'Loydster's Ramblings' ---- Episode 8!!!

 

Yet ANOTHER month's ZIPPED nearly past--- and ready or not!!--- another episode of crunchy-GEEKY-goodness, featuring yours truly yakking about stuff he's all NERDY about! This time, I'm rattling on about pretty much my all-time FAVORITE set of crime-fighting-wheels! There MAY even be one or two of you out there, who are asking the BURNING question---

Before we dive off into the handy-dandy link-to-the-blab-session down below--- here's a few images that relate to what the 'ol Loydster's yammering about!---

 

T-shirts featuring the Caped Crusader's trusty steed, and License plate-frames that show-off my SHAMELESS love for that certain 'Bat-themed vehicle'! (NO-- I don't REALLY own another car that's a Batmobile! But MAN--- that would INDEED be cool if I somehow---magically---were able to, wouldn't it?!?!)

There were actually TWO Batmobiles in the 'Batman' comics of the early '60s. The 1964 version, was of course, designed / drawn by the legendary carmine Infantino (It's got kind-of a 'Jaguar' groove to it! Pretty COOL!).
Then, there's the unfortunate-looking BEAST on the right above, that I talk about in this episode! Poor 'Shelly' Moldoff--- he was alright, as a penciller of the adventures of the Dynamic Duo for MANY years! BUT--- a 'Batmobile-design-genius'? NOT exactly! (Sorry Mr. Moldoff!)

The animation-- up near the top of this here post ---on the episode's title-card, pretty much let's you KNOW that there's NO secret, as to just WHICH 'bat-ride' is my ALL-TIME favorite! Most fans of the '66 car, know that it started out as the 'Futura' concept car. The above pics (just like I blab about in the episode!) ---show how the car went from 'dream-car', to 'crime-fighter'!

Another 'fun-fact'--- Ford motor company let George Barris have this one-of-a-kind car (the 'Futura', that is!) ... for ONE DOLLAR! Truly unbelievable (BUT---it's TRUE!) !

AND---- here's the 'runner's up' / honorable mentions-list of 'Bat-rides'! Although, as I say in the episode, I'm not a big fan of the 'Tumbler-Batmobile's design / appearance--- I still can appreciate the the AMAZING amount of engineering and thought that went into it's creation!

The WILD 'Bat-pod' (that CRAZY two-wheeled beast from the 'Dark knight' flicks!), also came from part of the Tumbler's design. Another AMAZING feat of design and engineering itself! 

Alrighty then! That's PLENTY of build-up to this month's episode! Let's get on with the blab-o-rama about that certain 'crime-CRUSHING-car', shall we? Do all the usual 'pointing-and-clicking', and do that whole 'listening-thang' that you can do here once-a-month!---

                                                                           An 8th episode of Loyd-a-blabbin'!

           See you all back here next time around gang!

Loyd's BONUS video-clip!!--- # 44!!--- Yet ANOTHER couple of REALLY-NEAT-O 'Bat-items'!

 

Once AGAIN, one of my favorite 'UBER-GEEKS', Mr. Adam Savage--- has managed to showcase something both VERY COOL... and, once AGAIN-- 'Bat-related'! This time it's the 'spear-gun' from the '89 and '92 'Batman' movies (though it, as they point out in the video-clip--- is only used for ONE scene in the 2nd flick!)!

A couple of other kinda-cool things about this 'screen-used' prop.... it actually WORKS! AND---it's unrestored. It's in pretty decent shape, for something used in a movie made over 30 years ago! He checks out one of the 'Bat-chest-symbols', from the '89 movie as well! As you can imagine--- I was doing a little 'GEEK-happy-dance', while watching this! 

Also--- watch for a few other REALLY nifty comics-character-movie / TV-show items, in the video's opening moments!----

Like I've said here before folks--- check out the various videos Mr. Savage has posted up on YouTube. Some of the stuff he's showcased in his 'cave' (his actual nick-name for it!), as well as the things / projects that he works on in his 'one day build' videos, are pretty much mind-blowing! Fun, entertaining stuff!

'Loydster's Ramblings'---- Episode 7!!!

It's the end of another month, and ANOTHER episode of the Loydster yakkin' is ALREADY here! This time around, I'm blabbing about-----

As USUAL---- do the whole 'pointing & clicking' thing, to either listen right down below! OR--- down-load that bad-boy if you're the 'saving & collecting'--type!

                                                                                A seventh episode of Loyd-a-talkin'!

                           Stay safe, sane and happy everybody! AND--- have a GREAT Independence day!

Loyd's BONUS AUDIO goodies! --- # 10! --- MORE 'feel good' tunes!

 

With ALL the out-right INSANE things happening in our world today--- who DOESN'T need at least a little dose of some FEEL GOOD in their lives! even if it's just for the 3-minutes-or so of a song that---if you're 'a certain age' (meaning an old 'gray-whiskers' like ME!) -- you might've first heard and bopped your head along to, on an old 45 RPM record! OR-- like in the case of the Tom Petty song down below--- you just thought was an AWESOME 'album-cut'! (TRUST the 'ol Loydster... it IS!)

Just like with the last 'Audio Goodies' post a while back, this is yet another batch of tunes that--- without fail--- make a BIG 'ol GOOFY smile break-out on my face! So--- let's pretend we're hanging out somewhere, with somebody we know who has an EXTENSIVE record collection! Now--- drop that 'imaginary needle' onto that 'imaginary album'! Let the head-boppin' and toe-tappin' BEGIN!!!----

'Loydster's Ramblings'---- Episode 6!!!

 

Another Month nearly at an end, another pod-cast! This time around, I dive-off into all the reasons I really DIG one of my favorite movies!-----

I know a LOT has been put out there about this movie! Books have been written, documentaries have been made, college classes have even been taught about it! The movie itself is pretty much--- at nearly 80 years old (!!!)--- an American treasure / institution! But, like most ALL of what I post up here at the 'ol bloggie-wogga-doodle-dang-thang, this here is just a collection of my personal thoughts and takes on what makes this such a GREAT film!

By-the-way---for those of you (all 1 or 2 of you!) that have the 'burning question' in your mind: How can a fan of super heroes and Sci-Fi (like the Loydster!) also be such a GEEK about old black & white flicks like this one? Well.... you can at least PARTLY blame my mom!

Classic films (like 'Casablanca', and numerous others!) were something my mom LOVED to watch, over and over! I guess she passed that affection for this kind of entertainment--- as well as the love of some of the GREAT artists / actors from 'Hollywood's Golden Age'--- on down to me! (Of course, mom also REALLY liked old 'singing cowboy' movies and CHEESY musicals! I didn't pick up her love for any of that stuff, needless to say! So it isn't all 'genetics' or 'in my DNA'!)

So, enough with the introduction-type-jazz!!!..... Go on ahead and do the usual 'pointing-and-clicking' down below the 'classic mic image' down yonder, to listen / down-load!-----

                                                               

                                                                                     'Casablanca' blab-session! 

Just for 'grins-and-giggles,' AND--the FUN of it--- and because, like I've said here before-- they just DO NOT make nifty movie-trailers like this anymore in Hollywood! I'm putting up the trailer for this CLASSIC film once again!----

AND---- here's that 'important announcement' that you were warned about, earlier in the month!----

---(point-and-click below, once again!)---

                                                                                The 'important Announcement'!

                                        ----Stay safe, sane, and happy 'til NEXT month gang!----

This post is dedicated to my mom: Mary Louise Ferrell! (1945-2018) The original 'Ferrell-family-pop-culture-fanatic'! Still miss that big smile of yours, mom!

Remembering and celebrating George!

 

MOST of the time--- in my dinky little corner of the web--- I strive for an over-all 'light-hearted' groove with what's posted-up here at the 'ol bloggie-thang! BUT... for the SECOND time in just a two-week period, ANOTHER comics-field legend has left us! The deservedly legendary Mr. George Perez passed away on May 6th, at the age of 67.

This is INDEED sad news! And.... yet, in the days since I learned of his passing.... I've been thinking about the JOY his artwork brought to not ONLY just little 'ol me--- but to MILLIONS of other comics fans! So.... with maybe a bit of a lump in my throat, and a tear in the eyes now and then.... I can't help but think of some of the WAY-COOL projects he had a part in--- and just break-out into a big, SHAMELESS geek-a-zoid smile!

 

As is also usually the case---- there are, no doubt--- MANY other sources you can check out, if you'd like an over-all-view of Mr. Perez's career, top 20 projects, past interviews with the man himself, and on and on! ALL that would without a doubt be more thorough, than anything I could put together here in this little space! 

So, what I'd like to do here, in my little 'virtual-version' of the 'Secret Sanctum'--- is what I ALWAYS end up doing!--- focus on the work the man created, that I personally have enjoyed over the years! Stuff that--- even though some of it is close to 4-decades old---- STILL has me DIGGING it, all these years later!-----

Ah, the grand-daddy of ALL the 'universe-shaking-changing--over-haul' / 'event' storylines! 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' truly rocked my world, back in 1985 (yes, that's right folks--- 37 years ago!)! I'd seen glimpses of George's art before then.... but this was the first series, featuring his artwork--- that I actively collected. I've re-read it several times over the years, and it STILL packs a wallop! The deaths of TWO major DC characters, countless 'superhero-crowd-scenes' (as well as a couple of  'villain-crowd-scenes'!)---something the artist was famous for! (that, and CROWDED-epic-battle-scenes!) scripter Marv Wolfman was no slouch in the writing department either! This is one over-sized EPIC, that holds up as an all-time classic! 

 

The first issue of this series, the 3rd starring Marvel's 'A-team' (in 1998)---- featured EVERYBODY who had ever been an Avenger! Right up Mr. (super-hero-crowd-scene!) Perez's alley, no doubt! He and writer Kurt Busiek, ended up doing a nearly 3-year run on the book. Entertaining, well-crafted superhero story-telling at it's finest! 

PLUS--- each character looks like an actual, unique individual--- instead of a 'generic hero-type' (like comic book characters tended to look, for MANY years!) Truly a gift Mr. Perez had, that sometimes gets over-looked! I've also re-read this run of issues a time or two, and it has continued to entertain me--- and make me smile that aforementioned 'geek-a-zoid' smile!

The story BEHIND the scenes of this LONG-awaited-by-the fans cross-over event, (released in 2003) is almost as entertaining and interesting as the DC / Marvel 'big-guns'-team-up story itself! After an earlier 'inter-company' cross-over had the plug pulled on it, way back in 1982--- for which George had already penciled over 20 PAGES (!!!??!)--- the artist had to wait over 20 YEARS to fulfill his dream of drawing this ULTIMATE superhero-universe-mash-up! 

VERY much worth every penny to this 'ol 'gray-whiskered' comics-fan-boy! Just seeing the heroes of DC / Marvel meet-up and interact with each other, made it  a 'TWELVE' on the 1-to-10 'coolness-meter'! Not to mention, you can see the love-for-the-characters in EVERY page of Mr. Perez's artwork!

Actually, this is one I haven't re-read in a while! Once my stuff from the former 'Bat-cave' is unpacked in the (hopefully NEAR) future, I fully intend on diving into it again!

And that's my trip down memory lane, looking back on some of my faves, from the work of one of the GREATS of  the comics-creating profession! George Perez was truly a unique, and gifted artist. He was also, from what I've learned about him--- a pretty shameless comics-geek himself! 

I'd like to think that somewhere 'up above', he's smiling that warm, (obviously) big-hearted smile--- like in the picture up at the top of this post---- knowing he's brought so MUCH joy and excitement into the lives of COUNTLESS 'fans-of-the-fantastic', like the 'ol Loydster! May that joy and excitement continue for generations to come! 

In the past few days, I've read where a fellow comics-fanatic had wondered: 'What if, in 'the great-beyond', Jack Kirby, Neal Adams, and now George Perez... are right this moment, plotting-out an EPIC superhero extravaganza together? Something that would just BLOW all of us away?' That thought made me smile about those comic-art legends once again. To create made these folks happy. Their talents truly blessed all of us comics-fans with thousands of hours of fun and entertainment!  So.....God bless George Perez! Gone but NOT forgotten indeed!