Dixie Square Mall

By the mid-seventies, Mall Culture would dominate middle America but in 1966 there were still mostly shopping centers which weren't quite the same thing. Here, though, 45 years ago this week, is the opening of an Illinois Mall that would later be seen in THE BLUES BROTHERS. Thanks to reader David P. for the heads up!

Plague of the Zombies

Hammer Films was thriving in 1966 with stylish, colorful new horror films for the sixties generation. Here's  a zombie film that predates NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD by two years.

My Dad

Happy Veteran's Day to my late father, veteran medical officer of World War II, photographed here in my room (note the Riddler poster on the wall) in October of '66.

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly--Trailer

After films like DJANGO and A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, the violent Italian versions of the American western movie caught on like wildfire throughout the world...except here in the US. Derided as "spaghetti westerns," most were never even released on these shores and the few that did were treated as B-movies if Clint Eastwood wasn't in them. One notable exception to that is THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY with its memorable score and general old-dfashioned epic feel!

Sean Connery For Jim Beam

Adventure Comics

One of my very favorite comic books, ADVENTURE COMICS, is the subject of my brand new blog, the goal of which is to take a look at each of the 500 plus issues of this venerable comic book. In 1966, the year I discovered comics, THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES was the featured series in the title. My first issue was the September one, probably on sale in July. I quickly picked up the previous two issues, featuring the scriptwriting debut of teenage writer Jim Shooter, from a friend. It was a big year for the LSH, staring with the above issue that killed off one of Triplicate Girl's three selves, leaving her as Duo Damsel. 

http://adventurecomicsblog.blogspot.com/

This was the issue where Star Boy accidentally killed someone and was forced to leave the group. Not yet a member, Dream Girl guest-starred.

Below is the first Jim Shooter issue. Wanting to make the books more like Marvel, the young man quickly showed his elders how to make good comics. In this first issue alone, he introduced four brand new characters while apparently planning all along to not only have one be a traitor but one die not that long afterwards. 

The two issues below were my favorites of '66. A two parter where a ton of stuff was going on, not the least of which was Superboy and Supergirl having to leave, "Sir Prize" and "Miss Terious" replacing them, the return of Bouncing Boy's powers and Lightning Lad's arm as well as a major role for Color Kid, a character created by a fan.

00 Division # 15

 A very Connery-esque painting on that first poster there of star Roger Browne, about whom all I could discover was the he was the one-time President of E.L.D.A. (English Language Dubbers Association).