Chris Christie-Hero or Heel?

We’ve featured New Jersey Governor Chris Christie as The New Jersey Angel here before. Right now, he’s under investigation for what the media has dubbed Bridgegate, the deliberate closing of lanes of travel on the George Washington Bridge with the purpose of causing traffic problems. There is no proof so far that this Republican governor perpetrated this petty act, so petty that I would be shocked if Christie was involved, but he is still under investigation by the New Jersey Legislature, the Port Authority and the Justice Department. This is particularly interesting as he made his fame, which propelled him to the governor’s mansion, as a federal prosecutor.

Still, several of his employees were involved in Bridgegate; four people are now jobless so far over this. The other day I saw Christie on TV talking about how an investigation had cleared him and thought “well that’s nice”, BUT it turns out it was his own investigation! I was tricked! The real investigation has yet to conclude, but whatever conclusion, I believe it will be decided favorably for Christie.

 Chris Christie can still be a contender in 2016 for the GOP nomination for President of the United States. After all, he is the chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association and that role is considered by some to be a stepping-stone to the presidency. In the first quarter of 2014, he set the RGA record for fund raising with $23.5 million, which beats the previous first quarter record of $9.1 million set in 2010. This serves to make him less comical than most politicians we profile here at The Strangest Adventures. It’s a safe bet that he’s far superior to most of the Republican candidates that ran in 2012!

Speaking of perspective, Christie looks pretty shrimpy compared to Shaquille O'Neal!

Batman Turns 75 Years Old!

Batman, arguably the world’s most famous superhero, was first published in 1939, which was 75 years ago this year. Batman has not only been published as several titles of comic books since then but has been a serial, a series of cartoons, movies, a TV show, video games, and so much more. It would be almost impossible to estimate his influence on popular culture. The Strangest Adventures spoke of Batman’s future last time, now it’s time to talk about his beginnings. 

The first appearance of Batman was in Detective Comics #27; one unrestored copy of it went for  $1,075,000 in February 2010.  As you an see, he looked just a bit different in those days, but even then he was recognizable as the Dark Knight Detective we know today. I can only imagine the amazement a child of that time must have felt, seeing him for the first time. 

As a child growing up in the 1960’s, I was always fascinated by Batman. Unlike other comic book heroes, he was just a human, no super powers, no magic ring; Batman relied on his detective skills, his athletic training, and of course, his utility belt with his wonderful gadgets. He had one thing in common with Superman, who had come out the year before, in 1938, both of them had dead parents but Superman’s parents died on an alien planet while he was a baby while Batman, as a young Bruce Wayne, saw his parents gunned down in front of him! From that trauma, Batman emerged. Here is his origin story from Detective #33, which was published on November 1939.

One thing I have always liked about Batman was how he never killed and never used guns, after all his parents had been killed by a gun. However, in the beginning, he not only used a gun, but also had no problem with using deadly force. That was quickly toned down though, and he took on a kid sidekick, Robin, the Boy Wonder. He evolved into the ethical hero now known and loved around much of the world. Here at The Strangest Adventures, Batman is one of our favorites. You can be sure we’ll have more to say about him next time!

Hey look! Batman is letting Robin drive the 1940's Batmobile!

Disclaimer- this is the first post where I created none of the images! Batfart is from the September 1974 National Lampoon, and was illustrated by famed comic book artist Nick Cardy and written by conservative humorist P.J. O’Rourke and the whole story can be read here. The other illustrations are from long time Batman artist Bob Kane and property of DC Comics.  

Paul Ryan’s Same Old Same Old!

House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, you might remember him as the failed Republican Vice President candidate in 2012, just released a “new” budget on April 1^st (Ha!) which you can judge for yourself. Yes the same day Obamacare was going into effect, Mr. Ryan was, once again, calling for it to be repealed. Four years later Paul, give it a rest man. Repealing any current law would take a 2/3rds majority in both houses to defeat a presidential veto, call me crazy but I do believe President Obama will veto any attempt to repeal his landmark legislation.

Furthermore, Paul Ryan wants to replace Medicare with vouchers. Vouchers! Oh and this budget includes tax breaks, how original. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says Ryan is trying to create a Kochtopia, that is, a give away to republican financiers the Koch Brothers, which would be clever, if Harry didn’t totally botch his delivery. I’ll let you judge for yourself the worthiness of this budget. Here at The Strangest Adventures we like it because it makes us laugh!

Allen West in 2016?

It's not too early to look at possible presidential candidates for 2016. Former Representative Allen West of Florida is something that is often hard to find in the Republican Party, a highly decorated veteran! He failed in 2008 the first time he ran for the House of Representatives but succeeded when he tried again in 2010, a banner year for tea partiers like West. However, in 2012 West ran for reelection in Florida's 18^th District but lost to a bland Democrat that won for not being Allen West! West seems to hate Muslims, he’s often angry and he’s a favorite son of the Tea Parties.

A day after receiving a ringing endorsement from horny embarrassment Herman Cain, who suggested that West would be a great choice for Vice President, West addressed a group of 100 supporters at a meeting in a community center in Jensen Florida on Tuesday April 10, 2012. He had something shocking and delusional to say.

“I believe there's about 78 to 81 members of the Democrat Party who are members of the Communist Party. It's called the Congressional Progressive Caucus.”

The Democrats got angry about this but Allen West felt no regret, he referenced his words in a fundraising e-mail. This all seems to have been planned.

"You know I am not afraid to speak the truth. That's why I’m the number one target of liberals and their friends in the media who are going completely nuts about my comments at a recent Townhall meeting, I need your help to fight back and stand up against the corrupt liberal media as they attempt cover for their left-wing allies."

The email directed readers to a page on West's campaign website and asks people to help support his "conservative army."

This was not the first time West had made headlines for provocative remarks.  December 2011, he said the Democratic Party's spin machine would have made Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels proud. At a dinner speech in January 2012, West told a crowd that President Obama and other top Democratic leaders should take their campaign message and "get the hell out of the United States of America." Allen West seems to be a stereotype, an angry tea partier!

Ex-Representative West could bring some passion to the 2016 Republican platform; he has “positives” such as his tea party connections, veteran’s status and a cult following that other candidates lack. Here at The Strangest Adventures we love it when politicians speak their minds. Pure Comedy Gold!

Ben Affleck as Batman!

Should Ben Affleck play Batman?  He has been confirmed to be the new movie Batman. To be honest I rarely like updated versions of long existing characters, like Batman for instance. Adam West is still my favorite Batman. I was not that impressed by the Christian Bale Batman movies, and missed the new Henry Cavil Superman so far, waiting for the discount bin. Ben Affleck was said to have ruined the 2003 Daredevil movie, plus he’s already “played Superman” in 2006 in Hollywoodland, when he played George Reeves, the 1950’s TV Superman. 

In any case, at this point I’m beyond caring. Maybe Matt Damon can be his Robin!

So this Defective Comics cover depicts Christian Bale as American Psycho character Patrick Bateman, as the Batman of the recent past versus Ben Affleck, who will play the Batman of the Near Future. Bateman is screaming one of his lines from that movie. I CAN recommend America Psycho and urge you to watch it.