Theme Park Proposal: Lorcana Expansion!

Disney seriously needs to expand its theme park portfolio and it looks like Kingdom Hearts is not in any plans! The theme parks are slow to innovate and build on the theme park experience. Kingdom Hearts is a very popular Square Enix video game that started in 2002. There is scant merch outside of the game and rare character meet and greets, but it has been 22 years since its debut! It may be difficult to use the IP with Square Enix characters like Sora so while a Kingdom Hearts park expansion is demanded at Tokyo Disneyland, let’s look elsewhere. Lorcana is a collectible trading card game that came out in 2023 from Ravensburger. There is not characters specific to the game except the Illumineers that are part of the Lorcana introductions. 

The characters, the musician Martin, and Venturo (the artist?), and the poet, Shanzay, are ciphers for the players which should be kept specific, except one!, to the game. The game has potential for a theme park area with attractions, characters, and merchandise. I don’t think Disney will encounter the same problems with Ravensburger with this game in bringing it into theme parks. If so, then an agreement should be made. So why Lorcana? It could be the latest game to hit and fade away. Still, it is really the game world that was built by designers, Ryan Miller and Steve Warner, and their team that has great potential. There are a number of fantastic artists who worked to create alternate versions of classic characters. 

This is the true potential. Mickey Mouse can be dressed up for various events. The potential of having not only the classic Mickey Mouse: True Friend, but also Mickey Mouse: Steamboat Pilot (there is one at Mickey’s House at Toon Town), Mickey Mouse: Wayward Sorcerer, Mickey Mouse: Artful Rogue, Mickey Mouse: Brave Little Tailor, Mickey Mouse: Friendly Face, or any other new versions in later sets! The point is that guests don’t have to know Mickey as Wayward Sorcerer, but they know Mickey! So this would be almost unlimited characters and costumes for the Character Department! 

I mention Mickey because he is the best known, but I would really like to see Cinderella: Stouthearted in her armor as a knight, Winnie The Pooh: Hunny Wizard, and um, Gaston: Intellectual Powerhouse! “The Story Begins” trailer, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74nOdRwf92c, introduces the Lorcana world with the Illumineer symbol. This of course will have Inkcaster toys, similar to a large artist’s pen, but in the form of a staff. They should be about one foot, three inches, the right size for a little one and the big kids. They are keyed to the land like Super Mario Land’s Power-Up Bands. The interactive wands in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Mario Land sell at great numbers, but I'm hoping the Inkcaster would be affordable; around $15. 

Then, of course you need Illumineer gear; clothes like t-shirts with each Ink symbol and color and Inkcaster and Aurelian Gyrosensor toys. There is Amber, Amethyst, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, and Steel Inks. The symbols could be a whole other level of Easter eggs throughout the park area. Before you enter, there are six Ink symbols you step on and it lights up. This sends a lighted path to the next part. The gateway should hint at this proposed Lorcana Land to “transport” guests. I think there should be a light at the entrance to transition to The Great Illuminary castle. This has already been designed, but guests enter the Hall of Lorcana with the roof looking out to the stars. Also, portals, columns, the great mechanism that turns Story Stars into Ink, and the Lorebook. 

There should be a painting or image somewhere to show what the Great Illuminary looks like in full; a great pin with a sphere at its base. Once a guest uses the Lorecaster, a lit path leads up steps to a Lorebook. Touching the Inkcaster to an open Lorebook brings up an image of a character, maybe this character appears and interacts with the guest! So there can be Lorcana versions of the characters and also different characters that don’t have to be tied to a specific land or event. Part of the game is that the Glimmers, characters, are villains, so this could help very young guests overcome any fear of some of the nastiest villains. I’m looking at you Jafar, one little guy saw Jafar casually getting ready for a show and couldn’t move terrified to his core! Also, around the hall are the various Items that are memorable from the films; Triton’s trident, the Sorcerer’s hat, Magic Mirror, etc.

The Beast’s Library, Disney’s California Adventure, 2018, author’s photo. 

Guests can spend some time wandering around and interacting with the Lorebooks. They fill up their Inkcasters from the reservoir in the hall. I think guests can buy the Items as souvenirs, recreate Actions with screens, and sing Songs to get Lore. This happens with activating the Lorebook, the various activities, and secret places that change throughout Lorcana Land. Accumulate 20 Lore, the goal of game play, and I’m thinking you get an exclusive Lorcana card! This would of course be subject to Ravensburger. The quests will really occupy guests and give them something to do. I’ve seen dedicated kids do so at Knott’s Berry Farm’s Ghost Town Alive event. Of course, the rewards for theme park games is usually a souvenir like a sticker or toy, but the Lorcana card ties into the game and would be far more valuable even if it is a copy of a card with different art. The alternate art Lorcana cards go for hundreds of dollars, but a theme park version would have to be mass produced. Maybe they are buttons or paper certificates. 

One of the halls should port over the Beast’s Library with the enchanted book, which should be a Lorebook now, showing guests their character. Besides the Hall of Actions and Hall of Songs, there should be a Hall of Honor, which would be a showcase for the Lorcana artists like Dave Beauchene or Rosalia Radosti. There may be Lorcana Days were a number of artists, many of whom are worldwide, could appear. The featured guests would be the game designers; Ryan Miller and Steve Warner. There could also be game play, bring your decks or buy starter decks and play in The Grand Illuminary! Which leads to the gift store, I’m uncertain if there will be enough Lorcana product to have available at a theme park. If so, I imagine there could be books, action figures, and the previously mentioned toys and accessories available. Sample games with decks for table use only at the Hall of Play. 

The main attraction. This will be a ride that is not high tech, they tend to break down, have high capacity and touches on the basic theme of Lorcana. The point is to show what people like about Disney animated films and characters. So this will use as examples characters and movies from the first two sets; The First Chapter and The Rise of the Floodborn, but also characters that are not given their own attractions. The queue area is in halls that wind around The Great Illuminary, a view from a balcony, a peek into other halls. This is a way to show game play with an Illumineer using a Lorebook to summon a Glimmer, the Story Stars that are overhead, and screens showing the stories of different Glimmers.  There are various reports about the state of the Inklands by Chief Bogo from Zootopia. The highlight is seeing the great mechanism that captures the Story Stars to turn into Ink. Illumineers can use their Inkcasters at various points to get Lore. 

Merlin from Sword in the Stone details Illumineers about the ride on screens before the loading area. This leads the Ilumineers to board the inkships, I’m not certain if they are identified, but the ships are seen in Into the Inklands story trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W6FyW66zkY&t=35s. They look like steampunk zepplins with flapping wings and insectoid cockpit. This is of course modified with the open cockpit, seating areas in front and in back for up to eight guests. This is similar to WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure. Also like that attraction, there are four mini-Inkcasters and Lore counters for each one in front of the seating area. If guests do not have an Inkcaster, this should still be a fun ride so the mini-Inkcasters (attached to a cable) should work. So guests have new Lore to gain just for the ride.  

You use Inkcasters pressing a button like a trigger to hit Ink symbols at various targets. The ride vehicle uses a track to guide Illumineers. The inkship moves through the Great Illuminary halls, the Magic Brooms, animatronics, from Fantasia sweep the floors. Mickey Mouse, Detective, an animatronic is examining a clue; a strand of pink. Ahead is Martin about to play his Inkcaster that opens the forbidden Lorebook, it causes torrents black ink to pour down! The event in A Mysterious Locked Lorebook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP0U1z5i8Yg. Suddenly, the inkship turns and we see the Ink flood, it pours on Aurora! She is in her brown Briar Rose dress and this transforms her into Dreaming Guardian, in her blue dress. She weaves blue wards which she says will protect the Illumineers. You ar told that you will find answers in the Inklands. This sends the inkship out of the Great Illuminary into the Inklands. 

#Lorcana, #DisneyThemePark, #KingdomHearts, #SquareEnix, #Lorcana, #Ravensburger, #Illumineer, #Martin, #Venturo, #Shanzay, #RyanMiller, #SteveWarner, #Illumineer, #Inkcaster, 

#AurelianGyrosensor, #GreatIlluminary, #HallOfLorcana, #StoryStar, #Lorebook, #Lore, #DaveBauchene, #RosaliaRadosti, #ChiefBogo, #Zootopia, #Inklands, #Merlin, #SwordInTheStone, #MagicBrooms, #Fantasia, #MickeyMouseDetective, #Aurora, #SleepingBeauty 

Re:tro Re:view - Universal Monsters: Dracula #3!

 Re:cap Universal Monsters: Dracula #2 - Dracula has entered the room of Lucy and bares his fangs! Dr. Seward is tired from his research and after checking on him, Mina goes to check on Lucy, and screams! Mina says something is wrong with Lucy and then Mina’s blood curdling cry is heard throughout the house! They see pale, lifeless corpse of Lucy on the bed pools of blood around it! There is a closeup of her red lips in a rictus of a smile! Issue #3 features a painted cover by interior artist, Martin Simmonds with the wolf form of Dracula. He is snarling with red eyes cover a red-haired victim whose hair turns to splatters of blood! Dracula’s tale continues written by James Tynion IV.  

It opens with a small panorama of mourners dressed in black with umbrellas with trees. This grey scene, the color is somber, and the light color touches on the 1931 horror movie. We see the gravestone of Lucy Weston. Then, the sad face of Mina and Jonathan who suggests that they return home. Mina says she feels being watched at home by something dark! Jonathan suggests Mina sent to one of her cousins, a great suggestion since everything is happening in London. There is the blue gravestone while Mina wonders about her father. Then, a scene of Mina holding Jonathan in the rain, soaked in blue, the bleeding of colors is brilliant. Jonathan tells Mina that her father is trying to save another girl found the same way as they tried with Lucy, transfusions. 

She continues saying he hasn’t found any answers over the weeks. Jonathan points out the count at the outside of the cemetary. In a page designed like stained glass window, Dracula lined in red, is seen at the gate. Mina remarks that he isn’t coming any closer, holy ground. Then, Dracula turns away. The bottom panel like a globe containing Jonathan and Mina, it is like an umbrella protecting the duo together, she says she feels colder every day. Then, we get a two page spread, the eyes of the wolf, a blue moon between them, and this merges with Dracula in wolf form as his eyes bleed the title! The following page has a large panel of the victim on an examination bed with the area soaked in blood. 

The doctors are around the bed, Dr. Seward checking the woman, as well as the attendants in the auditorium. In his office, Dr. Seward says that he has met Van Helsing. Dr. Seward is doubtful about the professor talking about monsters. His colleague says his transfusions may be thought to be crazy and that there is talk of Dr. Seward put in his own sanitorium. Dr. Seward told that he must meet Van Helsing again. He still has doubts, but is asked if the girl survived. A closeup of Dr. Seward saying no. His stubborness is costing the lives of the people of London! Outside of the office is the sanatorium worker, Martin, who watches over Renfield. He is off to have a pint and wonders about his daughter around the horror. 

We move to the halls of the sanatorium, Mina has the keys, seen in closeup, and she opens the door to Renfield’s cell. We see this with Mina in shadow with the countless critters on the floor. Renfield is in shadow. Mina says that she saw Renfield when he first arrived to the sanatorium. He raises his hand to the light, his arm covered with flies, he says he saw her in his mind. She asks if he will come into the light, Mina is illuminated, and only Renfield’s hand is seen. Renfield looks at his hand and says she would not like to see him. Mina says she took the key from her father’s jacket. He warns her about the things in the shadows and Mina wants to know what are the things. Renfield, a closeup of his black-rimmed eyes, refuses. He says her father tainted his blood, the transfusions, and weakened him. Renfield pities the patients brought into the sanatorium and that is why his master doesn’t take him. 

He goes on a rant that he loves his master. I don’t understand why she doesn’t ask Renfield about his master. Mina says he is dirty and gives him a towel to get clean. Dr. Seward opens the door and Renfield stands up to warn the good doctor! He escorts his daughter back past the ruins of Carfax Abbey. Mina says Renfield wouldn’t harm her. Again, Mina says she feels like she is being watched. Red eyes loom from one of the tunnels! At a pub, Martin tells his mates about the blood in the sanitorium. He mentions Lucy being filled with blood, but ending up dead. This has continued and Martin looks at his hands, sticky with blood. I’m not certain why Dracula would not be drawn to the used blood. Behind them, is the white-haired, mustached, Professor Van Helsing listening to their conversation. I love the focusing on Mina and Renfield. Universal Monsters: Dracula #3 uses the setting of a few places like the stage ad film production expanding it by the interior horror!     

Five Blood Samples out of Five! 

#UniversalMonstersDracula, #JamesTynionIV, #MartinSimmonds, #Dracula, #Mina, #Jonathan, #Renfield, #ProfessorVanHelsing, #Martin

Strolling Through The (Theme) Park One Day: Peanuts Celebration!

Today is the second day of the Knott’s Peanuts Celebration and also time to check out the new piglets! The Peanuts Celebration is the first event for Knott’s Berry Farm starting off the new year. It lasts until February 25th. Following it is one of my favorites, the Boysenberry Festival which begins on March 8th. There are two photo ops, the windmill, and a gift store at the entrance. This is sort of ironic since there is currently construction going on at Camp Snoopy, but most of that area is still open! Camp Snoopy reopens in the summer with several new rides and the remodeled Camp Snoopy Theater!  There are walls throughout Camp Snoopy, but rides are still open and there were a number of happy guests still walking through it. 

Pig-Pen’s Pig Pen!, Peanuts Celebration, author’s photo. 

One of the additions is the Child to Teacher Translator, a yellow booth with Peppermint Patty and Snoopy pointing to the translator, a black box with spinning reels. Push the button and the “Wah-wah-wah” sound (made by a trombone in animation) comes out! Still, the Peanuts characters are found in  Ghost Town and other parts of the park. I was checking the Knott’s app and found one of the best names for a meet and greet. This was at the Livery Stable. On the barn door is the name of the area and inside is bales of hay with a statue of a pig. To the left side is the new pen with the piglets that were born five weeks ago! On the other side is the character meet and greet, Meet Pig-Pen at Pig-Pen’s Pig Pen! 

Piglets Pig Pile!, author’s photo. 

The piglets were named on Instagram, the white coat pig is Petunia, Bullet has a black coat, Rider has the distinctive black patch on his snout, and Calico, the best named pig, has black and white patches! The lil’ piggies just took the awwws of the guests and worth a visit. After snuffling around the pen and eating from the bowls of feed, all of the piglets gathered together for a sleep. Pigpen was new for me as a Peanuts character. It was cool to see him, messy hair, and scuffed, it was like looking in a mirror! Also at the stable was the black horse, Fury, and his stable mate, the donkey Brutus! By the way, don’t pet Brutus, he bites! A guest attempted to do so and Brutus bared his teeth reaching out to give his hand a nibble. 

Meet Franklin!, photo by the author. 

City Hall was changed to a meet and greet and information about Franklin! This is also a new Peanuts character for me and I hope all of the Peanuts are there for the Camp Snoopy opening. Detailed in panels around the room is background on Harriet Glickman who wrote to Peanuts creator, Charles M. Schulz about a black character. He was introduced in 1968 and was always part of the Peanuts with the holiday specials to me. He joined Charlie Brown and friends with the second special, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973). On Apple TV+ there will be a new special, Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin on February 16th. I did catch part of the Native American Dancer performance. The Bluegrass Duo plays at Fireman’s BBQ right next to Pigpen’s Pigpen! I did not catch Snoopy’s Legendary Rooftop Concert at the Calico Mine Stage, but there are always return visits! The Peanuts Celebration has just begun, don’t miss it at Knott’s Berry Farm!  

#KnottsBerryFarm, #KnottsPeanutsCelebration, #CampSnoopy, #ChildToTeacherTranslator, #PigpensPigPen, #Petunia, #Bullet, #Rider, #Calico, #PigPen, #Franklin, #SnoopyPresentsWelcomeHomeFranklin, #BluegrassDuo, #SnoopysLegendaryRooftopConcert. 

Thrawn Alliances #1 Review!

Star Wars: Thrawn Alliances #1 continues the story of Grand Admiral Thrawn that also has a connection to the Clone Wars! Timothy Zahn returns to the character he created in Heir to the Empire (1991)!, EU-TT1. Grand Admiral Thrawn made his live action debut in the eighth episode of Ahsoka, “The Jedi, the Witch and the Warlord” (2023); FC-A1/8. Timothy Zahn’s first novel, Thrawn (2017), FC-TT1, of the Star Wars: Thrawn trilogy is canon. It followed Mitth’raw’nuruodo and his exile from the Unknown Regions. He is a Chiss, race almost human-like, but with blue skin and red eyes. Thrawn has left the Chiss Ascendancy and discovered on a Wild Space world by Imperial forces. Cadet Eli Vanto was part of the scouting party. 

He is taken by Vanto to see the Emperor and the duo are enrolled in the Imperial Academy. They take on pirates and eventually join Arihnda Pryce who later becomes governor of Lothal. Thrawn becomes captain of the Star Destroyer Chimaera and then made commodore. Part of his bridge crew is Commander Faro. He defeats the smuggler and leader of insurgents, Nightswan. He is promoted to Grand Admiral. This leads to the third season of Star Wars: Rebels where he is first introduced in canon. It was adapted by Zahn, Jody Houser, and artist, Luke Ross in a six issue comic book series in 2018. 

The cover to first issue by Rob Reis shows a closeup of the grand admiral’s face in shadow. The writing team includes Zahn and Houser with artwork by Pat Oliffe and Andrea Di Vito. Oliffe was the artist for the comiXology sci fi comic, Edgeworld: Sand (2020). Di Vito was the artist for Star Wars #36 (2023). The comic opens with the Chimaera amoungst wreckage and several ships. Thrawn coldly points out to Commodor Faro that a smaller ship is protecting a larger ship. A tactic of a warrior of courage. He asks that they will have clemency if they do not attack the Imperial shipping lanes. 

A comm officer reports that the Emperor has called for Thrawn. The grand admiral just has an acknowledgement while they deal with the other ships. A brief scene before we get the start of the novel, but details Thrawn’s strategic brilliance. At the Imperial palace, the former Jedi temple, Palpatine brings up a new mission. This is tinged with the orange sunset; excellent colors by Rachelle Rosenberg. A disturbance in the Force that he says will need Thrawn and Lord Vader who is also by the Emperors side. He brings up the planet in the Unknown Regions, Batuu. It is great that at least in some media, that Galaxy’s Edge is involved.   

A stormtrooper, Commander Kimmund tells Commdore Faro about the placement of shuttles in the hangar. Kimmund is identified in the novel. He would like preference of the First Legion’s shuttle over Thrawn’s shuttle. This hints at slight racism which has been missing in Star Wars since the prison cell scene. Behind them two Stormtroopers chastize Rukh with his “personal cloaking device.” The Star Destroyer is suddenly taken out of hyperspace! Commodore Faro reports that the techs made a systems check. Vader blames the crew. Faro respectfully disagrees saying that it may be a shadow of an “unknown mass.” 

Vader is doubtful, but Thrawn says that the crew is competent and orders his ship to move ahead. Great tension between Vader and Thrawn! Faro asks for a scan for objects and Thrawn adds other ships. Thrawn brings up that there were no ships in the area when he was there during the Clone Wars. This is discussed in the novel with Palpatine who asks if Thrawn would be eager to close to his home, the Unknown Regions. Vader tells Thrawn that the past is not important, only the ending of the disturbance. He leaves. The Emperor’s thoughts on the mission that will lead to Thrawn’s future and Vader’s past!

This shifts to Batuu during the Clone Wars. Padme is flying her ship sent by her former handmaiden, Dujua. She heads to Black Spire Outpost and takes a speeder to the cantina. I absolutely love Padme at Oga’s Cantina which I had seen in person a few months ago! Padme sees in a container like carbon freeze, the body of Duja, in a white suit with flowers. An alien says some traders brought her from a speeder bike accident. Padme knows that this is a lie. She was placed in the open to see if anyone recognized her. Padme asks if she can sing a song of hope that is a tradition for her people. I would love to know the lyrics of this Naboo farewell song. 

Padme passes her hand to touch Duja’s forehead while quickly taking a brooch from her chest! We see in shadow Padme walking away in shadow as well as the coffin. Just an image, but a nice sentiment by Padme. The brooch is actually a beckon call that Padme uss to land Duja’s ship. She identifies herself to activate Duja’s hologram message. Duja reports that she discovered a Separatist factory on Mokivj. Padme wonders about contacting Anakin and decides that Duja’s death warrants her investigation. She takes the ship to scout Batuu, but then two ships approach! In the novel, Anakin and Padme discuss Duja’s signal, and then he finds that Padme has mysteriously disappeared! 

The Chimaera has again reverted to realspace. Faro suspects an Interdictor cruiser, but one that is not detected. Vader states that it is cloaked. Thrawn says the cloak and the cruiser’s gravity well don’t work together. Vader says that there may be a new technology in the Unknown Regions. Thrawn orders a jump by jump travel to Batuu. Faro tries to make a suggestion, but we get a closeup of Vader’s helmet saying she was given an order. Thrawn gives permission for Faro to continue. She suggests plotting a course to Mokivj and then making a hyperspace jump to Batuu. This would cut time by fourteen hours. Thrawn gives the order. Vader mntions it would save eleven hours. 

The Star Destroyer orbits Mokivj with a swath of destruction on the planet. Four missing moons in the novel. Vader says that they are there to find the disturbance, the pinkish lens of Vader’s visor is seen with Faro reflected in them! Thrawn orders the hyperspace jump and then mentions that the disturbance could probably be aware of Darth Vader! He looks out the window to Mokivj connected to Anakin Skywalker! In the past, Anakin arrives above Batuu in his Eta-2Actis-class light interceptor with R2. He finds an unknown ship and asks for identification. The ship passenger contacts Anakin that he was only checking on his hyperdrive ring. 

The passenger with a blue face notes that Anakin’s mission is personal and not for the Republic! We had a sense that Thrawn knew of Anakin in Ahsoka, here it is! Thrawn identifies himself as Commander Thrawn of the Chiss Acendancy. In the book, Anakin sensed Thrawn through the Force and that he had anothe person, a pilot, on board. He wants to know more about the Clone Wars that might affect the Chiss. In exchange, he knows about Padme’s ship and that she is missing! I love the two mysteries across time, Clone Wars and the Rebellion, that are connected. Plus, Zahn writing about Anakin and Vader with Thrawn in both time periods! Star Wars: Thrawn Alliances #1 reveals two important stories that involve Darth Vader and Grand Admiral Thrawn!

Five Lightsabers out of Five!  

#StarWarsThrawnAlliances, #TimothyZahn, #JodyHouser, #Thrawn, #EliVAnto, #ArihndaPryce, #Chimaera, #CommanderFaro, #Nightswan,   

Re:tro Re:view - Fire and Ice #2!

Fire and Ice #2 expands on the world of the 1983 animated film  with the beginning of the war! between two kingdoms! Re:cap Fire and Ice #1 - Kaledan, the son of Queen Juliana, ruler of Icepeak, has killed a hunting party from Firekeep. The only survivor, Larn, is sent to the witch, Roliel. In the jungles of the Riverlands, the raiders are watched by Teegra and her mother. 

Roliel has allied to Juliana, and also in her hut is her Sub-human son, Otwa. In a two page spread, Teegra’s mother and her sabertooth tiger, Forest Ghost, burst into the hut! She has thrown her spear into the side of Otwa. In the chaos, everyone runs with Otwa following Teegra and her mother. Otwa stops the pursuit to battle a horse with his club. The rider of the horse, Dark Wolf, leaps down with his axe!  

The cover of the second issue is by Joseph Michael Linser who has Queen Juliana summon an image of Kaledan! “The Price of Power” is by the creative team of Bill Willingham and Leonardo Manco. It opens with a splash page of Dark Wolf bringing down his axe on Otwa! The next page is a splash page of Otwa’s grisly fate! Dark Wolf pulls free his axe and Otwa groans, still alive! He bashes Dark Wolf and even his horse is thrown by the Sub-human! He collapses afterwards. At Icepeak Citadel, Juliana’s other son, the white-haired Nekron, carries in the body of Kaledon. He explains that he was going to contact him when he saw an assassin over his body. 

Queen Juliana is stunned rising from her throne. Nekon explains that the assassin had the red cloak of Prince Taro’s dragonhawk riders. Um, not with his jealousy of Kaledon. He presents his mother with a severed finger with a ring which he says is from the assassin. He explains the dragonhawk is how the assassin escaped. Juliana says that Nekron couldn’t have been a match of a warrior who could defeat Kaledon. At th jungle, we see Darkwolf recovering and finding his fallen horse. Dark Wolf gives some of his life to revive Thunder-heart, a healer!, and they follow the blood trail of Otwa. Dark Wolf is about to crush the bleeding Sub-Human who cries out for his mommy. He takes pity on the brute and leaves him. 

At a ceremony for Kaledon, Juliana says Nekron is now crown prince, but she staggers because of a “transfer” connected to Roliel! There is a stunning look at the castle of Firekeep right above flows of lava with pterandon-like dragonhawks on patrol. Teegra explains what happened to her father, King Jarol. She says they were saved a protector which Jarol thinks is out of the storybooks. He says that their only defense is to “release the fire.” His queen warns him against using it. 

This opens to a two page spread of the Firekeep royal court! The court includes the envoys of the Underdeep fish people with King Opan Kar, along with Dread Lord Mohn of the snake-like Ophidi Kai, and other tribes! Great world building! This feels like the court of Ming in Flash Gordon (1980)! Jarol acknowledges Kal, chief of the Auricrine people which is Larn’s tribe.  Also, the people of Teegra’s mother, Panetra Kai, and their chief, Saltu. The alliances are formed, but the war between fire and ice is about to begin! Fire and Ice #2 has savage violence, sorcery, and more of the people in this world before the war breaks out!    

Five Spears out of Five! 

#FireAndIce, #ThePriceOfPower, #BillWillingham, #LeonardoManco, #DarkWolf, #Otwa, #IcePeak, #Nekron, #QueenJuliana, #Kaledon, #Firekeep, #Teegra, #KingJarol 

Happy Birthday Robert E. Howard!

Happy Birthday Robert E. Howard! REH is known as the creator of Conan, his barbarian character known in comic books, novels, and films! He started as a writer for pulp magazine, Weird Tales. His first popular hero was the Puritan swordsman, Solomon Kane, who fought the supernatural. Kane’s story, “Red Shadows” was published in Weird Tales with the August 1928 issue. The Solomon Kane stories were collected in the book, Savage Tales of Solomon Kane (2004). One of the first comic book adaptations was “Skulls in the Stars” by Roy Thomas and Ralph Reese in the magazine, Monsters Unleashed #1 (1973). A good adaptation of the character was in the Solomon Kane (2009) movie played by James Purefoy. 

Howard’s first barbarian hero was Kull, in the story, “Shadow Kingdom, published in the August 1929 issue of Weird Tales. Kull’s first comic appearance was in Creatures on the Loose #10 (1971) by Roy Thomas and Bernie Wrightson. The character was loosley adapted to film in Kull the Conqueror (1997). On November 1930, Howard’s story “Kings of the Night” had Kull encounter Bran Mak Morn, of the Pictish tribes. His stories were collected in Bran Mak Morn: The Last King (2005). The Bran Mak Morn story, “Worms of the Earth” was in the comic magazine, Savage Sword of Conan #16-17 (1976-1977). This adaptation was by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith. In 1932, Conan first appeared in “The Phoenix on the Sword”, from a reworked Kull story, “By This Axe I Rule!” The next Conan stoy was “The Scarlet Citadel” in Weird Tales, January, 1933. In 1967, the novel, Conan, collected Howard stories with the addition of work by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. 

This became a twelve book series that featured Frank Frazetta covers that were very popular. The stories were in the anthologies, The Coming of Conan The Cimmerian (2003), The Bloody Crown of Conan (2004), and The Conquering Sword of Conan (2005). Conan the comics world with Conan The Barbarian #1 (1970). The Marvel Comics character adapted by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith. The more adult themed magazine, Savage Sword of Conan was published in 1974. A newspaper strip by Roy Thomas and John Buscema began in 1978. A new relaunch, Conan the Barbarian, by Jim Zub and Robert De La Torre. It is published by Titan Comics. In 1982, Conan the Barbarian took the character and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger into pop culture. It was followed by Conan the Destroyer (1984). There was also a television series, Conan the Adventurer (1997-1998), two animated shows, and a 2011 film. After his mother died, Howard killed himself in 1936. Sword and sorcery characters, including Conan, all from the pen of a writer from Cross Plains, Texas. Happy Birthday Robert E. Howard.  

#RobertEHoward, #WeirdTales, #SolomonKane, #RedShadows, #SavageTalesOfSolomonKane, #MonstersUnleashed, #RoyThomas, #RalphReese, #JamesPurefoy, #ShadowKingdom, #CreaturesOnTheLoose, #BernieWrightson, #KullTheConqueror, #KingsOfTheNight

#BranMakMornTheLastKing, #WormsOfTheEarth, #SavageSwordOfConan, #The PhoenixOnTheSword, #TheScarletCitadel, #Conan, #LSpragueDeCamp, #LinCarter, #FrankFrazetta, #TheComingOfConanTheCimmerian, #TheBloodyCrownOfConan

#TheConqueringSwordOfConan, #ConanTheBarbarian, #RoyThomas, #BarryWindsorSmith, #SavageSwordOfConan, #JohnBuscema, #JimZub, #RobertDeLaTorre, #ArnoldSchwarzenegger, #ConanTheDestroyer, #ConanTheAdventurer

A Trip to Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn!

Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn on Zoo Drive next to Travel Town is fun to walk through the barn full of memories and seeing the trains that inspired Disneyland! Nestled in Griffith Park, the greenery and hills, takes visitors into a different time. A refuge from the 134  freeway that is just over the way, peeking through the trees. There is a simple, half-paved,  parking lot that leads to the fence with a small yellow shack next to it. Check out more info at: https://carolwood.com/walts-barn/. Walk around the fence and get your Walt’s Barn sticker! Then, there is a small town of buildings set against the hillside, this is more than your typical model train, it feels like a world. A water tower and a larger buildings surround the tracks of the train.

Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn, photo by the author.

It wasn’t working because the rain made the tracks slick, but more reason to return. The tracks weave around the barn and hint at more miniature buildings. It is run by the non-profit Carolwood Foundation, but you can donate which I would strongly encourage. There are volunteers, throughout the area, who like to answer questions and point out an interesting part of the barn. It is a red barn replicating the Disney farm in Marceline, Missouri. Outside is a plaque celebrating 50 years in 1999. It feels like a workshop inside, a locomotive in the center, with displays on work benches hand made by Walt Disney. Along the left side is an iron spike from Walt Disney’s 100th Birthday Party at Marceline with a photo of the old barn.

A town diorama next to the train tracks!, author’s photo. 

I think what really impessed me was the diorama of the Mine Train Thru Nature’s Wonderland. The parts of the attraction still remain in the park like a lost land with tunnels and waterfalls. Outside is the full size railroad passenger car painted yellow. It feels like it is ready to leave the station. Inside are displays like the original Santa Fe & Disneyland R.R. tickets! You can feel the dream of Disneyland there in the train that will later wrap the park in its embrace. It is free and the barn is open on the third Sunday of every month. Just around the corner is Travel Town, https://traveltown.org, with its vintage trains and miniature train ride that was running at that time! Just around the corner is the L.A. Zoo and Botanical Gardens, https://lazoo.org, always fun to wander and just watch the animals! Plus, the Gene Autry Museum of the American West, http://www.theautry.org, I need to plan a visit! There is an incredible number of experiences at Griffith Park, some free, and others offer amazing rides and the chance to see more of our world! 

#WaltDisneysCarolwoodBarn, #CarolwoodFoundation, #MineTrainThruNaturesWondeland, TravelTown, #LAZoo, #GeneAutryMuseum 

Happy Birthday Tom Baker!

Happy Birthday Tom Baker! One of his early roles was in the Ray Harryhausen fantasy film, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) where he played the sorcerous Koura. Then, he took the iconic part of the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who (1974-1981). I will say he is my Doctor since I grew up with the Tom Baker Doctor with the long scarf and floppy hat. He took the part of Sherlock Holmes in the BBC mini-series The Hound of the Baskervilles (1982). Baker was Puddleglum, the guide to the Narnia children, in the BBC adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ The Silver Chair.  

He finally completed the Doctor Who episode, Shada, written by Douglas Adams, in 1992 and in 2017, it was completed with animation. In 1997, he wrote an autobiography, Who on Earth is Tom Baker?   In 2000, he played the elf Halvarth in the film of the game, Dungeons & Dragons. Baker narrated several video games and also the series Little Britain (2003-2006). He also voiced The Bendu in the animated series, Star Wars: Rebels (2016-2017). In 2019, Tom Baker consulted on a Doctor Who novel, Scratchman, with Sarah Jane Smith and Harry Sullivan.  Baker read the book for BBC Audio. The November 2023 issue of Radio Times featured an interview of Tom Baker and photo shoot of him as the Fourth Doctor. “Would you like a Jelly Baby?” Yes!, this Jelly Baby is for you Doctor!  Happy Birthday Tom Baker!   

#TomBaker, #GoldenVoyageofSinbad, #DoctorWho, #Scratchman

Re:tro Re:view - Percy Jackson, Episode 2!

Percy Jackson and the Olympians began with a two part episode, "I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom" kicks off Percy's destiny, the other characters, and Camp Half-Blood! Re:cap - Percy Jackson is a 12 year old student who daydreams of creatures out of Greek myths. He is bullied alongside his best friend, Grover. Percy sees his mother, Sally, who takes him to their cabin in Montauk. She reveals that Percy is a Half-Blood and there is also Grover who is a satyr! On the drive, a minotaur crashes the truck, Sally, attempts to distract it. Then, she fades away! The pen Percy was given by his teacher, Mr. Brunner, forms into a sword of Celestial Bronze! The minotaur charges and Percy manages to get on its back, snaps off one of its horns, and plunges it into the monster’s head! The minotaur fades into black flakes. Percy is knocked unconscious. He just revives when he hears a voice say, “He must be the one.” 

Percy looks to see a centaur, half-man, half-horse, in the dawn’s light tell him, “Welcome to camp, Percy Jackson.” Centaurs are probably the most difficult creature to realize with effects. The earliest may be Nessus in the Hercules show. Here the tv version has a long body that would unbalance the human half sticking straight up. The movie version with Pierce Brosnan was slightly better. The best was Oreius in the Narnia films. This second part is again directed by James Bobin with writing by Rick Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg. The second episode opens with Percy waking up in a bed only to hear a girl tell him, “You drool when you sleep.”  He wakes up again, this time to see Grover in his orange, Camp Half-Blood, shirt. Grover tells him he is safe and Percy looks over to a shelf that has the broken minotaur horn. Grover apologizes for not being able to protect his mother. 

Percy gets up and wants to head off to find his father. He sees the pastoral camp and then walks over to see a bearded man (Jason Mantzoukas) with sunglasses, a real slacker dude. Mantzoukas was in the action comedy series, Obliterated. Percy introduces himself and the man shouts, “Peter Johnson is here!”, kinda funny. Grover runs over to introduce Percy to the camp director, Mr. D. He cautions Percy that the camp director is Dionysus, the god of wine. Percy asks Mr. D if he can see his father. Mr. D says Percy is his son and asks him to get a bottle of wine. Then, Mr. Brunner trots up as a centaur! Grover explains that his name is really Chiron, camp activities director and trainer of heroes! Chiron corrects Mr. D that he is not Percy’s father and that Zeus forbade him from drinking. For some reason, I think Chiron’s voice reminds me of the herald of the Childlike Empress, Cairon, in Neverending Story (1984). 

The god of wine was trying to get around Zeus’ command to have Percy get the wine for him! He walks with Percy showing him the camp which is in a sacred valley safe from any threats. Percy says he lost the sword, but Chiron tells him that the pen is in his pocket and that he can only lose the sword if he surrenders it. Then, the centaur takes him to see the twelve cabins for the children of the twelve gods. Percy’s father is unknown, but Chiron says he has a place with the cabin of Hermes, unclaimed children are also there. He introduces the entire cabin to Percy. On his own, Percy walks over to his bedroll, a taller boy with a scar on the side of his face, Luke (Charlie Bushnell), introduces himself. Bushnell was in the show, Diary of a Future President.

Later in the day, Grover heads to the forest, amazingly a woman that looked like a tree stump, a dryad (Kathleen Duborg), starts to move towards him! She tries to reassure him, her face has the rings of trees. They enter a tree hollow and Grover stands in the middle of a group, the Cloven Council. Mr. D and Chiron are playing cards when Grover interrupts them to tell about Sally Jackson. He says that she faded away and that the council told him that Hades can take mortals away. Chiron says they know, but Grover must keep it a secret from Percy. The truth could be dangerous to Percy and the world is in danger. Sunset, Percy is by a campfire, he sees the light in the darkness. The voice says that he was left there and that he wants justice! The ground collapses and Percy wakes from his nightmare! 

Luke says it is normal to have nightmares and all of Percy’s problems. He says “Demi-gods just process reality differently than humans do.” This is an empowering perspective on learning challenges. Luke says Hermes is his father and that the goal of the camp is glory. They continue walking, but Percy is knocked down by another bully, Clarisse (Dior Goodjohn), the daughter of Ares. They don’t bully Luke because he is the best swordsman. Still, he doesn’t say a word to Clarisse. Percy wants to prove himself to win glory that will get the attention of his father. Luke says they can’t force the gods to do anything. Percy is not exactly skilled at archery or blacksmithing. Later, Percy is eating lunch when a bell rings and Luke heads out with the offering to the gods. 

At night, Percy tosses into a fire, some blue candy from the bag his mother gave him. He confesses to his mother that he wanted to go home after having a tough day at school. Percy admits that he has made friends. He vows that he will make his father see both of them. Good acting by Scobell. Percy returns and faces Clarisse and her bullies who take him to the bathroom. Clarisse wants him to admit he made up the story about the minotaur. Even though there is evidence with the horn and Grover’s story. Clarisse has the two bully girls dunk Percy’s head in the toilet. The water drains away! Then, three streams of water blasts the bullies back and soak them! Clarisse shakes the toilet water before running away. 

Percy is just stunned to see the shattered stall door and the soaked restroom floor. He is seen by a girl (Leah Jeffries) and tries to explain. Jeffries was in the action movie, Beast (2022). Percy realizes she is the same girl when he was in the infirmary. She introduces herself as Annabeth. She is introduced much earlier in the book. Annabeth was waiting to see Percy use his powers that may help her win Capture the Flag! In the morning, under a statue of Athena, the camp kids are practicing for a mock war. Luke points out head counselor of the Athena camp, Annabeth who has led the team to three wins, he says she is “six steps ahead of everyone else.” Luke says Annabeth is his “little sister.” By the lake, Luke tells Percy about meeting a Forbidden kid, Thalia. 

He explains that Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades’s pact stopped them from having children because they became too powerful. Zeus broke the pact with Thalia. A “Forbidden Kid attracts trouble.” Of course, Percy is also one. They found Annabeth and were impressed at her fighting. Thalia “didn’t make it.” This is a great part of the story. He explains that Annabeth was waiting for a demi-god who would start a quest. Chiron would allow Annabeth to join the quest. The best way to build up a character is to talk about her, Annabeth’s long in waiting introduction makes her dynamic. This is all lead in to Percy’s destiny and his father quest. The seeds of the Percy Jackson world are sown here and there. “I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom” is an excellent second part with good character moments and world building for the first season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians! 

Five Celestial Bronze Swords out of Five! 

#PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians, #JamesBobin, #RickRiordan, #JonathanESteinberg, #WalkerScobell, #AryanSimhadri, #LeahJeffries, #JasonMantzoukas, #GlynnTurman, #CharlieBushnell, #DiorGoodjohn