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Post by foxley on Sept 9, 2023 2:06:26 GMT -5
I understand his art not being everyone's cup of tea; but I never got the outright hatred. Maybe I just had more influences from outside comic books, since I was a regular reader of the adventure strips in our local paper (Steve Canyon, Steve Roper & Mike Nomad, Captain Easy as well as the sop opera strip Apartment 3-G). I've always liked Robbins stuff and I saw this stuff, his Batman and his Captain America, long before I saw any Johnny Hazard. With Cap, I thought it looked a bit weirder, than Batman of Invaders. With Batman, the moody quality really added to the atmosphere of the stories and the Man-Bat one, in Vegas, was probably the first of Robbins that I ever saw). With Invaders, I feel like he fits right in with the old Alex Schomburg covers, at Timely, which is what inspired Roy, in the first place. With someone like Don Heck, I get the later criticisms of his work, when he left Marvel for DC. There was a definite decline in his line. However, looking at his Avengers stuff, I never saw a problem. Even less of an issue with non-superhero. I always liked a variety of genres and artists, responding more to some than others and not knowing the names of many. My tastes also widened, as I grew older. I loved Space Family Robinson, at Gold Key, but didn't know Dan Spiegle's name. I wasn't a huge fan of the look of his work on something like Nomad, at the time of publication. Later, it clicked for me and I love seeing him on gold old fashioned adventure material like that, or Crossfire, or his fill-in issues of Jonny Quest and Airboy. What do I know; I like Dick Dillin on JLA and Irv Novick on Batman. I am now more convinced than ever codystarbuck is somehow my alter ego on another continent.
Burt what would I know? I've been repeatedly told that I am not a 'true' comic book fan because I don't lack Jack Kirby's art.
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 9, 2023 7:20:24 GMT -5
I didn't care for Kirby's 1970s work, at the time; but, I had also been weaned on more of the Neal Adams influence, at DC. When I saw reprints of earlier Kirby, I liked it. There were exceptions, though, like Eternals, which always captured my imagination, though I had no idea what was going on, since I came into it, somewhere in the middle, and only saw a couple of issues, at the time.
I started to appreciate his stuff more when I was in college and found the Hunger Dogs graphic novel and the Baxter reprints my first look at Kirby working with real enthusiasm for what he was doing, rather than fulfilling quotas with antagonistic bosses. I kind of had to grow into his 70s stuff and understand his mindset more.
Ditko was another, where I had to see his earlier work. I did not care for what I saw in the 70s and 80s. I don't think he cared much, either, except his personal stuff. When I saw more of the Silver Age material, and the Charlton stuff, it clicked more, though I was also learning more about the Randian stuff, which colored my opinion of his personal stuff. When I read the very Randian stuff, like Mr A and even the Creeper, his heroes seemed like complete jerks. Jack Ryder was very much like the modern conservative pundits, who would hit cable, in the 80s and beyond, who all seemed like jerks, regardless of politics.
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 11, 2023 21:51:56 GMT -5
Invaders #12 Funny, she doesn't look Latin. Creative Team: Roy Thomas-writer/editor, F & F Express-art, Joe Rosen-letters, Phil Rachelson-colors First; how cool were 1970s toys?  You could look through the bionic eye and everything? You just had to do the sound effect yourself... Boopoopoopoopoopoopoopoop...................... Synopsis: When we left last issue, Jacqueline Falsworth had been given a blood transfusion by the Human Torch. The operation was interrupted by a power outage, caused by Professor Gold's experiments, which were conducted for the War Office....in a hospital.....for some reason. Said professor "stole" his own creation and went stomping around the place like a demented Candy Striper. The Invaders beat him (eventually) and revealed the professor, while Jacqueline displayed her new powers of speed, then spurned her savior, The Human Torch, for a piece of bohunk American Apple Pie, called Captain America. Dames! Ya can't trust 'em. Torch flew out the window, crying like a teenage girl who got hit in the face by a football, right before prom... Roy spends two pages reminding us, while Torch flies around London, dodging barrage balloons and pigeon crap (at Trafalgar Square). He is thinking about what Professor Gold said, when the Blue Bullet was unmasked and he decides to ask him about it. He lands at the Tower of London, where Prof Gold was taken (how did he know that? Gold was unmasked just before Torch went on his little hissy fit flight) The guards want the password and Torch doesn't know it, but a quick burst of flame proves his bona fides. A warder takes him to Prof Gold. Gold doesn't want to talk and says just start the execution and Torch says he knows why Gold did what he did and asked if he is Jewish....  Vot da hell does dat got anything to do with it? Oy, gevalt! He relates his youth in Warsaw, with his brother Jacob, the professor studying science and Jacob studying geology. When the Nazis invaded, they were persecuted, as Jews and pushed into a walled ghetto, in Warsaw. Professor Goldstein (his real surname) fled, but Jacob would not come with him. he made it to England and began work on special projects, including the Blue Bullet. Then, one day, he had a visitor.  Torch vows to free Jacob and bring him to England. He returns to the Invaders and explains the situation, avoiding the issue between Cap and himself. They agree to take Namor's flagship into Poland to get Jacob Goldstein out. Lord Falsworth wishes he could go; but a voice calls out for him not to worry....  They give in and Jacqueline joins them on the mission. They arrive in Warsaw and find one of the Master Race putting the moves on a young Jewish woman. Spitfire makes her debut with her fist, upside the soldier's head....  Captain America takes care of the other one and mentions Jacob Goldstein. The girl knows him and leads them to his bookshop. Spitfire takes her home, while Cap and Namor talk to him. They explain about his brother, but he will not leave his stones and his studies. He then speaks of the Golem of Prague....  Bucky alerts them that the Nazis are coming, in force, complete with panzers. The Invaders go to meet them, as Cap and Bucky go after the infantry and Torch & Toro go for the armor. Namor then lends a hand by swinging a tank around by its gun and Spitfire aids with the panzer grenadiers. She calls a halt to the fight, though, and points out that the Germans have gathered hostages.....  The Invaders surrender, then the soldiers toss a gas grenade into their ranks and it is lights out. Jacob tries to intercede and die in their place ad is laughed at, by the tank commander. He departs with the unconscious heroes and Jacob returns to his shop, saying the die has been cast. Thoughts: Roy kind of skips a few steps in logic to get the Invaders to go to Poland, for Prof Goldstein's brother; but, it lands them right into the Warsaw Ghetto. Roy is out to re-enact the story of the Golem, as featured in the 1915 movie. It is based on the story of Rabbi Loew, who supposedly animated a golem, to protect the Jews of Prague from anti-semites. In so doing, he will create his Hulk pastiche, as we will see next time, when the golem enter the picture. Frank Robbins and Frank Springer make the ghetto look al dark and creepy and decimated by the Germans, emphasizing the horrors heaped upon them. The Invaders ask Jacob why they do not fight back and he answers that they must submit to the Will of God and this too shall pass. In reality, the Jews of Warsaw finally got tired of waiting and rose up against the Nazis, in 1943. By this point, word of the death camps had reached the populace and the final effort to move Jews to Treblinka and Majdanek led the local leaders and fighters to take up stolen arms and any other weapons they could muster. In the end, the Germans had to put down the uprising, block by block, burying people under rubble and fire, razing the ghetto to the ground, killing over 13,000 Jews. Survivors were moved into the Warsaw Concentration Camp. Some 7000 were taken to Treblinka, where they helped build a resistance and an uprising there, too. Jacqueline is now Sptifire, named for the iconic British fighter, which made its name in the Battle of Britain (though the Hawker Hurricane accounted for 55% of German losses, particularly flown by 303 Polish Fighter Squadron) and she exhibits small flames as she streaks around, a byproduct of the Torch's blood. She came up with the costume rather quickly. Personally, I would have added a Union Jack accent, of some kind, to honor her father and identify her as British. For those who don't get my opening joke, a common stereotype of certain Latina women was that of a hot tempered "spitfire", inspired by actress Lupe Velez, in the RKO series The Mexican Spitfire. The series features a hot tempered singer who gives up the stage to marry an American advertising executive and deals with the culture shock of living in America and meeting her husband's family, in a template that I Love Lucy sort of reversed. Next time, the Golem of Warsaw enters the fight.
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 14, 2023 17:11:42 GMT -5
Invaders #13 Golem, golem, golem; Keep them Nazis rollin' Creative Team: Roy Thomas-writer & editor, F & F Express-art, John Costanza-letters, George Roussos-colors, Ed Summers-plot assist Synopsis: Captain America is brought back to conscious, so that he can be interrogated by Oberst (or Standartenfuhrer...can't make out collar devices, though the Wermacht did not wear swastika armbands....neither did the SS, in the field) Eisen, aka The Face. Dirk Benedict?  We see that the Invaders have all been imprisoned, in various ways, to negate their powers and abilities....  They are to be paraded through the streets of Berlin, like the trophies of a Roman general. Spitfire goads Eisen on and he raises his riding crop to her and Cap kicks him in the head, then Bucky joins in for some chain wrestling....  Cap gest clonked on the head by a big schweinhund and then Eisen departs with his shield. Meanwhile, Jacob Goldstein pours over his books. He has some clay he dug out of his cellar and adds some strange liquid that was stolen from the Nazis and fashions a human shape. he then writes " emeth" on the forehead of the figure, in Hebrew and lightning strikes the Star of David, on the roof. Then, faster than you can say, "IT'S ALIVE....ALIVE.............."  The golem goes outside and proceeds to smoosh Nazis and rescue little Jewish girls. Such a nice man.  The father of the girl mentions others being held and the golem goes to find them. Eisen and his scientist are examining Cap's shield but aren't having much luck, when the golem smashes through the wall.  Eisen uses Cap's shield to protect himself and draws and fires his Luger at the golem, with no effect. He retreats up some stairs and the golem turns and smashes through the floor, to the dungeon below, where the Invaders are held. The golem is a gentleman (but not a gentile-man) and frees Spitfire, first. She grabs the keys to free Cap and Bucky and the golem smashes the tank holding the Torch and Toro, soaking Namor in the wave of water released. Torch and Toro flame on rather quickly, despite being soaking wet and Namor has enough strength to shatter the concrete block holding him. The next thing you know, the Invaders are atatcking Nazis, while Cap and the golem go after Eisen. He tries to slither down the side of the building, on a banner and the golem whips him back, causing him to drop Cap's shield into his waiting hands. Eisen stands before the golem and demands to know who he is and gets swatted off the wall and falls to his pulpy death below. Cap asks the golem if he is connected to Jacob Goldstein and the golem staggers at the sound of the name, then transforms, with the clay falling away to reveal Jacob.  Jacob tells Cap that he will stay with the people of Warsaw and try to protect them and that he sees know that his people must and will rise up against the Nazis. The Invaders say goodbye and head back to England. Roy makes note of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, in the final panel. Thoughts: Well, the issue starts out with a lot of bondage and torture, in the fine Timely tradition, as their covers were full of that stuff. You'll notice that Jacqueline is in the foreground, on the cover, for maximum psychological effect. This becomes a semi-regular feature as we see the Invaders locked in restraining devices again and Hitler eben gets his parade, not too far down the road. Eisen is most likely intended to be SS, as his uniform is colored blue-black and the swastika armband all say SS dress uniform. In the field, however, they wore the same uniform as the Wehrmacht, with SS rank and unit insignia. This is pretty much standard pulp imagery, used in movie serials, comic books and prose stories and illustrations. You can never go wrong with an SS officer in black uniform, swastika armband and a whip. If it is female, even better, as numerous men's adventure magazines illustrated  The Golem gets to be Roy's WW2 Hulk, mixed with Frankenstein's Monster (which is a bit redundant, as the Hulk is already a mix of Mr Hyde and the Frankenstein Monster). Sadly, Roy keeps creating these characters, then disposing of them. The liquid is supposed to be heavy water, mixing with the properties of the unusual rocks that Jacob found in his youth (alluded to be radioactive), thus giving a nuclear basis to this golem, along with the kabbalistic . Next up, Roy indulges in a bit of secret crossover, with DC Comics, as The Invaders meet The Crusaders. I will cover both sides of this crossover, so stay tuned.
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 17, 2023 21:47:19 GMT -5
Invaders #14 Whooooaaaa.....who are these guys? The answer may surprise you! Creative Team: Roy Thomas-writer/editor, F & F Express-art, Joe Rosen-letters, Marie Severin-colors The Mirthful One joins us for an issue. Synopsis: The Invaders return to London and find it in the middle of an air raid, as Spitfires attack incoming Ju88 bombers. Spitfire watches as her namesake shoots down a Junker, though the German pilot steadies it as best he can for a belly landing. Hauptmann Schmidt (Really, Smith? Couldn't come up with something more original, Roy?) succeeds in landing it safely. Dad's Army comes to capture them and Schmidt shoots Cpl Jones....  The Invaders leap to avenge Cpl Jones, when a surprising new force comes on the scene and intercedes....  The trio introduce themselves. The little fella is Dyna-Mite (Jimmy "JJ" Walker?), the lass is Ghost Girl (not Ghost Woman, of course) and the refugee from Johnny Tremain is The Spirit of '76 (I believe that was corn whiskey). 76 has a bulletproof cloak and pretty good fists, while Dyna-Mite packs a whallop, for his size. Ghost Girl goes from immaterial to solid, in the wink of an eye. They capture the air crew and then meet the Invaders, who congratulate them on their work. They call themselves The Crusaders. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Invaders notice that the raid has created fires that are spreading and land to assist the Fire Brigade and volunteers; but, once again, The Crusaders beat them to it, as we see three other members....  They are Captain Wings, Tommy Lightning and Thunderfist. Captain Wings glides on his....wings, and Thundrfist can smash things with his fists, while Tommy Lightning can channel electricity (can't we all). Spitfire assists their efforts with a windbreak. The Crusdaers' work is done and they speed off, leaving clean up for the Invaders. They return to the Falsworth estate and catch up with Lord Montgomery, aka Union Jack. They praise Jacqueline's efforts on their mission and formally vote her in as a member, by yelling out their silly battle cry, "Okay Axis, Here We Ratify and Accept the Membership of a New Colleague as Signified by the Raising of Hands, in Accordance With Chapter 3, Paragraph 4, Subsection D, of the Invaders Code of Uniformed Justice...with All Rights and Privileges Therein. Forthwith. E Plurubus Unum." The group goes off to celebrate, while Torch fills Lord Montgomery in on The Crusaders and he has an odd reaction to one of the names....  He goes off to be alone and stares out at the garden, with tears in his eyes. The Invaders prep for some mission they had before they jaunted off to Poland, which is the first time we are hearing about it. They hop into the flagship and head out and witness a bomb go off, near Buckingham Palace. They go down to investigate and Dick Van Dyke gives them the lowdown.....  He directs them to St James Park. meanwhile, a shadowy figure attacks a limousine, as it passes under a low bridge. The figure holds a Mauser pistol to the face of His Majesty King George the VI...  He is rescued by Dyna-Mite. Meanwhile, The Invaders find no one in the park (not even a young couple pitching woo) and return to the bomb site, only to find Dick Van Dyke gone and no sign of a body in the bombed car. They head into buckingham Palace and the guard sees their ID and lets them pass. The Invaders find the Crusaders there and Dyna-Mite standing triumphant over the unconscious assassin. Dyna-Mite throws some shade at the Invaders and the King announces the Crusaders as his new honor guard, instead of the Invaders (that was supposed to be their mission. The BBC puts out the news, over the wireless and Dick Van Dyke seems quite happy....  Thoughts: Geez, more mystery men? At this rate, we will have an army of these guys over here, over-sexed and over-paid! Lots of intrigue, as this bunch appears out of nowhere, with absolutely no history in the US or the UK....not even in Swansea! Their timing seems rather convenient, especially after the Invaders were mis-directed to St James Park. Is Alfie working with the terrorists? Just who are these terrorists? Ireland had gained independence and was staying neutral as a big F-U to the British Empire, though plenty of Irishmen joined the British Army, via entry to Northern Ireland and few questions at the recruiting office. So, it isn't the IRA, despite the cliche of the period (though to be fair, the Provisional IRA did a lot to fuel that cliche, including the assassination of Lord Mountbatten) So, has Roy resurrected another bunch of obscure 1940s characters? Well.....sort of.....but not Timely characters. And they weren't exactly obscure, either. The Crusaders are a pastiche of the Quality Comics mystery men of the 1940s, which at that time, were appearing in their own comic, as The Freedom Fighters......  Here is the breakdown: Spirit of '76=Uncle Sam Ghost Girl=Phantom Lady Dyna-Mite=Doll Man Captain Wings=The Black Condor Tommy Lightning=The Ray Thunderfist=The Human Bomb DC acquired Quality Comics' characters and titles, after they closed shop, in the early 50s and sold everything to them. Len Wein revived the heroes in Justice League of America #107-108.   In that story, it is established that the Freedom Fighters live on Earth-X, a parallel world where the Nazis won World War 2. The Freedom Fighters lead the resistance against them. The JLA and JSA are having their annual reunion, when something affects their inter-dimensional transporters and a group from Earth-1 (the JLA) and Earth-2 (the JSA) end up on Earth-X, where they join the fight and help liberate the planet from computers, which secretly controlled everything. In Freedom Fighters #1, Gerry Conway picks up the idea and has the FF chasing after a supervillain, The Silver Ghost, who zips over to Earth-1. The FF chase after him and end up framed for committing a crime, by the silver Ghost. he disappears and they are left to hide and try to prove their innocence, in a series concept swiped from the Fugitive, just like about every science fiction tv series of the 1970s and early 80s (seriously, it was an epidemic: Planet of the Apes, Logan's Run, The Incredible Hulk, The Phoenix, Other World...there was even a Fugitive rip-off with a fugitive German Shepherd, called Run Joe, Run, on Saturday morning). This is, essentially, an unofficial crossover between The Invaders and the Freedom Fighters, via pastiche. Nobody at either company sanctioned it; it was just a friendly thing between old buddies, Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway. It wasn't just a one-sided thing, though, as I will highlight, after the Invaders chapters; so, stay tuned. Lord Montgomery's reaction to Dyna-Mite's name is significant, if mysterious, which means Roy has more in mind than a pastiche and secret crossover. What he has in mind, isn't yet known. One thing is for sure, Alfie is no humble cabbie and The Crusaders are more than they appear. A few notes for those who have not spent 40 years watching British television, via PBS and other outlets: Dad's Army was a hugely popular comedy series, which ran from 1968 to 1977, about The Home Guard, the British volunteer unit. The Home Guard started as a sort of civil militia, formed in the wake of events in World War 2, based on suggestions first made after the Spanish civil War. Dunkirk made it a bit more immediate; and, in May of 1940, the first Local Defence Volunteers units were formed, which were then renamed The Home Guard. Many of the ranks were filled by older men, who were not of serving age and youths. This earned them the nickname, "Dad's Army," as in an Army of Old men, or "Dads. (Dad or Grandad being a popular and insulting reference to an old man). The series was the creation of Jimmy Perry and David Croft (who later created such classic series as Up Pompeii and Are You Being Served?). Perry had experience in the Home Guard, at age 17. The series is set in the fictional seaside village of Walmington-on-Sea, where pompous local bank manager George Mainwaring heads up the new LDV unit, as its Captain, along with his bank clerk, Sgt Arthur Wilson, the excitable local butcher, Lance Corporal Jack Jones (a veteran of the Sudan, the Boer War and World War 1, starting as a 14 year-old drummer boy). Mainwaring served in the British Army in 1919, after the armistice, as part of the Occupational Army and never saw combat. Sgt Wilson quietly questions his orders and is ultimately revealed to have been a captain, in WW1, with combat experience. The plots revolve around the groups training or involvement in some exercise or calamity, with farcicals events ensuing, often to the sounds of Cpl Jones' catch phrase, "Don't panic!" The show was an institution and the character types and catch phrases became cultural landmarks. Mainwaring was played by Arthur Lowe (Lindsay Anderson's If and O Lucky Man, as well as the comedy series Bless me, Father, and numerous stage, film and tv roles). Sgt Wilson was played by John Le Mesurier (all kinds of tv, from Danger Man, to the Avengers, to Croft's other wartime comedy, 'Allo, 'Allo, and films like The Italian Job, The Pink Panther and Casino Royale). Cpl Jones was played by Clive Dunn (who started out as a child actor, in things like Goodbye Mr Chips and later in Mouse on the moon and The Magic Christian). All three served during WW2 and Dunn had been a prisoner of war. The Cockney cabbie, Alfie, is given rather stereotyped dialogue, to the point of sounding like Dick Van Dyke, in Mary Poppins. Van Dyke is a figure of ridicule, for his accent, in that role (though not for his performance or his talent) and using a bad accent is referred to as "Doing a 'Van Dyke.'" Such was the criticism that when Van Dyke starred in the equally British Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang (based on the book by Ian Fleming....yes, THAT Ian Fleming), he didn't even attempt an accent, leaving you to wonder how this Midwestern sounding man has a very English father (Lionel Jeffries) and two British kids. Supposedly, Cubby Broccoli approached Van Dyke about taking over as James Bond, after Sean Connery quit (he seamed to approach all kinds of strange choices for the role) who then reminded the producer of the accent he had in Mary Poppins and the idea was quietly dropped (plus it would have been ridiculous). The name Alfie may be a tribute to either East End actor Alfie Bass (The Lavender Hill Mob) or Michael Caine's breakout character, Alfie Elkins, from the 1966 film, Alfie, or both. The Caine connection is a bit more likely, given the teaser title for the next issue is "What's It All About, Alfie?" Getting back to the Crusaders, Captain Wings was the name of a 1940s comic book adventurer, from Fiction House's Wings Comic. He was, essentially, a ripoff of Captain Midnight, who debuted on radio, then in comics from Fawcett. The Spirit of '76 is a new name; but, the look is based on Nedor's The Fighting Yank, a patriotic hero who is aided by the ghost of an ancestor, from the Revolution. However, on his white shirt, he had a more modern US flag (in profile), rather than the 13 stars or the original flag. Dyna-Mite is a slight swipe of the DC character, Dan the Dyna-Mite, the sidekick of the hero TNT. (A favorite of AC/DC, no doubt). So, next issue, we will learn, What's it All About, Alfie. We will also see that there is a bigger story, lurking in the background, related to Lord Montgomery's reaction to the name of Dyna-Mite. Before that story, though, we will explore the other side of the crossover, as we look at two issues of The Freedom Fighters, where the Invaders return the favor. Sort of.
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Post by foxley on Sept 18, 2023 3:02:35 GMT -5
Dad's Army was a staple here in Australia, but I wonder how many Americans would have got the reference at the time. (Although Walmington-On-Sea, the setting for the show, is a long way from London, being located in Sussex on the south coast of England).
I don't recall it ever being stated, but I guessing from her dialogue that Ghost Girl is intended to be Scottish.
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 18, 2023 10:38:26 GMT -5
Dad's Army was a staple here in Australia, but I wonder how many Americans would have got the reference at the time. (Although Walmington-On-Sea, the setting for the show, is a long way from London, being located in Sussex on the south coast of England). I don't recall it ever being stated, but I guessing from her dialogue that Ghost Girl is intended to be Scottish. Yeah; I believe her heritage is mentioned in the next issue. The Dad's Army references are mine, not Roy Thomas', as the Home Guard soldiers are never named, nor look anything like the actors. I just chose that for a joke, just like Dick Van Dyke, for the cabbie, Alfie. Dad's Army played on PBS, in the US, though not as widely as some shows, like Fawlty Towers and Are You Being Served, let alone Dr Who or the programs that made up Masterpiece Theater (Upstairs, Downstairs; Brideshead Revisited; I, Claudius, etc...) I've seen some of it, on Netflix (it never played on my local station, to my knowledge), but not the whole series. David Croft was kind of the king of British Comedy series, for the BBC, with multiple hit shows, often with the same actors involved. Gordon Kaye had several notable guest roles in Are You Being Served? before starring in Croft and Jeremy Lloyd's "Allo, 'Allo," as Rene, the cafe owner and reluctant Resistance member. Wendy Richards, who played Miss Brahms, on Are You Being Served? had apepared, I believe, in Dad's Army and Up Pompeii. I first noticed the British comedy series on PBS, in my early teens. I didn't really watch Doctor Who, until Peter Davison took over and they had the 5 Doctors special; but, I had seen Doctor in the House and Fawlty Towers and then finally got to see Monty Python, after hearing about it, from my cousin. Between early cable days of networks like A& E and PBS, then home video, I saw The Good Life (The Good Neighbors, in the US), Fawlty Towers, Doctor in the House, Bless Me, Father, To The Manor Born, Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister, Blackadder, Red Dwarf, Keeping Up Appearances, The Bounder, "Allo, "Allo, Ever Decreasing Circles, Rising Damp, Father, Dear Father, Butterflies, Solo, Last of the Summer Wine, The Piglet Files, May to December, Drop the Dead Donkey, Absolutely Fabulous, The Young Ones, The Comic Strip Presents, French & Saunders, A Bit of Fry & Laurie, The Vicar of Dibley, Jam & Jerusalem (as Clatterford), Little Britain, Spaced, Knowing Me Knowing You and I'm Alan Partridge, Saxondale, My Hero and some that I am forgetting. Also saw best ofs of things like Not The Nine O'Clock News, The Dangerous Brothers, Bottom, etc. Then, the Mystery Shows, the classic ITV adventure shows, some of the dramas, Fry & Laurie in Jeeves & Wooster, etc. Made a nice change from Network TV. |
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Post by tarkintino on Sept 18, 2023 11:42:22 GMT -5
Invaders #14 in a series concept swiped from the Fugitive, just like about every science fiction tv series of the 1970s and early 80s (seriously, it was an epidemic: Planet of the Apes, Logan's Run, The Incredible Hulk, The Phoenix, Other World...there was even a Fugitive rip-off with a fugitive German Shepherd, called Run Joe, Run, on Saturday morning). Technically, aside from the man-on-the-run trope, TV's versions of Planet of the Apes and Logan's Run bore little format resemblance to The Fugitive, as POTA had its astronaut protagonists (not Galen) hunted to stop what was described as the "infection" of their 20th century knowledge impacting their docile human population (with many anti-human speeches given throughout most episodes), while LR's titular hero fled the police city/state he served to avoid the mandated death sentence once reaching age 30 / find a promised "Sanctuary". |
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Post by Prince Hal on Sept 18, 2023 13:08:48 GMT -5
I'm thinking Robbins and/or Thomas were using famously gap-toothed and mustachioed Terry-Thomas as the model for Alf...   |
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Post by foxley on Sept 18, 2023 17:05:03 GMT -5
Oops, my bad codystarbuck. At first glance, one of the guardsmen being shot does look a bit like Corporal Jones so I thought it might have been a typical Roy Thomas Easter egg. But I see now he has the medic armband, so that should have been Private Godfrey, and he didn't have a moustache.  Dad's Army was a brilliant comedy, and a fitting tribute to the brave men who comprised the Home Guard, but it is also largely responsible for the myth that it was mostly comprised of old men. While there were many older men in it, the average age of the Home Guard was only slightly higher than that of the British armed forces in general as the majority of members were men of military service age who were excluded from the forces due to either being in reserved occupations or on medical grounds. (Although this is touched on with the platoon's younger members, with Walker being excluded due to a 'corned beef allergy' and Pike because of his rare blood type.) |
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 18, 2023 20:57:59 GMT -5
Invaders #14 in a series concept swiped from the Fugitive, just like about every science fiction tv series of the 1970s and early 80s (seriously, it was an epidemic: Planet of the Apes, Logan's Run, The Incredible Hulk, The Phoenix, Other World...there was even a Fugitive rip-off with a fugitive German Shepherd, called Run Joe, Run, on Saturday morning). Technically, aside from the man-on-the-run trope, TV's versions of Planet of the Apes and Logan's Run bore little format resemblance to The Fugitive, as POTA had its astronaut protagonists (not Galen) hunted to stop what was described as the "infection" of their 20th century knowledge impacting their docile human population (with many anti-human speeches given throughout most episodes), while LR's titular hero fled the police city/state he served to avoid the mandated death sentence once reaching age 30 / find a promised "Sanctuary". It's the same plot dynamic: come to a new town, help someone in trouble, hide out from authority and move on at the end of the episode. The rest is window dressing. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Sept 18, 2023 21:52:44 GMT -5
Technically, aside from the man-on-the-run trope, TV's versions of Planet of the Apes and Logan's Run bore little format resemblance to The Fugitive, as POTA had its astronaut protagonists (not Galen) hunted to stop what was described as the "infection" of their 20th century knowledge impacting their docile human population (with many anti-human speeches given throughout most episodes), while LR's titular hero fled the police city/state he served to avoid the mandated death sentence once reaching age 30 / find a promised "Sanctuary". It's the same plot dynamic: come to a new town, help someone in trouble, hide out from authority and move on at the end of the episode. The rest is window dressing. Also the formula for many a Western series, from The Lone Ranger to The Restless Gun to Cheyenne to Sugarfoot to Bronco to Have Gun, Will Travel. (As opposed to the stay-at-home Westerns like Bonanza, T he Big Valley, The Virginian and Gunsmoke.) The formula also applied to shows with contemporary settings, like Route 66 and Run for Your Life among others. |
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 19, 2023 0:05:41 GMT -5
It's the same plot dynamic: come to a new town, help someone in trouble, hide out from authority and move on at the end of the episode. The rest is window dressing. Also the formula for many a Western series, from The Lone Ranger to The Restless Gun to Cheyenne to Sugarfoot to Bronco to Have Gun, Will Travel. (As opposed to the stay-at-home Westerns like Bonanza, T he Big Valley, The Virginian and Gunsmoke.) The formula also applied to shows with contemporary settings, like Route 66 and Run for Your Life among others. Yes, but this specific iteration was deliberately modeled on The Fugitive, as stated by showrunners and script editors of the period and all feature an authority looking for them and not just travelers helping one another, as in those other shows. That, in itself, was inspired by Les Miserables and Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert hounding him, with Gen Urko, Jack McGee, Francis 7, and Justin Preminger as Javert figures in POTA, The Incredible Hulk, Logan's Run and The Phoenix, respectively (just like Lt Gerard chasing Dr Richard Kimble). I know it didn't originate with the Fugitive; however, that was the specific source cited by those series, in their pitch and in their show concept, as delineated to their writers. Run Joe, Run was probably the most ridiculous, with a German Shepherd that was a fugitive from the US Army, AWOL, if you will (Absent, Without Leash). |
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Post by zaku on Sept 19, 2023 0:20:17 GMT -5
Don't forget The Immortal, The Visitor, Starman and the Werewolf!
...You know, after seeing this list I realized that the only TV series similar to The Fugitive that had an ending/resolution was The Fugitive!
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Post by foxley on Sept 19, 2023 1:43:50 GMT -5
Yes, but this specific iteration was deliberately modeled on The Fugitive, as stated by showrunners and script editors of the period and all feature an authority looking for them and not just travelers helping one another, as in those other shows. That, in itself, was inspired by Les Miserables and Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert hounding him, with Gen Urko, Jack McGee, Francis 7, and Justin Preminger as Javert figures in POTA, The Incredible Hulk, Logan's Run and The Phoenix, respectively (just like Lt Gerard chasing Dr Richard Kimble). I know it didn't originate with the Fugitive; however, that was the specific source cited by those series, in their pitch and in their show concept, as delineated to their writers. Run Joe, Run was probably the most ridiculous, with a German Shepherd that was a fugitive from the US Army, AWOL, if you will (Absent, Without Leash). Was Run, Joe, Run the same show as The Littlest Hobo, or were there two shows about heroic German shepherds wandering from town to town saving people?
The Littlest Hobo was one of my favourite shows as a kid.
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