Pop Artifact! "Cool and the Crazy" movie poster

DC Comics House Ad

"Heroes" and my brief career as a Hollywood "consultant"

"Heroes," a new series about non-costumed super-powered folk, debuts tonight on NBC and I'll be watching--not so much because I'm excited about it, but out of curiosity.

You see, a while back, someone from the show called me up asking for a bit of help.

It seems a script for the show (I don't know if it's the one for tonight or sometime later in the season) makes reference to the Merry Marvel Marching Society (MMMS), the 1960s fan club created by the publishers of Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk and the like.

From what I understand, someone on the show finds the body of a man carrying an MMMS membership card. But the art director folks for the show didn't have a card, or reference for what one might look for.

Googling around, they found the Mighty Marvelmania Museum section of this site. Basically, this is a page where I keep various images of 1960s and 1970s Marvel memorabilia I've spotted on eBay auctions and elsewhere. Although not posted there at the moment, I have a number of scans depicting MMMS membership cards, the MMMS logo, etc., and I was happy to send those along to "Heroes."

So I'll be watching the show to see when this particular plotline pops up. I don't suppose I'll get any credit (and it was really no big effort on my part to help) and I never got a reply saying thanks for my efforts, but I'm curious.

Any show that makes reference to the MMMS by name can't be all bad. Comics writer Jeph Loeb is a writer/co-executive producer for the show, so maybe that's where this is coming from.

At first glance, the show looks a bit like an X-Men knock-off and, in my experience, live-action supershows seldom fare well. But we'll see.

For more info on "Heroes," see the show's official site and an already up-and-running fansite.

Pop Culture Roundup Sept. 25, 2006

Boing Boing gushes on and on about the splendid-looking "Little Nemo in Slumberland: So Many Splendid Sundays."

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Via Johnny Bacardi, art from an abandoned graphic novel treatment of the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine."

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Dial B for Blog is back after a break with something wonderful: An ongoing history of DC Comics designer Ira Schapp, who created many of the companies great logos and house ads. Good work Robby!

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Fred Hembeck designed the fab logo for Dial B for Blog's Scapp-fest. And he also turned out another great cover repro--this one for Avengers #72.

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Danny Flores, who played sax on the Champs' hit version of "Tequila!" back in 1957 has died, Billboard reports.

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The New York Times interviews Rabbi Simcha Weinstein who has penned a book about the Jewish origins of the American comic book history. Said book has perhaps the best title ever, too: “Up, Up and Oy Vey!”

Today's Best Song Ever: "(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" --Aretha Franklin



A powerful little slab of soul, this one hit #5 in September 1968. But despite it's high-charting position back then, it doesn't seem to get played as much as some of Aretha's other hits today. Maybe that's why I like it more than, say, great but overplayed classics like "Respect" or "I Never Loved a Man The Way I Loved You."

It's not as much a showpiece for Franklin's incredible vocals--just a straight-ahead number with a great groove, tension-building horns before the chorus and awesome backing vocals. Nice little piano break too. Despite the break-up lyrics, it doesn't sound sad at all. But Aretha could sure dance away her troubles to this one if she wanted.

Sample it

Available on:
Aretha Franklin - 30 Greatest Hits

Previous Best Song Ever

DVD: Disney "True Life Adventures" series collects vintage documentaries

This series of four releases, all out Dec. 5, collects documentary shorts produced by Disney in the 1950s and 60s.

True-Life Adventures: Volume 1 - Wonders of the World
2-Disc Set; Contains the movies: White Wilderness(1958), Seal Island(1948), Beaver Valley(1950), Nature's Half Acre(1951), Water Birds(1952), Nature's Strangest Creatures(1959); includes an introduction by Roy Disney.

Volume 2 - Lands of Exploration
2-disc set; includes the movies, The Living Desert(1953), The Vanishing Prairie(1954), Prowlers of the Everglades(1953), Islands of the Sea(1960); introduction by Roy Disney.

Volume 3 - Creatures of the Wild
2 discs; includes the movies: The African Lion(1955), Jungle Cat(1960), Olympic Elk(1952), Bear Country(1953), Emperor Penguins(1955); with an introduction by Roy Disney.

Volume 4 - Nature's Mysteries
2 discs; includes the movies: Secrets of Life(1956), Perri(1957), Mysteries of the Deep(1959); with an introduction by Roy Disney.

Click the links to pre-order from Amazon.

DVD: "Addams Family" Vol. 1 collects first season shows

"The Addams Family" finally hits DVD in this 3-disk set collecting 22 of 34 first season episodes.

Contents include:

Disc 1 side A:
1. The Addams Family Goes to School
2. Morticia and the Psychiatrist
3. Fester's Punctuated Romance
4. Gomez the Politician

Disc 1 side B:
5. The Addams Family Tree
6. Morticia Joins the Ladies League
7. Halloween with the Addams Family
8. Green Eyed Gomez

Disc 2 side A:
9. The New Neighbors Meet the Addams Family
10. Wednesday Leaves Home
11. The Addams Family Meet the VIPs
12. Morticia, the Matchmaker

Disc 2 side B:
13. Lurch Learns to Dance
14. Art and the Addams Family
15. The Addams Family Meets the Beatnik
16. The Addams Family Meets the Undercover Man

Disc 3 side A:
17. Mother Lurch Visits the Addams Family
18. Uncle Fester's Illness
19. The Addams Family Splurges
20. Cousin Itt Visits the Addams Family

Disc 3 side B:
21. The Addams Family In Court
22. Amnesia in the Addams Family

Special Features:
* Commentary: "The Addams Family Goes to School" by Arthur Hiller (Director)
* Featurette: "You Rang, Mr. Addams"
* Featurette: "Snap, Snap"
* Theme Song Karaoke

Out Oct. 24, the set is available for pre-order now from Amazon.

DVD: Alias - Complete Collection comes in Rimbaldi box

It's a big ol' box of "Alias" packaged as one of the show's Rimbaldi artifacts. Out Nov. 21, this monster includes:

  • 29 discs with every episode of all five seasons.
  • Jennifer Garner's never-before-seen first interview as Sydney Bristow.
  • Exclusive J.J. Abrams interview.
  • Identity theft – Alias' sexiest Aliases.
  • Case Closed: Emotional cast reunion from the series finale.
  • Dossier 47 – The Secret of the Infamous Number.
  • Fan montage, bloopers and more.
  • Packaged in replica of Rambaldi artifact box, with secret compartment holding the bonus disc.
  • Hardbound book revealing answers to the show's deepest secrets, including introductory letter from JJ Abrams.

It's available for pre-order now from Amazon.

Pop Artifact! G.I. Joe Action Soldier

Vintage DC Comics House Ad

French "Casino Royale" movie poster



See the Best James Bond Sites on the Web.

"Doctor Who" season 2 DVD out Jan. 16 in U.S.

A six-disk set collecting the complete second season of "Doctor Who" will be out Jan. 16.

It's now available for pre-order for $69.99 via Amazon.

Contents of the set are identical to that of the U.K. version out Nov. 20.

The release of the U.S. set was timed to fall after the second season finale airs on the Sci Fi Channel. Second season shows on Sci Fi begin airing Sept. 29.

Contents for the second season DVD set include:

  • Out-takes
  • Deleted scenes
  • Audio Commentary available on nine episodes, with In Vision commentary available on five episodes - featuring cast and crew including David Tennant and Billie Piper
  • 13 Doctor Who Confidential Episodes (edited versions)
  • 5.1 sound
  • David's Video Diaries
  • Billie's Video Diary
  • Children in Need special
  • Audio description and subtitles available on each episode

The set also includes all 13 episodes from the season:

1. The Christmas Invasion
2. New Earth
3. Tooth And Claw
4. School Reunion
5. The Girl In The Fireplace
6. Rise Of The Cybermen
7. Age of Steel
8. The Idiot's Lantern
9. The Impossible Planet
10. The Satan Pit
11. Love & Monsters
12. Fear Her
13. Army Of Ghosts
14. Doomsday



See the Best Doctor Who Sites on the Web.