Woodmac Lanes

Just as our movie theaters are disappearing, so are the bowling alleys. Not that I could ever bowl anyways, because of my coordination. But that's not the point. So after I ate my Fat Johnnie's hot dogs, I crossed the street to get the photos of Woodmac Lanes before it, too, is a ghost. I'm sure the bowling pin will go first. You can see where the pin is separated from the main building my a street, my guess is that that used to be the parking lot. The fence is there because there are a lot of cars in the lot for a nearby repair shop. I took the photo of that Impala just because it looked cool sitting where it was.

Lenore's Kitchen, Lithuanian Plaza

These are from my trek to Holy Cross Hospital down Lithuanian Plaza, the same roll of film where I stopped at Fat Johnnie's and its frozen canoe flower box. Last September, I posted shots of the taverns now closed or keeping mysterious hours, but I was unable to take photos in front of Lenore's. A few guys were hanging out in front and it was more a respect thing,as they got that I was taking photos of the old Lugan bars. But, really, just look at the empty lot that is directly east of the Kitchen, the photos almost match when held next to each other. Seriously, what the shit, right? I stood in front of Lenore's and took a photo of the old deli, then an angled shot towards California and the church right before the hospital parking lot that kinda shows how many buildings are boarded up or just plain sad looking.

My Favorite Photo of 2010 (So Far)

No, it's not the 11:11 at the Biograph. If you want to know more about 1111, there's plenty of links on my site. This shot is in the alley alongside the Majestic Building, which had been in pretty bad shape until it was cleaned up and now the place is home to the excitingly-named Bank Of America Theater. Anyhow, I like the photo because of the ball. It wasn't there last month. Oh, I should add that I cut through this alley to get from the Monroe Street subway to the bldg. where Greg works. I love it when unseen forces add props to photo locations for me.

Fat Johnnie's Hot Dogs

Pardon the quality on these next week's worth of photos, last Friday was a grim day. Having to go to Holy Cross that afternoon, I took time after to take some photos along Western, last time it was Lithuanian Plaza (or 69th Street) about four blocks west. I'll post those later, but here is Fat Johnnie's, an actual hot dog stand! Cripes! I'd seen photos of it, but really had not known it was actually still there. And it has been quite a while since I saw the Dave Berg name on a hot dog sign. The craziest thing, as you can tell, is the frozen waif in the kayak filled with ice. After getting my two dogs with steamed, poppy seed buns, I asked the man who was presumably Johnnie (because of his age), what the dilly-o was on the kayak. He told me it was a flower pot when it warmed up. I liked that he called it a pot and not a garden.

I have taken to posting photos on Google Earth via Panoramino under the name JonnyAlgiers. I put up a few of the 16th Street Bridge, the subway, like that. Oh, and Bubbly Creek. Can't forget that. Saw the Book of Eli film yesterday night and loved it, then I swiped a pair of glasses to see the last thirty or so minutes of Avatar in 3-D. I didn't mind sneaking in because I knew I'd never see the film because I can't see in 3-D, period. But I wanted to check it out past the shots on TV. Well, karma got me as I watched for a bit, my head starting to hurt, then I left and vomited white stuff in the bathroom, and again at 3 this morning. Headache all day, but I get them this time of year anyways. Karma's a bitch.

There might be a connection here...

There is an entire cult out in the real world who can quote from the famous Boner issue of Batman (#66, mid 50s) page by page. But I don't think anyone has ever thought that ten years after that issue came out, those same readers read the comic in bed. Under the covers. With a flashlight. And the Raquel Welch pillow. While their wives were watching the kids or doing the laundry. (Welch Pillow courtesy of Adam Barnett over at Comics Make No Sense.)

This Time They Signaled Me

I'm involved with a project involving LOST, which had the first episode of the final season air earlier, and I've spent two hours writing an essay. So I'm just going with more helo shots. I stood in the street waiting on it this time, and I'll be damned if a headlight didn't flick on and off as it got close. I'm thinking I might be seeing Elvis again soon.

More Quality Heroes

See, here's the thing. DC had their Silver Age versions of Golden Age characters. In 1955, the late Julie Schwartz (who I met at several conventions between 1986 and his passing in 2004) gave the green light on creating two books, Showcase and Brave & Bold, and starting in 1955, there were updated versions of Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Atom, among others. In a sense, the current Green Lantern shares the month and year of my birth. So this is why the Quality characters have a uniqueness, and Bob made a point by saying that Eisner's The Spirit was the best-known of all the heroes. DC picked up the rights to Fawcett Comics, as well, but almost all the books were related to Captain Marvel. I would have loved for DC to have purchased Fox, so that there would be adventures of the original Blue Beetle, but that was not to be.

DC did put out a Plastic Man comic in the late 60s, and it held its own, getting canceled after 8 issues, but keep in mind that in the 40s, PM appeared in Police Comics, an anthology with several other features. Yesterday I mentioned how kids wanted westerns and then sci-fi after WWII, plus there were all the horror comics that resulted in the comics code authority being formed. The only DC characters that remained active in their own comics throughout the 50s were Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and, surprisingly, Blackhawk, which just went straight from the Quality imprint to that of DC. In later years, Roy Thomas wrote a story explaining the absence of so many heroes in the 50s, that they had retired or operated in secret rather than give up their civilian identities before the HUUAC. Actually, a neat idea.

I posted the shot of Doll Man simply because of the guy he is punching. I thought I was a mug. Phantom Lady was fairly popular, and, I'm sorry, but Red Bee was my favorite of the Quality characters. Yes, the costume is more insane than Madame Fatal's, and yes, he kept trained bees in his belt buckle, but he had more stories than a chunk of the rest of the line. There is nothing on Google but this goofy cover from Hit Comics#1, I looked on Google until the images ended up as Red Baron pizza.

Anyhow. That's that. And, hey, isn't that a great Blackhawk cover?