Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the many facets of Fool Killer lore.
FOR PART ONE, INCLUDING THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT, CLICK HERE
Banjo Player by Maynard Dixon
PART TWENTY-SIX: THE FOOL KILLER (1918) – Last time around I posted plenty of quotes from Mak’s incarnation of the Fool Killer, quotes that would upset both the political left AND the political right here in the 21st Century. FOR THOSE QUOTES CLICK HERE
This time I’ll look at the uniquely stylized America that Mak depicted his Fool Killer traveling through, delivering poetry recitations and lectures plus sharing recipes (?) during down time between slaying fools. Mak’s America seems like a Frank Baum-influenced alternate reality filled with beautiful scenery but marred by politicized religion plus the tyranny of callous tycoons and the elected officials they have in their pockets.
The Fool Killer is followed on his meanderings around the country following the harsh winter of 1916 into 1917 and up through late 1917. Our title figure takes on quasi-chivalric airs and his escapades an urbanized Faerie Queen feel. He spouts original poetry at the drop of a hat but retains the jarring element of violent judgmentalism that afflicts every incarnation of the Fool Killer.
The Klarenc Wade Mak version of the figure seems to regard his mission in a Darwinian way, like he’s a natural force cleansing the land of fools the way that harsh, unforgiving nature inevitably weeds out those too weak to survive. As ever, the delusions of a serial killer taint the high-minded objectives that the Fool Killer pays lip service to.
Not that our folk figure’s targets don’t deserve to be opposed. This Fool Killer battles the abomination of Child Labor, the profit-mongers who sponsor it AND the Judges who perpetuate it through their decisions striking down attempts to eliminate the ugly practice.
He also champions women’s suffrage and fights for the working class against both the bloated rich pigs who exploit them AND the sleazy Union Leaders who sell out the workers in exchange for privileges that only management can hand out.
Here’s a fuller examination of this Fool Killer’s adventures as he wanders Mak’s Surreal States of America: Continue reading
Three of the last four CFP Championship playoffs have featured the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Clemson Tigers. Such has been their dominance of college football in recent times, most football pundits anticipate Alabama and Clemson being leading contenders to make it four playoff appearances in the last five seasons. Some people believe it’s simply a formality that all other college sides will fall be the wayside at some point doing the season, with several other bigtime programs failing to live up to expectations.
Given the Clown Car full of Democrat candidates trying to outdo each other at hate-filled and snobbish remarks about the working class and the poor the logistics for the upcoming Presidential Debates have been particularly challenging. 
KID RUSSELL (Cable Series) – “Before he made the art, he LIVED it!” would be the kind of eye-rolling advertising tagline that one could picture being used for a show like this. I’m not implying any disrespect to Kid Russell or his artistic legacy. Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog are familiar with my regard for the man. (FOR MY LOOK AT THE KID RUSSELL LEGEND CLICK 
Balladeer’s Blog remains the only site on the web that equally criticizes both Democrats and Republicans. This week even Bill Maher reminded the nation that Hillary Clinton is a criminal who obstructed justice. Plus Democrats were loudly proclaiming that what Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama did by seeking foreign dirt on Donald Trump was disgusting. Seriously. All they talked about for half the week was how utterly rank it is to use overseas dirt-diggers against one’s domestic political opponents. Y’know? 
Balladeer’s Blog’s Science Editor Tamara is on top of this story which has put a smile on William Shatner’s face. Shatner tweaked rival Star WARS fans over this image on Mars that looks like the Starfleet logo from Star Trek. 
AMAZING ADVENTURES Vol 2 #19 (July 1973)
THE COMIC (1985) – Virtually every film buff today knows the tale of Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell and Robert Tapert raising money from doctors, grocers and dentists in Michigan to finance their subsequent horror hit The Evil Dead. 
The Comic takes place “in another place and another time” according to one of the female characters. From appearances it’s a near-future police state in which fairly ambiguous laws are enforced by goose-stepping goons who wear their hair in ponytails. This film seems to be reaching for the heights achieved in cult films like Eraserhead and Café Flesh but falls so far short that it’s more like The Jar. 
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