Pop links: Frazetta "Tarzan" art, Phantom movie
Via Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta illustrates "Tarzan at the Earth's Core" and "Tarzan and the Castaways." I think GACBS presented these pics before but, whatever, it's good stuff.
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Another "Phantom" movie is in the works.
he latest adaptation, which is expected to cost $87 million, will focus on "the Father/Son relationship, and what it means to be The Phantom," scriptwriter Tim Boyle said in a statement. "The film will be set in the present day and will deal with the concept of destiny."
Producer Bruce Sherlock, who also served as executive producer of the first Phantom movie, said the new film will be a marked improvement over its predecessor, which received mixed reviews.
"It has the makings of a blockbuster," Sherlock told The Associated Press. "There's some surprises that will thrill the Phantom fans worldwide." Sherlock's Sydney-based Sherlock Symington Productions won the rights to the film.
The movie will likely be shot entirely in Australia, with production set to begin within six to nine months, Sherlock said. Producers are in talks with several "top talent" Australian and American actors, Sherlock said. He declined to provide names.
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Another "Phantom" movie is in the works.
he latest adaptation, which is expected to cost $87 million, will focus on "the Father/Son relationship, and what it means to be The Phantom," scriptwriter Tim Boyle said in a statement. "The film will be set in the present day and will deal with the concept of destiny."
Producer Bruce Sherlock, who also served as executive producer of the first Phantom movie, said the new film will be a marked improvement over its predecessor, which received mixed reviews.
"It has the makings of a blockbuster," Sherlock told The Associated Press. "There's some surprises that will thrill the Phantom fans worldwide." Sherlock's Sydney-based Sherlock Symington Productions won the rights to the film.
The movie will likely be shot entirely in Australia, with production set to begin within six to nine months, Sherlock said. Producers are in talks with several "top talent" Australian and American actors, Sherlock said. He declined to provide names.
Pop links: Vintage Christmas TV
Classic TV Showbiz is presenting classic Christmas episodes of old shows such as "Dennis the Menace," "Mr. Ed" and "Dragnet."
Iconic pin-up Bettie Page passes away
Bettie Page died at age 85 last night. The Los Angeles Times has a feature and pics.
A cult figure, Page was most famous for the estimated 20,000 4-by-5-inch black-and-white glossy photographs taken by amateur shutterbugs from 1949 to 1957. The photos showed her in high heels and bikinis or negligees, bondage apparel -- or nothing at all.
Decades later, those images inspired biographies, comic books, fan clubs, websites, commercial products -- Bettie Page playing cards, dress-up magnet sets, action figures, Zippo lighters, shot glasses -- and, in 2005, a film about her life and times, "The Notorious Bettie Page."
A cult figure, Page was most famous for the estimated 20,000 4-by-5-inch black-and-white glossy photographs taken by amateur shutterbugs from 1949 to 1957. The photos showed her in high heels and bikinis or negligees, bondage apparel -- or nothing at all.
Decades later, those images inspired biographies, comic books, fan clubs, websites, commercial products -- Bettie Page playing cards, dress-up magnet sets, action figures, Zippo lighters, shot glasses -- and, in 2005, a film about her life and times, "The Notorious Bettie Page."
1950s Supermanga!
Check out these cool images from an eBay auction I spotted. Could this be a topic for Chip Kidd's next book?
Pop links: Walt Kelly Christmas, more Reed Crandall
Upcoming Marvel Comics collections: Search for Galactus, Brubaker Daredevil Omnibus
Here are a couple of recently announced collected editions on the way from Marvel next year. Click the title links to pre-order at a discount from Amazon.
Fantastic Four: In Search Of Galactus (Paperback)
by Marv Wolfman, Keith Pollard, Joe Sinnott, Sal Buscema, John Byrne
One of Marvelous Marv's most astonishing sagas! The Fantastic Four have been fighting Skrulls since #2 - and, somehow, it just never gets old...unlike the FF themselves! An aging ray has three-quarters of the foursome at death's door, but they'll fight the Skrulls to the finish alongside Nova and the Champions of Xandar - at least until a greater threat rises from the Champions' own ranks! The Sphinx is ready to conquer the world, and Mr. Fantastic knows of only one opponent who can stop him: Galactus, who just wants to DESTROY the world instead! Includes the first appearances of Terrax the Tamer and H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot - but which one will prove the greater threat? Also featuring Spider-Man, Medusa, S.H.I.E.L.D., and cameos from across the chronicles of history! Collects Fantastic Four #204-214.
Page count not yet available.
Daredevil By Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark Omnibus Volume 1 (hardcover)
Nominated for three Eisner Awards - "Best Continuing Series," "Best Writer," and "Best Penciler-Inker Team!" Longtime Daredevil fans will not be disappointed as the critically acclaimed, award-winning creative team of Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark leave their mark on one of comics' most enduring legends! For the past few years, Matt Murdock's life has been teetering on the edge of destruction. Now, pushed beyond the limit, he finds himself behind the eight ball with no clear way out, the people he calls friends slowly deserting him, and Hell's Kitchen gradually slipping out of control. The question is, when his back is against the wall, just how far will Daredevil go to get back what is his? And if you think Matt's life is going to start getting simpler after that, think again! As he tries to find a way to move forward, a threat from his past begins to creep toward daylight. And with the post-Civil War fallout all around him, he finds himself fighting a battle on both fronts of his life: in the courtroom and on the rooftops of Hell's Kitchen! Collects Daredevil #82-105.
624 pages.
Fantastic Four: In Search Of Galactus (Paperback)
by Marv Wolfman, Keith Pollard, Joe Sinnott, Sal Buscema, John Byrne
One of Marvelous Marv's most astonishing sagas! The Fantastic Four have been fighting Skrulls since #2 - and, somehow, it just never gets old...unlike the FF themselves! An aging ray has three-quarters of the foursome at death's door, but they'll fight the Skrulls to the finish alongside Nova and the Champions of Xandar - at least until a greater threat rises from the Champions' own ranks! The Sphinx is ready to conquer the world, and Mr. Fantastic knows of only one opponent who can stop him: Galactus, who just wants to DESTROY the world instead! Includes the first appearances of Terrax the Tamer and H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot - but which one will prove the greater threat? Also featuring Spider-Man, Medusa, S.H.I.E.L.D., and cameos from across the chronicles of history! Collects Fantastic Four #204-214.
Page count not yet available.
Daredevil By Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark Omnibus Volume 1 (hardcover)
Nominated for three Eisner Awards - "Best Continuing Series," "Best Writer," and "Best Penciler-Inker Team!" Longtime Daredevil fans will not be disappointed as the critically acclaimed, award-winning creative team of Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark leave their mark on one of comics' most enduring legends! For the past few years, Matt Murdock's life has been teetering on the edge of destruction. Now, pushed beyond the limit, he finds himself behind the eight ball with no clear way out, the people he calls friends slowly deserting him, and Hell's Kitchen gradually slipping out of control. The question is, when his back is against the wall, just how far will Daredevil go to get back what is his? And if you think Matt's life is going to start getting simpler after that, think again! As he tries to find a way to move forward, a threat from his past begins to creep toward daylight. And with the post-Civil War fallout all around him, he finds himself fighting a battle on both fronts of his life: in the courtroom and on the rooftops of Hell's Kitchen! Collects Daredevil #82-105.
624 pages.
Pop links: Reed Crandall portfolio, Spirit TV ads
Golden Age Comic Book Stories presents an Edgar Rice Burroughs portfolio by the great Reed Crandall.
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Comics Continuum has three new TV spots for the upcoming "Spirit" film.
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Comics Continuum has three new TV spots for the upcoming "Spirit" film.
Wonder Woman animated DVD cover art revealed
Here's the cover art for the two-disk
and one-disk
versions of the new, straight-to-DVD Wonder Woman film out March 3.
and one-disk
versions of the new, straight-to-DVD Wonder Woman film out March 3.
New comics Dec. 10, 2009
Here's what looks interesting this week. Click links to order discounted titles from Amazon. Proceeds help support this site.
Herbie Archives Vol. 2
Black Canary 1/6-scale Deluxe Collector Figure
Brave and the Bold Lords of Luck TPB
Alex Toth: Edge of Genius Vol. 2
Doctor Who Classics Series 2 #1
Uncle Scrooge #383
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #698
Herbie Archives Vol. 2
Black Canary 1/6-scale Deluxe Collector Figure
Brave and the Bold Lords of Luck TPB
Alex Toth: Edge of Genius Vol. 2
Doctor Who Classics Series 2 #1
Uncle Scrooge #383
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #698
Paperback cover parade: Let's go to the movies pt. 3
Rope
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Giant
The Maltese Falcon
Village of the Damned
Mildred Pierce
DVD and Music new releases Dec. 9, 2008: Dark Knight, Lost season 4, Happy Days, Gunsmoke, Motown number ones, Dr. Horrible soundtrack and more
Here's what looks interesting this week. Click links to order from Amazon. Proceeds help support this site.
DVDs
The Dark Knight (Two-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy)
Lost - The Complete Fourth Season
The Wire: The Complete Series
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All
Happy Days - The Fourth Season
Sin City [Blu-ray]
Gunsmoke - The Third Season, Vol. 1
Rawhide - Season Three, Vol. 2
Glenn O'Brien's TV Party: The Sublimely Intolerable Show
Glenn O'Brien's TV Party: The Everything for Sale Show
Music (on CD, unless otherwise noted)
This Christmas by Aretha Franklin
The Dark Knight-Original Motion Picture Soundtrack(2 CD Special Edition) by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard
Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition by Pavement
Surrender by Diana Ross
The Complete Motown #1s Box by Various Artists
Dark End of the Street by Cat Power (LP Record - 2008) - EP
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog by Various Artists
Easy Come Easy Go by Marianne Faithfull
Live in Australia by Chris Isaak
Sings Murder Ballads and Disaster Songs by Charlie Louvin
The Phil Spector Collection by Phil Spector
Quadrophenia by The Who (LP Record - 2008)
Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley (LP Record - 2008)
The Singles Collection by Queen
Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks
DVDs
The Dark Knight (Two-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy)
Lost - The Complete Fourth Season
The Wire: The Complete Series
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All
Happy Days - The Fourth Season
Sin City [Blu-ray]
Gunsmoke - The Third Season, Vol. 1
Rawhide - Season Three, Vol. 2
Glenn O'Brien's TV Party: The Sublimely Intolerable Show
Glenn O'Brien's TV Party: The Everything for Sale Show
Music (on CD, unless otherwise noted)
This Christmas by Aretha Franklin
The Dark Knight-Original Motion Picture Soundtrack(2 CD Special Edition) by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard
Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creedence Edition by Pavement
Surrender by Diana Ross
The Complete Motown #1s Box by Various Artists
Dark End of the Street by Cat Power (LP Record - 2008) - EP
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog by Various Artists
Easy Come Easy Go by Marianne Faithfull
Live in Australia by Chris Isaak
Sings Murder Ballads and Disaster Songs by Charlie Louvin
The Phil Spector Collection by Phil Spector
Quadrophenia by The Who (LP Record - 2008)
Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley (LP Record - 2008)
The Singles Collection by Queen
Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks
Pop links: More Dr. Who Advent(ures), Brigadier interviews
The BBC's Doctor Who site features another game as part of it's Doctor Who Advent(ure) calendar.
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More Doctor Who: Digital Spy interviews Nicholas Courtney, who is reprising his role as Brigadier Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart on Who spin-off "The Sarah Jane Adventures."
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More Doctor Who: Digital Spy interviews Nicholas Courtney, who is reprising his role as Brigadier Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart on Who spin-off "The Sarah Jane Adventures."
Gifts for comic book and pop culture fans 2009
Here's our annual look at cool things folks who read this blog might be interested in giving or receiving this year. Click the links for info from Amazon.
DVDs
2008 was a big year for comic book movies, and now those big features are coming out on DVD.
Here's a batch of fresh-to-disk superhero titles and other DVDs of interest:
Batman - The Complete Animated Series
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Incredible Hulk
The Dark Knight
Lost - The Complete Fourth Season
Sleeping Beauty (Two-Disc Platinum Edition)
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series
Get Smart - Season 1 (The Original TV Series)
James Bond Ultimate Collector's Set
The Original Christmas Classics (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer/Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town/Frosty the Snowman/Frosty Returns/Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol/Little Drummer Boy/Cricket on the Hearth)
Classic Cartoon Favorites, Vol. 9 - Classic Holiday Stories (The Small One/Pluto's Christmas Tree/Mickey's Christmas Carol)
CD box sets
In this age of downloads, it's still nice to get a big bundle of music, lovingly packaged and annotated.
The Soul of Rock and Roll ~ Orbison, Roy
Love Train:The Sound of Philadelphia ~ Various Artists
The Unreleased Recordings ~ Hank Williams
Time Life Oldies But Goodies 10 CD Set ~ Various
Picture Book ~ The Kinks
The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 11A: 1971~ Various Artists
Anthology 1966-1972 ~ The Move
The Golden Era of Rock 'n' Roll: 1954-1963 ~ Various Artists
Rare Rock 'N' Roll Rampage ~ Various
Pop culture books
Here's a selection of newish books about movies, comics, music and more.
"Have You Seen . . . ?": A Personal Introduction to 1,000 Films ~ David Thomson
Rogue Leaders: The Story of LucasArts ~ Rob Smith
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story ~ Richard Schickel
Pop Surf Culture: Music, Design, Film, and Fashion from the Bohemian Surf Boom ~ Brian Chidester
The Near Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus ~ Fred Hembeck
Marvel Chronicle ~ Tom DeFalco, Peter Sanderson
The DC Vault ~ Martin Pasko
Best American Comics ~ edited by Lynda Barry
The Adventures of Tintin Collector's Edition
Bat Manga! The Secret History of Batman in Japan ~ Chip Kidd
The Best Music You've Never Heard ~ Nigel Williamson
Way Beyond Compare: The Beatles' Recorded Legacy ~ John C. Winn
Books about comic book artists
This has been a banner year for tomes about some of America's greatest comic book and comic strip artists. Here's a selection of some of the most notable:
Man of Rock: Joe Kubert ~ Bill Schelly
Scorchy Smith and the Art of Noel Sickles
Brush with Passion: Dave Stevens
Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko ~ Blake Bell
Kirby: King of Comics ~ Mark Evanier
Retro toys
Wii? Bah, Humbug! Let's go back to the classics:
Retro/Mego Star Trek Figures
Star Trek Retro/Mego Bridge Playset
Retro/Mego Planet of the Apes Figures
Bozo Bop Bag
G.I. Joe Kung Fu Grip figures
Comic book reprints
This decade has been a golden era for reprints of classic comics, with the various Showcase, Essentials, Archives, Masterworks and other reprint lines from DC and Marvel going strong.
Click on the links to go to Amazon's listings of each:
DC Showcase Presents
DC Archives
Marvel Omnibus
Marvel Essentials
EC Comics Archives
Dark Horse Comics Archives
Dark Horse Comics Omnibus books
Action Figures
It seems like you can find nearly every mainstream superhero in action figure form these days. Click the links to see entries in the following popular toy lines:
Marvel Legends Action Figures
DC Direct Action Figures
DC Universe Classics Figures
Hot Wheels Batmobile toys
Hot Wheels has launched a series of toys based on the 1960s Batman TV show vehicles. Take a look at what's available.
DVDs
2008 was a big year for comic book movies, and now those big features are coming out on DVD.
Here's a batch of fresh-to-disk superhero titles and other DVDs of interest:
Batman - The Complete Animated Series
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Incredible Hulk
The Dark Knight
Lost - The Complete Fourth Season
Sleeping Beauty (Two-Disc Platinum Edition)
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Doctor Who: The Complete Fourth Series
Get Smart - Season 1 (The Original TV Series)
James Bond Ultimate Collector's Set
The Original Christmas Classics (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer/Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town/Frosty the Snowman/Frosty Returns/Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol/Little Drummer Boy/Cricket on the Hearth)
Classic Cartoon Favorites, Vol. 9 - Classic Holiday Stories (The Small One/Pluto's Christmas Tree/Mickey's Christmas Carol)
CD box sets
In this age of downloads, it's still nice to get a big bundle of music, lovingly packaged and annotated.
The Soul of Rock and Roll ~ Orbison, Roy
Love Train:The Sound of Philadelphia ~ Various Artists
The Unreleased Recordings ~ Hank Williams
Time Life Oldies But Goodies 10 CD Set ~ Various
Picture Book ~ The Kinks
The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 11A: 1971~ Various Artists
Anthology 1966-1972 ~ The Move
The Golden Era of Rock 'n' Roll: 1954-1963 ~ Various Artists
Rare Rock 'N' Roll Rampage ~ Various
Pop culture books
Here's a selection of newish books about movies, comics, music and more.
"Have You Seen . . . ?": A Personal Introduction to 1,000 Films ~ David Thomson
Rogue Leaders: The Story of LucasArts ~ Rob Smith
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story ~ Richard Schickel
Pop Surf Culture: Music, Design, Film, and Fashion from the Bohemian Surf Boom ~ Brian Chidester
The Near Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus ~ Fred Hembeck
Marvel Chronicle ~ Tom DeFalco, Peter Sanderson
The DC Vault ~ Martin Pasko
Best American Comics ~ edited by Lynda Barry
The Adventures of Tintin Collector's Edition
Bat Manga! The Secret History of Batman in Japan ~ Chip Kidd
The Best Music You've Never Heard ~ Nigel Williamson
Way Beyond Compare: The Beatles' Recorded Legacy ~ John C. Winn
Books about comic book artists
This has been a banner year for tomes about some of America's greatest comic book and comic strip artists. Here's a selection of some of the most notable:
Man of Rock: Joe Kubert ~ Bill Schelly
Scorchy Smith and the Art of Noel Sickles
Brush with Passion: Dave Stevens
Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko ~ Blake Bell
Kirby: King of Comics ~ Mark Evanier
Retro toys
Wii? Bah, Humbug! Let's go back to the classics:
Retro/Mego Star Trek Figures
Star Trek Retro/Mego Bridge Playset
Retro/Mego Planet of the Apes Figures
Bozo Bop Bag
G.I. Joe Kung Fu Grip figures
Comic book reprints
This decade has been a golden era for reprints of classic comics, with the various Showcase, Essentials, Archives, Masterworks and other reprint lines from DC and Marvel going strong.
Click on the links to go to Amazon's listings of each:
DC Showcase Presents
DC Archives
Marvel Omnibus
Marvel Essentials
EC Comics Archives
Dark Horse Comics Archives
Dark Horse Comics Omnibus books
Action Figures
It seems like you can find nearly every mainstream superhero in action figure form these days. Click the links to see entries in the following popular toy lines:
Marvel Legends Action Figures
DC Direct Action Figures
DC Universe Classics Figures
Hot Wheels Batmobile toys
Hot Wheels has launched a series of toys based on the 1960s Batman TV show vehicles. Take a look
at what's available.
Pop links: Fables TV series, Famous Monsters publisher dies, deal on Lost DVDs, Golden Age Flash and Green Lama, mod videos
ABC is interested in developing DC Comics' "Fables" as a TV series, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
David Semel has come on board to direct "Fables," which revolves around characters from fairy tales and folklore living in exile in modern-day New York.
"Their lives become interconnected in vary big way," Zicherman said. "They share a secret and a bond."
Zicherman and Metzner wouldn't elaborate which fairy tale characters will be featured in the TV series, but noted that Big Bad Wolf and Snow White, who are central to the comics, will have a similar role on the show.
The comic book series' first storyline followed Fabletown's sheriff, a reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf, who investigates the murder of Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red.
"We set up a structure to allow any fairy tale character to show up in any one episode," Metzner said.
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Famous Monsters of Filmland publisher Forrest J Ackerman, passed away late last week, The Los Angeles Times reports.
Ackerman, a writer, editor and literary agent who has been credited with coining the term "sci-fi" in the 1950s, died Thursday of heart failure at his home in Los Angeles, said John Sasser, a friend who is making a documentary on Ackerman.
As editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland, Ackerman wrote most of the articles in the photo-laden magazine launched in 1958 as a forum for past and present horror films.
"It was the first movie-monster magazine," Tony Timpone, editor of horror-movie magazine Fangoria, told The Times in 2002.
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Today only at Amazon: Season 1-3 of "Lost" for $58.99, regularly $120.98.
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The Fortress of Fortitude presents a Mac Raboy-illustrated Green Lama tale from 1945.
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Awesome! Mojo magazine has posted a "video playlist" to go along with the Heavy Mod compilation CD attached to it's latest issue. Click here for video performances by The Creation, The Pretty Things, The Move, The Small Faces and other way cool bands.
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Pappy presents a Golden Age Flash tale from 1948.
David Semel has come on board to direct "Fables," which revolves around characters from fairy tales and folklore living in exile in modern-day New York.
"Their lives become interconnected in vary big way," Zicherman said. "They share a secret and a bond."
Zicherman and Metzner wouldn't elaborate which fairy tale characters will be featured in the TV series, but noted that Big Bad Wolf and Snow White, who are central to the comics, will have a similar role on the show.
The comic book series' first storyline followed Fabletown's sheriff, a reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf, who investigates the murder of Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red.
"We set up a structure to allow any fairy tale character to show up in any one episode," Metzner said.
-----
Famous Monsters of Filmland publisher Forrest J Ackerman, passed away late last week, The Los Angeles Times reports.
Ackerman, a writer, editor and literary agent who has been credited with coining the term "sci-fi" in the 1950s, died Thursday of heart failure at his home in Los Angeles, said John Sasser, a friend who is making a documentary on Ackerman.
As editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland, Ackerman wrote most of the articles in the photo-laden magazine launched in 1958 as a forum for past and present horror films.
"It was the first movie-monster magazine," Tony Timpone, editor of horror-movie magazine Fangoria, told The Times in 2002.
-----
Today only at Amazon: Season 1-3 of "Lost" for $58.99, regularly $120.98.
-----
The Fortress of Fortitude presents a Mac Raboy-illustrated Green Lama tale from 1945.
-----
Awesome! Mojo magazine has posted a "video playlist" to go along with the Heavy Mod compilation CD attached to it's latest issue. Click here for video performances by The Creation, The Pretty Things, The Move, The Small Faces and other way cool bands.
-----
Pappy presents a Golden Age Flash tale from 1948.
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