FAREWELL, NICHELLE NICHOLS...

You were iconic and important for a number of reasons, inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. to remain a steadfast part of the Enterprise crew, but it wasn't only in Gene Roddenberry's original "Wagon Train to the Stars" where you shined.

There's Unbelievable!!!!! (a spacey parody); The Adventures of Captain Zoom (another such parody); Surge of Power; Tarzan's Deadly Silence; Surge of Dawn; Truck Turner (you really went against type in that one!); Lady Magdalene's; Made in Paris; Tru Love; Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding!; Are We There Yet?; American Nightmares; Sharknado 5; This Bitter Earth; The White Orchid; Renegades; Snow Dogs; and the zombie-encrusted The Supernaturals. (Incidentally, you were also one heck of a sweet singer.)

But of course, it all comes back to Nyota Uhura, who not only made the three-year run of Star Trek so classic, but the Saturday-morning, animated series and those blockbuster, big-screen movies (I-VI), as well as the indie-produced, Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, Nickelodeon's animated Star Trek: Prodigy, and last but not least, Woman in Motion, a bio/documentary that details your impact as the legendary communications officer upon popular culture and the world. 

You meant a lot to a lot of people, and to your fans you were royalty. In fact, your status will likely shine ever brighter as the decades pass. That's the way of legends, and you, Ms. Nichols, are indisputably one. 

R.I.P. DAVID WARNER...

You were skillful and kind, Mr. Warner, sinister and refined, and your performances held a distinct ability to outshine most actors' boldest expectations.

The indisputable proof can be found in Time After Time; The Company of Wolves; Nightwing; From Beyond the Grave; Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (as Jor-El); Batman: The Animated Series (as Ra's al Ghul); Waxwork; Ice Cream Man; The Unnamable II; The Lost World '92; Time Bandits; Planet of the Apes '01; Tron; Star Trek V: The Final Frontier; Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; Star Trek TNG: "Chain of Command"; Babylon 5: "Grail"; Quest of the Delta Knights; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II; My Best Friend is a Vampire; Blue Tornado; A Doll's House; A Midsummer Night's Dream '68; Tom Jones; The Fixer; Straw Dogs '71, The Code Conspiracy; Cross of Iron; The Sea Gull; Providence; Silver Bears; Ragtime Summer; The Island '80; The Concorde - Airport '79; The Man with Two Brains; Perfect Friday; The Little Unicorn; The Last Leprechaun; Hansel and Gretel '97; Mary Poppins Returns; Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny; and the blockbuster that topped 'em all, Titanic '97. 

To many, though, it was your performance as Keith Jennings in The Omen '76 that most will reference, not only for the ardent command you brought to the role, but your character's shocking death. Ouch!

May you now occupy the great stage that is Heaven, and entertain the ethereal, as you've done "time after time" among the mortals of this appreciative earth. 

Welcome Back, Harley Quinn: Season 3 Blossoms

DC/WB's Harley Quinn animated series returns (July 28 on HBO Max), with much manic promise in store for Season 3, with Kaley Cuoco resupplying her apt vocals for the titular and wacky anti-heroine. 

Season 2 ended with a love bond between the irreverent clown and Lake Bell's practical Poison Ivy, leaving poor ol' Kite Man bummed and dejected. Fans now wonder if the relationship(s) will go down the path of salacious sexiness or boring political correctness? (Let's hope the former rules.)

Doctor Psycho really stole the show in previous outings, in the first season acting as a crass, misunderstood underdog, scorned even by the Legion of Doom, but in his second fling, his ascent held such evil gusto to rival even that of Lex Luthor and the Joker combined: no small, devious feat to say the least. 

But where is the damn doc this time? Why no publicity stills? Has the small, great one been put out to pastor? Say it ain't so.

It does appear that Clayface, King Shark, Frank the Plant and (albeit more or less cameoed) Sy Borgman are back, along with (whoa!) Batman, Batgirl, Catwoman, Robin, Nightwing, the Riddler, Clock King, Mad Hatter, Bane, Golden Glider, Plastique, Amanda Waller, James Gordon, Two-Face, Superman, Ocean Master, Swamp Thing, Nora Freeze, John Constantine, James Gunn, Billy Bob Thornton and (oh! by jingo) RoboCop's ED-209 (or so the teaser and related rumors flaunt), in addition to some (just for the f***in' fun of it) Court of the Owls hijinks. If that's what's in store, how bland can things possibly go and/or be?

Also, the first two seasons weren't ashamed to pile on the shamelessness, in language and more-than-suggestive situations. Kids today are too timid to consume anything like this Quinn cartoon, but adults (at least those of an against-the-cancel-culture grain) can enjoy every smidgeon of the over-the-top shenanigans.

That Season 3 exists is a good thing. Perhaps the show's trailblazing continuation will cement a Season 4. I'm not a betting man, but in this instance, I'd bet on it and be happy to slap down more than a stolen dollar to see it through. 

HACKING: A COWARD'S CRUSADE

It appears that a hacking attempt was made on my humble blog. I asked a technical pal to take a look after I grew suspicious. The tinkering appears to have sprung from Upstate NY.  

I believe I know the anonymous culprit (a bully, and therefore coward, who's belittled me for years). It doesn't matter, though, who made the attempt. The question is, why?

I mean, why waste time messing with another's work, when one could engage in any number of more productive pastimes: sculpting, painting, reading, writing, hiking, singing, dancing...daydreaming? Say, how 'bout some hearty charitable work? It's all there for the plucking, so why would one want to besmirch my penchant to share my views and reviews? 

To the person who dared do me harm (and I know you're reading this), look long and hard in the mirror and question your intent. If you've nothing better to do than come after little ol' me, then you're in the wrong line of work. I won't break or bend because of your terroristic tactics, even if you should by chance succeed, so why waste your time? Pursue constructive paths that makes the world a better place. You might just find that by doing so, you've at long last improved your lot in life and along with it, gained enough pride to place your name on your deeds. 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: THOR V HERCULES

 

*PPFSZT! #7 REVISITED: IT'S 1974 ONCE MORE!

Every so often, Main Enterprises unearths an old gem, and for the present, it's *PPFSZT! #7 ("The Second Annual Issue"), culled straight from that grand, groovy year, 1974.  

It's a magnificent, labor of love in every respect, blessed by Frank Cirocco's slammin' Green Arrow/Green Lantern cover, and that's not all!

There's writer/artist Larry Johnson's space-adventurer, "Jesse Stuart" (with spiffy inks by Mike Tuz); writer/artist Steve Lafler's brawny "Katur the Swordsman: The Games"; writer/artist Rod Snyder's impetuous "Those Phabulous Freak Brothers"; writer/artist Cara Sherman's contemplative "The Keldrane Among Us: Anel the Preserver"; Tony Tierno's gritty "Battle Showcase: The Fall of Death"; and writer/publisher "Grim" Jim Main and artist Steve Lafler's fantastic "The Acrobat and the Simian: The Blasters a One Man Bomb". 

There's also an energetic "Men of Martial Arts" portfolio, which spotlights Bruce Lee, Kato, Caine, Yang and Iron Fist; plus an assortment of endearing illustrations on Batman, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Flash, Deadman, Vision, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Ant-man, Sub-Mariner, Doctor Strange, Mantis, Hulk, Howard the Duck and (gasp!) even more, by breakthrough artists Steve Foster, Carl Taylor, Roland Austin, Howard Chaykin, Brent Anderson, Craig Russell, John Fantucchio, Marty Grein, Al Bradford, John Nemec Mike Canuel, and the one and only, Neal Adams. Yeah, dig it!

To sweeten the fanzine pot all the further, this spellbinding issue is complemented by such tasty, nostalgic seasonings as reader letters and photos; "Donna's Corner" (which flaunts some pretty swell poetry); David McDonnell's "Weird Wisdom: A Few Facts About Fans"; John Dwyer's "The Comic Critic"; a spry "U.F.O. Checklist"; and Main's "July Comic Art Convention Report", joined by his right-on opening and closing remarks. 

*PPFSZT! #7 is historic and HUGE (a walloping 80 pages, no less), and the coveted PDF download can be yours by transmitting a mere $3.00 to Mr. Main at mainjim23@gmail.com.   

Move on this remarkable rarity while the moment lasts. *PPFSZT! #7 is a time-travelin' treasure you'll enjoy for decades to come.