Blue and Gold Sesame Street Style!

I just stumbled on this today on CBR and had to share! 

Ernie and Bert as Blue Beetle and Booster Gold! I LOVE it!

The artist is Bill Walko, check out his web page here!

Who...or What the Kaji Dha Wednesday #1

Today I'm going way off the usual topic, but that's part of the fun I have with my "What The Kaji Dha" posts. Today I'd like to talk about, as Craig Ferguson (go on, click it...I'll wait) said, "a man, who's not really a man. He's a doctor, but he's not really a doctor...like Dr. Phil, but AWESOME!" Today I want to talk about Doctor Who. Why you ask? Well...the show is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, they just made a big deal announcing the latest actor to take on the role! (Peter Capaldi in case you missed the live BBC multi-national simulcast). Not just that though...I'm a legitimate fan! I've been watching Doctor Who about as long as I've been collecting comics...and much like my love of comics, my love of Who began with my family, sort of. My first time watching Doctor Who was at my Gram's house one Sunday afternoon during a PBS pledge drive. They were running 'The Five Doctors", which was the show's 20th anniversary special.

(left to right, Richard Hurndall, Peter Davison, Tom Baker's wax dummy, K-9, Jon Pertwee, Patrick Troughton)

In all honesty though the special could have been called "The Three Doctors, a stand in and some unused footage" as William Hartnell, the First Doctor, had passed and was replaced by Richard Hurndall, and Tom Baker, the Fourth, opted not to participate so unused footage from an incomplete episode (Shada) and some clever writing was used to include his incarnation. It doesn't really matter though, I found myself drawn to Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor! He was younger than the others, charismatic, likable...and blond. See as a kid, a blond haired kid, I always found characters that looked like me more easy to relate to (or pretend to be)...Aquaman, Green Arrow, Bo Duke, and the Fifth Doctor.

(Peter Davison...my Doctor)

I found that PBS aired episodes every Saturday night (along with the hilarious sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf), and I watched them loyally...for years! I made my way through all of the Fifth Doctor's stories, met his companions (Adric, Nyssa, Tegan, Turlough, and Peri) and his enemies (Anthony Ainley was brilliant as the Master)...and saw him die, sacrificing himself to save Peri.

(Nicola Bryant and Colin Baker)

I saw Colin Baker, with his technicolor dream coat take over as the Sixth Doctor. I was unsure if I'd like the show without Davison though, but Peri (Nicola Bryant) was cute enough to keep my attention...and after a while I liked number Six. Not a fan of Mel, his second companion though...

(Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred)

And then Sylvester McCoy stepped in, with a curious mix of mirth and mystery. He could go from bumbling comedy to dark and creepy at the drop of a hat. The downside? Mel was still with him...though not for too long. She was replaced by Ace, who was a explosive carrying tomboy...and kind of a cutie...it must be good to be the Doctor, traveling through time and space with attractive young companions, lol

Yes, I quickly declared myself a Whovian and set about to find out as much as I could about this show. My local comic store carried Doctor Who Magazine, as well as comics. I could pick up novelizations at my local bookstore. I didn't know many people that shared my interest at the time, just a couple friends from school and one of my cousins, I did get to attended a Doctor Who convention and see I wasn't alone...and then I was...the show was cancelled...then it was back with a made for TV movie in 1996...but that was just a tease, and it was quickly gone again...or was it?

To be continued...

(Paul McGann from the 1996 TV movie)

Menace Of The Madniks!

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A while back I blogged about 2 episodes of "Batman The Brave And The Bold"..."Rise Of The Blue Beetle", and "Fall Of The Blue Beetle". Both featured Ted to varying degrees, but were definitely Jaime-centric. This time we get "Menace Of The Madniks!"...with Booster Gold...and a lot more Ted!

 

The episode opens with Batman in high speed pursuit of Ma Murder. She leads him into an ambush but he's rescued by the ghost of Jeb Stuart...in the Haunted Tank! Oddly, even though this is General Jeb Stuart and not General Lee they still jump a bridge and yell "Yeehaw!" while honking a horn that plays "Dixie"...just like on the old "Dukes Of Hazzard" TV show.

 

(I know...this image has nothing to do with Blue Beetle, but the Haunted Tank is cool!)

 

After the opening titles we find Batman fighting with the Madmen (for some reason called Madniks on the cartoon) outside a bank. A group of reporters swarm in around Batman followed by Booster Gold. Booster plays it off like Batman's his hired help and tells the reporters to let Bats do his job in rounding up these criminals. As Bat's and Booster resume the fight the caped crusader tells Gold to back off...he's settling a score for an old friend, the Blue Beetle! "Wait...you knew Ted Kord?" BG asks. "He was a true friend, and a real hero! Something YOU wouldn't understand" is the reply. We've seen it with Jaime, and now we see it with Booster...Batman can be a real ass! Gold doesnt take it too personally though, he tells Skeets he thinks this is the closest he's seen Bats to being emotional. Apparently BG is a little emotional too and tells Skeets he thinks they should go visit Ted...not the memorial statue, but the man himself! Oh the benefits of time travel!

 

 

In just a few seconds Booster and Skeets arrive 2 years ago at Ted's headquarters. While the Blue and Gold duo catch-up, alarms sound alerting BB to a break-in at STAR Labs...and coincidentally, the culprits are...you guessed it the Madn...Madmen! Maybe not too coincidental, the episode is named for them after all. The Madmen (I just can't gt myself to call them Madniks) have broken in to steal a Quark pistol. What is it? Why do they want it? It's not clear. It does appear to have the ability to disintegrate walls though. The Madmen taunt BB. He's fought them before, but they always get away. What makes him think it'll be different now? He's got Booster Gold in his corner! And with a quick shot from his wrist blasters BG destroys the Quark gun and helps his pal Ted finally get "the one that got away".

 

Sadly, once he returns to the present Booster finds that the world is overrun by giant energy monsters! Batman shows up and after some premature denial Gold admits to have meddled in the past..."A lil bit...yeah." So Bats and Booster head back to just after Blue and Gold defeated the Madmen. When Booster asks why this point in particular Bats declares "Look! I'm not going to explain the intricacies of time travel to a man without a library card!" Another dickish move by Batman...what does he have against Booster anyway? Ted seems pretty shocked to see them together when they arrive at the Bug Cave and explains that he didn't think they'd get along. That's why he doesn't discuss them around each other. Batman is a work friend, and Booster is fun friend. Ha! That ought to put ol' pointy ears in his place!

 

 

Ted's been looking into the Madmen and the Quark pistol and thinks the explosion may have altered their DNA and suggests the trio go to Hub Island Penetentiary to investigate before it's too late. They arrive just in time to see the Madmen...transformed into the future/present energy monsters after touching an electric fence while trying to escape. The trio has some trouble working together at first, Booster and Bats both acting like Betty and Veronica trying to get Beetle/Archie's attention, but then Ted comes up with a plan. The creatures are drawn toward energy. If they follow them toward the nuclear power plant, and Ted alters the radiation signature of the BB gun they may have a shot at defeating them. Booster quickly volunteers, but Batman tries to steal his spotlight. Ted points out that they'll ALL need to be involved and the plan is set in motion.

 

 

By resetting the BB gun, and linking it into Booster's suit so it can be broadcast through its forcefield generator they can defeat the energy monsters! Bats settles down, after realizing how much his friendship with Ted really means to Booster and they finally work together. After the plan ends succesfully and the Madmen are captured, Ted comments how this has been a great night...seeing his two best friends working together. Back at the Bug Cave, Ted finds a message waiting from...Batman. Seems there's trouble on Science (Pago) Island. (kinda creepy...this is the mission that Ted gives his life on) Booster and Bats say their goodbyes and time hop to the present, just as Past-Bats shows up to leave for Science Island with a slightly bewildered Ted. Back in the present Booster says he's ok with Batman being Blue Beetle's "second best friend". And Batman, maybe realizing now that he's been an ass for most of this adventure, invites Booster to help him take down some thugs committing the 2nd bank robbery this episode.

 

This was another fun episode, even with the slightly depressing/sad "we all know Ted's about to die soon" stuff. In fact I'd love to see them bring back Booster and Beetle for a Blue and Gold cartoon! It won't happen...but sometimes it's fun to dream.

 

Until next time!

 

Teaser Tuesday #13

Ditko Beetle Designs!

While surfing Google images for more Blue Beetle goodness I stumbled on this...

The page it was linked to says this is a page from Ditko's sketchbook showing his early designs for Ted Kord's costume...a design that remained more or less intact and unchanged from 1966, even as the character moved from Charlton to DC, until Ted's death in 2005!