Monday, August 31, 2020

In Memorium: Chadwick Boseman

 Like many of you on Saturday morning, I awakened shocked to learn that Chadwick Boseman had succumbed to cancer at the age of 43. King T'Challa, the mighty Black Panther of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, gone at such a young age really resonated with me.

I am a sixteen year cancer survivor myself and Mr. Boseman was originally from my own neck of the woods as a native of Anderson, South Carolina; literally the next town over from my own Greenville (as the highway sings). What a devastating loss for the film industry. Just take a look at the work of his all too short life. His films include 42 (as baseball great Jackie Robinson) alongside Harrison Ford, Get on Up (as music legend James Brown), Gods of Egypt, Captain America: Civil War, Marshall (as supreme court justice Thurgood Marshall), Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, 21 Bridges, and Da 5 Bloods. Plus he also has one remaining film still to be released. That doesn't count his extensive television credits and keep in mind that his run of impressive blockbuster films came out during the four years that he was grappling with colon cancer. "Remarkable" doesn't even come close to summing up that impressive body of work up, under those circumstances. 

The Catacombs extends its sincerest condolences to his family, friends and fans worldwide.


WAKANDA FOREVER!!

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Kaänga in "Terror of the Bush" (Fiction House; February 1940)

"Surprise!" It has been a while since a new jungle post appeared here in the Catacombs, so maybe I can start doing something about that finally?

This story's title "Terror of the Bush" is taken from the front cover blurb of Fiction House Jungle Comics #2 (February 1940) where we see the mighty jungle lord, Kaänga intervene when the lovely Ann is kidnapped by the mad scientist, Dr. Wratt, who controls a group of man-apes through hypnotism. Kaänga does the heroic thing and rescues her and then the dastardly Dr. Wratt is fortunately killed by his own man-apes during Kaänga and Ann's escape. The writer and artist duties on this tale is attributed to Ken Jackson, who apparently provided both roles.
 Will be back again soon, thanks for your patience!