DC recently announced this fascinating gem.

As a well known ape aficionado, this collection interested me as I began wondering how many of these stories I’ve actually read.

Superboy #76 “The Super-Monkey from Krypton!” I’ve read this cute tale. It’s an odd choice to start with.

Superman #138 “Titano the Super-Ape” Perhaps the most famous Superman-Titano story of them all. The second appearance of Titano with the classic King Kong-homage cover of Titano climbing the Daily Planet building. This is often reprinted, most notably in the classic DC Super Special #16: Super-heroes Battle Super-Gorillas.



The Flash (VOL. 1) #127 “The Reign of the Super-Gorilla!” Perhaps the finest Gorilla Grodd story ever. Another one reprinted in DC Super Special #16.

Detective Comics #339 “Batman Battles the Living Beast-Bomb!” The oft-reprinted tale that introduced Carmine Infantino’s new look to the Batman franchise. This one was in DC Super Special #16 as well.

Detective Comics #482 “Night of the Body Snatcher” I’ve never seen this one, but with story/pencils by Jim Starlin and inks by P. Craig Russell, I’m looking forward to it. I only wish they were reprinting the entire double-sized Batman Family issue. Luckily the Michael Golden-drawn Bat-Mite adventure was reprinted in The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told (another great collection).

Hawkman #16 “Lord of the Flying Gorillas!” One of the inspirations for my story “I Was the Bride of Rothro, King of the Giant Flying Vampire Gorillas From the Earth’s Core” (Negative Burn #47, drawn by John Lucas).

Wonder Woman #170 “Wonder Woman… Gorilla!” THE Wonder Woman-gorilla tale. Reprinted in the classic DC Super Special #16.



Strange Adventures #201 “The Mod Gorilla Boss!” This odd cross of DC’s poor understanding of sixties pop culture, apes, and mobs lead to one of the most unusual Animal Man stories of all. I actually own this. I’d be a tad ashamed for me.

Shazam #9 “The Day Captain Marvel Went Ape!” Surprisingly, this is not even the best Captain Marvel ape story. That’s reserved for the delightful Marvel Family #85 “The Marvel Family Battles the Primate Plot”, reprinted in both Limited Collector’s Edition #C-21 and The Greatest Shazam Stories Ever Told.

Super Friends #30 “Gorilla Warfare Against the Humans” I’ve never read this one but it features a tale using Grodd and Giganta (in apparently her first Earth-1 appearance).

The Flash (VOL. 2) #151 “Territorealis” Another story I haven’t read. Apparently, a Teen Titans flashback story.

Of the eleven stories, I’ve read all but three. I’m both proud and ashamed.

DC Comics Go Ape was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[ Mood: Amused ]
According to Dwight Schrute in his blog, manga featuring shokushu goukan (tentacle rape) is not only repulsive but actually pointless.

He goes on to defend the poor octopus.

Turns out Dwight is a big fan of Ranma ½, because “there are no horny vindictive creatures with tentacles.”

Observations such as this are why The Office is one of the funniest shows on TV.

Dwight Schrute on Tentacle Porn was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Sleepy ]
[ Currently: Breastfeeding my son ]
Jade is having nightmares in which women are being strangled. While she sees some of the assault from the victim’s point of view, she does not see the killer’s face. The police are skeptical, her parents are concerned. Jade races to find out who the killer is before he claims his next victim. This race is made more desperate when her dream reveals that the next victim is Jade’s best friend’s mom.

This is author Carol Matas’ sequel to The Freak. Like the first book, the story moved along quickly, with lots of excitement and turns. Jade tries to learn more about her powers so that she can better use them.

Good book. I understand there is a third one on the way.

[  Mood: Shocked ]
You may remember how I have blogged about the fountain of poop. I have now seen something far, far more terrifying – the Poozooka.

This morning, Husband Unit was changing our son when suddenly he projectile pooped. (The boy, not the Husband Unit.) That’s right, poop shot out of his butt and across the room. It stopped a foot away when it hit the diaper wipes box. Given the speed it was travelling, it would have gone further, so we count ourselves lucky.

My boy has revealed his mutant power. He will be able to use his ability to poop to blow badguys out of the sky. As a bonus it will fertilize the garden. Beware, enemies of Canada, we know have a weapon of mass destruction – well beyond Celine Dion.

Although, as his mother, I am concerned about what his costume is going to look like. And will I have to make it. And will hemroids be his kryptonite?

We will keep you informed.

[  Mood: Sleepy ]
[ Currently: Breastfeeding my son ]
Sookie Stackhouse thought her life was going well. She had a boyfriend, Bill, who also happens to be a vampire. Given that Sookie is psychic, having a vampire as a boyfriend is a good thing. Psychics can’t read vampires minds. So for Sookie, it means that she can relax and truly let her guard down, something she can’t doe around human men.

Then one day, Sookie arrives at work to find the dead body of one of the cooks stuffed into the back of a local cops’s car. She wants to find out who killed Lafayette, but before she can delve too deep into that mystery, Eric, the local vampire master sends her and Bill to Dallas to help that group of vampires find one of their own who has gone missing.

This is the second in Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire Series. And unlike many series, the second book is stronger than the first. Sookie’s adventures in Dallas open up whole new parts of the supernatural world to her and the readers. Harris has now given herself a great deal of options for sequels. This is good as there are only so many people you can kill in a small town before someone gets suspisious – Jessica Fletcher, I am looking at you.

Good book – will read the third.

According to the New York Times, the “Tales of the Black Freighter” segments from Watchmen will be released as a direct-to-DVD release.

The Times sees this as an attempt to boost lagging DVD sales. Of course to us geeks, it’s just cool that the pirate story will be shot at all.

Tales of the Black Freighter Coming To DVD was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

[  Mood: Sick ]
[ Currently: Breastfeeding my son ]
It is 500 years after the end of the world. The old gods are dead and their magic along with them. The world follows the Nameless on and the Word.

Maddy has magic and it keeps getting her into trouble. An outcast in her village, she has no friends, except for the pedler One-Eye who comes by once a year. One-Eye also has magic and he begins to teach Maddy how to use hers. During one of these lessons, Adam Scattergood witness the lesson. A bully, he begins to taunt Maddy. She turns the rune (the base of all magic) on him. Humiliated. Adam runs back to the village to rat on them. Maddy and One-Eye know the jig is up, and One-Eye sends Maddy into the Red Horse Hill, and ancient reminent of the time before the end of the world.

Author Joanne Harris has created an amazing fantasy story based on Norse mythology. She is essentially telling the story of what happened after Ragnarok. Maddy is really Modi and signals the start of a new age. Harris has opened up the possibility of a sequel with the ending, but it is a very nice stand alone novel.

[  Mood: Angry ]
This is the ninth in an ongoing seriers of entries where I look at the upcoming TV season. Why? Cause I am a TV junkie. I need a hit!

The networks have a special set of shows they call midseason replacements. These shows sit in the vault waiting for one of their predecesors to weaken and die. Or at least weaken and be taken out behind the woodshed and shot.

We have already covered the NBC contributions to this group. Let’s look at the other freshed faced kids who are waiting in the wings.

ABC
Lost
This series is back for its penultimate season. I predict that a new group of castaways, called the Cargoies will join the island team. Their name comes from the fact that they were illegal immigrants hiding in the cargo section of the plane. I also predict Locke will do something cool. This one will last the season and be back next year.

Scrubs
Not a genre show per say, but it has legions of followers among the geek set. The show has found a new home after NBC discarded it like a piece of used Kleenex. It too will the last the season. Next season? Depends on whether or not Zac Braff wants to do Garden State 2.

CBS
Harper’s Island
This series tells the tale of a group of friends who go to an island near Seattle for a wedding. And then a serial killer starts picking them off one by one. How festive! Don’t look for this to last. It is being retooled and recast as you read this. Wave bye-bye.

CW
Reaper
YEAH!!!! Sam, Sock and the Devil are back for another season of tomfoolery. Watching the boys go after the escaped souls is fun and, let’s be honest, casting Ray Wise as the devil is genius. To be honest, this show doe not have to get super high ratings to be renewed next season. It is on the CW after all. So hopefully this means more Reaper.

Fox
Dollhouse
This is the show that has caused the most buzz on the internet. Joss is back. And he’s bringing Eliza with him. And Fred/Illyria too! And FOX has increased their order fom nine to thirteen episodes. But FOX has broken our hearts before. The fans are already mounting a ”Save Dollhouse” campaign. Will this last? Hard to say, I hope for Joss’s sake it does, but FOX has burned me many a time. I am not holding my breath.

Sit Down, Shut Up
This animated show appears to be an Americanization of Bromwell High but without Natella, Keisha and Latrina. It has the voice talents of a bunch famous people. Will it last? The clips they have released don’t look funny, and it appears there is a laugh track. Not good.

The Cleveland Show
This Family Guy spin-off is getting hype. Not many details beyond this:

Will it last? Hard to say. American Dad has lasted this long and it isn’t very funny. Some people also say that about Family Guy. It has at least thirteen episodes. Beyond that, hard to tell.

Next time: back to your regularly scheduled Ubalblog.

[  Mood: Sleepy ]
This is the eigth in an ongoing seriers of entries where I look at the upcoming TV season. Why? Cause I am a TV junkie. I woke up in a pile of old TV Guides lst night.

Friday
8:00 pm
Ghost Whisperer – CBS
When I was writing about Friday night, I completely forgot about Ghost Whisperer. It was like it there was a mental block in me acknowledging the existance of this show. Of course, it could have something to do with the fact that I think this show is only on the air because of Jennifer Love Hewitt’s breasts. I predict that Jen and her two perky friends will last the season. Then I hope they will be cancelled.

Next Time: The Replacement Fillers

Not only did I write the RevSF review of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but over at The Austin Chronicle I contributed the review for Indiana Jones: The Adventure Collection.

Double your Indy… was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon