#Thomas mcclary

[the-hottest-band-tournament]

Round Two

Commodores

Defeated opponents: Marillion

Formed in: 1968

Genres: Funk, soul

Lineup: Lionel Richie – vocals, saxophones, acoustic piano, keyboards

Milan Williams – keyboards

Thomas McClary – vocals, guitars

Ronald LaPread – bass

Walter Orange – vocals, drums, percussion

William King – trumpet

Albums from the 80s:

Heroes (1980)

In the Pocket (1981)

All the Great Hits (1982)

Commodores 13 (1983)

Nightshift (1985)

United (1986)

Rock Solid (1988)

Propaganda: 

The Go Go’s

Defeated opponents: Kraftwerk

Formed in: 1978

Genres: new wave, power pop, pop rock, punk rock 

Lineup: Belinda Carlisle- vocals 

Jane Weidlin- rhythm guitar

Charlotte Caffey- lead guitar

Gina Schock- drums

Kathy Valentine- bass

Albums from the 80s: 

Beauty and the Beat (1981)

Vacation (1982) 

Talk Show (1984)

Propaganda: While their biggest hits were very bubblegum and upbeat, these girls came up in the LA Punk scene and had the bite to back that up. Rolling Stone ranked the Hardest Partying Bands and The Go Go's came in 3rd, right behind Mötley Crüe and Led Zeppelin. Their songs are certified bops and great to blast on a road trip and their style was pure LA Mall Rat which, frankly, still iconic.

[filosofablogger]

♫ Easy ♫ (Redux)

For some reason … probably a combination of things like a respiratory infection I’ve been fighting for two weeks, the news from the past week, and the state of the world, I find myself on the brink of tears tonight.  I need a pick-me-up, something to bring a smile to my face.  I KNOW — LIONEL RICHIE!!!  Lionel and Stevie Wonder are two people who can most always bring a smile and wipe away the…

[singeratlarge]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Paul Badura-Skoda, singer-songwriter Bruce Barr, composer-guitarist Glenn Branca, William Butler (Arcade Fire), Roseanne Cash’s 2009 album THE LIST, Le Corbusier, Kevin Cronin, Britt Ekland, my cousin Daniel Ertel, The Fisk Jubilee Singers (1871), Ioan Gruffudd, Fannie Lou Hamer, Thor Heyerdahl, David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), the 1929 film THE JAZZ SINGER (the first major “talkie”), Mylon LeFevre, “Swedish Nightingale” Jenny Lind (she filled concert halls before microphones were invented), Carole Lombard, Thomas McClary (Commodores), The Monkees 1969 appearance on the LAUGH-IN TV show, Meg Myers, producer Jim Pierson, Shostakovich’s 6th Iron Quartet (1956), Fay Spain, Millie Small, Matthew Sweet, Karol Szymanowski, George Westinghouse, and the 1965 single by The Supremes, “I Hear a Symphony.” The song is a romantic idyll for the wonders of a lover, and it was the 6th #1 hit single for The Supremes. It was composed by the incomparable Motown Records songwriting team of Brian Holland, his brother Eddie, and Lamont Dozier. They’d been writing since they were teenagers and wrote hits for The 4 Tops, Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves, and others. Dozier said, “We were keeping up not only with what was going on at Motown, but in the world, meaning The Beatles, The Beach Boys…There was definitely a standard…Everything that came out had a signature as well as it had to sound like a hit.” Dozier said they’d regularly go to chamber, opera, and symphony concerts “for song concepts.” Baroque, electronic, ethnic, and orchestral influences became part of “the Motown sound.”

“I Hear a Symphony” was a turning point. Early Motown hits like “Money” and “Please Mr. Postman” were rooted in r’n’b, rock’n’roll, and gospel, and they sold mostly to teens, but Motown President Berry Gordy envisioned a broader audience. Ray Charles had already merged “strings with soul,” but his audience was older. The Beach Boys, Phil Spector, The Beatles, and other British Invasion pop acts cherry-picked ideas from musicals, classical, and the avant-garde (perhaps prophesying the “progressive rock era” when Keith Emerson would do Bartok, Bernstein, and boogie-woogie in one flash). By comparison, Motown was even more pro-active about marrying classical, jazz, and pop/rock to “soul music.” Motown arrangers (Paul Riser, etc.), were inspired by Broadway and the jazz orchestrations of Duke Ellington and George Gershwin. They hired musicians from the Detroit Symphony to connect elegance with The Funk Brothers, the Motown house band. “I Hear a Symphony” features the muscular drumming of Benny Benjamin and the distinctive baritone sax solo of Mike Terry. 

Singing it demanded an exuberance that stretched the vocal abilities of then-22 year old Diana Ross. She still claims it’s one of her favorite Supremes songs to do, and it’s on my list of 12 pieces of music that changed my life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpL1TTxffO0

#birthday #dianaross #supremes #symphony #motion

[bookmaven]

WHO GOES THERE? by John W. Campbell, Jr. (Chicago: Shasta, 1948) Wrap-around dustwrapper art by Hannes Bok. 3,000 copy edition of which 200 were signed by the author.

The films The Thing from Another World (1951) and The Thing (1982) by John Carpenter, were based on the title story. The stories originally appeared in the magazine Astounding SF under Campbell's pseudonym Don A. Stuart.

Astounding Science-Fiction, August 1938 [v21 #6] Cover by H.W. Wesso

contents:

“Hell Ship” by Arthur J. Burks [as Josh McNab]

Jason Comes Home by A. B. L. Macfadyen, Jr.

Food for the First Planet by Thomas Calvert McClary

Resilient Planet by Warner Van Lorne

“Who Goes There?” by Don A. Stuart [aka John W. Campbell, Jr.]

The Terrible Sense by Calvin Peregoy

“Power” by John W. Campbell, Jr. (editorial)

Asteroid Pirates by Royal W. Heckman

Orbits, Take-offs and Landings by Willy Ley (article)

Eviction by Isotherm �� Malcolm Jameson

The Disinherited · Henry Kuttner

[reasoningdaily]

The Commodores

The Commodores Trademark Fight Decided in Florida Court

Three founding members of the famous funk band behind "Brick House" have been fighting over the right to use the group's name.

The CommodoresGilles Petard/Redferns

The exclusive right to use The Commodores‘ name and trademarks belongs to a company run by founding members William King and Walter Orange, a Florida appellate court has ruled.

Commodores Entertainment Corporation, a company run by King and Orange, in 2014 sued ex-bandmate Thomas McClary for trademark infringement after discovering that he had been performing using variations of the famous funk group’s name. (McClary left the band in 1984.)

A Florida federal court in August 2016 granted judgment as a matter of law in favor of CEC and entered a permanent injunction against McClary that prevented him from using the Commodores trademark except in instances of fair use. He can bill himself as “Thomas McClary, founder of The Commodores” but not refer to a performance as that of “The Commodores featuring Thomas McClary,” for example.

The guitarist appealed that decision, as well as the district court’s denial of his motion to dismiss the matter because CEC failed to include Ronald LaPread, another founding bandmember, in the litigation.

An 11th Circuit panel on Tuesday affirmed the trial court’s decision.

“[W]hen McClary left the band, he left behind his common-law rights to the marks,” writes U.S. Circuit Judge Stanley Marcus. “Those rights remained with CEC.”

When the band’s six original members formed a partnership in 1978, they agreed that if any of them died or quit, the majority of the partners retained the right to use the name The Commodores. Their 1979 deal with Motown Records also provided that bandmembers could perform with other groups, but “in no event” could they use the Commodores name. When Lionel Richie left the band in 1982, another agreement was signed and it provided that “no Leaving Member, nor heirs of any member have or will have the right to make any individual use of the Name.” 

Eventually only King and Orange remained as original members still with the group and they transferred their common-law rights in the trademark to CEC, which registered four trademarks with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2001. 

While the 11th Circuit acknowledges that the standard for granting a motion for entry of judgment as a matter of law is a demanding one, it agrees with the lower court’s judgment that the evidence was overwhelmingly in CEC’s favor. (Read the full opinion below.)

“[T]he various contractual agreements executed by the parties confirm the group members contemplated that the marks were to be jointly but not severally owned and, in addition, that a member leaving the group would cease using the group’s name as an identifier,” writes Marcus. “In sum, no reasonable juror could have found that McClary retained a right to use the name ‘The Commodores’ on his own and separately from the group that has continually used that same name.”

The panel also held it lacks jurisdiction to review the denial of McClary’s motion to dismiss, finding the issue of whether or not LaPread should have been involved in the legal fight is not inextricably intertwined with the permanent injunction. 

This article originally appeared in THR.com. 

The exclusive right to use The Commodores‘ name and trademarks belongs to a company run by founding members William King and Walter Orange, a Florida appellate court has ruled.Commodores Entertainment

[muppetydyke]

Muppet Mainstage, January 27th, 2024

“Brick House” was written by Lionel Richie, Ronald LaPread, Walter Orange, Milan Williams, Thomas McClary and William Thomas Kin in 1977. The song has been performed multiple times by different Muppets.

“Brick House” acted as an opening song for the 1999 film, Muppets from Space. The cast of muppets dance to the song throughout the house they share as everyone wakes up and starts their days.

[ulkaralakbarova]

Seen-it-all New York detective Frank Keller is unsettled – he has done twenty years on the force and could retire, and he hasn’t come to terms with his wife leaving him for a colleague. Joining up with an officer from another part of town to investigate a series of murders linked by the lonely hearts columns he finds he is getting seriously and possibly dangerously involved with Helen, one of the main suspects. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Frank Keller: Al Pacino Helen Cruger: Ellen Barkin Sherman: John Goodman Terry: Michael Rooker Frank Keller Sr.: William Hickey Gruber: Richard Jenkins Serafino: Paul Calderon Struk: Gene Canfield Dargan: Larry Joshua Lieutenant: John Spencer Gina Gallagher / Lonelyheart: Christine Estabrook Miss Allen: Barbara Baxley Older Woman: Patricia Barry Murdered Man: Mark Phelan Raymond Brown: Michael O’Neill Doorman: Michael Fischetti Omar Maldonado: Luis Antonio Ramos Efram Maldonado: Rafael Báez Black Guy: Samuel L. Jackson Ernest Lee: Damien Leake Tommy: John Thaddeus Willie: Joshua Nelson Supermarket Manager: Christofer de Oni Supermarket Cashier: Dwayne McClary Helen’s Mother: Jacqueline Brookes Toastmaster: Thom Curley Cable Supervisor: Fred Sanders Clipboard Guy #2: Larry Mullane Clipboard Guy #3: Anthony Catanese Bartender: Thomas Wagner Doorman: Manny Alfaro James Mackey: Brian Paul Tense Woman: Deborah Taylor Sasha: Ferne Downey Raymond Brown’s Wife: Nancy Beatty Clipboard Guy #1: Tony De Santis Yuppie Detective #1: Jackie Laidlaw Yuppie Detective #2: Paul Hubbard Surveillance Team Member: James Kidnie Sherman’s Wife: Bridget O’Sullivan Criminal Type: Franz Fridal Hallway Cop: James O’Regan Hallway Cop: Wayne Best Young Cop: John Bourgeois Young Cop: Hugh Thompson Bride: Miranda de Pencier Groom: Ty Templeton Denice Gruber (scenes deleted): Lorraine Bracco Film Crew: Editor: David Bretherton Director: Harold Becker Director of Photography: Ronnie Taylor Unit Production Manager: Louis A. Stroller Producer: Martin Bregman Costume Design: Betsy Cox Script Supervisor: Blanche McDermaid First Assistant Camera: Yves Drapeau Second Assistant Director: Rocco Gismondi First Assistant Director: Michael E. Steele Second Assistant Director: David Sardi First Assistant Director: Thomas J. Mack Camera Operator: Andy Chmura Casting: Mary Colquhoun Production Design: John Jay Moore Second Assistant Director: Madeleine Henrié Additional Photography: Adam Holender Associate Producer: Michael Bregman Makeup Artist: Irving Buchman Hairstylist: Bryan Charbonneau Hairstylist: Bob Grimaldi Makeup Artist: Irene Kent Key Makeup Artist: Leslie A. Sebert Stunts: Dick Ziker Writer: Richard Price Stunts: Glenn R. Wilder Stunts: Buddy Joe Hooker Production Assistant: Liam Kiernan Stunts: Kenny Bates Stunts: Steve Boyum Stunts: Rick Parker Stunts: Shane Cardwell Production Manager: Barbara Kelly First Assistant Camera: Michael Hall First Assistant Camera: Horace Jordan Location Manager: Debra Beers Production Accountant: Dorothy Precious Production Coordinator: Toni Blay Sound Mixer: Keith A. Wester Boom Operator: Steve Switzer Gaffer: Rae Thurston Best Boy Grip: Howie Balbraith Grip: Randy Tambling Dolly Grip: Robert DaPrato First Assistant Art Direction: Lucinda Zak Set Decoration: Gordon Sim Set Dresser: Raman Majlath Property Master: Vic Rigler Wardrobe Master: Gail Filman Second Assistant Camera: Rick Perotto Assistant Location Manager: Anne Richardson Assistant Accountant: Karen Demontbrun Assistant Set Decoration: Richard Ferbrache Assistant Property Master: Jeff Poulis Wardrobe Assistant: Debi Weldon Production Secretary: Regina Robb Carpenter: Boyd Allen Scenic Artist: Reet Puhm Transportation Coordinator: Neil Montgomerie Unit Publicist: Joan Eisenberg Still Photographer: Rob McEwan Casting: Stuart Aikins Extras Casting: Scott Mansfield Additional Editing: John Wright Assistant Editor: Francine Fleishman Assistant Editor: Irvin Paik Assistant Editor: Charlene Olson Assistant Editor: Haydn Streeter Supervising Sound Editor: Norval D. Crutcher Supervising Sound Editor: Randle ...

[ala18b-town]

ALA Unit 18 is blessed to have honored over 1,500 Veterans on December 16th at WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA! With the support of members and partners, we sponsored 216 Veterans! We volunteered over 150 hours in this Auxiliary year to pull off 3 ceremonies and laying wreaths at 4 locations!! A shout out to these members: Kelsy Benckart, Becky Kehrberg Vanessa McClary, Janice Wampler, Vicki Swafford, Sidda Benckart, Jeanie Cox, and Jenny Tracy for their hard work! We are very proud of our efforts! We hope to expand again this upcoming year! We are looking for volunteers to help us coordinate one of the bigger cemeteries such as Valhalla or Clear Creek. In order to take this on. We need to add 3 additional committee members!! Let Jenny Tracy know if you are interested in helping out! We would like to mention our wreaths sponsors and let them know how grateful we are: Tiffany Lynch Jenny Tracy Michelle Casady Medley LLC ALA Unit 18 Bobbie Krebbs Becky Kehrberg Janice Wampler SAL Squadron 18 Steve Miller Mike Pipher Rachel Bailey Oregon VFW Post 8739 Brenda Polley Ashley Hobbs Diana Young Tim Baugh Glenda Murray Stephanie Barnes Mary Madore Kelly Lambe Amy Thomas Judith Benckart Karra Dunbar ALA Unit 103 Mooresville Mahjong Card Players Sue Freeman Ellie O’Connor Hal Hanes Katherine Anderson Two of our members made a difference in reaching out to local organizations/businesses to bring major support! Vanessa McClary worked diligently with the Kiwanis Club of South Central Indiana to bring major sponsorship success- 260 wreaths sponsored! Kelsy Benckart shared her trucking business with WAA as her company Kelsy Leading LLC (Stone Belt Freight Lines) donated the truck, driver, gas, and time to get the wreaths from MA to IN! We are very appreciative! @nadiaviolet44 We also sing praises to IU student Nadia Cain for her help in trying to raise funds! Thank you all!

[radiomax]

Tuesday, June 20, 2023 5pm ET: Feature LP: Commodores - Heroes (1980)

Heroes is the eighth studio album by the Commodores, released in June 1980 by Motown Records. “Got to Be Together” 5:44“Celebrate” 5:03“Old-Fashion Love” 4:56“Heroes” 5:24“All The Way Down” 3:35“Sorry to Say” 4:01“Wake Up Children” 4:33“Mighty Spirit” 4:06“Jesus is Love” 6:04 Lionel Richie – vocals, saxophones, acoustic piano, keyboards Milan Williams – keyboards Thomas McClary – vocals,…

[rodpower78]

Bob Marley and the Commodores backstage at Madison Square Garden in 1980.

[lokilickedme]

"Your heathen gods won't care?"

"If they do they can fight me."

            - Molly and King discussing the possibility of getting married in a                  church

[pulpsandcomics2]

Astounding Science Fiction       April 1938

Three Thousand Years by Thomas Calvert McClary

Hyperpilosity by L. Sprague de Camp

Negative Space by Nat Schachner

The Faithful by Lester del Rey

Jason Sows Again by Arthur Burks

[reasoningdaily]

Commodores Talk Recording First New Music Since 1993

The Commodores certainly have no shortage of hits to play any time the stalwart R&B troupe hits a stage -- "Brick House," "Sail On," "Three Times a Lady" and more. But as the group celebrates its…

The Commodores Courtesy of The Commodores

The Commodores certainly have no shortage of hits to play any time the stalwart R&B troupe hits the stage — “Brick House,” “Sail On,” “Three Times a Lady” and many more. But as the group celebrates its 50th (actually 52st) anniversary this year, what co-founder William “Wak” King wants most is to make some new music.

“It’s been a minute,” King, the sole founding member left in the lineup, tells Billboard by phone from his home recording studio in Atlanta, where he is in fact working on fresh tracks for the Commodores. “It’s very exciting right now. Everybody’s kinda pumped. It’s taken awhile to get everybody in the frame of mind to get back in the studio, but we’ve been cutting four tracks and we want to get them completed and figure out what to do with them.”

King blames the long gap between Commodores’ releases — its last album, No Tricks, came out during 1993 — on the success the group has on the road. “We’ve been working a bunch lately within the last number of years,” he explains. “And when everyone comes back home again they’re tired and they just want to rest and not see each other for a while. And just when you’re getting a little comfortable you get a phone call that we need to push the tour dates up a bit and get back on the road. We’ve had to make time to get in the studio.” King has a wish list of producers he’d like to work with, including Usher, and he’s open to the idea of letting them guide what the new material will sound like.

“It’s a different process to go through because normally we all write on our own or some or all of us get together in a room and we just fight it out, literally,” King says. “But one of the things we’ve been bumping our head up against is radio has a certain sound they want to hear. Since we’re not from the millennial era we’re going to write the songs and then bring someone in from today and let them take a listen to see if they can make it more like the sound of the times of today. That’s the plan. Our only concern in (the studio) is making the songs the best they can be, period.”

While he’s planning the future, King and Commodores veterans Walter “Clyde” Orange (since 1972) and James Dean “J.D.” Nicholas (since 1984) stay on the road celebrating the group’s august past. (Original lead guitarist Thomas McClary leads a Commodores Experience band as well, while Lionel Richie remains a solo act.) Founded at Tuskegee University, the group signed with Motown during 1972 and opened for the Jackson 5, and along the way scored four platinum albums, a Grammy Award and 10 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 along with a Vocal Group Hall of Fame induction. Tuskegee, whose Commodore Museum housed the group’s former rehearsal and recording studio, held a Commodores Day back in March, when the trio also received the keys to the city of Montgomery, Ala.

King does acknowledge that plans were not realized for “a grand concert” celebrating the 50th anniversary but adds that “we’ll look at 55, and this time we won’t screw it up.” He certainly wouldn’t mind a reunion with former members — an offer for a tour came as recently as this past January — but King isn’t counting on that happening, either.

“You’d think maybe it could happen, but it’s never happened to this day,” King notes. “We’ve had people come to us, but all of us would have to do it. Richie hasn’t shown any interest. And Milan (Williams) has passed on — that in and of itself took the steam out of me for a reunion tour, ’cause it means all six of us won’t be there. But having said that, would I do it? Yes. But until we can get everybody, me and Clyde and J.D. will be stay out there keeping the music and the legacy alive.”

The Commodores certainly have no shortage of hits to play any time the stalwart R&B troupe hits the stage — “Brick House,” “Sail On,” “Three Times a Lady” and many more. But as the group celebrates it

[black-mixtape]

Happy birthday to founder and lead guitarist of The Commodores, the great Thomas McClary! 💥🎸 -- #ThomasMcClary #TheCommodores #Commodores #Guitarist #Guitar #Funk #FunkMusic #Soul #SoulMusic #MotownRecords #MachineGun #CaughtInTheAct #MusicLegend #Groove #Music #AfroAmerican #AfricanAmerican #BlackHistory #BlackCulture #BlackMusic #BlackMixtape https://www.instagram.com/p/CF_rRfpJn3V/?igshid=1n52chsgmfr0a

[krinsbez]

Random Pulp Hero Thoughts

Currently, I am reading the first installment of Sanctum Book's "Doubles" reprint series of the 1930s pulp magazine revival of Nick Carter (a detective created for dime novels back in the 1880s). The volume includes two "book-length novels*", a transcript of an episode of the Nick Carter radio program, a story from a Nick Carter comic book, and essays to accompany each. Thus far I've read the first of the two "novels", Marked for Death by Richard Wormser (though like all Nick Carter stories, the byline says "Nick Carter"), which was the main feature of the first issue of the relaunch. It's a reasonably good story, though there are some internal continuity issues (EG, at one point, as part of an impromptu disguise, he ditches his hat. A scene later, he's putting away the hat and musing about ditching his overcoat) and typos, and according to the essay some continuity errors with original stories (asides from the obvious setting update stuff), which obviously I wouldn't have caught. That said, there is an interesting bit of tension between the fact that Wormser has chosen to cast Nick as a Hardboiled Detective, but he still comes with many of the trappings of his previous existences as a Great Detective (such as being world-famous, an expert at Jujitsu, a master of disguise, and having unique cigarettes he has custom made and imported from Turkey) which produces a lot of odd tension. Also, this thing has no brakes, with Nick killing at least half a dozen gangsters, and several bravura action setpieces that are kinda nuts, especially the ending which...wow (this is not a bad thing, mind you) Plus, of course, the expected bit of occasional cringe (which ss, but what can you do?). Currently reading the second "novel", The Impossible Theft by Thomas C. McClary, which, both according to the accompanying essay and what I've picked up thus far, ditches the hardboiled stylings. I s’pect it’s also gonna be hella cringe, given that it’s focusing on an East Indian “idol“. *They're both less than sixty pages. Although, for reasons I'm not gonna go into, I own two separate reprints of a different Pulp Magazine "book-length novel", one by Sanctum, one by another company; the former is 55 pages, the later 120. I'm reasonably certain it wasn't abridged, so I'm not quite sure how this was accomplished; I'm assuming it's a combo of smaller font, larger pages, and fewer illos.

[f4liveblogarchives]

Fantastic Four Vol 1 #164 & #165

Mon Aug 12 2019 [06:58 PM] Wack'd: Please welcome guest artist and eventual Buckler successor GEORGE PÉREZ! [06:59 PM] maxwellelvis: *Genuine applause* [06:59 PM] Umbramatic: oooooh [07:00 PM] Wack'd: For once, we open with some play-fighting not between Ben and Johnny, but between Ben and Sue [07:00 PM] Wack'd: Who, as it turns out, has developed the capability to make her force fields completely unmovable [07:00 PM] Wack'd: Ben gives it his best shot and then bounces right off [07:00 PM] maxwellelvis: I was wondering when she'd develop the invisible walls thing. [07:01 PM] Umbramatic: oooooh [07:01 PM] Wack'd: Pérez is continuing the idea that Sue's powers emanate from her forehead

[07:02 PM] maxwellelvis: Wow you can instantly see the difference George Pérez brings. [07:02 PM] maxwellelvis: Dat implied hair movement [07:02 PM] Umbramatic: FOREHEAD [07:02 PM] Wack'd: No, Sue just has a little tassle now [07:03 PM] maxwellelvis: Ahh [07:03 PM] maxwellelvis: But yeah, I can see why he'd become one of the most beloved artists for Wonder Woman. [07:03 PM] Wack'd:

[07:05 PM] Wack'd: Lotta things to talk about this next panel-- 1. Oh my god Alicia's new haircut is hideous 2. Franklin is *way* too old for baby talk and also those dimples are horrifying 3. "God-child" is a good pun 4. BEN CAN *CHIP?!?*

[07:06 PM] Umbramatic: sure is a chip off the ol ben huh [07:08 PM] Wack'd: WHAT EVEN IS THIS OUTFIT

[07:08 PM] InbarFink: Bad Cowboy [07:08 PM] maxwellelvis: Did Johnny mug Elton John on the way to the Building or something? [07:09 PM] Umbramatic: MY EYES!!! [07:10 PM] Wack'd: So apparently Johnny and Valeria aren't going steady, nor are they exclusive

[07:10 PM] maxwellelvis: Hey hey, it's Frankie Raye! [07:10 PM] Umbramatic: nice hair and earrrings [07:10 PM] Wack'd: Red hair...purple shirt...you can kinda see how Johnny eventually ended up dating Medusa [07:11 PM] Wack'd: He has a Type [07:11 PM] maxwellelvis: Only difference is, Frankie doesn't have superpowers. [07:11 PM] Wack'd: Okay so I will need to remember this person [07:12 PM] maxwellelvis: Yes you will [07:12 PM] Wack'd: She's a UN translator, apparently. Neat [07:13 PM] Wack'd: So Johnny and Frankie's date is interrupted by a guy named the Crusader [07:14 PM] Wack'd: Who busts open a building and tries to murder one Calvin McClary [07:15 PM] Wack'd: Crusader has a thing that can render people blind, and so defeats Johnny and murders Calvin [07:16 PM] Umbramatic: F [07:18 PM] Wack'd: I have no idea what effect Pérez and Sinnott are going for here but it sure is distinctive

Mon Aug 12 2019 [07:21 PM] Wack'd: So Mr McClary is miraculously still alive after being hit square in the face with a massive chunk of cement last issue [07:22 PM] Umbramatic: well [07:22 PM] Wack'd: And his wife tells Reed she suspects the Crusader to be a WWII scientist Mr McClary once denied a grant for space research [07:23 PM] Wack'd: Mr McClary is president of a bank, you see [07:23 PM] Wack'd: So over the next week the Crusader starts demolishing all branches of said bank [07:24 PM] Wack'd: And each time the Four are too late [07:24 PM] Wack'd: Also apparently Frankie dumped Johnny because she didn't know he's a superhero [07:26 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Reed has set up a radiation-detector thingy so they can find out where Crusader is within seconds of his arrival [07:26 PM] Wack'd:

Reed: He's in the Bronx! Johnny: Wild! I didn't think anybody went there anymore!

[07:27 PM] Umbramatic: lol [07:27 PM] maxwellelvis: Everybody had to move out to those new homes in New Mexico. [07:27 PM] maxwellelvis: Y'know, after they were all ordered to LEAVE THE BRONX! [07:28 PM] Wack'd: hahahhahahaha [07:28 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Reed decides to stay behind and sends Sue, Johnny, and Ben up ahead [07:28 PM] Wack'd: I'm gonna be completely honest, I'm totally okay with this guy smashing up banks [07:29 PM] Wack'd: I guess it's kind of evil that he doesn't evacuate first [07:29 PM] Wack'd: But also, like...fuck banks [07:30 PM] Wack'd: Hrm. I...don't really remember this being Sue and Johnny's dynamic? But then I don't really remember them having a dynamic, so

[07:31 PM] Wack'd: BACKSTORY TIME [07:32 PM] Wack'd: During WWII Dr Grayson took his infant son to a highly advanced society on Uranus to live free of war [07:33 PM] Wack'd: Grayson Jr occasionally returned to Earth to be a superhero called Marvel Boy [07:33 PM] Wack'd: Who was apparently a real Marvel superhero in the 50s [07:33 PM] Umbramatic: oh huh [07:34 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Grayson Jr needed medical supplies for his dad but was denied a bank loan with which to buy them [07:34 PM] Wack'd: And in the time it took for him to scrounge up the funds himself, a natural disaster occurred on Uranus and destroyed his home and his father with it [07:34 PM] Umbramatic: oh no [07:35 PM] Wack'd: Anyway he was in suspended animation for most of the 50s and 60s thanks to a space accident [07:35 PM] Wack'd: But now is reawakened and ready to take revenge on the banks [07:36 PM] Umbramatic: REVEEEEEEEENGE [07:36 PM] Wack'd: Hahahaha he still talks like he's from a 50s comic

[07:37 PM] Wack'd: Or at least Thomas' ideas of what 50s comics sound like [07:37 PM] Umbramatic: "even doc doom don't talk that corny" [07:38 PM] Wack'd: Anyway turns out Marvel Boy's powers come from the sun so Reed shows up with a smoke machine he invented [07:39 PM] Wack'd: Giving Ben the advantage he needs to finish this [07:40 PM] Wack'd: Anyway, Marvel Boy tries to turn up his solar absorption thingies to maximum [07:40 PM] Wack'd: But the smoke clears up, he absorbs too much too fast, and is atomized [07:40 PM] Wack'd: Sure [07:42 PM] Wack'd: Also a bank executive gives Ben shit for damage done during the fight so Ben buries him in coins and tells the security guard to leave him suck there til closing [07:42 PM] Wack'd: Thus ends 1975