A collection of clever and funny short comics

Stark Plug Book(.com) (Rolling Tire Productions, 2017)

Art and Writing: Chap

Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

Experience fragments from the life of a comic book character who, at one point, decides to quit his job to star in a newspaper strip.

"Stark Plug Book(.com)" is a collection of stories of varying lengths by Steven Chappell (aka Chap). The look of the art reminded me mostly of Gilbert Sheldon (best known for the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers), but the tone of the humor was generally more genteel, as well as more surreal, than Gilbert's work, as is even evident from the book's cover. 

The material presented is as much about the experience of reading comics and the act of creating stories and art, as it is about chronicling Stark and his surroundings, something which becomes increasingly clear as you read. There's even a page that makes fun of the "classified ad"-style encouragements for kids to order toys and other items that used to be commonplace in comic books. There's even a "contest" that involves finding all the airplanes in the book.

Stark Plug and his dog are the main characters in the book, with Stark's chatty coworkers, his mean boss, and a street musician named Bernie the Banjo Bum making up the main supporting cast. I found Bernie to be the most amusing character here, even outshining Stark himself. (The supporting characters mostly drop out during Stark's turn starring in a newspaper strip, but they are back afterwards.) 

Humor-wise, there is a little bit of everything--social commentary, along with commentary on social commentary; sit-com style comedy; self-referential and fourth-wall shattering jokes and situations that both illuminate and poke fun at artistic creation and processes and comic book story-telling techniques; observations on the nature of art; and metaphysical musings in satirical wrappings. The blurb on the cover announces that this book is "nice alternative to television"... and that is truth in advertising!

I ordered my copy of "Stark Plug Book(.com) directly from the creator at www.starkplugbook.com. To my surprise and joy, my package included several little bits of the merchandise that I thought was just humorous fictions on the amusing "classified ad" page I mentioned earlier. So--I was a proud owner of a Bernie the Banjo Bum guitar pick... until it went missing in my recent move. (At least I still have my sticker... and I still hold out hope that my Bernie guitar pick will resurface somewhere!)

Musical Monday with Queen

This month, it's 30 years since Queen released one of their great songs, along with one of their greatest videos in support. It's a surreal bit of film that focuses on Freddie Mercury singing and being weird, with the three other band members eventually joining in as things get REALLY strange.

The song and video feel like a light-hearted romp--and it's genuinely funny at times, in keeping with the lyrics--but it also manages to put a little attention on the very serious subject of mental illness. (The most telling moment in the video is when Mercury--the guy who says he has gone mad--tries to sit down next to friends on a couch--and they all move away. A spotlight being on him at that point is also a great touch.)

Please take a view minutes to check out this classic video and song, either to rediscover it or to experience it for the first time!

I'm Going Slightly Mad (1991)

Starring: 

Directors: Rudi Dolezal and Hannes Rossacher

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

(In writing "I'm Going Slightly Mad", Freddie Mercury reportedly took some inspiration from his deteriorating physical and mental state from his battle with the then-mysterious illness that would eventually come to be recognized as AIDS. I knew nothing of this when I fell in love with this song, way back when.)

Tom & Jerry's Spanish Twist

A Spanish Twist (1932)
Starring: Anonymous Voice Actors

Directors: John Foster and George Stallings

Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

World-travelers Tom & Jerry find themselves in Spain where they dance the flamenco and are forced to become bullfighters after committing a cultural faux pas.

"A Spanish Twist" is one of several "Tom & Jerry" cartoons where our heroes are in a foreign land and interacting with the people who live there, such as "Jungle Jam" and "A Swiss Trick". It's not only the best example of these, but it's among the very best of all the "Tom & Jerry" episodes.

As is the case with all the really strong installments in this series, we're treated to some nice music and some kooky animation to go along with it. Here, Tom & Jerry are first entertained by a flamenco dancer, then join in the dance, and ultimately start engaging in the sort of physically impossible antics are are also common features of the strongest episodes of the series.

The real strength of "A Spanish Twist" is with its unpredictability. From the opening scene--where Tom & Jerry adrift at sea on a raft and come under attack by a slingshot-wielding octopus--through the flamenco routine and onto the bizarre bullfighting sequence, there is a steady stream of strange and unpredictable gags that keeps viewers engaged because it's impossible to know what's going to come next.

The only flaws with "A Spanish Twist" are also ones that are common to the "Tom & Jerry" series--even the best installments. There are times where the characters are running around on completely blank surfaces with empty backgrounds, and the animators really needed to have put in at least the minimal effort of a few lines here and there. Also, the bullfight sequence just sort of sputters to a close after a hilarious opening and a crazy middle section. (I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by the weak close, as the bullfight is also where the animators stopped doing scenery. This appears to be another example of a fun bunch of ideas that are not property attached to a story.)

Speaking of the bullfight, when Tom & Jerry emerged into the arena dressed as matadors, I was fully expecting to be irritated by what was going to follow and that whatever amusement I'd felt up to this point would be completely overridden. If there's one thing I find it hard to see humor in, it's animal cruelty--like what is so rampant in bullfights. However, the bullfight here is so ridiculous that I couldn't help but chuckle at it.

Although the climactic fight sequence just sort of fizzles, "A Spanish Twist" still manages to close on a high note with a denouement and final joke that may be lost on modern viewers but which was probably very funny to audiences in 1932: Tom & Jerry hear that Prohibition has been lifted in the U.S., so they rush right home for a drink! (This ending is also, in a backdoor kind of way, gives character and motivation to Tom & Jerry like almost no other moment in the series has... the pair were so desperate for a stiff drink that they went globetrotting because the U.S. went dry.)

 As always with my reviews of "Tom & Jerry", you can check out the subject for yourself. Why don't you take a moment to enjoy yourself by clicking below?

And if you disagree with my take, please let the world know by leaving a comment to this post. Heck, you can even to that if you agree!

Fantastic Friday

There will never be another comic book family and their foes who will replace the Fantastic Four as my favorites. It's been awhile since I've posted an artistic tribute to them, but I fix that with a couple fantastic Fantastic Four drawings from Claudio Castellini!

The Avengers: The Master Minds

The Master Minds (1965)

Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Laurence Hardy, Bernard Archard, Patricia Haines, and Ian MacNaughton

Director: Peter Graham Scott

Rating; Nine of Ten Stars

After a cabinet minister (Hardy) is nearly killed while stealing state secrets, but claims to have no memory of attempting to do so, secret agents John Steed (Macnee) and Emma Peel (Rigg) discover his treason may be linked to his membership in RANSACK, a private club for people with exceptionally high IQs. 

"The Master Minds" is another great episode, with another clever script that deftly mixes humor and suspense, and, more importantly, makes the comic book universe within which John Steed and Mrs. Peel exist seem real. While trying to figure out what is causing elected officials and loyal government employees to turn traitor (and even murderous), they have to tread carefully because of the lurking political scandal. This sense of reality is further heightened by Steed behaving in a far more serious fashion than usual, with the scenes of Steed interacting with fellow employees of the Ministry and a government psychiatrist showing that Patick Macnee can bring an intensity to Steed that we rarely see. This more grounded, serious Steed brings a slightly darker atmosphere to this episode, and the grounding make the climactic scenes all the more intense. (All that said, it's also Steed's rebellious flippant approach to life that ends up saving him and Peel both, if in a somewhat roundabout way.)

Mrs. Peel's treatment "The Master Minds" is also interesting, as moreso than ever before, it's spelled out that she is the "total package" with even more brains than she has beauty and enough breeding to shut down lecherous men without causing a scene. In this episode, it's established that Mrs. Peel is not only smarter than Steed, but she is a literal genius. The test administered by RANSACK (which she passes easily) certifies her as such, and she even helps Steed cheat (and yet still has to falsify his results) for him to be considered for admission. 

This episode also keeps up the momentum until the very end, with an exciting and very creatively staged climax where we see Emma Peel and the mysterious figure who's using RANSACK as a vehicle to corrupt Great Britain's greatest minds in silhouette, behind a rear-projection screen upon which military footage is being shown. The only drawback is that nowhere near enough is done with this very interesting villain. In understand why the identity was kept secret until the end, but I feel like this is another one of those minor characters in "The Avengers" who deserved more screen time... and who should have made a reappearance in another episode or two.

It's St. Patty's Day!

 Since gender-flipping is all the rage these days, we here at Shades of Gray have turned St. Patrick into St. Patty. This majestic figure of revised legend stands ready to hook snakes, drop them in cages, and humanely relocate them to somewhere far away.

His nightmare is our entertainment

A Nightmare (1896)
Starring: Georges Melies and Jehanna d'Alcy
Director: Georges Melies
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A man (Melies) has a dream that starts out pleasant enough, but quickly turns frightening and bizarre.

At just a little more than one minute in length, "A Nightmare" still manages to deliver a ton of entertainment. Like most of special effects pioneer Georges Melies' early efforts, it moves at such a breakneck pace that if you blink you'll miss some of the magic and jokes. (And even if you're paying close attention--like some guy watching it with a mind toward perhaps writing a review--there's so much non-stop activity that you're likely to miss something. I, for example, didn't notice that the room changes more than once as the dream/nightmare unfolds until I captured an image for use with this piece.

If you're interested in film history, "A Nightmare" is not only a good time, but it's also a must-see. If you're familiar with Melies' work, either through posts here or from more reputable sources, you know that he commonly tells fantastic short stories where he uses his trick photography techniques to either transport his protagonist onto other words or into dreamscapes, or to cause supernatural forces to haunt them in mundane surroundings. As far as I can tell, this film was the first time he used dreams as a narrative device and it's also the basic template for many of the fantasy-oriented short films he made over the decade or so that followed.

You should take a (literal) minute to check out this great little film. It's quite well done, considering Melies was still developing his techniques. The only thing that could have made it better was a slightly different ending--I was hoping for one of the dream characters to show up and give a little twist... but I know that's not the approach they took back then: Normalcy was almost always restored by the end of any fantasy or horror film, (One VERY amusing detail is that when the version I watched was digitized, someone felt obligated to "protect" viewers from seeing Melies' shlong in his onesie, so they pixilated his crotch area. Hilariously, the eye is now drawn to his crotch now than it probably was before.)

Musical Monday with Justin Bieber

It's probably because I'm old, but I have never understood why Justin Bieber appeals to ANYONE. His music is lame, his public persona waffles between imbicilic and obnoxious, and when he grew that mustache he looked hilarious! But... he has things I don't have--like a ton of money, a ton of adoring fans (many of whom seem to tack -atic upon their fan-status), and a photo-model wife, fellow show-business lifer Hailey Bieber (formerly Baldwin).

In January of 2021, Bieber released a love song devoted to his wife Hailey. As is the case with almost every Justin Bieber song I've heard, I can't say I loved it. The video is also a curious one. I can't quit get a read on whether it's supposed to invoke home movies (which seems likely) or if it's supposed to give us the feeling that Bieber is observing the love of his life when she's not aware he's looking.

Whichever the case, Hailey Bieber is very photo model-y throughout, having a sultry/surly air about her that she'd rather be doing anything than what THIS is. There are some rare glimpses of her seeming natural and even smiling a bit, but, all in all, I think the video misses the mark a bit; Justin may love this more than anything and anyone, but she may not feel that way about him. (The fact it's shot in the desert Southwest of the U.S. also doesn't exactly scream "flourishing romance" to me.)

Although this Bieber/Bieber video stirred some nostalgic feelings in me about time I spent some time with a girlfriend in similar locations when I was in my 20s, I find the relationship portrayed in this similar-themed John Legend video and song ("All of Me") far more appealing.

Is there a Justin Bieber fan out there who can tell me what I'm missing when it comes to his popularity? And perhaps someone can even tell me if I'm offbase in how I view the music video below.

Anyone (2021)
Starring: Hailey Bieber
Director: Joe Termini
Rating: Five of Ten Stars

Ko-Ko and Cat Videos -- 1926 style!

It's the Cats (1926/1927)

Starring: Anonymous Voice Actor

Directors: Dave Fleischer and Max Fleisher

Rating: Five of Ten Stars

After the animation studio is closed for the night, Ko-Ko the Clown and his sidekick escape from an ink bottle to put on a variety show for local kittens.

"It's the Cats" is one of many short films from the Fleischer brothers that combines live action footage with animation that starred Ko-Ko the Clown. They were always framed with Ko-Ko emerging from an ink bottle and then eventually returning back to it. The series, and for a brief time the company that produced them, were known as Out of the Inkwell. 

The typical "Out of the Inkwell" short had Ko-Ko bringing the laws of the animated world into the real one, often while interacting with his animator. Here, the only interaction between film and animation happens at the very end when Ko-Ko and his puppy assistant let mice loose for the kittens to chase as the grand finale to their show. Otherwise, all we get are shots of kittens looking at cartoon posters and sitting in chairs, supposedly watching the escaped animations performing on stage. (The kittens do cross over from the real world into the animated ones, as Ko-Ko's theatre--except for the seating--is entirely animated.)

"It's the Cats" is the most disappointing Max Fleischer cartoon from the 1920s/early 1930s that I've watched so far. It opens with a series of repetitive gags involving Ko-Ko putting up posters advertising his show to the kittens. It the proceeds with a series of so-so animated vaudeville style performances, one of which drags on for too entirely too long--a hi-dive act with some amusing visuals but that manages to overstay its welcome--and another very short bit that still manages to grow unfunny due to some looped animation. If I understand the timeline of Max Fleischer's business correctly, this cartoon was made as it was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and had to be saved by an "angel investor" with whom neither Max or his brother Dave got along. The level of creative effort that went into making this one was probably not as high as the "Out of the Inkwell" installments the preceded it, so the overall outcome is a little lackluster. It's not bad exactly... it just pales in comparison to what came before, as well as much of what would follow in the early 1930s. (Oh... one nitpicky thing that bothered me were to toy cats used to fill chairs in the theatre. Did the Fleischers think the audience wouldn't notice?)

But you can watch "It's the Cats" below and form your own opinion--and I hope you'll share it if it's different than mine!

Trivia: There were two different versions of "It's the Cats" released. First, was a silent version in 1926. It was re-released the following year with a new title card (where the "savior" of Fleisher's operation got top billing) and synchronized music and sound. (Ko-Ko engages in some muttering that could charitably be described as spoken lines.)

The Avengers Dossier, Page Five

Continuing the mini-profiles of supporting players in Season Four episodes of "The Avengers":

ANDRE MORELL

In "Death at Bargain Prices", Andre Morell played Horatio Kane. He's an eccentric businessman who's grown embittered with society and who has withdrawn from public life and taken up residence on the top floor of a department store he owns. From here, he is overseeing his ultimate deal and money-making scheme.

Andre Morell was born in London, in 1909. He was a classically trained actress who began his professional career at the Old Vic in the early 1930s, and transitioned into television with parts in screen adaptions of classic novels and various other made-for-television movies during the late 1930s. For the next three decades, and into the 1970s, Morell was a fixture on British television, as well as a familiar face in big screen thrillers and horror films during the 1950s and 1960s from the legendary Hammer Films and other studios, His appearance along side Peter Cushing in "Cash on Demand" being a favorite here at Shades of Gray. 

Playing Horatio Kane in "Death at Bargain Prices" was Morell's second appearance on "The Avengers". He was also in the Season Three episode "The Death of a Batman" as a different character. 

Morell, who had started smoking at the age 14, passed away from lung cancer in 1978.