APOCRYPHA: THE INFANCY GOSPEL OF THOMAS

For anyone not familiar with the Apocryphal Gospels, they were works that were ruled to be non-canon centuries ago. 

THE INFANCY GOSPEL OF THOMAS – I like to refer to this enjoyable book as “The Young Jesus Christ Chronicles”. This banned gospel deals with the infancy and childhood years of Jesus in much greater detail than any of the other gospels, official or otherwise.

Much of the Infancy Gospel centers around a toddling Jesus getting used to his godly power and being reproached by his parents when he shows off by performing miracles like molding clay pigeons and then bringing them to life. He also uses his power to deal with bullies, mess with his teachers and do his chores.  Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

SUPERHEROES OF SKYWALD PUBLISHING

mascot sword and gun pic

How much Seventies can you handle? If dialogue like “Think I’ll take the money and just groove for awhile. Man, I can dig it!” appeals to you get ready for some “relevant” “now” and “with-it” comic books! Skywald Publishing tried to make its mark with adult black & white comic books in the 1970s. Some of their horror and sci-fi titles picked up a little momentum but when it came to superheroes, Skywald made the biggest blunder imaginable. They screwed up the copyright, making their superheroes like Hell-Rider and Butterfly public domain.

Their female horror character Lady Satan partially suffered that same fate, but changes to copyright law in 1974 made it so that only her first two issues from 1973 fell into the public domain and from the third story onward she was an owned IP. Anyway, the adventures of Hell-Rider and Butterfly (the first black female superhero) stood out with their toplessness, drug use and references to sex. Otherwise they were mediocre. Here are Skywald’s two public domain superheroes. Solid! … And all that stuff.

Hell-Rider

VICTIM: Hey, stop shooting that flamethrower in my face! WOMAN: That man is the worst nuisance on the beach!

HELL-RIDER

Secret Identity: Brick Reese (“Brick?”)

First Appearance: Hell-Rider #1 (August 1971)

Origin: Brick Reese (“Brick?”) rebelled against his affluent background. After graduating from Harvard Law School he drifted around the country, experimenting with sex and drugs, eventually joining the roguish but “heroic” biker gang called the Wild Bunch (Think the Howling Commandos meet the biker gang craze of the 60s and 70s).

After 6 months of this lifestyle, Brick got drafted and sent to serve in the Vietnam War. When he had just a few weeks left in his tour of duty he was seriously wounded, with his injuries being such that they threatened to paralyze him at any moment for the rest of his life. Rather than live with that forever hanging over his head, Brick volunteered to be a human guinea pig for the experimental drug Q-47. Injections of that drug every day for a month cured Reese but, unknown to anyone but him, also granted him superpowers with which he battled the forces of evil as the superhero Hell-Rider. Continue reading

8 Comments

Filed under Superheroes

NSAC FINAL FOUR SET AND NCAA D2 ELITE EIGHT

NSAC

FINAL FOUR: FIRST BERTH – The NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (Shipbuilders) took the court against the MID-ATLANTIC CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS. Come Halftime the Builders were on top 34-26. From there, NNAS managed more separation from the Mustangs as they won the game 70-58. Jahlil Hope and Devon Brown led the Builders with 14 points each.

FINAL FOUR: SECOND BERTH – Next, the URBE UNIVERSITY TIGERS played the SOUTHEAST CHRISTIAN COLLEGE EAGLES (should be Angels). The Tigers were out in front of Southeast Christian College at the Half by a score of 37-27. After the break, URBE University kept the Eagles at arm’s length for a 75-55 triumph. Luis Carias led the way for the Tigers with 20 points.  Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under College Basketball

NEWS ROUNDUP: APRIL THIRD

Here’s a week-ending current events roundup from Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog.

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S POLICIES HAVE CUT TAXES FOR COUNTLESS MILLIONS IN THE U.S. THANKS TO THE “BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL” The greatest president for the working class and the poor during my lifetime.

TRUMP EFFECT: JOBLESSNESS FELL AGAIN AS JOB SECURITY CONTINUES TO BECOME STRONGER. Like I mentioned above …

JOBS NUMBERS GO HIGHER THAN EXPECTATIONS.

FOUR TIMES DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING, RAPING AND STRANGLING A GIRL UNDER TWELVE YEARS OLD IN KENTUCKY. Privileged white one-percenter Bruce Springsteen cares nothing for such victims. He just rails against enforcing immigration laws. 

CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS REFUSING TO TURN TWO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WANTED FOR MURDER OVER TO IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS. Democrats are apparently going to protect illegal immigrant murderers and rapists to the bitter end.

THIRD ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MURDERER IN THE LAST MONTH ARRESTED IN “SANCTUARY” VIRGINIA. No sanctuary for victims under Democrats, only for the perpetrators.

NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS ON CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS WHICH MAY BE FACING DEMOCRAT FUND-RAISING ORGANIZATION OVER DECEIVING CONGRESS ABOUT FOREIGN DONATIONS. More HERE. Democrats are always working with hostile nations against the U.S. Continue reading

4 Comments

Filed under Anti-Donald Trump hysteria, LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, opinion

TARANTULA GHOUL (1957-1958) B-MOVIE HOSTESS

TARANTULA GHOUL – Actress Suzanne Waldron’s performance on stage in Macbeth captured the attention of the bosses at Portland, Oregon’s KPTV. They hired her to host House of Horror, their late-night B-Movie show, in a similar style to Vampira down in Los Angeles.

Waldron adopted the character Tarantula Ghoul, whose look was patterned after cartoonist Charles Addams’ Morticia in order to stand out from Vampira. Suzanne often emerged from a coffin in her hostess persona.

Tarantula Ghoul took Portland and vicinity by storm and could have been a phenomenon if not for the way KPTV made the idiotic decision to air House of Horror in the bizarre timeslot of Wednesday nights at 10:30pm (sometimes 10pm).

Most of the classic Bad Movie shows aired on Friday or Saturday nights, which were ideal for audiences to stay up late watching the movie and the host’s antics. Trapped in the mire of a late-night middle of the week timeslot, the brilliant Tarantula Ghoul’s show sadly lasted from just October 9th, 1957 to November 26th, 1958.

Still, during her brief run hosting House of Horror, the talented Suzanne Waldron managed several cultural milestones amid her schtick.

*** A TV Star Parade article about her stated “Tarantula Ghoul pokes morbid fun at everything within range of Portland’s KPTV” and referred to her “witty but acid tongue.” The article described her as a cross between “the Charles Addams woman and a road company Tallulah Bankhead.” Continue reading

10 Comments

Filed under Bad and weird movies, Movie Hosts

APRIL SECOND NEWS ROUNDUP

 Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog is back with another current events roundup from an America where a permanent headline could be PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS OR DOES SOMETHING, AND HIS FROTHING AT THE MOUTH HATERS LIE ABOUT IT.

PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSED THE NATION REGARDING THE IRAN CONFLICT.

NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER PIERRE ADMITS THAT EUROPEAN NATIONS HAVE BEEN “FREE RIDERS” IN THEIR OWN SECURITY SINCE THE COLD WAR ENDED AND NEED TO RAMP UP IN ALL DOMAINS.

VIRGINIA’S DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR – FORMER CIA EMPLOYEE ABIGAIL SPANBERGER – STILL REFUSING TO TURN OVER TO ICE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WANTED IN FAIRFAX COUNTY STABBING DEATH

AND ANOTHER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ARRESTED FOR MURDER IN DEMOCRAT “SANCTUARY STATE” VIRGINIA. No sanctuary for victims under Democrats, only for perpetrators.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN MICHIGAN FAKE DOCUMENT RING.

CHICAGO’S DEMOCRAT MAYOR FEELS THAT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE THE REAL VICTIMS.

NASA’S ARTEMIS II ON ITS WAY TO THE MOON.

COMIC RELIEF KETANJI IDIOTICALLY CLAIMS FOREIGN TOURISTS QUALIFY FOR BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP. More HERE.

TRUMP OVERSAW RECORD LEVELS OF ENERGY PRODUCTION IN 2025.

DEMOCRAT PARTY

FLORIDA TEACHER ARRESTED FOR GROOMING AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL. Democrats, can you please leave youngsters alone?

TRUMP EFFECT: U.S. MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY ACCELERATES TO FASTEST PACE IN YEARS.

FLORIDA RENAMES PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

U.S. HIRING BOOM BRINGS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED INCREASE IN INCOME. Continue reading

6 Comments

Filed under Anti-Donald Trump hysteria, LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, opinion

HBCU TITLE GAME, D3 SEMIFINALS AND MORE

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – It was an all-CIAA title tilt as the VIRGINIA STATE TROJANS did battle with the BLUEFIELD STATE BIG BLUES. Bluefield State dominated the opening Half and led 36-28 going into the locker room. From there the Trojans roared back, ultimately winning the game 69-66. Jacob Cooper led Virginia State with 29 points. 

NCAA DIVISION THREE

FIRST SEMIFINAL – The UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON EAGLES played the TRINITY (CT) COLLEGE BANTAMS in this game. The favored Bantams were on top 37-26 at the Half, but after the break UMW made their move. In the end the Eagles triumphed over Trinity 64-61 led by 21 points from Kye Robinson. Continue reading

4 Comments

Filed under College Basketball

FOR APRIL FOOL’S DAY: SIX MEMORABLE FOOL KILLER TALES FROM AMERICAN FOLKLORE

Balladeer’s Blog marks April Fool’s Day with this look at some classic Fool Killer folklore from the 1800s onward.

AN ORIGIN FOR THE FOOL KILLER – In the 1830s a Devil mated with assorted women of East Tennessee’s “Hill Portughee (Portuguese)” and one of them bore him a son. The son grew up to drive that Devil out of the Tennessee hills after tricking his infernal father into forging an iron staff that he used as a weapon against him.

               That son then became the Fool Killer, using his iron staff/ walking stick/ club to prey on outsiders “foolish” enough to come looking for the hidden gold of the Melungeons in the eldritch Tennessee woodlands. He also battled federal agents trying to stop the Melungeons from printing their own gold coins.

OPPOSING THE KU KLUX KLAN – In the Spring and Summer of 1870 the Fool Killer battled the KKK, whose violence in a few North Carolina counties had grown so extreme that the governor declared Martial Law. The folk figure opposed Klan influence in North Carolina politics as well as their brutal acts of maiming and killing people who opposed them.  Continue reading

6 Comments

Filed under Mythology

BAD MOVIE REVIEW: ZERO TO SIXTY (1978) WITH DARREN MCGAVIN AND JOAN COLLINS

ZERO TO SIXTY (1978) – Want to see Darren McGavin of all people bare his butt for the camera in two separate scenes? Want to see Darren McGavin getting his bare butt spanked by the Hudson Brothers in one of those scenes? Want to see Darren McGavin in sex scenes with Joan Collins at her smoking hot best?

Usually, you’d have me at the words “Want to see Darren McGavin” because I’m a huge fan of the guy. And not just as Carl Kolchak in The Night Stalker but most of his big-screen work and small-screen work from the 1950s onward. Well, I finally met a Darren McGavin movie I wasn’t ready for.

Zero to Sixty was produced by McGavin’s wife Kathie Browne and directed by Psychotronic Hall of Famer Don Weis. As I watched Darren in screwball car chases and in scenes full of “comedy” that wouldn’t have made the cut in one of Burt Reynolds’ Cannonball Run movies I was having trouble getting my head around what I was seeing.

During a scene in which McGavin pretends to be wetting himself I think I began babbling “But … but … that’s Darren McGavin.” Believe it or not, Denise Nickerson – Violet Beauregard from Willy Wonka – playing an underaged Car Repossession Agent helped bring things into focus for me.      Continue reading

18 Comments

Filed under Bad and weird movies

FORGOTTEN TELEVISION: ADVENTURES OF THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (1955-1956)

THE ADVENTURES OF THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (1955-1956) – British television series based on Baroness Emma Orczy’s 1903 play and 1905 novel (and series) about Sir Percy Blakeney (Marius Goring), who puts on a foppish and dim-witted air to disguise the fact that he is secretly the Scarlet Pimpernel.

As that figure, he and his network of agents covertly organize the escape from France of aristocrats and others condemned to die on the guillotine under the Reign of Terror in the 1790s. Chauvelin (Stanley Van Beers), one of the most rabid operatives of the Revolutionary mad dogs terrorizing France, works to prevent the Scarlet Pimpernel and his eponymous League from rescuing his targets.   

Strangely, the series omitted Sir Percy’s beautiful and brilliant wife Marguerite, a former French actress whose daring matched his own. Instead, the show used a different female ally for the Pimpernel – Countess la Valliere (Lucie Mannheim).

Some of the novel’s League of the Scarlet Pimpernel were supporting characters, including Second Doctor Who star Patrick Troughton as Sir Andrew Ffoulkes and Anthony Newland as Lord Hastings. The series ran for 18 half-hour installments.  

THE EPISODES: Continue reading

16 Comments

Filed under Forgotten Television