Andy's Sane Insanities

I decided it would be fun to look at what the longest-running unbroken title runs are.

Here are the rules I played with:

· It’s okay if a series changes name, as long as the numbering continues unbroken.

· It’s okay if there are 0 issues, -1 issues, .1 issues, 1,000,000 issues and the like mixed in as long as the title continues where it left off in the numbering with the next issue.

· If a series restarts at number 1 and then returns to the old numbering later on, the run is considered broken. The reason is twofold: I’m only looking at cases where each number in sequence actually exists. Plus, Marvel occasionally indulges in spurious logic when reverting to a larger numbering by adding in the numbering of another title which itself continues at the time (Incredible Hulk and Hulk, Fantastic Four and FF). I do note later issues in the description but don’t include them in the tally.

· Sorry, no Four Color. For the uninitiated, Four Color, which went under various names, was a “series” used by Dell to try out various series until they proved well enough to support their own series. On the surface this might sound like Showcase or similar titles, but Dell would pump out multiple titles a week using the Four Color numbering; they would also add in the number of Four Color issues when giving a particular title its own series (example: The Cisco Kid, after appearing in Four Color #292, then had his own series from #2-41). Therefore I’ve decided that Four Color was not a comic title in the truest sense.

· I’m focussing mainly on US titles because the information is easier to obtain, and due to the weekly format of most UK books, they’re best looked at separately (some American books have been weekly or bi-weekly, but almost never for a full year).

· Titles that jumped numbering don’t count (Archie Giant Series Magazine’s 632 issues sound impressive until you realize that 36-135 and 252-451 don’t exist).

Here are the 19 titles that made it to 400 in terms of consecutive issue numbers, listed by highest number reached; most titles do have gimmick issues like number 0‘s mixed in, but in the interest of time, I haven’t tried to tally those.

1. 904: Action Comics 1-600/Action Comics Weekly 601-642/Action Comics 643-904, June 1938-Oct 2011; restarted with number 1 the next month.

2. 881: Detective Comics 1-881, Mar 1937-Oct 2011; restarted with number 1 the next month.

3. 720: Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories 1-720, Oct 1940-Jun 2011; note: this title has a tendency to disappear for a few years and then return without resetting the numbering; this will likely happen again at some point.

4. 714: Superman 1-423/Adventures of Superman 424-649/Superman 650-714, Sum 1939-Oct 2011; restarted with number 1 the next month.

5. 713: Batman 1-713, Spr 1940-Oct 2011; restarted with number 1 the next month.

6. 640+: Archie Comics 1-113/Archie 114-Present, Win 1942-43-Present.

7. 544: X-Men 1-141/Uncanny X-Men 142-544, Sept 1963-Dec 2011; a new X-Men title started the next month.

8. 521: Journey into Mystery 1-125/Thor 126-502/Journey Into Mystery 503-512, Jun 1952-Jun 1998; Thor later had other series which were amalgamated into the original numbering; this renumbered series in turn reverted yet again to Journey into Mystery with the larger numbering continuing.

9. 519+: Mad 1-Present, Oct-Nov 1952-Present.

10. 512: Adventures of the Big Boy 1-512, 1956-??; note: this was a giveaway series which is hard to track; the series apparently later got renumbered, but later issues with the old numbering could conceivably still turn up.

11. 503: New Comics 1-11/New Adventure Comics 12-31/Adventure Comics 32-503, Dec 1935-Sept 1983; the series later got revived with new numbering and towards the end of its run reverted back to the old system.

12. 474: Tales to Astonish 1-101/Incredible Hulk 102-474, Jan 1959-Mar 1999; replaced by Hulk the next month; it’s complicated, but the original numbering did later return in some fashion.

13. 454: Tales of Suspense 1-99/Captain America 100-454 Jan 1959-Aug 1996; the first of a number of new Captain America series started next month; the old Captain America numbering returned for a time, which became various other Captain America-related titles after Captain America got another new #1.

14. 441: Amazing Spider-Man 1-441, Mar 1963-Nov 1998; restarted with number 1 the next month and later reverted to the old numbering before being again cancelled for a new series.

15. 422: Our Army at War 1-301/Sgt. Rock 302-422, Aug 1952-Jul 1988

16. 416: Fantastic Four 1-416, Nov 1961-Sept 1996; restarted with number 1 the next month and has twice so far reverted back to the larger numbering.

17. 411: Pep Comics 1-411, Jan 1940-Mar 1987

18. 402: Avengers 1-402, Sept 1963-Sept 1996; restarted with number 1 the next month and later reverted briefly to the old numbering before restarting with number 1 again under various incarnations.

19. 400: Special Comics 1/Hangman Comics 2-8/Black Hood Comics 9-19/Laugh Comics 20-225/Laugh 226-400, Win 1941-42-Apr 1987; a renumbered Laugh series appeared for a time; there was also a short-lived Black Hood series which ran concurrently with Laugh’s first series.

Note: Unfortunately I decided I can’t really count Uncle Scrooge because its first three issues were with the Four Color (FC) numbering, with the series proper starting with #4. If you want to count the series anyway, the details are: Uncle Scrooge FC386, FC456, FC495, 4-209/Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge 210-383/Uncle Scrooge 384-404, Mar 1952 (or Dec 1953/Feb 1954 if you skip the Four Color issues)-Jun 2011.

This is the 11th of a likely 700-odd part series of capsule notes on various DVDs; all are ones I own or have owned in the past so I may be able to check on any disagreements. In many cases other editions may be available (e.g. a separate Fullscreen and Widescreen version). Once I reach the end of the alphabet, if I'm still alive then, I shall tackle newer additions missed during the first pass through the alphabet. All DVDs are NTSC Region 1 unless otherwise noted.

Special Note: This post was originally supposed to include the complete Angel series and other DVDs. However, some sort of computer bug is preventing me from including those in this post. I hope to include those in a later post.

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT HORROR DOUBLE FEATURE

VERSION: Anchor Bay; Widescreen

DIRECTOR: Lamberto Bava

GENRE: Horror

BOOKLET: 4 pages

LANGUAGES: English (spoken/dubbed); no subtitles

Side A:

A Blade in the Dark

AKA: La casa con la scala nel buio

CAST: Andrea Occhipinti, Anny Papa, Fabiola Toledo, Michele Soavi, Valeria Cavalli, Stanko Molnar, Lara Lamberti

WRITERS: Elisa Briganti, Dardano Sacchetti

NOTES: A horror movie composer becomes embroiled in a murder mystery.

CHAPTERS: 25

FEATURES: Behind the Blade, Theatrical Trailer, Bios (text)

DATE/TIME/RATING: 1983, 104/1h44, Unrated (about R)

Side B:

Macabre

AKA: Macabro, Frozen Terror

CAST: Bernice Stegers, Stanko Molnar, Veronica Zinny, Roberto Posse, Ferdinando Orlandi, Fernando Pannullo, Elisa Kadigia Bove

WRITERS: Lamberto Bava, Pupi Avati

NOTES: A married woman returns from an institution, having had an affair with a man killed in an accident.

CHAPTERS: 28

FEATURES: A Head for Horror: Lamberto Bavo on Macabre, Theatrical Trailer, Lamberto Bava bio (text)

DATE/TIME/RATING: 1980, 90/1h30, Unrated (about R)

A Head for Horror: Lamberto Bava on Macabre

CAST: Lamberto Bava

DIRECTOR: Gary Hertz

DATE/TIME: 2001, 8

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085303/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/blade_in_the_dark/ (Blade);

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080764/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/macabre/ (Macabre);

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0330378/ (Head)

ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT HORROR DOUBLE FEATURE

VERSION: Anchor Bay; Widescreen; three movies, not two

GENRE: Horror

LANGUAGES: English (spoken); no subtitles

Side A:

Horror 101

CAST: Brigitta Dau, Lisa Gordon, Josh Holland, Paityn James, Michael Moon, Scott Rinker, Justin Urich, Jason Wolk, Bo Derek

DIRECTOR: James Glenn Dudelson

WRITERS: Valorie Connally, Jenny McPhee, Daniel Miller

NOTES: Students from a psychology course on serial killers start disappearing.

FEATURES: Electronic Press Kit

DATE/TIME/RATING: 2001, 88/1h28, PG-13 US

Side B:

Horror 102: Endgame

CAST: Jeremy Aldridge, Melissa Frederick, Shasa Dabner, Christopher Hawkins, Joshua Heck, Lukas Langer, Anna Lerbom, Michael Moon

DIRECTOR/WRITER: Ana Clavell

NOTES: Students find themselves trapped in a former mental institution.

FEATURES: None unless you count the third film

DATE/TIME/RATING: 2004, 88/1H28, PG-13 US

Museum of the Dead

CAST: Tanya Vidal, Nathaniel Arcand, Vivian Lucas, Pepe Pena, Jason Rainwater

DIRECTOR: James Glenn Dudelson

WRITER: Jason Rainwater

NOTES: A monster plagues a museum.

DATE/TIME/RATING: 2004, 88/1h28, Unrated (about 14A)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0244941/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/horror_101/ (101);

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416821/ (102);

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325857/ (Museum)

ANDREI RUBLEV: THE PASSION ACCORDING TO ANDREI

AKA: Andrei Rublyov, Андрей Рублёв, Strasti po Andreyu, The Passion According to Saint Andrew

VERSION: Criterion; Widescreen

CAST: Anatoly Solonitsin, Ivan Lapikov, Nikolai Grinko, Nikolai Sergeyev, Irma Raush Tarkovskaya, Nikolai Burlyaev, Yuri Nazarov, Rolan Bykov, Yuri Nikulin, Mikhail Kononov, S. Krylov, Bolot Ishaelenev

DIRECTOR: Andrei Tarkovsky

WRITER: Andrei Mikhalkov Konchalovsky, Andrei Tarkovsky

GENRE: Drama

NOTES: Bio of the famous Russian icon/painter.

BOOKLET: 6 pages

LANGUAGES: Russian (spoken); English (subtitles)

CHAPTERS: 53

COMMENTARY: Harvard Film Professor Vlada Petric

OTHER FEATURES: Interviews (Andrei Tarkovsky, with Video Essay by Vlada Petric; 18m19); Timeline: Key events in Russian history, the lives and works of Andrei Rublev and Andrei Tarkovsky, Color Bars

DATE/TIME/RATING: 1966, 205/3h25, about 14A

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060107/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/andrei_rublev/

AND GOD CREATED WOMAN

VERSION: Artisan; Fullscreen

CAST: Rebecca De Mornay, Vincent Spano, Frank Langella, Donovan Leitch

DIRECTOR: Roger Vadim

WRITER: R.J. Stewart

GENRE: Drama, Comedy

NOTES: A seductress escapes from prison.

LANGUAGES: English (spoken/subtitles)

FEATURES: None

DATE/TIME/RATING: 1987, 100/1h40, R US

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092559/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1000915-and_god_created_woman/

...AND GOD SPOKE

AKA: The Making of '...And God Spoke'

VERSION: Artisan; Fullscreen

CAST: Michael Riley, Stephen Rappaport, Lou Ferrigno, Eve Plumb, Soupy Sales

DIRECTOR: Arthur Borman

GENRE: Comedy

NOTES: Mock documentary on the making of a film on the Bible.

LANGUAGES: English (spoken/subtitles)

FEATURES: None

DATE/TIME/RATING: 1994, 82/1h22, R US

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0107492

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/and_god_spoke/

ANDRE THE BUTCHER

AKA: Dead Meat

VERSION: ThinkFilm; Widescreen

CAST: April Billingsley, Maury Sterling, Ron Jeremy, Terry Mross, Heather Joy Budner, Justin Capaz, Faye Canada, Alan Fessenden, Liz Mullins, Gene Nash

DIRECTOR: Philip Cruz

WRITERS: James Hyde, Philip Cruz

GENRE: Horror, Comedy

NOTES: A group of cheerleaders (male and female) encounter a killer in the Florida backwoods.

LANGUAGES: English x2 (spoken); Spanish (subtitles)

COMMENTARY: Director/Co-Writer/Producer/Co-Editor Philip Cruz; Co-Writer/Producer James Hyde; Actor April Billingsley, Actor/Body Double Miranda (no surname)

OTHER FEATURES: Trailers (this/others), Deleted Scene

DATE/TIME/RATING: 2006, 87/1h27, 18A Can

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398927/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/andre_the_butcher/

ANDREW “DICE” CLAY: ONE NIGHT WITH DICE

VERSION: Rhino; Fullscreen

CAST/WRITER: Andrew Dice Clay

DIRECTOR: Kevin Padden

GENRE: Stand-up Comedy

NOTES: Early performance from the shock comedian.

LANGUAGES: English (spoken); no subtitles

FEATURES: None

DATE/TIME/RATING: 1987, 46, about R

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0249356/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/andrew-dice-clay-one-night-with-dice/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/andrew_dice_clay_one_night_with_dice/

ANDY KAUFMAN: I'M FROM HOLLYWOOD/MY BREAKFAST WITH BLASSIE

VERSION: Rhino, Fullscreen, Flip disk

LANGUAGES: English (spoken; no subtitles)

CHAPTERS: 9 per movie

FEATURE: Rhino ad

I'm From Hollywood

CAST: Andy Kaufman, Bob Zmuda, Jerry Lawler, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza, Jimmy Hart, Lance Russell, Robin Williams

DIRECTOR: Lynne Margulies, Joe Orr

WRITER: Andy Kaufman, Lynne Margulies, Joe Orr

GENRE: Comedy, Documentary

NOTES: Chronicles Kaufman’s wrestling career and supposed feud with wrestler Jerry “The King” Lawler.

DATE/TIME/RATING: 1989, 60/1h, about PG

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0173920

My Breakfast With Blassie

CAST: Andy Kaufman, Fred Blassie, Elaine Marguelis, Bob Zmuda, Linda Burdick, Laurie Burton, Linda Hirsch

DIRECTOR: Linda Lautrec, Johnny Legend, Mark Shepard

WRITER: Linda Lautrec, Johnny Legend

GENRE: Comedy

NOTES: Mock documentary of a breakfast at a restaurant between a performer and a retired wrestler.

FEATURES: Behind the Scenes at the Blassie Premiere, Audio Interview (Johnny Legend, Linda Lautrec)

DATE/RATING: 1981, 68/1h8, about PG

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0173920 (Hollywood);

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0085979

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/MyBreakfastWithBlassie-1014493/preview.php (Blassie);

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/AndyKaufmanImFromHollywoodMyBreakfastWithBlassie-1096358/preview.php (combo)

SPECIAL NOTE: The special editions of both of the above will be covered at their respective alphabetical spots.

ANDY KAUFMAN: THE ANDY KAUFMAN SHOW (SOUNDSTAGE)

VERSION: Rhino, Fullscreen as aired

CAST: Andy Kaufman, Elayne Boosler, Alex Shorr

GENRE: Comedy

NOTES: Surreal episode of the PBS series Soundstage including an argument with his ex plus a Tony Clifton puppet.

LANGUAGES: English (spoken; no subtitles)

CHAPTERS: 94

FEATURE: I'm From Hollywood/My Breakfast with Blassie ad

DATE/TIME /RATING: 1983, 58, about PG

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/AndyKaufmanTheAndyKaufmanShow-1096188/preview.php

ANDY KAUFMAN: THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL

VERSION: Sony Music, Fullscreen as aired

CAST: Andy Kaufman, Wolfman Jack, Slim Whitman, Freddie “Boom Boom” Cannon

DIRECTOR: Tom Trbovich

GENRE: Comedy, Documentary

NOTES: Episode of the normally music CBS series Midnight Special with a behind-the-scenes look at Kaufman’s career.

BOOKLET: 6 pages (all ads)

LANGUAGES: English (spoken/subtitles)

CHAPTERS: 5

FEATURE: Interesting Info (text)

DATE/TIME/RATING: 1981, 55, about PG

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0229907 (series)

http://www.tv.com/host-andy-kaufman/episode/208948/summary.html;

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/AndyKaufmanTheMidnightSpecial-1091414/preview.php (episode)

ANDY KAUFMAN: WORLD INTER-GENDER WRESTLING CHAMPION

VERSION: Micro-Werks; Fullscreen

CAST: Andy Kaufman, Bob Zmuda

GENRE: Comedy, Documentary

NOTES: Clips from Kaufman’s fights against women.

LANGUAGES: English (spoken); no sub-titles

FEATURES: Andy Wrestles the Ladies!, Andy’s Home Movies, Bio (text)

DATE/TIME/RATING: 2010, 126/2h6, Unrated (about PG)

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/andy_kaufman_world_inter_gender_wrestling_champion-2010/

ANGEL-A

VERSION: Sony; Widescreen

CAST: Rie Rasmussen, Jamel Debbouze, Gilbert Melki, Serge Riaboukine

DIRECTOR/WRITER: Luc Besson

GENRE: Fantasy, Drama

NOTES: A suicidal gambler is rescued by a mysterious woman.

LANGUAGES: French (spoken); English, Spanish (subtitles)

FEATURES: The Making of Angel-A (27m), Trailers

DATE/TIME/RATING: 2005, 91/1h31, R US/14A Can

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0473753/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/angela-2007/

ANGEL HEART

VERSION: Alliance Atlantis; Special Edition; Widescreen; slipcased

CAST: Mickey Rourke, Robert de Niro, Lisa Bonet, Charlotte Rampling, Stocker Fontelieu, Brownie McGhee, Michael Higgins, Elizabeth Whitcraft, Eliot Keener, Charles Gordone, Dann Florek, Kathleen Wilhoite, George Buck, Judith Drake, Gerald Orange, Peggy Severe, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Dave Petitjean, Rick Washburn

DIRECTOR: Alan Parker

WRITER: Alan Parker (novel: William Hjortsberg)

GENRE: Suspense

NOTES: A private detective takes on a case that proves to be more personal than expected; controversial at the time due to nude scenes by Cosby Show actress Lisa Bonet, but the scenes are fairly tame and the movie quite solid.

AWARDS WON: Young Artist Award (Best Young Female Superstar in Motion Pictures)

BOOKLET: 4 pages

LANGUAGES: English, French (spoken); English, Spanish (subtitles)

CHAPTERS: 23

COMMENTARY: Director Alan Parker

COMMENTARY: Actor Mickey Rourke (uncompleted)

OTHER FEATURES: Interviews (Alan Parker, Mickey Rourke), Introduction (Alan Parker), Voodoo…the Truth, Dance as Worship, Voodoo Macumbra Dance Ensemble, Ashé!, Featurette, Theatrical Trailer, Production Notes (text), Cast & Crew

DATE/TIME/RATING: 1987, 112/1h52, R US/18A Can

http://us.imdb.com/Details?0092563

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/AngelHeart-1000959/

ANGEL NEGRO

AKA: Black Angel

VERSION: Troma; Director’s Cut; Widescreen

CAST: Andrea Freund, Alvares Morales, Blanca Lewin, Juan Pablo Bastidas, Fernando Gallardo, Arturo Ruiz-Tagle, Alvaro Espinoza, Patricia Pardo, Claudio Rodriguez, Miguel Fuentes, Claudio Santana, Joaquin Calaf, Vanessa Lazo, Moisés Guitérrez, German Campos

WRITER/DIRECTOR: Jorge Olguin

GENRE: Horror

NOTES: People involved in the death of a shy schoolgirl are being murdered; reportedly the first horror film from Chili; subtitles apparently from someone whose first language was Spanish.

AWARDS NOMINATED: International Fantasy Film Award (Best Film), MTV Movie Award (MTV Central Feed (mostly Chile) - Favorite Film (Película de la Gente))

LANGUAGES: Spanish (spoken); English (subtitles)

CHAPTERS: 6

COMMENTARY: Writer/Director/General Producer Jorge Olguin (in Spanish)

COMMENTARY: Olguin’s Commentary translated into English and read by Troma staff

OTHER FEATURES: Introduction, Other Films/Book/Web Ad, Radiation March, Making of Angel Negro, Jorge at Fantastia, Theatrical Trailer (English & Spanish), DVD Credits

DATE/TIME/RATING: 2000, 85/1h25, about PG-13 to R

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0226701/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/AngelNegro-1123931/preview.php

ANGEL OF DEATH

VERSION: Sony; Widescreen

CAST: Zoë Bell, Jake Abel, Brian Poth, Vail Bloom, John Serge, Justin Huen, Ted Raimi, Doug Jones, Ingrid Rogers, Lucy Lawless, Pat Asanti

DIRECTOR: Paul Etheredge

WRITER: Ed Brubaker

GENRE: Action

NOTES: An assassin goes on the run after a hit goes wrong.

LANGUAGES: English (spoken/sub-titles)

COMMENTARY: Writer Ed Brubaker, Actor Zoë Bell

OTHER FEATURES: Making of Angel of Death; Writing, Ed Brubaker Style; Casting an Angel: Zoë Bell as Eve; Zoë Bell’s Screen Test; Eve’s Tips for Killing; Behind the Stunts

DATE/TIME/RATING: 2009, 78/1h18, Unrated US/18A Can

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1269734/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1212760-angel_of_death/

ANGELS CREST

VERSION: kaBoom!/Asylum

CAST: Chris Bauer, Currie Graham

DIRECTOR: J. Michael Couto

WRITER: J. Michael Couto, Grant Holly

GENRE: Drama

NOTES: During a trip through the woods, the past comes back to haunt two friends.

LANGUAGES: English (spoken); Spanish (subtitles)

CHAPTERS: