Top 10 Under-rated Beauties

Under-rated beauties to me is any female that I don't hear much about how pretty/cute/gorgeous they are. At least here in the States there are certain female celebs that I keep hearing about how beautiful they are, and at least to me they are average at best.

10.Nicki Clyne

Best known for playing Cally on the remake of Battlestar Galactica. Nicki Clyne was a lady that I thought was cute. Then in 2010 I met her at Coast Con. In person she is a stunning beauty. On BSG she looked tiny. But in person she is even tinier. Plus she has such a radiant personality. She had a huge line of people wanting to meet her and get autographs. And she made sure to spend at least 10 minutes with each person.

09.Patricia Tallman

I first saw Ms Tallman in the 1990 Night of the Living Dead remake. And thought she was a nice looking lady. And like Nicki Clyne it wasn't until I met Ms Tallman at Coast Con 2012 that I realized how beautiful she is. She is another one that I saw make sure to take the time to talk to and interact with every fan that approached her. Most people know her from Babylon 5. But to me she will always be the woman that worked on so many George Romero films.

08.Gretchen Mol

Ms Mol has a classic 30's pin up model look to me. I first saw her in the fairly entertaining "Notorious Bettie Page" film. Where she played Ms Page. After that film I really didn't see her in anything. And had forgotten about her. Then I started watching Boardwalk Empire and she plays Gillian on the show. She has a timeless look to her. Plus her eyes just grab me.

07.Connie Britton

I am noticing a trend here. So far every woman on the list has red hair or reddish hair. Connie I noticed when she was on Spin City. And found her personality so damn cute on the show. After it went off the air I didn't see her for a few years. Then American Horror Story:Murder House started. Ms Britton played the mother. She actually got prettier as she got older. I also like how she isn't some super thin blonde generic lady.

06.Katee Sackhoff

Katee was the only good thing about Halloween Resurrection. Besides being super cute in the film. She was great as the bitchy blonde stereotype. But I really fell in love with her as Kara "Starbuck" Thrace on the Battlestar Galactica remake. I have always have a thing for a woman that you can tell would have your back in a fight. And Kara was a great example of that. It seems outside of Science fiction geek circles she is almost unknown. Which is kind of sad. Because she is a great actress who should be much better known.

05.Lily Rabe

Ms Rabe seems to have done lots of theater work. But very little other stuff. I noticed her in her small part in the first season of American Horror Story. But it was American Horror Story:Asylum that really made me take notice of her. Like Gretchen Mol, Lily Rabe has that pin up/timeless look to her. Plus she has an amazing smile.I was told she has a pretty big role in the currently airing American Horror Story:Coven.

04.Maggie Siff

Sure I saw her during her short stint on Mad Men. But it was when Sons of Anarchy started that I realized how attractive Maggie Siff is. She isn't a conventional beauty. But in my eyes she is one of the best looking women on TV currently. She is another woman where the first thing about her that I noticed was her eyes. In the newest season of Sons of Anarchy she has cut her hair. And it is about shoulder length. To me this look doesn't work as well for her as the longer hair. But she is still a very pretty lady.

03.Bordy Dalle

The former leader singer of The Distillers and Spinnerette, Brody Dalle is a great example of a woman is far from what the media pushes as the standard of beauty. I find her breath taking. I mentioned earlier that I like a lady who looks like she would have your back in a fight. And Brody looks like not only would she have your back but odds are she would be able to handle the fight all on her own. Sometimes it seems like she goes out of her way to downplay her looks. But even then she is still gorgeous. Plus there is just something about any woman that can play a guitar.

02.Fairuza Balk

When The Craft first hit theaters all my friends kept talking about how all the main cast, besides Ms Balk were "SO HAWT!" I had to disagree. Now Rachel True is a very pretty woman. But the other two ladies just didn't appeal to me. Fairuza Balk was the one I found the most attractive. With any woman the first thing I notice is their eyes. And Ms Balk has AMAZING eyes. They feel like they are looking at you and piercing into your inner being. Then you add in this "Don't fuck with me" attitude she projects. I wish she did more films or television work.

01.Linda Cardellini

What can I say. From the first 3 minutes of the first episode of Freaks and Geeks I have had a massive crush on Ms Cardellini. For awhile I thought maybe I was more attracted to the character she played. But then I saw her in the Scooby Doo movie and realized it was her beauty and personality that attracted me to her. She has a smile that brightens any room. Eyes that I can stare at for hours. Then a face that oozes cuteness. The only time I haven't found her mega attractive is the time frame when she was on ER and had blonde hair. Some women look good with blonde hair. But Linda Cardellini doesn't. Then you add in her great acting talent. She is good at dramatic and comedic roles. Even in run of the mill tripe like Legally Blonde she manages to rise above the LCD script and put in a standout role.

Top 5 directors

5.Tie

Todd Browning

Todd makes the list mostly for one film. That is Freaks. I had heard of this film for years. But never could find a copy. Then not too long after we finally got cable TNT aired it late one night. I recorded it. And once I got home from school the next day I sat down and watched it. Most horror from that era doesn't shock or scare me. But Freaks does. Todd may be better known for directing Dracula. But to me Freaks is a much better film.

Peter Jackson

If I was making this list before he made the Lord of the Rings trilogy he would rank much higher. I discovered Mr Jackson not too long after Bad Taste hit VHS. Once I saw that film I tracked down each of his films and loved them. Dead/Alive,Forgotten Silver,Meet the Feebles and The Frighteners are all some of my favorite films. Then I heard he was going to direct the LotR trilogy of films. I wasn't that excited. Because I didn't enjoy the novels. But since it was Peter Jackson I gave them a chance. I sat through Fellowship of the rings, bored the entire time. I have tried to watch The Two Towers 3 times and every time I end up falling asleep. His King Kong remake was lifeless. But for all his pre-LotR films he makes my list.

4.Stanley Kubrick

The first Kubrick film I saw was 2001. I had to be 8 or 9. After reading about how it was a classic of the science fiction genre I felt a strong need to see it. The 2 video stores we belonged to didn't have it. So I begged and begged my parents to join one that did. I rented it and didn't get it. When I was 15 I rewatched it and finally understood it. Then I saw Clockwork Orange,Full Metal Jacket,The Shining and pretty much every other Kubrick film. The only film of his I don't care for is Eyes Wide Shut. Mr Kubrick has a very distinct style. And is well know for being a perfectionist.

3.Lucio Fulci

Now most horror fans consider Dario Argento the master of Italian horror. And I do like Argento. But I prefer Lucio Fulci. The Gates of Hell was the first of his films I saw. And it hooked me and got me into Euro-horror. Over the years I have seen lots of his work. From the westerns he directed to even his version of the classic White Fang. My favorite is The Beyond. Fulci's horror work has this dream like feel too it that appeals to me. Another stand out is Cat in a Brain. Which is one of the best meta-fiction horror films I have ever seen. And at least in my opinion is the film Wes Craven ripped off with New Nightmare. I had a chance to goto the NYC Fango Con where Mr Fulci made an appearance. But I skipped it. I regret it. Not too long after that con Fulci died.

2.Bob Clark

Most people know Mr Clark as the director of  A Christmas Story. Or as the director of the 80s comedy classic Porkys. But how many people know about his horror films from the 70s. He directed the proto-slasher Black Christmas. Which is a very chilling film. Then there is the comedy/zombie film Children Shouldn't play with dead things. Bob Clark feels like a director that never gets the attention he deserves. Sadly he died a few years back. He was in a wreck caused by a drunk driver. And Mr Clark and his son were both killed.

1.David Lynch

Since seeing Blue Velvet I have been a huge David Lynch fan. I have seen every film,tv show and even commercial he has directed. He perfectly captures the feeling of having a nightmare. Sure most of his films require multiple viewings to even begin to understand what they are about. But outside of Dune, each film is worth watching. I am still amazed at what he got away with in Twin Peaks. It is one of the most subversive TV shows to air in prime time in the USA.

Top 10 Bands

The other day I was out in the yard doing some yardwork. And I was trying to think of some more Top 5 lists. Well I was listening to music and thought "Shit Newt do your Top 5 bands." So as I was stacking bamboo shafts I was trying to hash out my top 5. I realized I love too many bands. So it has morphed into a top 10 list.

10.Death

Just discovered them recently. But they have quickly become one of my favorite bands. Formed in the early 70s in Detroit Michigan. They were 3 brothers. And have this great protopunk sound. All they ever released as a single. But 4 or 5 years ago they got resdiscovered and the master tape of their unreleased album got released. If you are a fan of Alice Cooper,The Stooges,The Who or The MC5 check this band out.

9.The Distillers

Fronted by the gorgous Brodie Dalle, this punk band had a great raw sound. I discovered them pretty late in their career. What caught my attention at first was Brodie's voice. It is that rough ,gravely smoking 4 packs of cigs a day voice. They broke up and Brodie went on the sing lead vocals in the short lived band Spinerette.

8.The Stooges
Another great protopunk band from Detroit. Iggy has an amazing stage presence. It was their raw sound that caught me. Thanks to a friend I discovered the Stooges band when I was 12. Since then I have been a huge fan. I still hate that I missed them when they played Voodoo Fest a few years ago.

7.The Misfits
By the Misfits I mean only the Danzig era. I do enjoy a couple of the songs from when Graves was doing lead vocals. But the Danzig era is the best stuff. This is another group I discovered in my pre-teen years.I just wish Jerry Only and Glenn Danzig would settle their differences and we can get a proper Misfits reunion.

6.The Descendents
All the pop punk bands that hit it big in the late 90s/early 2000s owe so much to the Descendents. Loud,Fast and with amazingly clear and intelligent vocals. I actually first heard them when I was 8. Their song Weinersnitzel was lip synched on some TV talent show. My buddy told me that it was a Descendents song. Then he made me a copy of Milo goes to college. That copy found a permanent home in my walkman for years.

TIE 5. Bad Religion
I was about 14 when Suffer came out. I was in Record Bar looking for a new album to buy. The cashier had gotten to know me and knew what bands I was into. "Look little dude buy this album. If you don't like it bring it back and I will refund your money." I took a chance and HOLY FUCK. Then next week I was back and buying all their previous albums. And as good as their albums are it doesn't even compare to how great they are live. Seen them 2 times now. Rumors are flying that the current tour is their last tour. I would love to see them one more time.

TIE 5.NOFX

This was another band I discovered thanks to the great cashier at Record Bar. He told me to buy "White Trash,two Heebs and a Bean." I was back in the store the next day buy every NOFX album they had. I like how they can blend serious topics with comedy.

 4. Guns N Roses
It seems with the generation after me it has become the thing to hate Guns N Roses. Not really sure why. I was in Jr High when Appetite for Destruction hit. For about a year everyone was listening to them. It is an almost perfect album. I got to see them on the ill fated Faith No More/Metallica/Guns N Roses tour. Thanks to various issues the bad is a shell of what it use to be. With only Axl remaining out of the core group. But at least we got 2 great albums and one decent EP.

3.Helmet
I was shopping at Record Bar again. And saw "Helmet-Strap it on" I bought it on a whim. And feel in love with the band. The start/stop of they music. The jazz influences. All made them stand out from all the other early 90s metal bands. Seeing them live was great. But the best part was getting to sit at the bar and buy Paige Hamilton a drink.

TIE 2.Alice in Chains
They are really the only band I ever discovered through MTV. I caught Man in a box airing on Headbangers ball and was hooked. And I do love their album Facelift. But Dirt was the album that stuck with me. The raw pain and emotion Layne Staley brings to each song is haunting. Once I got that album it didn't leave my stereo for years. So happy I saw them 4 times before Layne's OD. I know they are still putting out music and touring. But with out Layne it just isn't Alice in Chains to me.

TIE 2.The Pixies
One of the few good things about one of my ex's is she introduced me to the Pixies.I still don't understand why there were not huge in the States. Almost everywhere else in the world they hit it big. But here they were at the most an underground sensation. They just recently reformed and released a new album. But they don't have Kim Deal and her vocals were a vital part of their sound.

1.The Ramones
No big surprise if you know me. I first heard them on Sha Na Na's weekly tv show. Then a few weeks later heard them on the radio. It started a obsession that has never ended. I own every album and so many bootleg concert recordings. The first time I got to see them they were opening for Pearl Jam. After the Ramones finished their set my ears were ringing so much I could barely hear. I got to see them two more times a few years later. Sadly over the past 13 years 3 of the 4 original members have died. But their music is one of the things that helped me survive the hell that was high school.

Top 5 favorite childhood TV shows

5.Greatest American Hero

As a kid I would watch any show that was based on a comic book or had super heroes in it. And this show hit at the perfect time. Also it has a great theme song. One that I currently have on my mp3 player.Lasting 3 seasons it was about a school teacher who gets a uniform from some aliens. This suit gives him super powers. But the teacher loses the instructions. So he has to learn as he goes. About a year ago I got the first season for $5 on DVD. And it actually holds up.

4.The Fall Guy

Lasting 5 seasons this hour long drama was a starring vehicle for Lee Majors. Lee played Colt Seavers, who is a movie stunt man. Who is also a bounty hunter. As I got older I started watching the show more often because the perky and very pretty Markie Post was on the show for a few seasons. Plus like Greatest American Hero, The Fall Guy has a great theme song. When I was in Army Training Corps my first night there we were all lined up to take a shower. There was 40 of us and 10 shower heads. So you had to wait till a shower head was empty. One of the guys waiting in line started singing the Fall Guy theme. And very quickly everyone joined in.

3.The Incredible Hulk

As far back as I can remember I have been into comic books and super heroes. I clearly remember my first day of kindergarten. And I remember wearing my favorite shirt that day. Which was my Hulk shirt. I was a huge Hulk fan because of this TV show. The late Bill Bixby played David Banner. Who traveled around the USA always one step ahead of the law. After it ended after 5 seasons I didn't see it again till sometime in the mid 2000s. Which is the time frame that the SciFi Channel started airing it. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as I remembered it. But it was. I really need to go and buy all the seasons on DVD. After the show had ended we got 3 made for TV movies. The first 2 were meant to be backdoor pilots for Thor and Daredevil TV shows.

2.The Addams Family

Ahh the Addams Family. The local UHF channel where I grew up showed this 3 days a week. Mondays,Wednesdays,Fridays it aired at 5pm. Right after all the cartoons. Being such a huge fan of the horror genre this show quickly became must see TV. As a kid I was never a fan of TV shows that were black and white. But that didn't bother me with this one. I love the morbid and dark sense of humor that permeates this show. It is another show that one day I will end up buying both seasons on DVD.

1.Batman

NA NA NA NA NA NA BATMAN!!! I first heard of this show when I was 4. My older cousin was over spending the weekend with us. He had just watched Superfriends with me and asked me if I had ever seen Batman. I had never heard of it. About 2 years later the same channel that aired The Addams Family started showing Batman at 4pm weekdays. I got quickly got hooked on this show. I love how almost every episode ends on a cliffhanger. Kind of like the old movie serials. Sadly because of various rights issues the show hasn't been released on DVD or Blu Ray. But if you look around on the Net or go to a convention you can find DVD sets of all three seasons. Maybe one day the rights issues will be cleared up and one of the best superhero live action shows will get a good digital release.

Top 5 Book series

5.Xanth novels by Piers Anthony

Starting in 1977, the Xanth series currently has 23 novels. Sent in a fantasy world, that is shaped like the state of Florida. The Xanth series is known for all the puns. In the world of Xanth everyone has a magical talent. With the more powerful talents being the people that are the Kings and Queens. I discovered this series of novels in the late 80s. I have now read about half of the books. All the ones I have read are light quick reads. But still really fun.

4.Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Starting in 1912 the Tarzan series has 24 novels in the official run. As a kid I first saw Tarzan thanks to the Filmation Saturday morning cartoon. Then after that I saw some of the Tarzan films. I loved the cartoon, but the films I didn't like. So I never bothered reading the novels. Then in 2008 I was at my local library and looking for something to read. I saw the first Tarzan novel on the shelf. Figured what the hell. That night I laid down at 9pm and started reading it. And 5 hours later I finished it. Then in 2010 at Coast Con I bought the other 23 novels for 10 cents each. Some of the ones I got have great Boris Vallejo artwork. The Tarzan of the novels is so different than the Tarzan of all those old films. He is a very intelligent man. And doesn't speak in the broken English that the film version did.

3.The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

The Dresden Files series of novels are about a detective who lives in Chicago who is also a wizard. There is currently 14 full length novels in the series. Plus a bunch of short stories. Plus a few comic books. I love how this series is a nice mixture of fantasy,horror,film noir and mystery. It is also one of the few series that I don't wait for them to hit paperback. As soon as a new novel comes out I buy the hardcover. Another great thing about this series is you can tell Mr Butcher has plotted out the story line. Stuff that happens in one novel might not come back up until 3 books later. Really my only complaint about this series is that I have to wait 12 to 14 months between each book.

2.Wild Cards edited by George R.R. Martin

This series started back in 1987 and is still has novels coming out today. I read the first book in 1988. The Wild Cards universe is a good example of "alternative timelines". The first book starts right after World War II. A group of humanoid aliens has sent a germ bomb towards Earth. It explodes and releases what gets nicknamed the Wild Card virus. 90% of the people that get the virus die. 9% end up being horribly mutated and get nicknamed Jokers. Then the lucky 1% gain superpowers. They are called Aces. These novels are usually a collection of short stories. That are all tied into each other. Lots of well know fantasy and science fiction authors have stories in the Wild Cards novels. There is currently a total of 21 novels in the series. With 2 more planned.

1.The Dark Tower series by Stephen King

Now it is no secret I am a huge Stephen King fan. But with Mr King my favorite books from him are the 9 books in the Dark Tower series.The first novel "The Gunslinger" was originally published as 5 short stories that came out in various genre fiction magazines between the years of 1978 and 1981. Then in 1982 they were combined into one novel and published. Then every 3 or 4 years a new book in the series was published. With book 7 "The Dark Tower" published in 2004. In 2003 King went and revised The Gunslinger and republished it. After the publication of The Dark Tower everyone thought the series was over. But in 2012 The wind through the keyhole was published. This novel takes place between books 4 and 5 of the series. This series of novels is a weird mixture of western,science fiction,horror and just pure fantasy. I have read each book in the series at least 3 times. When I finished the 7th novel I immediately picked up book 1 and started again. Now for anyone that is going to read this be warned. The first book is a hard read. At least the original version of it is. The revised version is a little easier to read. But stick to it. Because with book 2 it really picks up and that is where most people get hooked. There is also a bunch of comic book mini series that help fill in some gaps in the stories.

Top 5 Kids books

5.Endless Quests books

I had at least 9 of these books when I was a kid. They were the TSR/Dungeons and Dragons versions of the mega popular choose your own adventure books. By the time I was 8 I had started playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons with some friends. So having a game-book version of it was right up my alley.

4.Thirteen ways to sink a sub

I got this book from the school book fair when I was in 4th or 5th grade. The plot is simple. The 4th grade class has their first substitute. So they plan on making her cry. I must have read this book 2 or 3 times a year for years. There is at least 3 more books in this series.

3.Monster of the year

Another book I got from the book fair. The cover grabbed my eye. 2 kids get a billboard for their birthdays. So they make a mock ad for a Monster of the Year contest. Then all kinds of classic monsters start showing up. It is another I read over and over and over. I am tempted to track down a copy.

2.Choose your own Adventure books

When I was in elementary school the CYOA books were hot. Everyone read them. I had over 40 of them back then. I ended up giving them all away. Which I regret now. So any time I see used books I look for CYOA books. And got about 20 of them now.  CYOA are game-books like the Endless Quests novels. But CYOA are known for having some great endings. Most of the books had maybe 2 good endings and the rest were all bad. You would end up dying in graphic ways.

1.The Thief of Always

Now this novel I didn't read as a kid. Because it didn't get published until I was in my 20s. When I heard about it I was wondering "What the fuck a kids book written by Clive Barker." And the book turns out to be as twisted as you would expect a kids novel written by Mr Barker to be. A young boy runs away. And discovers this house that is paradise for a kid. For years now I have heard that the novel is being made into a film. But so far nothing has come out of that.

Top 5 DC teams

5.Forgotten Heroes

Originally made up of the following heroes  Animal Man,Cave Carson,Congorilla,Dolphin,Dane Dorrance,Rick Flag Jr,Rip Hunter and the Immortal Man. They only made a few appearances pre-Crisis. Post-Crisis they showed up in the Resurrection Man title. I love the pre-Crisis team because of how it was a group of almost unknowns. Plus it has Animal Man.

4.New Teen Titans

In the early 80s I wasn't reading much from DC. But New Teen Titans caught my attention. Unlike the older Titans team,which was mostly made up of sidekicks, this team was a nice mixture of sidekicks and new characters. With 3 new characters created just for this series. Starfire, the alien Princess who comes to Earth to escape her crazy sister. Raven,the daughter of a demon who helps form the Titans so they can defeat her father. And then Cyborg,a former high school all star athlete who had to have most of his body replaced with robot parts. Also I love that former Doom Patrol member Changling was brought in. Then you add in Marv Wolfman writing the series and George Perez doing the pencils, you end up with one of the 80s best series.

3.Atari Force

This series started off as 5 comics that came with various Atari 2600 games. I loved them. So when I saw the first issue of the second series on the spinner rack I had to grab it. This second series was one of the best science fiction series of the 80s. In many ways it reminds me of the UK classic science fiction show Blake's 7. Sadly thanks to rights issues this series will not be reprinted. And the Atari Force more than likely won't appear again. Thankfully the second series is easy to find in the cheap bins. I managed to get all 20 issues for around a buck an issue.

2.All Star Squadron

Set in the World War II era, this series was set on Earth 2. I loved how Roy Thomas used all the various heroes that DC had bought the rights too. And All Star Squadron gave some lessor known characters the chance to shine. Then the Crisis happened. And this series got royally fucked.  This is another series that I managed to get a run of out of the cheap bins.

1.Doom Patrol

I have went back and read lots of the Silver Age Doom Patrol run. I do enjoy them. But the second series was so much better. Once Grant Morrison took over the comic went places that very few comics have ever been. How can you hate a comic that has a living sentient street. Or Crazy Jane, a woman that has multiple personality disorder. With each personality has a different power. Then there is Dorthy Spanner, a simian looking young lady. Who can bring her imaginary friends to life. Or Rebis, a  hermaphrodite who has the minds of 3 different people. 

Top 5 Marvel teams

5.Power Pack

4 kids,who are brothers and sisters, gain super powers from an alien that looks like a humanoid horse. One of the first times I went into a comic shop I asked if they had back issues of Power Pack. And the owner laughed at me. At the time Power Pack was laughed at in geek circles. Which is funny because now they are loved. I read the original series for almost 40 issues. Then stopped reading it. Mostly because I didn't have enough money to buy all the comics I wanted each month.

4.DP7

Yeah I know they are New Universe, so technically not Marvel. But it was published by Marvel. The White Event happens and people start developing super powers. A group of 7 people all end up in a clinic in the mid west. For some of them having the powers is a blessing. But for most it is  a curse. Like Scuzz, his sweat is highly acidic. So he can not touch anyone. The series lasted 36 issues and 1 annual. But was never a big seller. I am pretty sure the late Mark Grunwald wrote every issue. I was fucking sad when this series ended. Marvel has brought back DP7 a few times. But without Grunwald it isn't the same.

  3.Excalibur

Most people of my generation loved the X-men. With Wolverine being the most popular. Now I like Wolverine. But my favorite X-men were always Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler. With Rachel Summers being another favorite. So when a new series started with those three, plus Captain Britain and Megan, I jumped right in. This series started at the perfect time. The X-men comic had started going to shit. With constant crossovers. And it had lost the sense of humor that I loved. Excalibur had the humor, plus it was rare for a crossover. And then you throw in Alan Davis on the pencils, you got a comic that I loved then and still love.

2.Squadron Supreme

I was introduced the the Squadron Supreme in the pages of Marvel 2 in 1 and the Defenders. Then the Mark Grunwald written 12 issue maxi series came out. The Squadron's world had been decimated. So they took over  and tried to create a Utopia. It was a great story that deconstructed the superhero mythos. And this happened a year before Watchmen came out. Lots of fans consider Watchmen to be the best mini series ever.But to me Mark Grunwald's year long Squadron Supreme series is better. When Mr Grunwald died, his ashes were mixed in with the inks for the first printing of the trade paperback collection of this ground breaking series. Decades later JMS tried to reinvent the Squadron. But his version wasn't good.

1.The Defenders

For 152 issues and a handful of Annuals and Giant Sized issues The Defenders were one of the strangest teams in the Marvel Universe. Know as the "un-team". Mostly because the roster was always changing. You never knew who would join the team. They started off with 4 members. Hulk,Namor,Silver Surfer and Dr Strange. But over the course of the series people like Hawkeyes, Nighthawk,Valkyrie,Angel,Iceman,The Beast and The Gargoyle joined.  The stand outs were the runs where either the late Steve Gerber or Steve Engelhart were writing. The last 2 years of the series there was major changes. The original four members all quit. And Angel took over as leader. From what I have heard the comic was selling pretty well. But because they needed Angel,Iceman and the Beast for the upcoming X-factor team, The Defenders was canceled. Marvel has tried many times since then to bring the Defenders back. But each time it has bombed badly.

Top 5 actors

And by actors I mean males. I plan on doing a top 5 actresses post one day.

5.Bruce Campbell

Of course the first thing I saw him in was Evil Dead. But since then I had seen so many low budget horror and science fiction films with Mr Campbell. Usually he brings the right blend of seriousness and comedy to each role. Now I love Evil Dead and Evil Dead II, but my favorite film with Bruce is Bubba Ho Tep. It helps that I am a huge Joe R Lansdale fan. Plus it is such a strange idea for a film. Elvis and JFK in an east Texas nursing home. Fighting a mummy that steals souls.

4.Vincent Price

As a young kid I saw House on Haunted Hill late one Halloween night. And that started my love of Vincent Price films. Mr Price has an aura around him that could make even the cheapest cheesiest film work. Over the years I have seen at least half of the 100 films he made. And my favorite film with him is always changing. Currently it is Madhouse. A film I had never heard of until recently. Another stand out was the sadly short lived "13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo" cartoon. Where Mr Price had a starting role. Right before Halloween in 1993 Mr Price died. And not just the horror industry but the film industry lost a true legend.

3.Robert Carradine

The younger brother of David, I first saw Robert in the 80s comedy classic Revenge of the Nerds. And for a very long time that is all I knew him from. It wasn't until the early 2000s that I discovered he had done a handful of drive in classics back in the 70s. In 1976 he played the lead in the Crown International film "The Pom Pom Girls". Robert is the school's star quarterback. And spends most of the film pulling pranks on their cross town rivals. But the one film from that era that everyone should see is "Massacre at Central High". Also from 1976 this is a  strange film about various high school cliches. Robert is great as Spoony. And kind of proto-punk/hippie. Most people younger than me will best know him as the Dad on the hit Disney Channel show Lizzie McGuire.

2.Michael Chiklis

Before "The Shield" all I knew Mr Chiklis from was "The Commish" and that Mel Gibson made for TV film about the 3 stooges. I didn't realized that he had played John Belushi in the film "Wired". Yes I am one of the 10 people that saw "Wired" in a theater. When "The Shield" started I wasn't going to watch it. I am just not into shows or films really about cops. But something told me to watch the first episode. And while it was good, those final 8 minutes hooked me. And from then till the show ended every Tuesday night at 9pm central I was watching it. Michael Chiklis as Vic Mackey created a character that I had never seen on an American TV show. You hated him for being a piece of scum. But each week you were cheering him on and hoping that whatever scheme he was planning would work. Also he was the only good thing about those 2 horrible Fantastic Four films. Sadly since the Shield ended Mr Chiklis has had bad luck with TV shows. "No Ordinary Family" was fun but lasted one season. And just recently he was on the "Vegas". Another great show that only got one season.

1.Steve Buscemi

I know big surprise. The first thing I remember seeing Steve in was "Airheads". A average 90s comedy. But Mr Buscemi was great in it. Not that long after that I saw Reservoir Dogs. Where Steve steals the show as Mr Pink. He has been the only good parts of horrible films like Armageddon and Con Air. What I love is he is great at comedic and dramatic roles. 4 years ago he got the lead on Boardwalk Empire. As Nucky Thompson a corrupt Atlantic city political power. That show is one of the few I make a point to see. Another thing about Mr Buscemi that made me a huge fan is what he did after 9/11, Before his acting career took off, Steve was a NYC firefighter. After 9/11 he left the set of the film he was in and went back to help out his old firehouse for some weeks. Unlike some celebs after that horrible event, Steve didn't want media attention for what he was doing. He just wanted to help out. I have only seen one interview where he even talks about this. And maybe 3 pictures from this time. That right there increased my fandom and the amount of respect I have for Mr Buscemi.

Top 5 childhood favorite wrestlers.

5.Mike The California Hippie Boyette

I first saw Mike Boyette in the Mid  South/UWF territory. When he came out my parents told me about how they use to watch him wrestle in Gulfport against the Fields brothers. In all my years watching Mid South/UWF I never saw Mike win a match. But I never cared. He entertained me. It wasn't until I got online in the mid 90s that I learned that Mike Boyette was considered one of the best bumpers of his era. Sadly Mike passed away in December 2012.

4.Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert

Eddie is another I discovered thanks to UWF. While most of the time he was the manager of the Sting and Rick Steiner tag team. Eddie did wrestle. Plus he always had the gorgeous Missy Hyatt at his side. In my eyes Eddie had it all. He was good in the ring. Amazing on the mic. And from what I have heard he had a good mind for the backstage stuff. It seems his height and his issues with drugs are what really held him back from being an even bigger name in the wrestling business. Eddie Gilbert died in February 1995 from a heart attack.

3.Jerry the King Lawler

I didn't just watch Mid South/UWF as a kid. I watched lots of Memphis or as I think it was known back then CWA. And of course if you think about Memphis wrestling in the late 70s till the mid 80s you have to mention the King. It didn't matter to me if Lawler was a heel or face I would cheer him. I know when he dropped the strap shit was about to go down. Jerry could work with anyone. He got good matches out of people that no one else could.Plus the angle with Andy Kaufman. I remember getting my parents to record their appearance on the David Letterman talk show. So I could watch it the next day.I just wish I could have gotten to see Lawler live back in that era.

2.Terry Bam Bam Gordy

I love the Freebirds. And out of the three Terry Gordy was the best. I was so happy when Terry won the UWF heavyweight title. Then he held it for 6 months. To then lose it to One Man Gang, because Terry got injured. I also got to see some of Gordy's stuff when the Freebirds were in WCCW. One of the best matches I have seen live was Terry Gordy and Steve Dr Death Williams vs The Steiner Brothers. This match was the main event of Beach Blast 92. And is the best tag match I have seen live. Terry Gordy died of a heart attack, caused by a blood clot on July 16, 2001. He was 40 years old.

1.Steve Dr Death Williams

And my favorite childhood wrestler. Who is in my top 5 of all time. Steve Williams was the man in UWF. I remember watching a hour long match between Dr Death and Dick Murdoch from the UWF tv show. I think the match was to determine who got a shot at the UWF Heavyweight title. When UWF folded and was absorbed by JCP I figured Steve Williams would quickly get a NWA world title shot against Ric Flair. But JCP didn't do this. Steve ended up teaming up with Terry Gordy and spending most of the rest of his wrestling career in Japan. Where he became a legend. I am very happy that I got to see Dr Death 4 times live. Steve Williams passed away in December of 2009. He had been fighting cancer for years. But it was a battle that Steve lost. RIP Mr Williams.