Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (Dell Movie Classic #725, 1964)

Quite possibly one of my favorite Christmas films ever, and certainly the one that started me down the path of love for B-Films and Cult Movies...

Some interesting facts I've learned about the film over the years, culled from investigations driven by my insane fascination with the flick:

• The Martian guns are actually painted Whammo Air Blasters.
• The Air Force stock footage seen as the military "pursues" the Martians is the same footage used in the opening credit sequence of Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964).
• Most of the film was shot in an abandoned aircraft hangar on Long Island, New York.
• Vincent Beck, who portrayed "Voldar" in the film, made his last film appearence as the judge in one of my favoite grindhouse revenge flicks, 1983's Vigilante, directed by Bill Lustig
• Bill McCutcheon, who played comedy relief Martian Droppo, won a Tony Award portraying gangster Moonface Martin in the 1988 revival of "Anything Goes", and was "Uncle Wally" on Sesame Street from 1984-1992.
• Pia Zadora's first film role as Martian girl Girmar (age 6)
• Ned Wertimer, who portrays news reporter Andy Henderson was a staple of 70s sitcoms (he's best known as Ralph Hart on 50 episodes of The Jeffersons), and was one of the "singing gallows pirates" in Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (2007)
• The film was sadly the last role for Doris Rich, who portrayed Mrs. Claus in the film. She would die tragically in a fire 7 years later in 1971 of smoke inhalation.
• Gene Lindsey, the actor in the crappy polar bear suit, would later go on to be "Randall Drew" in genre favorite soap opera Dark Shadows, and would later appear as Alfred D. Baldwin in All the President's Men (1976)

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Santa Claus Conquers the Martians Dell Movie Classics CBZ file


Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (Golden Records SLP170, 1964)
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Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

Christmas With The Super-Heroes: Limited Collector's Edition C-34 (1974, DC Comics)

These "Treasury"- sized editions (roughly tabloid size) were a staple of 1970s comic book publishing which I sadly miss. Contained in this volume are the following stories:

BATMAN #239 "SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT!" from FEB. 1972

"Billy Batson's Xmas!" originally presented in CAPTAIN MARVEL ADVENTURES #69, February 1947.

The real surprise find in this book: A NEW Angel and the Ape story, "The 500,000 Dollar Doll Caper", written by John Albano and illustrated by Bob Oksner and ....WALLY WOOD(!!)

"A Swingin' Christmas Carol" Reprinted from TEEN TITANS #13, Feb. 1968.

and, finally- Action Comics #117 (February 1948): "Christmastown, USA"

Like I mentioned, the real treat for me was finding the new Angel and the Ape story (I'm a HUGE fan of both the classic Silver Age series, and the over-looked Vertigo mini from a few years back) that looks to be inked by Wally Wood (another thing...or I should say guy...that I'm a HUGE fan of). I really miss the format, and have been surprised over the last couple years to see these books actually go up in price on the secondary collector's market. Nothing astinishing, but most above the 10 to 12 dollar range.

Download Tip: This CBR file is hosted into separate Rapidshare links, due to size issues. But, you need both pieces to successfully extract the complete CBR.

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DC Comics Presents #67 (March 1984, DC Comics)

Around this time, not only was the Last Son of Krypton gearing up for the upcoming CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS (1985) and a major continuity overhaul (1986), but it looks as if he's got his hands full during the holiday season helping Santa (who we've to know is tight with Superman and Batman). This time around, replacing deadly toys created by the Toyman that's been distributed around the world.

Ya know...for years since the Byrne revamp, I've always found the tendency to portray the Toyman as a weirdo, creepy child-killer as a bit harsh...but this tale from the pre-CRISIS days just kinda shows ya that he's been bat-shit insane all along.

Plus, I love the fact that the kid that gets Superman involved in all this crazy mess is named "Tim", which I'd like to think was a clever little homage to the "Tim" character from the Golden Age Superman-Tim giveaway comics. (For more info on them, see Dial B For Blog's entry on the promotional giveaways).

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DC Comics Presents #67- Superman and Santa Claus CBR file

Christmas Countdown 2008: Superheroes Christmas (Power Records/Peter Pan #8199)

I've owned this record since around the age of 6, and because of it, nothing says Christmas like Wonder Woman beating up a Germanic Nazi type and the image of Batman in a fake beard.

I shared this last year over at our sister blog, ATTACK OF THE B-MOVIE MUZAK, but felt it appropriate for this blog this time around...

Track Listing:

01 Light Up The Tree, Mr. President (Superman)
02 Christmas Carol Caper (Batman)
03 Prisoner of Christmas Island (Wonder Woman)



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Christmas Countdown 2008: The Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digest #4- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (DC Comics-1980)

For over a decade from 1950 to around 1963, an annual holiday tradition at DC Comics was the yearly Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Christmas Special. These were fun little books with some really great art by Sheldon Mayer. After 1963, Rudolph took a break for around 15 years, appearing in a couple of DC's tabloid sized Treasury Editions during the mid-1970s comprised mostly of reprints of the annual specials. Blue Ribbon Digest #4 from 1980 is sadly the last time DC utilized their take on the character...which is a shame, because any book in my opinion that involved Sheldon Mayer is worth repeat viewings.

I'd love to see DC collect those specials in a trade, because it'd make for some great "gateway" comics for younger readers...

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DC Blue Ribbon Digest #4 CBR file

Christmas Countdown 2008: The Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digest #58- Super Jrs. Holiday Special (DC Comics-1984)

It's the holiday season yet again, so it's time for the 2008 Christmas Countdown!!

To kick off this year's festivities, I figured we'd spotlight this little oddity which featured the Super Jrs.

Now, I've heard two stories about the origins of this project.

1.) The Super Jrs. were originally part of a larger merchandising pitch made to Kenner Toys which never took off (thankfully), much like a later attempt that was made with Wonder Woman. A great site devoted to the history of the Kenner Super Powers toyline called ToyOtter has the details about this, located here.

2.) This book was actually comprised of reprints of foreign material, and that at some point in the late 1970s in some other place on Earth outside the U.S., the Super Juniors were a big thing.

All I know is that seemingly by the grace of God Himself, this was the only appearence these ugly little things ever made.

Ironically, though...these days I've been scouring local retailers in hopes of finding one of these damn things, because I find Krypto so damn cute....



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Super Jrs. Holiday Special CBR file