Author Archives: balladeer

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About balladeer

I am passionately interested in college sports, ancient Greek comedies, bad/weird movies, mythology, the American Revolution, Puck Magazine, World War I, U.S. Presidential history, silent movies, the English Civil War, epic, lyric and comic poetry, U.S. Supreme Court history, the Revolutions of 1848, the Philippine War and old pulp heroes like The Moon Man, Pilot G8, Silver John and The Rio Kid.
February 11, 2023 · 12:08 am

SUPERHEROES OF CHESLER PUBLISHING

Balladeer’s Blog’s escapist, light-hearted superhero blog post for the weekend takes a look at the superheroes from Harry A. Chesler ‘s publishing company. 

Alias the Dragon 1THE DRAGON

Secret Identity: Bill Norton, Police Scientist

Origin: Tired of being relegated to the scientific end of crime solving, Police Scientist Bill Norton decides to seek out some action. He devises a flame-thrower pistol for himself plus a costume and starts fighting crime as the Dragon in his series titled Alias the Dragon.

First Appearance: Skyrocket Comics #1 (March 1944).

Powers: The Dragon had the strength and agility of a very athletic man. He wielded a pistol which could shoot fire like a flame-thrower and the dragon-scale cape of his costume was bullet-proof. In addition this hero was a first-rate scientist in criminology.

Comment: The Dragon was one of those Golden Age superheroes who didn’t care if he killed the criminals he fought. As Bill Norton our hero serves under Captain Donovan, no first name given. This character’s willingness to kill and his flame-thrower gimmick can’t help but remind a Bad Movie Fan like me of Robert Ginty’s two-movie character the Exterminator.

Yankee GirlYANKEE GIRL

Secret Identity: Lauren Mason, wealthy socialite 

Origin: Lauren Mason’s family line included practioners of the mystic arts, but the only spell-casting Lauren herself ever employed was a magic conjuration employing the words “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” (I guess her delivery made all the difference.) Chanting those three words transformed her, Shazam-style, into the super-powered Yankee Girl. 

First Appearance: Either Red Seal Comics #17 (July 1946) or Dynamic Comics #23 (November 1947). There is still some dispute. 

Powers: Continue reading →

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February 10, 2023 · 3:24 am

COOL-NAMED SPORTS TEAM: EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE

el paso college tejanos

College: EL PASO COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Team Name: TEJANOS/ TEJANAS

Location: El Paso, TX

Division: NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Continue reading →

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February 9, 2023 · 3:15 pm

THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TEXAS TWENTY-SEVEN FILM VAULT

Happy Anniversary to The Texas Twenty-Seven Film Vault, one of the pre-MST3K Movie Host shows. Yes it was Saturday night February 9th, 1985 that this program debuted in Dallas, Texas, in the same studio that would later be used for Joe Bob’s Drive-In. Here is an encore presentation of my EXCLUSIVE 2011 interview with Randy Clower, one of The Texas Twenty-Seven Film Vault‘s co-creators and co-hosts. 

Clower (right) with co-host Richard Malmos as “Film Vault Technicians First Class” on The Texas 27 Film Vault

Before MST3K there was THE TEXAS 27 FILM VAULT! Before Joel and Mike lovers of bad movies had Randy and Richard! Before Pearl there was Laurie Savino! Before Devil Dogs, Observers and Deep 13 there came Cellumites, giant rats and Level 31.

In the mid 1980s The Texas 27 Film Vault was the show to watch on Saturday nights for wry mockery of Golden Turkeys preceded by episodes of vintage Republic Serials like Radar Men from the Moon and Canadian Mounties vs Atomic Invaders.     Continue reading →

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February 8, 2023 · 3:48 pm

CAREER CRIMINAL JOE BIDEN LIES HIS WAY THROUGH ANOTHER STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

democrat republican otherIndependent Voter site Balladeer’s Blog has long called for doing away with the presidential State of the Union address. It’s nothing more than an unnecessary political pep rally for presidents who can get airtime whenever they please just by scheduling a speech. The age of mass communication made the SOTU obsolete long ago.

And don’t forget that presidents spend the SOTU lying about their accomplishments and lying about their opponents. Again, it’s a meaningless political pep rally.  

It should come as no surprise that the corrupt and senile Joe Biden delivered what may be the most clownish and embarrassing SOTU ever seen. He told countless lies, like TRYING TO STEAL CREDIT FOR HIS PREDECESSOR TRUMP’S CAPPING OF INSULIN COSTS FOR MEDICARE RECIPIENTS. Many of us had loved ones who benefitted from de facto Third Party President Trump’s action on that. It happened years ago, NOT under the Biden regime.

For Joe Biden’s buffoonery, dishonesty and usual unhinged behavior here are a few items:

Biden clownTHE TRUE STATE OF THE UNION IS A STATE OF CRISIS. More HERE. And HERE.

FIFTEEN OF JOE BIDEN’S BIGGEST LIES IN HIS SOTU ADDRESS LAST NIGHT. More HERE. And HERE. Even the Democrats at ABC have to admit to some of Biden’s lies HERE.

MONMOUTH POLL: ONLY THIRTY-NINE PERCENT BELIEVE THE STATE OF THE UNION IS STRONG.

DURING HIS DECADES IN OFFICE, WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINAL JOE BIDEN WAS A PARTY TO EVERY POLICY HE NOW PRETENDS TO DENOUNCE.

biden blustering like a fool

Blustering demagogue

REAL-TIME THREAD MOCKING BIDEN’S ABSURD SOTU ADDRESS.

THE BIDEN CRIME FAMILY SCANDALS THAT JOE IGNORED LAST NIGHT.

TRUMP REBUTTAL TO BIDEN’S SOTU.

DEMOCRATS MINDLESSLY APPLAUD A GIBBERISH REMARK FROM BIDEN. Continue reading →

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February 7, 2023 · 6:45 pm

NON-DILLINGER – QUICK TAKES ON OTHER GANGSTERS OF HIS ERA

With John Dillinger folklore given WAY too much attention, Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at some of the legends versus the ugly reality regarding some of his contemporary gangsters. 

Two Gun Crowley biggerTWO-GUN CROWLEY

Real Name: Francis Crowley

Birth – Death: October 31st, 1912 – January 21st, 1932

Lore: Crowley was supposedly born out of wedlock to a German-American woman and a New York police officer who refused to marry Crowley’s mother. This supposedly accounts for his intense hatred of the police.

Reality: Such shallow, Pulp Magazine thinking doesn’t seem likely. The young man was adopted by a family in which Francis grew up alongside a cop-killing older brother named John Crowley. John himself would be killed in a battle with police.

This background seems a more likely explanation for Francis’ issues than some mythical hatred of an unknown father who abandoned him and his mother. 

Two Gun Crowley in bedCriminal Career: By age 19, Crowley had a reputation as a competent holdup man and hit & run armed robber who never slipped up enough for a conviction. He might have escaped suspicion entirely if not for his excessively belligerent attitude when questioned by authorities.     

On February 21st, 1931 Crowley, packing the omnipresent pair of hand-guns that earned him his nickname, crashed an American Legion dance in the Bronx. Two-Gun was accompanied by a pair of male accomplices, one of whom was believed to be frequent associate Rudolph “Fats” Durringer.

When the Legionnaires attempted to expel the uninvited trio Crowley whipped out his pair of firearms and opened fire, wounding at least two innocent men before fleeing. With charges of attempted murder now hanging over his head, Two-Gun was about to enter the busiest period of his career. Continue reading →

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February 6, 2023 · 9:17 pm

1970 EPISODES OF N.E.T. PLAYHOUSE: FORGOTTEN TELEVISION

Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at the 1970 episodes of N.E.T. Playhouse. For the opening look at the 1966 episodes click HERE.

artist enteringTHOUGHTS OF THE ARTIST ON LEAVING THE SIXTIES (January 1st) – Assorted figures performed, did selected readings and offered perspectives on moving into a new decade. Among those appearing: Christopher Walken, Jessica Tandy, Fred Rogers, George Carlin and Dick Gregory. An entire version of Edward Albee’s short play The Sandbox was enacted, as well. Approximately 60 minutes for the bulk of the show and 30 minutes for The Sandbox.

VOLPONE (January 8th) – Canadian adaptation of the Ben Jonson comedy from 1605. The title character tries to con favors out of well to do associates by pretending to be dying. 81 minutes but stretched to 90 with a 9-minute animated short from Poland titled The Composer and His Muse. The short has no dialogue. 

hamileHAMILE (January 15th) – A Ghanaian adaptation of Hamlet written by that nation’s Joe C. De Graft and performed by actors from the National Theatre of Ghana. De Graft sets the action in Tongo, changes the names Hamlet and Laertes to Hamile and Laitu, plus he adapts swordplay into traditional Ghanaian wrestling in this 2-hour production.      Continue reading →

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February 6, 2023 · 3:19 am

FACULTY LOUNGE FASCIST ROUNDUP: FEBRUARY 6th

educa smallerIndependent Voter site Balladeer’s Blog takes another look at the way that what passes for the American “educational system” (LMAO) has become a church of irrational thought and political intolerance.

EXPECTING CORRECT ANSWERS IN MATH CLASS IS CALLED AN EXAMPLE OF “WHITE CISHETEROPATRIARCHY.” I bash both political parties here, but there’s no avoiding the fact that it is just ONE political party pushing this dogmatic idiocy.

COLORADO COLLEGE ASTROPHYSICS PROFESSOR CLAIMS THE STUDY OF SPACE IS SEXIST AND RACIST.

UTAH “TEACHERS” (LMAO) CAUGHT PUSHING THEIR RACIST HATEMONGERING ON STUDENTS.  Continue reading →

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February 5, 2023 · 5:14 pm

BALLADEER’S BLOG’S NCAA D2 COLLEGE BASKETBALL RESULTS: FEBRUARY 5th

NCAA DIVISION TWO

nova southeastern university sharksNUMBER TWO STILL UNBEATEN – The number 2 team in the nation – the NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SHARKS – improved to 21-0 for the season in their game against the PALM BEACH ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY SAILFISH. The Sharks were comfortably on top 55-35 by Halftime, then coasted to a 96-66 triumph. Kobe Rodgers and Will Yoakum logged 20 points each to lead NSU. 

lee flamesCENTURY CLUB – Teams scoring 100 points or more in Regulation: The LEE UNIVERSITY FLAMES won 101-90 at the AUBURN UNIVERSITY AT MONTGOMERY WARHAWKS   ###   Meanwhile, the CALIFORNIA (PA) VULCANS defeated their hosts the EDINBORO U. FIGHTING SCOTS 106-97   ###   And the BELMONT-ABBEY COLLEGE CRUSADERS routed the FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY PATRIOTS 107-68. Continue reading →

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February 4, 2023 · 12:01 am

AVENGERS: KREE-SKRULL WAR, THE CONCLUSION

This weekend’s light-hearted, escapist superhero post features the final three chapters of the original Kree-Skrull War from 1971-1972. For parts 1-3 click HERE. 

Avengers 95THE AVENGERS Volume One, Number 95 (January 1972)

AVENGERS ROSTER: THOR (Donald Blake, MD), IRON MAN (Tony Stark), CAPTAIN AMERICA (Steve Rogers), THE SCARLET WITCH (Wanda), GOLIATH (Clint Barton), QUICKSILVER (Pietro), THE VISION (Not Applicable), CAPTAIN MARVEL (Mar-Vell, Kree Captain)

SOMETHING INHUMAN THIS WAY COMES

Synopsis: This story picks up where we left off last time around. The scaled, amphibious Inhuman named Triton emerges from a manhole at Avengers Mansion while Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Goliath, the Vision and Rick Jones are still fighting the Mandroids.

Those Mandroids – S.H.I.E.L.D. agents wearing high-tech combat suits designed to defeat the Avengers if they ever went bad – are trying to arrest our heroes for Senator H Warren Craddock. That Senator has special powers from the U.N. to deal with the ongoing crisis in which two alien races – the Kree and the Skrulls – are fighting over the Earth. The Avengers are wanted for failure to comply with Craddock’s subpoena regarding the heroes’ role in helping their Kree member – Captain Marvel – escape S.H.I.E.L.D.

mandroids avengersThe Mandroids seem to have the upper hand on the Avengers, so Senator Craddock, observing the battle from his nearby command post, compliments Nick Fury on the performance of his agents in the Mandroid armor. Fury makes it clear that he’s only helping Craddock (a sleazy Robert Mueller-type abusing his authority) under orders. He also warns the Senator not to celebrate prematurely.

Fury turns out to be right as the Avengers suddenly turn the tables and defeat the Mandroids, thanks to a maneuver from Iron Man. Tony Stark – whose double-identity was NOT known back then – had designed the Mandroids and so Iron Man was finally able to exploit a weakness of theirs to knock out the men inside the armored suits with mild electrical shocks.

Rick Jones now helps the wounded Triton, who has been keeping out of the way while the battle raged. The member of the Inhuman Royal Family tells the Avengers what we readers learned last time around: Black Bolt, King of the Inhumans and ruler of Attilan, the Great Refuge, is lost in San Francisco with amnesia. His evil brother Maximus the Mad has taken over the Great Refuge and allied himself with the Kree invaders of Earth. Continue reading →

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February 3, 2023 · 2:06 pm

COOL-NAMED SPORTS TEAM: CUYAHOGA COLLEGE

cuyahoga college triceratopsCollege: CUYAHOGA COLLEGE

Team Name: TRICERATOPS

Location: Cleveland, OH Continue reading →

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