TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

Yesterday late afternoon, I read that Pernell Roberts had passed away over the weekend...

I already had posted my blog for the day earlier in the morning, and did not have time to post a rememberance blog post that evening.

So I'm posting this blog today about my thoughts on the veteran actor Pernell Roberts. I first recall seeing him on one of my favorite shows titled 'Bonanza'.

And yeah that was a long time ago. But during the late 1950's to mid 1960's TV Westerns were something that I liked to watch and also collect in comic books that were published by both Dell and Gold Key Comics. 

However, I had not kept up with what Pernell was doing after his retiring from show business in the late 1990's.

From what I gather, Pernell died at his Malibu home this past Sunday, January 24th of 2010.  The LA Times was told by his wife Eleanor Criswell, that Pernell had lost his battle with cancer at the age of 81.

Pernell had risen to fame in the role of eldest son 'Adam Cartwright' on the long-running TV western 'Bonanza'.  However, he left the show to pursue a film career after only six seasons, while the show went on for a total of fourteen seasons.  I couldn't understand that move at the time, and indeed even Entertainment Weekly recently counted that move among the '50 Worst TV blunders Of All Time'.

Being a fan of TV, I did see him in other shows as a guest star, but it was only after 15 years out of being in the limelight, that he took on the starring role of 'Trapper John, MD,' for all seven seasons of its run on TV.  I was newly married at the time, and we didn't watch that show, except for a few episodes.

I hadn't kept up with his works through the late 1990's, but definitely remember him on one of my favorite TV Westerns Shows of all time.  Thanks Pernell for the hours of entertainment you provided me during my formative years!

My condolences to Pernell's wife and friends...

Pernell is the last of the original four actors to play the four lead roles on 'Bonanza'.

Dan Blocker (December 10, 1928 – May 13, 1972), was the first of the actors to pass away.  I really liked his role on Bonanza.

His real name on the show was 'Eric Cartwright', but we all knew him as 'Hoss'.

Lorne Greene (February 12, 1915– September 11, 1987), was the 'stage name' of Lyon Himan Green, Canadian actor.

Lorne's television roles included playing Ben Cartwright on the long-running western Bonanza,. I truly found him to be an actor that I respected.  I have a picture card of him that I recevived from him as a kid, and actually still have it, something that I haven't sold!

Lorne later played the role of Commander Adama in the original science fiction TV Series Battlestar Galactica. Even though it was short-lived, he was perfect for the role of leader, in my opinion.

Lorne later worked on the award-winning Canadian television nature documentary series "Lorne Greene's New Wilderness".

Michael Landon (October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991), was an American actor, writer, director, and producer at different times in his life.

He actually stayed on the NBC Network for three decades.  He started as Little Joe Cartwright in Bonanza (1959-1973).

Then he went on to play Charles Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983).

Then he followed up by playing the role of Jonathan Smith in Highway to Heaven (1984-1989).

And yeah, I did watch all three of those TV Series.  Well, most of the episodes for sure!

So as you can see by the above paragraphs, I truly enjoyed watching the actors from 'Bonanza' on that show and their later works for the most part.

All have passed on now... This blog post is dedicated to all of them for giving me the hours of television watching pleasure.

PLUS: My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts! We usually blog on a daily basis during the 'work week' on comic book creators, comic book reviews, comic cons, book signings, and other pop culture news and events, such as the one blogged about here today.

Join us again soon, as we publish another 'Main Feature'.  And don't forget to check out the 'Featurette' shown below this article!

TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

I receive many comics for possible mention or review in this blog...

When this Blog had an eBay formatted version also, I wouldn't take the time to blog about 'adults only' comics, that I also couldn't also post at that eBay version of my blog. After all, there's only so many hours in the day, and if I was blogging to reach the most readers, then it had to be PG-13 at the most for the eBay general audience...

With eBay shutting down 'their blogs' at the end of October, 2009, and deleting the millions(?) of blogs that generated there by all participating eBayers, that opened me up to blogging about topics or genres that wouldn't fit into that version of my blog.

That doesn't mean I've gone "over the top" or anything in my blogging since then.  It's just that I do approach genres at times that although may not be my personal favorite reading material, is still 'blog worthy' IMO.

I recently picked up a small collection of undeground comics, that I read, and then listed in our online store.  Back in the 1960's thru early 70's, I of course came across those genre of comics, but they weren't my favorite reading material.  I was in my teens / early 20's at that time.

What I am getting to here today is this:  Although I may not like a certain genre, or art or the topic matter, I read each publication that comes in for either possible 'mention' in the 'Featurette' section in the bottom right portion of this Blog, or a 'review' in this 'Main Feature' section.

What I found about Stiletto #1 that is pictured at the top right of this blog, is that I liked the energy that the writer / artist brought to it.

That writer / artist would be John B Lai, who is also the Editor-In-Chief of Ultimate Comics Group.

Here is the publicity info from UCG:

Stiletto Series Summary:

Don’t miss the outlandish GALACTIC adventures of Stiletto and her faithful dog, Rigby, who are lost in space and trying to find their way back to Earth.

The adventures of Stiletto are for MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.  (18+ years required)  Contains nudity, adult situations & humor, adult language and graphic violence!

We’re not kidding, for ADULTS ONLY!

Stiletto #1

While trying to earn some galactic credits dancing, ALL HELL breaks loose as a rude customer crosses the line and Stiletto has to teach him manners.  Don’t miss the first EXPLOSIVE issue of the Red-Headed beauty and her K-9 companion.

Created by Lai, 21 FULL COLOR story pages, $5.99

So as you can see by the text info, this is on a par, (in my opinion), with those 'underground' type of comics that I read in the late 1960's - early 1970's at times.

That doesn't mean I'm trying to 'pidgeon hole'this comic book in that genre, but it does seem familar in its' "edginess" to me.

The two main characters are well thought out, and the dialogue between 'Stiletto', the dog, and the aliens at times is funny.  The story moves along in its' 21 actual pages of story...

The artwork is what it says in the inset shown about  four paragraphs above.  It is 'non-traditional', yet reminds me of the 'underground' style from years ago.  

The digital colors are vivid, and the total effect is kinda 'freakish' to borrow John's own description written in the inset page.

As a total 'package', it's not bad for a first issue introducing the characters and concept.  My only 'second' thought about it is the cover price of this comic book.  It is cover priced at $5.99 plus shipping.  However... You can see more of this comic book, besides the front cover that I posted above, a full five pages of interior art with dialogue, at the below web page where you can also order it, at:

http://www.indyplanet.com/index.php?id=3060

There you can see if it is a storyline you would like to read, before purchase.  That's a great idea for a 'preview' actually!  You get to see the cover and a few interior pages, just as if you were at your LCBS! 

(Please Note: As John stated above in the press release, there is nudity and language elements!  The reason for the 18+ years required for purchase.)

My thanks to John for sending in this comic book for possible mention / review!

AND: Thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts! We usually blog on a daily basis during the 'work week' on comic book creators, comic book reviews, comic cons, book signings, and other pop culture news and events, such as the comic book review blogged about here today! 

Join us again soon, as we publish another 'Main Feature'.  And don't forget to check out the 'Featurette' shown below this article!

TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

Every day on Facebook I check for those Facebook Friends that are celebrating their birthdays, and congratulate them on their Special Day by posting salutations on their Facebook Wall...

Sometimes, when I either know them personally, or have met them at a comic con, or they have contributed something to the 'World of Comics' in general, I might even post a mention of them in the 'Main Feature' or 'Featurette' sections of this Blog.

Today, I wanted to wish a special "Happy Birthday" to John Wesley Shipp, who starred in the televison series, "The Flash" from 1990-91 on CBS!

Yes, he has starred in many other TV Series, (see his Wikipedia entry here), but this is a Comic Book Blog, so I'm going to center on that aspect of his acting career!

You can also see that long list of credits of his with additional info at: the IMDb site.

Unfortunately the TV Series, "The Flash", only ran from September 20, 1990 – May 18, 1991.  I enjoyed the series,all 22 episodes, and have blogged about it here before.

Truthfully, I hadn't seen John's earlier works before this TV Series first aired.  Those were daytime dramas that I didn't watch. However, his work on this TV Show stood out for me, and he interacted quite well with others in the cast, especially Amanda Pays in their scenes together.

One of the best things that came from this TV show for collectors, besides the DVD set, was a comic book tie-in special based on the TV series.

It was published by DC Comics back in 1991, and was titled "The Flash TV Special #1", and was super-sized by running at 76 pages. The comic book featured two stories, of which one story was written by John Byrne with art by Javier Saltares.  The second story featured a thief named "Kid Flash". Plus for fans of the TV show, there was a behind-the-scenes look on the making of that TV series with photos.

I have noticed that John Wesley Shipp has been at several comic cons in recent years.  If and when he is scheduled to appear at another one, I'll try to post that in this Blog.

Anyways, I wanted to 'Hi-Lite' the fact that it is John's Birthday today...  and wanted to wish him a "Happy Birthday"!

AND: Thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts! We usually blog on a daily basis during the 'work week' on comic book creators, comic book reviews, comic cons, book signings, and other pop culture news and events, such as the Special Birthday blogged about here today! 

Join us again soon, as we publish another 'Main Feature'.  And don't forget to check out the 'Featurette' shown below this article!

TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

Congrats to Andi Ewington and the Com.X people who I met in person at the 2009 Long Beach Comic Con (LBCC)...

They will be at the First United Kingdom Release of the '45' this week!

Below are the details of the event for the UK readers of this Blog so they can possibly make it to see Andi and the others attending:

'The 45' Com.X Signing
First UK release of The 45!
Type: Music/Arts - Opening
Network: Global
Date: Saturday, January 23, 2010
Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Forbidden Planet, Cardiff

Description: To celebrate the UK release of their much anticipated new release 'The 45', Com.X will be showing up in full force to sign copies of the book for fans.

Guests include Com.X publisher Eddie Deighton, writer of 'The 45' Andi Ewington, writer of 'Cla$$war' Rob Williams, writer and artists of 'Razorjack' an colorist on 'Watchmen' John Higgins and artists Charlie Adlard (Walking Dead), Lee Carter, Matt Timson, Sally Hurst, Ben Oliver (Young X-Men, The Authority, Ultimate X-Men), and Jon Sloan.

They will be appearing at Forbidden Planet in Cardiff from 1pm to sign copies of their work.

So what's the work about?

"Forty-Five is a series of Superhero interviews documented by James Stanley. As a soon-to-be father, James wants to find out what lies in store for his family if his unborn child turns out to have a Superpower.

Having decided to forego the test that would determine whether his child is carrying the all-important "Super-S" gene, which differentiates the genetic makeup of a superhero from that of a normal person, James sets out on a quest to interview forty-five super-powered individuals in the hope that their experiences may better prepare him for the birth of a child that is potentially gifted with extraordinary abilities.

On his journey, he encounters characters from all walks of life; from single mothers struggling to raise gifted children, to rebellious super-teenagers, all the way through to those reaching the end of their lives. But what starts as a voyage of personal discovery becomes something far more ominous when he crosses paths with an organization known as XoDOS."

"Each page of art has been illustrated by a different comic artist, with no predetermined brief given; just the written page as guidance. The concept is unlike anything you've seen in comic books so far; it truly is an original attempt at redefining what people expect from a comic book format."

The List of the 45 Artists involved with this project include, (but not limited to):

John Higgins
Neil Edwards
Ben Oliver
Trevor Hairsine
Lee Garbett
Liam Sharp
Calum Alexander Watt
Steve Sampson
Kit Wallis
Admira Wijaya
Carlo Pagulayan
Seb Antoniou
Rufus Dayglo
David Ryan
Sally Hurst
Andie Tong
Charlie Adlard
Andrew Wildman
Stephen Thompson
Simon Coleby

My congrats to Andi Ewington, with whom I have been communicating with since early last year.  It was great to meet him in person at the October 2009 Long Beach Comic Con, (photo at top left of this post), and discuss his then still upcoming book.

For my earlier blog post on meeting Andi and others from Com.X, please see this archived blog post: "Have YOU Take THE PATH?".

You can check out the upcoming event in Cardiff at this link: "45 First UK Signing Event".

PLUS, You can become a Member of the '45' Facebook Group Page by following this link and joining:  "Forty-Five".

My thanks to both Andi Ewington and the Com.X people for the time they spent with Tina and myself at the 2009 LBCC.  And for the promo literature for the earlier mention / review in this Blog, plus what was sent for this 'Main Feature'.

PLUS: Thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts! We usually blog on a daily basis during the 'work week' on comic book creators, comic book reviews, comic cons, book signings, and other pop culture news and events, such as the one blogged about here today! 

Join us again soon, as we publish another 'Main Feature'.  And don't forget to check out the 'Featurette' shown below this article!

TODAY'S 'MAIN FEATURE':

Tina and I saw a lot of comics creators at their tables in the Artists Alley at the 2009 Long Beach Comic Con (LBCC)...

But none so wild and crazy as Iota_Arcane and D. Castr at their Taco Comics Table!

Indeed, I've held off blogging about their works for a while, because they just didn't 'fit into' this blog in the 'normal' sense.

Now that doesn't mean their work isn't good, it's just that the work is more of what used to be called 'underground' style, and their music is more hip hop style than what I usually would mention here, if I mentioned music at all.  It's a comic book blog after all, you know! 

What grabbed Tina's attention was that the comic book shown at the top right was generated from a 'track' on Iota_Arcane's CD titled 'Imaginary Slave'.  So the fact that the music media spawned a comic book was interesting to Tina.

For myself, I thought it was a cool background story.  The music is hip hop, not my normal listening to music venue.  The comic book as you can see from the front cover is kinda weird, but just as 'far out' as the underground comics from the 1960's - 1970's we are selling in our online store.

The tune that plays in the background on the video presented above is kinda catchy... more so than the CD, but again, that is my personal taste in music.  I blog about what I like here, and the combo of a CD track to a full blown Comic Book is a story that I like.

As a side note, here's Iota_Arcane's notes on the CD itself: This is a collection of old songs & poems I have been performing live for years. I linked up with a old friend Deadend from Head Hunterz Crue and I was lucky enough to have him do all the production and recording for this project with Dj Step Daddy on the Cuts. This is me doing me. It is super unorthodox with no standard or rules. Just shredding in Rhymes. D. Castr did the cover art. D. Castr and I also have a comic book out based on the "Imaginary Slave" song on this album that correlates with the comic book".

I'm presenting their story here for YOU to check it out further, IF this style of art and / or music is more your speed than mine.

They were fun guys and passionate about their Taco Comics Table at the LBCC.  They deserve to have some publicity about their creative products.  They are not sitting around waiting for fame to come to them. And also not sitting at their table not paying attention to those passing by. Indeed, they both could have figured that Tina and I were definitely not 'hip' enough to share their creations with, but they were definitely energetic and friendly enough when then realized that Tina and I expressed interest in what they were doing. 

Since the LBCC, they have since gone on to do a couple more comic cons that you can see at their websites.

You can check that and them out further at the following links:

Iota_Arcane Band on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads at: http://www.myspace.com/xnationalz

For the Taco Comics Facebook Member Page:

http://www.facebook.com/tacocomics?ref=ts

Iota_Arcane & D.Castr's Comics Page: http://www.TacoComics.com

Taco Comics Blog at: http://www.TacoComics.WordPress.com

My thanks to both Iota_Arcane & D. Castr (David Castro) for the time they spent with us at the LBCC.  And for the promo comic and CD for a possible mention / review in this Blog.

PLUS: Thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts! We usually blog on a daily basis during the 'work week' on comic book creators, comic book reviews, comic cons, and other pop culture news and events, or TV show based on comics, such as the one blogged aobut here today! 

Join us again soon, as we publish another 'Main Feature'.  And don't forget to check out the 'Featurette' shown below this article!