Happy Birthday, Madonna!

editor's note:  I thought I lost this post, but found an open tab with a draft still available I was able to copy and add to.  This isn't the original post that went out, but I - for the first time in years - accidentally erased that post when I clicked the wrong button.  

Apparently yesterday was the 60th Birthday of Madonna.

Here at The Signal Watch, we salute Madonna as the person who told us it is 100% okay to like pop music.  You will not lose your edge by enjoying Madonna.

Aretha Franklin, America's Queen, Has Merged With The Infinite

According to reports, Aretha Franklin, beloved Queen of Soul and American icon, has passed.

For more than 48 hours, news had circulated that she'd entered the hospital and was with loved ones, and thus I spent last night listening to a lengthy playlist of Franklin's "hits".  I hope that was a good way to keep her in our thoughts.

I can think of few other performers as universally beloved as Aretha Franklin.  Clearly she's one of the last performers multiple generations will have agreed upon and understood as emblematic of Soul, R&B and what the voice can bring and how it can have personality and tell a story.  Even when covering an already popular song, Franklin made it her own.

Audrey Watch! The Cockeyed Miracle (1946)

Watched:  08/16/2018
Format:  TCM on DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1940's
Audrey Quotient:  mid-range.  A tad low.  She plays "the daughter" in an ensemble comedy.

Christmas Shark Watch! SANTA JAWS (2018)

Watched:  08/14/2018
Format:  Watched live on SyFy
Viewing:  First!
Decade:  2010's

You know, every once in a while it feels like the universe says "hey, let's do Ryan a solid and just make something exactly the way he'd like it."

Super Reading: Supergirl #21 (2018)

The Killers of Krypton: Part One

Script:  Marc Andreyko
Pencils:  Kevin Maguire
Inks:  Sean Parsons
Colors:  FCO Plascencia
Letters:  Tom Napolitano
Cover:  Terry and Rachel Dodson
Editor:  Jessica Chen
Group Editor:  Brian Cunningham

Well, thank goodness.

Super Reading: Superman #2 (2018)

The Unity Saga: Part 2

Script:  Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils:  Ivan Reis
Inks:  Joe Prado & Oclair Albert (pp 1-5, 15-19)
Colors:  Alex Sinclair
Letters:  Josh Reed
Cover:  Reis, Prado, Sinclair
Associate Editor:  Jessica Chen
Editor:  Michael Cotton
Group Editor:  Brian Cunningham

Great googledy moogeldy, the art in this thing.

MARVELWATCH PODCAST! Avengers Countdown 03 - "Iron Man 2" w/ Jamie & Ryan!

Watched: 08/010/2018
Format: Amazon Streaming
Viewing: third or fourth
Decade: 2010's

Jamie and Ryan cover "Iron Man 2", where the pieces of the Marvel U move forward, plants are placed that will pay off movies down the line, Black Widow first appears, and Tony sits in a giant donut. We also say "interesting" entirely too much. Join us as we realize we discuss how "Iron Man 2" works better now as part of the Marvel puzzle than it did when we saw it as just a sequel Marvel rushed into theaters.



For the Avengers Chronological Countdown Playlist:

Audrey Watch: The Sellout (1952)

Watched:  08/09/2018
Format:  TCM on DVR
Viewing: First
Decade:  1950s
Audrey Quotient:  Not Enough

Spooky Watch: The Vampire Bat (1933)

Watched:  08/07/2018
Format:  TCM on DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1930's

Spooky Watch: Mark of the Vampire (1935)

Watched: 08/06/2018
Format:  TCM on DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1930's

Well, huh