June 24 & July 1, 2018

 

(Due to workload, last week’s post did not happen. This week I’ll cover two weeks to catch up.)

 

On the Docket

Time’s up for Timeless on NBC. – [EW]

Lucasfilm has dispelled rumors about the future of the Star Wars film franchise. – [THR]

In honor of Captain James T. Kirk, a special bourbon blend has been crafted. – [StarTrek.com]

Science fiction legend Harlan Ellison has died at the age of 84. – [Deadline]

LEGO is releasing a large Voltron-themed set. – [LEGO]

Indiana Jones 5 has been delayed after Jonathan Kasdan has been tapped to rewrite the script. – [Variety]

Showtime has commissioned a new Halo television series. – [Halo Waypoint]

Disney has won antitrust approval to buy Fox’s television and movie assets. – [CNN]

Fuller House is staging a bionic reunion. – [TV Guide]

Best Buy is no longer in the CD market. – [CBS Philadelphia]

Keith DeCandido continues the 4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch with Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Batman Begins. – [Tor: FF2, Batman Begins]

 

Into The Chronic Rift

Presenting the Transcription Feature: Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
“Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar” ran 15 minutes a day, five days a week.  The tales of the freelance insurance investigator, who had an action-packed expense account, were full of action, cleverness, and style.  In this binge-listen of a full week’s adventure, Dollar is hired to protect a very special laird, one with four legs and a tail.

The Chronic Rift: Episode 021 – Superman the Movie’s 40th Anniversary
In 1978, Superman The Movie opened in theaters.  It starred Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, and an unknown named Christopher Reeve.   The tagline for the film was, “You will believe a man can fly.”  And we did as the movie broke the mold in terms of how superheroes were portrayed on the screen and became the benchmark for movies to come.  This year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the film and we’ve got a panel of fans to discuss it on the podcast.  We’ll take a look at how this movie set the stage for the modern superhero film and how it still holds up to this day. Plus, we’ll discuss how the late Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder were the perfect Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane.  We’ll have a special tribute to Kidder in light of her recent passing.  Joining John to discuss is The Quick and the Dad’s Ken Holtzhouser, writer/editor/critic Glenn Greenberg, and Comic Book Central‘s Joe Stuber.

The OSI Files Podcast: File 007 – The Six Million Dollar Man: “Operation Firefly”
Steve searches for the developer of a new laser weapon with the aid of the developer’s daughter, gifted with ESP.

John is joined by artist Jerry Lange and podcaster Jim Arrowood to discuss the third episode of the first season.  This is a little gem of a story that is quickly forgotten for some reason. 

The Chronic Rift: Episode 022 – Tying it All Together: A Chat with Author Greg Cox
Longtime friend of the Rift (we’re talking all the way back to 1990 and the first season of the public access show) Greg Cox returns to the podcast to talk about his career writing tie-in media fiction which has lead to his receiving the Faust Award (a lifetime achievement award) from the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.  Greg points out the long history of media tie-in fiction (going back to the silent film era) and tells us about the various elements a media tie-in writer has to juggle in order to make an adaptation happen.

 

The Watchlist

 

Until next time, enjoy the journey.