THE WAR UNDER THE SEA (1892) – Written by Georges Le Faure. This sci-fi work was intended as an escapist societal salve to a French public still smarting from their loss to Germanic forces during the Franco-Prussian War just over two decades earlier.
One of the main characters in The War Under the Sea is Count Andre Petersen, a French military man who saw service in the Franco-Prussian War. The Count was appalled at France’s humiliation and since then has been running a secret intelligence organization to ensure that his homeland will be much better prepared the next time they must face Germans in war. And that’s not the only outrageous science fiction concept put forth in this novel. (I’m kidding.)
Unfortunately for Count Andre the Germans have been outmaneuvering his organization at the arts of spycraft and know the names of every member of his secret organization – even the Danish, Austrian and Alsation operatives. Unless the Count agrees to a political marriage to the daughter of a German Consul followed by the disbanding of his spy network the Germans will kill every one of his agents. Continue reading
WEREWOLF BY NIGHT Vol 1 #32 (Aug 1975) 
Moon Knight arrives at Jack’s Los Angeles apartment, where Jack shows up shortly before the Full Moon rises and turns him into the Werewolf. The pair fight it out through the streets of L.A. while Moon Knight’s helicopter pilot Frenchie abducts 
1st – The ROSE BOWL GAME was broadcast on radio for the first time. This game pitted the undefeated UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE, then from the Southern Conference, against the undefeated UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON HUSKIES, then from the Pacific Coast Conference. The Huskies led 12-0 at Halftime, but the Crimson Tide came from behind to win the game 20-19 in what has been called “the football game that changed the South.” 
RAIDERS OF THE SEVEN SEAS (1953) – John Payne plays the real-life 1500s pirate Barbarossa (Redbeard) in this fictional version of his exploits. While working as a corsair for the Sultans of the Middle East, the daring and accomplished seadog spends a little too much time with a Sultan’s harem and is sentenced to death. 
Eventually, during a raid of Tortuga, our hero seizes the incumbent Spanish governor Alida – played by Donna Reed in uncharacteristic spitfire mode – and holds her for ransom. Barbarossa and his crew take on Spanish galleons and Alida’s treacherous betrothed Captain Salcedo (1950s smug jackass Gerald Mohr). 
THE WATCHER (1995) – It seems redundant to refer to a UPN series as forgotten. Or short-lived. Nearly every show that UPN launched in January of 1995 was on and off the air pretty quickly. At 13 episodes, The Watcher was to the new UPN Network what long-lived shows like Gunsmoke were to the established networks. 
The Watcher was an anthology series starring rapper Sir Mix-A-Lot as the title character. The Watcher was a mysterious, quasi-supernatural figure in Las Vegas who had hidden cameras throughout the city, thus allowing him to observe and narrate the grim fates of each episode’s main characters. He hosted from his plush room at the Riviera.
ASTOLPHO IN THE VALLEY OF LOST THINGS – When we left Emperor Charlemagne’s Paladin Astolpho, he had flown his hippogriff to the peak of the Mountain of the Furies where he was greeted by the one and only St. John the Apostle. 
ROBERT REDFORD, R.I.P. TEN NEGLECTED FILMS OF REDFORD – With this superstar’s passing I reviewed several of his often overlooked movies, including War Hunt, The Chase, Downhill Racer and more. Click
FORGOTTEN TELEVISION – City of Angels (1976) Wayne Rogers as 1930s private detective Jake Axminster solves assorted mysteries for his clients, who ultimately go as high as the president himself. Click 
DEADBEAT AT DAWN (1988) – The ultra-violent cult film from independent maverick Jim Van Bebber. Crime, gangs and extreme gore in the envelope-pushing film that launched Van Bebber’s career. Click 
QUISP VS QUAKE (1965-1973) – The two cartoon mascots for breakfast cereals competed in clever commercials for years 
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