Unpacking the Power of Power Pack

Are you all ready for a fantastic romp through the jungle with a bunch a kids.....cause that is this comic. Hand on heart, no lies spoken or seen. This is just a simple straight forward story with a new character. So grab your juice box and put on your khakis.

A-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh, a-weema-weh

In the jungle, the mighty jungle

Weeheeheehee, dee heeheeheehee, weeoh aweem away

Near the village, the peaceful village

Weeheeheehee, dee heeheeheehee, weeoh aweem away

Hush, my darling, don't fear, my darling

Whoa, whoa, whoa; whoa, whoa, whoa; whoa, whoa, aweem away

You can see the awesome art at:  https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2024/08/20/ff-19-safari/

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Ok...here is my challenge. I need to write up some summary on this book without alluding to Cheech and Chong, Kevin Smith, 420, Jamaican candles, Afroman, Mary Jane, or anything in that oeuvre. Instead, I need to focus on the content, and humanities battle against gods. I am soooo going to fail.

Ok, we can do this. Focus on the content. I mean, it is not like there is nothing to talk about. Reed and T'challa go to the City of the Dead for goodness sake. How cool is that?

And....AND...Three super powered ladies bring the PAIN to an Egyptian god. That is epic, legendary, and fantastic. Plus, countless heavy metal songs have been written about less.

Dead skeletons attacking heroes, evil seeking power held by the good guys, cats and dogs fighting....I mean, this book has it all. Totally filled with wholesome destruction

Did I mention giant cats eating people? That is a completely normal, everyday experience that is in no way tied to anything that could be considered.....well....

OKAY...OKAY...this is nothing but a big drug trip. Are you happy now!

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Heavy sits the panther mask that sits upon the brow of a soverein.....Thankfully that is all Shuri's problem since T'Challa has given up the crown and role of protector of Wakanda. That is a lot for us to talk about, but instead, we are going to talk about something else.

We are going to talk about ThunderCats, the original cartoon from the '80s. Why would we do that, well it was because both Jeff and I just felt that someone wanted us to talk about it. I mean, you just need to look at some of these pictures. We just have to present what we have been given.

Starting in 1985 as a cartoon, this reenactment of this historical (or futuristic?) documentary is a profound look at the adventures of a scrappy group of refugees from the planet Thundera. These humanoid cats face countless struggles as they try to establish themselves on a new planet after their own was destroyed by environmental failures and an over-planting of catnip.

Me.....yow!

Look, there are a lot of questions that we have asked and never got clear answers. Like, how does this group think they are going to repopulate their race with six different species of cats. The only pair of the group that are from the same branch are brother and sister so....ew. And poor Cheetara seems to be sweet on Tygra who is really just a bore.

Let's leave the relationships and procreation aside and focus on their sweet crib. The Transformers crash on Earth and spend decades hiding out in their wrecked spaceship. The ThunderCats spend a hot minute scoping out the land, finding the best section of real estate they can, and knock out a state-of-the-art fortress in a couple of weeks. 

For every great protagonist, you need a really good villain to annoy your plans on an easy recolonization story. And we all know the natural enemy of all cats....mummies. Mumm-Ra is an interesting character. He wants power and is evil, I guess, but he also does seem to be the only main character of the series who is from the planet these cats are squatting on. So, does that make him the actual hero?

That is a Rabit Hole

Maybe I should move on from this observation before we dig a hole we cannot get out of.

Back to the villains, one last little thing. You have to love the idea that this small band of heroes were chased across the stars by four to five full tribes that have something like infinite members. Sure, there is a leader of each of the tribe, but it seems like they have a small host to use as cannon fodder when needed by the plot.

Whatever, we loved our silly cartoons.

You can see the art we were talking about here:  https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2024/08/20/fantastic-four-607-inert/

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Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod

********************We accidently uploaded the wrong file. If you heard this episode muddled, please redownload the episode and it should be fixed. We apologize for the mess up. *******************************

And we are back with Hickman and the FF baby!!! No more of those smelly Avengers and their academy of kids dealing with teenage angst. We are back with the real meat of smart children walking around universe shaking events. No time for teen drama, just time for lunch.

You read that correctly, lunch! Capital L to the U, followed by NCH. It is the meal that defines the middle of the day. It is the target we aim towards when we start our workday. It is the reason that sandwiches were invented. Bring on the mid-day meal!

Lunch is vitally important for no other reason than to keep away the dreaded hangry person. You know what I am talking about. That one person who becomes a rage monster when their blood sugar becomes a bit too low. Yeah. We know who they are. They may not say anything, but we know.

Now, where shall we eat? This is the question that haunts many a couples as they start to realize that hunger is amongst them. What should they do, where should they go? Will they search through the boulevard of broken dreams and attempt to find the ever-elusive perfect meal?

Where for art Thou, Burge-o?

But then you find that perfect place. That Mecca with the menu that serves the needs you have. You see that fortress of food, that cathedral of carbs. Oh, what a grand sight, it will provide the sustenance you need.

But then you realize that there is a wait, that they take reservations. So the wait begins...and no one likes to wait.

The wait is over, we have made to the table, and we have placed our order. The food is coming! The hunger will be abated! But, wait...did that waiter just spit into the food!!!!

AND THIS EXPERIENCE COST US HOW MUCH!!!!

Ok, well....I still hope you all enjoyed the show and our humor.

Check out our website at:  https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2024/07/11/ff-18-what-do-you-call-the-opposite-of-a-field-trip/

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Insert the commencement music and put on the silly hats, and do not forget that you will be paying for this school forever. Welcome to the final issue of Avengers Academy.

There are many things we can discuss with the ending of this series. There are many silly tangents I could probably go on. The problem is that I cannot find a really appropriate or seamless segway. And so, I guess, I will need to talk about this book and what it means to me.....which is boring.

Let's just get the whole teenage hormone love thing out of the way. This was a series that dealt with teenagers, so you knew there was going to be romance and broken hearts. The interesting thing is that it was done pretty well. It was nice to see these relationships treated with some respect.

What about the fighting and action in these books. Come on, this is Marvel Comics, of course the action is going to be good. Yes, this book did bring in one of the many Wolverines that roam the Marvel Universe, but it is the best Wolverine, so there is that. But I digress, this was a very action-packed series that still managed to keep the story moving forward.

I was a little disappointed that we did not see more cool gadgets. Hank Pym is a main player in this book, but the tech was small....get it...and that was sad. But I guess that means that we just focused on the people not the things. So, I am ok with that.

The art work of this series was solid. There was nothing extraordinary or groundbreaking, but there was nothing that was awful, and that is just fine. Comic books can be artistic masterpieces, but they can also be enjoyable mediums to convey stories. This book had a good story tied with clean art, and we cannot ask for more than that.

Going back to the teenage story of it all, I think we can say that focusing on the issues of kids during a rough time of their lives allows the creators to touch on some good topics. Bullying is definitely an area that was addressed, and dealt with well. I mean, who does not want to see bullies get owned.

This is a thoughtful series that really develops its cast of characters well. There was a good storyline to follow and you ended up really carrying about the cast. I think that the introduction of new members helped keep things fresh, especially Julie because it put it on our radar.

I am sad that we need to leave this series. It was fun and interesting, and I wanted to read each issue. I know why we have to leave the series, but I am sad that most of these characters have disappeared into the lost pages of the Official Handbook.

To see the pretty pictures, go to: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2024/07/02/avengers-academy-39-commencement/

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Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod

As the Avengers Academy winds down, the writers decided to do something fun and interesting. A good old fashion, fun chill book. Not and AvX, more of a chillax book. Using sport to do some fun goofiness.

Now, this could be a book about rivals beating each other up or continuing a tale of violence and revenge, but it is not. It is just some kids playing a game. But what about those real historical rivalries? What about the people that really hated each other?

The English and the French hated each other on an epic scale. From 1100 to 1800 they were almost constantly at war with each other. I know that there was real reasons for the animosity, but I truly believe that it came down to cooking styles. I have heard that chefs hold grudges.

If you are into hard rock, you might know this one. Kerry King vs. Robb Flynn. Machine Head got a career boost in the mid-'90s when they landed the opening slot on a few of Slayer's tours. But by 2001, Slayer frontman Kerry King had soured on Machine Head, calling them "sell-outs" who were "responsible for rap-metal.

Being a Pink Floyd Fan, I am well aware of this one. Artistic differences drove a wedge between Roger Waters and David Gilmour during the recording of their classic album “The Wall" in 1979. Waters, who viewed himself as the creative force behind the band's success, became increasingly disdainful of his fellow band members, whom he deemed musically inferior.

There may be no American feud more famous than that of the Hatfields and McCoys. The feud is said to have begun during the Civil War. The Hatfields from West Virginia sided with the Confederacy while Kentucky’s McCoy family remained pro-Union. Though a Hatfield may have killed a McCoy during the war, the feud really heated up in 1878. when an argument over the ownership of a pig ended with yet another death.

Power is a fiery fuse when it comes to inciting a feud, especially the fascinating historical feud between the Medici and Pazzi families. In 15th-century Florence, no family was as powerful as the Medici family. While the Pazzis probably weren’t the only other family to feel threatened by Medici power, they were the only ones to do anything about it.

You think the Game of Thrones was something, what about the Yorks versus the Lancasters. Today, a monarch’s line of inheritance is understood and accepted enough that a feud would be extremely unlikely. However, that wasn’t the case in 15th century England. When King Henry VI, a Lancastrian, proved to be an unstable monarch, his York cousins launched a plot to overtake the throne.

Feuds will occur, and we will see them in books. Just not in this one.

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OK, we have finished up this arc of the Avengers Academy. A good capper for this series and the main story lines that have been running for the past 20 issues. Now it is on to the final two issues.

The theme for this week is horror movies. I am going to see if I can think of a horror movie that each picture reminds me of.

Ok. I am going with Night of the Demons. Something about the magic being wielded and a weird scene....I remember watching it in high school with a mess a friends during a Halloween party. And this one scene has stuck with me for years.

Ok, maybe not horror as we know it today, but the first Terminator movie has some downright creepy scenes that stay with you. The Terminator in the hotel room dealing with is dying skin. Yucky.

For some reason I am thinking about Scream and the first scene. Drew Barrymore wishes that she could have teleported out of that house. That would have saved the coroner a mess of work.

Have you seen Godzilla Minus One? If you have not, you should. I guess it is more of a monster movie, or action even, but it is one heck of a show. It really puts you in the mindset of Japan after the war, and the terror of the unknown.

What to say about The Ring or Ringu. It is a frightening horror movie that scared the pants off of us back in the late 90's. And the sight of the kid crawling through the TV just might be the creepiest thing ever.

The most infamous stomach horror scene of all time is, of course, from Alien. I mean, what can you say. The situation has ended, the victim looks fine, let's have some laughs...OH MY GOD WHAT IS COMING OUT OF HIS STOMACH! Yeah, good times.

In my opinion, one of the classic horror movies is Halloween. There is just a lot of perfect fear in that film, and there is a simplicity to it as well. The monster that just kills and has not feeling, and the ominous score. Chefs kiss.

And check out the bloody images on our website: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2024/06/09/avengers-academy-37-final-exam-part-4

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Sometimes you look at a story, and you think of things that pair perfectly with it. We do it all the time with beer, but what else can we pair with a story. How about music? Movies and TV shows have soundtracks, why not comic books? What about this comic book? I have an idea, let me know what you think. 

People

We're children, needing other children

Lovers, are very special people

A feeling deep in your soul

But first be a person who needs people

With one person, one very special person

No more hunger and thirst

I hope you enjoyed my interpretation of the classics. Join me again in another couple of weeks when we do this all over again.

This makes a lot more sense if you look at the webpage (OK, it does not make any sense, still):  https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2024/06/09/avengers-academy-36-final-exam-part-3/

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Ok, so things are not looking good for the home team. Powers stripped away, bad guy gloating, racist bad guys with questionable fashion sense...what are we to do? I have an idea, let's talk about something fun like the Portland Rose Festival! 

Looking at the pictures we chose for this book, you may think that I am crazy. Or you may have met me and know that I am. But that is beside the point. I can do anything I put my mind to, including but not limited to kneeing a giant in the head with my knee.

I always forget Rose Festival until it kicks in my door like an aggressive repo man just before summer.  It is an annual civic festival held during the month of June in Portland, Oregon. It is organized by the volunteer non-profit Portland Rose Festival Foundation with the purpose of promoting the Portland region. It includes three separate parades, along with a number of other activities, including plant-based crimes.

You may be tempted after seeing the beautiful floats covered in flowers and seeds to take a trip up to the Portland International Test Rose Gardens. I highly recommend that you do, as it is a very lovely area and one of my favorite spots in the city. What you should not do is take any cutting implement up to take the roses. It is frowned upon.

One of the highlights of the Rose Festival is the choosing of the Royal Court. Each local high school has a contest to determine their princess for the Rose Court, and then a queen is chosen from those young women. It is a pretty neat tradition...but I just remember who was chosen from my school my senior year, and it was a horrible choice.....but I digress.

Waterfront Park becomes a giant fun center with carnival games, rides, and stages. It is loud, full of an interesting cross section of the city, and full of the smells of food that will clog your arteries. I do not make it down there enough, but when I do go, I still find it very fun. The prices are insane, but that is what you get.

My favorite part of the entire festival is the fireworks. This is usually what kicks everything off. They are held in the Willamette River, which runs through the center of the city. Crowds gather on both sides of the river to watch the show in the air above them. And they rarely, if ever, cause people to become radioactive.

Well, I hope you learned something about our wonderful city and it's namesake festival. Come to town to check it out sometime.

You can see the art we discussed at our website: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2024/06/01/avengers-academy-35-final-exam-part-2/

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OK boys and girls, it is time to get ready for those final exams. In the case of the Avengers Academy, those tests are practical's. Before we sharpen those number 2 pencils, let's take a short pause and talk about some beaches. Why....well, if you read the book or listened to this podcast, you would have an idea of what we are talking about.

Besides the comic book, I recently had the opportunity to travel through some states that I have skipped over for years. While I did get to enjoy the bitter cold shoreline of the St. Croix River in Hudson Wisconsin, I eventually made it down to the white sands and backing sun of Pensacola beach. And let me tell you, that place was full of people that were not wearing hazmat suits.

Most of the people on the beach were wearing bikinis. Not me. I was in shorts and t-shirt. And that shirt stayed on thank you very much. But my shoes and socks came off. I just did not want to put the socks back on. They magically disappeared.

Now Oregon beaches are not like that. They are rocky affairs that mostly have a grey sky over them. I mean, they are charming as a trailer full of poodles, but they are an acquired taste. You go for the scenery, not the sun.

When it comes down to it, all beaches are great, except when you have to deal with people. People are the absolute worst. You come for a nice day on a sunny beach and there are all these people with the same idea as you. What a bunch of jerks.

And they can be rude. If all the golden age comics are correct, the beaches are full of muscle bound jerks who just want to kick sand in your face. Or get their dog to do it.

By the way, apparently most beaches have some ordinances about throwing knives or shuriken on the beach. Rule....the heck man.

But, they cannot take away kissing on the beach. No they cannot.

At the end of the day, you just need to get your kite or a book to read and enjoy the sand and the surf. Oh...and hello to Clinton. Thanks for chatting with me while I got this page together. Now get back to work.

You should check out the pictures at our website: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2024/05/05/avengers-academy-34-final-exam-part-1/

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Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need.  http://www.heroinitiative.org/