My Seven Favorite Christmas Films/TV Specials

I like Christmas. The main reason I like it is the embracing of optimism and the recharging of your soul with Good Will Towards Others. So each year I enjoy watching the same classical movies and TV specials to help pump me up for dealing with the same old Evil we have to face everyday...which is probably true of all of you, too, right? In my Christmas circuit, though, I usually don't watch ALL of my choices every year; I usually skip a year. For example, I'll watch Grinch this year but not Frosty, then put Frosty back on the rotation circuit for next year. I'm sure some of you will disagree with my choices, but here in no particular order are My Magnificent Seven Christmas Films. 

Magnificent Seven: Seven Scary Films!

I'm taking this week off from doing my Academy Award Best Picture Reviews to help celebrate Halloween! And although Halloween in Hollywood usually means Horror Films, I want to expand on the theme a bit to write about scary films in general. Thrillers? Suspense? Horror? They are all here. And right up front I want to admit that my list will not match yours. For one thing, you won't find films such as Halloween or Friday The 13th on this list. To me these types of films are too formulaic, and what thrills that they have fade away with time. Sure, we remember the fisherman from I Know What You Did Last Summer. But watch that film again and the scares are pretty obvious, don't you agree? So here are my choices, films that have scared me half a dozen times or more, in chronological order, The Magnificent Seven Scary Films!

1. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The original Frankenstein, also directed by James Whale, is a classic "horror" film. However, if you watch it or most of the other classic Universal Monster films, they are not actually all that frightening. The Bride, however, features The Creature with an agenda. Boris Karloff is excellent as a pseudo-man who is looking for companionship,and he's willing to kill to get it. He threatens his creator, played by Colin Clive, as well as his creator's wife. There is a real sense that this Creature could cause incredible and immediate harm if provoked, so you had better watch out. The ending, with the iconically made-up Elsa Lancaster scared of her groom, is absolutely unforgettable.  
 

2. Psycho (1960)
The Bates Motel. Janet Leigh in the shower. Anthony Perkins as Norman. The music of Bernard Herrmann. Although (or perhaps because?) all of these have become pop cultural icons, some may argue that this is not a "scary" film. I say to you that this Alfred Hitchcock directed classic IS still scary. All you need to do to prove it is to watch it with someone who has not seen it before. I guarantee that you will realize how scary (and creepy) it is all over again by watching it through their eyes. 

3. Jaws (1975)
This was another one of those happy accidents that happen in motion pictures every once in awhile. Director Steven Spielberg had intended to show the shark in many more scenes than he ended up doing. He didn't because he couldn't! It turns out that the mechanical shark, named Bruce, kept breaking down. So he was replaced by yellow buoys and by staccato music. Result: fewer shark sightings = increased suspense = better frights = great movie. Has anyone ever seen this film and not be scared just a little bit when swimming in the ocean? It helps immensely that Everyman Roy Scheider represents the audience, and that he's scared out of his mind.

4. Alien (1979) 
One of the  more traditional "horror" films on my list, Alien is also one of the two science fiction films on my list. There are plenty of "alien invader" science fiction slash horror films out there, but most of them are not particularly scary. The great films The Day The Earth Stood Still and This Island Earth are both more similar to social commentaries than to horror films. It doesn't help that most of these films were made in the Fifties and Sixties. Alien, however, has modern special effects to go along with the disgusting invader. Sure, this film created what turned into an industry, but stick to the original. Cringe-worthy scenes abound. Also eye-coverings and gasps. In theatres, everyone can hear you scream. 

5. An American Werewolf In London (1981)
The most classically "horror" film on my list, it's a favorite. Werewolves, vampires, and zombies can be scary, but until this film was made the transformation make-up was mostly "stop-motion" or "off screen." I love Universal's The Wolf-Man, but it is more of a melodrama than a horror film, don't you think? This John Landis production shows us the wolf transformation in all its glory, and actually won an Academy Award for Best Make-Up (the first one ever given out!). However, after this film, and Alien before it, too many film-makers tried to go the other way and show us EVERYTHING. Films such as John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) for example would have been a better film if they had remembered "less is more," especially with the gore and gross out. An American Werewolf In London has its moments of gore, especially with the continuing-to-decompose Jack, but it still manages to strike just the right balance between technically cool and fantastically frightful.

6.  The Fly (original 1958, remake 1986)
This is the only double-entry on my list, and is the rarest of events in Hollywood: an original and a remake both being equally good, although in this case very different ways. Both tell the story of a scientist who is working on a matter transporter (or teleporter). Both scientists then try their inventions out on themselves, but inadvertently include a fly in the mix. In the original, the head and arm of the fly is exchanged with the scientist's body parts; in the remake, the DNA of the two creatures combine. The original stars Vincent Price is a rare sympathetic role (the scientist's brother) and the remake stars Jeff Goldblum. Both are great movies, and I haven't seen them in awhile. I think I'll go watch them this weekend!

7. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
I have chosen Silence... to represent all of the modern day "horror" films. You know, the ones about the psychological killers with axes, chainsaws, saws, ice picks, and whatever else they will use to terrorize you. And they are really out there. Hannibal Lector is a cartoon villain, but Buffalo Bill is unfortunately all-too realistic, and that is what makes this film so scary to watch. Come for the horror, stay for the Academy Award-winning performances of Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins.

Magnificent Seven: Legion of Super-Heroes

Today August 7th falls on Wednesday Comics here at Friends of Justice so that means it's time for another Magnificent Seven list about comics. I've already done The Avengers and The Justice League, so now I want to write about my third favorite comic team, the Legion of Super-Heroes.

It goes without saying that if you don't know the Legion of Super-Heroes, you probably shouldn't read this article. It will only make your head hurt. Or skip my build-up slash explanation and go directly to the list and see if you recognize these characters and if you agree with my choices.

Because, you see, the Legion isn't just a name. It's a LEGION of Super-Heroes. See that picture above, by Greg LaRoque and Larry Mahlstedt? All of those heads were members of the Legion at one time, and most of them at the *same* time. So I say again, if you're not at least a little bit familiar with the Legion, this article may confuse you. 

The idea behind The Magnificent Seven is that if an editorial edict came down mandating that only seven members could remain in the Legion of Super-Heroes, who would your choices be?

Of course, it's almost impossible to reduce the roster of the Legion of Super-Heroes to The Magnificent Seven level. And I am only taking in consideration the so-called "Original Team" that existed in continuity from 1958-1989, then again from 2007-2013. If you consider the Re-booted Team and the Three-Boot, there are literally hundreds of characters to choose from!

And I don't want to turn this into a "My Seven Favorite Legionnaires" article, either. I really want to think about which characters, put together as a team, would be the overall BEST Legion Away Team. So I decided to try to be more logical in my considerations. (Turns out that there's a little bit of Brainiac Five in me after all.)

Here's what I came up with.

The Legion is an institution: a club of super-heroes where to gain admittance you must show aptitude at one unique super-power. (This rule was waived for Superboy, Supergirl, Mon-El, and kind of for Ultra Boy.) Within the confines of this rule there are what I think are three types of characters: Power Houses, First Assault, and Supporters.

Power Houses: these are the characters mentioned above (Superboy, Mon-El, Ultra Boy, Supergirl) as well as Element Lad and Chameleon Boy. You have got to have a pretty high power-level to get through any of these individual heroes, let alone any pairing or group of them.

First Assault: These are the members with the most physical powers; those characters who shoot fire or ice such as Sun Boy or Polar Boy or who are more "in the trenches" types like Timber Wolf or Karate Kid. Most of the members fall into this category.

Supporters: These are the strategists or those members whose powers are not overtly physical. Dream Girl and Brainiac Five are the best examples of these characters, as they both appear "static" even when they are actually demonstrating their abilities.

Of course, some characters defy clear descriptions. For example, Blok is a living battering ram and shield, so is often physically in First Assault. However, he doesn't actually DO anything except stand there. His personality is not dynamic; definitely not one of a traditional leader. Likewise, members such as Bouncing Boy, Duo Damsel, and Matter-Eater Lad possess physical powers, but they are not always shown to be dynamic or out-going, depending on who is writing them. In my mind, they can fit well in either First Assault or Supporters. 

So with these divisions or definitions, I'm ready to explain who my core Legion team would include. In the order in which they joined the team, I would pick the following as The Magnificent Seven of the Legion of Super-Heroes: 

1. COSMIC BOY 
There's a reason his given name is "Rokk." More so than either of the other two founders, in my mind Cosmic Boy is the lynchpin or axis on which the whole Legion exists. He left his home planet in order to make money to support his family, and in doing so gained an even bigger one. He was the Legion's "Big Brother" (in a good way!) for years. This made it even more painful when his actual younger brother was killed in action. Besides his solid characterization, he has magnetic powers, and everybody knows how cool Magneto is. 
Highlights of his career: 
S/LSH  212, when he decides he loves "his girl" Night Girl, even though she isn't a Legionnaire;  LSH 297, where he nearly kills the terrorists who killed his mother

  

 2. LIGHTNING LAD
Almost from the beginning Garth Ranzz has been the emotional core of the Legion. He was the first member to die, sacrificing his life for the woman he loved. He was the first to come back, although he was gone for nearly ten issues, which in comics time is an eternity. I often wonder if the writers and editors were arguing over keeping him dead or bringing him back until they decided to bring him back. He finally returned in a story with another classic sacrifice. Then he was the first Legionnaire to be severely wounded, losing an arm in battle against The Moby Dick of Space. His arm was eventually regrown, but his nick-name as "the unluckiest Legionnaire" stuck. He was always the "emotional" one vis-a-vis his girl friend's calm demeanor and his best friend's level headedness. In LEGIONNAIRES THREE the Time Trapper believes that Lightning Lad is the "core" of the Legion. I'm not sure I agree with that, but in a very real sense he is the connection between the three founders, and the Legion could not have existed without them.
Speaking of Saturn Girl, I love her, BUT....I don't think she is as important to the Legion as her two co-founders are. We'll talk more about her at the end, I promise. 
Highlights of his career: 
ADVENTURE 304, where he sacrifices himself to save Saturn Girl; S/LSH 236 , where he and Imra vow their love for each other; LEGIONNAIRES THREE 1-4 where he is shown to be the "rock" that both Rokk and Imra lean on.

3. PHANTOM GIRL
Tinya Wazzo (great name!) was one of the first Support Legionnaires, and she is one of the best. Her ability to "phase" through objects, solidifying her fist in order to attack, is a great one. Like a real-life ghost, she can go almost anywhere and do almost anything. With her experience as a Senior Member (she is member #5) she has the tactical and leadership abilities many other members lack. She is also an important member of the Legion Espionage Squad, second only to Chameleon Boy in rank. Although she is most often portrayed as the "yin" to Ultra Boy's "yang," she is an experienced heroine who was most recently voted Leader of the Legion. And according to some, she is the over-all "hottest" Legionnaire.
Highlights of her career: 
S/LSH 220, where she over-rules the other (male) members and refuses to be black-mailed by slave traders; LSH 47, where she pulls rank on Dawnstar regarding mission protocol.

4. CHAMELEON BOY
Speaking of Cham, Reep Daggle is next on my list. I am not a huge fan of the Power House characters, which is why Superboy and Supergirl et al didn't make this list. And the Durlans are possibly the strongest alien race in the entire DCU (or just behind the Daxams, anyway). Think about how strong Marvel's Super-Skrull or DC's Amazo are, and how they are usually portrayed: they are bad-asses. Now take that same type of ability and give it to a cute orange-skinned alien, and you definitely have a power-house! However, he still has to breathe, and he can only change into one thing at a time. So I think he isn't TOO powerful. Chameleon Boy can become anything, from an Earthquake Beast to a Vornian Mole, and that is an ability you definitely want on your side. Plus, except for the time when he was the victim of an editor's unexpected plot device, he has always been portrayed as cool and level-headed. Amongst a team of leaders, he is the ultimate tactician.
Highlights of his career: 
ADVENTURE 376, where he meets and falls in love with a princess in another dimension; S/LSH 239, where his analytical mind solves the murder that had been blamed on Ultra Boy; The Universo Project (LSH 32-35), where he is shown to be one of the smartest Legionnaires.

5. ELEMENT LAD
The second Power House member I have chosen is Jan Arrah, the last of a race of alchemists. Element Lad can literally change lead into gold. Or into hydrogen. Or into Kryptonite. He can increase or decrease or otherwise move around the number and locations of neutrons, protons, and electrons of all matter instantly. So he changes the sides of an invader's space ship into oxygen, or he transmutes the invader's weapon into hydrogen. The best thing about Element Lad, however, is that because his entire race was exterminated by Space Pirates, he is a pacifist. He wants to stop violent aggressors, but he doesn't want to harm them. So in modern DCU lingo he is a mash-up of Batman (wounded child) and Firestorm (master of all elements). That's a pretty cool combination! Also, in many of his characterizations there is a slight under-current of homosexuality, which would be another "inclusive" item. During Paul Levitz' run he was shown with his girl friend basically said that he loved whomever he loved, and did not believe in marriage. That's a pretty interesting character to have around.
Highlights of his career: 
ADVENTURE 307, his debut and where we first learn his origin and motivations; S/LSH 211, where he confronts the murderer of his people; LSH 19, where he refuses to kill, preferring to die than murder a Sun-Eater creating warrior race.

6. SENSOR GIRL
Princess Projectra joined the Legion at the same time as Ferro Lad, Karate Kid, and Nemesis Kid. For years after this, she was the dullest and least developed of these four. However, once she finally became Queen Projectra she started coming into her own as a real super-heroine. Her illusions seemed stronger, as was her personality. Then came the attack of the Legion of Super-Villains on her home world; she became a widow and an executioner. When we saw her next she had increased abilities, but really she was just a pumped up version of her old self. She can manipulate others' senses, making them see, hear, and even feel things differently from what is real. She is almost like the ultimate Jedi Knight: "These are not the Science Police officers you are looking for." As a Legionnaire she is loaded with potential, not only for her powers but for her characterization, which is very much "the tragic responsibility of nobility." This isn't your average Legionnaire!
Highlights of her career:  
ADVENTURE 346, her debut and where she proves her worth as a Legionnaire; LSH 1-5, where she and her husband nearly single-handedly repel and invasion of their world; LSH 26, where we learn her new powers and motivations; LSH 31, where we get another glimpse of the very powerful "young Jeckie."

7. TELLUS
It took years for the Legion to add a non-humanoid member. There are hundreds of planets and races in the United Planets, and yet from 1958 until 1986 there were no "alien" super-heroes. The only members who even look like aliens are Chameleon Boy and Blok (although Shadow Lass is blue, and Brainiac Five is green). According to an interview with LSH writer Jim Shooter, he originally intended for Ferro Lad to be African-American; however, the editor didn't allow it, and the future had to wait ten more years before it was integrated. Worst yet, the Legion of this era never had more than one Black man as a member at a time! This doesn't sound like unity and international brotherhood to me. So after Tellus finally appeared he instantly became one of the visually appealing members; when Paul Levitz played up his naivete and "fish out of water" characterization I was hooked. Tellus has telekinetic abilities as well as telepathy, which means he is a very ugly version of Marvel's Marvel Girl! There are still plenty of stories to tell about how he has to get used to a bi-pod carbon-based lifeform world. Although none of my choices here are actually from Earth (Cosmic Boy was born on Earth, but he considers himself Braalian), I don't think the "immigrant" or "handicapped" (in the sense that society is not set up for him) storyline would work nearly as well with, say, Phantom Girl,  as it would with Tellus.
Highlights of his career:
LSH 14, his debut as a Legionnaire, where he shows off his innocence and his exuberance; LSH 23, where he helps rescue Mon-El from the Phantom Zone; LSH 25-26, where he is one of the members who must face down The New Fatal Five; LSH 46-49, where he is the first member to become suspicious of The Conspiracy.

So let's get back to where we started, namely with Saturn Girl. One of the reasons I did not pick Imra Ardeen is because her powers are so passive. I don't mean she's a light-weight; far from it! I just mean that she very much falls into that "background figure" type, overshadowed (literally) by Cosmic Boy and Lightning Lad. She was initially portrayed as an "ice maiden" who had to hide her feelings from the others because she actually cared too much, but this wasn't a very dynamic personality. Under Paul Levitz's tenure she did become a better, well-rounded character, but she just didn't make the cut.

Which leads me to my closing statement. Somehow I did manage to whittle hundreds of characters down to seven. Again, these are not necessarily my favorites, although I do admit that I always enjoy any story with any of these characters in it. However, it did kill me to cut out Shadow Lass and Saturn Girl, two I tried hard to keep in, and some of my other favorites that I just had to cut: Mon-El, Polar Boy, Sun Boy, Chemical King, and Wildfire.


If you are a fan of the Legion, I would love to hear what you think of my list. And if you are willing, let me know which seven would make YOUR Magnificent Seven.

LONG LIVE THE LEGION! 

The Magnificent Seven: The Justice League of America

If an editorial edict came down mandating that only seven members could remain in the Justice League of America, who would your choices be? Personally, I am not choosing any of the all-powerful members like Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Firestorm. Why? Because in my opinion none of them need to team-up with anybody else. If you can move a planet out of its orbit or alter a nuclear bomb into a daisy, you really don't need to team-up with anyone. Also, I haven't included Batman, who as a character works well with all the other super-heroes but as a team-mate doesn't bring anything that other characters wouldn't already cover.

The Magnificent Seven Justice League of America

in order of their original joining-up

AQUAMAN
I will probably get hate mail for this one, but let's face it: Aquaman has super-strength at a reasonable level (weaker than Wonder Woman but stronger than Batman), so if we want actual team-work to occur Aquaman is our guy. In his current series it's been shown that he is nearly bullet-proof and can also leap over buildings in single bounds. Personally, I would like to see him portrayed as similar to Marvel's Captain America or Namor the Sub-Mariner: no slouches in the power department. Besides, the Earth is mostly water. When aliens attack the oceans are going to have to be involved. Aquaman is in.

THE FLASH
Not only is The Flash fast enough to atten all meetings and fight all the bad guys and then still return to his secret identity with time to spare, Barry Allen (and then Wally West) were both fun personalities to have around. As long as he is not portrayed as extra-super-ultra fast so that he can do absolutely anything, he's a great character. And I don't know if it's just me, but I always thought The Flash was one of those characters who works better in a group than on his own.

GREEN LANTERN
I don't really care if it's Hal, John, Kyle, or even Guy; the Justice League needs a member of the Green Lantern Corps on its roster. They need the power and the window to all sorts of space opera that a cosmic policeman would bring to the series. As for which one to use; each of these characters brings something different to the group dynamic. I was a die-hard Hal Jordan fan for my first years, but in the past 20 years or so I've very thoroughly joined the John Stewart camp. Guy Gardner is better as an antagonist, and not really appropriate to The World's Greatest Super-Heroes.




















WONDER WOMAN
I would include Wonder Woman in the mix for some of the same reasons I included Aquaman: she is strong but not in Superman's range, so would logically need help from time to time. Similarly to the Flash she's a very dynamic and exciting character but somehow more interesting when playing with others rather than out on her own. I want to like Wonder Woman, but I just can't read her solo series. I love her on Super Friends and in the Justice League, however.

GREEN ARROW
Each group needs a bit of "personality," and as he has been portrayed for nearly 50 years Oliver Queen has personality to spare. Plus without spotlight-hog Batman around, he can also function as the "stand back and plan" tactician type guy. Because, really, an archer works best when he has his eyes on the overall situation, not leading the charge.

BLACK CANARY
Black Canary is one of the first "legacy" characters: her parents were crime-fighters and she grew up being watched over by their friends the Justice Society. She is an awesome hand-to-hand combatant, and her sonic powers (when handled correctly) are formidable. The fact that she's got long blonde hair and fishnet stockings in her costume is just a bonus.

HAWKWOMAN
The last spot is always the hardest to fill because each of the remaining candidates bring something different to the group, changing the dynamic of the series. If I went with The Atom the series would have more of a scientific slant. If I went with The Elongated Man stories would tend more towards the comedic side. If I went with Red Tornado, his ongoing effort to come to grips with his own type of humanity would definitely be part of the series. And if I chose Zatanna then the series would have a permanent link to sorcery. Obviously, in the end I chose Hawkwoman. Shayera Thol can lead the stories into both science fiction space opera as well as straight super-heroic action, and also into mysteries and horror. And instead of her husband, who could be a supporting character if the writer was so inclined, having Hawkwoman as a member gives us three female members in the group. Plus I would like to know if her political views are as conservative as her husband's; if so, she and Green Arrow can get into the same type of arguments that he and her husband used to get into.

Magnificent Seven: BATMAN Villains

Whether you love it or hate it you have to agree that the TV show BATMAN is a classic. There was never a show like it before it and there has never been a show quite like it since. Its impact on popular culture is almost unmeasurable. And one thing that I will always be thankful for is that it  succeeded at making super-hereos and super-villains cool. I mean, you tune in to watch Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin (and, later, Yvonne Craig as Batgirl) but you turn the channel if the villain is Van Johnson as The Minstrel (sorry, Greg!) or Liberace as Chandell. It was the Special Guest Villain who really made the episodes *fun*.

BATMAN premiered on ABC-TV on January 12, 1966. To help celebrate the anniversary of this TV classic, here is my list of Seven Greatest BATMAN Guest Villains and their best episodes.

1.  CATWOMAN (Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, Eartha Kitt)
Although the character was played by three different actresses (Newmar for the first two years, Meriwether in the BATMAN motion picture, Kitt in the third season) the villain was always well-written and all three actresses did a bang-up job in their portrayals. Julie Newmar, of course, was the first and many believe she was the best. Certainly she played the "innocent" well; at the beginning of episodes when she swore she had reformed, or at the end of those same episodes when she was cornered by Batman and pleaded that she wanted to go straight, you really wanted to believe her. Lee Meriwether did a great job in the motion picture, and could have kept the role if things had worked out. After Eartha Kitt was cast in the third season, the semi-romantic connection was played waaay down, probably because of the fact that Kitt was black and Adam West (Batman) was white. Evidently a caucasian crime fighter couldn't be seen falling for a black Catwoman on mainstream 60s television. Unfortunately, when that dynamic went away some of the charisma of the character went away, too. That's why Kitt's Catwoman is by far the most harsh and brittle of the three. She did play up the cat-like personality of the character instead, and her "purr" was purrrrrfect.  Kitt also got to play against Yvonne Craig as Batgirl, which was a fun "cat-fight" to watch.
Favorite Episodes: 
The Purfect Crime/Better Luck Next Time (#s 19 & 20)
Catwoman searches for the missing cat statues of Captain Manx; Batman must choose between "the lady or the tiger."

2. THE RIDDLER (Frank Gorshin)
The Riddler was the first villain to face Batman & Robin in their debut episodes; if the audience hadn't liked him they would not have tuned in for more. So really, The Riddler, as portrayed by Frank Gorshin, is also responsible for the success of the series. The producers must have known this, as he re-appeared more in the first season (4 times) than any other super-villain. The maniacal giggles of The Riddler presented the perfect juxta-position to the uber-seriousness of Adam West as Batman. In my opinion the second season suffered from him not appearing; John Astin tried to fill in as The Riddler in one story arc but did it badly and was not asked back, and in one story arc The Riddler was re-written as The Puzzler and portrayed charismatically but not wholly satisfactorily by Maurice Evans. The producers talked Gorshin into returning for one story in the third season, but although at the end of that episode he promises that he will be back, The Riddler never returned.
Favorite Episodes: 
Death In Slow Motion/Riddler's False Notion (#s 31 & 32)
The Riddler films a silent movie of his battles with Batman and Robin; Robin faces a buzz saw ala "the perils of Pauline."

3. KING TUT (Victor Buono) and
4. EGGHEAD (Vincent Price)
After the producers introduced the main villains from the BATMAN comic-books they started creating their own characters. Although most of them were totally forgettable (Art Carney as The Archer, anyone?), these two characters managed to beat the odds and secure a place in popular culture history. Partly it has to do with the actors hired to portray these bad guys; Victor Buono was an Academy Award nominated actor and Vincent Price was classically trained on Broadway. It might have helped that Buono was portraying a schizophrenic; King Tut was a professor of Egyptology at Gotham University until he gets hit on the head and turns into an evil genius. Vincent Price brought his horror film experience and/or presence to the role of Egghead, making him dastardly and just a bit dangerous even when played as bumbling. In his first appearance he used more than fifty "egg" words such as "egg-cellent" and "egg-straordinary," which made quite an impression. Of all the villains who made their debut in the second season, only Egghead and Shame (Cliff Robertson) came back.
Favorite King Tut Episode: 
I'll Be a Mummy's Uncle (#117)
King Tut actually figures out Batman's secret identity, but forgets it after another blow to the head.
Favorite Egghead Episodes:
An Egg Crows In Gotham/The Yegg Foes In Gotham (#s 47 & 48)
Egghead "steals" Gotham City, then attempts to transfer Bruce Wayne's knowledge to himself via a mind swap.

5. THE MAD HATTER (David Wayne)
The Mad Hatter was an obscure BATMAN comic-book villain who made his debut in the first season, then re-appeared once during the second season. He existed to steal hats, specifically hats from the jury that originally convicted him or, even better, Batman's cowl. David Wayne brought just the right amount of menace to the role; he was crazy, but also dangerous. Unfortunately, comparing his two appearances will give you a clear (and painful) understanding of how badly the show had gotten in just one year: the first episode was fresh and original; the second season story arc degenerated into a finale staged on a water tower.Yeah, I don't know why, either. Still, it would have been fun to see The Mad Hatter trying to go after Batgirl's cowl as well as Batman's.
Favorite Episode: 
The 13th Hat/Batman Stands Pat (#s 13 & 14)
Batman is encased in plaster when he tries to stop The Mad Hatter from kidnapping the jurors who had convicted him.

6. MR. FREEZE (George Sanders, Otto Preminger, Eli Wallach)
Like Catwoman, Mr. Freeze was a Batman comic-book super-villain who was portrayed by three different actors during the run of the series. The idea of a man who can not exist out-side of a sub-zero environment, armed with a freeze ray, was evidently too good to give up just because a certain actor was unavailable. The character was introduced in the first season by the Academy Award winning George Sanders, then re-introduced by famed director Otto Preminger in the second season. I'm not sure if Preminger was a pain in the ass to work with or if he was unavailable later (or both) but in this last appearance he was portrayed by Eli Wallach, following Preminger's Germanic accent instead of Sanders' British one. If only the producers had used him again in the third season instead of, say, Louie the Lilac (an annoying Milton Berle) perhaps there would have been a fourth season.
Favorite Episodes: 
Green Ice/Deep Freeze (#s 53 & 54)
Preminger makes a menacing Mr. Freeze as he tries to turn the Dynamic Duo into Frosty Freezies. 

7. THE PENGUIN (Burgess Meredith)
The Penguin appeared in more BATMAN episodes than any other villain (twenty). He shared the stage (literally) with more co-stars than any other: in the second and third seasons he teamed-up with such luminaries as Ethel Merman, Carolyn Jones, and Cesar Romero. Burgess Meredith, an Academy Award nominated actor, created the bird-like walk and the "quack-quack" sounds (to hide his cough because of the cigarettes), mixing these with the short-tempered personality and the silly looking pseudo-tuxedo to create a villain we all loved to hate.
Favorite Episode: 
Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin (# 95)
When the Penguin hits on the idea to marry Barbara Gordon in order to keep her father the Commissioner from persecuting him, he gets way more than he bargained for.

Least Favorite BATMAN Villain: THE JOKER 
Hands down this dubious distinction goes to Cesar Romero as The Joker. "The Clown Prince of Crime" is an aging Latino with a mustache? I don't think so! His hair is obviously a wig and his grin is obviously painted on. What's to like?! "Hahaha" indeed.

Favorite All-Around BATMAN Episode: 
The Entrancing Dr. Cassandra (#119)
This penultimate episode features Ida Lupino as the alchemist Dr. Cassandra, who armed with her invisibility pills plans on taking over Gotham City by freeing six other super-villains to help her. By this point the producers knew they might not return for a fourth season, AND they were running out of money, so they staged a fight sequence between Batman, Robin, and Batgirl and the bad guys in the dark (so that the invisible villains couldn't see the good guys, either). Irregardless of how stupid it might sound on paper, I will never forget the time I saw seven super-villains all on one show! Now, of course, I realize that the characters used (The Penguin, The Joker, Catwoman, The Riddler, King Tut, and Egghead) were played by the stunt-doubles and not the actual actors. But still, the scene is impressive. And by the way....the Catwoman was the Julie Newmar "looking" Catwoman, not the Eartha Kitt version. Haha!

Extra Special Musical Accompaniment
To end this celebration, here's the theme for the third season of episodes featuring Neil Hefti's brilliant theme and the awesomely updated animation featuring Batman, Robin, and....Batgirl!

 AND to end this...the often forgotten BATGIRL Theme by Billy Mays!

My Seven Favorite Christmas CDs

I like a lot of Christmas songs. I hate a lot of Christmas songs, too, but that's a topic for a different post. Today I'd like to tell you generally about the music I listen to (AFTER Thanksgiving), and specifically about the seven CDs in my collection I listen to more than the others.
Click on the hyper-links to go to youtube to see/hear the songs I am talking about!

In order of purchase, oldest to newest:

1. A Very Special Christmas
This is probably my favorite Christmas CD, for a few reasons. For one thing, it's my oldest. I had a few favorite albums as a kid, but those are long gone. As an adult, this was the first one I ever bought. Secondly, of the 15 songs on it they are all great, and I really like atleast 10 of them. Unfortunately, I've been buying this series for the past 25 years and most of the other CDs in this series can't meet that claim.  My second favorite in this series is probably #2, but the first is always the best.
Favorites: 
Do You Hear What I Hear? by Whitney Houston
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus by John Mellencamp
Baby Please Come Home by U2
Lump of Coal: 
Never liked Gabriel's Message by Sting or The Coventry Carol by Alison Moyet.

2. "Dreaming of a White Christmas" 24 Great Christmas Songs
I bought this while I lived in Japan. I got it through my office's Co-Op Sales, and I have never regretted it! Although the song titles are all in Japanese, the songs themselves are the originals. Besides Elvis, Nat "King" Cole, and the others on the CD cover you can see there is also Doris Day and Gene Autry.
Favorites: 
Blue Christmas and Here Comes Santa Claus by Elvis Presley
Christmas Song and Caroling Caroling by Nat "King" Cole
Lump of Coal: 
Mahalia Jackson bringing the gospel to Sweet Little Jesus Boy and Silent Night.

3. "I Want To Listen To Jazz" Christmas Album
This was part of Toshiba EMI's release of jazz standards by artists on their label. So here's Ella Fitzgerald, Nat "King" Cole, Lou Rawls, Jo Stafford, Duke Pearson, and Peggy Lee, to name just a few. Classics, all!
Favorites: 
Christmas Waltz by Nancy Wilson
Jingle Bells by Duke Pearson 
Lump of Coal: 
Only because I hate the song itself, O Tannenbaum by Nat "King" Cole
Not really a fan of Dean Martin's version of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, either

4. John Denver & The Muppets A Christmas Together
I bought this as a collection with some other now-forgotten CD at Costco or Sam's Club. This was the keeper. I remember watching this TV special years and years ago, but I don't think I ever had the actual album before finding this CD...
Favorites: 
Twelve Days of Christmas by everybody!
Have Yourself A Merry Christmas by Rolf and John
Christmas Is Coming by Robin, Fozzie, Gonzo, and Miss Piggy
Lump of Coal: 
The original compositions by John Denver, The Christmas Wish and Alfie/Carol For a Christmas Tree, don't stand the test of time. Skip 'em.

5. Santa's Top 10 Favorites 
I found this after calling up an FM radio station when I lived in Indiana and asking, "Who sings that Little Drummer Boy song you just played?" They told me it was the Harry Simeone Chorale, so I went on a search for it and found it on THIS album. As Christmas CDs go, this is a good one: short and sweet, with no absolute clunkers in the mix.   
Bought For: 
The Little Drummer Boy by Harry Simeone Chorale
Favorites: 
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland
A Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives
Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms
Lump of Coal: 
None, really, but if hard pressed I don't need another copy of Bing Crosby's White Christmas, and I'm not really a fan of Pat Boone's I'll Be Home For Christmas.

6. Casey Kasem presents All-Time Christmas Favorites
I always wanted a copy of Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano and Sleigh Ride by The Boston Pops. With this 2-CD set I had to buy 28 other songs to get them, but it was still worth it.
Bought for: Feliz Navidad, Sleigh Ride
Favorites: 
It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams
Frosty the Snowman by The Beach Boys
Lump of Coal: 
I hate Perry Como, so I can't stand his White Christmas. I had high hopes for The Twelve Days of Christmas by Harry Belafonte, but....no. 

 

7.The Music GLEE: The Christmas Album
The first is always the best. Although Lea Michele sings a bit too much here, all of the "group" songs are adorable. Only one mis-step, and you can skip over it easily.
Bought For: 
We Need A Little Christmas, Baby It's Cold Outside
Favorites: 
Deck The Rooftop, The Most Wonderful Day of the Year (The Misfit Toys' Theme)
Lump of Coal: 
You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Matthew Morrison. Mr. Shue, you are NOT Boris Karloff. Sorry!
Note: I couldn't find any actual GLEE videos on youtube, but I figured you know who/what they are, right?

Extra Special Added Attraction: 

My second favorite Christmas song, and one of my favorite versions: 

The Seven Scariest Super-Villains

Art by Alex Ross

BOO! 
THE SCARIEST SUPER-VILLAINS OF ALL TIME!

This being Halloween AND "Wednesday Comics" day, I figured I should tell you who *I* think are the seven scariest super-villains in comics. However, one quick note: I didn't include the Uber-Cosmic characters like Darkseid or Galactus. Yes, anybody who could show up and actually EAT Earth is pretty damn scary. Still, they are obviously "fantastic" characters and therefore not quite as scary as pseudo-real characters. For example, the shark in JAWS is infinitely more scary than Godzilla, right? Both menaces could actually get you if you enter into their reality, but one would require a step and one a whole leap to get there! Anyway, that's my logic and I'm sticking to it. Ready?!

art by Steve Ditko

7. THE GREEN GOBLIN
This is a character that has become scarier and scarier as his history has gotten longer and longer. At first he was just another weird Spider-Man villain, throwing pumpkin bombs on people while robbing banks. Then, as his back story was slowly revealed we learned that he was the father of Spider-Man's best friend. He was the victim of poison gas that made him into a schizophrenic. He was a sadist and a murderer. As we learned these things, THE GREEN GOBLIN went from being a guy in a goofy goblin costume to the one threat that Spider-Man had to stop. He was willing to hurt anyone to get to Spider-Man, including his own son. And in one of the greatest Spider-Man stories ever, he also killed Spider-Man's first girl-friend, Gwen Stacy. Now, his costume isn't so much goofy as it is chilling.

art by John Romita, Sr

art by Carmine Infantino

6. THE SCARECROW
Throw the loveable Ray Bolger "Scarecrow" image out the window, this Batman villain's main schtick is fear. He can make you fear anything, either something you really do fear or something he makes up for you. Which would be worse? He once made Superman afraid of flying, and Aquaman afraid of water. He once tried to cripple Batman by making him imagine that Robin had been killed. That's all pretty damn impressive. THE SCARECROW could read you like a cheap pulp novel and have you quivering on the floor whispering, "mommy!" in a minute. Don't mess with him.

art by Steve Lightle

5. THE FATAL FIVE 
Most super-villain groups fall into one of two categories: they are either made-up of established characters, such as The Legion of Doom on TV's SUPER FRIENDS, or they are made from whole-cloth as their own entity, such as The X-Men's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants or the Legion of Super-Heroes' greatest foes, THE FATAL FIVE. They were accidentally put together by the Legion to help them defeat a menace they could not handle alone; once the menace went away, THE FIVE did not. Tharok, the evil cyborg, is the leader. Emerald Empress is like an evil and fashion-conscious Green Lantern. The Persuader owns an atomic axe that can cut through anything. Mano wields the touch of death; he destroyed his entire home-planet because he hated them so. Validus is a giant hulk of a creature who can also shoot electrical blasts out of his brain. Each of these characters are bad-asses in their own right; banded together, the fear level is FIVE and climbing.

art by Scott Kollins

4. GORILLA GRODD
When I was a kid, I made up comic-book stories. One of my stories featured a group I called "The League of Fear." It featured characters like The Lizard, The Tarantula, Two-Face, THE SCARECROW, and this guy. He's a gorilla. Have you seen gorillas? They are f'ing HUGE. Go to a zoo and just imagine one of them getting loose. That's enough to make most people pee in their pants right there. Then make this escaped gorilla into GRODD, who has mental telepathy that puts Martian Manhunter or Saturn Girl to shame. Oh, and he has an ego the size of Africa and he thinks he's much better than us silly humans. Put it all together and we are talking absolute fear! Come on, I ask you: what is scarier than a gorilla smarter than you are?!  

art by George Perez

3. ULTRON
There are several robotic villains who are out to destroy mankind; DC's BRAINIAC comes to mind. BRAINIAC would have made this list, but his green android look had him sporting short-shorts, not the most fear-inducing clothing (unless they are worn by grossly obese people), while his later mechanical look always conjured up images of him as a SUPER POWER action figure, so...minus points for that. Besides,  no robotic villain has been shown to have the heartlessness, the ruthlessness, the sheer cold-bloodedness of Marvel's ULTRON. He has come very close to wiping out all of humanity on several occasions. It's only the power and team-work of The Avengers who keep the rest of us safe. ULTRON would destroy you in a heart-beat....yours, not his, because he doesn't have one.... so stay waaay clear of him.

Artist unknown

2. THE RED SKULL
First, his appearance is one of the creepiest you could possibly imagine. The recent CAPTAIN AMERICA film got that look right; he was down-right scary. Second, he's a Nazi. Nazis are scary; that should go without saying. And Third, he's a megalomaniac scientific genius. That can't be good. Not only has he tried to destroy the majority of the world on several occasions, THE RED SKULL has also turned Cap against his partner, The Falcon, and has killed or tried to kill the people around Cap for years. Not a nice guy (see: reference above about him being a Nazi, d'uh!)

art by Marshall Rogers

1. THE JOKER
Probably no one is surprised to see THE JOKER on this list. I mean, he was portrayed so menacingly in the recent DARK KNIGHT RETURNS movie by Heath Ledger. His over-the-top never-can-trust-him character trait is what makes THE JOKER one of the scariest villains out there. Let me try to explain it from the point of view of one of his henchmen: you get out of the pen, you need a job, you show up at the henchmen temp agency and instead of getting somebody safe like Mirror Master or The Penguin, you're told that THE JOKER is looking for people. Yikes! This is the guy who kills his henchmen like other people kill flies. In several of his appearances THE JOKER murders people simply because they are in his way. Yeah, if you are un-lucky enough to ever meet this guy, pray you survive.

art by Neal Adams