Month: October 2024

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Comic Books & Graphic Novels Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks

DAREDEVIL & ELEKTRA BY CHIP ZDARSKY, VOLUME 2: THE RED FIST SAGA, PART TWO (MARVEL Comics)

Written by Chip Zdarsky.

Art by Rafael De Latorre; Marco Checchetto; Manuel Garcia; Matthew Wilson; Eric Arciniega; & VC’s Clayton Cowles.

Cover Art by Marco Checchetto & Matthew Wilson.

SUMMARY:

Released by Marvel Comics in 2023, this 112-page trade paperback collects 2022’s Daredevil # 6-10.  Now married, international fugitives Matt Murdock and Elektra Natchios share the ‘Daredevil’ moniker and seemingly co-lead their Fist resistance group.  Yet, it’s to her beloved (and possibly deranged) Matt that Elektra cedes final decision-making to, as his senses are now vastly enhanced by ancient magic. 

Among their recruits are ‘Stick;’ Foggy Nelson; a former NYC cop, Cole North; and Leonard “Doc Sasquatch” Samson.  Upon being broken out of prison by the Daredevils, their cult-like contingent now includes Speed Demon, Bullet, The Enforcers’ Fancy Dan, Stilt-Man, Stegron, the Wrecker, and the symbiote Agony. 

Headquartered on the remote Makanrushi Island (free from the world’s radar detection), Matt and Elektra diligently train their disciples and push redirection of the criminal natures of some towards a greater good.  Specifically, a showdown against the nefarious Hand cult is imminent, as a mesmerized Frank Castle’s Punisher is in command, along with the mind-controlling Aka.  Also looming in the background are the evil Stromwyn siblings in league with The Hand as elderly multi-billionaires in for their own illicit gain.  With video footage captured on live television, Elektra’s team evades Iron Man before she murders an Aka-possessed U.S. President at his Paris hotel. 

Matt’s team next goes to Charlotte, North Carolina, to thwart a police-enforced Castlemax eviction of innocent residents from their housing.  A chilling warning is further left for the Castlemax CEO at his own private residence.  Aware of a mystical destiny indicating that one of them will die, the Daredevils lead a dangerous assault against The Hand in Yusuhara, Japan.  Their primary objective is to rescue Bullet’s abducted young son and free Bullet himself from mind-controlled possession. 

Barely escaping from total defeat, Matt and Elektra’s decimated team begins falling apart. Both of them (Matt in particular) are fully aware that their isolated group needs far more training and cohesion to stand any chance of survival against The Hand’s overwhelming numbers.  

Not only are trusted recruits abandoning the duo’s quasi-religious cause, but shock comes as at least one treacherous impersonator is revealed in their midst.  The worse-case scenario comes, as military jets and The Avengers (Iron Man, Captain America, the new Valkyrie, Black Panther, and Spider-Man) converge on the island.  In spite of the bleak odds, the elusive Matt is hellbent on not surrendering to his former friends.    

Note: This title is also available digitally.

REVIEW:

Despite its slim page count, The Red Fist Saga, Volume Two becomes a wearisome read.  That isn’t the fault of this art team’s solid and consistently appealing visuals; rather, blame falls upon writer Chip Zdarsky for the mostly blah storytelling. 

Including a predictable battle violence quotient (where characters quickly recover from seemingly fatal wounds), fans are hard-pressed to find any fun exploring this pretentious storyline.  Specifically, Zdarsky’s convoluted plotting backs the Daredevil franchise into a corner. 

Case in point: Matt Murdock is conveyed once again as a sanctimonious martyr overwhelmed by his religious convictions.  Zdarsky, therefore, makes sure that readers see a wounded Murdock multiple times (even literally) ever closer to the precipice of a nervous breakdown.  Hence, it isn’t necessarily clear if the Volume Two’s dire conclusion is meant as a cliffhanger or as a temporary end to the series itself. 

Aside from Daredevil’s climatic showdown against an outraged Spider-Man, Volume Two is at best a single read.  That is, this Daredevil storyline heavy on supernatural nonsense appears exclusively geared for Murdock’s die-hard fans who prefer him as a well-intentioned yet self-righteous ‘demigod.’ For other adults, though, perusing Daredevil & Elektra: The Red Fist Saga, Volume Two at the library makes the most practical sense.    

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Prior to the credits page, there is a brief synopsis of this storyline-to-date.  Each of Marco Checchetto and Matthew Wilson’s full-page covers precedes its issue.  The variant cover gallery leads off with Issue # 6’s full-page Elektra homage by artist Peach Momoko.  With three cover images then allotted to a page, the following variants are included:

  • Issue # 6 (1. artist Kendrick “Kunkka” Lim; and 2. artists Checchetto & Wilson);
  • Issue # 7 (1. artists Frank Cho & Sabine Rich; and 2. artist Momoko);
  • Issue # 8 (1. artists Elena Casagrande & Jordie Bellaire; and 2. Artist AKA);
  • Issue # 9 (1A. artist Alex Ross; 1B. artist Ross – a sketch rendition of the same variant; and 2. artist Juni Ba); and
  • Issue # 10 (artists: Kevin Eastman & Richard Isanove).

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                            5 Stars

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MAGNUM P.I. {Original Series}: LEST WE FORGET (Season 1: Episode 10)

SUMMARY:              APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 47:00 Min.

First aired on CBS-TV on February 2, 1981, Lawrence Doheny directed this mid-season episode off co-series creator/producer Donald P. Bellisario’s script. 

With an U.S. Supreme Court nomination at stake, Judge Robert Caine (José Ferrer) discreetly hires Magnum (Selleck) to help resolve a past Hawaiian love affair dating back forty years.  Baited by a congratulatory telegram he has recently received; Caine comes back to Honolulu seeking answers.      

Specifically, Caine intends to find the local prostitute (Anne Lockhart) he had briefly married under his real name (Miguel Ferrer).  He confides to Magnum that he hasn’t seen his then-wife since just a few hours prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Given a single day to find the enigmatic ‘Diane Westmore,’ Magnum’s sleuthing indicates some close to Diane (June Lockhart) are evasively holding tight to sordid old secrets. 

Seeking to deter Magnum, one reckless assailant even resorts to drive-by gunplay.  Magnum ponders exactly what other details is his pensive client hiding from him.  With Caine subsequently pressured by an extortionist, Magnum has to work fast to save a possibly still-timeless romance. 

A desperate Higgins (Hillerman), meanwhile, ingratiates himself to Magnum, as he needs a substitute bridge partner on short notice.  Given how even Higgins’ ‘lads,’ Zeus & Apollo (Brutus & Dominique), are on their absolutely best behavior, Magnum warily commits.

                Cast:

Thomas Magnum: Tom Selleck

Jonathan Quayle Higgins: John Hillerman

Theodore “T.C.” Calvin: Roger E. Mosley

Orville “Rick” Wright: Larry Manetti

Judge Robert “Bobby” Caine (present-day): José Ferrer

U.S. Navy Ensign Robert “Bobby” Wickes/Caine (1941 flashbacks): Miguel Ferrer

Mrs. Diane Westmore Pauley (present-day): June Lockhart

Diane Westmore (1941 flashbacks): Anne Lockhart

Kiki: Elizabeth Lindsey

Tickler: Scatman Crothers

Mueller (Mrs. Pauley’s chauffeur): David Palmer

Sculley: Larry Shriver

Maku: Merlin “Sonny” Ching

Jessie (1941 flashback): Patricia Herman

Jessie’s Knife-Wielding Thug (1941 flashback): Uncredited

Moki: Remi Abellira

Moana (Diane’s maid): Judith Sykes

Zeus & Apollo (Higgins’ Doberman Pinschers): Brutus & Dominique

Club Hostess: Reri Tava Jobe

King Kamehameha Club Patrons (present-day): Uncredited.

Hotel Patrons (present-day): Uncredited.

Wiki Wiki Club Patrons (1941 flashback): Uncredited.

Mrs. Blackmore: Uncredited

Military Police: Uncredited

Honolulu Cops: Uncredited

U.S. Serviceman (1941 flashback?): Grady Bumpus.

Notes: 1. The episode cleverly casts José Ferrer’s son, Miguel Ferrer, and June Lockhart’s daughter, Anne Lockhart, to play their characters’ younger selves in the flashback sequences.  2. This episode predates Mike Post & Pete Carpenter’s iconic Magnum, P.I. TV theme.  Instead, “Lest We Forget” was among the several early episodes utilizing Ian Fairbairn-Smith’s jazzy first-season generic instrumental as the show’s opening theme.  One also gets an alternate version of the opening credits sequence that would be used for seven subsequent seasons.       

REVIEW:

Donald P. Bellisario imbues his script with measures of poignancy, humor, and depth as possibly overcompensation for its few action scenes.  The end result frankly resembles a cliché festival taken from a go-to playbook for melodramatic plot twists.  Still, the overt romanticism motivating “Lest We Forget” makes this episode very watchable. 

Overcoming an excessively contrived script, the appealing cast ensures that viewers get a classy Magnum, P.I. caper from its early days.               

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     6 Stars

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CD's Music & Radio Shows Rock, R&B, Pop, Soul, & Metal/Symphonic

WILDEST DREAMS (by Tina Turner)

SUMMARY:              APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 62:00 Min.

Tina Turner’s ninth studio album, Wildest Dreams, was released in 1996 by Virgin Records for its U.S. version.  In terms of public response, it appears the album (or one version of it) was widely popular overseas, but the U.S. sales were lukewarm. 

Turner, meanwhile, embarked on a world tour to promote Wildest Dreams, which would include 1996’s recorded Live in Amsterdam concert DVD.    

The U.S. album’s thirteen tracks are as follows:

  1. “Missing You”   (4:36)   Note: It’s a cover of John Waite’s 1984 original tune.
  2. “In Your Wildest Dreams” (5:33)   Note: This duet with Barry White appears on the U.S. version only.  Evidently. Antonio Banderas dueted with Turner in the tune’s international version.
  3. “Whatever You Want”   (4:52)
  4. “Do What You Do” (4:23)   
  5. “Thief of Hearts”   (4:05)
  6. “On Silent Wings”    (6:12)  Note: It’s a duet with Sting.
  7. “Something Beautiful Remains”   (4:20)
  8. “Confidential”   (4:39)
  9. “The Difference Between Us”  (4:32)
  10. “All Kinds of People”  (4:43)    Note: Sheryl Crow is among the song’s co-writers. 
  11. “Unfinished Sympathy”  (4:30) 
  12. “Goldeneye”  (3:27 – single version)  Note: This 1995 James Bond theme song was co-written by U2’s Bono and The Edge.
  13. “Dancing In My Dreams”  (6:45).

Note: This title is also available digitally.  It was previously released in audio cassette (and apparently vinyl overseas).

REVIEW:

It’s unrealistic to expect Tina Turner’s Wildest Dreams to equal, let alone surpass, her iconic 1984 album, Private Dancer. 

In that sense, they are perhaps too few radio-friendly gems present.  Still, Wildest Dreams’ sophisticated R&B proves more than sufficient.  The album’s thoughtfully mature tone concocts a series of effervescent ballads that showcases Turner at (or at least near) the top of her vocal game. 

With the exception of the sultry and ultra-commercial “Goldeneye” (Track # 12), central themes of romantic moodiness and a relatable sense of poignancy pervade Wildest Dreams.  Though such sentiments are wonderfully played, they do occasionally overstay their welcome (i.e. Tracks # 6 and # 13).  The same applies to the album’s mellow and consistently slower tempo – hence, “Goldeneye” and Turner’s cover of “Missing You” (Track # 1) supply welcome exceptions towards an upbeat dance vibe.   

Impressively, none of these thirteen tunes far surpass others, as far as relegating them to mere filler.  Backed by consistently appealing (and often low-key) melodies, Wildest Dreams instead conveys a complete R&B package.  More so, Turner convincingly demonstrates her vocal prime wasn’t over yet. 

If anything, the classy Wildest Dreams merits re-discovery, as it’s likely Turner’s most underrated contemporary album. 

PACKAGING:

Apart from omitting the tracks’ running times, everything else is as advertised.  The classy black-and-white insert provides song credits; technical credits; and thank-you’s.  Predictably, a few terrific photos of Turner are also included. 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    8 Stars

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Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks

ELSEWORLDS: JUSTICE LEAGUE, VOLUME ONE {2024 RE-RELEASE} (DC Comics)

Written by (See Below).

Art by (See Below).

Collection Cover Art by John Van Fleet.

SUMMARY:

Re-released by DC Comics in 2024, this 432-page trade paperback reprints four one-shots, plus, a pair of two-parters, that were all published between 1996 and 1998.  Specifically, they are: 

Notes: The 2024 version of this anthology is also available digitally.  This book was first released in 2016; however, its exact page count is unconfirmed.  DC’s website claims 424 pages while another source says 377 pages.  Even so, both the 2016 and 2024 editions supposedly share the exact same content.      

  1. Elseworld’s Finest # 1   (Page 7).

Writer: John Francis Moore.  Artists: Kieron Dwyer; Hilary Barta; Gloria Vasquez; Heroic Age; & Bill Oakley.  Cover Artists: Dwyer & Barta.

Set in the spring of 1928, intrepid Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent and pre-teen orphan Jimmy Olsen accompany Clark’s childhood friend, Lana Lang, on an Indiana Jones-like quest to save her archaeologist father from Ra’s al Ghul and his League of Assassins.  For the invaluable prize at stake, roguish mercenary Bruce Wayne becomes their ally for a dangerous Egyptian rescue mission.  Awaiting these adventurers is the Captain Nemo-like pirate, Alexi Luthor, who also covets the secrets of the lost ancient city of Argos. 

One pertinent enigma is the true allegiance of the seductive Talia al Ghul.  Hints of Clark’s otherworldly origin and Bruce’s bat-related destiny are teased.  Cameos include: The Newsboy Legion; Selina Kyle; Alfred Pennyworth; Perry White; Hal Jordan; Carter Hall; Dan Turpin; and a sly Marvel Family homage.

  • Elseworld’s Finest # 2   (Page 56).

Writer: John Francis Moore.  Artists: Kieron Dwyer; Hilary Barta; Gloria Vasquez; Heroic Age; & Bill Oakley.  Cover Artists: Dwyer & Barta.

In the remote mountains of the Brazilian jungle, all parties converge in their quest for the lost city of Argos.  Rivals Alexi Luthor and Ra’s al Ghul have different destinies in mind for the all-powerful Godstone, as its origin is revealed.  Also revealed are origins for Luthor, Clark Kent, and an enigmatic Egyptian-themed Batman.  Ultimately, the world’s fate rests in the hands of two men at last discovering their true natures.   

  • The Justice Riders (one-shot)   (Page 105).

Writer: Chuck Dixon.  Artists: J.H. Williams III; Mick Gray; Lee Loughridge; Heroic Age; & Bill Oakley.  Cover Artist: John Van Fleet.

In the American Old West, Sheriff Diana Prince sets out on a vengeful quest for justice upon the annihilation for her secluded frontier town, Paradise.  She subsequently recruits a makeshift Justice League (i.e. Wally West’s Flash; Hawkman; Martian Manhunter; Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle; Booster Gold; and possibly Guy Gardner).  Against railroad baron Maxwell Lord’s strangely high-tech forces and immortal outlaw Felix Faust, the odds appear heavily stacked against justice.  The epilogue includes a sly cameo from Clark Kent.

Note: This reality’s Diana Prince has resurfaced in other DC projects (i.e. the 2007 DC Countdown: Arena mini-series).

  • League of Justice # 1 – Stove One: Hero Quest   (Page 170).

Writer: Ed Hannigan.  Artists: Ed Hannigan; Dick Giordano. Tom McCraw; Cynthia Morris; & John Constanza.    Cover Artists: Hannigan, Giordano, & McCraw.

In Brattlesboro, Vermont, three youths and a drug-addicted thief are magically transported into a medieval fantasy world where a Justice League faces its darkest hour.  Among the bizarre counterparts the kids meet are: Batman; the Flash; the Atom; Green Arrow; Wonder Woman; Hawkman & Hawkgirl; John Stewart’s Green Lantern; Black Canary; Martian Manhunter; Aquaman; Lobo; and Superman. 

  • League of Justice # 2 – Stove Two: Hero War   (Page 219).

Writer: Ed Hannigan.  Artists: Ed Hannigan; Dick Giordano. Tom McCraw; Cynthia Morris; & John Constanza.    Cover Artists: Hannigan, Giordano, & McCraw.

The battle continues, as League members fall.  The question becomes: in this reality’s time of need, who can replace them?

  • Wonder Woman – Amazonia: A Tale of the Wonder Woman (one-shot)  (Page 269).

Writer: William Messner-Loebs.  Artists: Phil Winslade; Patricia Mulvihill; Digital Chameleon; & John Workman.    Cover Artist: Winslade.

In a dark alternate-reality Victorian England, Amazonian vaudeville performer Wonder Woman rises to face multiple threats – among, them, this world’s Jack The Ripper.

  • Titans: Scissors, Paper, Stone (one-shot)  (Page 318).

Writer: Adam Warren.  Artists: Adam Warren; Tom Simmons; Joe Rosas; Digital Chameleon; & Chris Eliopoulos.      Cover Artist: Warren.

Styled as Japanese manga, a futuristic quartet of original Teen Titans are evidently their world’s only hope.

  • Elseworld’s Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl  (one-shot)  (Page 367).

Plotters:  Barbara Kesel, Matt Haley, & Tom Simmons.  Writer: Barbara Kessel.  Artists: Matt Haley; Tom Simmons; Moose Baumann; & Bill Oakley.    Cover Artists: Haley & Simmons.

In an alternate reality present-day, Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl is the Dark Knight defending Gotham City.  Even a passive Justice Society/League is reluctant to tread on Gotham’s turf without Batgirl’s permission.  Against a Bane-like Joker obsessed with her, Batgirl reluctantly teams with Kara (aka Supergirl/Power Girl) to rescue the abducted tech-billionaire, Lex Luthor.  Yet, Kara slowly realizes that her beloved Lex is hiding a horrific secret from her.     

Note: In 2007, for its third Elseworlds wave, DC Direct released Elseworld’s Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl as high-quality action figures.

REVIEW:

This anthology is far more a page count than a cohesive read.  For starters, no matter its slew of familiar pulp elements, the unpredictability of Elseworld’s Finest # 1-2 is still welcome.  Along with its generally appealing artwork, Volume One’s first two installments rate a semi-enthusiastic ‘7’ out of 10 stars. 

By comparison, The Justice Riders is also riddled with movie clichés (i.e. The Wild, Wild West; The Magnificent Seven; and even The Terminator).  Still, Chuck Dixon’s Old West caper is at least readable and easy to grasp.  Despite relatively good visuals and some entertaining twists, this unoriginal Justice League take on Westerns lands squarely as a ‘5½’ on a 10-star scale.  As stated in my separate Justice Riders review, reading Dixon’s story in this anthology frankly makes more sense than seeking it out by itself.   

Unfortunately, afterwards, it’s a sharp descent from ‘merely average.’  The two-part League of Justice would-be fantasy epic might prove appealing to some Dungeons & Dragons addicts.  For casual readers, though, this ghouls, goblins, and sorcery adventure drags on far too long. 

Regarding Wonder Woman’s Victorian-era showcase, Amazonia: A Tale of the Wonder Woman, its mostly bleak storytelling proves a bore.  Further, perhaps other readers might have better luck fathoming Titans: Scissors, Paper, Stone.  For all this story’s vivid colors and hip originality, I found myself immediately tuned out.  How exactly this hyperactive tale pertains to the Justice League is beyond me.

Lastly, there is Elseworld’s Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl.  As with The Justice Riders, I’ve separately reviewed this Elseworlds adventure before.  My thumbs-down opinion hasn’t shifted.  Aside from the eye-rolling premise of Batgirl bullying an entire Justice Society/Justice League, this storyline’s climatic plot twist is beyond tasteless.  Still, consider this irony: Barbara Kesel’s ludicrous plotting is a more coherent read than time wasted on a fantasy Justice League, a Victorian Wonder Woman, and manga-style Titans unrelated to any League. 

For curiosity’s sake, let’s just say the disappointing Elseworlds: Justice League, Volume One is best found treading at the library.       

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

There’s a table of contents.  Each full-page cover precedes its issue.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                 3½ Stars

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FATHER BROWN (1974): THE SECRET GARDEN (Season 1: Episode 13)

SUMMARY:                                 RUNNING TIME: 51:00 Min.

First airing on England’s ITV on December 19, 1974, “The Secret Garden” is the final episode of this first (and single-season) Father Brown TV series.  Faithfully adapting G.K. Chesterton’s same-named 1910 short story, Peter Jeffries directed this episode off Hugh Leonard’s screenplay.

In 1920’s Paris, wealthy French police chief Aristide Valentin (Mayne) voices his desire to seek humane commutation for a death row inmate he previously sent to prison.  Despite Valentin’s considerable political influence, he realizes that making an in-person plea is his last opportunity before the condemned’s execution that same night.     

Meanwhile, at Valentin’s posh fortress-like estate, his dinner party guests await him.  Among the guests are: married British aristocrats – the elderly Galloways (Luckham & Benham); their socialite daughter Margaret (Waugh); her soldier ex-fiancé, O’Brien (Dance); an amiable physician (Davies); American millionaire philanthropist Julius K. Brayne (Dyneley); and Brayne’s own associate, Father Brown (More). 

Father Brown ponders Valentin’s stringent security measures necessitating the front door as his manor home’s sole entrance – not to mention, a spiked high wall surrounding the estate’s backyard perimeter.  Brown is told that Valentin routinely receives death threats. 

Subsequent after-dinner conversation includes the topic of capital punishment.  O’Brien then departs for the garden to tempt Margaret into resuming their former romance, much to her father’s disgust.  An eccentric Brayne also leaves the room.  He is last seen playing with Valentin’s mounted sword collection in the hallway.

Wishing to thwart O’Brien, a drunken Lord Galloway stumbles upon a grisly discovery in the darkened garden: specifically, a well-dressed mystery corpse with a severed head.  The murder weapon is established as O’Brien’s missing Foreign Legion saber.  Valentin calmly seeks to shield his guests from his own police force’s imminent scrutiny.  Suspicion soon pivots towards another guest besides O’Brien. 

The priest’s sleuthing suggests, however, that all may not be what it seems.  For instance, how could the unknown intruder/victim have circumvented various defenses and gotten inside the estate?  By the next day, this macabre enigma worsens once a second decapitated head is discovered.  Father Brown realizes it’s up to him to thwart a culprit’s potentially perfect crime. 

                   Cast:

Father Brown: Kenneth More

Commandant Neil O’Brien: Charles Dance

Aristide Valentin: Ferdy Mayne

Lord and Lady Galloway: Cyril Luckham & Joan Benham

Lady Margaret Graham: Eileen Waugh

Julius K. Brayne: Peter Dyneley

Dr. Bernard Simon: Rowland Davies

Duchess of Mont St. Michel: Rosemarie Dunham

Ivan (servant): Athol Coats

Beaumont: Stefan Gryff

Unnamed Servant: Hugh Cecil. 

Notes: 1. As forewarning, though not exceedingly graphic, there are three or four close-up glimpses of ‘severed heads.’ 

2. Interestingly, Valentin’s literary counterpart appeared in the first Father Brown story, 1910’s “The Blue Cross” (aka “Valentin Follows A Curious Trail”).  Valentin was that mystery’s featured player rather than Brown.  Hence, “The Secret Garden” makes for an intriguing sequel. 

3. In terms of possible coincidence: reminiscent of “The Blue Cross,” Agatha Christie’s 1930 Murder at The Vicarage features St. Mary Mead’s vicar, Reverend Len Clement, over Ms. Jane Marple in her whodunnit debut.   

REVIEW:

Filmed on videotape, it’s readily obvious “The Secret Garden” relies upon well-dressed sets vs. any sense that the cast is inside a castle-like manor home.  Aside from this minor quibble, it’s an old-school Father Brown whodunnit well-played for its macabre source material. 

For fans of G.K. Chesterton’s Father Brown, seeing “The Secret Garden” faithfully visualized makes for solid viewing – no matter its logical contrivances.  Kenneth More’s Father Brown, in that regard, effectively spells out what some viewers likely will have already deduced.      

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:         7 Stars

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DVD DVD/Blu-Ray Extra Movies & Television (Videos) Sports (TV & Videos) WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

WWF INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION “RAVISHING” RICK RUDE (with BOBBY “THE BRAIN” HEENAN) VS. THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR (WWF SUMMERSLAM ’89: Aired Live 8-28-1989)

SUMMARY:                         RUNNING TIME: 16:02 Min.

Nearly five months after his WrestleMania V I-C Title win, “Ravishing” Rick Rude would again face The Ultimate Warrior in this grudge rematch.  This SummerSlam ’89 showdown would occur at The Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on August 28, 1989.  Giving Rude a ringside advantage is his unscrupulous manager, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, whose interference had previously sealed Rude’s title win over the Warrior. 

The match commentators are Jesse “The Body” Ventura and Tony Schiavone.  Also making a pivotal ringside appearance is “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, as he would be Rude’s next major feud.

Notes: This title clash has been collected at least times on WWE DVD sets: specifically, the first SummerSlam anthology (1988-1992); The History of the WWE Intercontinental Championship; and The Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection.  In his last WWF Pay-Per-View main event a year later, Rude subsequently challenged for The Warrior’s WWF World Championship inside a steel cage at SummerSlam ’90 in Philadelphia, PA. 

For trivia’s sake, Rude and the then-called ‘Dingo Warrior’ were once mid-80’s tag team partners in the Von Erichs’ World Class Championship Wrestling promotion.  

REVIEW:

It’s been said that far too few competitors (i.e. “Macho Man” Randy Savage) could consistently conjure up excellent in-ring chemistry with The Ultimate Warrior.  Among them, “Ravishing” Rick Rude is another name that comes to mind.  Beyond these two wrestling icons, it’s likely a steep drop.  Case in point: even “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig’s solo clashes with the Warrior, comparatively, were a few shades beyond merely watchable.   

It’s indisputable that this Warrior-Rude bout’s initial few minutes imply another glorified Warrior squash win in the making.  Patient viewers, however, are subsequently rewarded with perhaps the best I-C Title showdown since 1987’s Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat feud.  I don’t make this assessment lightly – given I’m admittedly a fan of neither Rude nor the Warrior. 

Rude and the Warrior’s SummerSlam ’89, however, effort readily surpasses the Honky Tonk Man’s endlessly cheap 1987-88 finishes – escaping the far more talented likes of Savage, Steamboat, and Jake Roberts, among others.  Specifically, Rude leads with a high-caliber heel performance that prompts the Warrior to keep up with him for over fifteen minutes.  The Warrior, in that sense, overcomes his ultra-limited power move set (and matches running only a few minutes) to appear closer to Rude’s in-ring equal. 

What’s peculiar is that Bobby Heenan briefly teases some outside interference, but then nothing actually happens.  It’s possible that a consummate professional like Heenan wouldn’t upstage Roddy Piper’s own contribution.  Accordingly, fans will get a decisive yet hardly surprising end to the first Rude vs. Warrior title feud.   

For a nostalgic return to SummerSlam ’89, this WWF Intercontinental Title match deserves re-discovery.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  8 Stars

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THE HARDY BOYS (1995): JAZZMAN (Season 1: Episode 2)

SUMMARY:                APPROX.  RUNNING TIME: 22:00 Min.

First airing on September 30, 1995, this episode of the Canadian syndicated TV series was directed by Jon Cassar off Dave Cole’s script. 

At a downtown church, journalist Frank (Gray) and computer ace Joe (Popowich) Hardy serve as the best man and wedding photographer for their friend: Tommy (Small), a local news vendor.  Yet, Tommy inexplicably no-shows the wedding and has seemingly dropped from sight. 

The Hardys promise his worried fiancée, Anita (Clarke), that they will find Tommy.  Following clues from Tommy’s newsstand, Frank & Joe’s investigation uncovers his long-suppressed former life as a jazz musician.  More so, after serving decades in prison, an elderly mobster (Tager) is now shadowing the Hardys.  He, too, wants to find Tommy, as they evidently have a personal old score to settle.     

                 Cast:

Frank Hardy: Colin K. Gray

Joe Hardy: Paul Popowich

Anita: Norma Clarke

Tommy (Carter): Ron Small

Jimmy: Aron Tager

Jordan: Karen LeBlanc

Pawnbroker: Ellen-Ray Hennessy

Bartender: Robbie Rox

Wedding Guests: Uncredited

Priest: Uncredited

Nightclub Patrons: Uncredited

Pedestrians: Uncredited

Flashbacks: Uncredited.

Notes: There are sporadic hints that the series was filmed in Canada (i.e. a close-up of a license plate).  Reminiscent of their 1970’s incarnations, the show was produced in tandem with a Nancy Drew TV series – likewise, it wasn’t long for this world.  Both single-season series only ran for thirteen episodes and were effectively canceled the same night: December 16, 1995. 

REVIEW:

Despite its limitations, this obviously low-budget episode makes for some passable viewing.  While competently directed, the episode’s flimsy plot is something of a letdown for stars Colin K. Gray and Paul Popowich.  They simply don’t get much of a mystery conveying that they are ‘The Hardy Boys,’ as opposed to some unremarkable, twenty-something amateur detective duo.  Among this cast, only guest star Karen LeBlanc makes a vivid impression in her minimal screen time.

Still, “Jazzman” delivers a watchable, all-ages caper to sample this mid-90’s revival of The Hardy Boys.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        4 Stars

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NANCY DREW (1995): THE DEATH AND LIFE OF BILLY FERAL (Season 1: Episode 7)

SUMMARY:             APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 22:00 Min.

First airing on September 30, 1995, Bruce McDonald directed this episode of the Canadian syndicated TV series off series story editor Laura Phillips’ original script. 

In this incarnation of Nancy Drew, Nancy and her two friends: Bess and George live downtown in a large city at the supposedly haunted Callisto Hotel.  This episode doesn’t specify the girls’ careers or if they’re still college students – all one gets is that George is evidently an amateur filmmaker.     

Five years have lapsed since rock star Billy Feral’s (Bissonette) enigmatic demise.  A pilgrimage by Feral’s mourning fans descends upon The Callisto Hotel on the  anniversary of his death.  Per George’s (Tanner) video footage for a Feral documentary she is filming, Nancy Drew (Ryan) views suspicious visual evidence that Feral’s ghost is haunting The Callisto’s fan memorial.  More so, Nancy and her friends find that others residing at The Callisto are keeping secrets about the musician’s tragic life.

               Cast:

Nancy Drew: Tracy Ryan

George Fayne: Joy Tanner

Bess Marvin: Jhene Erwin

Billy Feral: Joel Bissonette

Amina: Kyrin Hall

Simon: Uncredited.

Pete: Matthew Smith

Seymour: Conrad Bergschneider

Clerk: Eric Kimmel

Video Store Customers: Uncredited

Other Callisto Residents: Uncredited

Feral’s Fans: Uncredited.

Notes: There are sporadic hints that the series was filmed in Canada.  Reminiscent of their 1970’s incarnations, this series was produced in conjunction with a Hardy Boys TV series – as it, too, wasn’t long for this world.  Both single-season series only ran for thirteen episodes and were effectively canceled the same night: December 16, 1995. 

REVIEW:

To its modest credit, this episode sports an okay series lead in Tracy Ryan (frankly, co-star Joy Tanner might have made better casting) and a potentially intriguing premise.  At only twenty-two minutes, the plot’s rudimentary execution, however, is really more akin to what one might expect from The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo.  One could also imagine that the script somewhat echoes elements of Eddie and The Cruisers.      

Considering this Nancy Drew’s obvious budget limitations, “The Death and Life of Billy Feral” doesn’t strive for more than it can achieve.  At most, it’s an easily forgettable ghost story tease meant for an all-ages audience.  For undemanding viewers, this contrived episode is worth catching once – if at all.       

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                      3½ Stars

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Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics DC's Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks

GREEN LANTERN BY GEOFF JOHNS, BOOK ONE (DC Comics)

Written by Geoff Johns.

Art by Ethan Van Sciver; Patrick Gleason; Carlos Pacheco; Darwyn Cooke; Prentis Rollins; Christian Alamy; Jesus Merino; Mick Gray; Marlo Alquiza; Moose Baumann; Dave Stewart; Rob Leigh; Phil Balsman; Jared K. Fletcher; Pat Brosseau; & Travis Lanham.

Collection Cover Art by Ethan Van Sciver & Peter Stiegerwald.

SUMMARY:

Released in 2024 by DC Comics, this 400-page trade paperback compiles Green Lantern: Rebirth # 1-6; the feature story from Green Lantern: Secret Files and Origins 2005; Green Lantern Corps: Recharge # 1-5; and, in the wake of Green Lantern: Rebirth, Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern # 1-3 – all originally published between 2004 and 2006.

In deep, deep space, Kyle Rayner’s Green Lantern stumbles into a catastrophic discovery linked to planet Oa revealing the truth behind the Parallax entity.  On Earth, Green Arrow and his teenage protégé, Mia Dearden’s Speedy, are startled by Hal Jordan/The Spectre’s chilling punishment of Black Hand’s attempted theft of Oliver Queen’s power ring (kept hidden away for emergency use). 

Elsewhere, John Stewart and Guy Gardner find that they have been targeted by Hal’s sinister alter ego, Parallax.  Poignantly making amends with Carol Ferris, Hal’s ghost is caught between his opposing incarnations as The Spectre and Parallax.  Despite Hal’s pleas for the Spectre’s intervention, it appears that Parallax’s evil has resurfaced.  Even the combined Justice League/Justice Society is no match for Parallax’s intense yellow firepower.

Beaten and battered, Green Arrow and Kyle Rayner are stunned by a supposedly dead Sinestro’s return aboard the Justice League Watchtower.  Their only hope comes, as Hal Jordan’s defiant spirit at last reunites with his preserved mortal remains.  Facing off against Sinestro, Hal Jordan’s revitalized Green Lantern confirms how and why Parallax had successfully corrupted him. 

Hal and his Green Lantern colleagues: John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, and Kilowog subsequently force a climatic showdown to thwart Parallax’s vengeful scheme.  Along the way, Hal Jordan reestablishes that he is the universe’s premier Green Lantern. 

Entitled “Flight,” the primary feature of Green Lantern: Secret Files and Origins 2005 reveals three pivotal phases in Hal Jordan’s life.  Idolizing his test pilot father, young Hal gets an exhilarating first taste of his dream: flying.  Soon afterward, Hal (along with Carol Ferris) among the witnesses of a fiery tragedy that forever shapes Hal’s destiny.  Years later, Hal rips a page from his father’s playbook to concoct a nocturnal joyride.  It makes for a breathtaking first date with his new boss, Carol.  In the days (or weeks) after Rebirth, Hal now takes his new friend, Kyle Rayner, for an aerial adventure where their power rings are left behind.  

Following Rebirth, Hal Jordan and John Stewart are designated as Earth’s two Green Lanterns.  Kyle Rayner and a reluctant Guy Gardner are simultaneously assigned to Oa as instructors under Kilowog’s command.  Their indefinite mission: to train new Green Lanterns currently being recruited to eventually double the Corps’ original 3,600-member size.  Kyle & Guy lead a team to halt a dual incursion upon Green Lantern Mogo (a planet).  Meanwhile, a handful of Kilowog’s inexperienced recruits find themselves in deep trouble in different corners of the galaxy. 

The use of multiple black holes plays into the sinister Guild’s invasion scheme.  Hence, the short-handed Corps must make a desperate return to planet Oa for a last stand.  Hal Jordan and John Stewart appear in the bookend segments of this five-part Green Lantern Corps: Recharge storyline.   

Back on Earth, Hal’s shared investigation with John Stewart of a mysterious alien spacecraft stalls.  In the meantime, having rejoined the U.S. Air Force as a test pilot, Hal resumes his old life as Captain Hal “Highball” Jordan.  His new Coast City supporting cast is subsequently established: i.e. Col. Shane Sellers; Capt. Jillian “Cowgirl” Pearlman; General “Herc” Stone; and possibly Hal’s brother, Jim. 

Linked to his origin as Green Lantern, the Air Force’s experimental new aircraft sets up Hal’s intense showdown against two Manhunter robots reminiscent of alien-caliber Terminators.   

Note: This title is also available digitally.

REVIEW:

Twenty years later, Green Lantern: Rebirth # 1-6 and his follow-up tale from Green Lantern: Secret Files & Origins 2005 remain two of Geoff Johns’ career highlights.  Frankly, both of these entries exploring Hal Jordan are masterpieces. 

With welcome visuals from a top-caliber art team, Johns effectively reverses almost two decades (1986-2004) of Jordan’s misuse by DC Comics.  While there were still occasional glimpses of Jordan’s legendary status before his replacement by Kyle Rayner, DC inexplicably squandered the Silver Age’s most influential super-hero.  Hence, Johns deserves considerable credit for reigniting the Green Lantern franchise.  More importantly, he finally rights the misguided course far too many Green Lantern writers before him had gone depicting Hal Jordan. 

The first five Green Lantern Corps: Recharge issues, by comparison, aren’t must-haves.  Make no mistake, though: Johns and the art team concoct an entertaining edge to the short-handed Corps.  Like Hal Jordan, the Corps concept had grown increasingly stale post-Crisis.  Hence, fans of Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, and Kilowog should be pleased.  Rather than banishing them from Jordan’s primary title, giving them a shared spin-off makes good creative sense. 

Having John Stewart (and, to a lesser degree, Jordan) gravitate between the two titles (plus John & Hal soon sharing Justice League duties) makes for insightful forward-thinking.  The same applies to bringing back Carol Ferris as a potential recurring character.  Johns, suffice to say, proves very much on his game.      

As for the first few issues of the Green Lantern reboot, it’s a fresh take imagining Hal’s vigorous new life mirroring his past.  Incorporating nostalgia-friendly sub-plots (i.e. Carol’s re-launch of the Ferris airfield; Hal’s remaining family; bringing Hector Hammond back into the franchise) with a 21st Century polish consistently works on all thrusters.  More so, it’s a necessary storytelling upgrade given Hal’s forgettable adventures dating back to the post-Crisis mid-80’s/early 90’s where he, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner awkwardly time-shared Green Lantern.

Either, as a gem of a library find, or as a superb enhancement to any Green Lantern fan’s bookcase, this book supplies 400 pages of emerald dynamite.  Green Lantern by Geoff Johns, Book One is highly recommended! 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Each full-page cover precedes its story.  Green Lantern: Rebirth # 1-6’s cover artists are Ethan Van Sciver and Peter Stiegerwald.  Cover artists for Green Lantern: Secret Files & Origins 2005 are Carlos Pacheco and Jesus Merino.  Green Lantern Corps: Recharge utilizes two slightly different cover artist teams.  Specifically, they are Patrick Gleason, Christian Alamy, Mouse Baumann; and then it is Gleason, Prentis Rollins; and Baumann.  For Green Lantern # 1-3, the cover artists consist of Pacheco, Merino, and Stiegerwald.  

The brief full-page variant cover gallery supplies Van Sciver & Baumann’s Green Lantern: Rebirth # 1 followed by their Rebirth collection cover.  Also included are the Alex Ross Green Lantern # 1 variant; and an unused (inks-only) Van Sciver cover for Rebirth # 3.  The last page depicts Van Sciver’s black-and-white ‘turnaround’ designs for DC Direct’s Hal Jordan/Green Lantern action figure.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     10 Stars

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MATLOCK {Original Series}: THE BLACKMAILER (Season 4: Episode 23)

SUMMARY:              APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 47:00 Min.

First airing on NBC-TV on May 1, 1990, Christopher Hibler directed this second-to-last Season Four episode off Gerald Sanoff’s script. 

Smarmy Atlanta, GA newspaper cartoonist Ron Winfield (Buktenica) is notorious for teasing imminently salacious scandals in his comic strips.  His favorite targets evidently are self-involved politicians.  Hence, Winfield’s side gig is collecting hush money through his creative extortion efforts.  Taking offense to Winfield’s latest artistic threat is womanizing state Senator Peter Dolan (Haskell) over his extramarital affair with a colleague’s wife (Walsh) being publicly exposed. 

After confronting Winfield late one night at his home, an infuriated Dolan departs after a physical altercation.  However, does he then return to finish off the now-prone cartoonist?  Or perhaps somebody else takes lethal advantage?  It’s up to criminal defense attorneys Ben Matlock (Griffith) and Michelle Thomas (Stafford) to unravel the mystery of who had the most to gain … or perhaps the most to lose by killing a greedy Winfield.  

Ben and Michelle, meanwhile, must navigate a political minefield locally. Who knows if there still might be sordid secrets that Winfield gleefully sought to profit from?

            Cast:

Benjamin “Ben” Matlock: Andy Griffith

Michelle Thomas: Nancy Stafford

Assistant District Attorney Julie March: Julie Sommars

Conrad McMasters: Clarence Gilyard (credits only)

Senator Peter Dolan: Peter Haskell

Ron Winfield: Ray Buktenica

Mickey Alder: Claudia Christian

Sandra Hopkins: Gwynyth Walsh

Senator David Hopkins: Wayne Tippit

Judge Richard Cooksey: Richard Newton

Dolan’s Private Attorney: Mark Joy

Jury Foreperson: Ruth Peebles

Jury Members: Uncredited

Courtroom Gallery Spectators: Uncredited.       

REVIEW:

Unsurprisingly, it’s standard-issue Matlock whodunnit formula with the big ‘gotcha’ courtroom climax. Still, including spot-on guest star Peter Haskell, a game cast surpasses the script’s tawdry inferences and makes “The Blackmailer” watchable rerun fare.  Though this episode is instantly forgettable, plotting for “The Blackmailer” is a few shades more intriguing than an average Matlock.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    5½ Stars

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