Stan's Soap Box Articles!

                                             
Here is one more Stan Lee article, I plan to get back to basics soon!
 While searching for images for my Stan Lee tribute, I came across old Stan's Soapbox articles that ran in Marvel comics back in the day. Here are just a few that I Found via a Google search! These are some of my favorites that I saw, some about stopping hatred, others about well you'll see.

 Thank God that DD never became a series, man was that version awful, don't get me wrong, I loved those movies but yeah they weren't that great as interpretations. Dr. Strange on the other hand was a travesty that it never made it to series!  Below are some Q and A's, now I see why the 90s movies were far better than the 80s and why Man-Thing was straight-to-DVD and not in theatres! Also below is a great example of hyping too soon since this stuff for the most part NEVER happened!

 Chose to add this but will let it speak for itself.
                                                                       

Well, since Thanksgiving is next week, here in the States, heres a Thanksgiving Soapbox!

2099 was by far one of (if not the best) Universes that Marvel ever did. Below is a soapbox that I think ran in Marvel Age.

Stan Lee, R.I.P.

 Sadly I was extremely busy yesterday so I am extremely late with this post so instead of an announcement like I normally do, I thought I'd do a little more. Regardless I knew that I had to do something. As I do not own any of the merchandise showcased, everything on this post is via a Google search. If I used your image and would like me to take it down please let me know, thank you!

 As you all know by now, Stan Lee died at the age of 95 yesterday. While it is understandable that he died (he's 95), it hit me pretty hard. Stan Lee was a major part of my childhood, more than you might thnk. He narrated many pf the Marvel cartoons that I Watched like the 80s Hulk and at least one of the 80's Spider-Man toons. He even was the one who introduced the cartoons for the syndicated cartoon Marvel Action Hour. Which was by far the best version of the Fantastic Four and Iron Man up to then.

 On a side note, Iron Man from the "Marvel Action Hour" still remains the best version of him in a series named after him (however Avengers Earths Mightiest Heroes is by far the best cartoon that he was a star of). Fantastic Four I think is still the 90s version, but I will admit that the 60s version is a very close second!

 I owned the book "How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way" as a kid and

 Owned his Marvel Universe card!

 HE obviously also has appeared in countless movies in cameos and many more. He even has a Masters of the Universe Classics figure and a Garbage Pail Kids sticker!

 So this is to you Stan "The Man" Lee, we may have never got to meet, but like you did to so many others, you definitely made a difference in my life, thank you and you will be sorely missed.

Skeletor Calls In Reinforcements!

 After most of his troops were finally captured by the heroic Masters, Skeletor had had enough and decided that he either had to open a sushi restaurant in the Evergreen Forest or get serious! So, he summoned the dark forces from multiple universes and realities. Meet the Skeletor Horde! He-Man and all those who do good and Skeletor's enemies like Hordak, better beware!

 Introducing the dreaded Phone-Or and the Ruthless Lampster!

31 Days of Halloween: A Eureka's Castle Halloween Special!

 Here it is, the finale to 31 Days of Halloween! Earlier today I did Part one (the Halloween That Almost Wasn't) and here is Part two: Eureka's Castle Halloween! Like Halloween that almost wasn't, I planned to do this review before (in its case last year) and am finally getting to it.

 Before I get into the special, a little background might be needed. Eureka's Castle aired from 1989-1995 on Nicklodeon's Nick Jr. block. The show featured puppets and the characters were designed by none other than "Goosebumps" author R.L. Stine! He was also the head writer of the series!

  The special starts with 3 mice running scared in a rain storm.

  Turns out a monster is chasing them.

  Over at the Castle Eureka is reading Magellan and company a book about fuzzy stuff. Soon Batly drops in and scares Magellan about a movie he saw called "It Came From Beneath The Bed!" Soon after Magellan sees the monster that was chasing the mice but Eureka doesn't believe him and thinks that he is imagining Batly's monster. I won't spoil anymore but this was a great special and a lot of fun. Can't wait to watch the Christmas special now!

  Overall I really loved this special, but then again I loved this series. Glad it is as good as I remembered the series being as I haven't seen an episode of Eureka's Castle in decades!

  I recommend this to any fan of Eureka's Castle, puppet shows, and kids.

  The funny thing is the fact that the special has two names. The one I feel is the real title is above. The other one is the title of the movie Batly saw!

 Well that is it for 31 Days of Halloween this year! As always I wish you all a safe and Happy Halloween and will be taking a break during November and doing only sporadic posting. In December I will be doing posts every Monday and Friday! Again have a Happy Halloween and hope that you enjoyed the countdown!

31 Days Of Halloween: The Halloween That Almost Wasn't!

 Welcome to Part one of the 31 Days of Halloween Finale! 3 years ago back during the very first 31 Days of Halloween I planned on reviewing "The Halloween That Almost Wasn't!" Sadly I never did. That is until now!

  This special features Judd Hirsch (yes that Judd Hirsch) as the leader of the monsters Dracula.

  It also features Mariette Hartley as the witch. Now while she didn't seem familiar to me, she has had many roles, including guest roles in such shows as Law and Order: SVU and is currently starring in the Fox series 9-1-1!

 Robert Fitch was the Mummy.

 Josip Elic Played Zombie.

  Henry Gibson was the incompetent Igor and Jack Riley was the shaven Wolfman (due to being in a razor commercial!) Gibson was in shows like Beverly Hillbillies and of course Laugh In as one of its announcers! While Riley was in many roles including Eliot Carson on both the Bob Newhart show and St. Elseware.

 The only person other than Dracula that I recognized was the tap-dancing Frankenstein's Monster (played by John Schuck)! He played many roles including Klingons in Star Trek stuff but I remembered him as another Frankenstein monster: Herman Munster (Munsters Today)!

 The story is pretty basic as their is a rumor that Halloween is being cancelled forever. I response Dracula calls the monsters to his castle. It is then that we discover that the witch not only started the rumors but is quitting. This is bad because in this reality Halloween cannot start until she rides across the moon on her broomstick at midnight.

  She has demands if Dracula wants her to continue:

1. Her picture replaces his on all of the official posters and T-shirts in Transylvania.
2. He must give a public apology to all of the monsters for being so mean and start being sweet to them!
3. He must share leadership of the monsters!
4. This one shows it is from the 70s: take the witch disco dancing every night. Good thing for Dracula that disco didn't last that much longer huh?

  Dracula refuses and a chase scene ensues which reminded me of Scooby-Doo.
                                       
 In the end these two kids save Halloween by telling the witch how everyone loves her.

  This is definitely a 70s special. It is corny as heck and the end credits is disco.

  The effects are laughable but that is to be expected.

  Judd Hirsch as Dracula is very hard to believe even though he has the accent down. Just hard to imagine him as the great evil.

 I did have a few questions while watching this:

• Why are the kids getting ready days in advance?
• Also why are the kids out right before midnight (in costumes) without their parents with the monsters at the end?
• Why is the witch riding across the moon so important that their can be no Halloween without her doing it by midnight?
• How does Dracula get in to the witches house without permission? - ok this one can be forgiven as that is a more recent addition to the myth as he entered w/o permission all the time in older movies. But what is harder to ignore is he can only become a bat? and can be a big or small version?

  The funniest parts are the original name as Dracula does NOT save the world (or even Halloween for that matter) and the fact that each plan to get into the witches room failed because she was listening at the door. This special was so popular that after it premiered in 1979, Disney Channel aired it up to the 90s with the Disney Halloween treat (and its many incarnations.) Overall I would only recommend this to people who love Judd Hirsch AND campy specials.

 That is it for now but one more post and 31 Days of Halloween is over!

31 Days Of Halloween: Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina! (Very Minor Spoilers)

  You probably know by now that Netflix has released a new series based on Archie Comics. This one is based on the horror comic Chilling Adventures of Sabrina!

  In this world, things are very different for our favorite witches. For example on their 16'th birthday they sign their name in the book of the beast and become soldiers in sense for Satan. Then they are given stronger powers.

  The series features some familiar faces (to me). Probably the most shocking is Bronson Pinchot (Balki from Perfect Strangers) as a mean principle. He is a jerk and hates different stuff than his views. For instance one of Sabrina's friends who dresses boyishly had her shirt pulled up by some football players and his response is maybe she should transfer to another school.

  Like Riverdale (they have Cole Sprouse), Sabrina has a Disney alum in the form of "Austin and Ally" star Ross Lynch. He plays Harvey Kinkle and while I like him, it took time to get used to him in this role!

  The devil has a major role in this series even though he never speaks (as far as I know as I only have finished up to the fourth episode!) The graphics of him (and the series in general) are so beautifully done and so realistic that it can get scary! Also he has Madame Satan (not pictured) watch over Sabrina and to try to convince her to do his bidding. Madame Satan is played by Michelle Gomez, another familiar face as she is Missy (the Master's female form) in Doctor Who!

  Ambrose Spellman, Sabrina's cousin, is on house arrest and cannot leave the Spellman grounds (they have a mortuary). Why he is housebound I will keep quiet. He is pansexual and risks everything to go on a date with a guy! He also takes on Salem's role from the original series as Sabrina's confident and information giver.

  Speaking of Salem, he is in it and played by a real black cat. Also he, like all familiars, is a goblin that takes form of an animal that protects their witch. Only their witch can hear them talk and other than when she first meets him, Salem doesn't talk unfortunately.

  Hilda (not pictured) and Zelda are much darker in this series as they work for the dark lord. However Hilda is much friendlier and reminds me of Caroline Rhea's version of her character, just darker.

Sabrina also has Libby like foes in the form of the weird sisters led by Prudence (not pictured). They go to the Academy of Unseen Arts. They hate her because she exists! They hate the fact that a half breed exists.

  All in all I really am enjoying this and recommend it to anyone who likes dark shows. It goes without saying that this series, unlike the original and cartoons, is not a family friendly show. Below are some screen shots from the first 2 episodes and of the intro. Notice that the art is made to mimic the art of the comic it is based on!

 That is it for today, but be here tomorrow for the thrilling conclusion to 31 days of Halloween!