T-shirt #211 - HYDRA

T-shirt #211 - HYDRA

Today's shirt features the symbol for the nemesis of Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D. organization, known as HYDRA. Unlike S.H.I.E.L.D., HYDRA is not an acronym. HYDRA predates the Silver Age of Marvel, which truly began in earnest in 1961 with the launch of the Fantastic Four. HYDRA was first mentioned in a comic book in 1954 (Menace #10) in which the covert organization created a bomb that turned people into monsters. During this time period, the company was known as Atlas Comics and not as Marvel Comics until later (1961).

HYDRA re-surfaced years later in Strange Tales #135 in 1965, in which Jim Steranko began telling tales of Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. playing off the success of the James Bond films and the TV show Man from U.N.C.L.E.

HYDRA RESOURCES

HYDRA WIKIPEDIA

HYDRA MARVEL WIKIA

HYDRA MARVL.COM

I wore the shirt on my trip to Hawaii. Here is a picture of me wearing the shirt taken on October Second, 2013 at Rainbow Falls, in Hilo, Hawaii. Liesel and I are on our way to the top of Mauna Kea but stopped off at the falls for some sight seeing. Liesel bought a basket woven from ti leaves (from the "ti" plant) from a local woman at the falls and later left the basket at an altar to Mauna Kea located at the Gateway to the mountain near the visitor's center at 9000 feet.

I packed four shirts for the trip that I had not yet featured on the blog. I have already featured two of them since returning (or while on the trip): T-shirt #199: The People's Food Co-Op and T-shirt #207: Fantastic Four. This shirt makes three featured so far. I neglected to get pictures taken with the fourth shirt.

I think I look old and swarthy (tired?) in this photo, but I think my wife looks fantastic and beautiful.

I do not wish to devote any content to last night's Detroit Tigers game, game five of the ALCS. :-(

SIX SUGGESTIONS TO SALVAGE MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

My favorite and most prolific blogger friend, Charles Skaggs, is up to his Charlesish hijinks again with criticism of Joss Whedon's new TV program: MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. Although I do not consider Joss' work to be off limits to criticism, I cannot wholly agree with Charles' list of items in the article linked above.

Granted, I have only watched two episodes. I actually watched the second episode in Hawaii the night before the picture shown above was taken during the trip to the top of Mauna Kea. I liked that I managed vacation and seeing things like mountains and also watching MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. with my delightful hosts.

Mainly, my rebuttal to Charles is that we need to give it (the show) a chance. Wasn't this the problem with Firefly? People (like network executives) were too quick to judge. Patience is not the greatest virtue for those who run TV networks and even for those who watch TV shows, as the fall-off in ratings attests with MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. However, a show needs time to find its sea legs. Judging Buffy the Vampire Slayer on all of season one is not fair. The show improved progressively, season-to-season. Though some shows, like Firefly, LOST, and Veronica Mars, to name three, are great from the get-go, I think MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. is a good show and needs time to refine its concept. These characters need more screen time to interact and make story, and mainly, people need to have faith in Joss Whedon and his team that a quality product is in the offing, but, apparently, it will not blow minds from the start.

Is this what it takes? If I do not have my mind blown, then something is broken? The show is quick and clever. There's humor, some pathos, great TV moments, and plenty of action. Do I need something else here? I don't think killing off a character to generate melodrama is the answer. Though I do like several of Charles' other suggestions (such as "Embrace the Strange" and "Honor the Source Material") but again, please be patient and have faith,. Joss will deliver.

From Steranko's Strange Tales

WEEKLY COMICS LIST

Viper, aka Madame Hydra

I have been neglecting comics since returning from Hawaii because I was reading Night Film, a fantastic book that I will review on this blog soon. As such, comics have piled up and nearly everything is back logged. So for this week, no listed back log. I will simply list and rank the comics as they would be arranged if I was just reading this stack and no others. So unlike others weeks, this is the most true ranking I have done in some time (maybe ever).

COMICS FOR 1310.16

Fantastic Four #013
Hawkeye #013
Guardians of the Galaxy #007
The Superior Spider-Man #019
Batman/Superman #4
Justice League of America #8
New Avengers #11
Avengers #21
Uncanny X-Men #013 (Battle of the Atom, chapter 8)
Fables #134
Birds of Prey #24
Avengers Arena #016
Hunger #004
The Trial of the Punisher #001
Sheltered #4
Wonder Woman #24

SPECIAL PURCHASE

Huckleberry Hound figure

That's pretty much it for today.
Grading Robot has not yet powered down for the weekend.

Errands to run still remain.

I leave you today with some random HYDRA-related imagery

- chris tower -1310.18 - 14:01

Steranko's Madame Hydra

Cartoony version of Madame Hydra

Baron Zemo tantrum