Ricky Jackson

Cheap plug for @Superstar Sleeze and myself doing a 5 part series on 1978-87 WWWF/WWF https://forums.prowrestlingonly.com/topic/52428-pro-wrestling-love-is-now-a-ptbn-podcast-series/?do=findComment&comment=5958222 Tons of awesome

I enjoyed that run when I read it 20 + years ago. I was on a pretty big Bryne kick at the time. Man of Steel was a great modernization of the origin imo. It was interesting in that it was clearly influenced by the 1978 Superman movie, but would end up itself influencing the eventual Lois & Clark TV show in the 90s. The main Superman title was good, although I remember it petering out at the end. Action Comics, which became a team up book, had some highlights as well, depending on the guest

Not a bad idea at all, and it leaves Hangman still needing a win over Omega as a continuing quest

Yeah, no point half assing Hangman's ascent. When he wins, he needs to then be presented as the unquestioned number 1 guy. I think you can stretch it out a bit and have Omega have his dream matches with Danielson and Punk, because the fans do want that. Maybe have Hangman win the strap on a year ending show to go into 2022 with a fresh start, although I guess you may want to do that match on PPV

Ha! Wait until you hear what else I omitted on a future ep

And recorded on one of the hottest days in the history of Canada!

As far as vs Backlund goes, there are five matches at MSG over a 5 year stretch: *2/19/79 3/26/79 10/19/81 *11/23/81 *4/23/84 The starred ones are must see. There are also two Spectrum matches, 12/12/81 and 1/16/82 (cage) worth watching if you can find them

Sometimes you have to work with people you don't like. Once a week, where you don't really have to be in contact with each other, isn't a dealbreaker

Well, they could push that Cena is going for #17 and breaking the tie with Flair. Look, I dont watch WWE, and haven't outside of a few big shows for many years, so maybe I'm wrong and Sexton Hardcastle is winning the strap tonight

Reigns is facing Cena at Summerslam? No point beating him for the first time in forever before that

Totally agree. I got into Astro City around 98-99 and it's been one of my all-time fave series since completing the first volume. Back then, and through the 00s, the publishing schedule was often pretty spotty, but I always came back to it, even when I wasn't otherwise reading comics. I've finally found the last few volumes and am in the process of completing the series (almost done vol 13). Love how characters introduced in passing back in the first few volumes eventually get their stories fleshed out 10-15-20 years later. This comic is the ultimate in rewarding patience

Aw come on, Bruno broke his neck against Hansen in 76 and that match was still a banger... I kid. I know Rock was injured and I do feel a bit bad for shitting on the match. Still, I think the point stands on that run being lackluster

I remember that comeback promo being like a hard slap to the face, reminding me how fun and exciting WWE used to be. Early 2011 WWE was comatose from what I remember. But yeah, it was pretty much downhill from there for Rocky. I wasn't even that high on the first Cena match at the time. 2nd one outright stunk. This run would also be the template for the future: a neverending succession of returning stars as Vince's preferred booking crutch for slapped together main events and short-term gains. I hear Goldberg's coming back again. Oh boy

https://forums.prowrestlingonly.com/forum/241-pro-wrestling-mostly/ I know it doesn't get a lot of traffic but it's been here for a decade

Is this footage that's been around for a while? I'm always interested in anything that showcases why Johnny Valentine was an all time great

I started watching WWF regularly in the summer of 1986, literally a week or two after his heel turn on Hogan (did get to see it shortly after it happened at a friend's house, his brothers taped all the shows). That was basically the first big feud that I followed in real time. Must've watched the SNME cage dozens of times. That was one of the biggest drawing feuds of Hogan's WWF run, if not the biggest. A great asshole heel who could go with the best of them in that 84-87 period RIP

Yeah, he has a massive comic book collection. He also sells classic comics afaik

I've been slowly going through Tomb for about a year and am at #36. I really like it and I should pick up the pace, but it's an easy one to pause for a bit and focus on other things. (so many other things) The cast is great and Dracula himself is such a fascinating character

Thor 167-179 Well, this is it. The last Kirby issues on the title. Like with FF, the end of Lee-Kirby Thor is a mix of uninspired and fun. 167-69 is the last peak of the run, telling the full origin of Galactus after slowly building to it since 160. I had never read these issues before. When I was a kid I had the "Supervillain Classics" one-shot that reprinted the origin parts of these issues. I believe that was when the actual creation aspect of Galactus' origin was finally tweaked, because in Thor it is the cliched "being gets power from radiation (a sun in this case) because reasons" method of granting powers. Other than that, these were good issues, as Thor and Odin basically come to realize that Galactus just "is" and decide to leave him alone. Then comes the uninspired stuff. Issues 170-174 are pretty much entirely forgettable, and all are one and done stories. A quick recap: evil commies are dusted off and recycled one last time, bringing the threat of the Thermal Man, the Wrecker returns for a rematch, Jane Foster returns for one story where a wealthy dying old man attempts to steal Thor's body and gain immortality, Ulik and the Circus O' Crime return for a rematch, and Thor faces the Crypto Man (yawn). Issues 175-179 (excluding 178) are Kirby's swan song, and also like the end of his FF run, he exits after the first part of a continued story. 175-177 feature Loki finally gaining control of Asgard, taking advantage of Odin doing the Odinsleep (again?) and Odin's guards being much too easily swayed by Loki's argument to stand down because he is the blood of the All Father (but guys, he's a BAD GUY!) Anyway, by possessing Odin's Ring Imperial all Asgardians must now obey Loki and bow down. Luckily, Odin being indisposed means that Surtur the God of Fire has been released from his prison and now attacks Asgard, leaving Loki to show his true colors and cowardly escape to earth rather than help his fellow gods defend the realm. Also luckily, Balder the Brave retrieves Odin from the Death Demension just in time for the big guy to unleash one of his patented deus ex machina endings and save Asgard. Thor sure needed Odin to bail his ass out a lot! I'm assuming Deadline Doom then struck, because the next issue is a fill in by the man who would become synonymous with Thor post-Kirby, John Buscema. Here, Thor faces the Stranger and Hulk baddie the Abomination, and we get one last deus ex machina to save the day. 179 is the issue that was supposed to be 178, and we get an old fashioned body swap between Loki and Thor to kickstart a new storyline. Neal Adams does the next two issues to finish it off. I'll likely read those just to put a bow on things, then I'm putting a pin in Thor for now. All in all, Lee-Kirby Thor was pretty damn great most of the time. The peaks were 114-139 and 148-169, with some issues being skippable. The lows weren't really that low, although 143-147 was not my cup of tea and, as mentioned, 170-174 was on cruise control. A great run for sure, both Lee and Kirby were at their best here

Yeah, Verne was basically an NWA member in all but name. I think it was mostly so he could promote a world champion (usually himself) that prevented it ever being official. He did go to war with the NWA over LA in 1969 but didnt last long against stacked NWA cards

Stampede did a "Bermuda Triangle match" in 1987, between Great Gama, Ben Bassarab and Viet Cong Express #1 (Hiro Hase), with elimination rules

Three way dance was definitely their signature match in the early years

I guess WCW (Atlanta) won the war after all

Thor 154-166 These issues are pretty good, with Kirby developing a more epic style, characterized by multiple full page spreads per issue and more complex costume and tech designs. Issues 154-157 are notable for being the first real Ragnarok storyline (the concept was previously touched upon in the Tales of Asgard backup strip). The menace is Mangog, a being comprised of "billions of billions" of people condemned to imprisonment by Odin at some point in the past and accidentally freed by Ulik of the trolls. Basically, he has infinite strength and all of Asgard must unite to stop him. All except Odin who is conveniently indisposed by the Odin Sleep. Also conveniently, Odin awakes just in time to put an end to Mangog by ending the curse of the billions of billions and setting them free. Reading so many 60s and 70s comics over the last year, the use of deus ex machina resolutions in the final pages of a story is ridiculously high. One drawback of binging old comics is all the cliches and repetition that was easier to take in monthly installments. Next was a two parter that finally explained the whole Don Blake mystery, probably done mostly to shut up the letterhacks who had been complaining that the original premise of Blake as an independent person who existed prior to discovering Mjolnir had been long ignored by Lee and Kirby and no longer made sense. This was followed by a true high point of the run, a three part story featuring Galactus vs Ego the Living Planet, with Thor and the Recorder (observation: one of my favorite obscure Marvel characters) only able to witness this epic cosmic struggle from the sidelines. Until the next deus ex machina climax that is, which leaves the conflict between Galactus and Ego unresolved, basically the comic book equivalent of a 60 minute Broadway between the NWA champ and a top challenger you didn't want to beat. However, an interesting development of this story is Odin's discovery of a being such as Galactus and a growing obsession with finding out how to destroy him before he decides to consume Asgard. 162 features the first telling of Galactus' origin, brought on by Odin's request, in order for him to understand this grave threat better. Next is a two-parter featuring the return of Olympian villain Pluto, last seen in the Hercules issues in the 120s, and his overly complicated revenge plan on Thor that requires going to earth's atomic ravaged future and bringing back "mutates" as his minions. Not a high point of the run. A subplot from this two-parter leads to another two-parter, this one featuring the return of Him, the future Adam Warlock, from the FF. It's interesting to see, beginning with issue 160, the book basically turn into a vehicle for fleshing out Kirby concepts created for FF, first Galactus and then Him, and as I pause, the ongoing Galactus storyline is about to reach a climax. Kirby clearly wanted to develop these characters, and they do fit in the Thor world, especially such a grand cosmic being like Galactus. Very interested how it all plays out

The best Pedro matches I've seen from his later period are two from Boston Garden vs Bob Orton, 11/9 and 12/7 1985. One of them, I think 11/9, is legit great imo. Early 80s Pedro has good stuff from MSG against Patera (10/20/80), Slaughter (6/8/81), and Muraco (11/23/81), but also a lot of boring stuff with long ass front facelock spots (make sure you get the Muraco date right, because they have multiple stinkers vs each other from the same time period)