Thursday, November 28, 2024

NULL-CROSSOVERS #20

 I haven't seen the Cecil B DeMille western epic THE PLAINSMAN (1936) in something like forty years, and it was not readily available on streaming. But there was a mediocre TV remake in 1966, and I wasted a little time sussing that out.



The entirely fictional story brings together western legends, Wild Bill Hickock, Calamity Jane and Buffalo Bill Cody, respectively played by Don Murray, Abby Dalton and Guy Stockwell. However, in contrast to at least two of my "western legend crossovers" explored here and here, both versions of PLAINSMAN are null-crossovers, because in real history Wild Bill was associated in various ways with both Calamity and Buffalo Bill. Since they have that real-life connection, even the most absurd fictional story about the three of them does not count as a crossover.

Incidentally, the '66 PLAINSMAN is awful in every way, except that at the end Leslie Nielsen shows up playing the non-legendary (in my book) historical figure of General George Custer. 

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

RAR #79: THE TOTEM

Issues 74 and 75 of STRANGE TALES contained a two-part story by Steve Ditko, beginning when a stone statue called The Totem comes to life to attack a couple of convicts who menace an Indian tribe.



The second part then shows the Totem relentlessly turning on its own people, at which point the old shaman who summoned the demon banishes it.



MONSTER MASHUPS #111

 Found this cover online but haven't read the actual story referenced.




CROSSOVER MADNESS

 This blogpost mentions at least two literary characters, Scott's Rob Roy and Fielding's Jonathan Wild, showing up in an 1884 dime novel called THE BLUE DWARF.

MONSTER MASHUPS #110

 I only came across this mashup by chance, in which an episode of YOGI'S TREASURE HUNT dragged out yet another hoary cliche from Hanna-Barbera's own moldy treasure-chest. Features a spoofy Drac, a Franky, and a lady vamp.