NINJAS AND DRAGONS
Ninjas and Dragons is a weird little movie. You watch it and wonder if you’ve seen it before, what decade in came out in, how it had slipped through the cracks back in the day. Largely “inspired by” more familiar … Continued
Argentine lucha-ninja!
South America has a long history of lucha libre programs aimed at kids – less violent, driven by comic-booky characters and storylines, and full of super heroes, evil wizards, rasslin’ monsters and yes, martial artists. Here’s some cheapo He-Man knock-off … Continued
Ninja ads in comics
Want to chart the history of martial arts training (and exploitation media) in the U.S.? Just look at the ads that ran in comic books. They went from Judo to Karate to Kung-Fu to Ninja, decade by decade, always promising … Continued
WHISPER covers
As we saw yesterday, Marvel always seemed more interested in jobbing out hundreds of ninja to the claws of Wolverine than they were in developing a lasting ninja hero of their own. There were, however, several shinobi super heroes in … Continued
Marvel’s maligned shinobi
As its Iron Man 2 weekend, here’s a quick look at some Marvel comics takes on ninja throughout the decades. The b&w magazine era for Marvel Comics (ala the Curtis imprint) was soooooooo f’n cool! Deadly Hands was part B&W … Continued
SASUKE Book-n-Record
This kid’s book-and-record (flexi-disc that is) Sarutobi Sasuke: Ninja Shugyou (Ninja Training?) is from 1973, and I know little more than that. The art throughout its 10 cardboard pages is no great shakes – and is actually quite stiff at … Continued
Remco VHS art – 1986
The much-missed masters of cheap toy lines Remco released a He-Man-sized line of martial arts action figures from 1984-86 called Secret of the Ninja. Three sets were done in ’86 that included VHS tapes to ‘play along to’ – and … Continued
Another look: AKAI KAGEBOSHI
I think these still from the other Red Shadow, Akai Kageboshi, almost look better in B&W. The details of these astounding costumes are brought out better in higher contrast than they were in their decaying sepia-toned originals, which made up … Continued
Another look: KAIKETSU KUROZUKIN
The cambara Lone Ranger looks pretty damn cool in B&W, too, like something off a Saturday matinee serial reel. Although the color originals of these images, first seen here in August of 2009, are absolutely stunning. Kurotokagi has a great … Continued