Tag Archives: blogging

June 5, 2021 · 12:07 am

FIRST TWENTY SPIRIT OF SEVENTY-SIX STORIES FROM THE 1940s

With less than a month now until the 4th of July here’s a look at the first twenty stories of the Harvey Comics superhero called the Spirit of 76. For more than two dozen Harvey superheroes CLICK HERE 

Spirit of 76THE SPIRIT OF ’76

Secret Identity: Gary Blakely, West Point Cadet

First Appearance: Pocket Comics #1 (August 1941)

Origin: Gary Blakely, scion of an American family which had distinguished themselves on the battlefield in every conflict from the Revolutionary War onward, was a Cadet at West Point. By chance he uncovered a Fifth Column plot by Nazi agents to blow up the academy. He adopted the costumed identity of the Spirit of ’76, foiled the Axis plot and resolved to continue fighting evil afterward.

Powers: The Spirit of ’76 was in peak human condition, was exceptionally agile and was very skilled at both armed and unarmed combat. His costume was bulletproof and he wielded his saber expertly in battle. This hero lasted until 1948, so he faced Communist villains instead of Nazi villains after World War Two was over.

pocket 1POCKET COMICS #1 (August 1941)

Title: Cadet Blakeley, Spirit of 76

Villains: Nazi saboteurs led by Herr Hoch  

Synopsis: West Point Cadet Gary Blakely discovers a Nazi plot to blow up West Point. Donning a costume and armed with a sword, he calls himself the Spirit of 76 and takes down the spy ring. 

Comment: You have to admit, there’s something appealing about a superhero whose secret identity is that of a West Point Cadet.  Continue reading →

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June 4, 2021 · 12:03 am

THE CLOUDS (C 423 B.C.): ANCIENT GREEK COMEDY

It’s Anniversary Month here at Balladeer’s Blog! Here’s my second review of an Ancient Greek Comedy from back in the year 2011. FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION IF YOU MISSED MY FIRST POST ON ANCIENT GREEK COMEDIES CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/2011/09/22/at-long-last-my-ancient-greek-comedy-posts-begin/

the cloudsThe Clouds was written by Aristophanes around 423 BCE and next to Lysistrata, which I examined last week, is the Big A’s most- discussed satire, mostly because of its lampooning of the philosopher Socrates, a contemporary of Aristophanes. Many modern readers, who have been programmed to sneeringly “deconstruct”  old works of art rather than understand them, love to regard this comedy with hostility. They accuse Aristophanes of being “anti – intellectual” for subjecting Socrates in particular and the Sophist philosophers in general to the same satirical criticism that every other aspect of Athenian society was subjected to in comic plays.

There are many arguments I can use to refute this claim, and  I’ll present them below following my synopsis of the play itself. To provide just a brief argument right now since you may be curious, let me remind everyone that Shakespeare is famous for the line about killing all the lawyers, but I’ve never met one rational person who thinks that line means Shakespeare was seriously proposing the execution of all lawyers or the elimination of the law and/or the  judiciary system. By the same token I hardly think Aristophanes was railing against every form of education or intellectual inquiry. More on this controversy, including the trial of Socrates, below. 

THE PREMISE

the clouds picIn the ancient Greek democracy Athenian citizens were expected to represent themselves in court in both criminal and civil proceedings.

Since juries are the same no matter what the time period a guilty person who was a good speaker could get acquitted while an innocent person who was an inept speaker could get found guilty.

Conversely, since there were no public prosecutors, citizens could charge their fellow Athenians with crimes and if they were skilled enough at speaking they could railroad an innocent person. Many Athenian citizens who faced a court date would pay some of the “streetcorner” Sophist philosophers to teach them rhetorical skills to make them better prepared for their appearance in court. Continue reading →

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June 2, 2021 · 4:32 pm

MORE COVID-DELAYED COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS

NJCAA

Kilgore CollegeTEXAS THRILLER – The KILGORE COLLEGE RANGERS traveled to face the TRINITY VALLEY COLLEGE CARDINALS. A 9-7 Rangers edge in the 1st Quarter was reduced to an even tighter 15-14 score by Halftime. Kilgore College got a little separation from the Cardinals in the 3rd Quarter, going up 33-26, then held on against a Trinity Valley College rally in the 4th for a 40-36 triumph.

Northeastern_Oklahoma_AMNEO ON THE ROAD – The NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA A&M GOLDEN NORSEMEN were likewise on the road, in their case at the BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS. At the Half the Golden Norsemen led the Buccaneers by a score of 14-7 and never looked back from there. After the break Northeastern Oklahoma A&M led 34-14 to end the 3rd Quarter and won the game 41-21 in the 4th. Continue reading →

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May 28, 2021 · 7:21 pm

BIONIC NINJA (1985)

bionic ninjaBIONIC NINJA (1985) – Hey! The people who dubbed this flick into English overused “Hey!” to such a degree that if you play the Hey! Drinking Game you’ll die of alcohol poisoning a third of the way through the movie. Leo Fong supposedly choreographed the fights and did some stunt work in and out of ninja garb in this film, another splice job of unrelated movies.   

Hey! It’s also been released under the titles Ninja Assassins and Ninja Force. Bionic Ninja is using “ninja” as its plural form but sadly, none of them are bionic. For some reason many international releases took to using the word “bionic” in their titles as if the word meant “super” or “ultra” or “maximum.” The ninja in this movie are the NOISIEST ninja ever committed to film, but they do possess powers of teleportation, so that’s fun.

Hey! In Hong Kong, a kung-fu fighting Chinese courier named Gordon Mann is transporting a “Top Secret Technical Film” containing information that could alter the balance of power in the Cold War. The Soviets have hired a band of ninja (our title menaces) to steal the film from Gordon. Mann’s boss in the British Secret Service, Warren Smart, lets Mann twist in career limbo under suspicion that he willingly handed over the film while Smart is secretly a traitor himself. Continue reading →

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May 27, 2021 · 7:58 pm

11 MEMORIAL DAY ARTICLES ABOUT NEGLECTED CONFLICTS AND UNITS

mascot sword and gun pic

BALLADEER’S BLOG

With Memorial Day Weekend fast upon us, Balladeer’s Blog has been getting requests for readers’ favorite holiday-themed blog posts from the past. I want to post some new ones, too, so let me first post this item synopsizing items from the past complete with links if you want to read the entire article.

THE TOP FOUR FORGOTTEN CONFLICTS IN U.S. HISTORY – A brief look at 1781-1782, the neglected final year of fighting in the Revolutionary War, plus takes on the Mexican War (1846-1848), the Nicaragua Conflict (1926-1928) and the Philippine War (1899-1902). Click HERE.

AMERICA’S NAVAL WAR WITH FRANCE (1798-1801) – Often called a “Quasi-War” because of how few land battles there were and because no formal declaration of war was made, this conflict featured a lot of fascinating action on the high seas. The men who died fighting in it deserve to be remembered just as much as those who died in more high-profile wars. PART ONE.  PART TWO.

TWENTY COLD WAR ATTACKS ON AIRCRAFT – Throughout the Cold War, soldiers, sailors and pilots faced danger and even death in multiple clashes which were downplayed at the time to avoid an escalation of hostilities. Click HERE.

Oneida Nation flag

Oneida Nation’s First Allies Unit

TOP FOUR FORGOTTEN UNITS IN AMERICAN MILITARY HISTORY – A look at Doniphan’s Thousand from the Mexican War, the Oneida Nation’s First Allies Unit from the Revolutionary War, the Yankee Samurai Unit from World War Two and the country’s very first racially integrated army unit, the First Rhode Island Regiment in the Revolutionary War. Click HERE.

THE TEXAS NAVY – A very neglected aspect of the Texas War of Independence from Mexico. Click HERE. Continue reading →

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May 27, 2021 · 9:14 am

AND EVEN MORE NJCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS

And the Covid-delayed games roll on – 

NJCAA

sussex county skylandersHISTORY WAS MADE – The SUSSEX COUNTY COLLEGE SKYLANDERS are playing their very first season of intercollegiate football and have now logged their first W, three games in. The Skylanders welcomed the CAPP ACADEMY CRUSADERS and dominated their opponents on both sides of the ball. By the time the dust settled Sussex County College had triumphed by a score of 48-8.

garden-city-broncbusters-helmet-newDEFENSIVE EPIC – The 4-0 GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS traveled to face the INDEPENDENCE COLLEGE PIRATES. After a scoreless 1st Quarter the Pirates held a 7-0 lead at Halftime. Neither team was able to put up points in the 3rd Quarter, but then in a comparatively action-packed 4th the Broncbusters’ offense finally came alive for a 14-10 triumph and a 5-0 record to this point. Continue reading →

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May 25, 2021 · 2:44 pm

TWELVE DEITIES FROM INUIT MYTHOLOGY

 Inuit mythology is almost criminally neglected. Personally I find it  fascinating and there is a  wealth of underappreciated information to be passed along. Inuit is the term used now, largely replacing  ”eskimo”  which was a pejorative term coined by the Algonquin Indians long ago. The geographical area of the Inuit myths ranges from Siberia across the Bering Strait through Alaska, Canada and Greenland. Names used for the following deities vary across that vast area. Some Inuit settlements like Ayaatayat (near present- day Cape Denbigh) date back 10,000 years. The Inuit were often at war with various Native American tribes and, as a testament to the  fighting  ability of the ancient Inuits they drove the Vikings themselves out of part of Greenland. The Inuit deities are as fascinating as the figures in any other pantheon.

12. NARSSUK – The god of the west wind and a son of the god Sila. Narssuk was depicted as an enormous infant whose winds were generated by the flapping of his caribou- skin diaper. In some versions the goddess Pukimna made the diaper for him. Narssuk supposedly would Continue reading →

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May 23, 2021 · 9:40 pm

NJCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS

Even more Covid makeup games from last autumn.

NJCAA

Ave Maria helmetNAILBITER IN GEORGIA – The GORDON STATE HIGHLANDERS welcomed the HOCKING COLLEGE HAWKS. Neither team scored in the 1st Quarter but by Halftime the Highlanders were on top of the Hawks by a score of 6-3. The defenses dominated once again in the 3rd Quarter with no points put up, and in the 4th Gordon State held on for a 12-10 victory. 

Navarro CollegeWHAT IS IT BETWEEN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA? – Teams from Texas and Oklahoma have some classic rivalries and classic games between them. In this matchup the NAVARRO COLLEGE BULLDOGS took on the visiting NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA A&M GOLDEN NORSEMEN. A 7-0 1st Quarter lead for the Golden Norsemen turned into a 10-7 Bulldogs edge at the Half. Each team logged 13 more points after the break as Navarro College won it 23-20.

Tyler College Apaches helmet NEW

ONE TEAM WAS PLAYING BASKETBALL – The TYLER COLLEGE APACHES tore apart the REZOLUTION PREP WILDCATS by a count of 61-0   ###   Meanwhile the GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS humiliated the HIGHLAND COLLEGE SCOTTIES in a 58-0 laugher   ###   And the INDEPENDENCE COLLEGE PIRATES eviscerated their hosts the FORT SCOTT COLLEGE GREYHOUNDS by a “burn the game tape” score of EIGHTY-FOUR to NOTHING!  Continue reading →

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May 21, 2021 · 4:53 pm

MARVEL’S ONE-APPEARANCE HEROES FROM THE 1940s

A few weeks back Balladeer’s Blog took a look at over three dozen 1940s superheroes from Marvel Comics (called Timely Comics back then). This time around here’s a look at several of their one-appearance wonders from that same time period.

phantom bulletPHANTOM BULLET

Created By: Joe Simon

Secret Identity: Allan Lewis

Appeared In: Daring Mystery Comics #2 (February 1940)

Origin: Millionaire Allan Lewis often slummed as a reporter for The Bulletin when stories caught his eye. While investigating some unsolved murders committed by seven-fingered men he met a scientist who had developed a high-tech gun that he believed criminals wanted to steal from him. The scientist was killed but managed to pass along his invention to Allan Lewis, who donned a costume and took on villains as the Phantom Bullet.

Powers: The Phantom Bullet was in peak human condition and excelled at armed and unarmed combat. The experimental gun he wielded compressed moisture from the air into ice bullets which melted, evaporated and left no traces in the evildoers whom he shot to death. That was why the media dubbed him the Phantom Bullet.

Comment: The murders in the Phantom Bullet’s debut were masterminded by former explorer Alvarez Monez. As part of his extortion/ theft/ murder ring he commanded a Lost Race he had captured in Africa. That Lost Race had seven fingers and were part human, part ape, so naturally he called them … Bird-Men. (?)

Rather than wear a mask, this hero disguised his features with makeup when he went into action. That makeup included an exaggerated nose.

thin manTHE THIN MAN

Created By: Klaus Nordling

Secret Identity: Bruce Dickson

Appeared In: Mystic Comics #4 (August 1940)

Origin: Scientist Bruce Dickson was climbing Mount Kalpurthia in the Himalayas when he discovered a cave that led to the hidden, futuristic valley called Kalahia. Determining Dickson to be a noble and altruistic person, the valley’s Council of Elders instructed the man in their advanced science and taught him their mystic power of altering his physiology to make himself thinner and longer.       

Bruce and a Kalahian woman named Olalla fell in love and convinced the Council to permit them to go to the outside world where Dickson could use his new powers against the forces of evil.

Powers: The Thin Man could make his body thin enough to slip under a door or between cracks in a fence while still packing the strength of a heavyweight boxer. He could also stretch and bend his body into different shapes. He piloted a futuristic StratoPlane, which the Council of Elders permitted him to build with Kalahian technology. Among other features that plane sported video screens for observing anywhere on Earth. Continue reading →

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May 18, 2021 · 12:07 am

SEVEN BURIED TREASURES THAT HAVE YET TO BE FOUND

masc graveyard smallerBalladeer’s Blog takes a look at several buried treasures which legends maintain may still be out there for the finding.

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MONTEZUMA’S CARAVAN

Estimated Value: $52,000,000.00 in 2021 terms.

Last Seen: 1520 A.D.

Lore: Observing how the Spanish were stealing every bit of treasure they found, Aztec ruler Montezuma had his treasury and temples stripped of as much gold, silver and jewels as possible. He intended to have it sent northward and buried until the Spanish could be driven out of the New World. Over time everyone who knew where the horde was located died.

Potential Locations: Arizona, New Mexico or Utah.

THE GOLD OF REMY LEDOUX

Estimated Value: As high as $208,000,000.00 in 2021 terms.

Last Seen: Late 1780s-1790s

Lore: In the 1780s French fur traders led by one Remy Ledoux heard about rich veins of gold from some free-spending and loose-talking Spaniards. The fur traders checked out the location indicated and came across their own finds, which they worked for years.

              Amid growing hostility with Spanish prospectors and Native Americans in the area, Remy and his colleagues buried the gold in anywhere from 1 to 3 locations and headed back to civilization until tempers near their gold veins could cool. They suffered more Native American attacks and only Ledoux made it back east alive. The map he left behind has proven to be either incredibly wrong or coded.  

Potential Location: The San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Continue reading →

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