Weird Science News: Week of February 19, 2014 Edition

Well, I just finished watching Team Canada win the Men's Ice Hockey gold medal so this is a "Golden Edition" of Weird Science News.  My five favorite Golden things:





5. Tracey Gold 
Good old Carol Seaver from Growing Pains. She also battled an eating disorder, married a guy whose Father was convicted of having his Mother murdered, rolled her SUV and got a DUI and was on Celebrity Wife Swap. Who could forget the episode when Carol Seaver's boyfriend died.









4. Golden Earring 
My second favorite Dutch band behind Vandenberg (of course).  The craziest thing about Golden Earring is they formed in 1961.  They kept at it and went on to record the classic rock anthem "Radar Love" in 1973 and then "Twilight Zone" in 1982.  The video for Twilight Zone scared the crap out of me as a kid.  I'm not sure why except that everything scared the crap out of me as a kid.










3. "Stay Gold Ponyboy"  
I'm not crying, I just have something in my eye.  Plus, I'm cutting onions and I just got pepper sprayed.  Not crying.








2. Tales of the Gold Monkey  

Back in 1982 I couldn't get enough Indiana Jones.  We were still years away from "Alan Quartermain and the Lost Cities of Gold" and "Romancing the Stone" so what was a little boy to do?  Watch Tales of the Gold Monkey, that's what.  The series stared Stephen Collins as pilot Jake Cutter along with his alcoholic Mechanic, Corky and one-eyed dog, Jack. The show is more Casablanca than Raiders, but the 1930's setting, Nazi's and adventure fit the bill for me.  I loved it and it's now available on DVD for those interested.  Neat facts: It was the inspiration for the Disney show, Tailspin and stock footage from the show was later used in the A-Team TV Show.  I pity the fool who doesn't like it.




1. The Golden Girls
Yes, the Golden Girls.  Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia had everyone in stitches. For seven seasons those old rascals taught me that growing old is horrible and it's best to die young. Nowadays, it is probably played on a loop in every nursing home in the world (at least when the Lawrence Welk Show isn't on).  It dealt with big issues like assisted suicide, AIDS, same sex marriage and the aftermath of breaking one's hip.  Plus, it had one of the best theme songs ever. Thank you for being a Friend.





On With The News...





Azzarello and Chiang Leaving Wonder Woman

Creative Team and stars of rebooted "Odd Couple"

The Battle for Olympus has been so good and it's just heating up.  In an interview with Newsarama (here), Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang talk about the upcoming issues and the end of the Battle this summer. However, it was a bit of a shock when they also talked about leaving the book at that time as well.  I love Wonder Woman and think that Azzarello and Chiang are among the best creative teams in all of comics and it's sad to see them go.  If you haven't been reading Wonder Woman, do
yourself a favor and go back and read them all.




Batman: Shadow of the Bat Returning?




There is talk that DC is planning to bring back Shadow of the Bat and I think it would be a great digital first title to replace Legends of the Dark Knight.  Shadow of the Bat originally had a 96 issue run from 1992 to 2000.  Alan Grant wrote most of the issues and it was known for it's study of the inner turmoil of it's characters.  I never read it, but if it does come out I'll be all over it.

Disguise yourself as Human, trust me

TV's Constantine Is...



Not yet announced.  However, everyone and their Uncle is reporting that the chain smoking Brit will be played by Matt Ryan who happens to be Welsh.  Fun facts about Wales: It has a human to sheep ratio of 1:384, they have more castles per square mile than anywhere in the World, they are known for their harpists and there is a Welsh town called Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. You probably know Matt Ryan as Gilly from the show "Nuts and Bolts". Who could ever forget that episode when Gilly was playing a Harp in that castle 
in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch and woke up the sheep?  Classic.



Jada Pinkett Smith in Gotham

also known as the Jimmy Durante Fish...Ha cha cha cha

In other casting news, the cast of Gotham just got bigger.  Jada Pinkett Smith is going to play an all new character, Fish Mooney (not Fish Money which is now my new rap name) who is the younger Penguin's ruthless boss.  My favorite fish, the Blobfish.  Of course we all know that without Jada and her husband Will, this never would have happened.  Thank you Jada and Will.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.




Another Week, Another News.  Fish Money...OUT.