A group of vampires returns to FX and HULU for another season of madcap supernatural adventures. Nandor (Kayvan Novak) keeps his familiar, Guillermo (Harvey Guillén), around to clean up after all the messes. Guillermo puts up with this because he dreams of becoming a vampire himself.  Laszlo (Matt Berry) and his wife, Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), add spice to the proceedings. This is undeath as usual on Staten Island.

The creative team at What We Do in the Shadows continues to perfect its horror-to-comedy transitions. Sequences begin with the same ominous atmosphere as the most suspenseful scenes of the most terrifying films, but pay off with a laugh rather than a scream, occasionally both or some combination.  What We Do in the Shadows has been picked up for two more seasons so we have plenty of silliness to look forward to. Are a fan of these vampires?

Becca Levy, Professor of Epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, subtitled her new book, Breaking the Age Code, with How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long & How Well You Live (2022).

Based on years of research, Becca Levy presents a compelling case that the way we view the Aging Process affects how long and well we will live. My favorite chapter in Breaking the Age Code is “Longevity Advantage of 7.5 Years.” “Age beliefs stole or added almost 8 years to lives, conferring an even better survival advantage than low cholesterol or low blood pressure (both of which added an extra four years of life) or low body mass index (one extra year) or avoiding smoking (three extra years).” (p. 93)

Having positive views of aging and a willingness to manage the aging process extended lives and improved mood and satisfaction. When I’m at the Pool, I’ve encountered many people who are bitter about aging. They resent the limitations it has forced on them: low energy, increased injuries, and increased pain.

Becca Levy shows how many of the problems with aging can be dealt with. Engagement allows you to live longer and happier while resentment and hostility cuts years off your life. Becca Levy believes we’re on the cusp of a revolution in dealing with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and reversing various aging conditions. Dozens of drugs are in clinical trials and should be available in a few years to help us out if we can just hang on.

I liked the optimism of Becca Levy’s Breaking the Age Code. Help with aging is on the way! How are you dealing with aging? GRADE: A

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Introduction: Ideas Bouncing Between the US and Japan 1

1 The Pictures in Our Head 9

2 Anatomy of a Senior Moment 25

3 Old and Fast 44

4 Brawny Brains: Genes Aren’t Destiny 58

5 Later-Life Mental Health Growth 73

6 Longevity Advantage of 7.5 Years 91

7 Stars Invisible by Day: Creativity and the Senses 110

8 Ageism: The Evil Octopus 130

9 Individual Age Liberation: How to Free Your Mind 155

10 Societal Age Liberation: A New Social Movement 172

Afterword: A Town Free of Ageism 192

Appendix 1 ABC Method to Bolster Positive Age Beliefs 205

Appendix 2 Ammunition to Debunk Negative Age Stereotypes 211

Appendix 3 A Gall to End Structural Ageism 215

Acknowledgments 227

Mickey Rowe, an autistic actor, relates the ups and downs of his acting career in Fearlessly Different. Mickey grows up learning the world is a minefield for autistic people. Yet, despite all the negativity, Mickey works to make his career goals happen. Finally, Mickey gets his Big Break:

“Much like when I received my autistic diagnosis, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time made me realize there really are other people like me out there in the world. It reminded me that I am not weird, or stupid, or bad, but just like Christopher I am powerful, and I can do whatever I want to do and accomplish the goals I want to accomplish. I read the book and knew I was not alone. I had a community. I had a people. I also knew that I needed to play this part. The show was going to be on Broadway next, in New York City. I lived in Seattle. I didn’t have an agent. But I did have three things: courage, imagination, and determination.” (p. 49)

And Mickey’s courage, imagination, and determination finally gets him the role of Christopher, an autistic character, in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Although Mickey achieves success, his personal life is a train-wreck. Mickey married a woman who became increasing psychotic and abused both Mickey and their children. After The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mickey still faced problems getting acting jobs because of casting directors discomfort with autistic actors. Here’s Mickey on misconceptions of autistic actors:

“They [the casting directors] often think an autistic person could never be a great actor, because we are too much like robots to convey powerful emotions onstage. This stems from the common and damaging misconception that people on the spectrum either don’t feel emotion or don’t have emotion. That’s simply not true. We feel emotions just like everyone else and can identify them within ourselves. What’s hard for us is correctly reading other people’s emotions.” (p. 97)

Reading about Mickey Rowe’s struggles broke my heart. Here is a struggling actor trying his best while almost everyone around him doubts his ability. Even more tragic is that after Mickey’s success in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time his career stalls. Another struggle ensues and Mickey’s efforts to success continue to be tested. But, if I were a betting man, I’d put my money on Mickey Rowe. This is an inspiring story laced with sadness. GRADE: A

Take Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher, Natalie Portman as scientist Jane Foster who now has superpowers of her own, Russell Crowe as the partying god Zeus, and cameos from Matt Damon and Melissa McCarthy, put them in a blender and the result will resemble the wacky movie, Thor: Love and Thunder.

Director Taika Waititi (who also voices the stony Korg) specializes in wicked and weird stories and this latest movie is no different. Waititi gives Thor (Chris Hemsworth) both comedy and tragedy. Plenty of laughs, but your eyes might get a little misty from time to time.

From the scenes with Guardians of the Galaxy to the Zeusettes reaction when Zeus strips Thor of his clothes to the competition between Thor’s magical hammer Mjolnir and Thor’s current weapon Stormbreaker to the Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Thor’s Asgardian girl friend Sir (Jaimie Alexander), Thor: Love and Thunder will take you on a wild ride. GRADE: B

This is another solid anthology in The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction series. Gahan Wilson’s work continues to work the same side of the cartoon street as Charles Addams did. Robert Silverberg’s famous “Sundance” leads the list of best stories in this volume. The rising SF writer, Barry N. Malzberg (aka, “K. M. O’Donnell) delivers a powerful punch with “Notes Just Prior to the Fall.” I’m fond of “Confessions” by Ron Goulart. Larry Niven’s “Get a Horse!” is a variant of “The Flight of the Horse.”

“The Man Who Learned Loving” is another of Theodore Sturgeon’s stories you’ll be still thinking about long after you’ve finished reading his story. Robert Sheckley writes a canny story in “Starting From Scratch.” I enjoyed rereading many of these fine stories. You will too! GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

•  6 Cartoons • interior artwork by Gahan Wilson
• 7 • Gone Fishin’ • (1970) • short story by Robin Scott Wilson
• 27 • Selectra Six-Ten • (1970) • short story by Avram Davidson
• 36 • Longtooth • (1970) • novelette by Edgar Pangborn
• 81 • Sundance • (1969) • short story by Robert Silverberg
• 100 • The Brief, Swinging Career of Dan and Judy Smythe • (1970) • short story by Carter Wilson
• 108 • Dream Patrol • (1970) • short story by Charles W. Runyon
• 125 • Calliope and Gherkin and the Yankee Doodle Thing • (1969) • novelette by Evelyn E. Smith
• 173 • Notes Just Prior to the Fall • (1970) • short story by Barry N. Malzberg [as by K. M. O’Donnell]
• 189 • Confessions • [Jose Silvera] • (1970) • novelette by Ron Goulart
• 212 • Get a Horse! • [Svetz] • (1969) • short story by Larry Niven (variant of The Flight of the Horse)
• 231 • The Man Who Learned Loving • (1969) • short story by Theodore Sturgeon
• 243 • Litterbug • (1969) • novelette by Tony Morphett
• 268 • An Adventure in the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness • (1969) • novelette by Vance Aandahl
• 295 • Starting from Scratch • (1970) • short story by Robert Sheckley
• 300 • Benji’s Pencil • (1969) • short story by Bruce McAllister
• 313 • Afterword (The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction: 19th Series) • (1971) • essay by Edward L. Ferman

In my Summer of Listening to CDs I’ve owned for years but haven’t listened to until now, The Best of the Spencer Davis Group from 1987 found its way into my listening rotation. The band was formed in 1963, struggled for awhile, but then hit it big with “Gimme Some Lovin'” which still sounds great today. The group had a few more hits like “I’m a Man” and “Keep On Running” before Steve Winwood left in 1967 to form Traffic. Do you remember The Spencer Davis Group? GRADE: B

TRACK LIST:

1		Gimme Some Lovin’
2		Searchin’
3		Keep On Running
4		I Can’t Stand It
5		Strong Love
6		Every Little Bit Hurts
7		I’m A Man
8		Back Into My Life Again
9		Trampoline
10		Somebody Help Me
11		When I Come Home
12		Stevie’s Blues
13		The Hammer Song
14		Waltz For Lumumba
15		Goodbye Stevie

I watched the documentary about the legendary Muscle Shoals recording studio when it came out in 2013 (you can watch it on YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, Apple TV and Sling TV), bought the soundtrack…and never listened to it until last week. Part of the reason I choose MUSCLE SHOALS: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK was that the ending of the Broadway musical, Girl From the North Country, concludes with Bob Dylan’s “Pressing On.” “Pressing On,” sung beautifully by Alicia Keyes, concludes this album. The rest of the music on this disc sounds great, too! GRADE: A

TRACK LIST:

1	Arthur Alexander–	You Better Move On Producer – Rick Hall Written-By – Arthur Alexander	2:44
2	Jimmy Hughes–	Steal Away Producer – Rick Hall Written-By – Jimmy Hughes	2:27
3	Percy Sledge–	When A Man Loves A Woman Producer – Marlin Greene, Quin IvyWritten-By – Andrew James Wright*, Calvin Houston Lewis	2:55
4	Aretha Franklin–	I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)Producer – Jerry Wexler Written-By – Ronnie Shannon	2:49
5	Etta James–	Tell Mama Written-By – Clarence Carter, Marcus Daniel, Wilbur Terrell	2:22
6	Clarence Carter–	Patches Producer – Rick Hall Written-By – General N. Johnson*, Ronald Dunbar	3:10
7	Wilson Pickett–	Hey Jude Producer – Rick Hall Written-By – John Lennnon And Paul McCartney	4:04
8	Lynyrd Skynyrd–	Free Bird (Original Muscle Shoals Version) Written-By – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant	7:25
9	The Staple Singers–	I’ll Take You There Producer – Al Bell Written-By – Alvertis Isbel	3:13
10	Jimmy Cliff–	Sitting In Limbo Written-By – Jimmy Cliff	4:53
11	Traffic–	(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired Written-By – Nicola James Capaldi*, Steve Winwood	7:28
12	Paul Simon–	Kodachrome Producer – Paul Simon Written-By – Paul Simon	3:32
13	Alicia Keys–	Pressing On Bass – David Hood Drums – Bryan Owings Electric Piano [Wurlitzer] – Spooner Oldham Guitar – Jimmy Johnson, Larry Byrom Producer – Alicia Keys Vocals, Piano – Alicia Keys Written-By – Bob Dylan	5:29

Back in the 1960s, I became a fan of Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian.  I’ve read some of Howard’s other stories in various genres, but I hadn’t had the pleasure of reading about the humorous adventures of Breckinridge Elkins and Cousin Bearfield Buckner until I found this ACE omnibus from 1983: HEROES OF BEARK CREEK.  Funny, silly, and entertaining.  Other editions are available on-line for affordable prices.  Give these stories a try and you won’t be sorry! GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

A GENT FROM BEAR CREEK: 

Striped Shirts & Busted Hearts;  –3

Mountain Main; — 13

Meet Cap’n Kidd; –27

Guns of the Mountains; — 42

The Feud Buster;  — 75

The Road to Bear Creek; — 89

The Scalp Hunter;– 106 

Cupid from Bear Creek;  –123

The Haunted Mountain;  136

Educate or Bust;  150

War on Bear Creek;  160

When Bear Creek Came to Chawed Ear; –178

THE PRIDE OF BEAR CREEK

 The Riot at Cougar Paw; — 207

Pilgrims to the Pecos;  — 222

High Horse Rampage; —240

The Apache Mountain War; 237

Pistol Politics; 274

The Conquerin’ Hero of the Humbolts;  — 289

A Ringtailed Tornado. 304 

MAYHEM ON BEAR CREEK: 

No Cowherders Wanted; — 321

Mayhem and Taxes; — 338

Evil Deeds at Red Cougar; –346

 Sharp’s Gun  Seranade; — 364

The Peaceful Pilgrim;  — 379

While Smoke Rolled;–  394

 A Elkins Never Surrenders, 409

Hulu’s best show of 2021 (it currently holds a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes) isn’t a true crime documentary, or even a true crime adaptation. Hulu’s biggest hit of 2021 was Only Murders in the Building, a comedic and quirky TV series about three residents in a posh New York apartment building, the Arconia (you can read the story of the real building here), who set out to solve a murder.

Starring Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez, it’s a show with the perfect mix of escapism and intrigue that makes for solid comfort television. In fact, Only Murders in the Building was the most watched comedy ever on the streaming service, according to Vulture.

Having solved the murder that occupied their first adventure, the unlikely trio of Charles (Steve Martin), Oliver (Martin Short) and Mabel (Selena Gomez) turn their attention to the next one of their neighbors to turn up dead. Plus, they have new cameos to spice up the proceedings, like Amy Schumer as Amy Schumer, who immediately pitches the beyond-receptive Oliver on the idea of transforming the podcast into a limited series.

Being quirky can be harder than it looks, but the show nicely delivers on that — employing shifting narrators, finding a new (and humiliating) acting job for Charles and extending odd flourishes like having Jane Lynch play his stunt double, or more work for Tina Fey as a ruthless podcaster and her beleaguered assistant.

Three of the ten episodes of Only Murders in the Building are available now. If you’re looking for a Summer series with fun and frivolity, Only Murders in the Building delivers. GRADE: Incomplete

The first MARVEL COMICS comic book I remember buying was The Fantastic Four #1 in 1961 (check out the cover below to see why a 12-year-old kid might want to part with a dime to buy it!). This issue plays a role in Douglas Wolk’s story of MARVEL COMICS and his quest.

Since 1961, Wolk estimates MARVEL COMICS has published 27,000 different issues of their comic books. And Wolk has read all of them! Yes, all 540,000 pages of those comic books! What an incredible feat!

Douglas Wolk not only gives the reader a detailed history of MARVEL COMICS and the various successful characters–Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, the X-Men, Iron Man, and the Avengers–he also recommends various issues that deserve attention. If you are a comic book fan, you’ll marvel at Douglas Wolk’s quest of reading all the MARVEL COMICS. If you like obsessive-compulsive quests like this one, there’s plenty here to enlighten you! Did you read comic books as a kid? GRADE: A

Table of Contents:

1 The Mountain of Marvels 1

2 Where to Start, Or How to Enjoy Being Confused 16

3 Curse of the Weird (Frequently Asked Questions) 33

4 The Junction to Everywhere 49

5 Interlude: Monsters 69

6 Spinning in Circles 79

7 Interlude: Lee, Kirby, Ditko 106

8 Rising and Advancing 113

9 Interlude: The Vietnam Years 131

10 The Mutant Metaphor 136

11 Interlude: Diamonds Made of Sound 171

12 Thunder and Lies 176

13 Interlude: Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe 199

14 What Kings Do 206

15 Interlude: Presidents 231

16 The Iron Patriot Acts 239

17 Interlude: March 1965 261

18 The Great Destroyer 267

19 Interlude: Linda Carter 293

20 Good is a Thing You Do 298

21 Passing it Along 321

Acknowledgments 329

Appendix: Marvel Comics: A Plot Summary 331

Index 355