Brian's Musical Advent Calendar: John Aneilio, "Batman Smells, A Rebuttal"

Christmas is a hard time of year for Batman, all thanks to that kids song. The Caped Crusader deserves better!

You can find more musical finery like this from musician and podcaster John Aneilio. Go there. Now. You'll be glad you did!

List O' Links for Friday, September 18, 2015

Wow, I haven't done these in awhile. It's high time I get back to them!

Notice that instead of the usual picture of someone using a computer, I opted for a nice autumn scene. The great season is less than a week away, so I thought it both appropriate and a nice change of pace. I hope your summer season was a fun and happy one!

Now on to the links!

For the first time in America, Burger King is releasing their Halloween Whopper, along with a Pumpkin Spice Oreo Milkshake. I'm not a big Whopper fan, but this looks interesting!

This is a long-awaited weekend for Whovians--the relaunched Doctor Who debuts its ninth season this Saturday. I started watching the new Who at the start of this year, so I'm looking forward to this!

ABC Family has announced their lineup for this year's 13 Night of Halloween. Check it out here!

The fall season, and even the summer season, sees the launch of many pumpkin flavored beers. But if you're looking for a seasonal brew without pumpkin, you have several options. Marketwatch has ten non-pumpkin brews that are still perfect for the fall!

If you use the Internet--and obviously, you do--you may wonder why memes use the same large font all the time. Look no further than this article from Vox that explains how the Impact font became the standard font of memes everywhere.

Finally, I didn't present any back to school material this year as I usually do, but I can't let September pass without mentioning it at least once. Here is a comparison of getting ready for the school season back in the 70s versus today. Sounds accurate.

Have a great weekend! And please remember that the Countdown to Halloween starts in less than two weeks on Thursday, October 1st! Be there or beware!

Random Images of Awesomeness Part 3

It's been a really long time since I've done a Random Images of Awesomeness post (over two years in fact), and since I've amassed quite a collection of rad images since then, it's high time I displayed some accordingly. Without further comment, here are some pleasing images for the eyes. Artist credits are given when known. Enjoy!

Jaws by Scott Lava

Masters of the Universe by JP Valderrama

Wonder Woman by Kris Anka

For more cool images, follow my Tumblr site here. Thanks!

Thanksgiving Images

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! I'm just popping in for a quick minute before I join my family for the big day. Here are cool "appetizers" to whet your whistle for turkey with all the trimmings. Enjoy these Thanksgiving pics!

From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

But wait, what's this?

Ho Ho Ho! Let the 2014 Holiday Season officially begin!

Halloween Pranks

One way many people celebrate Halloween is with practical jokes and pranks. Of course you don't want such acts to get out of hand, but it doesn't stop people from going to great effort to pull them off. Here are a few examples.

First, the cast of my favorite morning radio show, The Preston and Steve Show on 93.3 WMMR-FM here in Philadelphia, sent actors from a local dark attraction to wake up unsuspecting friends and family of listeners from sound sleep in their "Zombie Wake-Up Call."

Next, another prank set in Philadelphia, as a "vampire" aggressively asks for blood from downtown patrons. He's lucky he didn't wind up in a coffin for real!




Finally, this prank from Brazil features a terrifying little girl and an old elevator. This really is scary!



Stay safe!

CAPTAIN AMERICA STATISTICS SONG!

This makes me happy and sad at the same time. Happy Birthday, America!

List O' Links for Friday, November 8th, 2013

I was on the Internet this week. I found some links. Let's see them now, shall we?

Marvel and Netflix made a huge announcement yesterday, stating that Marvel will produce four separate but interweaving series for Netflix, one of which will star Daredevil, which will lead to a Defenders miniseries. This follows the model of Marvel's Avengers movies. I guess I'll have to get myself a Netflix subscription!

If you prefer your comics characters on the, well, comic side, you may enjoy DC Comics' Inferior Five; particularly, stereotypical dumb blonde character Dumb Bunny. It's as low-concept as you think it is.

Batman: The Brave and The Bold Season 1 was issued on DVD this week. Chris Sims points out the top 10 moments from the season.

Brianfall.com wants to know what Peanuts character are you? Unsurprisingly, I am Charlie Brown.

In retro video game happenings, you can download up to 120 retro game wallpapers.

Finally, if you appreciate a good bass line, and you also love dogs, good news! You can look at bass players playing dogs instead of basses! Isn't the Internet wonderful?

Have a great weekend!

List O' Links--Halloween Edition!

Hey there, Halloweenies! It's the second Friday of the Halloween season, and on most Fridays here at the blog, I offer some fun links I've come across the 'Net. Today, every link has a Halloween or spooky theme. So if you're not getting enough Halloween from the main Countdown site--and really, how is that possible?--here is some more Halloween mirth and merriment!

For marathon TV viewing, here are guides for ABC Family's 13 Night of Halloween and AMC's Fearfest.

Speaking of Fearfest, AMC uses this annual event to debut each new season of their hit series The Walking Dead (Season 4 starts this Sunday--yay!). As a fan of the series, I've kept alive (sort of) one of the show's zombified characters, the young girl Sophia, on Twitter as a satirical account. Give her, um, I mean me, a try!

As the autumn nights get cooler, you may want to warm yourself with a refreshing beer. Foodie site Endless Simmer recommends their Top 10 Beers to Drink on Halloween. I'd be interested to know your choices.

Chris Sims of Comics Alliance asks the question on everyone's mind: what makes a proper Halloween monster? As always, Sims has the correct answer.

If that discussion isn't enough to scare you, take a look at 18 Terrifying Old Costumes You Can't Unsee. Augh!

With October almost halfway over (how did that happen?), if you haven't decorated for Halloween already, you better get a move on. Help yourself out by getting your decor from Vintage Beistle, featuring famous and infamous Halloween decorations from back in the day!

Finally, no Halloween is complete without some great holiday tunes to groove by. A great new Tumblr site, 31 Days of Halloween Mixtapes, has a daily supply of great haunted tunes by category. Download and dance the night away!

Have a great weekend!

List O' Links for Friday, April 26, 2013

It's Friday, it's the last day of the work week, and you've got a computer in front of you. Don't let it go to waste! Put that nasty work aside and check out some fun links!

The producers of the San Diego ComiCon have announced the 2013 Eisner Award Nominees for the prestigious comic book and graphic novel awards.

With our troops still stationed in Afghanistan, they have enough to worry about in regards to dangers from their surroundings. But what about the danger they put themselves in by making bad choices? Fortunately, they have a hero to watch over their own carelessness--Bagram Batman!

What happens when you wring out a wet washcloth in zero gravity space? This awesomeness!

Hollywood can't help but remake itself over and over again. Here are 13 unnecessary remakes of 80s movies currently in development.

DirecTV has announced a new 24-hour channel for dogs. No, not a channel about dogs, a channel with dogs as the intended audience. Draw your own conclusions.

Finally, two talented youngsters perform a sweet version of the Beatles' "Let It Be." Nice.

Have a great weekend!

List O' Links for Friday, March 1, 2013

Welcome to the month that comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Spring is a mere three weeks away. Melt away the last vestiges of winter with these hot links! They're Lemongrab approved!

It's been exactly one year since we lost Davy Jones of the Monkees. Here, on the eve of northern New Jersey's Monkees Convention, Al Bibgy remembers the short-statured but big-hearted Monkee.

Also from Al Bigby, an article from a 2005 issue of Video Watchdog magazine reviews the DVD box set of the 1967 Spider-Man cartoon series.

Megan Fox has been cast as April O'Neil in Michael Bay's forthcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, a move that has several fans scratching their heads. Here are 8 other actresses who may be better suited for the role (I like the Emma Watson suggestion myself).

Here is some awesome fan art of Destro and the Baroness from the G.I. Joe franchise. Great work!

Finally, does it seem incompetence is taking over every aspect of our lives? It may very well be, at least judging by the goof-ups and gross mistakes showcased in the great Web site You Had One Job.

Have a great weekend!

List O' Links for Friday, February 1, 2013

Just like that, the first month of the new year is over already, and we begin the shortest month of the year. We'll be singing "Auld Lang Syne" all over again before you know it. At least I have some fun links to pass the time until we get there.

Here are the 50 most essential science fiction novels according to this guy.

Chris Sims went to the Waffle House last weekend, and this is what he saw.

The Video Game Critic is a great site of extensive video game reviews. Not only do they review the latest and greatest games, they also review classic games--even for the Atari 2600!

If you're a fan of classic oldies music of the 50s and 60s like I am, there's a fine radio station in northern New Jersey  that plays a great selection that you almost never find on terrestrial radio anymore--WMTR 1250 AM.

Finally, a personal link for me--here is a recording of my beautiful daughter Megan singing "Castle on a Cloud" from Les Miserables. I love you, Meg! Best of luck in your dance competition tomorrow!

Have a great weekend!

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles--The Thriller!

I've spoken before about my love of the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. It's one of my favorite comedies of all time. But one creative fan, however, saw something different in the film--something terrifying.

Below is a YouTube video someone made of the movie, reimagined--or "recarved," as the video title puts it--as a psychotic thriller. It also borrows from the John Candy film Uncle Buck. Nicely done. Enjoy!

List O' Links for Week of 11/9/2012

I haven't done a List O' Links post in a long time, so it's time to rectify that. Here are a few links to keep you from getting work done this fine Friday!

For those looking forward to the holiday season, especially holiday music, SiriusXM satellite radio has announced their holiday channel lineup for 2012.

Do you think today's comics are an unreadable, sophomoric mess? Don't be such a cranky pants. The comics back in your day weren't always so great either. Case in point: the ridiculous Justice League lineup DC tried to pass off in the 1984 annual.

Chevy Chase has made quite a spectacle of himself with his frequent public battles with his bosses on the NBC comedy Community. However, he's had a very long track record of being, well, an a-hole.

Here's a casual perusal of the Fall Preview issue of my former employer, TV Guide, in the season of my birth, the fall of 1974. Anyone up for Sonny Bono as a solo act?

Finally, with the new James Bond flick drawing everyone to the multiplexes in the US this weekend, here is what fans have long needed--a scientific chart of his sexual exploits.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Halloween 2012!

Man, I can't believe it. The big day is finally here! 31 days feels more like 31 minutes. I'm sure you feel the same way--and some of you started in September or even earlier! Of course, thanks to Hurricane Sandy, trick or treating will be delayed by a couple of days for hundreds of thousands on the East Coast.. My town is having it tomorrow night, while others towns around me are having it Friday or Saturday. To those folks, I say look on the bright side--you get to celebrate the Halloween season that much longer! And to help you do so, please check not only this year's Halloween posts at the blog, but from past years as well.  And always, go to the Countdown to Halloween site for all your Halloween blogging needs!

With all that said, here are the last of my Halloween treats this year!

First up, an early cartoon version of The Headless Horseman, even older that the Disney animated version!

Next, Happy Halloween--from Hot Rod himself, Rowdy Roddy Piper!




Finally, we end the season the way we began--with Halloween wishes from the Cool Ghoul himself, Zacherley!




And...that's it.

I'm going to take the rest of the week off from blogging, to allow the Halloween posts to "breathe" a bit while readers catch up on posts they may have missed--I know I plan on doing that for the blogs that I read. Please stick with the blog going forward. There's much more here than Halloween, so if you enjoyed the blog this month, please stay tuned, as there's plenty to enjoy year round.

I find myself feeling bittersweet and wistful. There's only one thing left to say...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Saturday Night Dead starring Stella, KYW-TV Channel 3, Philadelphia

I've talked about local TV horror movie hosts several times before, but that won't stop me from talking about them again. Today I mention a fun show that aired through most of the 1980s here in my beloved Philadelphia, Saturday Night Dead.

Saturday Night Dead aired at 1am Saturdays on KYW-TV Channel 3, then an NBC affiliate, now a CBS O&O, immediately after Saturday Night Live (get it?). The program aired the standard cheesy, low budget horror flicks you'd expect to see on such a show. The hostess of the program was Karen Scioli better known as Stella, the "Maneater from Manayunk" (a posh section of the city).

Stella, along with her butler Hives and several other silly/creepy cast members, would make fun of both the movie and themselves until 3am every week, and as a preteen boy, I ate it all up, even though I was afraid of horror films, even the bad ones. I would stay awake as long as I could just to see the antics of Stella and Co. Such programs are very rare anymore, and I'm glad I kept my eyes open to catch all the laughs.

Here are some segments from various broadcasts over the years. Enjoy!

Also, and completely by coincidence, Karen Scioli gave an interview with the New Jersey publication The Aquarian just this morning. I didn't know until I did research for this blog post! Here you can find out what she's up to these days. Click here!

Bite Size Halloween Treats for the Eyes

The Countdown to Halloween is now well over the halfway point, which means we're rolling downhill to the end and picking up speed! You may be getting hungry, so I've brought along some bite size treats to tide you over to the big day. That is, I have some short segments for you to enjoy.

First up: a Halloween innovation courtesy of Muppet Labs. The Carve-O-Matic!



Next, a little witch girl gives payback to some joking bunnies--which comes back to get her in the nose, so to speak.



Next--Halloween can be real dangerous business!



Finally, here is the opening and closing to "Creature Double Feature," the Saturday afternoon horror movies airing on WKBS-TV Channel 48 in Philadelphia from the early 1980s. It's really creepy and well done. I love it!



Thanks!

Random Images of Awesomeness

I had such high hopes for blogging this week, but once again, life got in the way, so today I'm just going to post various images I've collected off of the 'Net that I think are cool, funny, or just eye-catching.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I hope so. Enjoy!

Tuesday's Forgotten Film: Head

The Monkees have been mentioned many times here at the blog, including Tuesday's Forgotten, but that's to be expected when I'm such a huge fan. For Tuesday's Forgotten Film this week, I'm happy to present the band's lone theatrical film Head.

There is no real plot to the film, just the theme of the boys fighting to break out of their "pre-fab" image to showcase their true selves and artistic interests through myriad adventures and light psychedelia (which they would also do the following year on their TV special). It's certainly a far cry from the TV series, which of course is the point.

Here is the film in all its glory. Enjoy!

List O' Links for 5/11/2012

Before you begin your weekend festivities, take a look at the Internet offerings I have for you this week!

An incredibly awesome Pac-Man fan film. 'Nuff said!

This author writes a good overview of the career of Michael Nesmith both pre- and post-Monkees. I considered featuring Nesmith's Elephant Parts as a Tuesday's Forgotten TV selection, but this author does just as good a job as I could have done describing it, so here 'tis.

This New York Times article explains the bitter dispute between the co-CEOs of Archie Comics for control of the company. Unfortunate, especially since the comics have been experiencing a creative hot streak the last couple of years.

Scottish artist Paul Cadden is such an amazing artist, his work looks like actual photographs rather than drawings!

Finally, what do you get when you cross late comedian Dick Shawn, two Second City alums, and Rowlf the Dog of the Muppets? This.

Have a great weekend!

List O' Links for Week of 4/2/2012

It's time once again to share some cool links I've come across the past week. You can now enjoy them too while you scarf down your Easter/Passover dinner.

Nerve.com presents its list of the Top 25 Greatest Breakup Songs of the 1970s. Some great tunes here!

Would you like a handy, frequently updated list of the current broadcast TV series that are being renewed or cancelled? You would? TV Line.com has it right here!

In my old neighborhood of South Philadelphia, pizza is serious business. That's why several of the most popular shops there are blitzing local TV airwaves (or cable waves) with the wackiest TV commercials they can create. Take a look.

Do you love/know/work with someone who is so clueless they can use a reality check? Now you can give them one. Literally.

Although short on answers, this article by Beau Smith of Comics Bulletin lays out the precarious business prospects of (mostly indie) comic publishers and creators today.

Finally, this Deviant Art member is good. Real good.

Thanks, and Happy Holy Days of your choice!