#tarzan book series

[give-grian-rights]

the average person doesnt even know that wikipedia has had a several years long ban on ANY articles even referencing a fifteen year old web series. to the extent that mentioning it under actors pages to include their work on there is considered vandalism

for seemingly no reason ?

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"ENTER THE STRANGE WORLDS OF EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS! IT'S A TRIP YOU WILL NEVER FORGET!"

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on a Marvel house ad for monthly Sword & Sorcery titles, "KULL the Destroyer," "Conan the Barbarian," and "Red Sonja, She-Devil with a Sword," plus classic sci-fi/adventure titles by ERB, "Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle" and "John Carter of Mars," c. June 1978.

PIC #2: Origin of the above Marvel house ad -- Cover art to "STAR WARS" Vol. 1 #12. June, 1978. Marvel Comics. Artwork by Carmine Infantino & Terry Austin.

Sources: www.pinterest.com/pin/145241156709013471 & eBay.

[akiraofthefour]

"Note that African stories stress food while Western (European) stories often stress sex. Whatever is lacking is the thing most talked about."

Philip Jose Farmer, Tarzan Alive: A Definitive Biography of Lord Greystoke

[tiredflowercrown]

I finally finsh3d compiling a list of all the Disney heroes and villans from animated movies and deciding who I want to be my canon

Now I have to comb through some ext3nded media to cherry pick who I want from there

[hashtagloveloses]

ok so i figured out why the songs in the new disney movie Wish suck so bad - for the movie celebrating 100 years of mostly animated movie MUSICALS, they didn’t get a songwriter who writes MUSICALS. they got two POP songwriters (Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice, who’ve written for a lot of big stars like Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, etc). despite lin-manuel’s faults, that man can cook up a song and had won a tony even before hamilton. there’s a reason moana and encanto went crazy. the anderson-lopezes made frozen and frozen II a HIT. maybe if they didnt have them chained to a desk writing two more frozen movies they could’ve worked on Wish instead. the ICON alan menken completed his EGOT from the daytime emmy he won for writing a song just for the tangled TV SERIES in 2020, and they couldnt even get him back?! for the movie celebrating 100 years of animated musicals?!!!

one of the directors of the film is Chris Buck, who did Tarzan - that movie only really has one or MAYBE two songs sung by the characters, and is mostly a soundtrack by Phil Collins instead. but thats a FULL soundtrack that was supposed to be pop the whole way through, not a musical.

one of the only times they got a pop songwriter to do an animated musical was Elton John for the Lion King, but he went on to write several popular musicals after that.

they got a big Broadway star like Ariana Debose, and a big Hollywood star who can really sing like Chris Pine, on that movie and gave them POP composers? for the 100th anniversary? this is the studio that made HAMLET WITH LIONS and a BOOK BY VICTOR HUGO into legendary animated musicals. what the FUCK happened? which executive made this stupid ass choice?

[arcane-vagabond]

Stranger Like Me: Prologue

Stranger Like Me: Prologue

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Reader

Summary: From a young age, the animal kingdom had fascinated you, and maybe that's why you chose to pursue that passion. You quickly became a force within the field, becoming the leading expert on ape social structures, which is how you found yourself on an expedition into the African jungles searching for a troop of gorillas. What you weren't expecting, however, was to run into the local wild man on one of your excursions... (Tarzan!AU)

Content Warnings: Talk of loneliness, Inaccurate scientific descriptions and terminology, Flirty Jake, Allusions to loss of parents, Talk of reintigrating someone into society...I think that's it.

Word Count: 1,263

A/N: Here it is! I hope y'all don't mind me making you wait too long! This blog is 18+ ONLY! As always, reblogs and comments are welcomed and encouraged!! Find me on AO3 under arcane_vagabond where all of my stories and drabbles are posted!

Series Masterlist || Moodboard 1 || Moodboard 2 || Moodboard 3

You had a running theory that there were two types of people in this world: plant people and animal people. You? You were most definitely an animal person. Growing up, you visited the zoo frequently, the employees practically knowing you by name. You did your best to memorize as many facts as you could about the different animals in each exhibit, knowing from an early age that you wanted to work with animals for the rest of your life.

You’d spend hours at the primate exhibits, watching the way the different apes and monkeys interact with each other, and you wished you could fast forward to the moment where you got to study it day in and day out.

So, you worked hard, graduating high school with honors before moving on to study zoology in undergrad, and then skipping straight to your doctorate program after that. It had been a long, grueling road that left little time for much else, but it was your passion, and once you had been greeted with the title of “doctor,” you knew it had all been worth it.

That didn’t stop your bouts of loneliness though. While your friends all went out to party, you were usually found with your nose buried in a book. And it wasn’t like you wanted to go out partying, but it still hurt when your friends stopped asking.

And then there was Jake Seresin, your handsome best friend of several years who knew he looked good and never failed to own it. The two of you had met in the early days of undergrad, having been partnered up in a biology lab, and you had hit it off immediately. Jake wasn’t interested in primates, his focus turned towards botany of all things, but he loved to tease you about your love of great apes.

“A cute girl like you studying monkeys?” He had chuckled with a shake of his head, mossy green eyes glimmering with mischief. “You must have had a wild fascination with Boots the monkey, huh?”

“First of all, peabrain,” you scowled at him, fighting back the smile that threatened to take over your face as his jaw dropped, “I study apes, not monkeys. Second of all, my fascination with Boots is none of your business.”

“Whatever you say, Boots.”

And the nickname had stuck. It followed you through undergrad and all the way through to your now budding career as one of the leading researchers in gorilla social structures. Which is also how you found yourself invited to the North Island Research Camp in the Republic of the Congo.

The camp wasn’t some grand research center, but it was well respected amongst the scientific community for gathering the most up-to-date research and hands-on experiences between researchers and local fauna. The camp was run by Dr. Pete Mitchell and Dr. Tom Kazansky, both legends within the field and rarely opening up their camp to other researchers. You had been thrilled to receive the invitation, and even more thrilled when you found out that Jake had also received an invitation to the camp to continue his research on tropical plants.

The two of you had made plans to fly out of San Diego at the same time, even choosing to stay at his place the night before your flight.

“The early bird gets the worm, Boots!” He chirped, loading up the trunk of the Uber with your luggage. How he was so cheerful at three in the morning was beyond you.

The flight to your destination was uneventful, choosing to catch up on some of your reading as well as sleep for the majority of the flight. The two of you were greeted by a bespectacled man once you departed the plane, his demeanor relaxed but his face shy as he helped you with your bags.

“I’m Bob,” he said, loading the back of his jeep with your belongings. “I’m helping out Pete and Tom with their research. The other researcher is already at the camp. He got here about a month ago.”

“Who is it?” You asked him, hopping into the front seat of the car as Jake clambered into the back.

“Javy Machado,” Bob answered, already making his way through the city and towards the jungle. “He’s doing research into termite colonies.”

“Javy’s gonna be there?” Jake asked, leaning forward with a grin. You rolled your eyes at him. Javy and Jake almost went as far back as you two did, having first met in a chemistry course their junior year of college. While you and Jake had gone to the same university for your doctorate programs, Javy had ventured elsewhere, making a name for himself within the world of entomology. The two together was almost insufferable.

“You two better behave,” you groused, settling into your seat with a glare in his direction.

“Boots,” he gasped, placing a hand over his heart in faux hurt, “I am absolutely shocked that you think we would be anything other than complete professionals.”

“Don’t give me that crap,” you snapped, turning to face Bob who glanced at you two wearily. “Those two are going to be a nightmare, I’m just warning you now.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask,” he chuckled.

The three of you settled into a comfortable conversation as Bob continued to drive towards the camp, the jungle becoming denser the longer he went. Soon, the sun was hidden behind the canopy, and you got the sense that you were truly in the wild.

“Are you sure about this, Mav,” Ice hummed, hands clasped firmly in front of him as he eyed his fellow researcher. Mav spared him a smile, running a hand through his hair as he sat on the bench opposite his companion.

“He’s been on his own for decades, Ice,” Mav grimaced, glancing into the trees. “He deserves to know companionship beyond just us.”

“He has Bob and Javy.”

“He deserves more than just four other people in his life,” he amended, rolling his eyes. “We’re lucky we found him when we did, otherwise I’m not sure he would have survived on his own. Besides, Nick and Carole wouldn’t have wanted this for him. They would have wanted him to see the world, to meet other people.”

Ice hummed at that. Of course, Maverick had a point. They couldn’t keep the boy isolated for forever. He was already butting heads more and more with the troop leader and spending more nights in the observation tower as a result. It also wasn’t like Ice wanted to keep him isolated for selfish reasons. No, quite the opposite in fact. The kid had spent most of his life right there in the jungle, never having contact with another human being until the two men had opened up the research camp once more ten years before.

And that’s what had Ice so apprehensive. The boy had little to no experience with humans, and what he did have was from the time spent with the two older men who weren’t exactly the greatest of company at the best of times. How would he react to a camp full of people his own age? Would it be too much for him?

“Bradley is smart, Ice,” Mav continued, knocking his knuckles against the table. “He’s already been asking questions about the people in the movies and photos he sees. He wants to know about the outside world. Let’s let him have that chance.”

Ice didn’t answer. Instead, he sighed, leaning back in his chair. This would be good for Bradley. It had to be.

[preservationofnormalcy]

Ok, so I’m writing a novel involving paranormal investigation (no relation to you, takes place in a fictional town) and I’m on my third draft when the main character shows up behind me, grabs and turns me around to tell me of the “inaccuracies to his case”. Now I wrote them down and how I should change them. And when I looked up from my notepad, he was gone.

I want to continue, and most of these I feel like I can implement within the story, but what exactly happened? And if this becomes a series, will he continue to pop up, or was it one of those “one in a blue moon scenarios”?

And what do I do if it isn’t?

Hey Norm...

Hmm? Didn't you do a PSA about this exact subject in the nineties?

Oh, uh, sure. When I first started. Around '99. It's waaay outdated, now, you know, with the internet and everything, it's better to not even look it up. I don't think it was even digitized, really. I have no idea what happened to it.

Oh, Norm, don't worry! If there's one person who knows your filing system better than you, it's me! Let's see...H for Holmes, S for Sherlock...cross reference to P for Parafictional, 90s...HERE WE GO! "Dear Watson: That's Not Holmes, That's A Lure!"

Oh good, they put it on a disc so that a tech savvy person could find it, uh, twenty five years later. I wouldn't play it, I can't guarantee--

<An old, color degraded video begins playing. It's clearly shot on VHS, with a minimal budget, and had degraded somewhat before being transferred to digital. A man stands in a small, cinderblock room in front of a backdrop depicting a victorian study. He is wearing a tweed jacket with leather patches on the elbows and a pair of smart slacks. A deerstalker hat sits conspicuously on a stack of actual books, Sherlock Holmes novels. The man himself looks sort of like what you'd get if you focus-group-tested the only type of man Don Bluth knew how to draw, and has curtain bangs with frosted tips. The whole ensemble has the energy of a store-brand Milo Thatch. As he speaks, his eyes don't leave a fixed point behind the camera.>

So. You have encountered an entity from a fictional property. You're excited - maybe you wanted to talk to your favorite book character. Or. Maybe you are a writer and you are excited to talk to your protagonist. But...is that entity real?

<There's an extremely awkward camera change, and the man looks to it, his eyes following a point again.>

....or a lure?

<He leans back and there is a too-long pause before he continues.>

When encountering a parafictional manifestation, remember the three S's.

<The visuals change to a grainy blue background, white text appearing as the man's voiceover continues.>

Solidity: are you are this entity is physical and not all in your head?

Subjective: if it's real, are other people seeing the same thing?

Sentience: is this entity sentient, or merely approximating sentience? Is it answering questions like a sentient entity, or like how it would be expected to answer?

<It cuts back to the man, standing behind the chair with his hands on the back. There is a too-long pause again.>

If...uh.

If this entity doesn't pass any of these easy-to-remember checks, that's a red flag. Any number of malicious extranormal entities can exploit the human capacity for creativity in order to feed on our psychic energy, creating a non-sentient construct we call a "Chinese Room" in order to keep YOU from asking questions.

Remember next time you see Darth Vader, Spider-man, or Tarzan - are you so incredibly lucky to experience such a rare phenomena as true parafictional manifestation?

<He awkwardly puts a pipe in his mouth and blows a few bubbles.>

Or are you being lured?

<The video ends.>

....god, my hair.

[thislovintime]

Photo 1 by Henry Diltz, photos 2 & 3 by Micky Dolenz (in screenshots from footage of his tour, Micky Dolenz Celebrates The Monkees).

Bringing back an article transcribed in 2023, since it ties in with the theme of these photos.

“Dolenz chewed a jaw-breaker and snapped pictures of Peter. Jones sat nearby and munched his lunch. Tork said he believes in doing anything ‘as long as you’re totally committed to what you’re doing.’ Is Peter committed to starring in a television series, making hit rock ‘n’ roll records and living in Hollywood? ‘Sometimes,’ he said, ‘but I’ve got my best men working on it.’ Peter gets up and goes to the diving board. He clowns a while, starting to dive, then stopping suddenly at the end of the board. Teen-age girls at the side of the pool cry out, ‘Oh, Peter.’ Finally, Peter dives. The girls applaud and sigh. He comes back to the side of the pool and digs his hand into a box with the words ‘Peace’ and ‘Love’ painted on the side. The box, called a ‘Super Survival Kit,’ is filled with things Monkees are fond of, like Plasticman and Tarzan comics, a bushy-headed figure with a sign that says ‘Stamp Out Haircuts’ and a feathered hat. Tork, resting up beside the pool, commented, ‘It’s not hard work.’ He added that he spends what little free time he has ‘balancing my checkbook.’ ‘
We’ve been accused of copying the Beatles,’ said Peter, ‘but we’re picking up on the same things.’ Referring to the Beatles’ new hit ‘Baby You’re A Rich Man,’ he said that it means anyone can make it big. Did he think two years ago when he was a folk-singer in New York City’s Greenwich Village that he would make the big-time in the pop music field or television? ‘Sure, although I didn’t believe it as firmly as I do now. Now I’m a believer,’ Peter said with a grin. One of the Monkees biggest hits was ‘I’m a Believer.’ Other hits have been ‘Last Train to Clarksville,’ ‘Stepping Stone’ and the currently popular ‘Words.’ A cha-cha came blaring over the loudspeaker at poolside. Peter glanced up. ‘That’s obscene,’ he remarked. A young girl in a blue bathing suit nervously stepped forward requesting an autograph. Peter signed: ‘Love, Peter Tork’ and drew a flower. ‘I dig flowers,’ he said. ‘I always put a flower after my autograph, because it’s more gentle that way. But that doesn’t make me a flower child or a hippie. No one can call himself a flower child. ‘I also wear beads all the time now, any beads, colorful beads,’ said Peter, who attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., from 1959 to 1963. Then he settled back in the deck chair to read a ‘Peanuts’ book — out loud.” - article by James Beaumont, The Des Moines Register, August 7, 1967 (x)

[deeneedsaname]

Megamind Sequel, animation, and the apparently-forgotten era of CGI shows

Alright guys, buckle up, it’s time to talk about Megamind and the sequel/show!

Let’s start with the basics: two new additions to the Megamind world are coming out: a tv show called “Megamind Rules!”, and a sequel movie, Megamind Vs the Doom Syndicate. Obviously, the first thing everyone noticed was the animation quality lacking in comparison to the first movie. Then, people quickly reacted either agreeing or complaining that people were complaining, etc.

Yes. The animation is not as good as the movie, or as good as what people have come to expect from CGI nowadays. This is NOT the fault of the animators, obviously!

But I think we can all temper our reactions by remembering a few key points!

This sequel is not the grand ‘Megamind 2’ people have been dreaming of. Will Ferrell is not voicing Megamind and the animation looks funky, I know. Therefore, we can’t think of this as a movie going to theaters, but a sort of direct-to-tv/direct-to-dvd sequel. Think Cinderella 2, Ice Age Buck Wild, Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar, etc!

To put the expectations of the Megamind 2 of our dreams on this movie and series is unfair to it. This is the equivalent of a direct-to-DVD disney sequel that you didn’t hear about until I years later and were like ‘wait, there’s a Tarzan 2???’ in the middle of a drug store (that was a shocking day.) Enjoy it for what it is!!

2. The modern CGI animation consumer has been spoiled rotten. Yes, that includes lots of animation enthusiasts! Back in the day, particularly in the 2010s, ‘poorly’ animated TV shows based on a popular movie were pretty common, ESPECIALLY for dreamworks! Meet some of the examples:

Kung-Fu Panda, Legends of Awesomeness

Aliens Versus Monsters

Penguins of Madagascar

This is NOT a knock on those shows, especially on their quality. Personally, I think Penguins of Madagascar had great animation quality, especially in the later seasons. CGI animation for television is a different beast and doesn’t have the same budget as a movie. (Also, Penguins Of Madagascar show was fantastic, 10/10, no notes, INCREDIBLE music changed lives etc etc.)

Nowadays, CGI animated shows have animation quality comparable to movies, including some Dreamworks ones, such as Kung Fu Panda show Paws of Destiny, or Cars on the Road, the really fun cars short series!

3. The good points!! There is a lot to like about this! The Doom Syndicate is actually pretty cool, as they were first mentioned in I believe the art book, a video game, and an original draft of a sequel film (don’t quote me on that)

Not only that, but ROXANNE IS STILL THERE!! This may seem small, but it’s been common in the past for female love interests to be thrown away and replaced, often because a voice actress couldn’t come back (that’s part of why I loved Puss in Boots 2 so much: Kitty Softpaws had her same voice actress and was still an integral part of the plot just like the first movie) Roxanne still being part of the cast and still being with Megamind is not something to take for granted.

4. Is it disappointing that the long-awaited sequel isn’t a full-blown theatrical release? Yes. Is it disappointing that the voices aren’t returning? Also yes. However…

TL;DR - Megamind 2 and the show should be taken for what they are: a 2010s style tv series and a direct to dvd sequel respectively, this is NOT the fault of any animator, and is not necessarily indicative of quality of writing. Enjoy it for what it is!

[harzilla]

if y'all ever want some Inspo for Twst OCs. Please I implore you to check out the 90's Disney TV animated series. Lots of folks sleep on the characters since most of these series were out when y'all weren't born yet or super young. Some examples of villains.

Aladdin had Saleen, a lionfish mermaid sorceress.

Mirage, a walking embodiment of chaotic evil.

Tale Spin which is based off the Jungle Book turned Shere Khan into an evil CEO and gave us Don Karnage, an air pirate.

Darkwing Duck gave us an entire rogues gallery of villians. Negaduck, Quakerjack, Bushroot, Liquidator, Mega Volt, Steelbeak, etc...

Tarzan had Queen La

And honestly one of Disney's best tv series series at the time Gargoyles had an absolute amazing cast of characters. Literally Xanatos gambit became a term because of the character Xanatos.

Demona was a great character. Many of the villains often had tragic back stories that warped them.

Also Macbeth, The Archmagus, Oberon, and don't forget The Pack.

Hyena and Jackal would be a really fun sibling pair to work with.

[jesushatesmyguts]

YAYYYY A TAG GAME!!! Ngl, I missed doing tag games, I'm a sucker for them lol. Thanks for the tag, @astheeniaa 😊🫶🏻

It was a bit hard for me because I'm more of a series person but it was fun!! hard to decide between Dear John and the Notebook (my two fav kitchy corny soppy films evah🫡😀), but I went for Dear John because AMANDA

I tag @trockenerosen aka edgy Amanda (SORRY ULL FOREVER BE LINKED TO HER HAHAH), @onismus @vedrividia @sucha-coolcat @punk-bxtch @fenoy7 @awstens-vagina @binders-and-beanies @stetsil @therearenonamesthatarenttaken @girl-is-a-gunn @healing-stars @a-b1t-of-both @xlocal-ghostx @impulsivedecisionsat3am @iwantmygun @peachesandghosts @jarawr @maybe-memories @misfit-among-the-angels @pimento-playing-hopscotch @secretagentsagainstwhatever @sticktoyourcatss @willwont2005

Wow that's a lot. Get tagged mooties

[dellcomics]

"It's a process of really digging, and I enjoy it."

Thirty years ago Mario, Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez created Love and Rockets. Known collectively as Los Bros Hernandez, their impact on the indie cartooning scene has been immeasurable, with their respective Love and Rockets serials, shorts and other work canonized by fans and critics as sacred texts. The reverence is well-earned, but Los Bros are also just like you and me -- they love comics.

During this 30th anniversary of Love and Rockets, I thought it might be fun for readers -- who might never have the chance, otherwise -- to get an idea of what it's like to go shopping for comics with Mario Hernandez. In July we asked longtime Love and Rockets publisher Gary Groth, head of Fantagraphics, for $50 and set to spending it at Comic-Con International in San Diego earlier this year. What follows is a photo essay of our comic book shopping spree.

Lassie No. 20 (1955)

I love experts; especially when their expertise dovetails with my own interests. Considering the narrow focus of those interests, I end up knowing a lot of people who know a lot about comics.

One of those people is Love and Rockets creator, Mario Hernandez. Mario shares my enthusiasm for titles published in the 1950s and '60s. These include, as brother Jaime says, "All of them..; Archie, Dennis the Menace, Marvel, DC, Harvey, Mad, Cracked, Gold Key, Dell, Tower, Warren, etc..."

Whenever I get the opportunity -- comic book conventions, mostly -- I like to tag along with Mario while he searches through the back-issue bins. I've been following him around for years now.

Dell Four Color No. 529 (1953)

1/2 price boxes in the $4 range are his hunting grounds today. Mario buys a lot of these comics just for the cover. "The insides might suck," he warns.

Mario's drawn my attention to many series I would have passed over and filled in many gaps in my knowledge of the great cartoonists who made them. He always seems to know which dealers to work with, and, of course, since Mario is so well-liked by everyone he always gets a bargain.

Finally, a good Tin Tin comic

Having had a peek at Jaime Hernandez's want-list before, I was anxious to read and photograph Mario's. He surprised me, though, by claiming to have no physical list. Instead, Mario claims to keep track of his collection mentally. Should he end up with doubles on an issue, it will be passed along to a friend or relation.

Classics Illustrated No. 146 (1958)

I know collectors can be pretty cagey about their lists, so it may be that Mario just didn't want to share his with us. It can be frustrating to see demand drive prices up on a collection you've been trying to complete. Of course, getting a look at a renowned collector's want-list can tell you what they want, but it doesn't tell you why.

TOPIX Vol. 09, No. 29 (1951)

"For three bucks, you're on a roll." - Mario Hernandez

Dell Four Color No. 1261 (1961), $2.00

One of the highlights of the day was finding this copy of Rawhide with Clint Eastwood's face carefully cut out. We were pretty excited and misidentified the art on page one as being Jesse Marsh (look at that cheekbone on that right-hand profile!). Marsh is best known for his Tarzan work, but also drew many westerns.

Afterwards, Mario sent this update: The art inside that book is Dan "The real freakin' man" Spiegle. Not Jesse Marsh but a great artist in his own right. He pretty much drew almost all the live-action Disney stuff for movies and TV.

HOT TIP: "They stick a lot old stuff in between the new stuff so I always look for the brown spines" - Mario Hernandez

My Romantic Adventures No. 134 (1963)

"They [romance cartoonists] would do them as jams. You could see a Mike Sekowsky panel, then inked by somebody else, and then the next panel's a Gil Kane panel so they used to pass these things around." - Mario Hernandez

"Since [Mario] was the comic book buyer in the house, whatever he brought home was looked at as something new if not always liked. The only kinds of comics we didn't read were romance comics, being five boys in the house for so many years and only later a little sister showing up." - Gilbert Hernandez

The Best of Dennis the Menace No. 21 (1964)

"I remember seeing one time... there was, in the next town, a used book store, and it would have a little ad in the newspaper that said 'old comics' -- or something like that -- '10 cents.' And I was like, 'I want to go to this place!'" - Mario Hernandez

Mario Hernandez and Lori Graham of Graham Crackers Comics, Chicago. "This lady is making me very happy today," said Mario. Graham Crackers has been exhibiting at San Diego's Comic-Con for over 20 years and plan to be back next summer.

Maybe next year I can follow collector Zack Carlson around for a while. This copy of Star-Studded Comics (1965) he found looks pretty good.

All of this and $14 change. I also got a copy of Classics Illustrated No. 85 (The Sea Wolf), but would trade it in a heartbeat for that issue of Lassie at left.

Digging through longboxes with one of the architects of alternative cartooning is a thrill every nerd should experience. If you ever get the chance, DON'T BLOW IT!

-Steven Weissman for Comics Alliance, 2014.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"THOUGH SEPARATED BY MILLIONS OF MILES -- THESE CHAMPIONS OF MARS AND EARTH ARE DRAWN TOGETHER BY A SINISTER CULT..."

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on a Dynamite house ad, plus trade paperback cover art to "Lords of Mars," a six-issue comic book mini-series by Dynamite Entertainment, in which Tarzan and Jane meet John Carter and Dejah Thoris on Barsoom. The series was published under fair use of public domain Tarzan and Barsoom novels, and was published in trade paperback format in March 2014.

OVERVIEW: "Two legends of science fiction and fantasy literature collide in an epic crossover event! Tarzan- the legendary Lord of the Jungle- has claimed his title as a British nobleman- but his very life is threatened when a hunting excursion among high society goes disastrously wrong. Meanwhile- John Carter -- the Warlord of Mars -- responds to a veiled threat from his defeated enemies. Though separated by millions of miles -- these champions of Mars and Earth are drawn together by a sinister cult and manipulated into a deadly confrontation. With their lives and those of their beloved Jane and Dejah Thoris on the line -- can these iconic heroes put aside their differences and survive the Thern plot... and a thousand rampaging White Apes? Includes a cover gallery of over a dozen cover editions from the "Lords of Mars" comic book series."

-- DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT, c. spring 2013

Sources: www.reddit.com/r/johncarter/comments/neoxxw & Golden Apple Comics.

[scotianostra]

Happy 75th Birthday, Scottish screen and stage actor Hilton McRae, born on December 28th 1949 in Dundee.

A close friend and University of Edinburgh classmate of Ian Charleson, McRae contributed a chapter to the 1990 book, For Ian Charleson: A Tribute. While McRae was studying international law at The University of Edinburgh, he developed a love for theatre as a member of the 7:84 Troupe. After graduation, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company embarking on a long career on stage and screen, but in an interview he says he has always been interested in acting, even from a very young age citing;

"I had a lisp, and when I was 4 or 5 my mum got me an elocution teacher who taught me poetry. She also wrote little plays and we would do them in Scottish community drama festivals."

McRae’s first big screen film was The French Lieutenant’s Woman, he went on to have an unaccredited part as Arvel Crynyd in Return of the Jedi and also starred in the 1984 film The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes.

Hilton has been in some of the best British drama series over the past 40 or so years, including The Justice Game, Monarch of The Glen, Silent Witness, Lewis, New Tricks, Endeavour, Darkest Hour and Victoria. We last seen McRae as Judge Milan Kadnikov on the HBO/Sky mini-series Chernobyl.

In 202Hilton appeared in the miniseries The Third Day and lately has voiced the part of Regret in American military science fiction streaming television series, Halo.

Hilton has been seen around the country playing Ben in the Stage musical version of Local Hero, the role was originally played by the late great Fulton Mackay. Nothing new on the horizon for Hilton, except he took part in a charity Gala event e at London’s Prince of Wales Theatre

He is married to fellow Scottish thespian Lindsay Duncan. They have one child, Calvin.

[tookishcombeferre]

Metamorphosis & Mutation: A Cedric the Sorcerer Playlist

My hand slipped and made a 2+ hour playlist. My challenge for myself was that I was not allowed to use *any* of the songs from the series.

If you know how much I love music, you know I love a good challenge. There are one or two songs that cuss in them. (Only one "f-bomb" from a Passenger song, but it's worth it because the song "Fairytales and Firesides" is beautiful. The line "We are bitter losers, snarling through our smiles" was just too perfect to pass up.)

"The Incident" and its immediate aftermath is represented by "The Sacrifice of Faramir" for ... reasons. It just felt perfect. Any LotR fans will likely understand that and where my mind was going with that one. (Surprising number of parallels between Sofia and Pippin, Cedric and Faramir, and Goodwyn and Denethor. Might make a post about this eventually. Due to the casting in movies, which don't get me wrong, overall I love, very few people remember (or know) that, in the novels, Pippin was 28 at the beginning of the book and turns 29 in Gondor near the end of the trilogy. Hobbits don't reach full cultural maturity, and are considered minors, until 33. Billy Boyd was actually the oldest of the hobbit actors. So, most people forget that/ don't know that fact. But, now you know! :D) (I may or may not have spent four years of my life researching these books and relationships in almost monastic levels of isolation except for when my [now] spouse and our mutual friends would drag me out my dorm room to ensure I ate and hydrated myself. The sad thing is I am only kind of hyperbolizing.) A note on the song "I Found" by Amber Run - that is meant platonically/ paternally. If people read anything else into that DON'T. Just DON'T. (For people who have read "In the Flares of the Sun," and continue to read it, this song will hit different. The whole idea of "I found love where it wasn't supposed to be, right in front of me, talk some sense to me." is just ... it hits. Platonically. It hits from two directions for folks who have read the chapter "First, Do No Harm." Honestly, this song has always given me *deep friendship* vibes more than anything else anyway. The first playlist I ever used it on was an adopted mother-daughter relationship in a dystopian novel I was writing. It was used right alongside "You'll Be In My Heart" from Tarzan. So, if you want to know the vibes I get from this song, now you know. The kid was based on Thomas Paine so it was actually a "Common Sense" pun. ;D) "Show Me" by Idina Menzel is also intended platonically. I first heard that song on an Anna and Elsa tribute video so I've always thought of that song platonically. But, if you're gonna weird about either of those songs, just don't. With that out of the way, there are some very "me" choices in here. "This is the Moment" from Jekyll and Hyde was my *jam* in middle school. I almost broke my CD of the "dream cast album" with Anthony Warlow as Jekyll/Hyde playing it so many times on my CD player before I got an iPod. (I NEVER claimed I was not old, y'all. Also, I'm actually auditioning for the role of Jekyll/Hyde in December. XD) The fact that there is both Jason Robert Brown and Marianas Trench on this playlist is a very "me" choice. Also, yes, I did put two songs from the new Hunchback of Notre Dame with Michael Arden as Quasimodo on here. Don't *judge* me. (Made of Stone is a perfect song for Cedric, COME ON!) Also, if I chose to set Cedric's rant to Roland as "If It's True" from Hadestown. It is *my* prerogative to give my sad trash-panda this beautiful rant. If I wanna play that pre-dungeon moment as a little more justified because it felt a little more true than not ... it's *my* playlist. (Hadestown is based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The song "If It's True" is set just after Orpheus has just gotten his butt whooped by Hades and told that he's worthless, that he's basically lower than dirt, and that music and love are meaningless.) (1. I'm absolutely setting this playlist in the universe of "In the Flares of the Sun." So, mild spoiler, in the first verse of this song, for backstory about something that has only been implied so far, but is coming up in a future chapter. The spoiler is very blink and you'll miss it. It's like a line and a half of the song. But, it's there, and I did choose the song intentionally because of the backstory I built in the world of that fic/ other fics I'm planning for future. So, you'll get a brief glimpse into my brain. 2. But, let's be real:

"'Cause the ones who tell the lies/ Are the solemnest to swear/ And the ones who load the dice/ Always say the toss is fair/ And the ones who deal the cards/ Are the ones who take the tricks/ With their hands over their hearts/ While we play the game they fix/ And the ones who speak the words/ Always say it is the last/ And no answer will be heard/ To the question no one asks" Mmmmm ... so perfect. So angry. Also that: "Tell me what to do" - so many different characters that could be directed towards.) But, this is also why I put the world's best anti-villain anthem that sounds like a Disney-princess "I want song" right before it. It's about the *juxtaposition.* It's about the *nuance.* (Cedric basically is Dr. Jekyll. Okay? It's probably why I love him. Jekyll/Hyde has long been a favorite character of mine.) Also, I'm obsessed with Collabro. Their covers are so good, and the story of how they came together is so supremely weird and serendipitous. Look them up. They do not disappoint. Also, "Chosen Family" is one of my favorite songs ever. I used the one where Rina Sawayama and Elton John sing together. Though, Rina Sawayama is the original writer. I love both versions, but I also just love Elton John so much, and I love the version where he sings with her. I hope y'all enjoy it too. I will spread the gospel of this song forever because I just love it. And, I had to end with the credit's song of "The Tigger Movie" - "Your Heart Will Lead You Home" - because that movie destroys me every single time I watch it. The end. That's my notes on this. There are a whole bunch of other songs I didn't cover. But, yeah. These are the ones I wanted to make notes on. This got really long. If you can't tell music is something of a special interest of mine. I managed to refrain from putting full blown oprea on here. You're welcome. I'm not sure exactly where I would have gone if I *had* decided to put opera on here. But, it's not an impossibility or something I wouldn't do, or haven't done, for other character playlists in the past. XD

[paullovescomics]

Here are some covers from The Terrifics. My read through of this series stalled out in the Bizarro arc, because all that bizarro-speak gets very tiring, and there is so much of it. But I finally reached the end of it, so hopefully things will pick up again. My comic reading in general slowed down over the last week and a bit, as my go-to afterwork activity has been playing Stardew Valley while listening to audiobooks. (Recently finished We Have Always Lived in the Castle, The Return of Tarzan, made good progress on a Learning Company set about Lost Christianities, and started Storm Front, the first Harry Dresden book.)