J M Wetherington Sr

Comic Book Christmas Covers – The Tick: Giant Christmas Cavalcade

Posted on December 18, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

During the holiday season I’ll be posting some of my favorite comic books with a Christmas theme on their covers. Here’s “The Tick: Giant Christmas Cavalcade”

Spoon!!

Posted in Comic Books, Holidays | Tagged Christmas, comic books, The Tick | 2 Comments

Throwback Thursday – Christmas 1967

Posted on December 18, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

Christmas Day will be here in one week. On Christmas morning 47 years ago, a Monday, I was 12 years old and sitting next to my father on the couch as he opened a gift from my maternal grandfather. Dad is laughing and I’m laughing AND slightly shocked/embarrassed because the gift was a ceramic ashtray shaped like a man’s hand doing what we used to call “shooting a bird” and today is usually referred to as the middle finger salute. Even as my mother was taking the picture she was saying, “Don’t look Jeff, don’t look!” Too late, mom.

That’s my trombone case in the background; not sure why it’s in what was our living room instead of my bedroom. I had just entered 7th grade the previous September and, following a summer spent in Beginner Band, was the first chair trombonist and I practiced all the time so maybe I had been practicing the night before.

And please, no comments about how hard I’m rockin’ that plaid robe.

Posted in Family, Throwback Thursday | Tagged Family, Holidays, Throwback Thursday | Comments Off

Comic Book Christmas Covers – DC Comics Presents Superman and Santa Claus

Posted on December 17, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

During the holiday season I’ll be posting some of my favorite comic books with a Christmas theme on their covers. Here’s “DC Comics Presents Superman and Santa Claus”

Posted in Comic Books, Holidays | Tagged comic books, Santa Claus, Superheroes, Superman | 2 Comments

Star Trek: 50 Years Of Humanism

Posted on December 17, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

In addition to my love of almost all things Science Fiction, Star Trek has played a huge factor in my life since its debut 50 years ago and while the reasons are myriad (hope for mankind, the prominence of science, elimination of racism and bigotry, etc.) it all boils down to the promotion of Humanism.

This 15 minute compilation shares scenes from all the various TV incarnations that show how the underlying foundation of the entire Star Trek universe is the preeminence of Science and Humanism. If you’re a fan of Star Trek you’ll recognize some, most or all of the scenes that are spotlighted and if you’re not a fan it may help familiarize you with the overall philosophy of the goodness that is known as Star Trek.

Posted in Science, Star Trek | Tagged Humanism, science, star trek | Comments Off

Comic Book Christmas Covers – Giant Superhero Holiday Grab Bag

Posted on December 16, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

During the holiday season I’ll be posting some of my favorite comic books with a Christmas theme on their covers. Here’s Marvel Comics’ “Giant Superhero Holiday Grab Bag”

Posted in Comic Books, Holidays | Tagged comic books, Dr. Strange, Holidays, Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man | Comments Off

Firefighter Santa And Abby

Posted on December 16, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

Every year the Neighborhood Association where Cindy’s parents live hosts a community gathering for children on a December evening with snacks, cookies, warm apple cider, hot chocolate and a featured guest…Santa Claus, who arrives on a firefighter’s truck from the local fire station.

This year’s gathering was held Sunday night, December 14th and was one of the most well-attended I’ve ever seen. I estimate that there were 250 or so people there and at least 100 of them were children who wanted to see Santa. My middle granddaughter Abby was one of them and here are a few photos from the event.

Neighborhood Association Firefighter Santa Claus

Here comes Santa, not arriving on a sleigh pulled by 8 tiny reindeer but in the local fire station firetruck complete with lights and sirens.

The children are happy and excited to see Old Saint Nick.

My middle granddaughter Abby, having a heart to heart chat with Santa.

Whatever she said, it caused the Jolly Old Elf to laugh in joy.

A big hug for Kris Kringle.

Somebody is very happy!

Posted in Family, Holidays | Tagged Family, Holidays, Jolly Old Elf, Kris Kringle, Old Saint Nick, Santa Claus | Comments Off

Comic Book Christmas Covers – Christmas With The Super-Heroes

Posted on December 15, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

During the holiday season I’ll be posting some of my favorite comic books with a Christmas theme on their covers. Here’s DC Comics’ “Christmas with the Super-Heroes”

Posted in Comic Books, Holidays | Tagged Batman, comic books, Holidays, Santa Claus, Superheroes, Superman, Wonder Woman | 2 Comments

Orlando Kittinger Park F-4 Phantom Dedication Ceremony

Posted on December 15, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

If you’ve lived in Orlando very long you know the name Colonel Joe Kittinger. Colonel Kittinger is a decorated, retired Air Force pilot and former Vietnam era Prisoner of War, set a world record of space-diving from 102,000 feet above the earth in 1960 and then played a key role in assisting Felix Baumgartner who broke that record and set a new record of space-diving from 128,000 feet in 2012.

In 1992, Colonel Joe Kittinger Park was opened at the southwest corner of Orlando Executive Airport to honor the Orlando aviator. Yesterday, Kittinger was dedicating an F-4 Phantom II fighter jet like the one he flew in so many missions and my father-in-law, who was also a POW in Vietnam, was invited to attend as a VIP Guest. Here are some photos I took of the event.

Kittinger Park F-4 Phantom II Dedication

My father-in-law, who spent 6 1/2 years as a Vietnam POW, and my mother-in-law, listening to Colonel Joe Kittinger give his opening remarks.

The Color Guard presents The American Flag and the Florida State Flag.

Colonel Joe Kittinger speaking.

A flyover from East to West above the ceremony.

When asked by Colonel Joe Kittinger “How many veterans do we have here today?”, my father-in-law and many others stood and raised their hands.

The flyover planes return flying West to East and in the “Missing Man” formation.

Colonel Joe Kittinger is about to recognize his first VIP Guest at the ceremony…

…my father-in-law. “Colonel Glendon Perkins, who was a Prisoner of War for 6 1/2 years, will you stand…

…and his lovely wife, Kay. Will you stand as well Kay? Thank you both for your service, sacrifice and for attending today.”

I would estimate the crowd to be about 1,200 in size. Many, many Vietnam vets and their loved ones.

Posted in Family | Tagged Colonel Joe Kittinger, F-4 Phantom II fighter jet, Family, Florida, Kittinger Park, Orlando | 2 Comments

Original Star Trek TV Guide Listing

Posted on December 13, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

Back on September 8, 1966 the Original Star Trek TV series premiered in the 8:30 to 9:30pm time slot. I was 11 years old and if I’m remembering correctly I convinced my mom to let me stay up and watch it, even though it was a school night (remember, no VHS tape recorders or DVR’s back in the Stone Age). I was a huge fan of science fiction, being a child of the times, and tried to watch every “space” show that came on TV or appeared in books and magazines.

Here’s a shot of what TV Guide (my mom bought it every week at the grocery store on Friday night when she went shopping) showed for the listing of that premier episode. “Spaceman” Spock, jeez! They couldn’t even correctly identify him as a Vulcan. All I knew was I liked this “space” show much more than “Lost in Space” or some of the other kind of goofy science fiction shows and movies of the time. I’ve been a fan ever since.

Posted in Star Trek, Television | Tagged Captain Kirk, Leonard Nimoy, Spock, star trek, TV, TV Guide, William Shatner | Comments Off

Reading Old Comic Books – Famous Artists School

Posted on December 13, 2014 by J.M. Wetherington Sr.

I mentioned a few days ago that I was reading some old comic books that I enjoyed as a kid. I also mentioned in that same post;

Many thanks to my mom and dad who, even though we were a middle class income family, always found a way to buy me things like books, comic books, science kits, art courses and model kits…really anything they thought would contribute to my knowledge, entertainment and acquisition of different skills that I might use in later life.

The “art courses” phrase in there was in reference to the ad below for the Famous Artists School, which appeared in so many comic books and magazines such as the TV Guide.

Later the ads would be much shorter and simpler, with “Draw Winky” line art, but this early one with Norman Rockwell got my attention and sparked my interest. I took the test and passed (who didn’t?, lol!) and a salesman came by and sold my parents and I on enrollment in the Famous Artists School. It wasn’t cheap and they signed up to make monthly payments so I could enroll. Course assignments were completed at home and then mailed off for critiquing and instruction. I wish I still had those course materials, I’m not sure what happened to them. But seeing this ad brought back those memories.

My dream, as a boy of 8 to 16, was to draw for those very same superhero comic books I was reading. My talent was moderate and increased with practice and instruction, but I never really had the skill to excel at storytelling (framing and placement of characters and action), which was a major part of superhero comic book art. My life went in a different direction and other than some doodling and a short term attempt to return to drawing in the intervening years, I’ve never visited that area of my past again.

Maybe someday…

Posted in Art, Comic Books | Tagged comic books, Famous Artists School, Norman Rockwell | 5 Comments