MONSTER MASHUPS #57

 

I saw just one episode of MONSTER FARM on Youtube, and it was more than enough. The young human in the center of the above illo inherits a farm occupied by funny-animal versions of classic monsters, including Count Cluckula (a rooster), Cowapatra (a cow-mummy), Dr. Woolly and Mr. Ewe (a sheep with a double identity), Frankenswine (a pig), Zombeef (a bull-zombie), and Goatasaurus Rex, some sort of dragon-critter who's the only one not clearly based on a well-known movie-monster. It's a minor curiosity in being one of many cartoons distributed by Saban, best known as the re-packager of the "Power Rangers" franchise.

MONSTER MASHUPS #56:

 

The cover, appearing in 1965, sports a fairly early use of the term "monster rally," though as one might expect, the story inside has nothing to do with the opening shot. Not seen on the cover is a "Phantom of Loew's Bijou," and from left to the right we have a Black Lagoon refugee styled "the Beast from 1279 1/2 Fathoms," an unnamed mummy and "Vultura," a pretty clear Vampira spoof. All of them are life-size statues made from "monster kits" but given temporary life by some wacky aliens.

MONSTER MASHUPS #55: TOM THUMB AND LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD (1962)

 This wacky kid's film pits the two iconic folklore heroes against a motley mashup of monsters, which in this review I described as:

,,,a vampire, a Frankenstein Monster, a Siamese twin named “Two-in-One,” a boogieman, a guy with a carrot-head, a “Child Snatcher,” and a dwarf who can create hurricanes from his breath. Reigning over them all is the Queen of Badness, a dead ringer for the Queen from Disney’s SNOW WHITE...

 

 

RAR #48: MAJOR RED HAWK

 Appearing in five issues of BLAZING COMICS, Red Hawk took on the evil Japanese, though the positive racial depiction of an American Indian hero was somewhat nullified by the anti-"Jap" slurs.

MONSTER MASHUPS #54

 "Night of the Living Duck," an original 1988 cartoon short, was designed to be played in theaters with the compilation film DAFFY DUCK'S QUACKBUSTERS. The idea is that Daffy, an avid "monster kid," bonks himself on the head and dreams that he's singing (with Mel Torme's voice) for a club full of monstrous patrons. Most of the customers are familiar (but unnamed) faces except for a Godzilla parody, "Smogzilla."

That spoof-name pretty much captures the short's level of lame humor. Nice animation, and one of Mel Blanc's final voice-jobs, are the only attractions to this unfunny trifle.

RAR #47: FORGE

 

I can't say I ever warmed much to Forge, the Cheyenne answer to Tony Stark. (Why so many Plains Indians, Marvel? How about a few Algonquins once in a while?) In addition to being a master designed of weapons, Forge also possessed some inchoate magical skills, which seemed to be gilding the lily. He's been around for a while, so he must've impressed more people than did, say, the Black Crow.

RAR #46: SERGEANT WITCH DOCTOR

 Not a lot more interesting Real Americans in the TOMAHAWK canon, but here's a curiosity from issue #87: Sergeant Witch Doctor, an Indian medicine man attached to the Rangers for one story. I guess the idea that an Indian guy would use the medical knowledge of his people on behalf of the American Revolution was well intentioned, though today it sounds a little condescending.