The Classic Battle of Mac vs PC

Is there a difference? You betcha.

Superman vs Underdog, Batman Vs The Hulk, King Kong Vs Godzilla— in the age old and endless battles of battles I’m often asked, as an elder statesman of digital art— if there is a difference between MIcrosoft Windows and a Mac. In the olden days I used to say easily that Mac had the advantage, but then as the years went on and Microsoft upped its game (Windows 10 is a lot like Snow Leopard for Mac) I assumed the difference was minor.

Then Veronica bought a PC.

She bought a PC simply to play a series of puzzle video games she’s had for years and because PCs are SO cheap just use it as an external hard drive to hold all of her music and photos and free up space on both her Mac tower and her Mac laptop.

Well, my opinion is back to its original— if you’re planning on working digitally get a Mac. After an entire day of trying to get the new PC out of Windows 10 S which is a secure mode to prevent it from accepting any programs from outside the Windows Store it is abundantly clear here that you get what you pay for. And you pay a lot for a Mac don’t get me wrong, but in the long run it’ll run better, faster and you’ll get better results.
Mac’s are more expensive because they don’t clog the operating systems with tons of third party software, but in the end they are worth the extra 5-6x expense. Buy a PC now if you have to but save for a Mac and you’ll be shocked at how much more productive you’re going to be.

My Obsession with the Original Batman

My first exposure to BATMAN was the Adam West TV series reruns after school each day.  I loved the shows and the colors.  At a friends house one day he showed me an old Batman comic book that had belonged to his older brother and I was struck by the fact that Batman was a comic book character. In those pre-VCR days you didn’t have the luxury of watching anything on demand, and learning that he was appearing in a magazine that I could read over and over again was eye opening. I was also struck by the fact that this particular issue of Batman featured a very spooky art style to it— with Batman and Robin racing in the Batmobile with a giant moon with a Joker face on it staring them down.

The discover lead to an obsession with reading comic books and back in those days there was no rhyme or reason to release schedules, you just walked in and saw what was on the racks and made your choices.

One lazy summer afternoon I happened upon West Side Pharmacy which was the place I went to buy my comic books and discovered a Treasury Sized Batman comic book that caught my eye (these are about 11x17), it’s bright red cover jumping off the racks.

It was all reprints but they were great stories from the golden age all the way up to the 1970s and to a kid reading this, it was HUGE.   I think I spent the whole summer reading it over and over again.

On the front cover was the blurb BATMAN OF THE MOVIES— I wasn't aware Batman had been in any movies and was only vaguely familiar with the Adam West version, flipping to the back inside cover there was the article... (from Al Bigley’s great blog) which now featured the slightly altered title BATMAN ON THE SCREEN—

Well, there you go-- Batman the TV Show with Adam West-- no surprise there.  Kind of a gyp I must have thought-- but there in the upper right corner was an image that caught my eye-- ANOTHER Batman and Robin.  Eh???? “From Columbia Pictures”— I was savvy enough to know that was the outfit that put out The Three Stooges Short films.

I remember being struck by the costumes-- they looked homemade but in a good way.  I wanted to find out more about it.

For years I would try to find whatever information I could-- learning eventually that this movie was actually a movie serial meaning it ran several episodes over the course of many weeks. In actuality running from mid July to mid October of 1943.

Ad for the 1948 Superman Serial- I soon learned there were other superhero serials, but BATMAN was what I wanted to find.

In those pre-internet days finding such information was difficult, and libraries offered very little in the way of information. I know all there is to know about the 1943 movie BAATAN since that came up over and over again.

Amazingly enough one Summer afternoon my best friend and I were sitting at the new Burger King that had opened in the Downtown area enjoying a couple of burgers— the manager there liked old movies and he’d set up a projector and was running a black and white film that we barely paid attention to.

One of my friends pointed to the screen and said “Boy those guys could pass for Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, couldn’t they?”

I looked over and sure enough there was a 40ish man and a 20ish boy talking in what looked like 1950s clothes. I laughed that he was right. Then they ran into a cave and changed into Batman and Robin and sped off.

I don’t remember if there was sound— I do remember that I played it cool like I didn’t care- I don’t know why that was a trapping of mine— but regardless they were only in costume for a few minutes and then the movie ended. I knew right away that this was a serial chapter.

The glimpse I got of the Batman suit made it clear that this was another serial and not the 1943— it was black not gray and the ears were different.

Lewis on the left, and Robert Lowery on the right

The chest emblem was also huge and sat closer to his stomach than his chest. My friends laughed at how dumb Batman and Robin looked, and I laughed with them, but the reality was I would have loved to have seen the whole serial. I played it cool and tossed my trash and left with them.

The early days of VCR’s came about around 1980— and for the first time they were affordable for normal folks— I laugh when I say affordable because the first one I ever bought was $1500— a lot of dough for a fifteen year old kid— believe it or not the small mom and pop video store that had them gave me a credit card and I bought my first one on time. As a huge film buff looking for the rarer works of Hitchcock and Kurosawa it was often the only way to see these movies.

Walking into FABULOUS FICTION BOOK STORE on Park Avenue, which was my backup comic book shop where I would go if my main store was out of something— FFBS also had an enormous inventory of books and related items so it was always a fun trip, I was thrilled to see they were opening a Video Rental Store in their basement— I signed up right away as I knew the owner, Bob Jennings, was himself a rare film buff and would carry things the bigger stores would never even think about.

One day there was a huge handmade poster on the wall showing the serial version of Captain America pointing his pistol at you with the words “Your Favorite Serials Now Available - $98”. I stopped in my tracks and asked Bob if 1943’s BATMAN was available.

“It sure is, but it’s a lousy serial. You’d be better off going with the 1949 serial or something like Spy Smasher or Captain America.”

I didn’t care what he thought of it- the 1943 BATMAN serial was the only thing I was interested in at the time. I told him to put a copy aside for me and I’d be right back. Hoping on my trusty moped I grabbed one of the pro-quality 35mm Cameras I owned and hawked it at my local camera shop— I told him I needed $98 for it and he obliged. I raced back to Bob’s with my $98 and plunked it down on the counter. “I’ll take BATMAN, please.”

Bob picked up the money, counted it, and said “Sure thing. It’ll be ready in about six weeks.”

Six Weeks?

They were what today we’d call Print on Demand— but the reality was these were bootleg tapes that would be run off by film-chaining the original 35 or 16mm film to video. I said okay and left. I’d waited eight years for this— I could easily wait six more weeks.

Only it wasn’t six weeks, it was more like eight— and Bob suffered as I’d ask him every third day if it was in yet. Finally one July afternoon I stopped in expecting more delays and he said it was in— he reached under the counter and produced THREE VHS tapes that were bound together with a heavy duty elastic band and slid them over to me.

“Wow— three tapes?” I might also add they were 3 regular TDK tapes with the name BATMAN written in fat marker along the spine— that was it for art— this was a no frills $98 package. In the span of the eight weeks I had saved up for the next one— and promptly ordered the sequel, 1949’s BATMAN AND ROBIN.

“Sure thing.” He said. “You’d be better off with Captain America— that’s a great serial. Batman and Robin is a lot better than the first Batman serial anyway”— and that’s how it would go everytime I ordered something.

I raced home and my then girlfriend was just arriving. I told her I hoped she was up for a marathon because this is how we were spending the afternoon. I pulled the blinds, dimmed the lights and popped the serial in. I loved it. It was like watching a newsreel of the “real” Batman and Robin.

I think I watched the entire five hour serial— I’m not sure, but I know I was very excited to see the 1949 serial since Bob had said it was so much better— better than this? it must be AMAZING.

Yeah, it wasn’t. The 1949 serial is pretty bad— like if Ed Wood made a Batman film bad. But that’s another story.

I posted previously that I’m such a fan of the serial that I went to a pair of expert craftspeople in the form of Williams Studio 2 and commissioned a full sized reproduction of Wilson's original cowl.

Photo taken in my old studio, displayed in front of a Batman Comic Book that would have been on sale at the time the serial ran.

The Williams did a spectacular job on it and it’s now a focal point of my collection, along with a near authentic belt and emblem.

The obsession started with an old comic book— and I’ll get to that another day.

Whether You Think You Can or You Think You Can't -- You're Right.

A recent conversation with a good friend got me thinking back to a period of my life I equate to SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. Now if that friend reads this blog I want you to know you’d be shocked that I have no fewer than three close friends in the same exact spot— so this might not be about you.

SPO(ILER ALERT for SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION- you’ve been warned.

In SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION Andy Dufresne is locked up for the murder of his wife and he suffers the horrors of prison life until he makes it bearable and then he decides he’s had enough and he crawls out through 500 yards of the worst smelling sludge (Okay they don’t call it sludge) you can imagine through a drain pipe before coming out on the other side in a sort of baptism of redemption.

The film captured so much of what I was going through that I keep a full sized poster of it framed on the steps leading up to my Art Studio. I look at that poster everyday on my way to work.

The movie, and the story its based on RITA HAYWORTH AND THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION is further based on Leo Tolstoy’s GOD SEE’S THE TRUTH BUT WAITS, is the story of (obviously) redemption and that no matter how bad things get— there is an exit and better things lie ahead of us, and it’s never too late to change.

It’s the story of never giving up, never giving in. No matter how hard it gets.

KING KONG 1976

In the mid-1970s a kid could go to the movies with his friends with nary a parent around— I remember Saturday afternoon showings that were little more than a food fight with a movie playing through the stream of popcorn and juju fruits soaring through projected image flickering on the screen.

My friends and I got excited by a preview that played both in theaters and on TV Screens— it showed us that on Dec 17th KING KONG was coming. As a kid I’d stay up to watch the original KING KONG (1933) on TV usually late at night— and there was even a time when Worcester Public Library showed it on the big screen. So when they announced a color movie coming soon I created a countdown clock in my head and couldn’t wait.

To say we loved the movie is an understatment. In my 10 year old mind it was the greatest piece of cinema ever created and I couldn’t understand why it didn’t dominate the 1977 Academy Awards. My friends and I got an 8mm movie camera and started making our own version of King Kong. Thankfully none of that footage still exists.

Today- the movie doesn’t hold up, in fact I have a hard time getting through the whole thing— but there is a small part of me that appreciates the merch from the movie and the music— which was by John Barry and it was incredible.

The movie made a deep enough impression that I remember the date deeply.

Good times.

The Worst Pizza I've Ever Had...

Pizza.

Where do you think the best pizza is? For most people they think of New York and they think of Chicago— I’ve had both and I can attest that both places are convinced theirs is superior.

New York pizza is flat and foldable and that’s how you’re supposed to eat it— Chicago pizza is served in a very thick crust— almost like a pie— and one piece is enough thank you very much.

I like both.

A recent survey found both cities left out of the top 20 so maybe my opinion is old. Boston came in at #3. Worcester Pizza is mostly the Greek kind— that means a doughy crust and not a lot of sauce.

For around here, I’d suggest New Haven Ct as the best pizza around— Frank Pepe’s and the rest of the crew on (ironically) Worcester Street put up pretty amazing pies.

The UxLocale has a really great selection of pizza’s thanks to my friend, chef and owner Elaine. She even will have them put an over easy egg on it for me like they do in Tokyo— delicious.

The worst pizza I ever had? Until recently I thought I could eat just about any pizza and then I got one from a hotel restaurant in Chicago— which brags that theirs is “legendary”. It was completely inedible. It smelled like feet— and I’m not talking pretty lady feet I’m talking my high school locker room (not that I spent a lot of time smelling my fellow Football players feet). I took one bite and sent it back.

So much for legends.

Oh man Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th- I’ll be spending the day under my covers shaking.

Ha I kid, I ain’t afraid of no superstitious nonsense. Couple of things to update— I’m reworking the website, the truth of the matter is I’m dropping SquareSpace after 10 years- it’s a good service, I don’t think I need an expensive website even if it is tax deductible. In 35 years not a single gig has come from the website. Or maybe a very few. Regardless, I’m not looking for new clients, I have plenty. My plan is to wrap up what I’m currently signed on for which will take me into 2026/27 and then I’ll do a personal project and then I’ll cut back on how much work I take.

Expect the new website to change over here without missing a beat— you won’t know things have changed until it changes— domain name will remain the same.

Veronica has been away— day one I accidently ordered THREE large fries from the Kelly’s Roast Beef app— and if you’ve ever been to Kelly’s you know they have great food— especially fries, but the large order is enough for about three people. I also melted my wife’s salad spinner (don’t ask) and possibly ruined a pan but I’m going to try hard to save it. I’ve already re-ordered a new spinner and it’ll be here before she gets back. I write this in advance, she went to visit family to help with health meetings with their providers, I was unable to go because I’ve I’m buried in work, and my plan is while she’s gone to get two weeks worth of work done. I’m not a betting man but there’s a good chance I accomplished that— there’s also a chance I’ve sat on the couch covered in crumbs holding a remote in my hand because I tend to get depressed while my wife is gone.

But the good part is I’ll focus on work. Had a bit of trouble with some technical house stuff that bogged me down a bit on the first day but hopefully the rest goes well.

LOST IN SPACE- THE GREATEST TRIP THROUGH SPACE... EVER!

The 60s produced some amazing TV shows. Today it’s the golden age of TV because TV has become Film and Film has become Big Budget Junk. Something like BETTER CALL SAUL is a 70 hour movie and it will engage you for every minute.

With no slight intended to Saul I want to turn my attention to a show that I’ve loved since I was a kid, LOST IN SPACE. I like STAR TREK, LIKE it. I like BATMAN. I LOVE LOST IN SPACE. Die hard fans of science fiction hate it because the first season was filmed as a pretty straight outer space drama and then the second season came in and the show went Color and it also went BONKERS. The third season pushed things too far and had alien vegetables trying to wipe out the Robinson Family, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Disclosure time; I did a show many many years ago and had the pleasure of hanging out for a weekend with Dr Smith himself, Jonathan Harris. He had just finished doing a voice acting job for Pixar and he was funny as hell. Easily my favorite and most entertaining celebrity in person. That’s saying something because I once spent four hours in a bar sitting next to Frank Gorshin who put on his full Vegas act but Harris was funnier because he was just being himself. I also got to know Billy Mumy there.

Back to the show;

LOST IN SPACE is an amazing journey to go on, the series, as I said, started out very seriously with Dr Smith being a stow away on the doomed Jupiter 2 space-craft which is slated to carry the first family into space, the Robinson’s, lead by Professor John Robinson and his co-pilot Major Don West. Smith sabotages the flight plan but then gets himself trapped on the ship which throws the whole thing off kilter and sends them, well, Lost in Space.

The first season of the show straddles between sci fi drama and straight horror show— kids Will and Penny Robinson discover a crypt full of skeletons and scary things and there is even a giant cyclops that tries to kill the family.

By the second season Dr Smith stopped his murderous ways and became a comedy foil for the show, while some might find him grating I dig the whole act. Which takes us to the episode I saw last night which reminded me of why I like this show so much;

TREASURE OF THE LOST PLANET Airdate Mar 7, 1967 - Season 2 Episode 23 Directed by Harry Harris. Here’s the plot from IMDB:

In this quasi-sequel to The Sky Pirate (1966), Will's reunited with Captain Tucker, who along with his alien pirate crew are searcing for a legendary lost treasure. The key to finding the booty is a metallic talking head in a box.

You got my attention at alien pirates and you had me with metallic talking head in a box. I mean how could you NOT want to watch that??

Here’s how the episode plays out;

The episode starts with Dr Smith teaching the kids how to play roulette after constructing a giant board and using the Robot as a spinner. It’s all in the name of teaching them about odds and luck but that’s the least crazy part of this episode and the show in general. I know, you want to jump off this review and scan Amazon for a complete set so you can watch this right now, well hold on, I’ll put a link at the end.

The head (top) and Space Pirate Captain Tucker and his crew (bottom).

Penny finds a gold coin in the sand which leads Smith to have them scour the rest of the area for any other sign of treasure. They find a metal ring which pulls open a huge trapdoor sending Dr Smith crashing down into a hidden crypt where he finds the metallic head in the box. Dismissing it as ghoulish he leaves it behind and takes the kids back to the ship. As the Robot is about to leave the head lights up and says “Good Evening” in a creepy metallic voice, which is accompanied by creepy harpsichord music to boot.

The Robot is freaked but no one will listen to him. That night, Dr Smith is sound asleep in his Ebenezer Scrooge night shirt and cap and he’s suddenly awoken by the appearance of the metallic head in his cabin where it springs to life and says “good evening” again.

John Robinson is convinced this is just a practical joke of his son Will Robinson, who denies having anything to do with it. Will’s got science stuff to do but he’s interrupted by the appearance of a familiar Robot Parrot who tells will he’s needed somewhere right now and leads him on a mission where Will stumbles upon the trussed up Space Pirate Captain Tucker behind some rocks, we met Ol’ Tucker last year in black and white and he’s a good enough guest star to bring him back for this go round in color. Tucker has been the victim of a mutiny from his crew and they left him here for dead. Needless to say, Will free’s his underhanded old buddy and brings him back to the ship where Ol’ Tuck bunks with Dr Smith.

When the head reappears Captain Tucker knows exactly what this is, it’s Beelibones, a robotic device created to guard a massive treasure which brought Tucker and his mutinied crew to this planet in the first place.

Tucker reunites with his crew and they set off to find the treasure with the help of Billy Bones, er Beelibones. This particular episode is loaded with Lost In Spaciness; Captain Tucker is a great character, even if he does put ribbons in his beard. The disembodied head is suitably creepy and the story, based very much on TREASURE ISLAND, is engaging enough to hold your interest for the full 50 mins.

LOST IN SPACE DIALOGUE:

TUCKER: Foul Weather himself, ya treacherous dogs! Now we'll parley with me holdin' the upper hand. 

SMEEK: You can't blame the lads, Foul Weather. You promised Beelebones's treasure. 

DEEK: Aye, and a chart to where it's buried. 

TUCKER: Aye, and I'm a man of my word. 

[Pounding on the box]

TUCKER: Say somethin', ya blasted head. 

HEAD: Good evening. 

DEEK: Wh-What's that? 

TUCKER:: What's that? I'll tell ya what it is, ya scum! Ol' Beelibones was too smart to put a chart on paper. So he took a better road, ol' Beelibones did. This here head here is tuned into Beelibones's personality, in a manner of speaking, so that he'll lead Beelibones, and no one but Beelibones, to his treasure. 

DEEK: Aahh! A lotta good that do us. Beelibones is dead and molderin' on Antares 6 these last five years. 

SMEEK: You led us on a false trail! 

TUCKER: Stop your yappin' toungues, ya dogs! False trail is it? Supposin' I were to tell ya that I have in the palm of me hand, so to say, a human who matches ol' Beelibones's personality trait by trait... and fault by fault? 

DEEK: It ain't likely. Why, there never was a man as treacherous and cowardly, and as big a liar, and as greedy a glutton as Beelibones. 

TUCKER: There be one! Zachary Smith by name. He be one of the crew of the Jupiter 2. 

You can have your Shakespeare, I’ll take this script by Carey Wilber and Irwin Allen.

Lost in Space: The Complete Series [Blu-ray]

Starring Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Billy Mumy, Angela Cartwright, Jonathan Harris, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen