Tarzan Triumphant (#15) - Edgar Rice Burroughs [paused in progress]

Apologies, dear reader, but I wasn't able to finish this one yet.  I got through the first five or six chapters when something about the book started to bother me.

Tarzan the Invincible (#14) - Edgar Rice Burroughs

I finished this yesterday, and once again, I found the beginning and end to be stronger than the middle, but I have a theory for why that may be.  And it doesn't have to do with ERB; rather, it revolves around my work schedule.  You see, I typically finish the previous novel as my work week is winding down, and immediately dive into the next one (I've already read 4 chapters of #15 last night).  So my ability to maintain focus when reading before bed is hampered by a long day of working (when I'm in the middle of the story), and maybe I piddle out a few pages at a time, instead of whole chapters - sometimes reading several paragraphs more than once!  ...sometimes reading several paragraphs more than once! ...and maybe I piddle out a few pages at a time, instead of whole chapters - sometimes reading several paragraphs more than once! [You get the idea.]

I mean, I was really struggling yesterday to complete the novel, even though I felt rested enough and really wanted to finish it.  I had to stop, get up and move around, then come back again (repeatedly).  I even did some of my vision fusion exercises in hopes my brain wasn't shutting itself down like it was two to three years ago, before I had vision therapy (for double vision).  And I really did enjoy the story with one exception, which was both cool and a missed opportunity.

And had this book been published in the 1950s, instead of 1930-1931, it probably would've been called, "Tarzan versus the Reds".  Oh, and the dynamic Neal Adams cover has nothing to do with the story...that I can recall.

TRON: UPRISING

I missed TRON: UPRISING the first time around, back in 2012-2013, because we didn't pay for Disney XD back then.  However, streaming Disney+ (which is increasing in price again next month to $18.99/month!) allowed me to check it out before I rewatched TRON: LEGACY.  I (briefly) mentioned my fondness for Legacy in my TRON: ARES post earlier this week.  Somehow, I had time to watch episode 1 on Monday, then I got around to episodes 2-5 on Thursday, before finishing the series in a marathon layabout day (that was quite enjoyable) yesterday*, watching episodes 6-19.

*Skipping the Baltimore Comic-Con for the second year in a row for other reasons.

Was it worth it...?

TRON: ARES (2025) -- Enjoyable!

 

I got to see TRON: ARES last night in 3D IMAX and I really enjoyed it!  In some ways it was just what I was expecting, and in others, it was better.  The Nine Inch Nails (NIᴎ) soundtrack was sufficiently booming and driving, a fitting evolution from Daft Punk's masterful (and superior) score from TRON: LEGACY (2010).  If you've seen the trailer, then you pretty much get the gist of what the basic premise is going to be.  The programs from "The Grid" are coming to our world via some sort of 3D Laser printing.  And yes, you've got to suspend your disbelief to enjoy any TRON movie, but that's part of the fun.

I've been a TRON fan since the original release back in 1982, when I was a wee lad of 12 years old; one eager to look around someone's shoulder and watch them risk their quarter playing video games.  I didn't have any quarters to spare, much less the skill to last more than a few minutes.  Wendy Carlos' soaring synth score and the stunning computer graphics (revolutionary at the time) were a delight.  I finished rewatching it the day before (for the unknownth time), and it hasn't lost any of its charm.  It almost makes me want to pay the outrageous gouging price of the latest HasLab - but man, those figures look awesome!

For me, the only letdown was the all-too vague and infinitesimal references to TRON: LEGACY, a film I absolutely love.  I've seen headlines of reviewers saying ARES is all style and no substance (much as I try to stay away from those things).  Maybe they've got a point, but when the style is so immersive and takes you along for the light cycle ride, who cares?  Evan Peters is exceptionally good as the grandson of the original Dillinger (and I didn't once see him as the X-Men's Quicksilver).  I can't imagine any true TRON fan being disappointed.

The Poet by todd webb (2025 Oct 13)

 

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TARZAN and the Golden Lion (#9) - Edgar Rice Burroughs

 

Published in 1922-1923, with this copy being the 14th printing (from June 1988), and part of an excellent, recent eBay lot purchase that allowed me to acquire the rest of the 24 novels (in great condition).  This marks the first novel I've read with a Boris Vallejo cover, instead of Neal Adams.  And I've got to say, having a different cover artist affects your mental view of the main character.  I finished it last night...finally.  Some of it was a bit hard to get through, but I think that's more due to what I'd been going through since last week (see previous picture post for the horrifying details).

Despite being a bit exhausted from the pre-inspection moving and a case of FOMO from missing out on a couple of fall foliage out-of-town day trips, I'm going to give it my best shot at providing some comments on the book. Such as defining the meaning of "Jad-bal-ja" below...

By My Own House Betrayed!!!

 WARNING - some of the images below may be terrifying!

"The Germ of Righteousness" and Balancing the Scales

Yesterday, I mentioned that there was something about Albert Werper's character arc that I wanted to expound upon.  And thanks to waking up early, and it finally being the weekend for me, I can give it a go. However, I'll have to provide more *spoiler* details about the story to do so, which means if you're inclined to read Tarzan #5, you might want to skip this post for now.

The Poet by todd webb (2025 Oct 02)

 

Happy 75th Anniversary Peanuts!

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Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar (#5) - Edgar Rice Burroughs

As mentioned last time, this is the other Tarzan novel in my collection that I bought new back in the mid-80s.  And the opening chapters did seem familiar to me, but I know I never finished it way back when.  But I did finish it yesterday afternoon and...Wow, what a great story!

Based on the back cover copy and the front cover Neal Adams image, you're told that Tarzan is going to venture back to the City of Opar and lose his memory, returning to his pre-civilization savage ways (aka Jungle Tales of Tarzan [#6]). I was imagining that he would possibly get involved with the Priestess La in his tabula rasa condition, similar to the way Superman was cozying up to Amazing Grace on Apokolips early in John Byrne's run (Superman #3, Adventures of Superman #426 & Action Comics #586). Boy, was I wrong!  The story goes through so many twists and turns, and while La does have more than a cameo, the title is apt because it's all about the jewels...