These are the legends about Charlemagne and his Paladins, not the actual history, so there will be dragons, monsters and magic.
FOR MY FIRST CHAPTER ON CHARLEMAGNE’S PALADINS CLICK HERE.
RUGGIERO BATTLES ALCINA’S MONSTERS – When we left off last time around, Ruggiero was still stranded on the mystic island where Morgana’s evil sister Alcina lived. He was setting off on foot toward the city ruled by Logestilla, the “good” sister of Alcina and Morgana.
Ruggiero (at left) was hoping that Logestilla would use her own magic to cure the Paladin Astolpho of the spell that Alcina had cast – a spell that had trapped Astolpho in the form of a tree. The hippogriff – the large, winged horse/ eagle hybrid which had flown Ruggiero to the island last time around – refused to accompany the warrior any further, so our hero walked on alone.
As Astolpho had advised him, Ruggiero kept to a path that led him past the golden city of the evil Alcina. That city was just visible off in the distance, and Ruggiero determinedly kept well clear, the better to complete his mission to save Astolpho, a cousin of Ruggiero’s beloved Bradamante, the Lady Paladin in White Armor. Continue reading
GOLEM (1980) – My review of this Polish science fiction film that is sort of a blend of Eraserhead and Patrick McGoohan’s series The Prisoner. An authoritarian dictatorship has risen in the aftermath of a global nuclear war. Click 
CANADIAN-MADE SUPERHEROES 1941-1950 – From well-known names like the superheroine Nelvana of the Northern Lights (at left) and the superhero Thunderfist to less celebrated figures like Freelance, Nitro, the Blue Raven and Commander Steel. Plus superheroines like the Wing, Ghost Woman and many more. Thirty-eight characters in all. Click 
PATHFINDERS IN SPACE (1960) – The neglected British sci-fi television series. Includes my review of its sequels, Pathfinders to Mars and Pathfinders to Venus. Click 
JUSTICE SOCIETY/ JUSTICE LEAGUE TEAM-UPS – 1975-1979 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS did battle with the defending champs – the NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS yesterday for the NAIA title. The Seahawks converted their 7-0 1st Quarter lead into a 17-7 advantage by Halftime. 
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1973-1987) – Don Imus as Scrooge? Wolfman Jack as the Ghost of Christmas Present? Barbara Walters as Mrs. Cratchit? Murray the K as Bob Cratchit? Yes, believe it or not. 
THE NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPION-SHIP GAME BETWEEN THE NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS AND THE KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS WILL BE PLAYED ON MONDAY THE 18th.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The battle for the D2 crown pitted the HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON against the COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES OREDIGGERS. The 1st Quarter ended in a 7-7 tie, but by Halftime the Bison were on top 21-7. Harding University shut out the Orediggers from there while continuing to score on the way to a 38-7 rout. * THE BISON ARE NCAA DIVISION TWO CHAMPIONS * 
FIRST ISSUE SPECIAL Vol 1 #12 (March 1976) 
A SESAME STREET CHRISTMAS CAROL (2006) – This 46 minute special, which presents Oscar the Grouch as the Ebenezer Scrooge substitute, opens and closes with some very Christmassy scenes of artificial snow falling on the Sesame Street set. The apartments on that street are all decorated for the holiday so everything looks very festive. 
FLORIS (1969 and 1975) – Rutger Hauer and Paul Verhoeven’s neglected television series starring Rutger as a swashbuckling hero caught up in the Guelders Wars of the Netherlands. Read about it 
BAD MOVIE REVIEW: HITLER – DEAD OR ALIVE (1943) My review of this bizarre movie 
JUSTICE SOCIETY AND JUSTICE LEAGUE CROSSOVER STORIES: 1963-1969 – Their first 7 meetings 
As regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog may recall, December and early January are when I sprinkle in more tales of the Paladins of Charlemagne. These are the legends about Charlemagne and his Paladins, not the actual history, so there will be dragons, monsters and magic. 
RUGGIERO AND THE ENCHANTRESS ALCINA – When we left off last time around, the Emperor Charlemagne and his armies were still engaged in their war against the recent Muslim invasion from North Africa and Spain, led by Agramant. 
