Monday Madness Redux: When Life May End Up Imitating Art...

...as shown in the 2013 movie The Congress!

You'll note the production title was Robin Wright at The Congress.

There's a good reason for that!

In the film, actress Robin Wright (played by...surprise...actress Robin Wright) sells the right to digitize her face and body to a movie studio, which then can exclusively use it in any movie or TV show as they see fit, even ones she wouldn't, herself, have agreed to perform in!

They do pay her a considerable sum of cash for the digital rights, with the understanding that she will retire from performing and not make any public appearances in her capacity as "actress Robin Wright" for 20 years, at which point the contract may be re-negotiated.
Sounds like one of the sticking points in the SAG-AFTRA strike against movie and TV studios...except the studios want to pay performers a one time "day rate" now for doing the same thing!
No additional payment for any future use!
Based on the Stanislaw Lem novel Futurological Congress, the movie came and went quickly, creating more of a stir overseas than in America!
Rather than rehash the points, I'd direct you to an excellent post HERE going into more detail about both the film and the book that inspired it!
And, though the movie is available on several streaming services, I'd recommend getting the DVD or Blu-Ray for the director's audio commentary and special features.
BTW, some may remember we posted this several months ago when the post on another blog first appeared.
But, as the WGA strike against the movie/TV studios appears to be about to end (and hopefuly, the SAG-AFTRA strike will follow), the fact this little-seen flick actually predicted this exact situation involving creatives (writers and performers) vs Artificial Intelligence is something we believe bears repeating.

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The Congress

Blu-Ray

(The extras make it well worth it!)

G, PG, and PG-13-Rated Halloween "Horrors"

The leaves are turning orange and brown, and our somewhat-warped thoughts naturally turn to...

HALLOWEEN

...the koolest holiday of all!

We at Atomic Kommie Comics™ have told you about our Horror Comics of the 1950s™ and Seduction of the Innocent™ sections, PLUS the Martians, Martians, Martians™ category of The Future WAS Fantastic™, all of which have kool retro horror-oriented goodies year-round for the older kids-at-heart.

But what about something for the younger crowd, the tweens and pre-teens, the toddlers and babies?

Well, never let it be said we ignored a target demographic!

We have a kreepy-kool Haunted Halloween™ section with a subsection specifically-for those little ones who want a slightly-scary take on the spectral and spooky, as well as one for the 7-13 category who want a bit more meat on the bone (as it were).

Note to the older crowd, sorry, but the shirts 'n stuff are kid-sized only.

Have a look and order now, to avoid being tricked so you get your treats!

Space Hero Saturdays ZANY "Buck Dodgers" and "Flush Gordon"

A couple of comic strip parodies from one of the many 1950s MAD Magazine imitators...

...specifically, Candar's Zany #3 (1959), illustrated by Carl (Golden Age Human Torch) Burgos, writer unknown, though it might have been Burgos himself.

From Candar's Zany #2 (1958), artist and writer unknown.

The "Max Oboy" credit spoofs artist Mac (Green Lama) Raboy, who illustrated the Flash Gordon Sunday strip after co-creator/artist Alex Raymond left for other projects.

These HTF and never-reprinted space adventure parodies, were from Candar Publishing, which published risque titles like French Cartoons and Cuties and College Laughs.

Though Zany only ran four issues, it had a pretty damn good lineup of writers and artists including the aformentioned Burgos (who was also the editor for the first two issues), Bill Everett (who also painted all four front covers), Joe Sinnott, Dick Briefer, John Forte, Don Orehek, Morris Waldinger, Paul Reinman, and Pete Costanza!

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Sincerest Form of Parody

Friday Fun TALES CALCULATED TO DRIVE YOU BATS "Hip Van Wrinkle"

There is nothing more frightening to a beatnik, hippie, or hipster...

...than to be considered "establishment" or "uncool"!

This tale from Archies's Tales Calculated to Drive You Bats #5 (1962) demonstrates that "kool" is all a matter of perspective!

Best-known as the creator of Li'l Jinx, writer-artist Joe Edwards masterfully-adapted to the Dan DeCarlo-esque "house" style of Archie Comics to become one of their (almost-always anonymous) mainstays for decades, from the Golden Age (1940s) through the Modern Age (1980s).
Consider that when he wrote and illustrated this tale, he was already in his 40s (as were almot all comic creatives at that time), not a young adult and "with it", as they said back then!
Does it still read as "legit"?
Think about it...

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Best of Archie's Mad House!

Reading Room WORLD OF FANTASY "One Night"

Spaceship crewmen on shore leave at a distant port...

...sounds like a recipe for trouble and proof that some things never change!

Like many Baby Boomers (who, ironically, were this story's target audience of 6-13 year old children in 1956), Pete Cooper didn't plan for his retirement!

As a result, he made a gaffe that assured his fate would be exactly what he feared!

Illustrated by penciler Bob Forgione and inker Jack Abel, this never-reprinted morality play appeared in Atlas' World of Fantasy #2 (1956)!

The writer is unknown.

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Sci-Fi Art: a Graphic History