Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Mohammed Mondays to Return

With the butchering of Charb and nine other staffers by fanatic idol worshipers of the Prophet Mohammed, I've decided to reinstitute Mohammad Mondays, so long as I can find good cartoons to post.

Feel free to submit any you may create yourself. If I like them, I will post them. The email address is at the bottom of this blog.


The only response that those who have respect for the freedom of expression can possibly have when insane animals like these act out is to do MORE of the very thing they are trying to stop.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

In 2015, it's the 75th Anniversary of
'New Adventures of Frankenstein'

In1940, the first episode of writer/artist Dick Briefer's 'New Adventures ofFrankenstein' appeared. Historians mark it as the first continuing horror series in comic books, and it became Briefer's signature creation. He wrote and drew roughly 100 tales featuring the monster over a 15-year period that roughly coincided with the Golden age of Comics (from 1940 to 1954).

NUELOW Games is going to be publishing several collections of the best of Briefer's Frankenstein comics. I will be co-editing some, and will most likely be contributing some writing to each volume. I hope you'll join our celebration by checking some of them out.

The first NUELOW Games release of the year kicks off this 75th anniversary observation with "New Adventures of Frankenstein: The-Monster vs. Bulldog Denny." It collects the first four encounters between the Monster  and a victim of its evil who grew up to be its greatest and most tireless foe. Click here here see previews or to get your own copy.

Here are the splash pages from the stories in the book, so you can have an immediate peek at the great comics right here.



In additions to the new release, NUELOW Games has collected the very first tales of Briefer's Frankenstein. Click here to see previews or to get your own copy of that book.


http://www.rpgnow.com/product/142279/New-Adventures-of-Frankenstein-The-Monster-vs-Bulldog-Denny?affiliate_id=336296

Piper Laurie Bids You Welcome to 2015

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Friday, December 26, 2014

Reefer Madness! (What more needs to be said?)

Reefer Madness (aka "Tell Your Children", "The Burning Question," "Dope Addict", and "Love Madness") (1936)
Starring: Dave O'Brien, Dorothy Short, Kenneth Craig, Carleton Young, Lilian Miles, and Thelma White
Director: Louis Gasnier
Rating: Four of Ten Stars

A societal scourge is exposed through this cautionary tale where Bill (Craig) is framed for murdering his sister (Short) and a hood (Craig) is driven mad... all because of the evils of marijuana!


"Reefer Madness" is one of those Bad Movie Night mainstays that I have been avoiding for many years. Everyone had written about it, it didn't sound all that interesting to me, and there were so many other unseen films out there. A friend gave me the "Taboo Tales" DVD collection for Christmas, and since "Reefer Madness" is the first film on the first disc, I figured the time had come to watch it.

I found that it was neither as bad nor as unintentionally funny as I had been led to believe. For the most part, it's a ham-fisted melodrama that alternatively exaggerates and misrepresents marijuana and its effect on those who use it. It moves along at a steady steady while beating viewers over the head with its anti-drug message, never being exactly boring but never being all that engaging because the characters are mostly unlikable. It gets truly interesting only in those few scenes were it goes way over the top with caricatures of marijuana smokers. Like so many drug movies, I think this is probably funnier if you're stoned while watching it.

For me, the most interesting part of the film was that I only really grew to care about the fate of Ralph, an utterly despicable thug and rapist played by Dave O'Brien. I think this was because the character was being played by one actors with honest-to-God careers in the field, and because Ralph holds a more important place in the story than even the character we're supposed to care about--the poor kid who's life is being ruined by drugs, drug pushers, and drug users. I suppose the film really is more about Ralph than Bill, since Ralph's even the subject of the movie's greatest scene, in which he beats a person to death in a fit of marijuana-driven paranoia.

I wouldn't say this film is worth going out of your way for, nor even that you should start with it if you find yourself with it included in a DVD multi-pack. The Four rating I gave it is as low as it can be without being a Three, and it barely earns that on the back of my being entertained by Dave O'Brien's performance. I suppose the nicest thing I can say about it is that it's far better than the other Dwain Esper-involved film I've watched. But, like I said above, maybe it's funnier if you're high. I understand EVERYTHING is funnier if you're high.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas!

May Santa bring you the gift you want the most!


Although... I suppose Santa may be taking Peggy Dow *with* him, rather than leaving her there. So... if he doesn't leave you the gift you really want, I hope he at least doesn't steal your wife or girl friend! (Because that could happen. What man can complete with Santa Clause?! Other than Chuck Norris.)

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

... and Barbara Eden was trying to convince the Elf (and his drunk friends) to get back on the Shelf.


I hope Santa brings everyone reading this something cool this year! Merry Christmas to you!

Christmas is almost here!

Myrna Loy is helping Santa get ready by feeding the reindeers buns laced with Red Bull! Are you excited for Christmas yet?


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

All Santa's helper wants for Christmas is..

... a pair of pants.


Santa has told me that if NUELOW Games sells ten copies of A Christmas Box (a collection of roleplaying game material, fiction, and comics) that the royalties he's paid for the use of his name and likeness (as well as that of Mrs. Clause, their daughter Sugar Plum, and Rudolph the Reindeer) he will be able to afford to buy Penny a pair of pants.

So, there you have it. Get A Christmas Box--if not for yourself, then for Penny! Let the Christmas Spirit guide you to some off-beat Christmas fun (and some great comics).

(The collection contains 8 separate NUELOW Games releases, and you'll get them for half the price of what it would cost to get them individually. Click here for details.)

Monday, December 22, 2014

Are you excited yet?

There are only two days until Christmas Eve! (Santa's Helper Ann Miller would like everyone to know that she's happy getting sweaters and other articles of clothing for Christmas.)