The March 2023 issue of RetroFan from TwoMorrows gets my usual strong recommendation, but this time out the issue is even more BONTS-era-centric than recent ones. The mix of articles offers a bit more thematic diversity while offering lots of Seventies and Eighties material.
Cover girl Lynda Day-George (and I noted a few weeks ago how impressive it was the mag put her at 76 on the cover and not her in, say, 1976) is the subject of the main article, and it's pleasant if not revealing. Perhaps she is saving some stuff for her memoir that is in the works, but she doesn't have to have a ton of specific memories to share about much of her resume, though she seems like a great person.
Much better is the profile on WKRP by Scott Shaw!, a story that delves into the origin of the series and has interesting commentary on why it didn't last more than 4 seasons (time slot changes didn't help). The bits on the series' casting were most interesting to me, but this was a fun story overall given that we have not yet talked about WKRP on the podcast.
I totally want the toy mentioned in the article, by the way! I found a pic on Worthpoint:
Andy Mangels' column on Saturday morning TV is always a highlight, and the only disappointment this time is that he does not continue his look at comic book ads promoting network cartoon lineups. His look at The New Adventures of Superman is entertaining, though. The man has found many uses for the interviews he did with Filmation's Lou Scheimer for a book years ago!
Next month begins a 4-part (!) series by Mangels on various incarnations of Super Friends, and I am not sure I really want 4 issues to be consumed with that. Oh, who am I kidding, I will eat that up. I just hope he gets back to those sweet comic book ad scans.
I really like the detailed piece by Shaqui Le Vesconte on Space: 1999, even if I have a grudge against the series dating back to my childhood (a story I think I told on the podcast before and will again someday). The section on commercial jingles is amusing and covers some material from our era. As an example:
A different but worthwhile story covers Rambo in all his forms--movie, cartoon, lunchbox (!), and more. Don Vaughan's story features an interview with the author of the original novel, David Morrell, and that writer has keen insights into the character's history. One part is a little odd: Vaughan mentions a prominent fan fiction series, and Morrell is quoted as saying in a matter-of-fact way that he threatened to shut him down using any means necessary if he threatened his copyright. It's a weird note in a pleasant story that surprises me with the subject matter.
That's a lot of BOTNS-era content, and you also get a story on the Fleischer Superman cartoons and more. My absolute favorite in the whole issue is Mark Voger's history of Bob Hope and Jerry Lewis comic books, a fascinating piece of DC history.
It's another fun-filled issue of RetroFan, and I have been seeing it again in stores. I'm a subscriber, natch, but if you see it in the wild, I suggest you check it out!
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