THE ADVENTURES OF A MICRO-MAN (1902) – This work of vintage or “ancient” science fiction was authored by Lancelot Bayly under the pen name Edwin Pallender. The central character of the story was Doctor Geoffrey Hassler, a wealthy eccentric scientist who has discovered “microgen” a gas which shrinks objects down to a very small size.
Dr Hassler’s demonstrations of the procedure in a diving-bell shaped chamber convinces even the skeptics and he rakes in even more money plus scientific recognition. One day when he, his daughter Muriel, her fiancee Gerald and a family friend named Reverend Eden are all inside the chamber a fluke accident causes them all to be shrunk down to a fraction of an inch.
Nobody was around to witness the accident so the quartet are trapped at tiny size for approximately 10 days, when the microgen treatment will wear off and they will return to normal. In their struggle to survive they manage to escape the chamber and make their way to Dr Hassler’s garden which – at their current size – is like a vast, dangerous jungle to them. Knowing they need food and water the group has no alternative but to venture forth. Continue reading
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Fighting it out for the 2022 title in the NAIA were the LOYOLA UNIVERSITY (LA) WOLFPACK and the TALLADEGA COLLEGE TORNADOES. 
SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – In this game the 2 seeds – the EASTFIELD COLLEGE HARVESTERS – faced the top seeded NORTH LAKE COLLEGE BLAZERS. 
Superheroes continue to dominate pop culture right now, and as I’ve often said, I think hero tales work best when set in their original time period. 
HERO FOR HIRE Vol 1 #1 (June 1972) 
Using those powers, Lucas escaped Seagate Prison but misled the authorities into thinking he died in the ocean while trying to get away. With Carl Lucas pronounced dead, our main character settled in New York City under the name Luke Cage and became a literal Hero for Hire, using his superpowers to earn a living. 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The 4 seeds – the BAPTIST BIBLE COLLEGE PATRIOTS – took on the 2nd seeded LANCASTER BIBLE COLLEGE CHARGERS in this title game. 
FIRST SEMIFINAL – This game pitted the TALLADEGA COLLEGE TORNADOES against the THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY SAINTS. 
WEALTH GODS (PLUTOI) – By Cratinus. In this satirical comedy the Titans are depicted overthrowing Zeus in a metaphor for the fall of the political leader Pericles. This was a reference either to his actual death or to the loss of his position as Strategos (Commander in Chief) depending on which year you go with for the comedy.
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The 2nd ranked LANCASTER BIBLE COLLEGE CHARGERS took the court against the 3 seeds – the CAROLINA UNIVERSITY BRUINS. 
THE CALL OF CTHULHU (2005) – The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society produced this terrific – but decidedly niche – horror film based on Lovecraft’s tale The Call of Cthulhu from 1928. 
Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog may remember that I’m a silent film geek so I fell in love with this movie immediately. The Lovecraft Historical Society players threw themselves into this labor of love, terrifically adapting the broad over-acting, dialogue boards and cinematic grammar of the Silent Age.
BATTLE OF COOL-NAMED TEAMS – The ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM clashed with the BETHEL (KS) COLLEGE THRESHERS in this game. 
CAPTAIN AMERICA & THE FALCON Vol 1 #183 (March 1975) 
Dialogue from the four combatants lets us know that Nomad came to Harlem looking for the Falcon and hasn’t been able to find him. Gamecock and his two underlings make it clear they were looking for Falcon, too, to kill him. 
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