The fourth season for the Incredible Hulk TV show was the last full season of the show.  In fact, the fourth season had only 18 episodes due to a writer’s strike that year that shortened the TV season.  There would be a 5^th season however the show would be canceled after just seven episodes.  It’s clear that by the fourth season the show was starting to lose steam.  The major reason for this was budget cuts.  While the producers wanted to do more with the character, budget constrictions forced them to do even less.  In fact as noted during the documentary on the season three DVD set, studio bigwigs wanted only one Hulk appearance per episode compared to the usual two.  Good sense won out on that battle but the show was still one of the most expensive to produce at the time so things were not going to get any easier for the writers. 

Because of this, the fourth season lacks consistency.  It’s almost if rather than try to make a lot of good episodes the producers opted to put all their eggs in one basket and make a handful of outstanding episodes.  Of course, the downside to this was that this meant there were quite a few bad episodes as well.  One cool aspect in season four is that Lou Ferrigno was able to play a role other than the Hulk, appearing as a bodybuilder in the episode “King of the Beach.”   

Season four is highlighted by a pair of outstanding two-part episodes.  “Prometheus” and “The First” aren’t just two of the best episodes of the season but two of the best of the show’s entire run.  From a comic book fan’s standpoint, these episodes were both comic-esque in their plots as well as very exciting. 

In “Prometheus”, David is caught halfway through his transformation into the Hulk.  In a nod to the long-running battle between the Hulk and General Thunderbolt Ross, the Hulk is captured by the Military and placed into titanium holding cell so scientists can study and experiment on him.  This is truly a fantastic two-parner as it’s one of the few times during the series’ run that you ever felt the Hulk was in danger. 

“Dark Side” again shows the writers were at least paying a bit of attention to the comics.  David’s latest experiment goes awry resulting in his transformation into a savage, rampaging Hulk, and endangering all those around him. In

“Bring Me the Head of the Hulk” (directed by Bill Bixby) a rival tabloid to the National Register hires a mercenary to kill the Hulk, setting an elaborate trap for him.  Of all people, it is reporter Jack McGee who comes to Banner/Hulk’s aid. 

“The First” is the other outstanding two-part episode.  David Banner learns about Dr. Clive, another man who transformed into a Hulk-like creature but was able to find a cure.  David attempts to cure himself using Clive’s notes but Clive subjects himself to radiation and turns into an evil Hulk.  The pair of green behemoths battle for supremacy.  Dick Durock, who also played the Swamp Thing, plays the evil Hulk and while he doesn’t have Ferrigno’s muscle development, he’s a big guide and looked maniacal when made up in the green makeup.  One of the very few times we were treated to a comic book-style battle during the series. 

Other outstanding episodes in season four include “Interview with the Hulk” and “Wax Museum”.  But, as mentioned, this season had some of the worst episodes as well so this set is a mixed lot but well worth it for the episodes I mentioned above.  Grade B. 

Alright, so it’s out! Incredible Hercules #118 came out yesterday, with the Marvel character I named!

This is the original journal entry I made:

Anyone remember how in Incredible Hercules, some time ago, they asked for suggestions on how to name Amadeus Cho’s coyote pup? Well, check this out:

Best,
Fred & Greg
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Well, they could have sent me an autographed copy… although my heart is warmed by a local fellow fan that called me the “Silver Surfer of Uruguayan fandom”. *blush* Oh, and when Herc yells “NERD!”… HE”S YELLING AT ME!!! I’VE BEEN CALLED A NERD BY A GREEK GOD!!!! BY THE QUINTESSENTIAL JOCK OF MYTHOLOGY!!!

MaGnUs

PS: Yeah, I know, shameless self-promotion…

Colt Cabana tortures Shawn Spears’s favorite stuffed animal:

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From the Press Release…

THE SCREAM FACTORY will be appearing at Wizard World Chicago, June 26-29, with an incredible line-up of comic book and Hollywood talent.

Scheduled guests include:

•Sean Patrick Flanery (star of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Boondock Saints, The Dead Zone TV series, and the forthcoming Bump)

•Robert Kurtzman (From Dusk Til Dawn creator; Wishmaster, Bump
director; Army of Darkness, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Re-Animator Special Effects Legend)

•Jesse Blaze Snider (MTV’s Rock the Cradle star; Strangeland: Seven Sins, Marvel Comics Presents: Deadpool writer)

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Episode 5 of starts off RD Sennou Chosashitsu with Minamo looking for a special pair of sunglasses called ” Sous-Marin”, which she wants to give to Haru. Apparently they were all the rage 50 years ago. But now they have become collectors items and even the knockoffs are fetching a high price, as she is about to find out.

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I hate to tell my regular blog readers “I told you so”. But did I not say that closing Newtype USA and replacing it with PiQ was a bad idea on ADV’s part. I discussed this in length about 3 months ago in a post titled “PIQ Magazine“

-Me- So to be blunt PiQ is not what the advertisements promised: “A new publication that will surely be everything you’ve enjoyed from NewTypeUSA…and much more!”

Well it seems that the July Issue of PiQ magazine will be its last, and more surprising only after its 4th issue. Which must mean that it must have, really been selling badly to be pulled from the market after only its 4th issue. Or it means that ADV is in bigger financial trouble that we first thought. According to the reports, PiQ’s editorial staff have already vacated their office. PiQ and ADV has not made any formal or public announcement about the magazines status yet.

How could ADV think that closing down Newtype USA was a good idea, and then replace it with PiQ. A inferior and sub par magazine compared to Newtype USA. While trying to expand its non excisting reading demographic so early in its publication. This stupid move just blew up in ADV’s faces, is this a sign of things to come. ?

This might be the best mash-up since they got chocolate in peanut butter.
DANZIG and SHAKIRA, for the first time!

Comic Book fans are some of the most demanding when it comes to how their heroes are portrayed onscreen.  They have a fanatical dedication and they want their heroes to appear on film the same way they do in the comics.  That in mind, the Incredible Hulk TV show shouldn’t have been a success.  The TV version varied greatly from the comic in terms of the Hulk’s level of power and the overall, often subdued tone of the show.  But a funny thing happened along the way…the show started pulling in an older demographic than just kids, and not just older, but also pulled in a very heavy female demographic that seemed to related to the show’s tragic nature.  Bill Bixby as Dr. “David” Banner became a sensitive, sympathetic, and romantic lead character.  A nice guy who troubled followed.  Lo and behold, the show ran for four plus seasons before being canceled in its fifth season.  The Hulk would later return for three made-for-TV movies and more were planned before Bixby’s death in 1993. 

To coincide with the brand new Incredible Hulk feature film, Universal Pictures has releases seasons 3 & 4 on DVD for the first time.  Season three features 23 episodes on five DVDs.  If you’re counting, these would be episode numbers 35 through 57 of the series.  Season three was overall very good although not as good as season two.  The good episodes were very good but there are also a few clinkers mixed in as well.   

“The Slam” finds David arrested and tossed into a work camp prison run by your typical clichéd prison warden who mistreats the prisoners.  Charles Napier plays the bad boy prisoner who befriends David.  Cheesey but fun… 

One of the best episodes of the season was “Homecoming”.  After seeing a story about his hometown on the news, David returns home for the first time in years to see his sister although he doesn’t want his father to know.  His sister, played by Diana Muldaur, is also a doctor who is trying to find a cure for a plague of beetle worms that are destroying crops and threatening the family farm.  This is the first, and only time we’ll see the family and there’s some great tension between David and his father. 

Another great episode is “The Snare” co-starring Bradford Dillman as a hunter who hunts people on a deserted island.  He would pick the wrong quarry with David Banner. 

“The Psychic” co-starred Bixby’s real life wife Brenda Benet as a psychic who discovers David’s secret.  Tragically, Benet committed suicide after the couple’s son died. 

The Incredible Hulk was very much a formula-driven show with Banner on the move in each episode and while this season was solid, you get the feeling at times, such as the terrible season finale “”On the Line” that the writers were struggling to make the show interesting and fresh each week.  Certainly they were under great constraints budget-wise and didn’t have today’s modern effects in their favor.  Without a regular cast outside of Bixby, Ferrigno, and Jack Colvin as Jack McGee, the producers had to tap guest stars each week.  Some of them, such as John Marley playing David’s father were brilliant, while others didn’t work at all. 

Overall, season three was very good and further developed both the characters of David Banner and the Hulk.  The Five disc set comes with a featurette Remembering “The Incredible Hulk” An American Classic that features interviews with several of the writers and producers of the show.  There’s also a sneak peek at the new Incredible Hulk feature film.  Grade B+

This is making the rounds, the DVD’ll be out later this year, and frankly, I think this’ll be a great little indie comedy. If it can hit half the funny that the trailer promises, it’ll be worth checking out. Enjoy!

If fate and talent has anything to say in the matter the music from the New York based indie band The Styrofoam Junkies will soon be heard on a radio station near you. With a range of songs (some great, some less so great) that actually vary in sound and scope, this engaging band offers a little bit of rocky/poppy goodness for even the most jaded music fan.

“Touch” is the standout in The Styrofoam Junkies’ musical arsenal, it’s a car-singing-worthy tune begging to be boomed over the radio (or your iPod). Beginning with a jamming guitar riff that quickly snags your attention, “Touch” soon morphs into a mellowishy-cheery tune lead by the confident multi-tiered vocals of singer Stephen Faig (who also plays the guitar). “Touch” is a top 40 hit waiting to happen.

“These Days” is another song worthy of your musical time, featuring a thoroughly catchy chorus demanding you stop and take notice; especially once the ”whoa-oh-whoa-oh-whoa-oh’s” kick in towards the end. It’s a head-boppy tune meant to invoke thoughts of care-free good times with your best buddies: “grew up in parking lots/a bottle and some friends” sings Faig. Worth a listen.

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The wonderfully droll webcomic “My Life In a Cube,” by Shane Johnson, is a terrific way for us office 8-5ers to pass the time. Cute, funny and very creative - the strips are often drawn on various paper-mediums (sticky notes, napkins) - each of the goofy gags humorously, and truthfully, reflects today’s modern office life.

So avoid filing those documents and spent some of your salaried-time reading: http://www.mylifeinacube.com/  

I hate to toot my own horn but “toot toot” I have a fun, brand new webcomic called “Unabashedly Billie” on Prism Comics, www.prismcomics.org! Yay! Best of all it’s totally FREE!! So fer shure run on over to Prism and check it out! STAT! 

Here is the link to the announcement: http://prismcomics.com/display.php?id=1570 

Here is the link to the webcomic: http://prismcomics.com/webcomics_display.php?id=1178 

Here is some info about my new comic: “Unabashedly Billie” is actually the first comic book story I ever wrote and drew, it’s been sitting around since 2003, and it’s just a cutesy little black and white story that is loosely based on my life. Plus, my wonderful man Preston inked and lettered (and came up with the Logo) for the story! Isn’t he just spectacular? (Hells yeah he is!) And he’s not even a comic book nerd too!

For more info about my indie comic self-publishyness check out www.sosuperduper.com.

Whoa! Why am I even surprised? It appears that Robocop is heading back to the big screen. Is anyone excited?

 Check out Superhero Hype for my source: http://www.superherohype.com/news/gijoenews.php?id=7324

I found this video on youtube while doing research for a earlier blog post. Apparently it is done by the same animation studio, that did Ultimate Alliance. Blur Studios created a three part short movie series “Iron Man’s Adventures for the Marvel Kids website.

And I must say I am pretty impressed with what they have done with just these 3 short movies, also take into consideration that it was created for a kids website and a younger audience. But for some odd reason I really enjoyed this short little movie, I felt like a kid again watching his favorite super hero in action teaming up to defeat the bad guys.

Iron Man’s Adventures Short Movie:

Perhaps you’ve heard that Vince McMahon, Chairman of the WWE, is giving away $1 million to lucky fans every week in an effort to boost struggling ratings for Monday Night Raw. Last night was the first night of the sweepstakes, and lucky for us, it took place live during the show. Let’s take a look at how it went:

Yeah, that’s right–Vince McMahon got Rick Roll’d on live television. That, as they say, totally reeks of awesomeness.