RANDOM STUFF | 13th Dimension, Comics, Creators, Culture

Oct31

PATRICK STEWART: Watching a Master Rehearse His Brilliant Craft

Posted by Dan Greenfield on Oct 31, 2026

PATRICK STEWART: Watching a Master Rehearse His Brilliant Craft

A REMEMBRANCE: The Star Trek, X-Men — and Shakespearean — actor, died this week at the age of 86… By SCOTT TIPTON Come, take a trip with me in the Wayback Machine to the fall of 1989, at the University of California at Santa Barbara. It was my freshman year of college, and a childhood friend from back home had come to visit for the weekend, for the first time. On that sunny and cool Saturday morning, I showed my pal around campus. One of the first stops was Campbell Hall, the school’s largest lecture hall, which was also frequently used for theatrical productions. I had no idea if we could get in, but we climbed the steps anyway and found the main doors unlocked. We step inside and are both shocked at what we see and hear. On a bare stage with only a chair and table, there was Patrick Stewart, treading the boards with a book in his hands, speaking to a small group of students in the first two rows. My friend (a lifelong Star Trek fan) stood frozen in surprise and shock, while I played it off as if this was something I saw every day. “Oh, hey: It’s Patrick Stewart rehearsing for his upcoming one-man show of A Christmas Carol. Let’s head on down and listen for a while.” And so it was that my buddy and I had a front-row seat to watch one of the greatest actors alive in the process of creation: figuring out choreography, making character choices, polling the audience on American vs. British pronunciations, singing in full voice to test the acoustics. Watching him jump from the timidity of Bob Cratchit to the bombast of the Ghost of Christmas Present, from the bitter, forlorn Ebenezer Scrooge to the sweet innocence of Tiny Tim – it was a purely-by-chance miracle, never to be repeated. I would be fortunate enough to see Sir Patrick’s magnificent one-man production of the Dickens classic that year, and twice more in the years to come, but none had the magic of watching him craft that remarkable performance in real time, before our very eyes. A master at work. It was a gift, I tell you. — MORE — PATRICK STEWART DEAD AT 86. Click here. — The 13 Best Comics Movie & TV Casting Choices...

Oct21

BATMAN FAMILY #9 AT 50: 13 Groovy Things to Love About One of the Coolest Comics of the Bronze Age

Posted by Dan Greenfield on Oct 21, 2026

BATMAN FAMILY #9 AT 50: 13 Groovy Things to Love About One of the Coolest Comics of the Bronze Age

THE JOKER’S DAUGHTER: A rogues gallery in one package… — UPDATED 10/21/26: Batman Family #9 came out 50 years ago today, in 1976! Fresh off the cover’s appearance in this month’s BRONZE AGE BONANZA, we reprint this groovy piece from September 2022. Far out! — Dan — One of the grooviest podcasts around these days is Batman Family Reunion hosted by Paul Kien and Shawn M. Myers, part of the Fire and Water Podcast Network. It’s an exploration of DC’s Batman Family, which pound for pound was the most consistently entertaining Batbook of the ’70s. Well, Paul and Shawn, fresh off an interview with Bob Rozakis, the mag’s creative force, are up to 1976’s Batman Family #9, one of the series’ highest points and one of my personal fave comics of all time. Paul and Shawn were especially gracious and allowed me to come on their new episode to wax rhapsodic about the climax of the Joker’s Daughter Saga and the rest of the nifty stuff in this 50-cent goldmine. Click here to check out the ep. I think you’ll dig it. And to get you prepped, Paul and Shawn have put together 13 GROOVY THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT BATMAN FAMILY #9. Outta sight! — By PAUL KIEN and SHAWN M. MYERS 13. Awesome Cover by Ernie Chan! Ernie Chan (Chua) was DC’s primary cover artist from 1975-1977 and this issue’s Batgirl vs. Joker’s Daughter struggle doesn’t disappoint! Listen in this month, as we also shed some light on Chan’s professional career. — 12. Three Stories for 50 Cents! Bronze Age Giants are the best, and in this issue we have the new Batgirl/Robin story “The Startling Secret of the Devilish Daughters” where we learn the Secret Origin of the Joker’s Daughter! But we also get a Golden Age Alfred adventure and the Silver Age return of the Blockbuster (and a hint of what is to come with… the Outsider)! — 11. The Ads! C’mon, kids! Pick up a DC suspense book like Ghosts, or House of Mystery! Whoa – the Challengers of the Unknown in Super-Team Family?! Get your copy of Rudolph’s treasury comic before Christmas! Ride into adventure with Evel Knievel! And of course, Green Lantern and the Fruit Pie Scene! — 10. The Dynamite Duo! Batgirl and Robin were always secondary characters, but Batman Family gave...

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Dec16

HOT PICKS Gift Guide INDEX

Posted By 13th Dimension on Dec 16, 2013

Christmas is almost here! Baffled by what to buy the other comics fans you know? Here are all our HOT PICKS Gift Guide selections in one place!

Dec15

VOLCKER ANGRY!!!

Posted By 13th Dimension on Dec 15, 2013

The former Fed boss Paul Volcker is transformed into a raging reformer in Brian McFadden’s Incredible Hulk inspired comic strip for the NY Times.

Dec12

Steve Mannion: Creating Fearless Dawn

Posted By 13th Dimension on Dec 12, 2013

Steve Mannion combines cheesecake girlie poses, monsters, zombies, martians, and nazis with a style that sprinkles bits of Al Capp, Wallace Wood, Frank Frazetta, Jack Kirby, Dave Stevens, and a dozen other dearly departed masters of the medium to create his own style in the pages of Fearless Dawn.

Dec12

SUPER-STAR HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Vito Delsante’s Droid Christmas

Posted By 13th Dimension on Dec 12, 2013

Writer Vito Delsante’s Christmas from a long time ago, in a galaxy right around here …

Dec12

HEY KIDS, COMICS! Lost and Found, Part 2

Posted By 13th Dimension on Dec 12, 2013

Every week, we’re serializing Rob Kelly’s terrific book about how creators and well-known fans got into comics, written by themselves. Today is Part 2 of blogger Erika D. Peterman‘s poignant beginnings in the comics world.

Dec11

HOT PICKS Gift Guide Special: Pop Nation Picks

Posted By 13th Dimension on Dec 11, 2013

Ed Catto is, as they say, a friend of 13th Dimension and a kinda-sorta regular contributor. He also writes a column, Pop Nation, for a pub in New Jersey called Main Street Magazine. This month, he did a gift guide. And here it is, reprinted in all its glory:

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PATRICK STEWART: Watching a Master Rehearse His Brilliant Craft

BATMAN FAMILY #9 AT 50: 13 Groovy Things to Love About One of the Coolest Comics of the Bronze Age

HOT PICKS Gift Guide INDEX

VOLCKER ANGRY!!!

Steve Mannion: Creating Fearless Dawn

SUPER-STAR HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Vito Delsante’s Droid Christmas

HEY KIDS, COMICS! Lost and Found, Part 2

HOT PICKS Gift Guide Special: Pop Nation Picks

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