This weekend’s superhero post from Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at Marvel’s clash between their Black Panther character, the actual Ku Klux Klan and fictional Dragon’s Circle.
JUNGLE ACTION Vol 2 #19 (Jan 1976)
Title: Blood and Sacrifices
Villains: The Ku Klux Klan and the Dragon’s Circle
Synopsis: With the 12-part Killmonger storyline Panther’s Rage and its epilogue chapter behind him, the Black Panther accompanies his romantic partner – singer Monica Lynne – back to the U.S. They go to the grave of Monica’s older sister Angela who was murdered recently.
This lands T’Challa and Monica in the middle of a mysterious war between the Ku Klux Klan hate group and a separate group of multiracial conspirators called the Dragon’s Circle. Angela’s murder was somehow linked to whatever was going on between the two groups.
Just as the Dragon’s Circle tried to kill Monica and the Panther at Angela’s grave, the KKK attacks Monica’s mother & father plus T’Challa, Monica and white anti-Klan reporter Kevin Trublood at the Lynne household that night. Our hero drives off the attacking Klansmen. Continue reading
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The RICHLAND COLLEGE THUNDERDUCKS took the court against the NORTH LAKE COLLEGE BLAZERS. The teams went almost basket for basket and by Halftime the Blazers held a mere 31-30 edge. After the break the Thunderducks made their move, storming back to upset North Lake College 67-59. Sixteen points from Dre Rutledge led Richland College and his teammate Andrew Huntley got a Double Double of 15 points and 12 rebounds. 
MOLLY O (1921) – This film was produced by Mabel’s longtime romantic partner Mack Sennett (the musical Mack & Mabel is about them) and co-written by Mary Hunt. Originally 80 minutes long, this comedy was once considered completely lost like so many other silent movies. 
That footage from the fallen U.S.S.R.’s film archives helped UCLA film historians flesh out what surviving footage they held with the chopped-up Russian version to make the 57-minute cut. Luckily the ending is intact and reviews from 1921 help fill in any missing story beats. 
Edwin L. Raub (1921-1998) served as a paratrooper in World War Two and fought on D-Day & during Operation Market Garden. He was written about by name in Cornelius Ryan’s non-fiction book (later a movie) A Bridge Too Far about the latter action. 
Graduating to the hour-long Uncle Ted’s Children’s Party, Edwin Raub cemented his position as a local television icon. In 1974, Scranton’s WNEP-TV hired him to use his Uncle Ted persona to host their Friday nights at midnight Bad Movie show Uncle Ted’s Ghoul School, elevating his kiddy-show schtick to the more wry and sarcastic approach of hosting old and bad movies. 
THE INHABITANTS OF MARS: THEIR MANNERS AND ADVANCEMENT IN CIVILIZATION AND THEIR OPINION OF US (1895) – I shortened the title for this blog post heading. This novel was written by Willis Mitchell, who called himself a professor but never elaborated.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The last two teams standing in D2 were the GANNON UNIVERSITY GOLDEN KNIGHTS and the LANDER UNIVERSITY BEARCATS. No real suspense in this title game, unfortunately, as the Golden Knights dominated Lander U. on both sides of the ball all the way. Come Halftime, Gannon had compiled a 37-21 advantage and from there they coasted to an 84-61 victory. Leading the Golden Knights was Pace Prosser with a Double Double of 28 points and 11 rebounds. 
THE GIRL WITH SOMETHING EXTRA (1973-1974) – This half-hour sitcom continued the concept of having Sally Field in possession of paranormal abilities. The Flying Nun saw her capable of flight and The Girl with Something Extra featured her comedic escapades as a young woman who was able to read people’s minds. 
SALLY ON MY MIND – Attorney John Burton contemplates asking out Sally, a woman he’s just met. He is surprised when, out of nowhere, she tells him she is available the next night. Their whirlwind courtship ends in marriage and on their wedding night, Sally finally tells John about her ESP abilities. Feeling uncomfortable, John walks out on her but realizes he loves Sally enough to just deal with the fact that she can read his mind. 
With the Titaness Rhea placated by the funerary rites, libations and games that the Argonauts dedicated to her slain son Kyzikos, our heroes resumed their Quest for the Golden Fleece.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Fighting for the title were the NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (Shipbuilders) and the URBE UNIVERSITY TIGERS. The Builders made a statement with their 39-29 Halftime advantage over URBE University. From there, they pretty much maintained distance from the Tigers for a 69-60 triumph led by Donovan Means with 17 points. 
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The LANDER UNIVERSITY BEARCATS pulled off a major Upset against the defending national champs – the NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SHARKS. At the Half the Bearcats had NSU on Upset Alert with their 42-31 lead. After the break, Lander U. kept the Sharks at arm’s length enroute to a 91-81 victory. Twenty-five points from Greyson Pritzl led the Bearcats, while teammate Dylan Canoville got a Double Double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. 
THE GOSPEL OF PETER – This Gospel was in wide use in the Middle East until at least the 2nd Century A.D. Its contents would still be completely unknown if not for a fragment of the Gospel being discovered in the tomb of a Christian monk in Egypt late in the 1800s.
Balladeer's Blog 