Preview Season

It’s that time again, when the major networks, and the CW, announce their fall line ups.

I may need to take some time with this.

Saturday Songs – April 20, 2013

Something a little different as we take a breather from this past week.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, I decided to take a look back at some of the obscure Doctor moments.

Many times throughout the years, Doctor Who played a part in Children in Need, aired on the BBC to collect donations for, well, children in need.  This particular episode stands out for Doctor Who fans because, well, just watch as the new meets the old.

5 Superman Projects To Check Out

75 years ago this week, Action Comics #1 hit the newsstands, introducing America and the world to Superman.  Since that day, the Man of Steel has become one of the most recognizable comic character in the world, if not the most.  And with the latest Superman movie set to premiere this summer, it seemed only fitting for me to look back at some of the great Superman projects over the years.

Think of it as a primer.

1. The Adventures of Superman – A classic of television shows.  I remember watching these in syndication as a child, never knowing the dark history that surrounded George Reeves.  The series did not go in for the major villains, but it was still fun watching the Man of Steel break up criminal rings throughout Metropolis.  The series is available on DVD.
2. Superman cartoons – Heading way back to the era of the matinees, Max Fleischer created a number of Superman shorts that ran in theaters.  Unlike the television show, Superman’s foes were more in line with the comics, facing mad scientists and robot monsters.  These shorts are available on DVD and Youtube.com
3. Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero by Larry Tye – This book covers the history of the Man of Steel, from his humble origins in the minds of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster to the legal turmoil that has plagued Superman in recent years.  Tye’s book covers everything about the Man of Steel, including the radio shows, the Fleischer cartoons, the television show, and even the movies.  Tye does not pull punches in this book as he reveals the behind the scenes drama that has accompanied the Last Son of Krypton over the years.
4. Superman: The Movie – Directed by Richard Donner and starring a stellar cast, this was the epic tour de force for the Man of Steel, covering his origins right up to his clash with Lex Luthor.
5. The Man of Steel – In 1986, DC Comics had just created a major restructuring of their comics universe with Crisis on Infinite Earths.  In its wake, DC started to relaunch their flagship characters, updating them for the modern times.  Written by John Byrne, The Man of Steel retold Superman’s origin for the 1980s, but did so much more.  Gone were much of what had been created in the Silver Age of comics, making Superman truly the Last Son of Krypton.  Even Superman’s long standing cast of supporting characters were revamped, from a modernizing of Lois Lane, to the transformation of Lex Luthor from criminal mastermind to unscrupulous (and untouchable) businessman.  Much of what Byrne created in this series stood until later writers began to return many of the classic elements of Superman.  But, this mini-series still remains a great read.

Related articles

• Cleveland Declares ‘Superman Day’ To Celebrate The Man Of Steel’s 75th Anniversary (comicsalliance.com)
• Happy birthday, Superman! A look back at 75 powerful years (herocomplex.latimes.com)
• Cleveland mayor declares April 18 ‘Superman Day’ (robot6.comicbookresources.com)
• Superman At 75: Dan Jurgens Reflects On The Man of Steel (comicbookresources.com)
• Superman Turns 75! His Top 5 Screen Appearances (nerdist.com)
• It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a super-septuagenarian! (today.com)
• Happy 75th Birthday Superman And Lois Lane! (splashpage.mtv.com)
• Superman Turns 75! Here’s 7 Things You Didn’t Know About The Man Of Steel (radaronline.com)

Quote of the Day – April 12, 2013

Jonny Lee Miller (Photo credit: Barbara.Doduk)

Idiots rely on luck.

Sherlock Holmes (played by Jonny Lee Miller)

Elementary

Related articles

• “Game of Thrones” star Natalie Dormer joins CBS’s “Elementary” (panarmenian.net)
• Addicted To The Mystery: Elementary (rhapsodistreviews.wordpress.com)

Quote of the Day – March 18, 2013

Don’t fight for a king. Don’t fight for his kingdoms. Don’t fight for honor, don’t fight for glory, don’t fight for riches, because you won’t get any. This is your city Stannis means to sack. That’s your gate he’s ramming. If he gets in it will be your house that burns. Your gold he steals, your women he rapes. Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let’s go kill them!

Tyrion Lannister (played by Peter Dinklage)

Game of Thrones

Related articles

• ‘Game Of Thrones’ Trailer: Stannis Wants Joffrey Dead, Daenerys Wants War And More (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
• Extended Game Of Thrones season 3 trailer (musingsofamildmanneredman.com)
• ‘Game of Thrones’ Returns March 31 (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)

Quote of the Day – March 12, 2013

Asylum of the Daleks (Photo credit: Doctor Who Spoilers)

Run you clever boy, and remember.

Clara Oswin Oswald (played by Jenna-Louise Coleman)

Doctor Who

Related articles

• Doctor Who Returns Easter Saturday (theconsultingdetectivesblog.com)
• Run you clever boy…. (thesleepygamer.wordpress.com)
• ‘Doctor Who’: Ice Warriors, Cybermen and London in show’s return (herocomplex.latimes.com)

Season 2

Fire and Blood (Game of Thrones) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I just finished Season 2 of Game of Thrones and I have to say it was awesome once again.  I can’t wait until Season 3… which I can only watch once it hits DVD since I don’t have HBO.

But, watching this series I wonder something.  I love the series, and the story, and Tyrion is great.  Yet, I cannot get past page 100 in the actual book.  And I have tried twice already.  I fear that if I try once more, I will end up throwing the book into a corner and forgetting it.  Or worse, I won’t like the series.

Related articles

• ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 3 Extended Trailer Reveals Even More Dragons (hollywoodlife.com)
• ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 3 Trailer – Watch Now! (justjared.com)
• Extended Game Of Thrones season 3 trailer (musingsofamildmanneredman.com)

Quote of the Day – March 4, 2013

Adrian Monk (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Unless I’m wrong, which, you know, I’m not…

Adrian Monk (played by Tony Shalhoub)

Monk

Quote of the Day – March 1, 2013

Chinatown, London. Benedict Cumberbatch during filming of Sherlock. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Dear God. What is it like in your funny little brains? It must be so boring.

Sherlock Holmes (played by Benedict Cumberbatch)

Sherlock

Astounding

English: Stack of books in Gould’s Book Arcade, Newtown, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I find it astounding that there are some books that I cannot read, though I will watch TV series and movies based off them.  Case in point, I have attempted to read A Game of Thrones twice.  The furthest I have gotten is someplace shy of page 100.  Yet, I have devoured HBO series, working through Season One and with only four more episodes left in Season Two.

Is there any book that you have not been able to read, though you can watch the story presented in other media?