THE AIR BATTLE: A VISION OF THE FUTURE (1859) – Written by an unknown author using the name Herrmann Lang. (Ignore the misspelling on the cover to the left.) Speculation has it that the author was British despite the German pseudonym and despite the narrator’s claim that he is a black man.
Before you jump to conclusions about how the narrator will be depicted to readers, let me make it clear that this novel has been confounding expectations for well over a century and a half now. The story is set in the year 6900 A.D. White civilization has fallen while three black and mixed-race nations are the dominant powers of the world.
Much of the storyline deals with a war among those dominant powers to end slavery because black Christians strongly oppose that grotesque institution. In 6900 we are told that only white people are used as slaves and the war is being waged to free them. And yes, The Air Battle: A Vision of the Future really was published in 1859! Continue reading
THE SHEIK (1921) – Edith Maude Hull’s 1919 novel came to the big screen to cement Rudolph Valentino’s rising star. He shone as Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan with Agnes Ayers as Lady Diane Mayo.
A lot of Gothic Romance Novel antics follow in this film that has not aged well. Valentino’s wide eyes and flaring nostrils were masterfully parodied by Peter Sellers in a comedy bit decades later. 
As their battle of wills goes on, Diane is seized by caravan robbers and taken to their leader’s lair. Sheik Ahmed leads his men to the rescue, and, with Stockholm Syndrome well and truly in charge, Lady Diane “realizes” how much she has fallen in love with her abductor.
Yet another current events roundup from 
SAN DIEGO FLEET 
ORLANDO APOLLOS 
DECOY (1957-1958) – Nobody doesn’t like Beverly Garland! For decades, she was a pleasant presence in B-movies and television. Here’s the very first tv show about a female cop, with Beverly pitch-perfect as a tough, savvy undercover policewoman. 
NOTE: Frank Campanella is sometimes listed as her “co-star” but actually he played a different character in each of the 3 episodes he appeared in. 
The GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES, sponsored by the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, will debut in May of 2025. Their colors will be violet and black, and their home games will be played at the Chase Center in San Francisco. 
This weekend’s light-hearted, escapist superhero post from Balladeer’s Blog will look at the stories in which Marvel’s licensed toy I.P. the Micronauts interacted with established Marvel characters. My look at the early Micronauts stories can be found 
MICRONAUTS Vol 1 #15 (March 1980) 
Meanwhile, back in the Microverse/ Quantum Realm we join the current roster of the Micronauts – Commander Arcturus Rann, Princess Marionette, Bug, Acroyear, the roboids (Biotron and Microtron), Cilicia (Acroyear’s wife, at right) and Jasmine (Bug’s girlfriend). The escaped Psycho-Man shows up in his vessel which dwarfs their own, called the HMS Endeavor. 
THE COLUMBIA REDIVIVA – On this date in 1790 the American ship Columbia Rediviva arrived back in Boston Harbor under the command of Captain Robert Gray (at left), who had served in the Continental Navy during the Revolutionary War. This voyage marked America’s first circumnavigation of the world.
The Lady Washington was captained by Robert Gray, but partway through the voyage around the world, Gray and Kendrick switched ships, causing minor errors in some sources ever since. Because Robert Gray is better known than John Kendrick there are sources which cite him as the commander of the C.R. during the entire circumnavigation. 
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