Riding the Retro Metro: Friday Dec. 7, 1979

Redartz:  Hello again everyone, and welcome to another vicarious voyage to the past aboard the Retro Metro! Our itinerary today takes us to the turn of a decade, back to Dec. 7, 1979. As is too often the case, troubling news abounds in the headlines: 11 concertgoers killed at a Who concert in Cincinnati. The Soviet Union has invaded Afghanistan. And of course the US is still roiling over the hostages being held in the US Embassy in Iran. Despite all this, the world is on the verge of the 80's, with the eternal hope that a better world awaits therein. 

As we look for a bit of diversion from world events, we first turn to music. And thus we find the most popular song on the radio this week is:

Tops on the US Billboard Chart:  Styx, "Babe"

Styx finally hits the top with this song, almost five years after first charting with "Lady". I've liked much of their work, but this song admittedly leaves me yawning a bit.

Rounding out the  top five:  
2. Barbara Streisand/Donna Summer, "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)
3. Commodores, "Still"
4.  KC and the Sunshine Band, "Please Don't Go"
5.  Rupert Holmes, "Escape ( the Pina Colada Song)"

To be honest, the only song among the top five I much care for is the odd Rupert Holmes song. More interesting are some tunes further down the chart. Among the ones of note:  Blondie, "Dreaming"; a very cool song with some totally dynamite vocals by Debbie Harry. Michael Jackson,  "Rock With You"; Michael is making the most of his comeback album "Off the Wall".  M, "Pop Musik"; an unusual song for the American pop chart, I like that. Supertramp, "Take the Long Way Home"- their album "Breakfast in America" is very solid, and I love this particular cut. The harmonica just chills me.

Blondie: "Dreaming"

Tops in the UK: The Police, "Walking on the Moon"- another example of why the British chart is the place to look for the best new music.

Turning to the tube and it's offerings tonight:  Fridays have often been a good night for viewing. What about this Friday?

US Television Schedule:

ABC:  Fantasy Island, The ABC Friday Night Movie

My girlfriend at college is hooked on Fantasy Island, and I rather enjoy it too. Ricardo Montalban is a suave Mr. Roarke, played with some wit and irony. And you can't dislike Herve  ("The Plane, the Plane") Villachaise . At least now we know what happened to him after he lost his position on the island with Scaramanga in "The Man with the Golden Gun".

CBS:  The Incredible Hulk, The Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas

As you might guess, watching the Hulk is regular routine at my apartment. Bill Bixby has long been a favorite actor of mine, and Lou Ferrigno does a decent Greenskin. On the other hand, "Dukes" holds no interest for this viewer, and neither does Dallas (although many, many viewers disagree with my  opinions here).

NBC: Shirley, The Rockford Files, Eischeid

Apparently Shirley Jones stars in Shirley (makes sense), but I've never seen it. Rockford keeps hanging on, and Eischeid? I've no idea. Perhaps my study time has cut into tv watching to the extent that numerous shows are completely off my radar. Perhaps some of you fellow riders have some thoughts on these programs...


BBC1:  Up a Gum Tree, My Wife Next Door, Penmarric, Kojak, Points of View, George Burns and Gracie Allen

BBC2:  Better Badminton, In the Country, Talking Pictures, "I am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang", The National Poetry Competition 1979

Wow, BBC is showing Burns and Allen? Going for the golden age of television! Can't go wrong with the classics. And speaking of  (future) classics, what fine reading is out on the stands this week? It's about time to take a trip to the comic store and add a few more to the ol' collection. Some possible choices:

Man, I picked up a bunch of these. Daredevil versus the Hulk by Frank Miller? Got to have that one. X-Men by Claremont and Byrne? Even though Dazzler doesn't exactly dazzle me ( couldn't resist that, sorry). the book is just too good to pass up. Iron Man is another fine title these days, love that Romita Jr./Layton artwork. Then you have the Panther taking on the Klan, another must buy. And the first issue of King Conan; another new title to try. About the only book here I'm  skipping is the Star Trek movie magazine (which again puts  me in a minority; have seen the long-awaited film at least). All things considered, it looks like the 70's are going out strong, comic-wise. What will the new decade bring?

Of course, we can now answer that last question with the benefit of hindsight. The 80's had plenty to offer, many of those will likely be awaiting us in upcoming trips on the "Retro Metro". As for today, we bid goodbye to 79 and the seventies, and return to our present. Until we next venture back to the Bronze age, take care. and share those memories!

Follow the Leader #50: Holiday Heroes and Comics!

Martinex1: The floor is yours for the 50th episode of Follow the Leader!  Supply us a raucous conversation starter and we will jump in with our Bronze Age perspective!  Movies, comics, books, authors, artists, and anything from our childhood era are open for discussion topics.

So whoever jumps in first, supply the queries and questions and we will follow with friendly input!  Everybody join in!   Cheers!

Chew the Fat: The Bronze Age on Current TV

Crisis on Earth X- Now that's a lineup...

Redartz:  Greetings, everyone! From time to time here at BitBA, we've discussed some of the current trends in Marvel/DC films. Last week we touched a bit on the tv aspect, prompted by the phenomenal four hour crossover on the CW. So today, let's 'chew the fat' about those and other shows. Many of the characters and story elements these shows are using originate from our fondly-remembered Bronze age. For instance, the protagonists of Iron Fist and Luke Cage both were created during the 70's, and their heyday as a team was found in comics from that decade and the next. Likewise, the Defenders (albeit with a  notably different lineup) was born in the BA. 

On the DC side: Gotham has made use of many, many characters from every Batman era. Harvey Bullock is a prime character, who first appeared in the Bronze. Then there is Professor Hugo Strange, who (although created decades earlier) figured prominently in the series; he was 'resurrected' from obscurity by Englehart and Rogers. 

"Legends" features Firestorm, Vixen, Vibe, and others alongside such veterans as Rip Hunter, Atom and Captain Cold. Supergirl has really dipped into comics history; lately (spoiler alert!) hinting at appearances of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Flash also is known for extensive use of comic themes and 'Easter Eggs'. 

Personally, I've enjoyed all of these shows; Marvel and DC. Some more than others; for various reasons. But Flash, Supergirl and Legends are 'must see' shows at our house. And last week's "Crisis on Earth X" was the most amazing comics entertainment I've seen on the small screen in memory. It turned me into a ten-year old all over again, geeking out over all the characters, all the humor, and all the melodrama. All the best of everything good comic tales have to offer. If you haven't seen it, do your self a big favor and catch it.  

As for more specifics, let's hear from you. Do you like any of these, or other current comics-based programs? If not, why? Are there any specific arcs, or characters, or 'hidden references' that struck you? Do  you feel these shows have been faithful to their Silver and Bronze age origins? And would you like to see more such crossovers? Let your inner tv critic loose. 

The Brave or the Bold: Masks!



Martinex1:  Happy Saturday all!  I hope your week was pleasant and productive and your weekend is full of fun and relaxation.


It would be hard to count how many times on this blog (or on other comic related sites) there have been discussions around comic book costumes.  Surely we have ranked and filed a few costumes ourselves.  But today I want to focus just on the masks that the heroes wear.  That piece is so integral to how we perceive the character and there are such wide ranging options and artistic designs. Let's compare and contrast this comic book contrivance.


What was the original purpose of the mask?   Surely it went hand in hand with vigilante sensibilities and secret identities.  But it is interesting to see that throughout the ages, there are wide ranges in the styles.


Here are a few categories to get you thinking:


The Full Mask:  Definitely for the private hero, it limits any possibility of identification.   And it muffles the voice.  The likes of Spider-Man, Moon Knight, Black Panther, Doctor Spectrum, and Deadpool employ these masks.  Not too many females characters wear the full mask!

 

The Three-Quarter's Mask:  Head covered - yep!  Ears out -maybe!  Mouth and chin exposed - you betcha! It has no breathing interference and still good identification coverage.  The athletic heroes often gravitate to this style.   Think in terms of Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Hawkeye, and even Wolverine.

 

 

The Shampoo Mask:  This is a variation on the above option.  The hero let's the hair fly free.  We see the locks of Captain Mar-Vell.  Spider-Woman and some other female characters frequently apply this look. Captain Britain has a variance in which the lower part is a full mask, but he cannot resist sharing his fine head of hair.

 

 

The Domino Mask:   You are not fooling anybody!  Robin, I am looking at you!  What is that thing?  How does it stay on?  And most importantly, how can we suspend disbelief enough to buy into that disguise? 

The Headband or Tiara:  These are less masks than accessories.  I guess they just look cool.   I put Scarlet Witch, Luke Cage and even the Angel in this category.

The "No" Mask:  The confidence of these characters must be off the charts.   Surely, not everybody can be distracted by Superman's single curl. Reed Richards, Wasp, Valkyrie, and Starfox all refuse to hide their faces.

The "No" Mask (but my nature helps):  Some heroes however may have attributes that help the disguise.   The Hulk for one never looks like mild Bruce Banner.   The Thing, Human Torch, Beast, and Iceman also use their transformation to set them apart.

Added Accessories:  And don't forget about goggles and antennae like those Yellowjacket wore.   Or the helmets of Ant-Man, Thor, Iron Man, the Black Knight,  and Dr. Doom.

Take a look at these corner boxes and handbook pages to assess the various masks and lack of masks of some of our favorite heroes.

 

 

 

 

 

So what is your favorite mask type?  Or lack thereof?   Can you think of types that I did not address?  Do you think about the characters in terms of their facial disguise?  How well has the cinema adopted masks into the real world?  What character wears the best mask?  Who has the worst?  How do you define that?  Is the secret identity that important or is the trope dead?  


Don't mask your intentions... tell us what you think?  Cheers!