Eric Burdon & War - Spill The Wine (1970)

Flashback, 1970:  ERIC BURDON and WAR

Styx - Build & Destroy (Official Music Video)

Flashback,   . . .. wait a minute, this is new 2025 music! Holy crap!

Listen and watch STYX . . . . . . .

Fountain of Youth — Official Trailer | Apple TV+

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH on Apple TV+: Fun film, in the vein of INDIANA 

JONES and NATIONAL TREASURE. Great action movie with some

cool visuals. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.

NEW HIT SINGLE - Taco Taco Taco (Trump Always Chickens Out)

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023 Movie) Official Trailer – Keanu Reeves, Donni...

JOHN WICK 4 on SyFy Network: There is such a thing as over-saturation.

Despite the clever, creative, and over-the-top action scenes and fights it

begins to get old. Not realistic, like watching cartoon or video game violence.

Still, I managed to watch it and finish it, but not without benefit of a DVR 

recording so I could pause to take a break. Ended up watching this over

two consecutive nights. Even though I probably sound jaded, I still 

recommend seeing at least one John Wick movie to the uninitiated.

THREE STARS.

MY WEEK IN COMICS - May 25, 2025

#331-#333 =  JAMES BOND: ORIGIN #7-#9 byJeff Parker and Ibrahim Moustafa (Dynamite Entertainment, May-July 2019) “Russian Ruse, Part 1-3 of 3”  In the last installment young Bond’s courage and ability during chaos earned him a spot on the secret service branch of what would become the Ministry of Defense. To serve the confidential nature of his duties, Bond is accorded the rank of lieutenant in the Special Branch of the Royal Navy, and assigned to a warship off the coast of Norway.

   Bond suspects foul play when a Russian freighter claims to have witnessed the Germans sink a Norwegian supply ship containing gold to finance their war efforts. It was actually the Russians who killed the Norwegians and stole the gold. Bond smuggles aboard the Russian ship to get evidence/proof, but is captured.

  

The Russians off load James Bond at Murmansk, in the care of the beautiful Oksana until he can reunite with the Navy. She may be his ticket to safety, or lead to his doom. It’s getting hard for Bond to know ally from foe, especially when his tea has been drugged.

The Russians try to brainwash Bond into believing there was no gold on the Russian merchant ship.

   Bond manages to escape his captors, just as the bombing of Murmansk by Germany begins. He masquerades as a German officer and steals a jeep to make for the docks, where he is shot but rescued by Norwegians (ironically).He did manage to make off with a gold nugget to prove the Russian deceit.

    I’m enjoying this series because it’s more realistic. Bond isn’t perfect. He has a lot to learn and each story arc showcases his budding skills as well as his development. Suspenseful, and well done. THREE AND ONE-HALF STARS.

#334-#336 =  JAMES BOND: ORIGIN #10-#12 by Jeff Parker and Ibrahim Moustafa (Dynamite Entertainment, August-October 2019) “The Debt, Part 1-3 of 3.

In 1941, Lieutenant James Bond has been ordered back to England to recuperate from injuries sustained in Murmansk. Meanwhile in Geona, Italy his mentor Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Ronald Weldon is shot down in the streets after leaving a gambling house. However, the news that comes back to Britain is that he was transferred to Gibraltar where he died in a bombing raid. 

    The mysterious F from the Ministry of Defense contacts Bond, reveals some photos that show Weldon in Italy gambling, and dispatches Bond there to obtain evidence to vindicate him. There he meets a former associate from training camp, who wants to make up for bad feelings by helping teach Bond how to gamble and gain entry into the private club that Weldon frequented.

 

Before the story ends, Bond learns about indebtedness, friendship, loyalty, betrayal and comes out of the efforts a stronger, more determined agent. He also learns the true nature of Weldon’s visit to Italy, an undercover mission that left his reputation as a hero. While the entire 12-issue run has been very good, this final three-part story arc was my favorite. 

THREE AND THREE-QUARTER STARS.

#337-#346 =  BALLAD FOR SOPHIE graphic novel by Filipe Melo and Juan Cavia (Top Shelf Productions, 2021) A full review of this was posted to the blog for Thursday, May 22. FIVE STARS.

#347-#348 = THE KIDS one-shot by Garth Ennis and Dalibor Talajic (Image Comics/Ninth Circle, March 2025) Here’s a short synopsis: During a quiet evening, in a single instant, every child under the age of one shoots up in growth to adult size. They are hungry, confused, and scared. People don’t understand exactly what happened and react as if their child has been stolen by a naked person who broke into their home. Things escalate quickly into some horrifying situations.

     When comics creators have only a single issue (even an over-sized one) or a short story to lay out their tale and conclude it - - the rule of thumb is to keep it simple. However, when the name of certain creators is attached, for example = Garth Ennis, then expectations may rise and more is anticipated. Ennis didn’t disappoint with this one, although it’s not going to rank with any of his notable works of more length, those which really allowed him to get in depth and flex those creative muscles. 

   Still, he did an awful lot here with the material at hand. It is a cool premise, and could lend itself to many possibilities. Ennis focuses on a single family, how they react, what actions they take, what they learn, and what they take away from the experience. He even manages to get in a few jabs at parenting in general and put in a word for those without children who are sometimes looked down upon. 

   When it comes down to it, this is an adventure yarn - and a good one. The ending was abrupt - - as quickly as things turned chaotic they turned just as quickly back to normal. 

   Neat art from Dalibor Talajic - he depicts these infants suddenly growing into adult bodies as awkward and unwieldy as should be expected. FOUR STARS.

#349-#350 =  EPITAPHS FROM THE ABYSS #11 (Oni Press/EC Comics, May 2025) My favorite this issue, and also one of the best of this series so far, is “Ill Temperance” by Jay Stephens and David Rubin. 

     A perpetual drunk frequents a bar from open to close. He can, because he’s self employed - - and ill tempered. One day, he receives a message left for him at the bar by an unknown sender. That leads him down a trail of discovering the consequences of his poor habits. 

    Don’t be stingy with tipping the floral delivery person in “Pruning Lessons” by Greg Pak and Dan McDaid. You never know when those modern gardening innovations might blossom. Payback isn’t rosy.

     A successful female governor in a Puritanical village meets with disdain from her male legislators when she suggests vaccination as a cure for the smallpox plague. She’s been too good at her job, which makes the council suspect she’s a witch who made a deal with the devil. Burn, witch, burn.

   Overall, another FOUR STAR collection.

#351-#352 =  VATICAN CITY #2 of 3 by Mark Millar and Per Berg (Dark Horse Comics, May 2025) It feels like this story is just getting started - - but it’s going to wrap up in one more issue. Credit Millar for not stretching things out and keeping it tight - -  since when all is said and done this is simply an action-adventure story. 

     There’s not much in the way of character development, which surprises me for a Millar book, but there just hasn’t been enough time to get there. Still, young Guido Cavelti, the applicant for a new Swiss Guard position at the Vatican, shows his courage, integrity, and caring this issue as he stands up to the leader of the vampire horde seeking to release the Queen entombed/trapped beneath the multi-layered Vatican building.

   The Catholic Church’s long history with vampires is revealed and the role of the Vatican in keeping things under wraps for centuries. Guido outsmarts the vampires and creates a stalemate: come any closer and he’ll blow up the Queen. His plan is to demand a plane so he and those he is protecting can escape (and bring the Queen with them). What he hadn’t counted on is revealed when the Queen’s resting place is finally uncovered - - she’s huge. 

   Since I had already pre-ordered Issue #2 before I even had a chance to read Issue #1 - - I just went for it and pre-ordered Issue #3. Might as well see this through to the end. As adventure stories go, this is decent. Although, I’m not entirely satisfied with Per Berg’s art style - too sketchy for my tastes. Note to Millar fans: if you’re a collector of his work you’ll want this. However, it’s not the title to persuade your friends to read more Millar. THREE AND ONE-QUARTER STARS.

Don't Miss It!: MEMORIAL DAY Comic Book Flea Market

 HELLO, BLOG READERS!  I  (Mike Clarke a.k.a. pghhead) will be participating in the annual MEMORIAL DAY FLEA MARKET at Captain Blue Hen Comics in Newark, Delaware this coming Monday, May 26 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. (280 East Main Street)

I'll have several tables  filled with collectible comics at bargain prices as well as some games, pop culture magazines, and a small assortment of toys. This is always a good event, with lots of vendors participating.

Come and spend a few hours with us this holiday!

Graphic Novel Review: BALLAD FOR SOPHIE by Melo and Cavia

BALLAD FOR SOPHIE by Filipe Melo and Juan Cavia (Top Shelf Productions, 2021) Paperback, 320 pages. ISBN # 978-1-60309-498-6 

Synopsis on the Goodreads website . . . . .

A young journalist prompts a reclusive piano superstar to open up, resulting in this stunning graphic sonata exploring a lifetime of rivalry, regret, and redemption.

1933. In the small French village of Cressy-la-Valoise, a local piano contest brings together two brilliant young players: Julien Dubois, the privileged heir of a wealthy family, and François Samson, the janitor's son. One wins, one loses, and both are changed forever.

1997. In a huge mansion stained with cigarette smoke and memories, a bitter old man is shaken by the unexpected visit of an interviewer. Somewhere between reality and fantasy, Julien composes, like in a musical score, a complex and moving story about the cost of success, rivalry, redemption, and flying pianos.

When all is said and done, did anyone ever truly win? And is there any music left to play?

My FIVE-STAR Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

This is one of the books you share with your friends who are quick to dismiss comics and graphic novels. It's a convincing argument for the value and impact of the format.

BALLAD FOR SOPHIE is a beautifully told tale within the world of piano virtuosos across several decades that explores ambition, envy, long-held secrets, isolation, love and caring. 

While the story tugs at the heartstrings, the art contains reinforcing images, symbols and emotionally revealing facial expressions and body language. A book to admire, treasure, and share.

Shapes Like People - A New Crown - Official Music Video

SHAPES LIKE PEOPLE 2 of 2

Shapes Like People - Ambition is Your Friend - Official Music Video

Music of 2025, #30: SHAPES LIKE PEOPLE

Nirvana - Love Buzz (Live At The Paramount, Seattle / 1991)

FLASHBACK, 1991: NIRVANA performing a cover of "Love Buzz" by

Shocking Blue. This song was one of their first singles released in 1988.

Shocking Blue - Love Buzz

SHOCKING BLUE 2 of 2

Shocking Blue - Venus (Video)

Flashback, 1969:  SHOCKING BLUE

The Kinks - Juke Box Music

Flashback, 1977: THE KINKS After listening to "Juke Box Hero", this one

came to mind. Neat live performance, with brothers Ray and Dave sharing vocals . . . .

Foreigner - Juke Box Hero (Official Music Video)

Flashback, 1981: FOREIGNER  . . . With the announcement today that

the current signer (not the original featured here) with the band was leaving 

after 20 years it seems appropriate to re-visit some of their music. I picked

this one due to the cool solo from guitarist Mick Jones.

The Guest List For BALTIMORE COMIC-CON 2025 Continues To Grow

from the official Baltimore Comic Con press release

Baumann, Dani, McKone, Petersen, Rugg, and Vazquez Come to Baltimore Comic-Con 2025

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - May 19, 2025 - The 2025 Baltimore Comic-Con takes place on October 17-19 at the Inner Harbor's Baltimore Convention Center. The Baltimore Comic-Con welcomes comics guests Marty Baumann, Dani, Mike McKone, David Petersen, Jim Rugg, and Gus Vazquez to this year's event. Tickets are now available on our website!

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Marty Baumann is an illustrator, graphic artist, and production designer. He has contributed to some of the most popular, Oscar-winning animated films of all time. Marty has worked as an artist at Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios as an illustrator, graphic artist, and production designer on such films as Toy Story 3, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Cars 2, Planes, Wreck-It Ralph 2, and many others. He also helped develop theme park installations, toy packaging, and Pixar corporate branding. Marty has rendered illustrations and developed characters for toy manufacturers, magazines, and newspapers, and illustrated children's books, created logos, info-graphics, broadcast promotions, and presentation art for Hasbro, Universal Studios, National Geographic, Scholastic Books, Nickelodeon, and many others. Recent projects include his role as concept artist for the new Mystery Science Theater 3000 and the visual development of Sir Paul McCartney's feature film, High in the Clouds.

Dani was born in Athens, Greece in 1992 and studied sculpture at the Athens School of Fine Arts. She began to produce a self-published series called Tales from the Stripsthat won the Reader’s Choice Award at the Greek Comics Awards in 2015, before working at 2000 AD contributing to Judge Anderson, Black Beth, and other series. Soon, she was on the radar of the US industry and broke in with work from IDW on Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. More recently, she has worked with DC/Vertigo on Sandman: The Dreaming, Hill House Comics: The Low Low Woods, and on the Image Comics creator-owned series Coffin Bound. Dani has continued her collaborations at DC Comics with Sensational Wonder Woman and as the regular artist on Arkham City: The Order of the World.

Hailing from England, Mike McKone's first published work was for DC Comics' Justice League of America and Marvel Comics' Punisher series. In the years since, he has illustrated almost every major character from the big two publishers, including lengthy runs on Teen Titans, Amazing Spider-Man, and Fantastic Four. Recent projects were the Avengers graphic novel, Endless Wartime and Justice League United. Now residing in the US, McKone is working on a creator-owned project while providing covers and merchandising illustrations for clients such as Marvel, DC, Dynamite, Valiant, Dorling Kindersley, and Converse.

David Petersen is a cartoonist and children's book illustrator who launched his career with a self-published issue of his series Mouse Guard in 2005, when it was then picked up by Archaia, who continues to publish the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning series. Petersen has also worked on covers for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Dark Crystal. He's illustrated an edition of Kenneth Grahame's Wind in the Willows for IDW and his artwork also graced the cover for the 2012 Baltimore Comic-Con program, as well as the show-exclusive t-shirt. In 2008, David won the Eisners for Best Publication for Kids (Mouse Guard Fall 1152 & Winter 1152) and Best Graphic Album - Reprint (Mouse Guard Fall 1152 Hardcover). In 2010, he was nominated for a Harvey Award for Best Artist (Mouse Guard: Winter 1152).

Jim Rugg is a writer, artist, designer, illustrator, and YouTuber. His comics include Hulk Grand Design, Street Angel, The PLAIN Janes, Afrodisiac, and Supermag. Honors include Eisner and Ignatz Awards and AIGA's 50 Books/50 Covers selection. He was the co-host of YouTube's popular comics channel -- Cartoonist Kayfabe.

Gus Vazquez is an illustrator who has worked in nearly every field, including comic books, trading cards, storyboarding for music videos, commercials, animation and film, logo design, character and toy design, and more. He started his career in comic books working as an assistant to comic book artists Adam Pollina on X-Force, and Kevin McGuire on Trinity Angels. He got his first solo gig at Marvel Comics drawing the covers and interiors for Sunfire and Big Hero 6, the series that introduced the characters featured in Disney's Oscar winning Big Hero 6. He has worked on such Marvel titles as Deadpool, X-Force, Spider-Man, What If? Civil War, What If? Back in Black, The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, and more. For DC, he has worked on such titles as Green Lantern, JLA, Blue Beetle, and most recently on Flash, Suicide Squad, and Green Arrow. Gus was the artist on several issues of Claudio Sanchez's (of rock music group Coheed and Cambria) The Amory Wars, and was instrumental in helping bring together the creative team of his friends, David Atchison (writer) and Tony Shasteen (illustrator), and his niece, film and TV actress Rosario Dawson on 12 Gauge's The O.C.T. More recently, Gus has been working for DC Comics on The Sasquatch Detective, a backup story which can be found in the pages of Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, as well as DMC (Daryl Makes Comics) and on La Borinqueña. He is also working on his creator-owned book, Fang.

"These guests are some of the most talented artists (and cartoonists) out there," said Marc Nathan, show promoter for the Baltimore Comic-Con. "It is always a pleasure to visit the tables of such accomplished creators and just soak in the creativity and skill, and maybe even purchase some art they have for sale. Fans are going to be excited to meet them at this year's show!"