Super Sundays!

When I was a kid, this was Superman. This is what he really looked like...in real life. George Reeves.
Until "Superman the Movie" in 1978, this is the face I thought of when I pictured Superman. As an adult, it is still 50/50 between George Reeves and Christopher Reeve on who I think of as Superman.

When I was a kid we lived on an acreage just outside of town. Subsequently we had CBC as our only TV channel with CTV sometimes on a good day if the weather was clear and the planets aligned with the antenna properly. So, one of the highlights of the week as a kid, was on Saturday. My mom would go shopping in town, and drop my brother and I off at our Grandparents place in town. They had cable, so...Saturday morning cartoons! Around 11am, the cartoons would end. Some channels would turn to sports, some to news, but one would run old episodes of TV shows from the 50's including "The Adventures of Superman". As a boy, this was my favorite part of the day, even better than the cartoons and everything else. Also, as a bonus, the local theater would run a kids matinee on Saturday afternoon, So my brother and I would often spend part of our money from mowing the lawn on the movies. Because they were for kids, they often ran cartoons at the beginning like back in the day, but on occasion they would run a old Flash Gordon or Buck Rodgers serial, or a episode of The Adventures of Superman.

The show itself was ahead of its time. The first two seasons where shot in black and white, but they switched to colour in year three till the end of the series (1954-1958). A bold move, as it drove up the costs to produce the show, and it was never aired during its original run in colour. The fact that so many episodes are in colour is one of the reasons it held up well and found a home in syndication in the 1960's and 1970's.

George Reeves himself was a fantastic actor that brought a great deal to the character of Superman/Clark Kent. While at times feeling a little type cast because of the fame that came with the show being such a hit, George Reeves always took his responsibilities as a "role-model" very seriously. He was always careful of never letting his fans (the kids) see him do anything "un-Superman" like. Sadly, His death in 1959 by apparent suicide, is still one of Hollywood's great mysteries 

Still after all these years, along with the 1940's Max Fleischer cartoons, still some of the best Superman stories you will ever find.

George Reeves as Superman and Noel Neill as Lois Lane

Ben Affleck as George Reeves in the movie "Hollywoodland" in 2006.

"Truth, Justice and the American Way"

A very cool custom Superman figure based on the show.

Up, up and away!

The Opening of the show during Season 1.

Happy Birthday Star Trek!

On this date, the 8th of September 1966, the first episode of Star Trek aired. Though not the first episode shot (the shows pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and a number of other episodes before it). The episode "The Man Trap" introduced the world to Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry's vision of the future. 

The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise

The world has been a better place ever since.

Fantastic Friday!!

Something else new seeing as Super Saturday/Sunday are going well. At least at getting me to post on a more regular basis. My favorite Family from Marvel Comics.

The Fantastic Four!

As far back as I can recall, this was always my favorite Marvel Comic book. Sure, I liked Spider-man...who didn't, but I just loved the "FF". I don't know if it was the stories (I love me some sci-fi tales) or their powers. Or maybe it was the fact that they were a family of heroes, which was and still is, kind of a original idea in comics. Whatever it was, it was always at the top of my picks for comics as a kid if I was short on cash.

Fantastic Four #1, November 1961

The FF by the great Jack Kirby

I had a copy of this when I was a kid. It still may be at my parents house.

FF # 59 on my wall. As old as me.

It also doesn't hurt that they have a great line-up of antagonists. As they say, a hero is only as good as the villains they face. And DOOM will not suffer anything but the best.

Super Sunday!

Alex Ross. Anyone who is a fan of comics knows who this man is, especially if they are fans of DC comics. His almost photo-realistic paintings are some of the most fantastic comic book art you will ever see. Not that he hasn't done work for Marvel or some of the independent comic companies, he has. The First time I noticed his art was the covers for Marvel Comics "Marvels" mini series. But he has a real love of the silver age, and early bronze age of DC superheros. These are the versions of these heroes that he grew up with (being born in 1970).  I could do a whole post about this gentleman's contribution to the comic book industry (maybe I will someday). But for now, just enjoy art!

Kingdom Come mini-series. From 1996, one of his best works and a personal favorite.

Another Awesome mini-series illustrated by Ross

T.V.versions of DC's heroes by Alex Ross

Future Superman from "Kingdom Come"

Life size Superman model used my Alex Ross

A photo of Frank Kasy, the model for Superman, posing in costume.

Closeup detail

R.I.P. James Garner

James Garner (born James Scott Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American film and television actor. He starred in several television series over more than five decades, which included such popular roles as Bret Maverick in the 1950s western/comedy series "Maverick" and Jim Rockford in the 1970's detective drama "The Rockford Files".

Garner starred in more than 50 films including "The Great Escape"(1963), Paddy Chayetsky's "The Americanization of Emily"(1964),"Grand Prix"(1966),Blake Edwards "Victor,Victoria"(1982), "Murphy's Romance"(1985) for which he received an Academy Award nomination, and "The Notebook" (2004). He died aged 86 on July 19 2014.

I was very sad to hear this news. I have nothing but fond memories of Mr. Garner growing up. Both on "Maverick", which was one of my Grandfathers favorite shows and as Jim Rockford on "The Rockford Files", which my Mom loved.

As I got older, my love of old movies introduced me again to James Garner and his younger work. He always struck me as very down to earth. Someone who didn't take themselves to seriously, with a great sense of humour. It will be a sadder world without him. 

Cool Marketing

I always appreciate a good advertising idea. Sometimes a clever marketing idea, well executed, can be an incredibly creative work of art.

One type of marketing that can be very effective is this type of viral marketing when it is done right. This one is done right.

A clever idea, well timed with the fiftieth anniversary of the JFK assassination. It makes the implication that the Magneto may have had something to do with the famous "magic bullet". For those not in the know, the allegation is that the one bullet that past through JFK's neck and into Governor Connally somehow changed direction to have caused the injury's that it did.

This is just a brilliant idea for promoting interest in "X-MEN: Days of Future Past" as part of the movie takes place in the 1960's. As well as the "documentary" style YouTube Video, they have a whole website to go check out. (www.thebentbullet.com). When done right this kind of advertising can make people unfamiliar with the movie or subject matter curious to see it or learn more, and makes fans of the X-Men movies even more ravenous and exited for this new movie. Well done!