Until I first ran across this next item on YouTube the other day, I didn't know this actually existed.
"This" being The Heart Family, which was introduced by Mattel in 1985, originally meant to be friends of Barbie, but the company then decided to spin them off on their own.....
The above ad was, as noted, produced in 1986. By then, any connection to Barbie had been ret-conned out.
Monday, April 8, 2019
Sunday, April 7, 2019
On DVD: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)
The Academy Award-winning "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" may very well be a fitting coda to Brian Michael Bendis' nearly two decade run at Marvel.
It was Bendis, now at DC, who introduced readers to Miles Morales, a half-Latino, half-African American teenager, in the pages of Ultimate Spider-Man a few years back, believing that it was time to hit the reset button with one of Marvel's oldest franchises. He did this with the Ultimate Universe, rather than the core Marvel Universe, although a later storyline would move Miles into the core universe.
"Spider-Verse", then, is a loose adaptation of the recent miniseries event of the same name that allowed Miles to meet other Spider-Men, as well as Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham (John Mulaney), and an alternate universe Gwen Stacy, her world's Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld). In the movie, there are two different Peter Parkers, both voiced by Jake Johnson (ex-New Girl), one of whom is a blond, the other a more typical Parker if you know your Spider-history.
In the context of the movie's plot, the dimensional rift that brings Spider-Ham and the others to "our world" is the work of a female version of Dr. Octopus, acting on behalf of crime lord Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin (Liev Schreiber), whose design was lifted from some work done by artist Bill Sienkiewicz several years ago. For Miles (Shamiek Moore), it's about pleasing his police officer father, but then, he also discovers his uncle, Aaron (Oscar winner Mahershala Ali), is also this world's Prowler, also working for Fisk.
Let's take a look at the trailer:
If you get past the loud, splashy effects designed for a 3D version of the movie (and also prompting warnings upon the film's theatrical release to protect viewers prone to sensory-created seizures), and get into the story, you let yourself in on a wacky thrill ride that not only emulates some of the live-action Spider-movies that came before it, but carves its own place.
Trailers on the DVD include the forthcoming "Spider-Man: Far From Home" and "Men in Black International", plus the pending DVD release of "Hotel Transylvania 3".
Movie rating: A.
It was Bendis, now at DC, who introduced readers to Miles Morales, a half-Latino, half-African American teenager, in the pages of Ultimate Spider-Man a few years back, believing that it was time to hit the reset button with one of Marvel's oldest franchises. He did this with the Ultimate Universe, rather than the core Marvel Universe, although a later storyline would move Miles into the core universe.
"Spider-Verse", then, is a loose adaptation of the recent miniseries event of the same name that allowed Miles to meet other Spider-Men, as well as Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham (John Mulaney), and an alternate universe Gwen Stacy, her world's Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld). In the movie, there are two different Peter Parkers, both voiced by Jake Johnson (ex-New Girl), one of whom is a blond, the other a more typical Parker if you know your Spider-history.
In the context of the movie's plot, the dimensional rift that brings Spider-Ham and the others to "our world" is the work of a female version of Dr. Octopus, acting on behalf of crime lord Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin (Liev Schreiber), whose design was lifted from some work done by artist Bill Sienkiewicz several years ago. For Miles (Shamiek Moore), it's about pleasing his police officer father, but then, he also discovers his uncle, Aaron (Oscar winner Mahershala Ali), is also this world's Prowler, also working for Fisk.
Let's take a look at the trailer:
If you get past the loud, splashy effects designed for a 3D version of the movie (and also prompting warnings upon the film's theatrical release to protect viewers prone to sensory-created seizures), and get into the story, you let yourself in on a wacky thrill ride that not only emulates some of the live-action Spider-movies that came before it, but carves its own place.
Trailers on the DVD include the forthcoming "Spider-Man: Far From Home" and "Men in Black International", plus the pending DVD release of "Hotel Transylvania 3".
Movie rating: A.
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Toons You Might've Missed: Space Kid (1966)
One of these days, we're going to do an overview of Paramount's Noveltoons series of shorts, which haven't seen the light of day on TV since a run on Nickelodeon back in the 90's.
In 1966's "Space Kid", the titular alien leaves Mars, and journeys to Earth, presumably to play.
Don't ask how he can lick a lollipop through a space helmet.
Rating: B.
In 1966's "Space Kid", the titular alien leaves Mars, and journeys to Earth, presumably to play.
Don't ask how he can lick a lollipop through a space helmet.
Rating: B.
Saturtainment: The Cryogenic Man (Ark II, 1976)
This ain't the 25th century of Buck Rogers, that's for sure.
In the Ark II episode, "The Cryogenic Man", a 20th century industrialist (guest star Jim Backus) and his assistant (John Fiedler) are revived from 500 years in cryogenic sleep. They intend to rebuild their factories, long torn down, and start anew, but then......
Backus, of course, would revive Mr. Magoo the next season for CBS, and toon fans know Fiedler, a respected character actor, as the voice of Winnie-The-Pooh's little buddy, Piglet, in several short films and the New Adventures of Winnie-The-Pooh, which aired on ABC years later.
Rating: B.
In the Ark II episode, "The Cryogenic Man", a 20th century industrialist (guest star Jim Backus) and his assistant (John Fiedler) are revived from 500 years in cryogenic sleep. They intend to rebuild their factories, long torn down, and start anew, but then......
Backus, of course, would revive Mr. Magoo the next season for CBS, and toon fans know Fiedler, a respected character actor, as the voice of Winnie-The-Pooh's little buddy, Piglet, in several short films and the New Adventures of Winnie-The-Pooh, which aired on ABC years later.
Rating: B.
Friday, April 5, 2019
Animated World of DC Comics: Best Seller (Shazam!, 1981)
With the feature film version of Shazam!, starring Zachary Levi (ex-Chuck) opening in theatres, we'll take another time trip to when it was okay for DC to use Captain Marvel.
In "Best Seller", cousin Freckles (Dawn Jeffory, also the voice of Mary) visits, but a book she has is also a gateway for a race of "hiss-men", under the command of IBAC.
Assuming there is a sequel to "Shazam!", y'think maybe they can get someone to play IBAC?
Rating: A-.
In "Best Seller", cousin Freckles (Dawn Jeffory, also the voice of Mary) visits, but a book she has is also a gateway for a race of "hiss-men", under the command of IBAC.
Assuming there is a sequel to "Shazam!", y'think maybe they can get someone to play IBAC?
Rating: A-.
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Daytime Heroes: Kim Possible in The Full Monkey (2004)
The original video for this next item was deleted when it was pulled by Dailymotion. Fortunately, they had another available.....
Anyway, Kim Possible (Christy Carlson Romano) begins morphing into a monkey while in school, creating problems for everyone around her, including a frantic, confused Ron Stoppable (Will Friedle). Blame it all on Lord Monkey Fist's latest quest for power......
Here's "The Full Monkey":
Edit, 5/31/23: The video has been deleted. In its place is a screenshot of Kim as a monkey:
We'll soon have a review up of the live-action movie pilot, intended to reimagine the series.
Rating: B.
Anyway, Kim Possible (Christy Carlson Romano) begins morphing into a monkey while in school, creating problems for everyone around her, including a frantic, confused Ron Stoppable (Will Friedle). Blame it all on Lord Monkey Fist's latest quest for power......
Here's "The Full Monkey":
Edit, 5/31/23: The video has been deleted. In its place is a screenshot of Kim as a monkey:
We'll soon have a review up of the live-action movie pilot, intended to reimagine the series.
Rating: B.
Monday, April 1, 2019
Daytime Heroes: He-Man in Diamond Ray of DIsappearance (1983)
When He-Man & The Masters of The Universe bowed in 1983, Filmation and syndicator Group W ran the episodes out of production order.
While "The Cosmic Comet", co-written by Tom Ruegger, was the first episode produced, it didn't air until at the end of September. Instead, Robby London's "Diamond Ray of Disappearance" was the first episode shown, and thus is our Famous First for April, and that's no joke.
Anyway, it was a tone-setter.
Rating: A-.
While "The Cosmic Comet", co-written by Tom Ruegger, was the first episode produced, it didn't air until at the end of September. Instead, Robby London's "Diamond Ray of Disappearance" was the first episode shown, and thus is our Famous First for April, and that's no joke.
Anyway, it was a tone-setter.
Rating: A-.
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