INVADERS FROM THE DARK (1925) – Halloween Month continues here at Balladeer’s Blog with this horror story written by Fanny Greye Bragg aka “Greye La Spina” for her skill at weaving. Invaders from the Dark was first published in the iconic pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1925, then republished in revised form in 1960.
Regular readers may remember my review of the 1918 novel The Ghost Garden, in which a female ghost and a witch fight over a mortal man they both love. This 1925 tale features a similar love triangle among supernatural figures.
In 1920s New York City, Portia Delore marries a magic practitioner named Howard Differdale, but Differdale’s sorcery forbids the pair from consummating their marriage. Portia learns a great deal of magic from her spouse, but a lady has desires, and after Howard’s death (dare I say “Howard’s End?”) Portia’s are aimed at handsome Owen Edwardes.
She has competition from Russian Princess Irma Andreyevna Tchernova, a werewolf by choice. The ladies woo Owen, with Princess Tchernova even trying to lure the real estate man into becoming a werewolf himself via mystical plants and spells. The princess takes to preying on children and cops. Continue reading
STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP (1946) – Halloween Month rolls along here at Balladeer’s Blog with this appealing cult film from 1946. Strangler of the Swamp seems destined to be forever overpraised or overpanned. Personally, I find it an ideal Halloween movie for those people who don’t like blood, gore and graphic violence in their horror films. 
*** Charles Middleton, who played Ming the Merciless in early Flash Gordon serials, portrays the ghostly ferryman of the title. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER ONE – In NCAA Division 2 yesterday, the 2nd ranked GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS visited the number 1 FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS. A 7-7 1st Quarter tie turned into a 14-10 Bulldogs edge come Halftime. Ferris State made it a 21-10 game to end the 3rd Quarter but in the 4th the Lakers came storming back for a 22-21 Upset. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER EIGHT – Staying in D2 for now, the HENDERSON STATE REDDIES traveled to face the 8th ranked HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON. The Reddies saw their 3-0 lead in the 1st Quarter become a 7-6 Bison lead by the midpoint. Harding U was on top 14-6 in the 3rd but Henderson State ultimately won the game 15-14.
NUMBER NINE TAKES A FALL – Over in the NAIA the 24th ranked AVILA UNIVERSITY EAGLES (formerly the Avalanche) played host to the number 9 team in the nation – the BETHEL (KS) THRESHERS. The Threshers were on top 7-0 in the opening Quarter and 14-7 at the Half. Avila University took a 21-14 lead in the 3rd Quarter before winning out 28-14 in the 4th. 
For this weekend’s escapist superhero post Balladeer’s Blog will take a look at the way the Marvel Comics writers became so enamored of the alien menace in the first Alien movie that they did their own imitation/ homage of it in the form of an insectoid alien race called the Brood. 
X-MEN Vol 1 143 (March 1981) 
Cut to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, where Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Angel go off on dates with Mariko Yashida, Amanda Sefton and Candy Southern, respectively. Storm, Colossus and Professor X leave in the professor’s Rolls Royce to pursue their plans for the evening and this leaves the newest member of the team – Sprite (Kitty Pryde) – alone for a few hours. 
FOUR QUARTERS WEREN’T ENOUGH – This bizarre game pitted the WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY HILLTOPPERS against the home standing FAIRMONT STATE FALCONS. Neither team scored in the entire 1st Half, then the Hilltoppers went on top 21-0 in the 3rd Quarter. The Falcons proceeded to score 21 unanswered points in the 4th to force Overtime. In the Extra Session, Fairmont State notched a Field Goal followed by a Touchdown for West Liberty U in a 27-24 win. 
DOUBLING UP ON THE COMPETITION – The ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY GREYHOUNDS hosted the FRANKLIN PIERCE UNIVERSITY RAVENS. The Greyhounds kept the Ravens off the scoreboard until the 4th Quarter while putting up 7 points in all 4 stanzas. The final tally was Assumption U. 28 Franklin Pierce U. 14. 
Independent Voter site Balladeer’s Blog comes to you as always from the Biden Crime Family’s corporate fascist kleptocracy where the regime harasses more popular opposition leaders like in other banana republics around the world. As a reminder, the illegitimate January 6th committee features 
In addition, no defense witnesses are permitted to testify and defense counsel is not allowed to question witnesses. Worst of all, the minority party in the House of Representatives was not allowed to appoint members of its own choosing. The Democrats rejected those choices and
Next we have a series of scenes featuring some of the more sinful citizens of the deep southern town. Adultery, bigotry, covetousness, greed and outright murderous passions lurk behind every corner of this Mayberry-turned-Sodom and Gomorrah. These scenes go on so long even Larry Buchanan would scream “Pick up the pace, dammit!” at the screen.
DEVIL-BUG
I make no secret of the fact that years ago I was a Democrat, but that increasingly unhinged political party drove me and so many others to leave it and I became an Independent Voter. The courageous Tulsi Gabbard followed a path that is very familiar to the rest of us who decided to 
Welcome to the Party Exodus, Ms. Gabbard! Among her other remarks: 
