Writers –Roger Stern & John Byrne Artist – John Byrne

In which Captain America goes to London to fight a Nazi vampire called Baron Blood.

A rather quaint and rosy picture of London, with a village bobby investigating a series of murders in which the victims are totally drained of blood. He is convinced the murders are down to a Jack The Ripper style of knife wielding slasher, but an old couple in a cottage near to the latest murder scene have a different theory – vampires. They even believe that they know which vampire – the aforementioned Baron Blood, though he was killed off in the 1940’s by a stake wielded by Captain America and his corpse lies guarded in a secret catacomb in The Tower of London. (Apparently he escaped – what do you expect).

This is a crazy view of London, complete with Cockney geezers, polite policemen, a country bumpkin coroner (actually the chief villain in disguise), and a place where country cottages are within walking distance of the Tower Of London.

The old couple know the vampire is at large because they saw it happen. They are retired superheroes, Spitfire and Union Jack 1. Their son had become a second Union Jack, but he had died some time back. Suspecting the evil Baron might be up to his old tricks, they send a summons to Captain America.

New York is seen as a big city (as if London isn’t), and the young Steve Rogers (having been in cryogenic deep-freeze through the 1950’s and 60’s), is dating his current girlfriend when he tells her that he has to go to England.

There are nice touches here of the girlfriend’s perception of his old fashioned rather Conservative values. He likes old movies and music, rather than modern pop culture. He would rather see Rogers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma musical than the modern explicit play O Calcutta his lover would like him to see.

The good Captain barely has time to greet his old friends (noting how they have aged) when the Baron strikes, getting close to biting the American hero, only to be thwarted by the chain mail around the hero’s neck. The rising sun forces the vampire to flee with intent on a rematch. Much now hinges on whether the old couple will don their heroic garb to rejoin the fight after thirty years or if their son and his best friend (who happen to be visiting the cottage) will become a new generation Union Jack hero and assist in finishing the monster off once and for all.

The Baron is a great character, created by Dracula, but bearing many personal grudges. He is a cross between the Red Baron and Dick Dasterdly with fangs. A terrific work of hokum with an incredibly misguided and unresearched notion of what life is really like in London.

Arthur Chappell

The Union Jack WILL FLY AT MY HOME until the war in terror is over and the threats to Democracy that sit in the White House, the Speakers and Senate Chairs are gone.  I will do whatever I can short of suggesting or carrying out physical violence to make that day come and soon…  I love this country.  I cannot stand seeing people who love power more than it destroy what is here.  John Paul Jones, Patrick Henry, Paul Reverie and others would not have sat idly by.  This is the least I can do.  As we proceed toward the election I will do more.

BTW, one thing I recently learned.  The commander of Ft. McHenry had two flags made in the weeks before the battle.  The one that Key wrote about looking for in the first verse was the smaller of the two, the “storm flag” that was flown during the battle.  But the one Key saw as the enemy began the retreat was the other flag that was run up, the one the commander ordered weeks before for just that purpose – to show America and the British that the Star Spangled banner still waved.  It was the main flag, thirty two feet high – note high – and fifty – no kidding – feet wide!  My flags together have thirty square feet of area.  This flag was 1600 square feet.  That flag would cover most of the roof of my home!  To keep such a flag from touching the ground would require a flagpole of over 85 feet!  No wonder Key wrote that line, “Oh Say does that Star Spangled Banner yet Wave”.

Other Articles by Ralph Brandt

·         Academia Glossary Feb 26, 2007

·         Tearing A Page Out Of The Bible Feb 26, 2007

·         Taking A Stand Takes Courage – Even In The Church Feb 26, 2007

·         Gas Light Oct 29, 2006

·         Pinchot Lake – Fall 3 – fog Oct 29, 2006

·         Pinchot Lake – Fall 2 Oct 29, 2006

·         Pinchot Lake: Fall 1 Oct 29, 2006

·         Sandra Chapter 01: the Accident

·         The First Family: Chapter 1 – Introduction

·         The Handshue Sect 1

·         The Night Sniper Chapter One: On the Beat

·         World War II – a Novel Chapter One

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There are many types of pointless laws from all over the world, this series hopes to identify some of the funniest and the most stupid laws;

In England there is a parliament which meets almost daily at Westminster. There is a law stating that no M.P. (Member or Parliament)is allowed to turn up to Parliament wearing a suit of Armour!! If any M.P. I know was to turn up to a serious business meeting wearing a knights costume would be laughed out before having to be evicted by the police!

Cows are not allowed to be driven down the road between 10AM and 7PM and when exactly is anybody going to “drive” a cow down a road! Anywhere there are cows there are going to be plenty of grass either side of the road! And since when does anybody Drive a cow?

Any boy over the age of 14 is permitted to perform 2 hours of longbow practise every week, so long as they are supervised by a member of the clergy. So sure we have to be respectful of those of us who see fit to practice old arts of archery, but most boys use professional bows and arrows, but these are normally in archery lessons!

London Hackney Carriages must carry a sack of hay and a sack of oats!! well lets face it now a days who rides in a carriage, instead of just catching a cab???

It is illegal to be drunk in a pub or restaurant! Come on we go to pubs to get drunk! why else would we go!

If there are two men having sex in a house, it is illegal for there to be someone else in the house! Any one ever heard of what we do behind closed doors is our own business, and why would anybody want to be present whilst two men are having sex, unless you’re seriously perverted!

If anyone breaks a boiled egg from the pointed end they will be sentenced to 24 hours in the village stocks!!!? No one is punished by the stocks any more, and we have freedom of choice in which way we break our boiled eggs!

Boys under the age of 10 may not see a naked mannequin! Why it’s not as though you can see any thing when you look at it!!!

hope these laws gave you something to laugh about!!