'Loydster's Ramblings'---- Episode FOUR!

 

Believe it or NOT---- life has been just reasonably sane enough, that the 'ol Loydster has managed to put together a brand-spankin'-NEW episode of 'audio-nonsense'! In this FIRST 'fresh content' show, I'll address the question---that all of possibly 1 or 2 of you may even care about!  AND---that is-----

Some notes about the episode--- before we dive off into the usual SHAMELESS-geekiness!----

 For those of you who may not be steeped in the history of the 'Caped Crusader', Bill Finger (who I refer to early in the show!) was pretty much the co-creator of 'ol Bats. He didn't get that 'co-creator' credit, 'til 2017-------OVER 40 YEARS after his death! That's just a low-down-dirty shame, to say the least! 

The character would've been VERY different, if not for Mr. Finger! He also probably wouldn't have lasted much past his first appearance!

When blabbing about the 'Marvel movies', I neglected to mention the recent 'Spidey' films, staring Tom Holland! They are modern super hero CLASSICS in their own right, and I regret the out-right GOOF of not giving them some recognition! The most recent film----'...No Way Home', was a REAL gift (it DID come out smack in the middle of the Holidays, after all!) to those of us, who are fans of ALL of the 'Spider-flicks'!

Also, speaking of 'Marvel' flicks--- there ARE some that I've seen, that I didn't much care for! The 'Guardians of the Galaxy'  films didn't do too much for me! I also haven't even bothered checking out 'Captain Marvel', 'The Eternals' or even 'Shang Chi'. They're just characters I can't seem to get too excited about. (despite, in the case of 'The Eternals' anyway-- the characters being created by Jack 'King' Kirby!) 

Truth is, the 'movie-versions' of characters that I really DIG from 'the house of ideas', have already been done, and done REALLY well, I might add! Now--- IF the announced upcoming 'Fantastic Four' flick is done with the SAME kind of care & creativity, as the flicks I yack about in this here episode--- I'll be up for checking that one out!

Near the end of the episode, while referring to the 'Batman Adventures' comics, I neglected to mention the LONGEST-running of  ALL those titles! 'Batman: Gotham Adventures' lasted for 60 issues, and--- here's where Loydster shows what a complete and utterly-forgetful DOOFUS  he is--- I actually have EVERY single issue of that series!  Like they say.... the memory is the FIRST to go!

That's PLENTY of rattling on about my over-sights and foul-ups! On with the show! just do the usual 'pointing-and-clicking' on the link below, to open up this month's 'assault-on-your-ears-and-brain'!---

                                             

                                                              The FIRST 'brand-spanking-new-content' episode!

For those wondering just WHAT to get me on my B-day!

 

 

Attention: to all of the long-lost, CRAZY-wealthy relatives I may have out there (as of yet, NONE have came forward!)! Here's a couple of items that, while WILDLY-outrageously-expensive--- would make me VERY happy! Until, that is.... I'd have to figure out just WHERE I'd display them / store them! (storage would HAVE to be the solution at the moment--- since the 'Man-Cave's dismantling back in January of last year!)

AND--- aren't those folks at 'Sideshow' toys SO helpful? They even have these NIFTY videos, that educate (the more well-off) hard-core GEEK-A-ZOIDS in how to put one of these items together! Not to mention, they also cause us 'working-class-paycheck-to-paycheck' - types to just DROOL! AND-- wish we had a LOT more of that ALIEN-concept to us--- known as 'disposable income'!!!----

Just keeping those day-dreams alive everybody! Oh--- and if you ARE one of those CRAZY-wealthy, long-lost relatives I mentioned? You've got PLENTY of time 'til my next B-day! It's not until late JUNE! See you next time everyone!

Loyd's BONUS video-clip(s)!!--- # 42!!-- A couple of VERY wicked pony-cars!

 

If you've been checking in with ANY kind of regularity to this here little teensy-weensy corner of the web--- you'll KNOW without a doubt, that 'ol Loydster has a thing about the Ford Mustang! BOTH classic / vintage models, as well as the newer models. Just scroll back through the earlier posts here if you need a reminder of just HOW geeked-out I really am, about Ford's little Pony-car!

While recently cruising around on Youtube, I happened across these SUPER-neat-o videos! They focus  on a couple of VERY impressive 'Stangs! The one featuring a replica of the beast from the 2000 version of  'Gone in 60 Seconds', ('so-so' movie, CLASSIC car!) had me DROOLING! Then... I stumbled across the one showing off the 2017 Shelby Super Snake 'wide body'! Needless to say, the DROOLING continued!---

'Loydster's Ramblings'----- Episode THREE!

 

SO---- The 'audio-MADNESS' continues! The (HOPEFULLY) ongoing pod-cast series, of my 'random-ramblings', usually (OF COURSE) skewing toward the 'GEEK-TASTIC'! This here third episode, (also the third in a 'series-within-a-series'! Collect'em  ALL!) will be the last of the ones that I've stitched-together out of old recordings, originally sent to my life-long bud, Mr. Jeff Arnold.

It was SURE fun (though a bit challenging, I'll admit!) gathering up and editing together this material! Hopefully those of you who have stopped by and gave a listen to it all so far, have gotten some entertainment / grins-and-giggles from the episodes at least! By roughly this time next month---again, hopefully-- I plan on posting up '...Ramblings' episodes with 'fresh' content! 

Life here at 'Supreme Ferrell Crime-fighting Headquarters' has been a bit of a roller-coaster ride lately! So let's all just cross our fingers---or, BETTER YET--- say a prayer or two-- that I'll be able to make it happen from month-to-month! Hey, if it makes just ONE of you out there smile a little, or brings happy thoughts to mind for a few of you--- it'll be worth all of the effort!

Just like the previous two 'Scatter Shot' episodes--- this one has me scrambling verbally, ALL-OVER the place!---  

1.      A couple of years back, my buddy Jeff had sent me a copy he'd found, of the 'directors cut' version of John Wayne's 'The Alamo' on DVD. This version--previously only available on laser-disc (AND-- shown on 'Turner Classic Movies' a handful of times)--- was something I'd wanted to get my hands for AGES! So, I was REALLY excited to get my greedy little paws on ANY sort of copy of it! 

So excited, in fact, that I put together my own CUSTOM DVD package / case for it! This segment, is pretty much me yakking-away about how I put it all together! Below are some pics of how it turned out! I'm STILL pretty proud of it!----

2.    Some thoughts and commentary, on the 'Beatles, the only authorized biography' book, by Hunter Davies. Yes, I KNOW it was written DECADES before the later 'Fab-Four' book by Davies ('The Beatles: Lyrics')! It's just the way I ended up reading the two books. Read the '....Lyrics' book, then heard about the '....Authorized bio' book later! Just as I very much DUG the '....Lyrics' book, I also DUG the '....Authorized...' book! If you're a Beatles fan, it's another one you NEED to add to your collection! As good 'ol Stan (the MAN) Lee would say--- 'Nuff said!

3.     The story of how I was 'rewarded' with an 'ULTRA-cheap' (as in darn-near FREE!) DVD-copy of 'The Maltese Falcon'! One of my ALL-TIME favorite Bogart flicks! The VHS-copy of which, by the way---had been CHEWED-UP by a junky VCR years earlier! Check-out the nearly identical disc-package art, along with the (reproduction) movie poster I snagged a year or so back. Just one of those little goof-ball incidents, that are still kinda cool!---

4.    A quick comment on LOUD / 'bumping' / heavy-bass in car-stereos! Something that just BUGS me!

5.    Thoughts on digging up comics-collections / trade paperbacks (like the 'Marvel Essentials' in particular!), for CHEAP on E-bay!

6.     The story of what happened to the young 'high-school-aged' Loydster, when he put TOO MUCH air into one of his Bicycle tires!

7.     Thoughts on the passing of Sci-Fi writer / 'Star Trek' scripter, D.C. Fontana.

8.      Comments and thoughts about Golden Age / early Silver Age Superman and Batman stories---in particular, 'World's Finest'. As well as discussing my collection of reprints of some of that material.

9.      Some blabbing-on, about my customizing a former coffee-mug, into a 'mini-bust' of  a certain 'Caped Crusader'! I've featured it here on the blog in the past, but in case any of you MAY have forgotten the item in question, here's a few pics!---

'Before' 

'After'

10.      A brief comment or two, on customizing 'toy-Bat-rides'!

11.      Some thoughts on passages of scripture in the Bible, that STILL inspire me.

That's all the blibby-blabbin' in this month's 'Scatter-Shot' episode, gang! As always, you can click on the link below the 'old-school' broadcast-mic 'down yonder', to either listen to it online, or down-load it! 

Hope all of you are well and happy out there! See you sometime next month!----

                                                                             The 3rd 'Scatter-Shot' episode!

LEGENDS of logos and lettering!

Being something of an amateur comics creator in my dim-and-distant past (I haven't picked-up a pencil to do any SERIOUS drawing in at least 15 years!---that would qualify as pretty 'dim-and-distant', right?), as well as something of a (VERY) amateur letterer and sign-painter (I have picked up a few nickels and dimes here and there for creating signs, posters and such!)-- I have ALWAYS had a fairly keen interest in the somewhat (I think anyway!) over-looked and underappreciated craft of comic book lettering and logo design.

Also though, as is USUALLY the case with the 'Ol Loydster--- I'm a little slow to really start delving into the history and background of stuff! Sometimes, it's even stuff I REALLY dig and groove on! It's only been in the last few years (PERFECT example!), that I've really started doing any REAL research and digging around, into this aspect of comic book creation and craftsmanship! 

God bless nifty magazines like 'Alter Ego', 'Back Issue', 'Comic Book Creator'--- as well as other mags that are no longer around, such as 'Comics Buyer's Guide', and 'Comic Book Artist'--- for really lighting up my interest in comics-creators and comics history! Also, all the historians and 'uber-geeks', that've kept that history alive in not only magazines, but web resources as well. Folks like Mark Evanier, Michael Uslan and many others. More about that---down near the bottom, before I wrap-up this post!

Like just about EVERYTHING that I post in this here blog-a-wog-a-wang-dang-doodle, comic logos and lettering relates to something that I'm DEEPLY (and with NO shame whatsoever, by the way!) geeked-out about! Not to mention it ALSO relates to countless childhood memories, that just make me smile!  

That would be checking out the old 'spinner-racks' of comics! They used to be a common fixture, at just about every grocery store, convenience store, drug store, candy and gift shop, back in the ancient times (also known as the 70s and 80s!) of my 'growing-up' years. If you're 'of a certain age' (meaning you've got gray in the 'ol whiskers, like ME!) you'll recognize & remember these!----

On those racks, the MOST visible thing--- as you would turn them (they were usually BADLY in need of lubrication! They nearly ALL creaked and squeaked as you'd turn them!)-- were the logos on the covers of the various comics. Oh how MANY very cool logos there were in those days too! I just want to take a look at some of the craftsmen that were responsible for creating so much of those eye-catching logos! As well as SO much of the lettering (not-to-mention a lot of the ads!) that was inside those comics, that fueled the 'little Loydster's imagination.

For starters, how about a couple of the most influential and prolific 'logos-and-lettering' pros of ALL-TIME! Ira Schnapp and Gaspar Saladino.----

Mr. Ira Schnapp (the guy on the left up there, in a pic taken probably in the early 60s!) was pretty much there at the very start of the comics industry. Before landing in comics, he was already a graphic artist supreme! Doing movie posters and title designs for theaters back in the silent era. He even had a hand in coming up with the lay-out of the 'ancient-roman-styled' lettering that adorned a number of historical buildings around New York city!

Perhaps his earliest achievement in comics though, was the redesign of the 'Superman' logo, around 1940. A design that was SO good--- it's STILL pretty much the logo that we see even today. He was the main logo & cover-lettering guy at DC Comics, up until the mid-60s. He also handled all of their 'house ads' (the ads in comics, promoting OTHER comics!) Check out just a FEW samples of his handiwork, mostly from the 'Silver Age' (late 50s-mid-60s) of comics.-----

You've  GOT to admit--- the logos above would DEFINITELY grab your eye at the 'ol spinner-rack, back in the day! The DC company logo is the ONLY element on them that's constant! Each of the logos are TRULY unique, truly one-of-a-kind! Mr. Schnapp passed away in 1969.

The next 'logo-lettering-legend' I want to turn the spot-light on, is Mr. Gaspar Saladino (the gentleman in the right-hand pic above!). Known to many comic-art fans simply as 'Gaspar'. I didn't even realize the guy had a last name! Actually, I figured it was---forgive the SORRY pun--a 'pen name' he used! It wasn't 'til just a handful of years ago, that I found out that was simply how he was identified in the credits of most of the comics he worked on. Guess it fit better into the credit-boxes! 

A somewhat younger contemporary of Mr. Schanpp, Mr. Saladino took over as the DC Comics logo / lettering / house ads guy around the mid-to-late 60s. He also was a regular lettering WORK-HORSE, lettering thousands of comics pages throughout his LONG career! He REALLY took a number of the cover logos to the next-level of COOLNESS! Starting in the late 60s, and on through a good chunk of the 70s-- he also freelanced for Marvel Comics, bringing that same 'coolness-factor', to a number of their cover-logos! As with the samples of Mr. Schnapps work, this is a just small sampling of Gaspar's output!--- 

 

Amazingly, Gaspar was a steady comics fixture, for nearly 4 decades! He retired in the early 2000s, passing away at the age of 88, in 2016. Like his predecessor, he left a comics-legacy that's STILL visible! The 'Avengers' logo used in the 'Marvel movies' of recent years, is pretty much based on his design from nearly 50 years ago!

While my focus has been 'zoomed-in' on mostly Mr. Schnapp and Mr. Saladino, I can't really finish-off this post, without an 'honorable mentions' section! Here's some other outstanding craftsmen of the logo-and-lettering trade. 

Forgive the poor quality of most of the pics of these gentlemen! Being truly 'behind the scenes'-type pros (not to mention humble, everyday-working-for-a-living type of guys!), They just didn't 'pose on the red-carpet' for pics! What little amount of photos DO exist of them, are informal snap-shots, and grainy images from old magazines! There just isn't very many decent photos of a number of them around!----

One of two brothers, who worked primarily at Marvel Comics---for MANY years! From the late 40s-- all the way up until the 80s! He also was an artist, working on mainly romance comics, over at DC Comics--in the 60s and 70s. He passed away in 2009.

Like his brother Joe, Sam Rosen worked primarily at Marvel Comics. Working there from at least the early 50s, up through the early 70s. He was in on the 'ground floor' of the 'Marvel Age'--- lettering many of the earliest 'building blocks' of the Marvel Universe. ('Thor', 'Captain America', 'Fantastic Four', 'Spider-man', etc....) He left comics in the early 70s, passing away in 1992.

Another 'Marvel work-horse'! Mr. Simek was a lettering wizard at the 'House of Ideas' for close to 4 decades! He passed away in 1975.

Not ONLY was Mr. Oda a comic book work-horse, he also worked for MANY years as a comic-strip letterer too! Starting his career during World War two, he was responsible for lettering such strips as 'Flash Gordon', 'The Phantom' and 'Prince Valiant'. He lettered thousands of pages for DC Comics over the decades, right up 'til his passing at the age of 68, in 1984.

Coming into comics in the mid-60s, John Costanza was a Marvel Comics letterer for a good chunk of the 70s. Working on many of their flagship titles. He was also an accomplished artist, drawing a number of 'Funny animal' books (including titles featuring the 'Looney Tunes' characters) for other publishers. In the 90s, he also drew books featuring characters from 'The Simpsons'! Truly a 'comics renaissance man'! I don't know WHY I continue to refer to him in the 'past tense', being that he's STILL with us!

Mr. Workman entered the comics field in the early 70s, and became yet another Marvel Comics mainstay-lettering-and-logo guy. He was a long time 'go-to' letterer in a number of comics drawn by writer / artist Walt Simonson--- most notably on 'Thor'. He too, is still with us!

Not ONLY is Mr. Klein an accomplished / technically-gifted letterer (he was one of the first to utilize digital lettering, in the early 90s!), first entering the field in the mid-70s---- he's also something of an historian of the craft of comics-lettering itself! His ten-part series (posted-up at his blog) on the above-mentioned Ira Schnapp, is MUST-reading!

To wrap-up this here post, I'd like to give a hearty-shout out, once again--- to all of the history-of-the-comics-medium EXPERTS! Thanks and SERIOUS props to each and every one of you fine folks! You're doing your best to keep the spot-light on ALL of those fine craftsmen--- who for WAY too many years, slogged-away at their jobs being TOTALLY anonymous! OR-- at the very least, overlooked and just not appreciated enough!

Special thanks (again!) To Mr. Mark Evanier, and Mr. Todd Klein. I shamelessly raided their respective corners of the web, for a good chunk of the info in this post! It's folks that are TRULY fans of ALL things comics (meaning the creators, as well as the characters / comic books!) that keep HUGE chunks of the medium's history from being lost forever! Thanks, and MUCH appreciation, gentlemen!

See you around the end of the month, gang! 'SAME Bat-time, SAME Bat-channel'!!!

'Loydster's Ramblings'---- Episode TWO!

 

Whether the world-wide-web--- or at least this TEENSY-WEENSY little corner of it, anyway--is ready for it or NOT! --- Another episode of 'Loydster's Ramblings' has arrived!

Just a quick re-cap of what I related in last month's post, about these little collections of 'audio-insanity'!--- The first 3 episodes (of what I hope to be an ongoing series of pod-casts!), are a true 'scatter-shot' collection of comments and thoughts, that are pretty much all-over the place. Me being the shameless GOOF-BALL / GEEK-A-ZOID that I am though, it's MOSTLY geek-tastic material that's covered! Hopefully, by early spring--- I'll be bringing you 'fresh-content' episodes!

I also pretty much covered exactly where I'd gathered-up the material that I cobbled together last time too! So I'll spare you all a rerun of that little 'history lesson'! 

I do want to give a quick shout-out to one of the folks who kind of inspired me to dive off into this little effort, though. My niece, Ashley! She simply told me--'Hey uncle Loyd, you REALLY should be doing a pod-cast! It would be a PERFECT fit for somebody like you!' Thanks again girl! You planted the seed that all of this has grown from! 

Much like last time, we take a peek into the noisy little spinning-gears inside the Loydster's OVER-SIZED noggin! Commenting / sharing thoughts--on a number of subjects!---

1.    The NOT-so-glorious history of my teen-aged / young-adult 'love-life'! This is edited WAY down from a couple of different recordings. My old buddy, Jeff and I, shared with each other-- over a series of messages back & forth---stories of 'discovering the opposite sex', as well as our past aches and pains with 'young love', in our younger years! Painful and clumsy when we were kids, pretty amusing / funny stuff now!

The names and a good CHUNK of personal details have been edited out! But... the main idea of the story is STILL there! I finally REALLY DID learn to relax, and let the good LORD 'take over the steering-wheel' of my 'love-life'! Hey, the wifey and I are STILL married----after nearly 32 YEARS! Not because of any kind of 'blind-or-dumb' luck either, I can tell you! 

2.    A pretty lengthy discussion of both the classic western EPIC, 'How the West Was Won', as well as the filming process known as 'Cinerama'. One of my ALL-TIME favorite films. And-- the 'Cinerama' process-- is just a historical 'oddity' that's ALWAYS been interesting to me!

3.    A quick little comment, on a 'Hot Wheels display shelf', that another old Buddy, Mr. Warren McArthur---helped me put together! Warren passed away nearly 20 years ago---hard to believe! (at the all-TOO-YOUNG age of only 52!) I still think about him often, and it's ALWAYS happy thoughts and memories that come to mind when I do!

4.     Another quick comment / story! This time about letting my impatience with gadgets and technology get the best of me! This particular little tantrum, caused me to BREAK one of the FIRST lap-tops we ever had!

5.      Discussing the book: 'The Beatles: Lyrics', by Hunter Davies. A very interesting, informative book! If you dig on the Beatles and their music (like you-know-who!) You NEED to read this book!

6.    Having some fun-and-giggles, at the expense of one of  my ALL-TIME favorite actors---Mr. William Shatner! Even though I'm GOOFING on him quite a bit in this little segment, he TRULY is one of my childhood HEROES! None of my comments are meant to be 'mean-spirited' in any way!

And that's the contents of this 2nd in the series (collect'em ALL folks!) of  'Loydster-audio-nonsense'! Click on the link below the 'vintage mic' image, and either give it a listen on-line---OR--down-load it! (IF you're THAT much of a glutton for punishment, that is!)---

                                                                            The SECOND 'Scatter-Shot' episode!

                           See you early next month, gang! 'LATER.... at the HALL of Justice'!!!!