1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 137

 

 For today's A Madman Turns 40, we look at Wernher Von Braun. The Father of Rocket Science passed away on this day in 1977. 

Von Braun, in civilian clothes along with high ranking
Nazi officials during a rocket test, 1941.

     Von Braun is controversial figure. He developed Nazi Germany's rocket program, in particular, the very nasty V2 rocket. Von Braun also used Jewish slave labor to build the deadly tools of World War II against the Allied forces. When the US government announced in 1945 that they had assigned the rocket scientist and his associates to America in hopes of boosting our defense programs, many people were up at arms.

     Von Braun did maintain throughout his life that he was not a Nazi. He would state that he was forced to join. Failure to do so could have jeopardize not only his life but that of his family or friends. In 1946, the German would also convert to evangelical Christianity and renounce his part in the Nazi war effort. From that day forward, he would also refuse to participate in the production of American weapons. 

Von Braun surrendering to Allied agents during the
last days of WW2. He had broken his arm in a car accident a few days prior.

      Von Braun's non-violent new way of science actually wasn't too upsetting to the US military. They were in the beginning days of space exploration and actually jumped at the chance to have Von Braun head up that program. Plus, if the Army could turn his space exploration rockets into weapons later on- it was a win-win. (Although now more of dove than a hawk, the scientist did develop ideas for orbital defense against the Russians during the Cold War. Back then, a good defense against Communism wasn't considered war-like but a part of everyday survival.)

The scientist celebrating the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon,
July 1969.

      Thanks for Werhner Von Braun's efforts in the field of rocketry, the US won the space race. He helped create the Saturn V rocket that would provide enough thrust for American astronauts to enter the stratosphere. Later he would become the director of the Apollo Program, resulting in a manned moon landing in July, 1969.

       About three years later with his mission accomplished, Von Braun retired from NASA. He would work in the private sector for a few years before ultimately having to retire for good due to failing health. A life-time smoker, Von Braun would battle cancer a couple of times. Finally in 1977, he succumbed to pancreatic cancer.

       The world lost a science superstar that day. His work with rockets would go on to inspire countless TV and movies about flying rockets to the farthest reaches of space. Eventually, those shows would inspire a little-known director in Southern California to create a film about wars in space. The rest would be Madman history.

      So that's my look at my birth year for today. Come back soon when I'll discover another glimpse at my favorite year.

Warlock Holmes: The Hell-hound of the Baskervilles

Holmes and Watson. It is a pair of names that has been synonymous with crime and mystery for over 100 years. But what if Holmes wasn’t a master detective? Instead, Holmes is a wizard – and he’s not a very good one at that! What if Dr. John Watson was the brains of the operation and it is his skills of deduction that brought London’s criminal element to justice?

He’s Getting Better

Warlock Holmes and the Hell-hound of the Baskervilles is the second book in the Warlock Holmes series of novels. Written by comedian G.S. Denning, the Warlock Holmes books are a mash-up of mystery, spoof, and parody. The first book, A Study in Brimstone, was laugh-out loud funny. Being Denning’s first work, it was a little unpolished at times. So, does the sequel surpass the first book or do the adventures of  Warlock and Watson hit the sophomore slump?

Hell-Hound of the Baskervilles takes place 6 months after the events of A Study in Brimstone. Warlock Holmes, for better part of words, has been rendered incapacitated by Dr. Watson after Professor Moriarty possessed the body of so-called master detective. (But he’s getting better!)

When a potential client arrives at 221B Baker Street, it’s up to Watson to take up the case of recovering a missing artifact. Since Watson is really the genius behind Holmes’ reputation, this mystery should be easy as pie. As the case deepens, Watson learns that the item he’s tasked to find can restore people to a less horizontal position. Adding to the suspense Dr. Watson must beat agents of Moriarty to it first. Should he fail, let’s just say this might be a one-man show from now on.

From the Journals of Martin Freeman

Book two is filled with several short stories based on some very popular cases of Holmes and Watson. A couple of them may be little more obscure to the average fan of Sherlock. There’s a definite nod to Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in every adventure with a touch of Terry Pratchett thrown in for good measure. Yet, no matter how I read these tales, I can’t help but hear Martin Freeman narrating Dr. Watson’s recounts of Victorian Era crime. (That also means I picture Benedict Cumberbatch as Warlock. Only he’s a complete buffoon instead of an arrogant ass.)

Madcap on the Moors

The title story is based on perhaps the most well-known Sherlock Holmes adventure of all: The Hound of the Baskervilles. It provides a top-notch spin on the hellish canine that haunts the British countryside. This episode also discloses the origin of Warlock Holmes, which I didn’t think was such a great idea.

The parody of Warlock Holmes works in that the so-called master detective couldn’t find his way out of bed without the help of Watson. He can perform magic but only because he doesn’t really know what he’s doing. Yet this origin almost makes Warlock kind of brilliant in an accidental sort of way. When the story returns to the present, Holmes is stupid again. So either writer G.S. Denning made a continuity error or there’s more to the legend of Warlock Holmes than meets the eye. I’m really hoping it is the latter.

In many ways, Hell-hound is superior to it’s predecessor. The second book was a lot less goofy than A Study in Brimstone; except for the tricycle race to the death in story four. (But, that was an okay escape into the absurd.) Book Two reads much better and I cannot wait until May, 2018 when book 3 is published. Only then shall I feel confident to decide if the revelation of Warlock’s early days was a mystery best left unsolved or not.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Review originally published June 13, 2017 on outrightgeekery.com

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 136

 

   On today's look at A Madman Turns 40, we reflect on a life that made millions laugh. On this date in history, veteran actor Alan Reed passed away at age 69. 

      Reed was a chronic smoker. He develop emphysema and later succumbed to a heart attack.

Reed on right, voicing Fred. On the left is the legendary Mel Blanc, voice of Barney Rubble
and countless Looney Tunes characters.

       So why is Alan Reed so important on my reflection of my favorite year? For many of you, Alan Reed was and still is the iconic voice of Fred Flintstone!

      Reed was the voice for the entire 1960-1966 run of the Flintstones (except for the Pilot episode.) He also provided the voice of Fred on numerous Flintstones spin-offs such as the Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show. So that means, growing up as a kid, I heard Reed's voice a lot!

Reed's eventual successor,  Henry Corden
on a 1965 episode of Hogan's Heroes.

       After the actor's passing, comedic actor Henry Corden provided the voice of Fred Flintstone up to 2000. Though Reed is the voice I am most familiar as Fred, Corden is the face I recognize most, as he was Mr. Babbitt, the landlord, on the Monkees TV-show. Corden's last roll as the boisterous caveman would be in the Bedrock Bowling video game, which I remember playing with my little sister quite a bit. 

     Well, that's my look at 1977 for today. See you soon for another episode of A Madman Turns 40!

The Vision, Volume 1: Little Worse Than A Man

 

  The android hero the Vision constructs a robot family in order to better understand humanity. Taking a position as the Avengers' liaison to the President, Vision moves his cybernetic wife and children to Alexandria, Virginia. The Avengers enrolls his kids into a top-notch high school and helps his new bride find employment; all in hopes of discovering the American dream. But when a villain from his 'family's' past makes an unscheduled house warming visit, the Vision will learn that life in the suburbs is a complete nightmare.

     I had heard nothing but praise to this 2016 Tom King series. But finding it for cheap if even at all was harder than you might expect. Most comic shops in my area where either sold out or selling the first issue for some crazy prices. I wasn't about to shell out $15-30 bucks for it. So I waited. Wouldn't you know when I finally find the first issue for cheap, I also find this volume for free at my local library!

     This book is creepy. There's something serious wrong with the Vision's wife, Virginia. Plus, the whole dynamic of an android family trying to fit into modern day life is pretty awkward. Don't get me wrong- I liked this book. It's just really eerie- like Stepford Wives eerie. 

     One problem I have with this book is the Vision's desire to understand what human life in suburbia is all about. Wasn't that the premise of the Vision/ Scarlet Witch miniseries in the 80s? Or is that more of an allegory about mixed marriage? 

      Regardless, I feel like the Vision trying to create life in order to better understand his surroundings has been done to death. Ultron created Vision. So technically, that's different. Yet, I tend to lump that whole dynamic in together. That's why I feel like I have a little fatigue when if comes to this type of storyline from the House of Ideas.

     There's at least one more volume to this series. I managed to get my grubby little hands on it the other day and can't wait to read it. The story is really quite enjoyable. I just feel that the plot has been worn out so much that tiny little holes are starting to appear.
  
   Worth Consuming!

     Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Psychoanalysis

  Seeing that the days of crime and horror comics were over, William Gaines sought to move EC Comics into a ‘New Direction.’ It was a short lived attempt as fans didn't enjoy this neutered approach. Most of EC’s talent left for greener (and career- safer) pastures. The newly formed Comics Code Authority was censoring material with abandon. One such title that didn't survive the changing tides of the 1950s comics industry was Psychoanalysis!

    The premise of Psychoanalysis was pretty revolutionary. Each chapter revolved around a patient of an unnamed therapist know only as The Psychiatrist. In reality, psychotherapy takes months, even years, to complete. So the idea behind Psychoanalysis was that each patient’s story was supposed to be spread out anywhere from 3-5 issues per case study.

   Unfortunately, the Psychiatrist gave up his practice after only 4 issues. Thankfully Gaines had the insight to complete all of the patient's therapy before closing the doors on this series.
     
    Chronicling the patient's progress was Jack Kamen. He had built up a small following with his works on the horror titles of EC. Yet, he's also one of the most controversial talents on Gaines’ roster. A lot of EC fans hate his art style, calling it 2-dimensional. His most fervent detractors call him a rip-off artist of universally accepted fan favorite, Johnny Craig.

      I didn't mind the effort of Kamen with this series. Kamen was the difficult task of taking an experimental book and making in work at a time when the industry was crippled thanks to the Estes-Kefauver hearings on juvenile delinquency. The stories themselves were quite interesting- so much that I think my psychology major wife might enjoy them as well.

   The endings to each episode were a little hoo-hum for my liking. How exciting can you end a procedure that has the practice of finishing with the immortal words ‘I'm sorry, that's all the time we have for today.’

     I've been collecting EC titles since I was 11. So I can expertly say that Psychoanalysis is the most difficult of all of the EC titles ​to find in any media. I found this volume just this past May during my Free Comic Book Day excursions. Believe me when I say that I shouted out the words 'Dibs!’ and 'Mine!’ when I found this!

  This collection also contains an in-depth interview with one of my personal EC favorites, Marie Severin. Her account of time spent as a pioneering woman artist in the man's world of the 1950s comics industry was fascinating. Severins’s story would make a fantastic series on AMC or Netflix!

Psychoanalysis may not the most polished of EC works. But this series has been on my wish list for quite a while. It was a major Grail find! Very cerebral!

  Worth Consuming!

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Superman: The Silver Age Dailies 1959-1961 (Volume 1)

  A part of the Library of American Comics series, this volume collects the complete 1959-61 run of Superman stories that appeared in newspapers nationwide. Most of the Superman stories that ran in the funny pages were recycled from comics that were published months earlier. For those who may collect the DC editions that reprint the stories from Action Comics and Superman, it's more than likely that you already have almost all of these tales in your collection. 
      Only the first story- Earth's Super-Idiot is an original adventure. Although some elements of the yarn were borrowed from a story printed in Superman #135 (The Trio of Steel.) I know for sure that I've read a couple of these adventures before such as the 'Superman of the Future' and 'The Mad Woman of Metropolis' in their original form.
      In order to build interest and assist readers who may have forgotten what happened the day prior, the last panel of one strip is often repeated in the first panel of the next. This repetition gets a little old but it's not the worst thing in the world. It still makes for a fun read of silver age fables starring the Man of Steel. 
       One thing that is a little confusing is the numbering of the stories. This is volume one of Superman: The Silver Age Dailies. Yet, the first epic is numbered at Episode 107. The publisher, IDW, is also reissuing the older tales from the Golden Age. But that numbering is starting at Episode 1. As there's only that first volume available, it may be a little while before IDW gets to Episode 106.
        The Silver Age Dailies, Volume 1 features artwork from some of the most legendary Superman artists of the era. Wayne Boring, Stan Kaye, and Curt Swan all craft some amazing images of the Man of Tomorrow along with Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, and Lois Lane. (In my opinion, the Curt Swan stories are the best drawn.) Every episode is written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel and some are quite good. But the allure and wonder of these Superman tales are all thanks in very large part to editor Mort Weisinger. 
         Weisinger would bring mock-ups of ideas to the kids in his neighborhood and let them decide the next adventure of the Man of Steel. The idea was a huge, if not a tad far-fetched success. However, it's one reason why the Silver Age sagas of the Last Son of Krypton are still popular with fans today.
          An enjoyable chronicle of Silver Age Superman in which I hope to obtain further volumes in the series. Being an oblong book and very heavy, it's a little unwieldy- especially when trying to read it in bed. I recommend a desk or recliner when reading.

     Worth Consuming!
  
      Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
       

Rivers of London: Detective Stories #1

The men and women of the London Police are assigned with investigating the ritualistic murder of a goat. Normally Police Constable Peter Grant wouldn’t be called to investigate this assignment. The dead animal is probably the result of some punk kids trying to recreate something they saw in a movie. Steal a goat from a petting zoo. Douse the poor animal with petrol. Watch it burn. Only, there’s no evidence of any try of accelerant- well at least any that isn’t magical…

Law & Magic

    Rivers of London: Detective Stories is the latest miniseries from Titan Books based on the Rivers of London novels. Written by former Classic Doctor Who screenwriter, Ben Aaronovitch, Rivers of London follows PC Peter Grant as he solves supernatural related crime throughout the capital city of the British Crown.  Along with being a detective in training, PC Grant also happens to be an apprentice wizard. Due to his multiple talents, Grant is recruited into the Folly.

    The Folly is a branch of the British law enforcement that takes on the cases that keep the toughest of coppers awake at night. In this opening chapter, Grant is just about to undergo his exams. But first, he must pass a performance review with a tough as nails assessor named Detective Inspector Chopra.

Under The Influence

    Rivers of London was a magical book that draws it’s inspiration from many sources. The idea of the Folly is like the BPRD only without hellish creatures doing the investigating. The police procedurals and the very British use of slang reminds you of shows like Broadchurch or Luther. Plus, there’s a whimsical charm that harkens back to Pratchett’s Discworld series. There’s actual proof of that as this book has a reference to Lord Vetinari! What other series do that?

Only Nixon Can Go to China

   This book is co-written by series creator Ben Aaronvitch.  By having the mastermind behind the Rivers of London books crafting this tale was a smart idea on Titan Books part. Nobody’s going to do justice to your franchise than yourself! Plus, it helps when you co-writer is a kindred spirit. Assisting Aaronvitch is fellow Doctor Who screenwriting alum Andrew Cartmel.

   There’s at least 2 other minis based on the series of novels, which currently numbers in the half dozen. You don’t have to have read any them to understand or enjoy this book. That’s a very good thing as the art, while good, is also quite generic.

WHOoooooo Are You?

       Lee Sullivan (Transformers Time Wars) is on duty as the Rivers of London sketch artist. Sullivan’s vision of the scenery of London is quite stunning. Yet, as Rivers has never been done as a TV series or movie (YET!) So if you are not familiar with the other comics, with Sullivan’s style there is no way to  know who was who. Thankfully, Aaronvitch and Cartmel make the right decision to include back story and character introductions for many of the key players. This helps the uninitiated reader to have no problem following the story at all since most of the characters look very one note in comics form.

      Though this is the first of a new miniseries, the story has an acceptable enough ending. There is no true cliffhangers at issue’s end. So if the readers only wanted to go as far the first issue and go no further without a sense of completion, they could. By why would you stop with a series that is an intriguing and magical as this? Detective Stories is a book that deserves further investigation!

     Worth Consuming!

     Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.