#33
Beverly Hillbillies
“Oil, that is…“
Title: “The Ballad of Jed Clampett”
Composed: Paul Henning
Performed: Jerry Scroggins
Music: Lester Flatt (guitar) and Earl Scruggs (banjo)
One of the most standout theme songs of any show during the sixties, “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” brought the musical style of bluegrass to the forefront of American pop culture.
February 15
Welcome to the EYG Comic Cavalcade. Happy Valentine’s Day. Happy Presidents’ Day. It is a fun stretch of the month for me as my birthday is also coming up this week.
I am beginning a new feature for the EYG Comic Cavalcade this week. It is:
The Comic of the Week:
Every week, I will pick one book that is the best book of the week and talk about it officially. In the past, I have mentioned when a book might be my favorite of the week, but I never officially dubbed it so. From now on, I will pick my personal favorite each week and give a bit of a summary of it. For the first Comic of the Week, I have:
The Comic of the Week
Wade Wilson: Deadpool #1
Coincidentally, this is also our Gold Medal winning book for Favorite Comic Cover of the Week. Written by Benjamin Percy and art by Geoff Shaw, Wade Wilson: Deadpool #1 gives us a new look at Wade Wilson after something tragic has happened to Ellie. We do not know exactly what it is, but it has turned Wade suicidal and he spends the issue trying to find a way to kill himself, even though his healing factor, which has been fully recharged, prevents him from killing himself. It was a great read and I am intrigued with the new ideas with Deadpool.
Books this week:
The Nobody Graphic Novel: Written, illustrated & cover art by Jeff Lemire. This is a new graphic novel version of a Jeff Lemire graphic novel that has been long out-of-print. It is a reimagining of the classic tale of the Invisible Man in the Jeff Lemire style. From Dark Horse, I really enjoyed this book. It shows how creative you can be even with a story that has been told many times. Image just finished the Invisible Man Universal Monsters mini-series and this feels like a wonderful companion to that story. I love Jeff Lemire too.
Just Brutal #1. Written by Dennis Hopeless with illustrations and cover art by Brahm Revel. This might have been a runner up for the Comic of the Week. It is a new book from Ignition Press, which has been on a real hot streak recently. The thing I liked the best was the manner in which the comic was narrated. It had characters in the story telling the readers what was happening, in a very break the fourth wall style. I enjoyed this one a lot.
Bleeding Hearts #1. Written by Deniz Camp with art by Stipan Morian. This is the official first new book from the resurgent Vertigo line from DC Comics. This features thinking zombies. If I am being honest, I was a little let down by this issue. I had anticipated this more and it was only okay. I plan on continuing to pick it up so I do hope it will improve.
Spider-Man: Noir #5. Written by Erik Larsen and art by Andrea Broccardo. Cover art was done by Simone Di Meo. The latest version of the Spider-Man Noir series came to a conclusion this week with Peter getting his powers back and kicking some Nazi butt. We saw the first trailer for the Amazon Prime series Spider-Noir starring Nicolas Cage this week, so this could be a hot pick up.
Black Cat #7. “VII: Symbiosis” Written by G. Willow Wilson and art by Gleb Melnikov. Cover art was done by Adam Hughes. Black Cat and Mary Jane reunite and Mary Jane has a secret to share with her. It is a symbiotic secret. Black Cat and the new Venom team up hoping to find their way into the Negative Zone.
Cyclops #1. “Seeing Red” Part 1. Written by Alex Paknadel with art by Rogê Antonio. Cover art was done by Federico Vicentini & Marcio Menyz. Scott Summers gets his own solo series and he finds himself in serious trouble in the Northern Rockies in British Columbia and his visor is damaged. What is Scott going to do?
Amazing Spider-Man: Torn #5. Written by J. Michael Straczynski with art by Pepe Perez. Cover art was done by Mark Bagley & Dean White. Spider-Man’s story from his early days comes to an end in this issue as he makes a decision about which woman he wants to pursue… only to have that choice ripped away from him.
Barbarian Behind Bards #1. Written by Elliott Kalan and art by Andrea Mutti. Cover art was done by Francesco Tomaselli. This alliterative book was the surprise book of the week. I did not expect to like this book, but I have been a big fan of Mad Cave over the last year or so. I picked up the issue because of Mad Cave and I really enjoyed the strange tale of a barbarian in present day, dealing with the court system. Give me more of this.
The Digger #1. Written by T.S. Luther with art and cover art by Sam Gudilin. This was one of the most original new series of the week. From Invader Comics, The Digger #1 is like a darker version of Indiana Jones, told from the POV of the Boy. The Boy knows he needs money to help his sick grandma, and he meets up with the man with the devil’s eyes. I love the layout of this book as it is very different style than what I am used to in comics.
Star Wars: Jar Jar #1. “The Unseen” Written by Ahmed Best & Marc Guggenheim with art by Kieran McKeown & Laura Braga. I know it is Jar Jar Binks. I, along with everyone in my generation, hated this character in the Star Wars prequels. I found it silly that he was getting his own one shot Marvel Comics book. I picked it up because I just had to see what it was going to be like. It was like that car wreck that you can’t take your eyes off it. I am ashamed of myself.
DC KO #4. “Trial By Absolute” Written by Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson with art by Javi Fernandez & Xermanico. Cover art was done by Javi Fernandez (Bronze Medalist). I also picked up a versus cover by Dan Mora (Bronze Medalist). It was not going to take too long to have crossovers with the Absolute characters… and here it is. Absolute Batman, Absolute Superman and Absolute Wonder Woman are here into the battle. And it looks like we have a tournament winner. One more issue of DC KO left.
The Thing on our Doorstep #1. Written by Simon Birks and art and cover art by Willi Roberts. A new Image Comics book adapting a Lovecraft story that takes place inside the Arkham Sanitorium. Daniel Upton and Edward Derby were best friends for ever, until Daniel shoots Edward dead in the sanitorium. Daniel swears he did not do it, despite holding the smoking gun. Creepy.
Marc Spector: Moon Knight #1. “Agency” Part One. Written by Jed MacKay with art by Devmalya Pramanik. Cover art was done by E.M. Gist. Marc Spector is back once again in a new series from Marvel. I swear Moon Knight has a new series every year and a half or so. They all seem to be written by Jed MacKay, so I wonder why they can’t all just be the same series. Once again, Marc is facing some mental problems, but, to the rescue, Zodiac????
Space Ghost #8. Written by David Pepose with art by Jonathan Lau. Cover art was done by Francesco Mattina. Space Ghost faces one of his most dangerous villains ever- The Antimatter Man. However, the Antimatter Man has an unexpected connection to Jace and Jan.
Planet She-Hulk #4. Written by Stephanie Phillips with art by Emilio Laiso. Cover art was done by Emilio Laiso & Sonia Oback. She-Hulk has to fight her recent lover Jack of Hearts on Sakar. This was a solid book that had a shocking final page that I just did not see coming. I enjoyed the relationship between Jenn and jack in the previous She-Hulk series, and I am glad it is being revisited here.
The Center Holds #1. Written by Larry Hama and illustrated by M.D. “Doc” Bright. Cover art was done by M.D. Bright & Joe Quinones. This new superhero project started at Boom! Studios with a sad note. Artist Mark Bright had passed away in 2024 and, after seeking approval from the Bright family, this book is moving forward. Boom is donating part of the proceeds for this book to the Hero Initiative, a charity helping comic creators that are in need.
Geiger #21. Written by Geoff Johns and art by Gary Frank. Cover art was done by Gary Frank. Geiger and the Northerner are together trying to deal with the fact that the Northerner had been pulled out of his time around the Civil War to the time after the Unknown War. This still feels like a big crossover event is in the cards.
Rocketfellers #12. Written by Peter J. Tomasi and art and cover art by Francis Manapul. The Rocketfeller family is trying to come to grips with the tragic events of last issue, where Roland was killed in an explosion. Raina is still here, but she did not remember anything.
Crownsville #4. Written by Rodney Barnes and illustrated by Elia Bonetti. Cover art was done by Jason Shawn Alexander. The mysteries and the uncertainties of the haunted Crownsville are coming to a head in this penultimate issue of the horror series from Oni Press. This is another book with a great and original layout that helps build a tone unlike most comics on the market today.
Gargoyles & Darkwing Duck #2. Written by Greg Weisman and art by Ciro Cangialosi. Cover art was done by Tad Stones. I did not think I was going to be collecting this book, and yet, here I am with issue two in my collection and enjoying the story. It is a fun pairing between Darkwing and the Gargoyles, specifically Goliath. Dynamite Comics has been dynamite in making these unlikely characters engaging in their books.
The Phantom #5. Written by Ray Fawkes with art by Russell Olson. Cover art was done by Freddie Williams. This newest arc of the Phantom is closed with this issue. I did like this book, but I wish it wouldn’t be over so soon. It seems as if there is another Phantom series coming soon, and I just do not know why this has to be a new number one.
Absolute Wonder Woman Annual #1. “Cursing and Cursed.” Written by Kelly Thompson and art and cover art by Mattia De Iulis. Diana heads to see Athena in an attempt to help break the curse on Medusa and her sisters.
Hank Howard: Pizza Detective- “The Two Hollywoods” #2. Written by Robert Venditti and art by David Lapham. Cover art was done by Andrea Sorrentino (Silver Medalist). Hank Howard is back in his conclusion to the two-issue series with a noir detective and pizza. What a perfect mix. The black and white crime story gives us a beautiful blend of violence and pizza.
Other books this week: Blood & Thunder #10, Mary Sue #4, Sherlock Holmes-The Dark Detective: Knights of Frankenstein #5, Immortal Legend Batman #6, Gigante #1, The fall of Ultraman #1, and John le Carré’s The Circus: Losing Control #2.
Quick Hits: Tom Taylor’s DC book, C.O.R.T.: Children of the Round Table #6 concluded the story, though it is wide open for a potential continuation. I prefer to see an ending that gives a more concrete finish with a slighter hint of a return. Violence and vengeance remains the par for the course in Dark Horse’s Devil on my Shoulder #3. I grabbed another reprint of an Absolute Batman cover, this one being Absolute Batman #15, with a foil cover. I am telling you that DC is not slacking on taking advantage of these Absolute books. I guess you strike when the iron is hot. I hear they are reprinting the entire line coming soon. Wild. James Tynion IV’s future techpocalypse series is back with w0rldtr33 #18. You really have to pay attention to that book to follow along. Alien vs. Captain America #4 came to a shocking end with Cap back in the ice, but he is not alone. Godzilla actually appears in Godzilla Escape the Dead Zone #6. I swear this is the King of Monster’s first appearance in this book outside of flashbacks or storytelling. It is also the final book, but it does not wrap the story up. It heads immediately into another book which I do not think I will be buying. Ultimate X-Men #24 brings that story to an end too, as the Ultimate universe is ending soon. I have appreciated Peach Momoko’s vision of the Ultimate X-Men even if I did not love the book. I liked the difference of it. Transformers #29 features another battel between Optimus Prime and Megatron. Apparently, Han Solo does not find the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars: Han Solo-The Hunt for the Falcon #5, which is another book that ends this week. The Last Day of H.P. Lovecraft #4, on the other hand, is the penultimate book of this series (I believe). I did not expect for Miss Fury’s head to have been ripped off her shoulders in Die!Namite #5. Surprised for sure. A one shot from the Hello Darkness world came out this week called Good Bones & Other Sordid Tales #1.
Good afternoon from EYG.
I was sitting here, preparing to get started on the EYG Comic Cavalcade when I decided that I was feeling tired. I have been battling a cold over the last couple of days (since I went to the doctor’s office to renew my medication… coincidence???) and I decided that I would lay down and just relax for a bit.
I took a short little nap, not fully asleep, but enough to feel happy about the time. It is something that I do not usually allow myself, so this felt special. I have no school tomorrow because of Presidents’ Day and so this was a nice afternoon. I do hope that I will not pay for this tonight. In the past, when I have taken a nap in the afternoon, I struggled to get to sleep that night. I do think my body was telling me that I needed the shut eye and I hope it will not throw off my sleep pattern.
There were a few things running through my head while I was resting. First was the fact that I have a current run of 997 consecutive days of posting at EYG on Word Press. That has been a fun fact as we have been building on the streak, but I realized something the other day. Around a week and a half ago, I saw the number and I wondered when the actual day would be for the 1000th consecutive post. When I counted, it turned out that day 1000 would occur on my birthday! How fun! So this coming Wednesday, unless there is some massive major event, I will post my 1000th consecutive day on my 57th birthday.
Speaking of birthdays, my friend Shane just celebrated his yesterday on Valentine’s Day. Shane was one of the four original Embrace Your Geekness guys. In fact, he had asked me a question about whether I preferred Avengers or X-Men, to which I replied Avengers. He was surprised by that and then he made some comment about excuse his geekness. My response was to not be ashamed and to “embrace your geekness.” And so it went on. So happy birthday, Shane.
Well, I should get back to getting the Comic Cavalcade ready to go. I did love the lazy Sunday afternoon though.
Spoilers
“Devils You Know”
“4,722 Hours”
“Among Us Hidden”
“Chaos Theory”
“Many Hands, One Tale”
“Closure”
“Maveth”
So I watched a chunk of season three episodes of Agents of Shield over the last couple of days. During this run of episodes, we got quite a few storylines that made some serious progress. In this stretch, we got to learn what life was like for Jemma on the alien planet, we saw the truth behind the ATCU, we lost Rosalind Price at the hands of sniper Ward, we discovered the truth behind Lash, and we brought to the forefront a new Hydra villain: Hive, the evil from the planet that escaped by taking over the dead body of Grant Ward.
The death of Rosalind Price was a surprise, considering that they had set her up as a new love interest for Coulson. It sent Coulson on a revenge mission, but, to be fair, he did not necessarily do anything that required him to give up the Director of Shield position.
I did not remember Lash’s true identity until Daisy saw the shadows changing shape. It was at that point that I remembered that it was Dr. Garner, as played by Blair Underwood. It continued to be a rough path for poor May. Lash killed a bunch of Inhumans in these episodes, several of which Jemma will clearly blame herself for.
The relationship between Daisy and Lincoln did not feel right. It seemed to be forced. Particularly because they did not spend much time together this season.
Mac has really stepped up his game as he took on the mantel of interim Director of Shield while Coulson went after Ward. Mac seemed to have more chemistry with Daisy than Lincoln ever did.
I love Bobbi and Hunter, but I know their time is drawing short. They were originally intended to lead a spin off called Marvel’s Most Wanted, but it never saw the light of day, and they had been written off this show.
I do not remember Gutierrez and his metal shaping powers much in the future of the team, so I wonder what his fate is going to be. He came through big time during episode ten, saving Daisy.
The episode “4,722 Hours” was one of the best of the season. The episode revealing the time that Jemma spent on the alien planet with Will was some of the best of the series. We already knew how Fitz had saved her, but seeing this part of the story filled in a lot of extra steps.
I’m not sure I liked the arrival of Hive. It did not make a lot of sense and was done, seemingly so, as a way to just keep Ward on the show.
I kept wondering why Mac and the Agents of Shield did not call the Avengers for help when they were storming the Hydra castle to take back the portal. I guess the budget would not work.
Spoilers
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials
“The Finger Points”
The Seven Dials three part series wrapped up here on the Sunday Morning Sidewalk with the final episode “The Finger Points” where we solve the mystery of what was going down.
Last week, it turned out that I was right about the guy at the end of the episode being involved and not dead. As the investigation progressed, it became clear that Jimmy was up to his ears with this case.
I also was not surprised about the “big bad” behind everything being Bundle’s mother, Lady Caterham. Once they had mentioned that there was someone behind everything, there were only so many possible characters that we had been introduced to that could work. It was a sad and emotional resolution for Bundle and I felt really bad for her. I needed more Helena Bonham Carter in the series though.
What did catch me off guard was the reveal that the Seven Dials were a good guy organization led by Superintendent Battle and that they offered Bundle a position on the team. I liked that ending which left things very much open ended for potential expansion of the property.
I thought this was a quick watch and, although it could have been expanded to make the mystery more than what it was, I did enjoy the flow of the show. Martin Freeman was excellent in this episode and I really liked how he allowed Bundle to be involved without letting his hidden agenda out.
Mia McKenna-Bruce was great in the lead role and was very easy to root for as the mystery unfurled.
Next week, we are staying on Netflix for another series. It has been one of the most successful recent series on the platform. His & Hers starred Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson and was a limited series that ran for six episodes.
#34
Baywatch
Title: “I’m Always Here”
Written: Joe Henry and Jimi Jamison
Performed: Jimi Jamison
Produced: Cory Lerios and John D’Andrea
While Baywatch was mocked over its use of bikinis and babes, the opening theme song set a tone for exciting action and a rocking good time. With the lyrics “I’ll be ready, I’ll be ready, / Never you fear… / I’m always here” repeating throughout the song, the heroism of the lifeguards stood out from the tan and luscious bodies. Or at least, that was the idea.
In the middle of season three, the guests on Sha Na Na took a weird turn.
Dusty Springfield was a proper musical guest for the show. She made a lot of sense. However, one episode had Barbie Benton, who they did a Barbie Benton-look alike contest for (won by Lennie. I swear they find any excuse to dress him up in a dress) and then she sang. Her song was just not very appealing to me. I disliked it a lot. Then we got Robert Guillaume singing a song too, which was odd. He was announced as an actor from Benson, the TV show, and I know he has sung before, but this was certainly a strange turn of events. Sha Na Na luring Guillaume in by pretending that they were the TV show MASH (yes, with Lennie dressed up as Hot Lips).
There was a street set song from Denny called Sh-Boom, where the whole group (except Lennie) was on roller skates. Except for Chico and Denny, everyone else seemed a bit nervous with the wheels on their feet. Dirty Dan in particular looked like he had never been on roller skates before.
I have actually seen a couple of versions of Sh-Boom on this show, both sung by Denny. I think the second version is still to come later on in the show’s run.
They did a Carmen opera parody with their comedy skit that was actually pretty funny (Lennie was not in a dress. He was dressed up as a bull).
The best performance on these three episodes was Bowzer exercising his deep voice in a rendition of Elvis Presley’s hit song, “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
A new animated movie came out this weekend that was a mixture of Space Jam and Zootopia. Sony put out this remarkably colorful and fun looking film.
According to IMDB, “A small goat with big dreams gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball, a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world.“
This film had its ups and downs for me. It looked great for sure. The amazing color stood out well. The story was very predictable. The beginning of the movie was not as strong for me, but the ending was better and more engaging than I thought it would be. I was feeling like I was going to really dislike this, but the ending was able to pull it up for me.
Caleb McLaughlin voiced Will Harris, the goat at the center of the story. Gabrielle Union played Jett Fillmore, the superstar roarball playing cat. Other voices in the cast included Stephen Curry, Aaron Pierce, David Harbour, Nick Kroll, Patton Oswalt, Jennifer Lewis, Nicola Coughlan, Jelly Roll, Jennifer Hudson, Wayne Knight, and Sherry COla.
I think the target audience is not for me. This feels like a film that is targeted to a younger child and I feel as if it would be fairly successful in that manner. However, I did find myself bored through a good chunk of the film as I expected what was coming. I do think they did a decent job of sticking the landing so I did not hate the experience of watching GOAT.
It really is borderline for me. If you have a group of young kids, you could probably find worse movies to take them to, but there are better movies too.
2.9 stars
We have a brand new crime thriller out this weekend featuring a bunch of actors who we have seen in various super hero flicks over the years. Director Bart Layton, who had directed American Animals and one of my all-time favorite documentaries in The Imposter, does a great job bringing this crime/heist film together.
According to IMDB, “An elusive thief, eyeing his final score, encounters a disillusioned insurance broker at her own crossroads. As their paths intertwine, a relentless detective trails them hoping to thwart the multi-million dollar heist they are planning.”
The film featured Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry, and Barry Keoghan in major roles. Each of these performers did a great job in bringing a new face to their roles, and that is a difficult thing to do since they all have major roles that they are known for. Mark Ruffalo specifically does a great job as he is a compelling and original character that never once made me think of Bruce Banner.
Nick Nolte also showed up in this film, giving his best Nick Nolte performance.
I enjoyed this fairly well, even if it felt a little too long. At two hours and twenty minutes, this did feel its length. Strong performances with a pretty good story. I did find this to be an enjoyable film with a bunch of people that I really like.
3.5 stars
Spoilers
“12:00 PM”
I have been dreading this episode since the beginning of the season. All the hints and foreshadowing was there, but I tried my best to ignore them.
Then, last week, the show ended with Louie nonresponsive and Robby and Langdon trying to revive him.
Of course, that is where the show picked up this week and we watched as this secondary character died of a pulmonary hemorrhage due t liver failure. Louie had been a drinker, we knew. We just never knew what had led to the drinking.
During the debrief and the chance to say goodbye, Robby told the whole group assembled that Louie had been married and that his wife and unborn child had died in a car wreck and that Louie had never been the same after.
Ernest Harden Jr. played the role of Louie and you can tell how great of an actor he was when he was a side character that only had a bit of screen time and yet his character’s death impacted me dramatically.
This episode featured the nurses of the Pitt more than we had gotten prior, which was a long overdue look. There were other arcs to the episode, my absolutely most hated one was the hot dog competitor. I hate vomit scenes and this had two of them. I really hated that and I am glad he seemed to be a one and done arc.
However, the episode belonged to Louie and the grief that the staff showed. It was poignant when we discovered that the ER was Louie’s emergency contact.
Then, there was Ogilvie, whom I have not liked much this new season, but now I hate him for his callousness tied to Louie’s death. The way he broke the news to Whitaker so carelessly and his comment about “an alcohol abuser” was heartless. I am cheering for this guy to flame out in the program.
Emotional episode and we are still only six episodes in.
#35
Firefly
Title: “The Ballad of Serenity”
Written: Joss Whedon
Performed: Sonny Rhodes
Firefly was a short-lived series on FOX that has had a long-lived reputation. The show was a “space western” and the theme song perfectly captured that concept with this gritty, gruff song from Joss Whedon. Whedon has written a lot of music, specifically for his own projects such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s musical episode and the online iconic Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-Long Blog. “The Ballad of Serenity” is one more credit for the director.
#36
Dukes of Hazzard
Title: “Theme from The Dukes of Hazzard (Good Ol’ Boys)”
Written: Waylon Jennings
Performed: Waylon Jennings
The 1970s and early 1980s… when Luke and Bo Duke were “Robin Hoods fighting the system” tothe country stylings of Waylon Jennings, who also was on the show as “The Balladeer” aka the narrator of the show.
Spoilers
“D-Day”
Damn, this is such a great show.
Brian and Charlie’s baby is born in this episode with some of the most beautiful moments you could imagine. I had a tear when they handed the baby to Paul at the end.
The heavy part of the episode dealt with the pregnancy, as Ava, the baby momma, went into labor. She had yet to sign adoption papers and it brought a serious conflict for Brian. His friends circled the wagon and brought some wonderful advise.
Paul passed Alice’s bench therapy along to Gaby, as he realized that he would not be there forever.
Sean reunited with his ex-girlfriend Marisol in another strong scene.
We met Jimmy’s father, played by the one and only Jeff Daniels. The conflict between Jimmy and his dad is clearly going to be investigated this season.
#37
Moonlighting
Perfromed and lyrics: Al Jarreau
Music: Lee Holdridge
Production: Nile Rodgers
Note: The lyrics reflect the show’s premise of romance, mystery, and style, with a “soft rock/jazz” feel that became iconic for the era.
Moonlighting is, of course, one of my all-time favorite shows, and the theme song by Al Jarreau was a wonderful way to kick each episode off. It was a smooth-feeling, jazzy song that capturd the style of Moonlighting.
EYG- Embrace Your Geekness 