1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 365- A Spoiler Free Review of Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi

I finished out my year of turning 40 with my oldest of  childhood friends; for today I went to see The Last Jedi. Travel, the holidays, and getting terribly ill got in the way of seeing it sooner. But now that I think of it, this was quite a fitting way to end my look at turning 40.

I had seen for weeks how many fans are disgusted with this film. Lots of fans signed a petition demanding that Episode VIII be removed from canon. Mark Hamill went so far as to say the character he portrayed wasn't his or creator George Lucas' Luke Skywalker but instead a knockoff character named Jake Skywalker. Finally, The Last Jedi now holds the dubious record of the worst one-week box office drop off in film history. 

Now, with Christmas being just the week after The Last Jedi debuted in theaters, I am sure that quite a bit of ticket sales did drop due to that fact.  Needless to say, I went into this film expecting a big huge dud. I was getting deja vu of going to see Justice League last month. But I have never missed a Star Wars in the theatres and I wasn't about to start now. Plus, with this film being actress Carrie Fisher's last, I wasn't about to pass up a chance to pay my last respects.

What I saw was an impressive two and a half hours of film by director Rian Johnson (Looper.) Continuing immediately from the events of Episode VII, the Resistance is desperately attempting to evacuate their secret base. Meanwhile, young heroine Rey has finally located Luke Skywalker and is desperately attempting to lure him back to defeat the First Order. And that's as far as I want to go on the plot. 

Many fans went so far on social media to decry that this Star Wars film was so unlike other Star Wars films. Empire is considered to be the most unlike the original trilogy. And yes- Last Jedi is very un-Star Wars. I think that's because this film was the Empire Strikes Back of the new trilogy. And there's several reasons why:

• The Super Star Destroyer was introduced in Empire. A new version, the dreadnought, is brought into play here.
• Empire has Hoth, a planet cover in white fluffy snow. Last Jedi has a new planet covered in white fluffy salt. Both planets involve the back guys unleashing a deadly type of AT vehicle.
• Empire and Last Jedi both has a wanna be Jedi begrudgingly trained by an elderly reclusive master.
• and finally both Empire and this movie are the most well acted and least cliched of the bunch and they end with the absence of a happy ending!

If this had been Episode IX instead of VIII, I think I would have been extremely happy. There's quite a bit going here that I could seen this as being the end of the third (and final) trilogy promised to us by George Lucas. And I would have left the theater extremely satisfied to have gotten to see the whole story. 

In fact I have an idea that could make the detractors and the fans happy.  I know how I look at it makes me pleased. See, I'd go so far as to reorder the Episode numbers making Rogue One no longer 'A Star Wars Story' but christen it Episode IV. This would result in shifting everything down a number. Empire is now VI, Return of the Jedi is VII, and Force Awakens becomes VII. It all ends in The Last Jedi as Episode IX. Then the new trilogy of Star Wars films recently proposed by Rian Johnson could continue upon the struggles of this new Resistance in wrestling peace back from the First Order. 

I know that in no way would my idea ever work. Disney would never go for it. And there's too many whiny wanna-be fanboys out there that would complain and threaten boycotts if this idea ever got a green lit. But a lot of the fun of Star Wars is being able to expound on the possibilities. And since I had a lot of fun watching the newest Episode of Star Wars and I have zero idea where the franchise is going from here- it was worth a shot just mentioning.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars.

My New Rankings...

                1. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

                2. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

                3. Episode IV: A New Hope

                4. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
                5. Episode VII: The Last Jedi
                6. Episode VII: The Force Awakens

                7. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

                8. Episode II: Attack of the Clones

                9. Episode I: The Phantom Menace

Gwenpool Holiday Special: Merry Mix-Up

This is 100% absolute insanity and I loved it! Man, I wish I could say that about this book. Don't get me wrong, it did start out really well...

Gwenpool is from an alternate earth.  But even she knows that Galactus is bad news. The Eater of Worlds is not the bringer of gifts to all of the good little boys and girls of Earth-616! Plus, what in the heck is Pantsgiving?! Something is seriously wrong with Christmas and it's up to Gwenpool to find out what!

Then there's a very odd Christmas story starring the Red Skull and the ghost of Hitler? Clearly this is a pre-Trump presidency comic because this tale of holiday hi-jinx would not fly today. 

Actually, I am surprised that the book made it to press in 2016 when it did. You know what happens during the holidays, right? Hanukkah! I just cringe to think that some kid asked for this book as a gift during the Festival of Lights and this was one of the stories inside! This just seemed wrong.

This holiday special doesn't just cover a mixed up Christmas, screwy Thanksgiving, and hopefully not an Aryan Hanukkah... it also has a Halloween story starring Deadpool. The real Deadpool! It was funny but I think the damage was done with that Red Skull disaster. 

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Archie's Christmas Stocking #1

This was a delightful holiday special from 1993 comprised of several winter themed adventures. In it, Archie's dad is having trouble getting into the holiday spirit, Archie and Jughead travel far and wide for the perfect Christmas tree, and the eternal teenager gets into a sticky situation as the Riverdale Mall Santa. 

There's also two classic yarns from 1958 and 1963. Both while a little dated, were quite charming little stories. In the older tale, Archie plays Santa at Veronica's Christmas party and ends up finding himself under the mistletoe- a lot! Then in the older classic adventure, Archie buys matching gifts for Betty and Veronica. But he accidentally switches the tags and has to do the old switcheroo in order to not get in the doghouse with either.

All this plus a very alluring cover with Betty and Veronica as vixens. It's a near flawless holiday special from Archie Comics!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 25

Well folks, we made it. Christmas is here!

For today, my final Advent gift is a selection of my 5 favorite Saturday Night Live holiday themed skits of all-time! I hope you will enjoy. 

Merry Christmas!

#5 Michael Buble Christmas Duets

#4 John Malkovich's T'was the Night Before Christmas

#3 Christmas in Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood

#2 Scheddy Balls

and the #1 holiday SNL skit of all-time- Dick in a Box!

DC Holiday Special 2017 #1

DC Comics made 2017 a holiday season to remember yet again! In a massive holiday special, a team of legendary writers and illustrators put together 10 amazing stories including a Neal Adams Batman classic from the 70s.

Highlights of this holiday special include:

• A World War II tale recounted by Sgt. Rock spans a frosty week in the life of a wounded Allied solider and his Nazi captive.
• The Teen Titans take on the Ghost of Christmas Past and the nasty memories of holiday horrors from yesteryear.
• The Flash struggles to find time for his nephew Wally on Christmas Eve.
• Batman Icon Denny O'Neil returns to Gotham with a Solstice story starring the Dark Knight and Wonder Woman.
• And much more...

For the second year in a row, DC asked a cover price of $9.99 and I willingly shelled it out. Last year, the entertained the hell out of me! And they did it again this year!

The 2016 special had Harley Quinn as host and a superhero hero holiday party as the centralizing element of the special. That stabilizer was the only thing missing from this edition. 

Worth every penny, if you only buy one holiday special this season (well, it's Christmas Eve, so what's left of it,) this is the one to get! Shame on you Marvel for being a Scrooge this year!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Green Arrow Annual #1

In this holiday themed issue, Green Arrow and fellow members of Team Arrow are about to celebrate Christmas. Things seem to be going perfectly. A little too perfectly...

This annual is a fairly good starting point for newbies like myself. I've been into comics for almost 40 years mind you. It's just that I'm not a big fan of Green Arrow. Same goes with the CW series. Of all the DC shows, it's my least favorite and when it comes to GA in comics, the last thing I remember reading about him was the two-part wedding album stories from about 10 years ago.

But by making this issue a Christmas issue, my interest was immediately peaked. Plus quite a bit of back story is included and that really helped this be a story I could navigate through. 

There was one thing I was a little confused about. What's up with Green Arrow's tree city? It's pretty darn cool and I like it. But what's the purpose of it? Is it more easier to defend? Economical? Just aesthetically pleasing? Come on issue writer, Ben Percy! You tell us so much about Oliver Queen and Co., but you left out the details of Tree City???!!! I want to know more.

A very enjoyable holiday themed issue that is full of action, drama, and more. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Simpsons Illustrated #26

If you have an extensive collection of Simpsons comics or you own the Simpsons Holiday Humdinger, the odds are, you have most, if not all, of the stories contained in this comic book. That's right, this book is full of previously printed material. 

I'm pretty sure that's the same for any issue of Simpsons Illustrated. 

With a cover price of $4.99, if I had paid that amount and gotten nothing but reprints, that would seriously have pissed me off. Thankfully, I only paid a buck for this. But that was after I talked the seller down from his cover price of $6. (Hey, if he wanted full price for it, he shouldn't have put this in the dollar bins.)

My favorite story in this collection was when Homer goes to Professor Frink for help losing holiday weight. The scientist creates a formula to put Homey into hibernation. But thanks to a series of comedic adventures, Homer sleepwalks his way through Winter, managing to gain weight in the process. 

Filled with tons of holiday mischief, it was a fun read. It's even better if you haven't read any of this.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 24

It's Christmas Eve! Time for some last minute travels in hopes of making it in time for Christmas. But what if you get snowed in at the airport? What do you do then? 

Do you scavenge the vending machines for a Christmas dinner made of potato chips and candy bars? Do you decorate that potted plant next to the ticket counter with old tickets and barf bags? Do you use the luggage return as your own personal bedding?

Well that's exactly what happened to the Tanners from Full House. In the December 16, 1988 episode titled Our Very First Christmas Episode, the family and co-worker Rebecca are flying East to visit various relatives. Middle child Stephanie is scared to death that Santa doesn't know where to find them and once it becomes evident that they all have to spend the night at the airport, everyone along with Stef are convinced that Christmas is ruined. Of course, they all manage to make it work and Santa performs a little miracle or two in order to make it the best Christmas ever!

Personally, this is like my fantasy Christmas Eve. I so very want to have to spend a night at the airport. It's like a weird dream of mine, I know. But I just love the whole idea and believe me, I think I would have some crazy fun! Plus, unlimited time to read! Man, it's a win-win!

I really thought that this episode took place later than season 2 of the show. But it is a episode that takes place on Christmas Eve and I really like it. So, here's the episode, in yet another odd format and in 2 parts. Enjoy and until tomorrow, Merry Christmas!

Deadpool Civil War II

The Mercs For Money are tired of Deadpool screwing around. They love being heroes, but the very definition of a mercenary means you get paid. And nobody can remember the last time Deadpool has paid them. Has he ever paid them? Determined to do something about it, the guys decide to pull a heist that will result in some cold hard cash flowing their way. 

Along with dealing with a work place revolt on his hands, Deadpool is struggling at home as well. His wife Shiklah, Queen of the Undead, is unhappy with how mellow the Merc with a Mouth has gotten. His daughter is forbidden from seeing him. Good friends are dying left and right. And it looks like his role as Avengers leader is also in serious jeopardy. 

Plus, in the Deadpool 2099 storyline, Wade's two warring daughters finally come to a head. One only wants to protect her father. The other is looking for the body of her late mother, Shiklah! The winner not only gets everything they ever wanted, they'll also earn the moniker of Deadpool 2099!

This was a good story arc written by Gerry Duggan. But it wasn't great. Some may like it when things go rough for Deadpool. I am not one of those people. I like my Deadpool to be more upbeat. Yes, I like him to be nutty and odd- and he's plenty of that here. But I hate to see Deadpool in the dumps. When Deadpool is supposed to be a pick-me-up, that just doesn't happen here to see a beloved characters world fall apart at the seams.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Archie Christmas Spectacular #1

You can always count on Archie Comics to present an annual Christmas special or two. This one is no exception. Filled with several stories of holiday hi-jinx, Archie and the gang are in full holiday force here.

My favorite story has Archie and Jughead forced to decorate the Riverdale High gymnasium  for a Christmas party. But things go horribly. Thankfully, there's a little holiday magic in the air to bail the fellas out. 

This book would pretty much be considered all-ages if only for the ads. Most of them are for the new hit CW series, Riverdale, which is geared for teens at best. But then again, I remember buying comics as a kid, geared for my age, and yet the ads were for movies and music that my folks thought I was way too young for. 

A fun read for a cold holiday night. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Classic: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians #1

I love watching this as a film. It's one of those B-movie classics that are so bad that they're great. 

I had seen photos of this 1965 comic book adaptation before online. But I had never seen a copy in person until just this past Spring. Considering that I love the movie and I collect holiday comics, my loving (and very understanding) bride convinced me to pull the trigger and buy this book even though it's normally out of my very frugal price range. 

The premise of this story is basically close to the story's title. And yet it isn't. 

The adults of Mars are perplexed that their children are in a funk. They determine that it's all because they don't have any fun. With Christmas coming very soon to earth, the Martian leader decides to kidnap Santa in hopes of bringing joy to their lives. But one Martian solider isn't happy with this idea, thinking that it will make his people more soft, and has plans to wipe out Kris Kringle. 

Can Santa introduce the people of Mars to the concept of Santa? Or will he become a ghost of Christmas past? 

I was really torn on this one. The reason I love the film is because of how bad it is. Yet this comic is done with an amazing amount of quality and care that was often missing from movie adaptations in the 60s and 70s. 

One reason I think this Dell adaptation was so good was that it was published a year AFTER this film was made. The film was a massive bomb when it debuted in 1964. Yet for some reason, this comic came out a full year later! I'm not sure why this happened as normally box office bombs were considered dead and buried. But by having the film already out as a reference, I think the artwork was able to be near photo-realistic representation. But it's just not the same without all of it's massive flaws. 

I'm very glad this is a part of my collection. It's almost mint with very little browning and a very crisp spine. Plus, the art is quite beautiful. Just in comic book form, the things that make Santa Claus Conquers the Martians don't convert over very well on the written/illustrated page. This is definitely a case of being lost in translation.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Going into Town: A Love Letter to New York

I brought this graphic novel by The New Yorker's Roz Chast with me on a recent trip to the Big Apple. It was a brilliant idea. Not just for mood reading but because of how Chast breaks down all of the secrets of the City That Never Sleeps. 

Chast originally wrote this book as a manual for her daughter who was moving into Manhattan as a student at NYU. The cartoonist broke down the ins-and-outs of the subway system, how to catch a cab, and the grid lay-out of the city. I don't know how much this book helped her daughter, by Chast's book really helped me understand how to use NYC mass transit. 

There's also sections on finding a place to dine and shop, how to get an apartment, and tourism in hopes of not looking like a tourist. 

Yes, this is a love letter to Gotham. But it's also an insightful guide that does more in 176 pages than some travel guides do in multi-volume examinations of New York. 

A must for anyone travelling to the Five Burroughs. You need to get over the graphic novel format as you will miss out on one of the most valuable travel tools crafted in a long time. In fact, it's one of the best books of 2017 in my opinion!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 23

Are you sick of the commercialization of Christmas?  Have you ever wanted to take off your shirt and just wrestle? Are you sick and tired of people and want a chance to tell them off? Do you wish that there was a special day just for you?

Then have I got the holiday episode you've been asking for!!!

It's December 23rd! That means it's Festivus- the holiday for the rest of us. 

To celebrate, we have to travel back to the Big Apple to learn of it's mystical, okay made-up, origins. From the hit television show Seinfeld, we first learn of Festivus from the December 18, 1997 episode titled The Strike. 

A lot of things happen in this episode. But it's the Festivus related stuff that has captured the attention of the nation. See, George's father hates Christmas. So, a long time back, he invented a holiday called Festivus. During this event, people must perform feats of strength (wrassle), air their grievances, and put up a bare aluminum pole (no trees here...)

When George makes up a phony charity so he can get out of giving holiday presents to his co-workers, his boss catches him in the lie. In order to not get fired, George has to take his boss to his parents house to witness the Festivus festivities. Friends Kramer, Elaine, and Jerry join along and it's complete insanity. 

Actually, I don't know which is crazier... this episode or the fact that it has caught on among fans and Christmas haters alike. A few years ago, the ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's created a Festivus flavor that was so freakin' amazing. I hope every year that it will return but alas, I think it was a one and done deal. And I keep telling my wife that one year I am gonig to put up a spotlight in front of the bare metal pole in our yard where out satellite dish once set and invite folks to air their grievances. 

Well, as my Advent gift to you, I present to you 2 gifts. First is the classic Seinfeld episode (sorry about the odd format) that debuted the concept of Festivus. Then a little primer on how to accurately celebrate the day. Who knows, maybe it'll score you an extra day off from work. 

Enjoy and until next time- Mer- uh HAPPY FESTIVUS!

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 22

Today is another one of my very favorite Christmas episodes. I love it so much that I must watch it every year or it's just not Christmas without watching it. It's a favorite to not just me  but my sister. A family tradition from November 13, 1992.I'm not going to spend time explaining it. I am just gonna sit back and let this classic speak for itself...

 Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Batman: The Animated Series' Christmas With the Joker...

Enjoy and until next time- Merry Christmas!

The Last Christmas

After a zombie apocalypse, the survivors of the world try to continue living life as close to normal. Christmas is one of those traditions hanging by a thread and it still manages to keep Santa busy. Instead of a teddy bear, kids might now ask for a .357 Magnum with 100 rounds in order to survive another year. But, it's still business as usual for St. Nick. That is until the zombies finally invade the North Pole.

Santa and his elves are able to repel the attack, but not without some causalities. As a result, Mrs. Claus is brutally murdered and it sends Santa down into a deep depression. Every year to mark the anniversary of his wife's death, Santa tries to do himself in. But he can't die as the children of the world still believe in him. But years of not showing up has caused that number to shrink until there's only one kid left who believes- and he wants a bike for Christmas.

Seeing his way to finally die, Santa heads down to San Francisco to meet with the last kid who believes. In his sleigh is a very special present. Only, it's not a bike and it's going to help Kris Kringle finally go out with a bang. 

This Image series from Brian Posehn and Gerry Duggan is wild. The same duo who brought us an insane run recently on Deadpool, this comic book is NOT for kids! I'm serious. Just because it stars Santa and some elves, in no way should a child under the age of 12 read this book. Heck 12 might even be pushing it. 

This 2006 miniseries from  is full of sex, suicide (attempts), gore, murder, and about as much potty humor legally allowed by Marvel during a Deadpool run of issues- multiplied by a factor of 50! It's all rendered in disgusting detail by the team of Hilary Barta, Rick Remender, and covers by Geof Darrow!

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed this book. It was off-the-wall and that's my field house. But I also know that this is not a holiday comic for just anyone either. This is the type of Santa Claus that should only be enjoyed by mommies and daddies. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 21

As we head into the 90s, we are going into orbit to celebrate holidays with those misfits on the Satellite of Love. Yes, it's a Mystery Science Theater 3000 Christmas! While there, we'll write odd essays on what Christmas means to me, sing a Patrick Swayze Christmas carol, and be forced to watch one of the worst holiday films of all-time: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. 

The 1964 film is a classic in of itself. You know the kind of film! It's so bad, it's not good- it's GREAT!

Martians want to help teach their children about Santa. So they perform an alien abduction at the North Pole sending Santa to Mars, forcing him to give gifts to all the good little Martian boys and girls! But of course, Santa isn't having any of this and teaches the Martians what it means to be on the naughty list!

Unfortunately, I can no longer share this December 1991 episode with you. I used to be able to watch it all the time for free. But now that the gang at Rifftrax has the rights to it, I can only share it if I pay $9.99 for it and even then, I am not even sure if legally I can air it here. What I can do is share a copy of the unadulterated 1964 movie. Enjoy- but don't blame me if this movie becomes an annual tradition in your home. 

Until next time, Merry Christmas!

Die Kitty Die Christmas Special #1

Kitty is a witch and the star of a popular comic book. But when her publisher wants to increase sales by killing her off, Kitty must use her extensive bag of tricks or she's going to find herself the latest publicity stunt of the comic book industry.

The Die Kitty Die Christmas Special is divided into two stories. The first story takes place before Kitty's scheduled 'execution.' Set in the early 60s, it's a parody on Archie and other teen comics. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus are fighting over the fate of some not so great quality toys. Enter Kitty and some called in favors to save the day.

The second story takes place after Kitty's planned demise. She's still alive and kicking but her publisher would like nothing more to still cash in on her death. A pair of Santa's elves are planning on taking out Kitty in hopes of seriously earning some street cred and maybe some cash. But it's not going to be easy as elves aren't as powerful as witches. So, enter Jack Frost to be Kitty's judge, jury, and executioner.

This special was created, written and illustrated by Archie contributors Dan Parent and Fernando Ruiz. As I mentioned early, Die Kitty Die is a parody on Archie Comics. (Most of the characters look like residents of Riverdale!) It was quite funny and a little saucy. This isn't a title I would consider needing to be rated mature. But it's definitely not the all-ages material that one might be used of from this creative team.

A major shout-out needs to go to the crew over at Books Do Furnish A Room. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have know about this book and I would have missed out on 32-pages of holiday fun! (At least until years from now when I'd come across it in a bargain bin.) Great work guys!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 20

Before we leave the 80s, there's one more stop to make. I'm not sure what state it's in, but the city is called Springfield. 

You can't talk about classic TV show Christmases without mentioning The Simpsons Christmas Special. Also known as Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, sparked a renaissance in Christmas episodes. Until the airing of this December 17, 1989 show, a series having a Christmas episode wasn't such a big deal anymore. Having fallen a little out of favor, producers would forgo a Christmas themed episode with either crafting a clip show, which was a big cheat, or skip over the holiday knowing that the broadcasters would rather air yet another showing of Rudolph or Frosty. 

But this episode was such a massive hit, it convinced studios that setting viewers favorite characters in holiday adventures could be just as huge of a ratings draw as a holiday special. 

This episode also launched an empire. Already a fan favorite part of FOX's The Tracey Ullman Show, The Simpsons would debut on this Sunday night in 1989 at 8pm and remain there for over 28 years! While many argue that the show has long jumped the shark, it's very true that those first 8 or 9 seasons were the absolute best. But if not for this special first episode, none of it would have happened in the first place.

Here's a very quick plot synopsis:

Dad Homer just learned that his boss isn't giving out Christmas bonuses. That's a good thing as mom Marge always sets aside some cash for Christmas shopping. However, when son Bart gets a tattoo, Marge is forced to spend all of it getting the 'Moth' tat surgically removed. Rather than tell Marge the truth, Homer gets a part-time job as a mall Santa. But when he finally gets paid on Christmas Eve, it turns out that renting a Santa costume isn't cheap. With only $12 in his name, Homer and Bart head to the race track to bet it all on a dog race. Though the dog comes in dead last, the Simpsons experience a Christmas miracle when the owner rejects the dog an it becomes the Simpsons' new family pet, Santa's Little Helper!

Unfortunately, I am unable to show you this episode. So for my Advent present for you, I present you with 2 great holiday clips starring the Simpsons. The first has the Simpson family posing for their annual Christmas card photo. The second is when the Simpsons did a Muppets parody with guest star Katy Perry. Both are quite funny. So, enjoy and until next time, Merry Christmas!

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 19

If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you would know that I am a big comic book collector. While I am a devotee to superhero books, one of my all-time favorite line of comics are the old EC Comics from the 1950s. These books were filled with sensational and quite controversial material that lead to a series of Senate hearings and eventually a comic book code of ethics being enforced. 

Despite their ages, EC Comics aren't hard to find as they are highly sought out by collectors. However, they are not cheap. Just this year, I was able to finally join the Original Issue Club when I purchased a copy of Shock SuspenStories #18. The title isn't one of EC's most well known titles, but I didn't care. I just wanted a copy of something EC to call my own.

Titles you, the average person not familiar with comics, might recognize are ones like Weird Science, The Vault of Horror (my all-time favorite), and Tales From the Crypt. Oh, you remember that show from HBO and layer aired in syndication on Sci-Fi Channel? Well before it was a TV show, Tales was a comic book.

The episode for today is called And All Through The House. Directed by Back to the Future's Robert Zemeckis, this episode, while a Christmas one, didn't air during the holidays. Instead, it was broadcast during a balmy evening in June, 1989. 

The episode is based on a story of the same name from The Vault of Horror #35. In both the TV show and comic (as well as 1970s movie starring Joan Collins), a woman kills her husband on Christmas Eve. Desperately trying to remove the body, she is stymied by her young daughter who just can't go to sleep because of the excitement of Santa coming. 

As the woman goes to work on disposing of hubby, the radio makes an announcement that a patient from a local mental hospital has escaped. He's wearing a Santa suit and brandishing an axe. Already having killed several people, he's considered armed and very dangerous. By the end of this classic thriller, the woman discovers that her daughter let Santa in and for some reason, he's carrying a bloody axe with him...

Well as luck would have it, for today's Advent, I present to you the complete 1989 episode, minus the opening credits and Crypt Keeper intro, for your enjoyment. Be advised, this is not for kids! But if you are old enough to enjoy a cup of holiday fear, then by all means ENJOY! And until next time- Scary Christmas!

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 18

Yesterday was a tribute to one of my mom's favorite Christmas episodes. Well, today I am covering one of my very favorites. 

It comes from the short lived anthology TV series Amazing Stories. Produced and sometimes directed by Stephen Spielberg, I wouldn't miss a single episode from it's two year run (1985-1987.) This show had everything. Action, Adventure, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Horror, Humor. It was a return to magical television every Sunday night.

Santa '85 has the real Santa in trouble with the law. Those new fangled hi-tech burglar alarms have gotten Kris Kringle locked up. Claiming he's the real Santa won't do him any good as there's several other guys dressed as Santa in the clink for breaking the law while dressed as the Jolly Elf. 

Thankfully, there's somebody who believes he's the real deal. The little boy from whom his parents press charges against Santa, devises a way to help bust St. Nick out of jail. It's home free back to the North Pole. But not before a cross-town caper full of laughs and other crazy slapstick. 

Another fun fact: the actor who plays Santa, Douglas Seale, would go on to play the role again in the feature film Ernest Saves Christmas. I guess he sleighed the role (Ha! I kill me...)

So for today's Advent gift to all of you, I present this December 24, 1985 classic. I hope you will love it as much as I. Sorry again about the formatting. But it's better that nothing. Enjoy and until next time- Merry Christmas!

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent Day 17

Today's a very quick post. I'm still in NYC for a mini vacation and time is of the essence.

The episode I choose is actually my mother's favorite Christmas episode. It's from the NBC detective series Riptide. It only lasted 3 seasons, but my mom was in love with Joe Penny who played Nick. 

Home For Christmas is the name of the classic TV episode. In it, Nick takes a case involving the father of a fallen solider. When the wrong body is delivered for burial. Nick and his detective partners Murray and Cody investigate and find that the fallen solider's death was part of a cover-up. The mystery reveals that the solider along with another died during a clandestine mission that was classified. However, without learning who the other soldier was, the detectives cannot recover the correct body. But when Nick finds another member of the mission in hiding, he's able to get the Army to reveal all of the details and allow for a proper burial.

The final scene has the father accepting his son's flag in a snowy field while John Lennon's Happy Xmas/War Is Over plays. Every time my mother would watch that scene, she would cry and cry and cry.

Fun fact: the father was played by veteran actor James Whitmore. There's a bit of nepotism here as the director of this episode is James Whitmore Jr. 

So, as my Advent present for you today, I present to you that very same episode from December 17,1985. I am sorry that the format is a little wonky. But with the copyright, it's the best I could do. 
Enjoy and until tomorrow- Merry Christmas!

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 16

As you are reading this, I really am in New York City. I'm on a mini-vacation before the bulk of Christmas family visiting. 

It's seems I forgot to pay the meter, so I have to go to the court house and pay off a fine. New York being such a busy city, they have court at all hours of the day. I'm supposed to be seeing a Judge Harold T. Stone in the Criminal Court Part 2.

Yes, you guessed it- since I am in the Big Apple, I'm talking everyone to Night Court. This very goofy show debuted in 1984 and ran for an impressive 9 seasons. Even more impressive is considering how silly the show was, it won 7 Emmy awards!

The show had several Christmas episodes. One of my favorite's is when everybody gets snowed it due to a blizzard. But since I have talked some much about snow for a while, I am going to focus on the January 11, 1984 episode from the first season. Santa Goes Downtown actually is a Christmas episode. But it aired after Christmas. That's because Night Court was a mid-season replacement series. NBC was afraid to air a couple of episodes and then have fans lose interest when it went on holiday hiatus until the new year. Thus the show's very first Christmas episode was aired just in time for MLK Day!

The episode features a very young- not quite a household name- Michael J. Fox. His TV series Family Ties had been running for just about a year when he filmed his role on Night Court as a teen runaway. But by 1985 and the release of the comedy sci-fi film Back to the Future, Fox would become one of the biggest stars around!

So back to Night Court. As I mentioned Fox plays a runaway, who along with his girlfriend get caught panhandling. With it being almost Christmas, Judge Stone (played by Harry Anderson) hopes to reunite the kids with their parents and holds them until they cant determine who the kids really are as neither are talking.

As court continues, a man dressed as Santa is brought up on charges of trespassing. However, when he declares himself to be the real Santa. He too is held over until he can be evaluated by a psychologist. But he seems to know a lot about what all of the court officers got for Christmas when they were younger.

Santa tries to make friends with teens. But the boy openly yells and mocks him. So Judge Stone makes the boy apologize. At this time a file has come in on the missing kids and Santa fools the kids into revealing their true names. At one point, Santa is picked up by the folks at the local mental hospital and the kids are reconciled with their families. But it is revealed that the kids in the file are different from the ones that just meet back with their folks. So was that Santa the real deal? And is that jingle bells in the distance??? 

I'm pretty sure I did not do that episode justice. But that's okay. As my Advent gift for you today, I have the episode in it's entry

 for you to watch. Sorry that the frames are so small. But it will have to do. 

Oh, they're calling my case. Gotta run. Enjoy and until next time, Merry Christmas!

SORRY-BUT DUE TO COPYRIGHT, THE VIDEO HAS BEEN REMOVED.

A Classic TV Christmas- Advent 2017 Day 15

Even though I am a huge fan of everything Pittsburgh, I'm taking us on a road trip to a rival city. Next stop, Ohio. The city is Cincinnati. I heard that they've got a rockin' radio station on the AM side. 

So let's turn the dial to WKRP in Cincinnati and see how those loony DJs from the Queen City celebrate the holidays.

Bah, Humbug- aired December 20, 1980

It's Christmas Eve at the station, time for the annual office holiday party.  It seems like a fun time will be had by all until everyone has learned that station head Mr. Carlson, played by Gordon Jump, has forgone with Christmas bonuses! That quickly puts everyone in a bad mood and the party breaks up fast. 

Mr. Carson is the only one left and he decides to partake of some of the Christmas goodies leftover. The one thing in particular that he grabs is a brownie. As in morning DJ Dr. Johnny Fever's (Howard Hesseman) magic brownies. (They're laced with pot, okay???)

Anyways, the brownies put Carson to sleep where he ends up being visited by, you guessed it, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.

The spirits in form of various cast members from the show, take him to his days as a young lad at the station when his dad ran it. Then he learns of how times are tough for his current staff. And then he learns of the horrors of automation in the future of radio before the Big Guy wakes up and has a change of heart giving out bonuses to his much deserving staff.

What I really like about this story is how it shows some of the characters when they were younger, albeit by different actors. Plus, it shows what could happen to the station in the future. True, this isn't as glorious a holiday episode as when WKRP dropped live turkeys on the people of the Pineville Shopping Center. But that was a Thanksgiving episode. 

Anyways, my Advent gift for your today is this very episode. I need to let you know, that for some reason when the episode ends around the 24 minute mark, it begins at the middle of the episode and plays about half through. So even though this video is 39 minutes long, you only have to watch about 2/3 of the video. (If you want to...)

Well, that's all the time I have for today. Enjoy and until next time- Merry Christmas!