Robert E. Wronski Jr.'s Blog, page 11

TVCU #39 - Matthew Dennion & Josh Torrito

Kaiju, Frankenstein, and Oz--oh my!

Stranger Things, Matthew Dennion & Josh Torrito

This Saturday, August 20, the TVCU Crew will be recording episodes 38 and 39 of the Television Crossover Universe podcast from Castle Wolfenstein on the Grand Guignol Network. 
[image error]

In Episode 38, Robert, James, Ivan and Chris will be joined by special guest co-host Patsy the Angry Nerd, host of Throwdown Thursday.  We'll be discussing the new Netflix original series, Stranger Things, and all the crossovers found within.  This will be another spoiler filled episode, so listen with caution.


In Episode 39, Robert, Ivan, James and Chris will be talking with returning guest Matthew Dennion!  He will be returning to discuss his recent releases, some of which he had alluded to on his previous appearance, in episode 10 from February 16, which you can find in the column at the right of this page.  He'll also be making some announcements about some upcoming releases!!!
Also joining us for episode 39 will be Josh Torrito, the artist for Frankenstein's Monster goes to Oz!!!

New episodes of the show are released every Tuesday. You can check out the latest episode at the link provided in the upper right hand corner of this page.

And please join us on Facebook to discuss the episodes. Feel free to join us before the show to post any questions you have for our guests, and then feel free to join us after the shows to provide feedback.

Erik Burnham and David MacDowell Blue

This Saturday, August 6, Robert E. Wronski, Jr., James Bojaciuk, Ivan Schablotski and Chris Nigro will be recording episodes 36 and 37 of the Television Crossover Universe podcast from Castle Wolfenstein on the Grand Guignol Network.  
[image error][image error][image error][image error][image error]

In Episode 36, Robert, James, Ivan and Chris will be talking with special guest Erik Burnham, writer of IDW's Ghostbusters ongoing series, as well as numerous other works.  
Erik Burnham was our second guest on our show, and the first to accept an invite onto the show. so we are super excited to have him back to talk more about Ghostbusters and his newly released Tobin's Spirit Guide!
[image error]
In Episode 37, Robert, James, Chris and Ivan will be talking with special guest David MacDowell Blue, playwright, graphic artist and vampire expert.  
David has a special history with the TVCU, as a longstanding member of the extended TVCU Crew, designer of our website's original logo, and the first caller on our previous 2012 version of the Television Crossover Universe Podcast.  
Both episodes will be available in the rss feed and in iTunes.  New episodes are released every Tuesday.  
We will post those links here.  And please join us on Facebook to discuss the episodes.  Feel free to join us before the show to post any questions you have for our guests, and then feel free to join us after the shows to provide feedback.

G-8/Captain Midnight/Jet Jackson

[image error][image error][image error][image error]

The next blog posts I'll be covering, when time permits, will be Captain Midnight and the Shadow, both characters with roots in old time radio. The TVCU website doesn't cover radio often, as it's technically not on-screen, but it is a precursor medium that involved voice actors. I have previously covered some old time radio in my posts on the Green Hornet and Superman. With the Shadow, who has A LOT of crossovers already covered by a "crossoverologist" elsewhere, I may just stick to Shadow crossovers with other radio, television, and/or film series.



Winter 1892--DOC SAVAGE:  HIS APOCALYPTIC LIFE/MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES MAGAZINE # 1--"The Life Story of King Kong"--Birth of Bruce Hagin Rassendyll, brother of Kent Allard (THE SHADOW) and half-brother of Richard Wentworth (THE SPIDER).  His father is Ralph Rassendyll, cousin of Rudolph Rassendll (THE PRISONER OF ZENDA).  Bruce will later go by the alias Jim "Red" Albright, and will have a heroic career first as G-8 then later as Captain Midnight.  Bruce will also be the uncle of Cordwainer Bird.  

1914 to 1918--The main era of adventures of G-8.



February to June 1916--THE ADVENTURE OF THE PEERLESS PEER--Holmes teams with Tarzan.  Other crossover connections are:  THE SHADOW, G-8, ALLAN QUATEMAIN, SIR HENRY MERRIVALE, and DR. GIDEON FELL.  

1917--DAREDEVIL ACES--"Dynamite Cargo"--G-8 meets the Red Falcon.  

Spring 1918--G-8 AND HIS BATTLE ACES--"Grun-The Green Terror!"--Herr Grun and Herr Doktor Krueger meet for the first time.  Krueger is in possession of the "Einstein-Steinmetz-Edison time dislocator".  

Winter 1918--DARE-DEVIL ACES--"Flight of the Vultures"--The Red Falcon is assisted by G-8.

1918--G-8 AND HIS BATTLE ACES--"Fangs of the Sky Leopard"--G-8 again teams with the Red Falcon.  

1918--G-8 AND HIS BATTLE ACES--"Red Wings for the Death Patrol"--The third team-up between G-8 and the Red Falcon.  

1918--G-8 AND HIS BATTLE ACES--"Red Wings Raiding"--The final recorded team-up between G-8 and the Red Falcon.  

October 1918--Based on theories from published Farmerian essays and stories, Jim "Red" Albright, the brother of Kent "the Shadow" Allard, changes his call sign from G-8 to Captain Midnight.  

[image error]

THE BLOODY RED BARON: ANNO DRACULA 1918 (NOVEL BY KIM NEWMAN)Release Date:  November 1995 (Setting is 1918)Series:  Anno DraculaAnimated Series Crosses:  PeanutsOther Crosses:  The Shadow; Biggles; Sherlock Holmes; The Vampyre; Ashenden; The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari; Fantomas; Dr. Thorndyke; Bulldog Drummond; The Saint; The Island of Doctor Moreau; Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Batman (Silver Age); Harry Flashman; Doc Savage; Captain Midnight; Sidney Reilly; Lord Peter Wimsey; Lady Chatterley’s Lover; Arrowsmith; The Sun Also Rises; Averoigne; Enemy Ace; Grave of the Vampire; Hellraiser; Dawn Patrol; Robur the Conqueror; La Bete Humaine; Alraune; The Great Gatsby; A Rebours; The Black Cat; All Quiet on the Western Front; Sadie Thompson; Lemora; The Blue Angel; The Roaring Twenties; Gigi; Tarnished Angels; The Good Soldier Svejk; Jules et Jim; Le Roi de Coeur; The Last Flight; Billy Bunter; Judex; Dad’s Army; The Vampire Thrills; The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp; Faustine; Citizen Kane; The Bridge on the River Kwai; Oh! What a Lovely War; Paths of Glory; Metropolis; The Spy in Black; Near Dark; Forever Knight; Parade’s End; The Heap; Where Eagles Dare; Fright Night; Journey’s End; Dracula; The Big Parade; Anak Pontianak; The Blue Max; Necroscope; Revelations in Black; The Dragon Waiting; Paths of Glory; Under Two Flags; Doctor WhoThe Story:  During World War I, 30 years afte the events of Anno Dracula, the Diogenes Club tries to stop the Nazies from creating undead fighter pilots.  
Notes:  The Anno Dracula Universe is a divergent timeline, where Dracula married Queen Victoria during the events of Bram Stoker’s novel.  This led to a very different reality.  Snoopy appears in this story, having been shot down by the Red Baron.  In the main Cartoon Universe, Snoopy’s battles with the Red Baron didn’t really happen, and were merely part of Snoopy’s imagination.  It seems that in this divergent timeline, Snoopy indeed existed as a pilot in World War I, placing those imaginary scenarios and two popular songs in this divergent timeline.  Perhaps the Snoopy of the main reality gets visions of his alternate timeline counterpart, which inspire his playtime.  Other crosses listed above are also divergent versions that exist in the Anno Dracula timeline.

[image error]
Summer 1921--TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN VOLUME 2: GENTLEMEN OF THE NIGHT--"A Jest, To Pass the Time"--A mystery man sends several thieves off to find the legendary Moonstone. G-8 has a crossover. Too many others. Win Scott Eckert's Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World painstakingly reveals every crossover in the Tales of the Shadowmen series.
[image error]

MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES MAGAZINE # 1 “THE LIFE STORY OF KING KONG” (STORY BY JIM HARMON)Release Date: June 1, 1974 (Setting is 1931)Series: King Kong (original)Non-Horror Crosses: G-8; Captain Midnight; The Spider; The Shadow; Smilin’ Jack Martin; Tailspin Tommy; Jimmie Allen; TarzanThe Story: In this essay, Jim Harmon speculates on the events of King Kong. Specifically, he believes that the bi-planes that attacked Kong were actually flown by Captain Midnight (also known as G-8), Smilin’ Jack Martin, Tailspin Tommy and Jimmie Allen.
Notes: Harmon speculates G-8 (the pulp hero) and Captain Midnight (the radio hero) are one and the same character, having used both identities at different times in his career. He also says he does not believe the rumor that G-8 did “hide in the shadows like some creeping spider.” This is a reference to Farmer’s assertion in Tarzan Alive that G-8, the Shadow, and the Spider were actually one person with multiple personalities, which he later altered in Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life to say they were brothers. Smilin’ Jack Martin and Tailspin Tommy were comic strip aviators. Jimmie Allen was a radio aviator hero.
November 1931--CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT--Red Albright (aka Bruce Hagin Rassendyll) begins his new adventures as Captain Midnight on a fairly more regular basis, with Chuck Ramsay, Patsy Donovan, Joyce Ryan, and Ichabod Mudd, who Win Scott Eckert believes to be an ancestor of Star Trek's Harcourt Fenton Mudd.


Early 1930s?--CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT CHRONICLES--"Death Master of the Secret Island"--Midnight uncovers an island that may have been inhabited by an ancient Cthulhu cult.
March 1937--CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT CHRONICLES--"Captain Midnight at Ultima Thule"--Midnight battles the German pulp hero Sun Koh with revelations of a link to ancient Opar! Other crossovers linked in this story include: SKYLARK, THE COMING RACE, G-8, LANCE STAR, FU MANCHU, ARSENE LUPIN, THE WORKS OF PHILIP JOSE FARMER, KING KONG, SHERLOCK HOLMES, OPAR, and TARZAN. Note that the "Wold Newton Universe" is not the Television Crossover Universe. There are some stories that fit within both shared realities, but there are some contrary methodologies between the TVCU (and its published counterpart, the Horror Universe) and the Wold Newton Universe (and its published counterpart, the Crossover Universe). We tend to include things here that might get relegated to alternate realities in Eckert and Sean Levin's crossover works. It makes since, as Eckert's Crossover Universe begins with Farmer's work at its center, a more pulp/victorian literature focused center. While we include that type of work, based on our methodology, the TVCU's center is "Lucy meets Superman", and the Horror Universe centers on Abbott and Costello Meets Frankenstein, so we often allow for a more surreal, sillier reality. While the WNU/CU is the secret history of the world outside your window, the TVCU is absolutely not the real world, and is the world seen on screen. But as I said, there are many stories that fit in both, including published stories that adapt the Farmerian method, and as a completist, and thorough researcher, I must adhere to my crossover methodology and include theories that make it into published works and deem them as official for TVCU purposes. Out of respect for the crossover research of Eckert and Levin, certain entries that have A LOT of crossovers, particularly if they are not TV/film related, I choose to only briefly mention the story synopsis and list the crossovers involved, but not go into too much detail on the specifics of the crossovers. Eckert and Levin have some fine books and websites that go into much greater detail on pulp and victorian literature crossovers. I'll stick to talking about mostly on-screen stories, my area of expertise.
[image error]
Summer 1939--CAPTAIN SPECTRE--A bunch of kids learn that their favorite radio hero, Captain Spectre, is real, which leads them to theorize that other fictional heroes may actually exist. This story has crossover links to: TARZAN, JOHN CARTER, DOC SAVAGE, THE SHADOW, THE SPIDER, CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT, and THE GREEN HORNET.

December 1940--AIRBOY!/G-8--This crossover is the first meeting of Airboy and G-8, but the later Airboy/Midnight crossover seems to make them seem like a first meeting.  Perhaps that was an intentional mislead from Midnight to not give away his previous identity.  G-8 became Midnight allegedly in 1918.  Perhaps Midnight maybe occassionally slipped between identities, just as he sometimes returned to his Midnight identity during his Jet Jackson era.  
December 1940--IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN 3: EVEN MORE NEW STORIES OF OLD-TIME RADIO--"Jack Armstrong and the Hoard of Montezuma"--Jack Armstrong on an expedition to find Montezuma's treasure. Other crossovers include: CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT, NICK CARTER, SHERLOCK HOLMES, THE SPIDER, THE GREEN HORNET, and DON WINSLOW.

Early 1940s?--CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT CHRONICLES--"Captain Midnight Meets Airboy"--The two legendary pilots work together.


1942--PULP DETECTIVES--"The Nazi Spider Staffel"--This Lone Eagle adventure has crossovers with: SECRET AGENT X, HOGAN'S HEROES, G-8, and THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE.

World War II--RETURN OF THE ORIGINALS: BATTLE OF L.A.--G-8 teams with THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE, THE BLACK BAT, and THE DOMINO LADY. SECRET AGENT X is also involved.
June 1945--LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION--"Chance of a Ghost"--This Green Ghost adventure includes crossover links to: LOVECRAFT'S CTHULHU MYTHOS, THE SHADOW, THE SPIDER, THE GREEN LAMA, SECRET AGENT X, THE SAINT, THE WHISPERER, THE BLACK BAT, NERO WOLFE, CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT, THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE, THE DOMINO LADY, KI-GOR, PIMPERNEL SMITH, THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, DOC SAVAGE, THE WORKS OF PHILIP JOSE FARMER (commonly known as the Wold Newton Universe), JULES DE GRANDIN, THE WORKS OF WIN SCOTT ECKERT (the successor to Philip Jose Farmer), and THE FILMS OF QUENTIN TARANTINO. This story works within the framework established by Farmerians that in this fictional universe, the real world NYC commissioner is the commissioner of this fictional reality, and all the other NYC police commissioners seen in fiction are actually assistant commissioners assigned to particular burroughs of New York.
Fall 1945--IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN 2: MORE NEW STORIES OF OLD-TIME RADIO--"The Maker of Werewolves"--THE AVENGER (Jim Brandon) battles Doctor Krueger, who claims to have once been known as Moriarty. THE SHADOW appears at the end to advice Brandon to use his power of invisibility only for good.

Summer 1953--THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF NYOKA, THE JUNGLE GIRL # 1 - 3--Nyoka meets Chuck Ramsay, former sidekick of CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT.


1954 to 1958--CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT--Captain Midnight was a daring, jut-jawed war hero who led a mysterious government group known as the Secret Squadron. Midnight, his comic sidekick Icky, and the rest of the Squadron traveled around the globe stomping out evil. When the show went into syndication, Midnight's name became Jet Jackson, and the show's title was changed.




Winter 1971--IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN--"Any You Walk Away From"--Captain Midnight teams up with Sky King.

October 1973 to 1974--GREATHEART SILVER--Allegedly the deaths of many great heroes of the pulp era, including G-8. However, an explanation for the reappearance of some of these heroes later on may be reconciled here. Other crossovers include: DOC SAVAGE, THE SHADOW, THE AVENGER, JAMES BOND, PETE RICE, LONE RANGER, THE SCORPION, THE OCTOPUS, DR. YEN SIN, FU MANCHU, DR. DEATH, WU FANG, DAN FOWLER, SECRET AGENT X, THE SPIDER, DOC HARKER, THE SILVER BUCK, THE GREEN LAMA, CAPTAIN SATAN, THE CRIMSON MASK, THE SCARLET WIZARD, THE MOON MAN, THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE, THE WHISPERER, OPERATOR # 5, THE BLACK BAT, THE GREEN GHOST, CAPTAIN ZERO, TREASURE ISLAND, and DAVID COPPERFIELD.



Summer 1990--THE SPIDER'S WEB: STARRING WEB-MAN--"The Web of Time"--G-8's foe, Herr Gunn, travels from 1918 to the future to encounter Web-Man.



1998 to 2001--THE FAMOUS JETT JACKSON--After having spent years in California working as the TV action hero Silverstone, Jett Jackson decides to move the show to his hometown in hopes of pursuing a more normal life.



2000--PLANETARY: ALL OVER THE WORLD AND OTHER STORIES--Archaeologists discover a hidden history of extraordinary beings, including DOC SAVAGE, FU MANCHU, OPERATOR # 5, TARZAN, TOM SWIFT, G-8, THE SPIDER, GOJIRA, MOTHRA, GHIDORAH, and more.

2000--RADIO'S CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT: THE WARTIME BIOGRAPHY--Author Stephen A. Kallis publishes the biography of Captain Midnight.



21st Century--CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT--Captain Midnight returns after having been trapped in the bermuda triangle since World War II. Only... Midnight had adventures after that, all the way up to the 1970s. But it's the Bermuda Triangle. Remember that story where Han Solo and Chewbacca crashed on Earth and died, and we said that going through a time/space portal created a "transporter duplicate" of sorts? Perhaps this Captain Midnight popped out of the Triangle sixty years later while another version of him came out moments later. We also used this doppelgangers in the same timeline for the Munsters/Munsters Today explanation.







June 2001--JETT JACKSON: THE MOVIE--Jett decides to quit Silverstone and lead a normal life. On the day of his last episode he is hit on the head with a prop and in his dream he is Silverstone. He is the only one who realizes that this is a dream.

2007--THE FLYING SPY: A HISTORY OF G-8--A biography of G-8 is written by author Nick Carr.

[image error]

Late September 2008--HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER--"The Best Burger in New York"--Your uncle Toby points out that Regis Philbin appears in this episode as himself.  Using his rule called "the League of Themselves", which he discusses here, this connects HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER to other shows such as "All My Children", "One Life to Live", "Primetime Glick", "The Famous Jett Jackson", "LateLine", "Caroline in the City", "Style and Substance", "Second Noah", "Soul Man", Marry Me (1997 TV movie), "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", "Hope & Gloria", "Women of the House", "The Cosby Mysteries", "The Larry Sanders Show", "Seinfeld", "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues", "Mad About You", "Number 96", "Spin City", "Lilo & Stitch: The Series", "The Simpsons", and "Family Guy".  This episode is also the first appearance of Goliath National Bank.  Your uncle James has provided me with this info:  So, make of this How I Met Your Mother theory what you will, but TVTropes argues that the company Barney works for--Altrucell--is actually a front for COBRA.

From TVTropes:
Think about it: what do we know about the company Barney works for?
• They spend a lot of time acquiring banks, and theoretically, have a lot of bankers/financiers working with them
• They're evil
• They regularly get attacked by ninjas
• They have destabilized at least one nation
• They regularly do business with countries the U.S. considers threats (North Korea and China, at least.)
Sounds a lot like COBRA to me.

That same day that your uncle James told me this, I got an e-mail from COBRA INSURANCE.  Cobra has many fronts, including Extensive Enterprises. There's also these: Fronts
To hide certain aspects of its operation, Cobra maintains a number of legitimate business fronts (in addition to the town of Springfield itself and its encompassing businesses) nearly all of which appear to be anagrams of the word "cobra".
Naja Trading Corp and its likely subsidiary, "Naja Hanna Video Corp", is the first of these fronts to appear in the comics. It has offices in both San Francisco as well as Rio Lindo in the Republic of Sierra Gordo. Cobra used it to smuggle MX missile guidance chips out of the country inside video games. Dr. Venom was in charge of the Rio Lindo office. "Naja Hanna" is Hindi for "King Cobra".[5]
Arbco (AKA ARBco Regional) is the largest and most prominent Cobra front in the Marvel RAH comics. Although it apparently started in Springfield, it grew to have offices in at least 10 major U.S. cities including Denver.
Arbco Furniture Company: Cobra maintained a secret testing lab within for a deadly plague toxin in Springfield, Vermont.[6]
Arbco Moving & Storage (AKA Arbco Moving): Cobra uses moving trucks with "Arbco" stamped on the sides to transport H.I.S.S. tanks covertly into Washington D.C. for an attack on the U.S. Treasury.[7] They were also used to transport sensitive spy equipment for reassigned undercover Crimson Guardsmen.[8] Cobra Commander maintains a mobile office in an Arbco Moving truck.[9]
Arbco Bros. Circus: Billy learned that Cobra uses the circus as a cover to transport HISS tanks and FANG copters (mistakenly referred to as "SNAP copters") around the country.[8]
Carbo Plumbing: A surveillance team of Tele-Vipers eavesdrop on a military inquest from a plumbing van outside the Pentagon.[10]
Robca Realty
Broca Bros. Carnival
Orbac - Cobra troops were moved into the Safeco Field Stadium in Seattle using trucks with this name on the side.[11] Zartan used an Orbac truck as a mobile HQ as well.[12]
Extensive Enterprises - This global company based out of the twin Enterprise Towers in Enterprise City existed primarily to serve Cobra's administrative needs with Tomax and Xamot as the corporation's CEOs. Its first appearance was in the third G.I. Joe miniseries and then in the regular TV series in the episide "Red Rocket's Glare". Although the company existed primarily in the TV universe, it would later be adapted by Devil's Due for use in the comics continuity as well. In the IDW comic continuity, it is a pre-existing, corrupt multinational firm that is absorbed into Cobra.
M.A.R.S.- Military Armaments Research Systems/Syndicate - a legitimate weapons manufacturing firm headquartered in Callender, Scotland. James McCullen Destro XXIV is the current owner and CEO.



ALTERNATE REALITIES:

SKY CAPTAIN--Sky Captain was inspired by Captain Midnight. Since Sky Captain doesn't fit in the TVCU (for instance, Godzilla attacking Tokyo in 1939), it could be that Sky Captain IS Captain Midnight of this alternate timeline.

Coming soon...

Horror Crossover Encyclopedia Volume I, 2nd Edition.

Written by Robert E. Wronski, Jr.  Published by 18thWall Productions.

With a new matte cover.  A new second foreword by Trick or Treat Radio's Dynamo Marz.  Selected revised entries.

Fall 2016.

The city by the Bay. No the other one: Bay City in the TVCU

1934 to 1959-- Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe Stories-- P. I. Philip Marlowe  Solves Crimes in Bay City.





1959--Destroy All Humans!--Furon  Cryptosporidium-137 and  Orthopox 13  Travel to Earth to Rescue   Cryptosporidium-136 and ends up Battling the American Branch of  Majestic 


1964 to 1999--Another World--A soap opera about the lives of the Citizens of Bay city 






1969--Destroy All Humans 2--While trying to Stop he KGB and the Sworn enemies of the Furons the Blisk  Cryptosporidium-138 must Save Bay City at one ponit during this adventure 



1970 to 1976--Somerset--A Spin off of Another World about Missy Palmer Matthews,Lahoma Vane Lucas,and Sam Lucas moving form Bay city to the fictional town of Somerset Michigan




1974--The Rockford Files "Exit Prentiss Carr" P.I Jim Rockford Travels to Bay City on a case ends up involved in murder


1975--Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed-- Cryptosporidium-138 Must Defend his Big Willy fast food Restaurants  form   the Evil  Colonel Kluckin and make sure no one finds out that  his Big Willy burgers are actually made with corpses 


1975 to 1979-- Starsky and Hutch-- Bay City police detectives David Michael Starsky and Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson Slove crimes in Bay city with the Help of their confidential informant  a pimp Named Huggy Bear


1979-- Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon--Cryptosporidium-139 Must Battle Nexosporidium Warriors and Follow the Path of the Furon to achieve enlightenment. This goes has well has you'd think  


1980 to 1982--Texas--A spin off of Another World where Iris Wheeler moves form Bay city to Houston to be with her Son Dennis.




1983--Bay City Blues--A show about Bay city's minor league  baseball team   the Bluebirds 


June 1992--Another world Summer Desire--A prime time  Special   episode of Another world all about the love lives of the Citizens of Bay City



1992 to 1997--Renegade-- Bay City Undercover cop  Reno Raines is Framed for a Murder  other Corrupt cops and must Work has a bounty hunter until he can clear his name.


1993--Green Lantern (vol.3) #37-- Green Lantern Hal Jordan Attends the Bowl Between the Bay City Gold-Miners and the the Mudville Maroons. The game is interrupted by attacking Demons Who Hal and Fellow Hero Guy Gardner Team up to stop


  

2016--Moros: A Hard Boiled Hero-- Detective Edward Knight becomes the vigilante Moros and battles crime in Bay City

COPS AND CROOKS: EMPIRE CITY IN THE TVCU

             





1930-1938--Mafia--Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven--In the City of Lost Haven. Tommy Angelo raises thru the Ranks of the Salieri crime family before betraying them.





1938-- Mafia 2 Mobile-- Marco Russetto Travels to Empire Bay and works for the Falcone crime family. (Note Empire Bay was Called  Empire City in Early Previews for Mafia 2 so I'm counting them has the same place)



 March 1942--Police Comics #8--Donald Richards becomes the First Man hunter and Battles Crime in Empire City 


April  1942--Paul Kirk Battles Crime in Empire City has the Second man Hunter 


World War 2 to present  --Michael Chabon Presents the Amazing Adventures of the Escapist-- Tom Mayflower known has the the Escapist Battles The Iron Chain while based in Empire City





 1943 to 1951--Mafia 2-- In Empire Bay Vito Scaletta raises  thru the Ranks of the Falcone crime family.


1946--Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven--Tommy Angelo is released form Jail and Movies to Empire Bay under and Assumed Name under assumed name.

1946-1951 --Joe's Adventures--While Vito Scaletta is in Jail Joe Barbaro uncovers what's really going on with Clemente crime family in Empire Bay 



1948--Funny Man 1-6--Television comedian Larry Davis becomes the Costumed Crime Fighter Funny man and Battles Crime in Empire City  






1950's--The Betrayal of Jimmy/Jimmy's Vendetta-A  gun for Hire Named Jimmy Gets Revenge on those who Wronged him in Empire Bay  






1946-1951 --Joe's Adventures--While Vito Scaletta is in Jail Joe Barbaro uncovers what's really going on with 

1951--Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven/Mafia 2--In Empire Bay Vito Scaletta and Joe Barbaro kill Tommy Angelo for being a rat 




1964 To Present--Big Bang Comics-- After an accident with a  Project Gemini spacecraft Chris Kelly  Becomes Ultiman   Battling Crime with the Roundtable of America while Based in Empire City 
1975--1st Issue Special #5--Mark Shaw becomes the 3rd Manhunter 

1976--Secret Society of Super-Villains-- A Clone  of Paul Kirk becomes the 4th Manhunter  and joins the Secret Society of Super-Villains

1995--Manhunter Vol 2 #0--Chase Lawler Becomes the 5th Manhunter and fights crime in Star City

1998--Need for Speed III Hot Pursuit--Illegal street races  Break out in Empire City 








2002--JLA 61--Kirk Depaul thew last Clone of Paul Kirk becaomes the 6th Manhunter and Joins the Super Hero for Hire Team the Power Compny  
2004--Manhunter Vol 3 #1--Kate Spencer becomes the  the 7th Manhunter and fights crime in L.A.
2010 InFamous--Bike Messager Cole Macgrath Electronical Powers and  Uses them to Defends a quarantined  Empire City Follow the Empire Blast 
2010--InFamous: DC Comics--Cole Macgrath Continues to Defend Empire City  
2011--inFAMOUS 2--Empire City is Nearly Destroyed By the coming of the Beast Before it is finally Taken Down by Cole Macgrath in New Marais. Thou it Seems Cole Dies in the Process 
2011 Sometime during Infamous 2--Infamous Festival of Blood--Cole  Macgrath Battles Vampires in New Marais
March 2012--Street Fighter X Tekken-- Cole Macgrath Simply Not Dead Searches for Pandora's Box . Street Fighter X Tekken is a Crossover between the Street Fighter and Tekken Franchises Cole Was a Guest Fighter in the PS Vita version of the Game. 
November 2012--PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale-- A Time displaced Cole  Macgrath  Battles other Time displaced Heroes and villains while trying to Stop Polygon Man who is a Thret to all Reality.  PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is a crossover between many PlayStation Franchises. 
2013--Steven Universe--Empire City is Show Quite Often a place Steven and his dad would like to visit 
November 2015--Crime City Mobile Game-- A Gang War Breaks out in Empire City 
@016
Early 2018-- InFamous: First Light--Abigail 'Fetch' Walker Uses Her light based powers to  survive on  the Streets of Seattle
Late 2018--inFAMOUS: Second Son--Delsin Rowe uses his Fire Based powers to Battle Department of Unified Protection in Seattle
2020--C.O.P.S.-- "C.O.P.S. Central Organization of Police Specialists. Fighting crime in a future time. Protecting Empire City from Big Boss and his gang of crooks."


Sometime in the Future--Sonic Unleashed--to Save the World form Dark Gaia Sonic The Hedge Hog Travels the world. including a stop over in Empire City  



Alternate Timelines
Not Another Spoof Universe--SuperHero movie--.Rick Riker Becomes the Super Hero Dragon Fly

TVCU 3-- The bad Ending for Infamous  and inFamous Anarchy happen here 
Earth B --Big Bang Comics--4 F reject Chris Kelly Become Ulitman and Joins the Knights of Justice and later the National Guardians

MICAH HARRIS (in his third appearance on the show) and Felissa Rose

Next Saturday, July 23, the TVCU Crew will be recording episodes 34 and 35 of the Television Crossover Universe podcast from Castle Wolfenstein on the Grand Guignol Network. 


In Episode 34, Robert, Ivan, Chris and James will be talking with friend of the show MICAH HARRIS, about the rerelease of the Eldritch New Adventures of Becky Sharp, his new novel, Murder in the Miracle Room, and his fascination with a Disney Channel original series.  You can find Micah's previous appearances on our show over in the sidebar to the right, TVCU Podcast episode 6, from January 19 and TVCU Podcast episode 13, from March 8.

In Episode 35, Robert, Ivan, Chris and James will be talking with actress/producer Felissa Rose, iconic lead from the classic Sleepaway Camp, and producer of the upcoming film, Death House.  

New episodes of the show are released every Tuesday.  You can check out the latest episode at the link provided in the upper right hand corner of this page.
And please join us on Facebook to discuss the episodes.  Feel free to join us before the show to post any questions you have for our guests, and then feel free to join us after the shows to provide feedback.

Shameless Promotional Reminder

Just a reminder that you can purchase both of my currently published books here.  And coming soon:THE HORROR CROSSOVER ENCYCLOPEDIA 2ND EDITION (TENTATIVELY DUE OUT IN THE FALL)TELEVISION CROSSOVER UNIVERSE:  WORLDS AND MYTHOLOGY VOLUME II (HOPEFULLY TO BE RELEASED BY YEAR’S END)THE CARTOON CROSSOVER ENCYCLOPEDIA (NEXT YEAR?)

Thomas Edison: Hero or Villain?

February 11, 1847--Birth of Thomas Edison. Click here for a list of appearances of Edison portrayed by actors on screen.

1868--JONAH HEX # 22--Jonah Hex, a classic comic book western hero, recently had an adventure with Thomas Edison, as shown in Jonah Hex v2 #22 (2007). The villain of the story cited The Steam Man of the Prairies as an influence.
1876--Birth of Thomas Alva Edison Jr.

1878--VOYAGERS!--a  Voyagers!  episode involving Edison shows, in an instance of history "going wrong", Edison and his team are trying to make a light bulb filament by rolling lamp black; they all fail, and when Jeffrey tears his shirt, Edison offers to repair it, then studies the thread as a potential filament
1878--TOM EDISON'S SHAGGY DOG-- Tom Edison's Shaggy Dog  by Kurt Vonnegut (1953). A short story about Edison's accidental discovery that dogs have superhuman intelligence (and can talk) while working on an intelligence analyzer invention. Edison's dog Sparky reveals that dogs keep their intelligence a closely guarded secret, as they live a life of luxury while their humans "owners" do all the work & have all the worries. Edison and his young neighbor are featured in the story (told as a flashback from the now elderly neighbor's point of view), which goes on to divulge that it was Sparky who suggested to Edison the crucial component of the first incandescent light bulb.
1884--Nikola Tesla comes to the Unites States to work for Edison.

1886--L'EVE FUTURE-- L'Ève Future , an 1886 novel by Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam that popularized the term 'android.' In it, a fictionalized Edison creates what he argues is the perfect woman, the android Hadaly, in order to cure his friend Lord Ewald's infatuation with singer named Alicia, who is represented as shallow and immoral.
1890s--THE MURDOCH MYSTERIES--Edison appears twice in this series.  
[image error]
Fall 1890--TOM EDISON, JR.'S SKY-SCRAPING TRIP; OR OVER THE WILD WEST LIKE A FLYING SQUIRREL--First adventure of Tom Edison's son.    The author, throughout the series, works very hard to let us know that Tom Edison, Jr. is not the real Tom Edison, Jr., nor is his father, the fictional famed inventor, meant to be the real life famed inventor of the same name, but let's be real.  Of course it is.  
1891 to 1892--A series of stories featuring "Tom Edison, Jr." by Philip Reade were published between 1891 and 1892. Interestingly, the story "Tom Edison's Electric Mule, or, The Snorting Wonder of the Plains" (1892) is a parody of the earlier Frank Reade series.
1898--EDISON'S CONQUEST OF MARS--Thomas Edison himself was the main character in  Edison's Conquest of Mars  by Garrett P. Serviss (1898), a sequel to Fighters from Mars (in the form of a revenge fantasy) an unauthorized and altered adaptation of Wells's  The War of the Worlds . Another real and famous inventor to appear in one of the stories was Nikola Tesla in To Mars With Tesla; or, the Mystery of the Hidden World.
?--EPIC RAP BATTLES OF HISTORY--Edison appears in the second series of YouTube series  Epic Rap Battles of History , in a rap battle against Nikola Tesla.
October 1899--THE FIVE FISTS OF SCIENCE--Nikola Tesla, Baroness Bertha von Suttner, and Mark Twain team up to create a weapon that they help will force the world's nations to declare peace.  J.P. Morgan, Thomas Edison, Andrew Carnegie, and Guglielmo Marconi join forces to stop them.  The "heroes", though I guess that depends on the perspective, are building the Innsmouth Tower in New York, and have a captured Migou (Mi-Go), both references to Lovecraftian horror.  
Circa 1900--THE EDISON EFFECT--Edison appears in and lends his name to "The Edison Effect", the fourth Professor Bradshaw Mystery by Bernadette Pajer.
1901--TO MARS WITH TESLA; OR, THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN WORLD-- To Mars With Tesla; or, the Mystery of the Hidden World  by J. Weldon Cobb (1901) featured "Young Edison", a fictional nephew of Thomas Edison, helping Nikola Tesla in his adventures with Martians.
1902--ANOTHER PERIOD--"Rejects Beach"--Lillian's new friends invite her to a beach party, and Beatrice is brought to Thomas Edison for a forbidden experiment. Blanche receives a mysterious letter from the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, and Garfield tries to keep the family from falling apart.
September 13 - 18, 1909--TARZAN # 13 - 14--"THE MODERN PROMETHEUS"--During the events of TARZAN OF THE APES, Tarzan is in New York where he meets Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, and Frankenstein's Monster.  
[image error]
February 1916--YOUNG INDIANA JONES CHRONICLES--"Princeton, February 1916:  Race to Danger"--Young Indy meets Thomas Edison.  Thomas Edison has also appeared on TARZAN (DARK HORSE COMICS), and VOYAGERS.
Spring 1918--G-8 AND HIS BATTLE ACES--"Grun-The Green Terror!"--Herr Grun and Herr Doktor Krueger meet for the first time.  Krueger is in possession of the "Einstein-Steinmetz-Edison time dislocator".  
ATOMIC ROBO # 2 “ATOMIC ROBO VS. RASPUTIN” (RED 5 COMICS)Release Date: November 1, 2007 (Setting is 1924)Series: Atomic RoboHorror Crosses: Hellboy (comics)The Story: Thomas Edison uses his psychophone to summon the ghost of Rasputin in order to send him after Atomic Robo.
Notes: Though Rasputin is based on a real historical figure who has also become part of folklore, this is the particular version of Rasputin who fought Hellboy. Thomas Edison has been portrayed in fiction both within and outside the Horror Universe as a hero and a villain. Perhaps he suffered from multiple personality disorder.

1930s--ATOMIC ROBO AND THE DEADLY ART OF SCIENCE--Classy James Bojaciuk informs:  Atomic Robo and the Deadly Art of Science deals heavily with Mr. Tesla: and, among other things, implicates him in the death of Thomas Edison, the disappearance of the Crystal Skull, and the invention of Tony Stark's Iron Man armor. Atomic Robo is filled, uitterly overflowingly filled, with crossovers. The crossovers range from cute little references to issue long crossoverfests. It's amazing. The art's great--the writing is fantastic.

1931--The opening of Hotel Edison.  This hotel will appear in SEX AND THE CITY, SEINFELD, BECKER, THE GEORGE BURNS AND GRACIE ALLEN SHOW, NAKED CITY, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, MCCLOUD, THE GODFATHER, BULLETS OVER BROADWAY
October 18, 1931--Death of Thomas Edison.
1935--Death of Thomas Alva Edison Jr.

1953--S.H.I.E.L.D. #5--From James Bojaciuk: Because of the presence of Mr. Fantastic and Iron Man's fathers, it was a safe bet that the S.H.I.E.L.D. comics occurred in the TVCU--but in the bonus stuff included in the back of #5, there is a piece on the Forever Machines of Nikola Tesla. One of these is The Five Fists of Science, which is a "coded historical record." This is a reference to Matt Fraction and Steven Sander's graphic novel, The Five Fists of Science. In that, Nikola Tesla and Mark Twain teamed up to fight Edison and Cthulhu.
[image error]
1991--BILL & TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY--Edison is in Heaven.
1995--THE TICK--"Leonardo da Vinci and His Fightin' Genius Time Commandos!"--Famous inventors from throughout history help the Tick fight a super-villain who wants to change history.
1996--EXPIRATION DATE-- Expiration Date  by Tim Powers in which a boy possessed by the spirit of Thomas Edison is hunted through Los Angeles by people wanting to consume the ghost he carries.
[image error]
1998--THE SIMPSONS--"The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace"--In  The Simpsons  season 10 episode  The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace , Homer Simpson tries to compete against Edison when he learned much of his history and tries to invent newer things.
1999--CARMEN SANDIEGO'S GREAT CHASE THROUGH TIME--Master thief Carmen Sandiego has a time machine called Chronoskimmer and plans to steal historical reaches, such as the Declaration of Independence. Travel to various eras, find out why she's there and stop her plan.  Edison appears.  
2001 to 2002--CLONE HIGH--In the cartoon series Clone High, Thomas Edison's clone is shown as a short, sniveling nerd who seems to spend most of his time working with A.V equipment (a reference to the fact that Edison invented the projector).
2008--TALES FROM THE BULLY PULPIT--Our researcher, John D Lindsey Jr, reports:  Basically, Teddy Roosevelt and the ghost of ThomasEdison use HG Wells' stolen time machine to visit 2008 and fight Nazis on Mars. Indiana Jones turns up on a wanted poster. Edison mentions Hitler stealing the Ark of the Covenant (Raiders), having his brain planted inside a gorilla (The Savage Dragon) and disguising himself as an Asian man to build giant robots (no idea). Also, there's a one panel cameo of a humanoid mouse wearing a Star of David, a shoutout to the comic Maus.
2012--NIGHT OF THE NYCTALOPE--"The Ides of Mars"--Nyctalope takes on the "last Martian".  Other crossovers include:  MARTIN MYSTERE, THE BLACK COATS, TOM EDISION JR., and DOCTOR MYSTERE.  
2012--ASSASSIN'S CREED--In the  Assassin's Creed  series, Edison is portrayed as a member of  The Knights Templar  and one of the founders of the Abstergo Industries, attempting to discredit  Nikola Tesla , an ally of the Assassins Order.
2012--WAREHOUSE 13:  GRAND DESIGNS--"Chapter 1"--Thomas Edison appears.  
2013--CAPTAIN MARVEL # 14--The first supervillain that Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) encountered was The Inventor, a failed clone of Edison who's DNA was contaminated by his' creators' pet cockatiel.
2015--KAMEN RIDER GHOST--In the Japanese tokusatsu,  Kamen Rider Ghost , the ghost of Thomas Edison helps the main character Takeru Tenkuji/Kamen Rider Ghost to unite the 15 Heroic Spirits and to access his electricity/gun-wielding Edison Damashii form.
ALTERNATE REALITIES:
ALIEN NATION--Edison appears in episode "The Game".
[image error]
CARTOON UNIVERSE--Edison appears in THIS IS AMERICA, CHARLIE BROWN.
EDISONADE UNIVERSE-- And Having Writ... , a 1978 alternate universe novel by Donald R. Bensen, features four aliens stranded on Earth whose comic misadventures lead to Edison being chosen by the Republican National Committee to run for President of the United States instead ofSecretary of War William Howard Taft in 1908. He wins and becomes the 27th president. In 1912, he decides not to run for a second term and is succeeded by former president Theodore Roosevelt, who also preceded him.
TVCU-3--Edison appears in Houdini and Doyle.  
UNIVERSE OF WONDER--"JLA: Age of Wonder" (2003) was a two-issue mini-series from DC's Elseworlds line, in which Superman landed in Kansas in the 1850s and emerged on the world stage at the 1876 Centennial Exposition. He teams up with Edison but ends up working with Tesla.