Friday, 21 August 2026

FOUR (Count 'em - FOUR) COMICBOOK GOODIES FOR YOU... (Updated)

CONAN characters copyright CPI

Received today, the sixth issue of The Savage Sword Of Conan Reforged.  I think I'll call it quits with this one, as it appears to be a quarterly publication and I prefer to get my hands on my mags a month apart at the most.  If you're a Conan fan, you're probably in it for the long haul, but a nice half-dozen will do for me.



Below are two new DC Facsimile Editions - Detective Comics #27 and Showcase #4, the debuts of The Batman and The Flash, respectively.  I already have earlier facsimiles of DC #27, but this one doesn't have an intrusive barcode on the front cover, which has been consigned to the back, as I prefer.  (Same with Showcase and all DC facsimiles these days.)

Copyright DC COMICS


Bonus: A late arrival is The Silver Surfer #6 facsimile.  The 'Continued After Next Page' taglines have been placed over the the art at the foot of the page instead of under it, but I'll have to check my original issue to see if that's how it's meant to be.  (Only on the Surfer story, not on the Tales of The Watcher back-up strip.)  The size of the lettering on them looks a little smaller to me than it should be, but again, I'll have to check. 

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

UPDATE ON THE MEADOWBROOK CARE HOME SITUATION...

This isn't what it looks like - it's actually a headpiece to
electrocute dissatisfied and complaining relatives

Okay, Crivvies, for those interested in the continuing saga of my mother's 'incarceration' in Meadowbrook Care Home (part of Enhance Healthcare, remember), I received an email from the allocated Social Worker recently.  He's no longer allocated, as I insisted on having him replaced on account of him being about as useful as a chocolate fireguard (one or two instances aside), but he asked if I'd be interested in meeting with the Home's manageress (just back from holiday), about the possibility (nothing definite in other words) of me being allowed restricted access to the front of the building, where my mother would be brought out to see me at the door (or perhaps just inside).  It was stipulated it would have to be within working hours (I usually visit in the evening) so that staff were available to assist my mother from her room.  I was told this might (again, nothing definite) eventually lead to my visiting rights being restored at some unspecified future date.  (I'd be on 'probation' in other words.)

Think about that for a moment.  This is clearly a disingenuous and Machiavellian manoeuvre on their part to create the illusion that me being unable to visit my mother is my decision, as opposed to their 'Orwellian' diktat denying me access to her.  They imposed the ban, and they can lift it just as quickly and easily without requiring me to jump through hoops and, in so doing, tacitly 'admit' that I was 'guilty' of threatening and intimidating behaviour, inappropriate physical conduct, and sexual harassment, as has been falsely and maliciously claimed.  They want to demonstrate they call all the shots, and also humiliate me, as revenge for standing up to them and complaining about their continual incompetence, and ineptitude of their staff.  Anyway, I replied to the Social Worker and told him exactly how I felt about his enquiry, so the situation is far from being resolved to my satisfaction.

For myself, I'm ready and willing to resume my visits immediately, but not under the yoke of unacceptable and egregious conditions and inconvenient timescales that aren't suitable to my own physical infirmities and established practices, just to accommodate the Home's tyrannical desire to 'put me in my place'.  No doubt they'd insist I remove my blog posts detailing their bully-boy tactics and thereby suppress my free-expression of how they operate.  (That ain't gonna happen!)  Any visits to this disgrace of a Home would hopefully be only temporary, as I have restarted proceedings about getting my mother removed and admitted elsewhere, but this has proved impossible on at least three separate attempts before, as the system is designed to impede rather than assist in this endeavour.  By that I mean, prospective Care Homes prefer to prioritise the befuddled, confused, and fleeting feelings of Alzheimer's-stricken patients above those with POA and a Certificate of Incapacity.  In short, we're denied any real say in the matter.

I note their website claims that 'Trained caring staff treat residents with respect while providing high quality care.'  I'm trying not to laugh - my lips are chapped.

Feel free to comment.  For links to previous posts on this subject, see the one before this.