The Fourth Grows Weak


Charts showing decline in box-office gross and IMDB user ratings for first through fourth films in 'Jaws' and 'Superman' franchises

Kate Willaert, creator of a bunch of cool stuff over at her Uncool Artblog no matter what the name says, has designed an infographic charting IMDB user ratings and domestic theatrical gross (adjusted for inflation) across movie quadrilogies — film series that have produced at least four installments. The diminishing returns come as no surprise, although there are exceptions to that general rule. Film series sampled aren’t nearly as numerous as those used in BoxOfficeQuant’s sequel map, which I shared a few years ago, but of course even in our current cinematic climate there are plenty more franchises with just one or two follow-ups than three or more.


Related: The A Team Star Trek Too After-Math

Crazy Talk


Nothing against Heath Ledger or Cesar Romero, who each took an indelible turn as The Joker, but for me the animated incarnation voiced by Mark Hammill is the definitive screen version of Batman’s nemesis. In a clip from a one-on-one interview during a recent Star Wars Weekend at Walt Disney World, Hammill gives the dialogue of Paul Dini some mad love after treating the audience to an improvised exchange between Gotham’s Clown Prince of Crime and Luke Skywalker.

Mark Hammill laughing maniacally as he voices The Joker


Related: If You Meta the Batman, Kill the Batman R2 Details Dinner on ME

O Tannin Bomb




Per a report on 6ABC’s website, “The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is warning consumers about exploding bottles of wine.” Upon further reading, Indigenous Selections Prosecco Brut 2013 is the one and only brand/vintage in question, with buyers directed to dispose of their puchases immediately.

For those of you wondering where the grapes of wrath are stored...



Related: A-Ha Moment Oh Hell No Board Now

Long Day’s Journey into Mystery


Watching the Tony Awards telecast last Sunday, I found myself coming up with
comics-related twists on the titles of various plays and musicals. The game continued for several days until my list grew long enough to split into two — one for Marvel, one for DC (last post) — even after paring down by about half. Some entries are more accessible to non-comics-reading folks than others; the only rule was passing over titles that wouldn’t need to be changed at all, such as The Iceman Cometh or Beauty and
The Beast
.

Now take your seats for my...

Top Twenty Marvel Comics Broadway Mashups

20. You’re a Mole Man, Charlie Brown

19. Dirty Rotten Fandral

18. Jess Is the Spider-Woman

17. Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Hulk

16. Thoroughly Modeled Millie

15. Lady Sif at Emerson’s Bar & Grill

14. Mandarin of La Mancha

13. Twelve Angry X-Men

12. A Slim Summers Night’s Dream

11. Who’s Afraid of Virginia, Wolverine?

A Swamp Thing Happened
on the Way to the Forum


Watching the Tony Awards telecast last Sunday, I found myself coming up with
comics-related twists on the titles of various plays and musicals. The game continued for several days until my list grew long enough to split into two — one for DC, one for Marvel (next post) — even after paring down by about half. Some entries are more accessible to non-comics-reading folks than others; the only rule was passing over titles that wouldn’t need to be changed at all, such as Man and Superman.

Now take your seats for my...

Top Twenty DC Comics Broadway Mashups

20. Riddler on the Roof

19. My Fair Lady Blackhawk

18. Ain’t Mister Mxyzptlk

17. Captain Carrot and His Amazing Technicolor Zoo Crew

16. The Justice League of American Buffalos

15. Koriand'rolanus

14. Same Time, One Year Later

13. Glengarry Pete Ross

12. Bizarro #1 Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Next

11. Oedipus Rex Mason

News of Future Posts


You might have noticed that content around here has been sparse to nonexistent
lately.

Campbell's Bean with Bacon soup can against detail of X-Men #141 cover, part 1 of Days of Future Past, in spotlight against wanted poster on brick wall

The reasons for this are, unfortunately, manifold. I spent much of last year setting
up Adventures in Comicology, a website meant to archive my past writing on comics and steadily stream new material to boot. Posting here on Blam’s Blog in 2013 fell markedly in number from previous annual totals — just under one flipping half of 2012’s high-water mark — and even though I’m working to resume the flow this week I’ve only managed to reach a baker’s dozen posts for 2014 thus far. I’d honestly be fine with that if technical problems, along with the inability to properly deal with those problems due to other life stuff, hadn’t ground progress on Comicology and related projects to a halt. While it’s bad enough simply not being able to put in as much time and effort as I’d like, it’s way more frustrating to put in considerable time and effort
yet have so little to show.

More pressing matters will continue to demand my attention in the short term, but hopefully by summer’s end you’ll see activity pick up here a bit. Another, more detailed status update on all things me will be along when that happens.


Cover detail from X-Men #141 © 1981 Marvel Comics.