Comic Strip Review: Hägar the Horrible: “Caught in the Act!”

Comic Strip Review: Hägar the Horrible: “Caught in the Act!” by Dik Browne It is the age of Vikings, what some will call the Dark Ages. In a coastal village somewhere on the coast of Norway lives a minor raider chieftain named Hägar the Horrible. This doughty warrior travels around the known world, and sometimes… Continue reading Comic Strip Review: Hägar the Horrible: “Caught in the Act!”

Manga Review: Space Battleship Yamato the Classic Collection

Manga Review: Space Battleship Yamato the Classic Collection by Leiji Matsumoto It is the year 2199, and the Earth is dying. For a change, it’s not directly the fault of the Earthling humans. Invaders from the planet Gamilas have been bombarding Earth with radioactive bombs, poisoning the atmosphere. A message from a far off world,… Continue reading Manga Review: Space Battleship Yamato the Classic Collection

Movie Review: The Case of the Lucky Legs

Della ministers to her employer.

Movie Review: The Case of the Lucky Legs (1935) directed by Archie Mayo Frank Patton (Craig Reynolds) has a pretty neat scam going. He poses as the representative of a major hosiery company who’s come to a small city to hold a “Lucky Legs” beauty contest. Patton gets local businessmen to front all the expenses for… Continue reading Movie Review: The Case of the Lucky Legs

Movie Review: The Dragon Murder Case

Mrs. Stamm tries to convince Leland and Vance of the existence of the dragon.

Movie Review: The Dragon Murder Case (1934) directed by H. Bruce Humberstone There’s a party at the Stamm estate tonight. Socialite Monty Montague (George Meeker) has become engaged to lovely Bernice Stamm (Margaret Lindsay) and it’s time to celebrate. However, tensions are high. Ichthyologist Rudolph Stamm (Robert Barratt), Bernice’s brother, has taken to drink, ignoring the… Continue reading Movie Review: The Dragon Murder Case

Book Review: Undeveloped: A Pine County Mystery

Book Review: Undeveloped: A Pine County Mystery by Dean L. Hovey Pine County is on the eastern edge of Minnesota, about halfway between the Twin Cities and Duluth. It’s a rural area, with a fair amount of relatively new growth pine timber (you may have heard of the Hinckley Fire.) Much of the economy depends… Continue reading Book Review: Undeveloped: A Pine County Mystery

Comic Book Review: Gotham Central: Unresolved Targets

Comic Book Review: Gotham Central: Unresolved Targets edited by Matt Idelson Being a cop in Gotham City is rough. In addition to the long hours, hostile population and dangerous streets that come with the police officer’s job in any large city, Gotham City has one of the highest corruption rates of a police department in… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Gotham Central: Unresolved Targets

Movie Review: Paradise Canyon

John signs up with the medicine show.

Movie Review: Paradise Canyon (1935) directed by Carl Pierson There’s been a flood of counterfeit bills in the southwest territory recently. Federal agent John Wyatt (John Wayne) has been sent to investigate. The local law enforcement do have one lead. A while back, two suspects were caught flogging very similar funny money. One turned state’s evidence… Continue reading Movie Review: Paradise Canyon

TV Review: Seven Swordsmen

Master Shadowglow sets some high expectations.

TV Review: Seven Swordsmen aka “Seven Swords Descend from Mount Heaven” In 17th Century China, the Qing Dynasty now rules where once the Ming Dynasty did. Many Han resent their new Manchu overlords and pockets of rebellion are everywhere. To help quell the resistance, the Qing have banned the practice of martial arts by ordinary… Continue reading TV Review: Seven Swordsmen

Movie Review: Fort Apache

Miss Thursday, Lieutenant O'Rourke, and Captain York chat on the stairs.

Movie Review: Fort Apache (1948) directed by John Ford Lieutenant Colonel Owen Thursday (Henry Fonda) was a general during the American Civil War. He showed his brilliance in a particular battle, at the cost of his friend Sam Collingwood’s (George O’Brien) career (that man is now a captain.) After the war, Thursday lost his brevet rank… Continue reading Movie Review: Fort Apache

Movie Review: Key Largo

Nora and Steve discuss their pre-War lives.

Movie Review: Key Largo (1948) directed by John Huston Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart) was a major in the United States Army during World War Two. During the Italian campaign, one of his men (and a friend), George Temple, perished in combat. While initially an idealist, the violence of the war left Frank disillusioned, and the America… Continue reading Movie Review: Key Largo