#popculture84: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” Debuts Amidst a New Wave of Independent Comics

Turtle power! The original incarnation of the heroes in a half shell was in a creator-owned comic book that took off in a big way.

by Rich Watson 

The eighties saw a wave of independently-produced comic books hit the market, created by entrepreneurial artists of wildly varying talent. Many went unnoticed against the likes of Spider-Man and Superman.

One that launched in 1984 was an odd martial arts book with a cumbersome title—Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

It became a juggernaut.

BRW: Behind the Blind 8

So. NaNoWriMo is kaput.

I took part in 2013 and completed the goal of writing 50,000 words in 30 days. Here’s part of what I said about the experience at the time:

We take writing for granted because it's an everyday task, something the average person with a high school education can do, but to put together a story good enough to be sold on the market? I don't care whether you're the hackiest hack writer that ever owned a typewriter or Stephen King, it ain't as easy as it looks, and I have new respect for anyone who does it on a regular basis.

People on the NaNo message boards planned trilogies and even entire series based on what they created. Perhaps it comes as no surprise that many of the participants I saw worked in sci-fi or fantasy, unlike me. I thought they were crazy, that they should concentrate on finishing one book first. 

At real-life NaNo writing sessions, I didn’t make many new friends. I cared more about writing. 50,000 words seemed daunting. Completing it as soon as possible was my concern.

It was tough.

#popculture84: Hulk Hogan Wins First WWF Championship, at Madison Square Garden

Hulkamania ran wild over everyone when the wrestler claimed the WWF championship in “the world’s most famous arena.”

by Rich Watson 

[The news of Hulk Hogan’s death has prompted me to push this piece up, even though I had it scheduled for late September. I’m keeping everything as is since the emphasis is on a period in his career, not his whole life. Please note that I’m not interested in discussing his politics.]

When World Wrestling Entertainment was still known as the World Wrestling Federation, the eighties was their time to shine. There were other wrestling leagues, with varying levels of recognition and popularity, but the organization, under the leadership of Vince McMahon, experienced unprecedented growth to the point where it’s a household name today.

The turning point was the ascension of its greatest champion, Hulk Hogan.