R.I.P. Bob Dowdell

Another really sad one for me, actor Robert Dowdell passed away on January 23, 2018, at the age of 85.

Bob Dowdell was best known as Lt. Cmdr. Chip Morton, Executive Officer of the submarine Seaview on the classic TV series VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.  

As Morton, Dowdell was truly the "rock" of the Seaview crew.  He was that dedicated, focused, and unshakable presence, throughout the Seaview's four TV seasons of incredible adventures.  

This, in contrast with Admiral Nelson (Richard Basehart) who sometimes exhibited questionable judgement and sanity - and often kept it from his crew, and Captain Crane (David Hedison) who was prone to outbursts of "William Shatner-Level" intensity. 

Be it Communist spies, gigantic sea creatures, or Shadowmen from Centauri...

...Chip Morton was unaffected by it all, and could always be counted on to set course, depth, and speed, organize a search party, and prepare the Flying Sub for immediate launch!  

...He did have that one "way-overly emotional moment" during "Deadly Amphibians" which seemed out of character (If you've seen it, you know what I mean!) - but, for only once in four years, I think we can forgive him that!  

Prior to VOYAGE, Bob Dowdell co-starred with Jack Lord in the one-season western series STONEY BURKE!  

Bob Dowdell in STONEY BURKE, solo and with the great Bruce Dern! 

HERE is a list of Bob Dowdell's credits from IMDB.

And HERE is a tribute to him from ME-TV, that still runs Voyage each week!

Rest in Peace, Bob Dowdell, and thanks for "keeping it together" each week on my favorite sci-fi series!  

More Melon!

In THIS POST, our friend Achille Talon introduced us to the wonderful Franco-Belgian comic, from which he has taken his screen name, "Achille Talon".  A comic that has been (...far too few times, alas) translated into English as "Walter Melon".  

Achille has followed this up with another Walter Melon gag, which I enjoyed so much I asked if I could share it on this Blog.  

Without further ado, here is Walter Melon in "Long Bow" with (as we say in the IDW Disney comics) Translation and Dialogue by Achille Talon!  ...I'd say he has a future in this business!

Click to Enlarge! ...Or, just read it "panel-by-panel" below!  

On Sale December 20, 2017: DONALD AND MICKEY # 2 from IDW.

The next time you find yourself on a sinking ship (...and NEWS FLASH to Peg Leg Pete: YOUR SHIP IS SINKING!) don't run for the lifeboats before grabbing a copy of DONALD AND MICKEY # 2 from IDW to entertain you while waiting for rescue.  These unfortunate folks failed to do so - and LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM!  

CLICK TO ENLARGE ALL ILLUSTRATIONS! 

In it you'll find the THIRD Donald Duck and Princess Oona story, written by Unn and Stefan Printz-Pahlson with still more superb art from the always reliable Victor Arriagada Rios (Better known as "Vicar") with American Localization by Yours Truly.  

Offering the third Oona story as the issue's lead feature seems a trifle odd to me, considering that her FIRST APPEARANCE in IDW's DONALD DUCK # 20, despite being the cover feature, was buried in the back of the book - as was Oona's SECOND APPEARANCE in IDW's DONALD DUCK # 21 - but who am I to argue!  

...Perhaps Oona had a little chat with the editors, and they saw it her way!  

Anyway, in "Working GRRRL!", Oona continues to wreak her own special brand of primitive havoc on Donald's once peaceful modern world to where Don vows to find her a job, which will lead to getting her own place to live!  

Needless to say, 12 pages of job-seeking joviality ensue!  

Next up is a wonderful tribute to Floyd Gottfredson and everyone who worked on Mickey Mouse comics from the 1930s thru the 1950s, including Carl Fallberg, Bill Wright, Don R. Christensen and many others!  

"Treasure Archipelago" is 16 pages (in two chapters) of true classic stuff with Mickey and Goofy in servitude on a ship commanded by Peg Leg Pete - who (yet again) claims to have gone straight! 

It is written and drawn by the great Marco Rota, with Translation and Dialogue by Jonathan Gray, who does "Classic Mickey" better than anyone!    

William Van Horn delivers one of his best stories in recent years with "Coff It Up!", where Donald and Neighbor Jones do battle over a winning lottery ticket!  

Finally, a REAL oddity!  An EEGA BEEVA SOLO STORY!  You KNOW I'm gonna love that!  

"Pocketful of Miracles" is written by the great Byron Erickson, who goes back with these comics to the very earliest days of what we call Gladstone Series One in the mid-eighties!  It is drawn by Fabrizio Petrossi.  

Eega, now far more acclimated to "our modern times", AKA "his past", as he's from the year 2447,  (all together now) wreaks his own special brand of futuristic havoc on the scientists who originally examined him in his Bill Walsh and Floyd Gottfredson 1947 origin story - and who have now forcibly taken him to conduct further research!  

This story makes for a nice "closing bookend" with the opening Oona story, as we have "characters out of their time" - one past and one future wreaking (all together now - again) their own special brand of havoc!

Only difference is that Eega is INTENTIONALLY heckling the scientists, a la Bugs Bunny, while Oona is simply and innocently doing her thing!  

So, hopefully by now, rescue has come to all of you of my "lifeboat legion" of readers, you've enjoyed reading DONALD AND MICKEY # 2 from IDW, and are ready to share your experiences in our Comments Section!  

Just remember, I do not speak for IDW, or anyone in its employ.  I speak strictly for myself as both a long-time fan and as a dialogue creator – and those opinions are strictly my own. 

Bon Voyage! Good Night! Sleep Tight! ...And Don't Let the Sharks Bite!  

Adventures in Comic-Boxing: Punched Panda!

Don’t 'cha just hate it when something like this happens? 

[Cue "Film Noir" music!] 

Ya order a comic that’s been a longtime nagging hole in yer collection from an online retailer.  Ya choose “GOOD” condition, either because o' th' price or it’s th' only condition available.  Ya expect a “GOOD” condition comic ta be far from perfect in its appearance (…not unlike many comic COLLECTORS) – but ya know yer gonna get a complete an' very readable copy. 

Den… Er, THEN, it arrives, an’ ya find that someone’s put a BULLET THROUGH IT! 

  

…Okay, okay… Some kid, back in the 1950s simply assaulted it with a HOLE PUNCH!  But, the singular punch looks SO NEAT, going completely through the book, that it LOOKS like a precisely fired assassin’s bullet! 

A NORMAL, NON-PUNCHED COPY! 

And, such was the case with the copy of Dell Comics' ANDY PANDA # 16 (Cover Date: November 1952 / January 1953). 

Below is the front cover of my copy.  Note that, while bagged and boarded, this flaw is hardly noticeable to the casual glance. 

It is at the spot where Andy's right glove intersects with Charlie Chicken's right arm.  Look closely... 

  

Here’s a CLOSE-UP of the area on the front cover.

A clean shot, er… PUNCH, that goes all the way through, mutilating dialogue balloons as it went!

Finally, the exit wound, er… PUNCH, through the back cover!

Fortunately, I have a very good relationship with this online retailer.  They stand behind their products, and their commitment to me as a customer.  A suitable replacement copy has already been received. 

Now, it looks more like THIS! 

Oh, and it’s not as if *I’m* completely innocent of mutilating or otherwise defacing comic books, as this very shameful post describes!

Oh, and let’s not even consider the horrors of something I did in my own immediate-post-toddler and pre-kindergarten years!  ...And, to a Carl Barks story, no less! 

 The horror!  The HORROR!   

...They weren't "lucky, lucky ducks" on that fateful day! 

Then again, maybe they WERE!