Stan Lee: A Life of Marvel (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Just weeks after the death of comic book legend Stan Lee, Entertainment Weekly issued this commemorative magazine. The 80 page book was filled with dozens of photos of Lee through the years from his days in the US Army as a playwright to editor of Marvel during its heyday in the 1960s all the way through to the end of his life where he spent the last 4 decades making memorable cameos and appearances in virtually every Marvel movie made up until that time. Stan also appeared on a variety of TV shows such as Heroes and The Big Bang Theory. He was also animated as himself on shows such as The Simpsons and Ultimate Spider-Man. Let's not forget his two season stint as the creator and host of the reality series Who Wants to Be a Superhero? But according to the Man himself, Stan's favorite movie role was as himself offering sage romantic wisdom to Jason Lee's (no relation) Brodie in Kevin Smith's Mallrats.

There are a number of tributes to Stan in this retrospective. Kevin Fiege thanks Stan for laying the foundation of the Marvel universe. Todd McFarland reflects on the day he met Stan when he was only 16 and gained a mentor for life. Finally, many of the stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are quoted, presumably from their social media accounts, mourning the death of the Marvel legend. 

The impact Stan's creations made on television and movies are explored with Spider-Man receiving the most attention. If you're expecting an in-depth look at the comic book industry, you'll want to look elsewhere. While his time as a writer and editor are covered in this book, a majority of the comic book images inside are of titles Stan had very little to do with. The controversies surrounding claims that Stan Lee was the singular creator of characters such as the The Fantastic Four and most of the original Avengers line up are briefly mentioned. But the majority of this book is designed to praise Stan; not bury him. Even the allegations of financial mismanagement and elder abuse against some of his assistants and daughter are buried under piles of positive encounters with an iconic figure that every fan must admit, seemed to be the happiest guy in the room everywhere he went when his adoring public was present. 

For more in-depth looks at the highs and lows in the life of Stan Lee, Stan's own graphic novel autobiography Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir as well as Tom Scioli's I Am Stan: A Biography of the Legendary Stan Lee are reads that cannot be missed. And to truly decide if Stan Lee is comics' biggest hero or villain, read Scioli's Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics that tells of the legendary Stan Lee/Jack Kirby collaboration from the King's point of view. 

No matter how you feel about him, Stan Lee will be missed.

Completing this review completes Task #40 (Prose Non-Fiction About Comic Book History) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Planet of the Apes: Original Trading Card Series

In 1968, 20th Century Fox introduced the world to the futuristic landscape of the Planet of the Apes. Based on a novel by Pierre Boulle, but nowhere near as hi-tech, the film starring Charlton Heston gave birth to a number of sequels, a TV series, comic book, toys, Dr. Zaius bank (for all you Reality Bites fans out there) and not 1 but 2 reboots! Oh, and a trio of trading card sets.

A year after the success of the first film, Topps released a 44 card series based on the film. Due to a licensing agreement with Heston which only allowed Topps to use his image a grand total of 9 times, the company had to get rather creative in the images used. Ironically, 4 of the photos of Heston are of him from behind and you can't even see his face!

After the success of the the Apes films on both screen and being re-aired on TV, CBS decided to produce a live action TV series. To help market the show, Topps was once again tasked to create a trading card set, complete with stick of bubble gum. As the show was currently in production, Topps didn't have any issue showing the likenesses of the main cast. There were just no images of guest stars, unless they were in a monkey suit. Regrettably, the card set did little to promote the show. Despite huge ratings for the 2-hour premiere, the live action Apes series lost viewers pretty quick. According to the author of this chronicle of trading cards, Gary Gerani, almost as soon as cases of wax packs arrived in stores, CBS cancelled the series.

A couple of years later, the Planet of the Apes returned to TV as an animated series. It lasted about as long as the live action version. Burnt by the poor sales of the second batch of trading cards, Topps passed on a set based on the Saturday morning cartoon. With the toons demise, no new Planet of the Apes were released for decades. 

Jump ahead to 1994 and the Universal Pictures film and Generation X opus, Reality Bites. The main character played by Winona Ryder accidentally breaks Ben Stiller's vintage Dr. Zaius bank. Immediately, I'm floored with a rush of Planet of the Apes nostalgia. It had been years since I even thought of those movies. Almost immediately, a new wave of toys, clothes, and VHS/DVD sets devoted to the original 5 movies seemed to begin flooding the market in the late 90s and I took full advantage of the revival.

By the new millennium, it appeared that the world was ready for a return to the Planet of the Apes. Tim Burton was allowed to reboot the franchise and he put his unique touch on the franchise. Aside from that twist ending that rivals the iconic twist of the 1968 original, the reboot wasn't all that great. But once again, Topps was there to capture the action. This time with artifact cards, a rare coin card (that I really want one of) and autograph cards that include original stars Charlton Heston and Linda Harrison, who I did not know this, has a cameo in the 2001 feature.

I really liked this book. Both the front and backs of all the cards are presented, making it the next best, and most affordable, thing to actually owning all 3 original sets. I wasn't so keen on how the back of the card is presented on the opposite left to the front of each card. I felt that the front should be on the left side with the back switched to the other side. Though I guess Abrams Books or Topps felt doing it the other way was more aesthetically pleasing.

I think I found this book for mega cheap at Ollie's. Or maybe a used book store. Though I don't think I am going to keep this book, my interest has peaked on several other trading card book releases. There are collections similar to this one of Garbage Pail Kids, Star Trek, Wacky Packages and more. Plus several Star Wars ones. All of which I want to read. Plus, I think my wife will appreciate me owning them. I think I can get away with owning books about card sets as opposed to filling the house with a bunch of cardboard clutter.

Perfect for fans of Planet of the Apes, trading cards and Topps. Even if you own all 3 sets, this book is a must as it includes an exclusive set of cards that were produced just for this collection!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The 25 Baubles of Pop Culture! Advent 2022 Day 8

No. You haven't gone back in time! The calendar is right. It's December 8th.  I know that this might sound oxy-moronic but there actually are Christmas ornaments based on the classic monsters of Universal Horror. Let's take a quick look at a few...

You can depend on Christopher Radko to have an official line of blown glass ornaments based on the Universal Monsters. This set of 6 includes Frankenstein and his Bride, Dracula, The Wolfman, Gill Man and the Mummy. Being blown glass, I am sure it is down right impossible to get the likenesses just right. Yet, I think the Mummy looks just like Boris Karloff did in the 1932 film.

For some really quality looking likenesses, look no further than at Oriental Trading Company. They've got several officially licensed mini-busts ornaments that appear that straight from the movie! My favorites are of Claude Rains' Invisible Man and Lon Chaney's Phantom of the opera.

It seems that I can't do an Advent post about holiday ornaments without making a small trip through Hallmark village. In 2014, the greeting card company released a bauble in honor of 1931's Frankenstein that was designed for your tree. It's a beautiful rendering of Boris Karloff, if such a thing can be classified as such.

On the Etsy route, I just couldn't believe my eyes with this handmade ornament crafted by the seller LTCPinball. I first thought it was actually made by Bally. Second, I could not believe that this was not officially licensed stuff. It's museum quality!

While the pinball ornament is fantastic, it's also a bit pricey. On the more affordable route, seller HomemadeHorrorStore has a set of handcrafted ceramic ornaments based on the Universal monsters. The seller also has modern monsters. But it's the old school characters that capture my eye like the Bride of Frankenstein.

Lastly, I want to pay tribute to the late night horror hosts. Though these guys (and occasion gal) weren't officially licensed by Universal Studios, if not for them reminding the next generation of movie buffs of these creatures of the night, characters such as the Mummy and the Creature from the Black Lagoon might be lost to time. In honor of these hosts being the keepers of the flame, I want to honor my favorite of the bunch, MeTV's Svengoolie. Here's a handmade trinket in which its shape could also pay tribute to Hanukkah. 

Elvira Meets Vincent Price #5

The Earth has been saved. So why hasn't Vincent Price's ghost transitioned over to the other side? Obviously, the soul of the late horror actor hasn't completed its mission on Earth. And until that happens, Vincent and Elvira will have tons of fun playing detective!

When a starlet goes missing, this dynamic duo goes into action against a list of suspects. They'll get to the bottom of this case, even if it kills them. Hopefully it won't kill them... Maybe...

I had originally thought that this miniseries was 4 issues long. With the Egyptian threat against the world neutralized in the last issue, that conclusion made sense. But I am guessing that sales were robust enough for Dynamite Entertainment that the story got extended and a 5th issue was ordered. It's the only thing that makes sense here as this issue has a completely different tone and flow. 

In all honesty, I would have preferred this mini getting extended by 2 or 3 issues. Just 1 issue involving Elvira and Vincent Price as a sort of paranormal investigators upsets the whole balance of the series. If I had purchased this story as a trade and not a set of 5 floppies, I probably would have rated that book lower because of the last minute detour. Something to think about in the future, Dynamite...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Elvira Meets Vincent Price #2

I generally say that the second issue gets even better if it's a series which has a debut I was blown away with. I can't say that this time. I can't say that it got worse either. 

Things in this issue pretty much maintain the status quo. After a close encounter with the flunky of an Eygptian deity, Vincent Price and Elvira continue their search for the sole surviving print of 'Rise of the Ram'. Up next- a jaunt to merry ole' England. Here, the horror hostess and her deceased partner hope that the director and the film main starlet might have an idea where the film may be. 

I will have to say that pairing Elvira with the legendary Vincent Price was a stroke of genius. I never in 45 years of life and collecting comic books have thought to pair the two together. And yet they're gold! Elvira is smitten with her horror movie idol and Vincent is a complete and total gentleman.

A very good chapter with a hint of mystery and a dash of Egyptian magic. I just wish that the main theme of the comic was about Egyptian deities and instead a tale about the Norse or Greek or even Roman. When it came to reading mythology, the Egyptians just never were my thing; despite how awesome mummies and pyramids are. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Elvira Meets Vincent Price #1

Just because Halloween is over means I have to stop reading and reviewing horror titles. This 6-issue series pairs one of the most iconic horror hosts of all-time with one of the most iconic horror actors of all-time. 

I know you are wondering how does Vincent Price, who has been dead for nearly 3 decades, happen to team-up with the still living Elvira. Does this story occur before his death in 1993? Nope! Price is a ghost and he's returned from the Great Beyond to save the world from total destruction. 

In the 1970s, Vincent Price filmed a movie titled 'Rise of the Ram.' The horror picture involves an actress recanting an ancient Egyptian spell that is supposed to prevent the rise of an old deity who seeks to destroy all of creation. To prevent the spell from ever being reversed, the only remaining print of both the film and the spell book were lost to time. However, a handful of devotees to the forgone god have located and stolen the missing items and are planning on unleashing hell on earth. 

With time running short, Vincent Price recruits Elvira to his cause. With the hostess' knowledge of B-movie lore and her extensive number of Hollywood contacts, Vincent is able to locate the original producer of Rise of the Ram. Only before they can get some answers, the bigwig bursts into flames. In his place, a demonic devotee to the Egyptian dark lord and this guy is mad as hell!

I didn't realize that Elvira has been in so many comic books. I knew that there was a Vincent Price horror anthology. I've read and reviewed a couple of issues from that series from Bluewater Productions. But I only thought Elvira had her version of the House of Mystery and maybe a couple other releases from Dynamite. But she recounts a whole slew of other comics that she has starred in previously and I was just unaware.

I've been waiting over a year to read this issue. The first issue came out in stores in the summer of 2021. The final issue didn't arrive until this past winter! It took a really freakin' long time to produce 6 issues of a comic book. The heck with blaming things on COVID and stuff. This miniseries should not have been released bi-monthly.

Thankfully, this book was worth the wait. I'm really hoping Vincent Price was as nice as a guy as he seems in this comic. I would hate to learn that he was the horror community's version of Joan Crawford or Bing Crosby. I had a lots of fun reading this book and I hope the remaining issues are just as good as this opening chapter was.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

The James Bond Omnibus, Volume 001 (2022 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Challenge)

Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, From A View To A Kill, For Your Eyes Only, Thunderball.

I'm familiar with all of these James Bond adventures thanks to watching all of the films with my dad and grandpop as a child. But I've never read any of Ian Fleming's novels that gave birth to the world's greatest spy. Thus I was very excited when I found this anthology at my favorite used book store- Books Do Furnish A Room. 

Prior to debuting in the movies, Ian Fleming signed an agreement with The Daily Express to adapt his books into newspaper dailies. Fleming was hesitant at first. He didn't want his works to be dumbed down to an elementary level. Fleming also didn't like on how Bond was originally designed. But I'm glad he finally settled with John McLusky!

The Bond strips were McLusky's first gig. An art teacher at the Slade School of Art, McLusky drew Ian Fleming's creation in a way that is really eerie. That's because McLusky's Bond looked just like Sean Connery- almost 5 full years before the Scottish actor would take on the role in 1962's Dr. No.

The interesting thing about these adaptations are how different they are from the live-action films produced by Albert Broccoli. Comparatively, the strips could be considered dull. For example, in Moonraker, Bond doesn't go into outer-space and there's no blimp or Golden Gate Bridge in the adaptation of A View To A Kill. Broccoli clearly felt that in order to enthrall audiences, the wow factor needed to be set to 11. But here in these comics, Fleming crafted some very elegant mystery-thrillers that are very British.

Casino Royale is perhaps the weakest of the stories. For one thing, it was Ian Fleming's Bond debut. Pilots always have kinks to work out. Plus, that story was adapted by Anthony Hern; who just doesn't seem to have a firm grasp on the character. The other stories were adapted by Henry Gammidge with the except of Dr. No which was written by Modesty Blaise's Peter O'Donnell. Dr. No wasn't bad. But Gammidge really seemed the ideal writer for the James Bond comics. 

1962's Thunderball was perhaps the most clunky story. Ample time is devoted to Bond's time at a health spa in which he runs afoul of a Tong gangster. The plot to steal 2 nuclear bombs by Ernst Blofeld and his cronies at SPECTRE is drawn out to perfection. But the ending is rushed to just 2 pages with zero actual appearances by baddie Emilio Largo or Bond Girl Domino Derval. 

For a solid minute, I felt that maybe some pages were omitted from this volume. But the numbering of the strips don't skip. I later researched this and discovered that The Daily Express temporarily ended it's relationship with Fleming and rushed a quick ending to the story. After Fleming and Daily Express editor Lord Beaverbrook settled a dispute over the comics strip rights to The Living Daylights, Bond would return to print in 1964. 

And that's where we end volume 001. Well, not quite. Ever heard of the Bond story Risico? Neither had I. It's a short story buried within the pages of For Your Eyes Only. So far, there has never been a Bond film called Risico. But maybe! 

Risico reads a lot like Ian Fleming's anti-drug opus. In this story, Bond goes to Italy to end the heroin trade that has been flowing into the UK. Just about every character makes PSA sounding statements about the evils of opium and heroin. It almost feels that Ian Fleming watched a few episodes of Dragnet while writing this book. Good story but very propagandized. 

The first James Bond Omnibus was a delightful read. The right artist was selected for the strip. It took a little while, but this strip also found it's voice. If you've never read the original works but are more than versed in the films of James Bond, this is a wonderful look at a little known corner of MI6. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #19 of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge. 'That was made into a movie.'

Ditko's Monsters

IDW Publishing remembers the late, great Steve Ditko in an over-sized special devoted to a pair of B-movie monsters.

Ditko’s Monsters
Written by Joe Gill
Art by Steve Ditko
Edited by  CraigYoe, with assistance from Christopher Yoe
Reprints Gorgo #1 & 8 (Charlton Comics, 1961-65);
Konga #5&6 (Charlton Comics, 1960-65)
Published by IDW Publishing with Yoe! Books

The British-American sci-films Gorgo and Konga aren’t original sci-fi movies from the Atomic Age. The pint-sized (for his species) Gorgo is a cousin of Toho’s Godzilla. Meanwhile, Konga is a descendant of the long-line of giant apes that evolved from RKO’s King Kong. Yet despite their cookie-cutter appearances, both Gorgo and Konga have developed cult followings.

The reason why both are mainstays in the schlock B-movie community of fans is because of their reign as kings of the comic book in the early 1960s. Charlton Comics was able to snag licensing rights to both properties at a time when both Godzilla and Kong were noticeably absent from the spinner rack.

The two titles continued the adventures of Gorgo and Konga long after the credits had rolled. The first issue of both series were adaptations of each character’s solo films. Then for the next 5 years, Charlton released 56 issues (23 issues per character) that pitted Gorgo and Konga against mutated prehistoric creatures, unsavory businessmen and the occasional nuclear bomb! Leading the charge in both titles was the yet unknown Steve Ditko.

Ditko’s time with Charlton occurred just prior to his co-creation of his most iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and Doctor Octopus. Along with writer Joe Gill, with whom Ditko created Captain Atom and Blue Beetle at Charlton, Ditko took readers on masterful adventures of giant creatures without being credited. But now thanks to IDW Publishing and Yoe! Books, the master is finally getting his just due!

Yoe! Books has been known as a rising leader in publishing lost comic gems from the 1940s-60s. However, most of the books edited and compiled by Craig Yoe, while stunningly beautiful and remastered, aren’t very cheap. But in Ditko’s Monsters, fans of kaiju-like giants and Steve Ditko can enjoy a Yoe! quality edition in comic book format for a wallet friendly price. Plus, you get informative forewords from Tony Isabella and Steve’s nephew Mark Ditko, just like in a hardback Yoe! publication!

Ditko’s Monsters reprints a total of 4 issues from Steve Ditko’s time at Charlton. Issue #1 of Gorgo recounts the events that took place in the 1961 live-action feature in which the junior dinosaur is kidnapped by deep-sea scavengers. The second adventure has Gorgo being kidnapped again, this time by Soviet agents! In both stories, Gorgo’s momma is mad and ready to destroy entire cities just to get her baby back!

The Konga stories are from later in the comic adaptations run. Here in issues 5-6, scientists try to revert the giant ape back into his original form as a chimpanzee. I’m going to need Charles Darwin’s help to figure out how a chimp can change into a gorilla. But that sort of plot gaff is actually the fault of the 1961 John Lemont movie and not the team of Gill and Ditko.

All of the stories chosen for Ditko’s Monsters were selected by Giffin Yoe. Young Griffin is already showing signs of the mastery and love of classic comic books like his father Craig has for the medium. I liked the issues the editor choose for this book. But I preferred the Gorgo stories to those of Konga. The artwork is more alive with an explosive palette of colors. Plus, the Konga tales seem a little disjointed, with some scenes of action getting a bit repetitive in the transition from issues #5 to #6. Unfortunately, unlike what it says on both sides of this flip-book comic, Gorgo and Konga never fight each other, except for a place in fans hearts.

Ditko’s Monsters is a book that I hope to see more of from IDW and Yoe! They don’t have to be about Gorgo or Konga. It would be amazing to have more 100-page specials devoted to lost comics of my dad’s youth. Maybe one could be of the Lonely War of Captain Willy Schultz or a special on the lost Captain Marvel character from M.F. Enterprises! If such occurs, here’s hoping that young Griffin Yoe will get more chances to oversee the editing process!

A perfect read for fans of MST3K, Svengoolie, The Bone Jangler or Steve Ditko! Ditko’s Monsters debuted in print on April 17th, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Cinegeek (English Edition)

Cinegeek (English Edition)
Written and Illustrated by Pluttark.
Published by IDW.

Movie Trivia

• John Wayne’s real name was Marion.
• For the movie Babe, film makers used dozens of pigs because those suckers get big pretty quick.
• In Bollywood films, male and female actresses weren’t allowed to kiss on screen until the 90s.
• Adam West turned down the role of James Bond because he felt only British actors should play the part.
• There’s actually a movie called Nudist Camp Zombie Massacre about undead exhibitionists.

Get Your Cinegeek On

If any of these factoids caught your interest then Cinegeek is the book for you. This IDW publication is a fascinating combination of Sunday comics, Hollywood trivia, and fun & games. The book is written and illustrated by French cartoonist Pluttark.

Pluttark devotes a semi-regular cartoony column on movie history on the social media site Cinegeek. He covers everything from the earliest of silent films to recent motion pictures such as Michael Bay’s Battleship. Pluttark’s art and sense of humor go hand-in-hand. His tiny drawings border on caricature while many of his jokes are dripping with sarcasm. But there’s a real fanatic devotion to the material he documents in this book. There’s nothing remotely hostile to Cinegeek, no matter how terrible a film referenced within this book may be.

A Fan of Many Genres

Pluttark appears to be a huge fan of sci-fi and Japanese Kaiju. In those posts, the cartoonist really thrives. Being also French, Pluttark peppers about 10% of the book to the cinema of his native land. However, those references to the films of France are pretty darn obscure.
One thing I enjoyed the most in Cinegeek were the quizzes. Pluttark might draw 10 bad guys and you have to guess who they are. You may also be required to tell the name of the film in some cases. But those darn additions of French movies were what keep me from earning a perfect score every time! I want a retest!!!

Cinegeek is 90 plus pages of trivia fun and challenge. It’s not a bad deal for the cover price $14.99. However, there is a French language version of this book. So unless you can ‘lire francais’, stick to the IDW published edition that debuts in stores today.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 144

 

  I've been looking forward to this day since I first came up with the idea of A Madman Turns 40. Today marks the 40th anniversary of the debut of Star Wars. 
   
      That epic story of good versus evil. A young farmer boy becomes the hero of a fledgling rebellion. 

       A love story that spans ages. Boy rescues girl. Boy kisses girl- a lot. Turns out boy and girl are siblings. 

Opening day of Star Wars at Mann's Chinese Theatre.

       I love Star Wars. It's always been around. Loved it so much, I was playing the soundtrack today during the cooking class I teach in honor of Star Wars turning 40.

      For most, turning 40 would freak them out. Not me. As long as Star Wars is my same age, I'm fine with it. I was that way when I turned 30. Same when I turned 35. Getting older doesn't bother me because Star Wars is the same age as I. Plus, Star Wars doesn't die. My parents, who encouraged my love of Star Wars, especially my dad, have passed. But Star Wars has always been there for me.

The original 4 Burger King glasses. I still need them for my collection.

       I really wanted there to be some sort of showing of the first Star Wars in theatres today.  But I guess Disney didn't think it through enough to do such a thing. That's okay- I've been catching up on episodes of Star Wars Rebels today instead. 

The early bird Star Wars figures.
Kenner didn't know that Star Wars would be so hot and didn't make enough
action figures. So for Christmas, 1977, Most kids got a certificate
promising to ship the figures ASAP.

        Star Wars changed the world. It changed movies. Inspired a generation of new film makers. It changed how sequels are crafted and film franchises are marketed not just to fans but specifically kids. Thanks to Star Wars, big blockbuster movies have to have toys and merchandise in order to help make money and meet customer demand. 

I even named 2 of my children after characters in the film-
Guess which 2. You'll never get the right answer!

        Star Wars and it's director, George Lucas changed how we consume. Yet, despite any draw backs, I wouldn't change a thing about it. 

      Okay- I would change 1 thing...

      HAN SHOT FIRST!

  
     Well, that's my look at 1977 for today. Until next time-

     May the Force Be With You...

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 129

 

  
     For today's posting we focus on Joan Crawford. 40 years ago today, the legendary actress and notorious hater of wire hangers, passed away. 

     The actresses' career spanned 5 decades and is considered one of the greatest actresses of all-time, but she never won an Academy Award. 

     She made so many beloved films that it's hard to select what her best role was. But my favorite was the 1962 version of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. Crawford starred as the tormented Blanche Hudson. Bedridden, Blanche is cared for by her sister Jane, a failed child actress who resents her sister. Jane was played by the equally great Betty Davis. In real life, the two stars hated each other and it showed in this super creepy psychological thriller.

     Of course, after death Joan Crawford's dirty laundry was aired. In 1977, her adopted daughter Christina published a tell all biography of life growing up in Hollywood. Later developed into a major motion picture starring Faye Dunaway, the personal life of Joan Crawford was forever tarnished as her chances at winning mother of the year were forfeited by her violent mood swings and battle with the bottle.

     Well, that's my look at 1977 for today. I know that I haven't been very good at these articles lately, but I am trying. Hopefully, I'll be back again real soon. 

    Until then...

Film Flubs - Memorable Movie Mistakes

Major waste of trees. So many of these pages are left blank to near blank. I’ve always heard that unused space is wasted space. With the amount of blank pages, at least 25-30 more flubs could be added to this volume.

 Thankfully, the author does not try to write a dissertation of how to screw up a movie by committing errors upon errors. The author goes on to try this in his sequels and it doesn’t work. His biting satire when writing on flubs is quite appropriate, but when put into a serious context, it can make one feel like they are being talked down to.

This book is worth consuming If and only IF not bought at full cover price. $3 or less makes this worth reading. I however paid full price for this (about 7 years ago) and I feel cheated out on several bucks worth of flubs.