Monthly Archives: February 2021

AUSTRALIA POINTS OUT BIDEN’S SENILITY AND MORE

Senile Joe BidenIndependent Voter site Balladeer’s Blog presents another piece from Australia regarding the utter joke that is Joe Biden. Choosing their words with more care than frantic, fascistic Democrats ever do, the Aussies provided another quality take on the problems the Democrats’ media outlets desperately bury. Plus, even some Democrats have made moves to prevent Biden from stumbling into a nuclear strike. (Though I’d be more worried about his political corruption and assault on the working class and the poor.)

Plus watch the installed buffoon fall apart again HERE.

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Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion

FIRST TWENTY DEFENDERS STORIES FROM THE 1970s

To me there’s nothing like the ORIGINAL historical context in which fictional heroes were introduced, so I’ve examined 1930s, 1940s and 1960s superhero characters, often reviewing their first 20 stories. Here are the first 20 Defenders stories from the 1970s.

Marvel Feature 1MARVEL FEATURE Vol 1 #1 (December 1971)

Title: The Day of the Defenders

Villain: The Omegatron

Defenders Roster: Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange, MD), the Hulk (Bruce Banner, PhD) and the Sub-Mariner (Prince Namor McKenzie)

Comment: The Defenders were originally far different from the mere “street level” heroics that fans of Marvel Television adaptations associate with the team’s name. In 1971 Marvel had just one Avengers team in addition to the Fantastic Four and the X-Men. The Defenders often fought to save the entire world or even the entire universe or multiverse.

Doctor Strange and the Hulk had been around since the 1960s. The Sub-Mariner was introduced in 1939 (so BEFORE Aquaman), back when Marvel Comics was called Timely Comics. 

Synopsis: The evil scientist Yandroth, an old one-off foe of Dr Strange, has been spending his years since his defeat at Strange’s hands mastering sorcery as thoroughly as he had previously mastered science. He is on his death bed after having devised a scheme to ensure that the world will be destroyed shortly after he dies.

With typical villain bluster, Yandroth has Dr Strange summoned to his death bed and taunts him about his plans and tells him that in five hours the entire Earth will be destroyed by his creation the Omegatron unleashing every nuclear and biological weapon in the world. Before passing away, the villain reveals that he used BOTH sorcery AND science to create the Omegatron, ensuring that it cannot be defeated by JUST sorcery or JUST science. It will require the proper combination of the two.

Marvel feature 1 splash pageKnowing he has no chance of stopping this menace with his magic alone, Dr Strange mystically summons the Sub-Mariner, Monarch of Atlantis, to his side and explains the situation. Since even Namor’s realm of Atlantis will be destroyed by the Omegatron he allies himself with Stephen.

The Sub-Mariner suggests that Dr Strange also enlist the immensely powerful Silver Surfer to fight beside them. The sorcerer conjures up an image of what the Surfer is up to at that very moment. He and Sub-Mariner see that the Silver Surfer is, for the umpteenth time, trying to penetrate Galactus’ barrier which keeps him banished on Earth. Once again the Surfer fails and plummets back to Earth.

Since the Silver Surfer will need hours to recover from his crash landing back on our planet, Doc and Namor instead summon the Hulk to help them. Our heroes track down the Omegatron to an abandoned lighthouse in the northeastern United States. Continue reading

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FLASHMAN’S GUIANA – LOST FLASHMAN PAPERS

Flashman faceFor Flashman Down Under, Flashman in the Opium War & Flashman and the Kings click HERE   For Flashman on the Gold Coast click HERE  For Flashman of Arabia click HERE 

Balladeer’s Blog now moves on to another Harry Flashman adventure never completed before George MacDonald Fraser’s death.

Lee Horsley Flashman

IF HE WAS BRITISH, LEE HORSLEY WOULD HAVE MADE A PERFECT HARRY FLASHMAN.

Projected Title: FLASHMAN’S GUIANA

Time Period: 1876-1877

NOTE: The title Flashman’s Guiana is a play on “Booker’s Guiana,” as the colony of British Guiana (19th century spelling) was often sardonically referred to in the 1800s. That reference came about from the way the Booker business empire virtually ran the colony. From a 21st Century standpoint we might look on it in a sinister Weyland-Yutani way.

… Strictly for storytelling purposes, of course, if you’re a lawyer representing the Booker Group. Honest. Really. (Although after this latest merger I don’t know if anybody would still care.) Anyway, as you readers have requested, this time I’ll establish the action then go back to detail the setup.

crossed sabresThe Action: Sir Harry Flashman and his wife Elspeth visit British Guiana right after their American Tour ended in August, 1876. A combination of Her Majesty’s Government’s interests and Flashman’s own hunger for large amounts of filthy luchre to sustain his and Elspeth’s grand new lifestyle wind up launching the British blackguard into his latest adventure.

Sword and pistols in hand, Harry leaves Elspeth back in the capital city of Georgetown while he takes part in a covert search for gold in the jungle region disputed by Great Britain and Venezuela. Continue reading

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Filed under Neglected History, opinion, Pulp Heroes

COLLEGE BASKETBALL POSTSEASON FOR 2021 IS UNDERWAY

GREAT PLAINS ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Mount Marty College LancersQUARTERFINAL ONE – In this game of the GPAC Conference Tournament the 8th seeded MOUNT MARTY COLLEGE LANCERS battled the top seeds – the MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS.

The Lancers put the vaunted Mustangs on Upset Alert by Halftime with a commanding 45-30 advantage, then held on by their fingertips in the 2nd Half for a 76-73 triumph. In this shocker Chad Moran led Mount Marty College with 22 points.

Jamestown JimmiesQUARTERFINAL TWO – The 3 seeds – the UNIVERSITY OF JAMESTOWN JIMMIES – took on the 6th seeded DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS in this Quarterfinal.

By the Half the Jimmies were clinging to a tight 41-38 edge. After the break the University of Jamestown went medieval on the Defenders, outscoring them 48-30 to win the game by a final score of 89-68. Mason Walters led the victorious Jimmies with his Double-Double of 23 points and 11 rebounds.  Continue reading

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DEMOCRAT ATROCITY ROUNDUP: FEBRUARY 25th

democrat platform hatredHere are just a FEW of the latest atrocities from the party of the Democrats, America’s longest-lasting monument to slavery. (Democrats will claim that THEY are exempt from guilt over slavery because they supposedly changed over the years. The entire country changed, so if Democrats claim to be exempt then everyone else is, too. Don’t let Democrat fascists get away with that. They need to “check their privilege” about slavery.) .

BIDEN KEEPING MORE KIDS IN CAGES THAN TRUMP EVER DID. DEMOCRATS SILENT.

DEMOCRAT MEDIA OUTLETS COMPLICIT IN BIDEN’S CRUEL “KIDS IN CAGES” POLICIES.

EVEN THIS DEMOCRAT IS CALLING OUT EMMY-WINNING MASS MURDERER ANDREW CUOMO’S GENOCIDE OF THE ELDERLY.

EMMY WINNING MASS MURDERER ANDREW CUOMO ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARRASSMENT. BELIEVE ALL WOMEN!

NEW POLL: DEMOCRAT MEDIA OUTLETS REACHING RECORD LOW IN PUBLIC TRUST

MASS MURDERING GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO ACCUSED OF WARRING ON THE FREE PRESS.

BIDEN’S CRUEL, INHUMANE AND MONSTROUS “KIDS IN CAGES” HYPOCRISY CALLED OUT AGAIN.

BIDEN ADMINISTRATION EXPOSED AND HUMILIATED FOR TRYING TO CLAIM CREDIT FOR A TRUMP ACCOMPLISHMENT. Continue reading

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Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion

FOOL KILLER FIFTY-ONE: NOVEMBER 1911

Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the many facets of Fool Killer lore. FOR PART ONE, INCLUDING THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT IN THE 1850s, CLICK HERE

Fool Killer grayPART FIFTY-ONE – The Fool Killer is back to hurl his Truth Bombs at some more malefactors. NOTE: This month the Fool Killer added a Blacksnake Cattle Whip and a Double-Geared Buzz Saw to his arsenal of weapons. The one to whip the foolish, the other to slice skin off their backs. Some of the Fool Killer’s targets from James Larkin Pearson’s November of 1911 edition of The Fool-Killer:

*** The roughly seventeen multi-millionaires whose wealth supposedly allowed them to control the entire country. In more recent years that number has been lessened to around fifteen, but the basic sentiment remains the same – the country seems to exist for the profit and power of a very, very few.

*** Women who chewed tobacco. Pearson and his Fool Killer supported women’s right to vote but for some reason women chewing snuff really, really bothered him.

*** The federal authorities responsible for sending 12 year old Albert Dewey Carter to five years in prison for stealing $5.00 from the post office. 

*** Writer Upton Sinclair, whose wife Meta had just left him for poet Harry Kemp.

*** Corporation lawyers who “smothered their consciences for a fat salary.”  Continue reading

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Filed under Mythology, Neglected History, opinion

LIFEPOD (1981): MOVIE REVIEW

lifepodLIFEPOD (1981) – Previously Balladeer’s Blog examined the worst movies from the Robert Emenegger/ Allan Sandler collaboration, most of them with Steven Spielberg’s sister Anne … plus half the Cameron Mitchell family. With Lifepod, we return to E-Space (Emenegger Space. Sorry, Doctor Who fans.). This time, however, it’s with an underrated movie that makes you root for it despite its budgetary limitations.  

The year is 2191. The moons of Jupiter have been colonized and are called the Jupiter States. A company nostalgically called the White Star Line has begun providing a spaceship cruise line to and from the Jupiter States. The flagship in this new line is called the Arcturus, with a state-of-the-art propulsion system and a revolutionary AI called a Cerebral running the ship. 

lifepod picAs the Arcturus, on its maiden run, approached Callisto, the Cerebral announced massive system failures and began shutting down life support systems while ordering the crew and passengers to evacuate in lifepods and await rescue from Callisto’s authorities. In their Mayday broadcasts the crew make it clear they no longer trusted Captain Montaine (Christopher Cary), who insisted the Arcturus was fine and the Cerebral was just malfunctioning.

The picture becomes further confused when the Arcturus‘ engines restart and it flies off now that the passengers are gone. Continue reading

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Filed under Bad and weird movies

BIDEN’S WAR ON THE WORKING CLASS AND THE POOR CONTINUES

Joe Biden dem in dementiaJoe Biden is just as much a “selected, not elected” figure as George W Bush was and is every bit as repulsive. Among other things, George W Bush lied the country into a war in Iraq because “they tried to kill his dad.” And the Joe Biden debacle is proving incredibly harmful to the working class and the poor in all kinds of ways.

Biden and his party continue tearing the country apart and spreading hatred and violence. And by the way – BIDEN STILL HAS KIDS IN CAGES! (But Democrats only pretended to care about those kids in order to attack Trump. You won’t hear them complain about Biden’s Kids in Cages.)

Here are links to some more items about accused rapist Joe Biden’s atrocities. It’s always fun to use the same kind of hysterical headlines for those links as the fascistic Democrats’ media outlets used with Trump.

GENOCIDE IN CHINA IS JUST FINE WITH JOE BIDEN, WHO IS OWNED BY CHINA.

BIDEN SPITEFULLY KILLS JOBS PROGRAM, FURTHER HARMING THE WORKING CLASS.

FASCIST RULER JOE BIDEN SUCCUMBS TO DESPAIR OVER COVID!

UNCARING ACCUSED RAPIST JOE BIDEN STOPS PROGRAM AIMED AT DEALING WITH SEX OFFENDERS WHO ARE IN THE U.S. ILLEGALLY 

JOE BIDEN STILL REFUSES TO DECRY GOVERNOR CUOMO’S NURSING HOME MASSACRE. “Silence is consent” as Democrats say. EMMY-WINNING GENOCIDE PRACTICED BY CUOMO!

BIDEN IS JUST FINE WITH THE CHINESE GENOCIDE AGAINST THE UIGHUR! JOE BIDEN IS A BLOOD-STAINED BUTCHER FOR SUPPORTING HIS CHINESE OWNERS’ BRUTAL POLICIES!

BIDEN AND CUOMO COVID FAILURES ARE ATROCITIES. SHEER BUTCHERY! 

EXPERT OPINION FORESEES BIDEN FAILURES WITH CHINA DUE TO HIS WEAKNESS AND CORRUPTION. Continue reading

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Filed under humor, LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion

COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS: MORE FEBRUARY MAKE-UP GAMES

NAIA

Arizona Christian Univ helmet GOODSHOWDOWN IN GLENDALE – The ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM welcomed the LANGSTON UNIVERSITY LIONS to town on Saturday. Neither team scored in the 1st Quarter but by Halftime the Firestorm held a 10-7 edge over the Lions. Both ACU and Langston notched a Field Goal in the 3rd Quarter, while the 4th saw the Firestorm shut out LU while putting up 14 points of their own for a 27-10 victory.

saint-ambrose-university-fighting-bees-helmet-newGETTING STUNG – This game pitted the SAINT AMBROSE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING BEES against the visiting UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS. The Fighting Saints grabbed a quick 6-0 lead in the 1st Quarter only to see the Fighting Bees go up 7-6 by the Half. After the break came a scoreless 3rd Quarter before Saint Ambrose University clinched a 14-6 win in the 4th. Continue reading

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DAREDEVIL: THE FIRST TWENTY STORIES FROM THE 1960s

Here’s a look at the first twenty Daredevil stories from the 1960s. These days Daredevil is mostly known for the dark and brooding element that the legendary writer and artist Frank Miller brought to the character, along with that whole Ninja element of DD’s background. 

dd 1DAREDEVIL Vol 1 #1 (April 1964)

Title: The Origin of Daredevil

Villain: The Fixer

Synopsis: At Fogwell’s Gym, a red and yellow costumed figure calling himself Daredevil barges in on the thugs and underlings of the Fixer (Roscoe Sweeney), the criminal behind the fixing of boxing matches at various levels. The hoods don’t want to tell Daredevil where the Fixer is and a huge fight breaks out. Our hero defeats the thugs with his agility, his red billy-club and – as we will learn shortly – his radar senses.

Daredevil has a flashback to his origin: he is really Matt Murdock whose father Battling Jack Murdock was a struggling boxer. To earn enough money to raise his son and send him to college, Battling Jack learned to play the game and throw fights when ordered to by the Fixer. Jack forbade his son to ever fight, which made Matt the object of ridicule by his peers so the younger Murdock trained himself in the martial arts (later retconned to being trained by Ninjas).

One day in his teens Matt heroically shoved a blind man from in front of a crashing toxic waste truck, saving his life but letting himself get hit by that vehicle. The nuclear waste and toxic chemicals in the truck blinded Matt Murdock but also gave him radar senses that more than compensated for the loss of his vision.

NOTE: In a tongue-in-cheek way, the creators of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles always implied that some of the toxic materials from that same truck poured into the sewer, mutating four turtles and a rat. Though they weren’t part of the Marvel Comics universe that Ninja Turtles joke went further still with the way that the evil group the Foot, fought by the TMNT, was an obvious take on the Hand, an evil group opposed by Daredevil.  Continue reading

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