Batman: the animated series (best batman of all?)

    Everyone loves the caped crusader. From the movies to his animated series. There is one thing though. Everybody has their favorite movie whether it be: Batman 1989 or The Dark Knight (my personal best) to even the new one that's out now. 

    What about the animated specials?

   I have two favorites, but for me, I think the original is the superior one. Started around 1992, when I was like eight years old, with voice acting from Kevin Conroy, Bob Hastings, Arleen Sorkin and even Luke Skywalker himself.... Mark Hamill as the joker.

Yes, that's right.... Mark Hamill as the villain. He did a splendid job voicing the evil clown that he is now known for that as well as Luke Skywalker. There are other masked figures in the show like Penguin, Riddler, Two-Face and many more. But I think this show is more known for the joker than any other villian

Even Robin is more fleshed out in this one than even the Batman and Robin movie. Robin was seen in some episodes but not all. They treated his character like aa real human being and not a throw away gag some shows do. 

   Robin could end up in peril (more than once) but he was more adult than Burt Ward in the Adam West Batman. Sometimes using a sidekick was not part of Batman's help, but he was always there when needed, even showing how he became an orphan in the cartoon.

     However, there was a downgrade in animation when the second season hit. After going through 65 episodes, the animators decided to do something different with the style of animation. Making things more angular and changing the characters. Some were pretty positive, but there were more negative views.

    The Joker had the worst look of all.... making his eyes darker and thinning out his chin to a point. Blessed Mark still voiced him, but it hurt the series in a bad way getting canceled after the design change in one season.

Another show I wanna talk about is called "The Batman" Lasting around 2005 to I think 2008, this was a different verson of The Batman. Voice acting was different, but recognizable to me, stories were somewhat toned darker.

Batman: The animated series had a dark tone as well but having different voices for the characters could either help or hurt the franchise. It did both

Designs were very different at the time. Making Robin into a tween, having the joker look more like a demon, the Penguin being fatter and Mr. Freeze unseen through a block of ice on his head. The voice acting... Well, you have Mr. Freeze being voiced by Casey Brow, who also voices Mr. Krabbs. The Penguin is voiced by SpongeBob SquarePants (look it up) and Mark Hamill does NOT voice The Joker.

Even though he is voiced by a talented voice actor, Kevin Michael Richardson, I still think Mark Hamill was better and more memorable. I still enjoyed this show. It had its moments, and it did feel somewhat dark like Batman: The animated Series

So....is Batman: The animated series the more superior Batman cartoon? Well, there are so many Batman cartoons that even Scooby Doo teamed up with him to find Alfred. In my opinion...they're both great, but the one with most memory is none other than Batman: the animated series. Even it had its downfall in later seasons, this show will always remain the most memorable one. Down to the caped crusader himself

Futurama's best episodes

 

   Back around the early 2000's, the creator of "The Simpsons", Matt Groening, decided to create a new show that was about the future. And that show was called Futurama. About a man named Fry who ends up in the year 3000's after being cryogenically frozen, meeting his future love interest as well as a robotic best friend. I enjoyed the show, although it has its ups and downs, there were a few episodes that I loved. Here are my top 10 favorite episodes of Futurama.

    

10. Farnsworth Parabox- It seems the Professor, who is Fry's great-great grandson, has created multiple universes using boxes. Soon they meet an alternate universe where Fry and Leela are married, Bender is gold, Amy has brown hair and Farnsworth had a brain operation. Soon, they discover that Zoidberg and his alternate steal the box and they go through different universes to find them before being hurled into space by the original Hermes. SCORE: 8 out of 10

9. Insane in the Mainframe- After a robot that Bender knows steals at a bank, Bender and Fry are arrested and sent to a robot insane asylum. Suddenly, Fry starts to act more like a robot when he is released. Bender helps the robot, Roberto, escape only for him and the rest of the planet express workers to end up as hostages, minus Fry, who is sleeping after drinking a lot of beer. He soon decides to save everyone by telling Roberto he's the crazy one and acting like a robot. SCORE: 8.5 out of 10

8. Leela's Homeworld- In earlier episodes, we always thought Leela was an alien. But it's proven wrong when she finds out her true self. Always wondering who her actual parents were, she soon gets clues and decides to go under New New York where mutants lived. She soon finds photos of herself as well as an old note that was left to her at the orphanage, she lived in. She soon realizes her true identity. She is a mutant, and her parents were always with her, just not in person. SCORE: 7 out of 10

7. That's Lobstertainment- Zoidberg has an uncle who is in the entertainment world. His only living relative, when in reality he is a washed-up actor. Zoidberg decide to make a movie starring Calculan, a famous robot in the year 3000. When the movie flops, he threatens Zoidberg and his uncle's life. At the Oscars in the year 3000, Zoidberg is supposed to present the award to Calculan, but decides to give it to his uncle instead. SCORE: 7.5 out of 10

6. Time keeps on slippin'- This episode time jumps from one moment to another after Professor Farnsworth dares the Harlem Globetrotters to a basketball game. Using pieces of the sky to make his mutant basketball team grow faster. Suddenly, Fry and Leela end up married. Wanting to know what he did, Fry tries to find answers and he does...in the sky writing that he loves Leela. SCORE: 7 out of 10

5. The Sting- After trying to get honey from bees, Fry and Leela end up stung. Leela is ok, but Fry ends up dead. Leela soon keeps feeling Fry is still alive after the guilt she keeps getting from killing him. Seeing him everywhere, even at one time having his coat. She starts eating space honey to ease her mind, only to keep hearing Fry saying "wake up" to her. She soon does realize that she was in the hospital. Fry was alive and with her. SCORE: 9 out of 10

4. That Darn Katz! - Amy, who works with the Planet Express crew, has an allergy to cats. Everyone else falls in love with them, even at the point where Amy needs help from another pet. Leela's pet who talks and has three eyes named Nibbler who is on another planet. They soon realize that the cats can not only talk but are hypnotizing people to do their deeds. Threatening to stop the rotation of the Earth, Amy and Nibbler are the only ones that can stop them, even if they end up trapped in a cat crate. SCORE: 7 out of 10

3. Teenage Mutant Leela Hurdles- After visiting a spa that ages you backwards, the Planet Express Crew takes Farnsworth to age him back only for all of them. Leela becomes a teenager and decides to be with her parents while the others find a way to go back to normality. However, they start to age backwards even more. Leela babysits them and decides to take them to the fountain of aging. All are back to normal as Farnsworth is saved by a gargoyle. SCORE: 8 out of 10

2. The day the Earth Stood Stupid- After finding out the truth about her pet, Leela is sent to Nibbler's home world. She learns that there are flying brains sucking up everyone's brain energy making them stupid. Fry is the only one who could stop the brains from taking over the planet. Leela loses her smarts once she hits earth and tells Fry what to do. Using his smarts, he defeats the brains, and everyone is back to normal, for the most part. SCORE: 9 out of 10

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

  * The devil's hands are the idles playthings- The devil and Fry switch hands so Fry could prove his love to Leela. The Devil soon makes a bargain with Bender, causing Leela to go deaf.

  * Roswell that ends well- Going to the past, Fry realizes that he falls in love and sleeps with his grandmother. Zoidberg is captured and tested on to see if he was an alien from space.

* Parasite Lost- Fry eats a gas station egg salad and ends up being smart. Falling in love with Leela, the rest realize, after going through his body, it was just worm eggs.

* I second that emotion- After Bender flushes Leela's pet down the toilet, he is planted with a chip to feel emotions like Leela. All three find mutants while looking for Nibbler.

1. Luck of the Fryish- Realizing that his late brother from the past stole his name, he vows revenge. He also had a lucky seven leaf clover that would always bring him luck everywhere he went. Realizing that clover was gone, and his brother might have taken it, he realizes that the real reason was because Fry's brother named his son after Fry. Heartwarming and tearjerking ending, Fry gave back the clover to his deceased nephew. SCORE: 10 out of 10

History of the Black Panthers

       Back in the 1960's, we were in war, and many people wanted to be in peace. One group that went to the extremes were the Black Panthers. Who were they, and where are they now?? 

  

    After seeing the movie "Judas and the Black Messiah, I wanted to know what happened to them? I don't think I would ever be a part of them, but they wanted to stand up against the Vietnam War, protesting, shouting speeches, calling cops "Pigs" and much more. Judas and the Black Messiah was about one leader of the Black Panthers. HIs name was Fred Hampton.

  The movie, although some things fabricated, showed the true sadness of one Black Panther leader. His downfall and death as well, and how his wife and son are now seeing the journey that Fred had gone through in his eyes. Fred Hampton Jr., or Alfred Johnson which was his first name, have been consultants in the movie with his mother.

 The original leaders, the two men that started the Black Panther Party, were named Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. The Black Panthers were considered a political organization that was founded in 1966. They soon became widespread from Oakland to Chicago to even Philadelphia. 

Soon one of the leaders, back in 1967, ending up killing an officer and was charged with manslaughter. A lot of violence occurred from this group. But not knowing much about what they did, many lives were lost because of it.

   Sometimes they would be at war against cops. Hiding out in their offices holding guns and getting ready to be shot at. Many lives lost; many fires started at their headquarters. Alot of violence was caused, but no one knows how the original Black Panther Party ended.

 

  It could have been for many reasons. The end of Vietnam war, a new President in the white house, no one knows, but by the 1970's the Black Panther party seemed to have died down, and it seemed the Black Panthers vanished. 

In 1989, when I was only four maybe five years old, there was a new Black Panther Party. But this was polar opposite to the original? How, well...the original member, Huey Newton, passed away from assassination. Started up around Dallas Texas, this new Black Panther Party organization was more about being non-racial.

    Yet they have they have their setbacks blaming others for things that have happened and they have no control over. Sometimes there are different saying that: "They are related to lawful authorities of Black Nations." 

 

 Seeing the movie now, and knowing how great it was, you never realize the heartache and pain they suffered because they want their own rights. As of today, seeing and African American get killed by a cop like George Floyd, you can understand that there are still people that feel upset and angry. Now being a "PC" kind of world, we have not heard from the Black Panthers of 1989, but then again, you never know what will spark another group to become bloodthirsty as others thought they were.

St. Patrick's Day- Poem

 

We wear green,

we will drink,

we will sing Irish Dittys,

but,

you don't have to be Irish to do that,

Some people go crazy on this day,

a day meant for drinking,

sometimes partying,

and parades,

wearing 'Kiss me, I'm Irish' shirts are worn,

feeling lucky,

wanting to find a leprechaun,

and much more

Famous people,

from Stuart Townsend,

to Colin Farrel,

are Irish,

Liam Niesen too,

Bands like U2,

to Black 47 

Are Irish as well

Four leaf clovers,

hard to find,

in a clover patch,

but on this day,

more luck is brought to you,

if you find one

And a cereal,

more American than Irish,

is made,

turning milk green on this day

How does a famous saint,

become a holiday,

known for dressing green,

drinking 

and corned beef meals for dinner,

no one knows

A saint,

that died in Ireland,

long time ago,

known for using Shamrocks,

and banishing snakes,

and a holiday for him

Now,

this holiday has leprechauns,

guarding their pot of gold,

and selling cereal

Not everyone celebrates St. Patrick's day,

but there are some,

willing enough,

to drink,

be merry,

wear green,

and find luck

I do not celebrate St. Patrick's day,

but I will wear green,

I'm Scottish,

and Italian,

but if I do have Irish in me,

I'll always find it,

on St. Patrick's day

One hit wonders- where are they now?

         Everybody loves music, even with singers they never hear from again. Some of the songs are memorable, but what about the singers behind the songs? Where are they now? Are they still singing? Did they die? Did they give up music for good?

    Here are a few singers that were known for one hit, and where they are now.

     

   Thelma Houston, born in 1946 was pretty popular in the 80's with her one and only hit: "Don't leave me this way" There were different versions of this song. One of them being a Tina Turner hit. Thelma did her version back in the late 70's. Becoming popular with some movies back then, and some now.

   She did make some records, but none of her songs were as popular as 'don't leave me this way'. She's still around today but not doing much singing. She did appear in some movie and tv shows as a guest star.

 Ok, this band isn't a one hit wonder, but they are mostly known for one song that became popular when I was in junior high. Mmmmbop. Hanson is a brother band that made this huge hit in 1997. Now...they're all grown up, and they are fathers.

 Mmmbop can get stuck in your head so much, it would end up being an earworm. They were known for other songs, but they never were huge hits like their first one. What have they been doing now? They've been dads, they also made an appearance on Masked Singer recently as the Russian dolls.

   Another annoying earworm was from another one hit wonder. The Baha Men. With their catchy and annoying hit, "who let the dogs out." Coming out around 2000, this song was on every radio station. Annoyed the hell out of people, and well...it wasn't that catchy.

   To tell you the truth, I don't know what happened to them now. I guess they're still together, but they're a one hit wonder because I never heard another song from them again. All I know is that their song was used in movies like: Rugrats in Paris, Rat Race, Miss Congeniality and many more. 

  Two brothers in a band called the Proclaimers had a hit around the 90's with a movie starring Johnny Depp. I would walk 500 miles. I loved that song. But what happened to them? Well, not much. After that song was out of date, they were gone.

They're still around today, and they will always be known for that song. They still perform music once in a while, but they never made another hit unlike 500 miles. They even made fun of it on a Family Guy episode where Peter performed with the Proclaimers.

Ever heard of an old song called "The Witch Doctor"? It's an old song written by the same man who gave us Alvin and the Chipmunks. Even they performed the song. Written by the late Ross Bagdassirn, the witch doctor is another one hit wonder song.

  Even Alvin, Simon and Theodore sung this catchy song. Not known much anymore, Alvin and the Chipmunks are still around today. Still annoying the hell out of a lot of people, Ross Bagdassirn was still known as a pretty good song writer, and his stage name was David Seville

Toni Basil was a one hit wonder with her song "Mickey." In the music video, she used real cheerleaders to perform some cheerleading moves. I think Toni was in her early thirties when the music video was made in 1981. It was pretty good, but the question was...who was Mickey? Was she talking about Mickey Mouse?

Toni never made another hit like "Mickey" She's doing pretty well for herself. She even has the cheerleading outfit she wore in the music video. That's dedication to craft. She's stopped singing, but she has been going into acting now. Even helping out people who want to persue a career in singing. 

This band only had one hit called, "Tainted Love". Soft Cell is a band with two members, and one hit song. What happened afterwards? Well, it seems they tried to have more hit songs, but none would reach the popularity of "Tainted Love"

Recently they have been doing a reunion tour back in 2001. In 2021, they perform a few sell out tours as well as making a twenty-year release of a new studio album. Besides that, the two are still together, but neither of them will have a bigger hit than "Tainted Love" which they still perform in concerts.

Ever had a name like "Murray Head"? Well, this singer what that name is only known for one song back in the 80's called "One Night in Bangkok." He also had another hit called "Superstar" for Jesus Christ Superstar. This song, however, is more about his one night in Bangkok or something like that. 

He's still around today. Not having another big hit like "One Night in Bangkok", but he has a personal life. Going through divorces as well as getting remarried, Murray Head is known for playing music, mostly his one hit song that made him known.

Another band with a one hit song is Midnight Oil. They might have had a few songs, but this song called Beds are burning, is played more often than any other song of theirs. They have had other records with mediocre songs taht weren't known as well as Beds are Burning which has a hidden message in the song.

This band has broken up and reunited a few times. But their song, Beds are Burning, will always be their known hit. They have gone on reunion tours as well as a few other record deals. This band will always be known as a one hit wonder, and they are not alone in that.

One hit wonder song can be used in every decade. In the 2010's there was a song by a duo that ended being a One hit wonder called, "Am I wrong." That band is Nico and Vinz. The song was very interesting, memorable and known for its beat.

Those two are still around today, but sadly, they're only known for that hit. A good song, but not a memorable band. Their song has been played in movies, Tv, and many other. Nico and Vinz have been putting out an album for 2019. Haven't heard more about that since then.

    Sadly, not all one hit wonder singers survive. One of Milli Vanilli, Rob Polito, killed himself from an overdose of drugs. His partner is still alive and not a bad singer. Another one hit wonder band 2gether, lost their youngest member to an illness. A few one hit wonder bands lose someone from an illness, or getting hit by a car, or drugs.

 There are more bands and singers coming out every day. Some will stay a one hit wonder while others make another hit. It's how music is. Sometimes we forget about that one hit song that becomes an earworm to us. There are reasons why some singers don't wanna make another hit while other have a broken band or health issues or whatever. All we know is...their song will stay in our heads for a long time.