Marvel Comics Presents #40

There's a fan-favorite issue of The Avengers that guest-stars David Letterman. From 1983, Wonder Man is invited to the NBC late night talk show to discuss his latest flick. 

Jump ahead to 1990 and Simon Williams is back on the talk show circuit hawking the new movie he's making while under the enthrall of The Enchantress. Instead of Dave and company, Wonder Man is in Burbank to meet with Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon! There's also The Beast, Hank McCoy, on site hoping to break the hold Asgardian goddess has on the acting Avenger. We've also got Ronald Reagan and wife Nancy who calls for the government to stop the terror that is Wonder Man. 

I liked the Reagan cameos. But I'm not sure why they're here because by 1990, George H.W. Bush was president. Bush 41 and VP Dan Quayle are mentioned in this chapter. But why aren't they involved? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. 

Again, only 1 out of 4 stories were enjoyable. The Wolverine story is typical Logan fodder. Gritty. Corny. Overblown. The Hercules story just doesn't connect with me. Maybe it's because I've not read the miniseries that sets up just where the Roman Hero is at this moment in the Marvel Universe. 

And I'm not familiar at all with the character known as Overlord. I think he's an Eternal. Not sure. Of all the Jack Kirby properties, The Eternals is probably my least favorite. Just as I've been nonplussed to see Eternals on screen, I have very little enthusiasm with this 8-pager.

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 61

 
   Today is the 40th anniversary of Jay Leno's first appearance on the Tonight Show. If you weren't familiar with the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, if a comedian came on the show, the goal was to get invited to sit on the couch next to Carson. It meant that you had potential. You had arrived. 
  
    For Jay Leno, it meant much, much more. The jokester would reappear on the show dozens of times to do stand-up. He'd eventually do fill-ins for Johnny when he'd go on vacation. In 1987, he became a regular substitute, hosting every Monday, as Carson wanted to take 3-day weekends.

    In 1992, Leno replaced Carson when he retired in 1991. It was a big deal because everyone thought that original Carson disciple, David Letterman would be next in line to take the throne. But Letterman was considered too much of a loose canon and the more straight-laced team player, Leno was chosen. 

The two claimants to the Tonight Throne, 1979.

    I remember watching the first episode of Leno's Tonight Show. I'd watch it a lot but mostly because I was a huge fan of the music of Branford Marsalis, the leader of Leno's house band. For the next 20-odd years, Leno would host, retire, and return to the show as leader. But, now he's permanent retired as head of the Tonight Show.

     Nowadays, I watch the Tonight Show regularly. But It's for Leno's replacement, Jimmy Fallon. He's more hip, more zany, and just much more personable. 

Promotional photo for Fallon's replacement of Leno
as Tonight Show host.

    Well, that's my look at my favorite year for today. But before I go, I thought I would share with you a video of the stand-up routine that won Johnny Carson's favor and turned Leno into a star.
Until tomorrow...  

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 56

  On this date, Johnny Carson was named Harvard's Hasty Pudding Man of the Year. 

Carson accepting his award for a
"lasting and impressive contribution to the world of entertainment."

   For those of you not old enough, Johnny Carson was an institution. He made people laugh night after night on the Tonight Show for over 30 years. 

    If you ever get a chance to see an old episode of Carson's Comedy Classics, you really should. He was quite brilliant. 

Johnny, behind his trademark desk.

   My favorite sketches of his were when he played Carnac the Magnificent; a bumbling physic who was also a little bit naughty. 

    I remember watching Carson's last show. It was about as big of a deal as when Walter Cronkite signed off from hosting the CBS News. (Yes, I saw that too!) I even think my mom cried that night. By the time he left the air in the mid-90s he had become a part of the family for millions of households. We don't see that type of reverence anymore...

    Before I leave you, here's a clip of Carson as Carnac. I hope you get as many laughs out of it as I.

   Until Tomorrow...