Tag Archives: blogging

JUSTICE SOCIETY 13: THEIR ARCHENEMY BRAIN WAVE

Red Tornado Abigail HunkelReaders demand more superhero items so once again it’s the very first superhero team in history: the Justice Society of America. FOR PART ONE CLICK  HERE 

I will review the original issue and then detail how I would “script-doctor” the story for modern audiences.

all star 15ALL STAR COMICS #15 (February 1943)

Title: THE MAN WHO CREATED IMAGES

Heroes: HAWKGIRL (Original), DOCTOR FATE, THE ATOM (Original), SANDMAN, WONDER WOMAN (Original), THE SPECTRE, STARMAN, DOCTOR MIDNITE, HAWKMAN (Original), JOHNNY THUNDER 

Villain: BRAIN WAVE

Synopsis: This was the very first appearance of the Justice Society’s archenemy Brain Wave. He would battle the JSA several times during the Golden Age and was retained as their arch-nemesis during the 1970s relaunch of All Star Comics

From his secret headquarters in a tower at Sharktooth Bay, the supervillain Brain Wave commands a gang of criminal hirelings and an army of mental creations conjured up by his paranormal brain. Those mental creations are solid enough to kill, pull off robberies and acts of sabotage but can then just turn invisible or disappear completely at Brain Wave’s whim. Continue reading

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STRAY CATS: STRAY CAT STRUT

masc chair and bottleBalladeer’s Blog’s recurring feature Give Them A Shoutout Before They’re Dead strikes again.

This time around it’s another shoutout to the Stray Cats and their hit song Stray Cat Strut. Only Adam Ant has received more coverage in this feature than the Stray Cats.

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PUCK: ROBBER BARONS THEN AND SILICON VALLEY ROBBER BARONS NOW

puck cartoon robber barons tying up uncle samPuck magazine (1871-1918), the well-known political humor magazine, was at its height under original founder and creative director cartoonist Joseph Keppler. Here is a February 23rd, 1881 Keppler political cartoon depicting Jay Gould, the telegraph monopolist, and Cornelius Vanderbilt the railroad baron.

The point of the cartoon is the way those two Robber Barons – allied with like-minded newspaper tycoons – abused their wealth and political influence to bind the United States (represented here by Uncle Sam) to their will.

Joseph Keppler was outraged at the power so unethically wielded by such figures to cloak themselves in righteous, philanthropic public images while in reality they – in Keppler’s words – clutched “the United States and all its institutions by the throat.”

Creepy LineThis is similar to the way the Silicon Valley and Social Media Robber Barons of today cloak themselves in “socially conscious” public images while in reality clutching the United States and all its institutions by the throat.

The Robber Barons criticized by Puck magazine exerted their ugly influence on behalf of right-wing politicians. The Robber Barons of the 21st Century tend to exert their ugly influence on behalf of left-wing politicians. The end results are equally totalitarian. Continue reading

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Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion, Puck Magazine

FLASHMAN ON THE GOLD COAST: LOST FLASHMAN PAPERS

For Flashman Down Under, Flashman in the Opium War & Flashman and the Kings click HERE   For Flashman of Arabia click HERE Balladeer’s Blog now moves on to another Harry Flashman adventure referred to but never completed before George MacDonald Fraser’s death.

elmina castleProjected Title: FLASHMAN ON THE GOLD COAST

Time Period: Third Ashanti War (1873-1874)

The Setup: Queen Victoria’s Empire – specifically the British Gold Coast – bought the Dutch Gold Coast from Holland in 1871. The nearby Ashanti People of Africa had been at peace with the Dutch for over 200 years but were wary of their “new neighbors” and were protective of their enormous wealth in gold. They invaded the British Gold Coast in May, 1873.  

flashman shieldIn June the advance of the Ashanti was halted at Elmina and back in England Her Majesty’s Government made plans to send additional troops to the Gold Coast to deal with the situation. By August 13th General Garnet Wolseley was chosen to lead the army.

The Story: Wolseley, personally familiar with Flashman from the Crimean War and the Great Mutiny, would draft the reluctant Colonel-on-Half-Pay into his campaign. Sir Harry’s knack for picking up languages and his years of experience as a colonial officer would convince Wolseley of our hero’s fitness for this type of warfare, no matter what excuses Flashman would try to use.  Continue reading

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Filed under Neglected History, Pulp Heroes

ASK BALLADEER: FAVORITE ANCIENT GREEK COMEDIAN OUTSIDE OF ARISTOPHANES

Mascot new lookASK BALLADEER: Who is your favorite Attic Old Comedian outside of Aristophanes?

ANSWER: Enough people have asked this now that I’ll post this in the spirit of an FAQ. Outside of Aristophanes, of course, we have only fragments to go by, but I would go with Eupolis. His comedies like Demoi, Marikas, Baptae, Autolycus and Taxiarchoi have been covered here at Balladeer’s Blog. Continue reading

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DEMOCRAT NANCY PELOSI SICS POLICE ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO CLIMB THE “IMMORAL” FENCE AT HER MANSION

Nancy PelosiPrivileged white one percenter and Democrat career criminal Nancy Pelosi once again demonstrated her political party’s typical hypocrisy on the issue of illegal immigration and border enforcement. The link is below.

Courageous activist and strong female role model Laura Loomer led a group of illegal immigrants over the fence at Pelosi’s obscenely wasteful mansion and grounds at her home.

trump cartoon on wallLoomer, a heroine to an entire generation of empowered young women, then read aloud from a list of the dead and raped victims of illegal immigrant violence until Nancy Pelosi sicced police on the crowd. 

The fence to Nancy’s tasteless, disgustingly gawdy mansion is what Pelosi calls “immoral” when used as a boundary at America’s unsecured southern border. Nancy once told a group of illegal immigrants that she “wished she could take them all home with her.” Obviously that was a lie, even though Pelosi’s ill-gotten wealth would certainly permit her to house thousands of them at her otherwise useless mansion.  Continue reading

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Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion

COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS FROM BALLADEER’S BLOG

Per the Glitternight index:

nwmo1NCAA Division Two – 1. NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS     ###      2. BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS    ###     3. INDIANA UNIVERSITY IN PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS    ###     4. SAINT EDWARD’S (TX) RATTLERS    ###     5. ASHLAND UNIVERSITY EAGLES     ###     

novasoutheastern6. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SHARKS      ###     7. MOREHOUSE COLLEGE MAROON TIGERS     ###      8. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT AIKEN PACERS      ###     9. WEST LIBERTY STATE HILLTOPPERS     ###      10. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO TRITONS      ###     Continue reading

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CRYPT TV: AN INTERESTING ONLINE HORROR CHANNEL

masc graveyard newCrypt TV is a YT channel featuring original horror film shorts with a variety of deadly monsters. Many of the monsters are featured in ongoing stories that are like ARG’s but with much better special effects. This particular video features the first appearance of a violent creature whose ongoing appearances hint at plenty of unsavory, sinister secrets as well as serial killings in a small town. It’s titled The Wedding Hand, as a play on a Wedding Band. NOT FOR THE EASILY FRIGHTENED!  Continue reading

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BOSTON’S 44th ANNUAL SCI-FI MARATHON: THE MOVIE LINE-UP

boston sci fi festivalFebruary 16th to 17th is when the 2019 Boston Sci-Fi Marathon will happen.

More info is below, but first a list of this year’s eleven movies:

SOURCE CODE (2011)

SUNSHINE (2007)

DR CYCLOPS (1940)

DESTINATION MOON (1950)

INNERSPACE (1987) Continue reading

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Filed under Bad and weird movies, opinion

PUCK MAGAZINE: THE POLITICAL JANUS

puck joseph kepplerJanuary is an appropriate month for this latest post about Puck magazine (1871-1918). Here at Balladeer’s Blog I’ve long made clear my fascination with that political humor magazine. Puck political cartoons – especially from the covers – are still much sought-after and I own a few myself.

The magazine was a German language publication targeted at new arrivals from Europe and the cartoons stood out early on. There is no language barrier to satirical political cartoons, so even Americans who spoke no German could follow the editorial drift of those humorous illustrations. In 1877 Puck began publishing both English AND German language editions.

Here’s a cartoon from its pro-Theodore Roosevelt heyday depicting the wildly different opinions of the bombastic, “rock the boat of political corruption” Teddy Roosevelt. President Trump is a lot like T.R. and his cousin F.D.R. – hated by corrupt career politicians but loved by the working class and the poor.   

theodore roosevelt like donald trump  Continue reading

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Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion, Puck Magazine