reunion was to be a TV movie entitled The Brady Girls Get Married in 1981. The movie was re-edited into the first three episodes of a new sit-com called The Brady Brides which told of Marcia and Jan's married life. The series ran 10 episodes. 

The TV movie A Very Brady Christmas aired in 1988. The high ratings led to yet another spin-off series called The Bradys which was more dramatic than comedic. It ran six episodes which have since been re-edited into three TV movies. 

Reuniting the entirety of such a large cast proved challenging, with the original Jan missing from the variety hour, the original Cindy missing from the Christmas movie, and the original Marcia missing from the drama. Each were replaced with other actors. The Brady Girls Get Married (which became the first three episodes of "The Brady Brides") was the only reunion that featured the entire original cast.  

The most successful Brady series outside of the original was actually a cartoon called "The Brady Kids" airing from 1972-1974, lasting 22 episodes. Since the series there have been two theatrical films which spoofed the original series, both featuring all new actors. The Brady Bunch Movie and A Very Brady Sequel were released in 1995 and 1996 respectively. A third movie was released to DVD in 2002 called The Brady Bunch in the White House.

As is obvious from the picture on this post, the Bradys also had their day in comics when Dell published two issues, complete with photo covers, in 1970. A promotional comic, Brady Bunch Kite Fun Book appeared in 1976.

It has been noted that the original series and reunions have put the Bradys on all three networks at various times. This feat isn't unique to the Bradys, however, since James Garner has played the role of Bret Maverick on all three networks as well. The original Maverick series aired on ABC, the New Maverick/Young Maverick on CBS, and the Bret Maverick series on NBC.             

Return of Barnabas Collins

You just can't keep a good vampire down! The Dark Shadows TV series has spawned many multi-media spin-offs including movies, comics, board games, novels, and audio plays on cd. In a post entitled Retro Revival in the Fall of 08, I expressed eager anticipation at the coming of Kolchak Tales Annual # 1 with guest-star Barnabas Collins.  

It was all I hoped it would be: a suspenseful story which accurately captured the mood of both the Night Stalker and Dark Shadows TV series. Both Kolchak and Barnabas were portrayed in perfect character and the artist's renditions of these characters looked like the actors who played them on television. The cover art was awesome!

My aforementioned post was mistaken when I assumed that this was the only appearance of Barnabas in comics since the 70s. It was, however, the only appearance of Barnabas in actor Jonathan Frid's likeness since the 70s. There was a four-issue comic mini-series in 1992 and 93 which coincided with the short-lived Dark Shadows revival series featuring Ben Cross as Barnabas. 

At any rate, in addition to the recent return of Barnabas Collins in 2009's Kolchak Annual, where else might the aristocratic vampire be showing up in the near future? First, Hermes Press will be reprinting the entire Dark Shadows comic book series originally published by Gold Key from 1969-1976. These volumes willl be in hardcover archives format and will hopefully be released next month. 

Second, Johnny Depp has signed on to play Barnabas Collins in a big screen version of Dark Shadows. Depp says it's a dream come true given his love for the character and for the original series. I personally cannot wait to see one of my favorite actors playing one of my favorite characters.  

Third, the entire Dark Shadows TV series is available from Netflix with some seasons in streaming video and others in DVD format. The entire revival series is also on DVD. So if you're looking for a Dark Shadows fix, help is on the way.

Books with Retro Appeal

Here is a listing of some books I'd like to eventually check out, especially if I could find them in a public library:

1000 Comic Books You Must Read by Tony Isabella

Should be interesting to see what makes his list and why. Amazon has it for 19.79.  

Alex Toth in Hollywood (Pure Imagination Publishing)

This late great 20th century artist spent some years working for Western Publishing (Dell & Gold Key) drawing comics based on TV series and movies. This volume includes stories from Roy Rogers, Sea Hunt, The Lennon Sisters, Disney's Zorro and Sugarfoot. Also included is an adaptation of the John Wayne film, The Wings of Eagles and James Stewart's film The F.B.I. Story.

Batman: Earth One by J. Michael Straczynski and Superman: Earth One by Geoff Johns

Two of the greatest writers take on two of DC's greatest heroes. These graphic novels retell the origins of these heroes outside the context of regular DC continuity. Anything can happen as we see yet another universe's version of these heroes. I'm thinking these should be out in the Spring.  

Casper the Friendly Ghost 60th Anniversary (hardcover).

I would look this one over for the sheer nostalgia, although I'm not a huge Casper fan. But these kind of old kid-friendly stories and art take me back to my childhood and celebrate the Golden Age (which I'n not old enough to remember, but only enjoy through reprints and back issues).

This one, published by Dark Horse, reprints Casper #1 from St.John Publishing (1949) and Casper # 61 from Harvey (1952). Amazon has it for only ten bucks. Back issue reprint collections are a great way to share a comic hobby with your kids without exposing them to all the graphic violence and language in some of today's comics. 

Crisis on Multiple Earths, vol. 5 (trade paperback) 

I've waited a very long time for the next volume in this series that reprints the annual JLA and JSA crossovers. This one should cover the late 70s and early 80s. It is scheduled for late April release. 

Jonah Hex: No Way Back (DC Comics)

An original graphic novel, scheduled for May release, just in time for the live action movie starring Josh Brolin.

Last Days of Animal Man (DC Comics)

This early March release collects the six issue mini-series of the character I grew to love in the 52 series. I'll read this one after I check out Countdown to Adventure which I believe to be a bridge from 52 to this series.  

Supermen: The First Wave of Heroes 1936-1941(Fantagraphics, paperback, 192 pages)

Reprints of early and rarely seen heroes drawn by the likes of Kirby, Wolverton, and others. Amazon has it for $23.07.  

Tarzan Archives. vol. 5, The Jesse Marsh Years (Dark Horse, hardcover)

Reprints Dell's rare issues 23-27. 

Was Superman a Spy? by Brian Cronin 

This one is dirt cheap on Amazon right now, listed as a bargain. Written by the author of the popular Comics Should be Good blog, this book deals with the urban myths and legends of the comic book industry. Divided into three sections; Marvel, DC, and other publishers, this volume either confirms or dispels many rumors. 

It purports to answr such burning questions as "Why did Ditko leave Spiderman?"; Why did a robot replace the Human Torch on the 70s Fantastic Four cartoon series?"; and "Was Elvis Presley's trademark hairstyle based on a comic character?" Sounds like some amusing light reading.  

Top Ten TV Westerns (50s-60s) Part 2

I now give you my choices for top five westerns of the 50s-60s. Since each western also appeared in comics, a comic cover will accompany each.

# 5 - Sugarfoot - I'm still not sure what a sugarfoot is, but I think it's like a tenderfoot with a sweet disposition. This was the character Will Hutchins played in this classic Warner Brothers series. Tom Brewster was a drifter studying law from the mail order books in his saddlebags (which is where his gun-belt stayed most of the time as well). This story about an experienced cowboy who was also a lawyer wannabe made for some very unique plots. About six issues of the comic were published as a part of Dell's Four Color series. 

 

# 4 - Big Valley- This series was the big break that made Lee Majors and Linda Evans TV stars. Ahead of its time, this series dealt with more mature issues as the illegitimate Barkley son returns to collect his share of the inheritance. Older brother, Jarrod (Richard Long) is a lawyer and middle brother, Nick (Peter Breck) is the hot tempered ranch boss. It didn't hurt that this series featured veteran actress, Barbara Stanwyck as matriarch Victoria. Dell published six issues of the comic series. 

 

# 3 - Gunsmoke - The longest running Western series in history, Gunsmoke stayed in prime time for 20 years (1955-1975), making James Arness the only actor to play the same character in a single series for two decades. Our family is currently making our way through the first season of this series which is now being released in official DVD season sets. The first three seasons are already out. The first 27 issues of the comic series were published by Dell beginning in 1957 as a part of the Four Color series. In 1969-70, six issues of Gunsmoke were published by Gold Key. 

 

# 2 - Bonanza- On DVD, finally! The first two seasons of this series recently came out on DVD. Until now VHS tapes and DVDs of public domain episodes were released, but often minus the original theme music. The new sets are "official" and even include original promo material, photo stills, and other special features. Most of these episodes have never before been released on video. The series was about the ranch family of patriarch Ben Cartwright, a three time widower with a grown son by each wife.

The chemistry of the original cast was excellent, but midway through, Pernell Roberts (eldest brother, Adam) left the show and Dan Blocker (Hoss) died just prior to the final season. The only original cast members left were Lorne Greene (Ben) and Michael Landon (Little Joe), so things just weren't the same by series end. The writing had also deteriorated. But in its heyday Bonanza was one of the best series ever. The first few seasons are exceptional and you can see how the Cartwright clan evolved and developed over time. A few issues of Bonanza were published as a part of Dell's Four Color series, followed by 37 issues published by Gold Key.   

# 1 - Maverick - What can be said that I haven't already mentioned in my previous Maverick post? While I'm a fan of traditional westerns, this one was anything but traditional. Cerebral plots and comedic episodes were common. Some episodes didn't even seem like westerns, with stories in settings like Louisiana, Mexico, on riverboats, and even in South America. James Garner was the original Maverick, but Jack Kelly, who played Brother Bart, was also very talented and likable.

The series was about two gamblers traveling the west and occasionally crossing paths. The first three seasons, featuring Garner, were the absolute best. The fourth season with Roger Moore as Beau and Robert Colbert as Brent were okay, but not as good. I do like the Roger Moore episode, Bolt from the Blue which guest stars Will Hutchins (as Sugarfoot?). 

For the fifth season Bart went solo, explaining why there are more episodes with him. One redeeming thing about this season was the recurring role of Peter Breck (pre-Big Valley) as Doc Holiday. My favorite fifth season episode is the hilarious Marshall Maverick with Jack Kelly and Peter Breck.

What makes this my favorite western is the stories and the acting of Garner and Kelly. Most of the Warner Brothers stable of westerns (including Maverick, Cheyenne, Colt 45, Sugarfoot, Bronco, and Lawman) have not made it to DVD. Exceptions include the first season of Cheyenne which is available and only three episodes of Maverick. These are all rare or nonexistent in syndication as well making the need for DVD collections even greater. But Maverick is available to Netflix members on streaming video.

Top Ten TV Westerns (50s-60s) Part 1

If you've read this blog for any length of time, then you know that one of my favorite television genres is the Western. I cut my teeth on the westerns of the late 60s and the re-runs of earlier Westerns. What all popular 50s and 60s westerns had in common is that they were all in the comic books as well--complete with photo covers. So here I'll go through my top ten westerns displaying the image of a comic cover for each.  

# 10 - Wanted: Dead or Alive - I discovered re-runs of this one weekdays after school while an elementary student. It's where Steve McQueen got his start. He went on to find stardom in the Magnificent Seven playing a character patterned after bounty hunter Josh Randall, his TV part. Two comics were published in the Dell Four Color series and the TV series is available on DVD.

 

# 9 - Lone Ranger - One of my earliest memories is of watching the Lone Ranger. As a child I would set my alarm to watch it at 6:30 weekday mornings before school. On Sunday mornings I would watch the color episodes on another TV station. I also read the comics, watched the cartoons, and owned the action figures. An official anniversary DVD set of the first two seasons has recently been released. The Lone Ranger's history in comics pre-dates his television appearances. 

 

# 8 - High Chaparral - Only one issue of this comic was ever published and is now worth about $70 in mint condition. I remember watching the TV series when it was new and I was a small child back in the late 60s. In the 70s I watched re-runs with my sister on weekday afternoons. We often pretended to be the characters when we played cowboys.  As an adult I saw re-runs on the Hallmark Channel when they dedicated Saturday afternoons to old westerns. They called it Rough and Ready Saturdays. The show was ahead of its time featuring Native Americans and Hispanics in the regular cast. This show is unfortunately unavailable on DVD, but fans are petitioning for it.  

# 7 - The Rifleman - Another show that I discovered in re-runs on weekdays after school. This was a personal favorite when I was a child. They packed a lot of action into 30 minutes. Only a handfull of public domain episodes are on DVD, but no official season sets as of yet.

 

 

# 6 - Cheyenne -An "A" variety Warner Brothers western. Great writing and great acting about a drifter raised by Native Americans. It was the first hour long TV western. This show is another of my earliest memories. I saw the re- runs as a teenager on Saturday afternoons. The first season is on DVD. 

 

Part Two of my top ten coming soon.