From Comics to Toons: The Amazing Screw-On Head (2006)

A disembodied robot head that answers to President Abraham Lincoln? Weird, isn't it?

Weird, then, defines writer-artist Mike Mignola, who's made his base at Dark Horse Comics over the last 20-odd years with a self-created universe of bizarre characters, including Hellboy.

The Amazing Screw-On Head began as a 1-shot special from Dark Horse that was adapted for television by producer Bryan Fuller in 2006 for Sci-Fi (now SyFy). It's not so much steampunk as it is horror with an even more extreme twist. Fuller intended for this to go on to a series, but Sci-Fi passed on it. The character designs are lifted directly from the comic book version itself, and with the improvements in technology by this point, this made Marvel Comics' syndicated Marvel Super Heroes anthology package 40 years earlier look even more amateurish by comparison.

Despite a talented cast that included Paul Giamatti essaying the title role, supported by Patton Oswalt (The King of Queens), local product David Hyde Pierce (ex-Frasier), and Molly Shannon (ex-Saturday Night Live), and a faithful adaptation of Mignola's work, directed by long time MTV director Chris Prynoski, NBC-Universal suits may have felt this was too disturbing, too bizarre to go further. Considering that today, SyFy has three series based on comics on their roster, with Grant Morrison's Happy (w/Oswalt and Christopher Meloni) and the DC Comics series, Krypton, both renewed for season 2, and Image Comics' Deadly Class due to arrive next year, maybe Fuller & Mignola were ahead of the curve.

Fuller, by the way, is currently working on the current Star Trek: Discovery for CBS All Access, in case anyone wonders what he's been up to lately.

Right now, check out The Amazing Screw-On Head. I imagine it was rated TV-14 for violence and brief nudity.

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Rating: B--.

Toons You Might've Missed: In My Merry Oldsmobile (1931)

In addition to Betty Boop, Popeye, and Out of The Inkwell, the Fleischer brothers, Max & Dave, also were producing shorts for various sponsors at movie theatres.

"In My Merry Oldsmobile", from 1931, is one such film, animated by Jimmy (Shamus) Culhane, extolling the virtues of the Oldsmobile line from General Motors.



Since it has the bouncing ball musical segments, I think this could be part of the Screen Songs series. This hasn't seen the light of day on TV that I know of.

Rating: B.

It Should've Been on a Saturday: Lady Lovely Locks & The Pixietails (1987)

American Greetings developed several characters for their greeting cards in the 80's. Some you know, like Strawberry Shortcake and the Care Bears. Then, there is Lady Lovely Locks & The Pixietails.

Lady Lovely Locks was introduced in 1987, and, like the others, was licensed for other products. Mattel developed a toy line, and the characters were also brought to life in a short-lived animated series produced by DIC for syndication.

In the series, Lady Lovely Locks had to fend off the schemes of a jealous, envious ruler of a neighboring land. It is said that Lady Lovely Locks' powers were in her flowing hair, much like the Biblical hero Samson. In a way, then, she is a mash-up of Samson and, oh, I don't know, maybe Snow White?

Let's take a look at the opener. The live-action sequence at the close provides a protracted moral.



Only 10 half hours were produced, as apparently, kids weren't buying the toys or the cards, and the plots lacked imagination, and, save for VHS releases, these cartoons haven't been seen in 30 years.

Rating: C.

Retro Toy Chest: Remember Agent Zero M? (1964?)

You can say Mattel was on the pop culture tip in the 60's when it came to boy-centric toys.

In approximately 1964, the company introduced a line of toys under the umbrella of Agent Zero M, hoping to cash in on the popularity of the James Bond movies and the then-first year spy series, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.. Kurt Russell (ex-The Travels of Jamie McPheeters) starred in these commercials.

This is the introductory ad, with Theo Marcuse and a pre-Batman Alan Napier:




Unfortunately, these were off the market by the time I made my first visit to a toy store. I'm only learning of their existence for the first time today. Hope this spurs some memories for you.

Saturday Morning Ringside: Remembering Brian Christopher

Jerry Lawler has long billed himself as the King of pro wrestling, especially in his hometown of Memphis.

That would make Brian Christopher (Lawler) the Prince.

For most of his career, Brian dropped the family name when he competed, as the Lawlers believed, perhaps rightly, that Brian should stand on his own two feet, although the people of Memphis were well aware of the familial link. Brian's brother, Kevin, worked as a referee in the area (full name, Kevin Christian Lawler).

Brian spent 4 years with the then-World Wrestling Federation, where he adopted the name, Grandmaster Sexay, and won one tag team title in 2000, with his father on commentary. Before that, Brian started his career at home in Memphis, competing in the USWA, and, much like his dad, flipped back & forth between babyface and heel, depending on which way the wind blowed, if you will.

We lost Brian last weekend when he committed suicide while in his cell while awaiting a hearing on DUI charges. At the same time, we said goodbye to Brickhouse Brown and Nikolai Volkoff, making it truly a sad day for wrestling, especially in Memphis.

From 1993, it's father vs. son, as Jerry defends the USWA Unified title vs. Brian:



Try as he could, Brian couldn't duplicate his father's famous laugh, as he sounds more like a hyena. To be honest, the only time Brian used the Lawler name in the ring was in the early days of NWA-TNA in 2002, after he'd been cut by WWE.

Rest in peace, Brian. Your suffering is over.

Toon Rock: Clint Eastwood (2001)

Gorillaz made a big splash in 2001 with "Clint Eastwood". Nowhere in the lyrics is the iconic actor-filmmaker mentioned, though.



The rapping is performed by Del! The Funky Homosapien, who didn't exactly light up the charts on his own back in the day.

Saturday Morning Ringside: Remembering Brickhouse Brown

I promised we'd take a look at Brickhouse Brown, who never made it to the WWE, but he did get some national attention when the USWA landed a national deal with ESPN. Brown, who passed away last week, worked mostly in Memphis and, as memory serves, with World Class Championship Wrestling in the 80's & 90's.

Here, we have a USWA squash from aound 1996-7, when the Nation of Domination faction was making waves in the WWE (then World Wrestling Federation), with a splinter group in the Memphis area.



Tomorrow, we'll see Brian Christopher in action. RIP, Brick.