Halloween month continues here at Balladeer’s Blog with a look at the first two volumes of Graveyard Shift, the “monsters as superheroes” sensation drawn by THE Jon Malin and written by Mark Poulton.
The introductory Graveyard Shift graphic novel presented the team’s “senses-shattering origin.” To quote the creators: “Scientists Vladimir Blud, Lillith Mayhew and her husband, head of security Mick Mayhew are working on advance human regeneration for the mysterious ATLANTIS CORPORATION. Betrayed, murdered and put into their own experiments they are reborn with super human abilities, they are the GRAVEYARD SHIFT and they are all that can stop a rising supernatural evil from taking over the world!”
Graveyard Shift Volume Two featured the team taking on the reborn menace of Dracula himself and his legions. The first two installments raised six figures each on Indiegogo and it is presumed that the third volume, expected in 2020, will continue that trend.
Malin is one of the comic book “Outlaws” going their own way to pursue their vision free of the corporate influence of the Big Two publishers. He has also worked with fellow Outlaw Richard Meyer on his indy superhero team called Jawbreakers. Continue reading
EIGHT AND O – In NCAA Division Two the 4th ranked OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY TIGERS traveled to face the SOUTHERN NAZARENE UNIVERSITY CRIMSON STORM. The Crimson Storm led 7-0 in the 1st Quarter and 13-7 come Halftime. After the break the Tigers went on top 20-13 in the 3rd Quarter before winning it 27-13 to remain undefeated. 
ONE-POINT WONDER – Down in the NJCAA the ITAWAMBA COLLEGE INDIANS were on the road against the NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE RANGERS. These two teams went blow for blow and score for score until the Indians ultimately emerged with a 22-21 victory. 
PRC THRILLER – The (9) PEARL RIVER COLLEGE WILDCATS hosted the MISSISSIPPI DELTA COLLEGE TROJANS. The Wildcats converted a 7-6 1st Quarter edge into a 17-6 advantage at the Half. The 3rd Quarter ended with Pearl River College up 24-13 and in the 4th the Wildcats held on to win it 24-19. 
NOUGHTS AND CROSSES: COLLECTED SHORT STORIES (1891) – Written by “Q” aka Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch, this was a collection of his short stories. Those stories: 
NAIA 1. MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS ### 2. KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY COYOTES ### 3. GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS ### 4. LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS ### 5. UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS ### 
6. NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS ### 7. MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS ### 8. COLLEGE OF IDAHO COYOTES ### 9. KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS ### 10. EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS ### 
THE WERWOLVES (sic) (1898) – Written by Honore Beaugrand, this story features fairly unique werewolf lore. The tale is not structured in a traditional way but instead expands upon accounts of lycanthropy in campfire tales as if they really, truly happened. 
AMAZING ADVENTURES Vol 2 #29 (March 1975)
The other quisling is known only as the Sacrificer, clad in green and gold. Like Atalon he is ugly but his ugliness is amplified by his metal cybernetic jaw with jagged steel teeth. His amputated right arm has been outfitted with assorted cybernetic blades which can be used as weapons or as surgical tools in the perverse “operations” he performs. 
Halloween Month continues here at Balladeer’s Blog, this time with the definitive horror/ sci-fi/ monster franchise in cinema. 2019 is the 40th anniversary of the original movie Alien and earlier this year six authorized (not fan-made) short films were released to mark the occasion. 
LA VILLE-VAMPIRE (City of Vampires) 1867 – Written by the accomplished and prolific Paul Feval, it’s Village of Vampires, or City of Vampires or, if you prefer, Vampire City (Wham, bam, thank you ma’am! Va- va- va- Vampire CIT-EEE! … Had to be said.) 
Goetzi turns out to be a vampire who lures Cornelia and Ned deeper and deeper into a trap. Back in England, Ann Ward deduces all this from odd letters that she receives from her friends and from horrific premonitions which come to her in nightmares. 
THAT WAS NUMBER FIIIIVE – In the NAIA the 16th ranked EVANGEL UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS welcomed the number 5 team in the nation – the BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS. After a slow start the Crusaders made their move, overtaking the Ravens and Upsetting them by a final tally of 35-21. 
DOWN GOES NUMBER SIX – Over in NCAA Division Two the UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY LOPERS took the field against the visiting 6th ranked NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS. A 14-0 1st Quarter lead for the Lopers was unchanged at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with UNK on top 21-14 and the 4th with a 24-17 triumph for the Lopers. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER SEVEN – Meanwhile, down in NCAA Division Three the BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN COLLEGE PANTHERS played host to the country’s number 7 team – the BERRY UNIVERSITY VIKINGS. The Panthers put the Vikings on Upset Alert with a 21-6 lead at the Half, then coasted to a 28-15 victory. 
THE COFFIN (2000) – Written by Phil Hester and drawn by Mike Huddleston, The Coffin was originally a four-part serial before being collected into graphic novel format. I’ll provide details below but right up front let me point out that the horrific but intriguing premise is that the Coffin is a dead scientist whose soul is trapped within a polymer techno-suit of his own creation. 
And so Heller Technologies recruited Dr Ahmad to devise strong, lightweight polymers for medical purposes. To that end Ashar has developed polymers that can be used to form an artificial membrane that is perfectly impermeable and incredibly durable. 
