Category: Whatcha Readin’?

A Marvel fan

September 12, 2025

The anchor and weather prognosticator were discussing a story they had aired about the casting of Reed Richards in an upcoming Fantastic Four movie. As I sat and watched these two young Marvel comics fans, I wondered if they realized how old these magazines are.

Marvel Comics #1 was first published in October of 1939 by Timely Publications. This book included The Human Torch and Namor the Sub-Mariner. Captain America first appeared in March of 1941. The man we know as Stan Lee was with Marvel from the beginning and took over leadership of Timely in 1941.

The name was changed to Marvel Comics Group in 1961. In November, the Fantastic Four first appeared. Reed Richards as Mr. Fantastic, Sue and Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm make up the team. Spiderman appeared for the first time in 1962.

My favorite mag was the Amazing Spider-Man. It debuted in 1963. I had been reading the stories about Peter Parker and grabbed the new comic the minute I saw it. He was a teenage science nerd. In the third grade, I was also a science geek. I did not want to be bitten by a radioactive spider. I just wanted strength, clinging ability, and Spidey sense.

The Hulk was a character that I did not particularly care for. I think it was the idea that Dr. David Banner became angry and morphed into the green monster. This may be the reason that, when I grew up, I no longer liked the color green. Maybe it was all the green Marvel villains that turned me off as well.

When Matthew Murdock was introduced as The Daredevil, he became a favorite as well. The comic book world was changed by Stan Lee after he took the lead of Marvel Magazines. He’s also the creator of Iron Man. Heroes became a mainstay of the industry, and the popularity of the cartoon-type books bottomed out except for young children.

I was never an X-Men, Silver Surfer, or Nick Fury Fan. Captain America was more like Superman than I had thought a Marvel Hero Would Be. Thor, the Sub-Mariner, and Doctor Strange were other characters that I was not fond of.

Let’s get back to The Fantastic Four. I always thought that Ben Grimm should have had the nickname Rocky instead of The Thing. I enjoyed the fights with Johnny as The Torch and Ben. If they had lived in my home, it would have been Sue and Johnny who would have had fights.

I felt like Reed Richards and Sue Storm took entirely too long to become engaged. I found it enthralling to have a married team as part of a group of superheroes. Without them, I am not sure that Pixar ever would have made The Incredibles the way they did. The family concept seemed to me to stem from The Fantastic Four.

Are you a fan of comics or graphic novels? What is your favorite magazine, character, or publisher? Do you have any stories you would like to share? Comment below, and if you do not want your comments shared with everyone, tell me, and I will read and respond, but not share with other readers. This is my site, and I can do that.

©Copyright 2025 by Charles Kensinger

The Man with the Twisted Lip

August 28, 2025

We’ve discussed romantic comedies and science fiction in previous columns. Today we are going to look at the mystery genres. I say this in the plural because what was once known as mysteries is now so much more. Just as all the other types of stories have morphed into additional groups there are now dozens, if not hundreds of ways to tell a suspenseful tale.

We have thrillers, murder mysteries, suspense, romantic mysteries, locked door dramas, and so many more. When I think of this genre, I think of certain classic authors. Agatha Christie, P.D. James, Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allen Poe, etc. One of my problems with modern mystery fiction is that most writers only know how to solve murders.

Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes solved mysteries and murders. My favorite is “The Man with the Twisted Lip.” If you have never read it, I will not spoil it for you. Get a copy and read it.

The funny thing about this story is that it begins as an investigation to find a missing man. His wife saw him in a window in a bad part of London. She is prevented from entering the building and as the investigation proceeds, she discovers that he does not work where he told her that he did.

A man is arrested in conjunction with the disappearance. Holmes solves the case by washing the prisoner’s face. The solution is that this wealthy man made himself up as a poor beggar and earned his money as a professional pan handler. This was not illegal even in that day. It was not a profession accepted by society.

Today we have schools where you can take classes on how to put the touch on others. Did you know that the person who you see at the airport with the sad story that all their money and ticket were just stolen, and they have no way to get home may have taken this training.

Shortly after I saw a report on television about these seminars, I had a lady walk up to me at a gas station. She had run out of gas and was on her way to Kansas City. I asked about her car, and she was vague. She needed ten or twenty dollars because there was a problem with her credit card. I was with my wife and offered to use a gas can I had in my trunk and take her to her car and bring her back to the station and pay for her gas. When I turned to finish filling my tank, she disappeared.

She had not come from the convenience store, and I was already suspicious. On the report I saw you were told to park away from the station and accept only cash. This type of farse is like the online and phone scams that we hear about on local TV.

Then there is the man that handed his sign off to a lady and walked into the Wal-Mart parking lot as my wife and I went inside. When we came out, we drove past an expensive conversion van and recognized the man inside watching television while sitting at a table having a meal with others.

The woman that had taken his place was walking back to the van and as we went by the intersection, someone else was holding the same sign. These were professional panhandlers. No homeless people here. This has been happening for hundreds of years.

How do we stop it? Give contributions to organizations that help the homeless or indigent. Do not give anything to someone you do not know. Don’t even give them food. We have seen full fast food bags left on the curb. If you want to find a person or group that you are familiar with that needs assistance, take that route.

When a local charity sent buses to pick up the beggars on the streets to take them to jobs, within three months they discontinued the program. One time a guy held a sign that said, “Will strip for food.” I’m sure that guy doesn’t need any help except psychiatrics.

©Copyright 2025 by Charles Kensinger

There is a right answer.

January 29, 2025

I have just read another article that was published for the new year. We authors are always looking for a new way to express our thoughts. Each year almost every word purveyor finds what he or she believes is the next big idea. That will sell our thoughts to a publisher and if we expand on it enough, with the correct hook, there is a new bestselling book.

The Preacher said it in Ecclesiastes, “There is nothing new under the sun.” The article I just read stated a new “truth” this way, “There is no right answer.” This writer decided that it took her thirty years to learn that. What she says is true. We try to convince folks that our way of thinking is the only answer. The way I express her thought is different. I say, “Just because you don’t agree with me doesn’t necessarily mean you are wrong.”

We are speaking of things like job decisions, where to live, and who to marry. That last one may be up for dispute. Some of us believe that there is only one man or woman that we can live with our entire lives. If we choose the wrong one, it will mean a divorce and the destruction of our family and possibly, our children. This concept of a soul mate can often be the reason for family breakups.

Each of these questions has good and bad answers. Some can be better and easier than others. The answer to your personal questions is yours to make. No one would dispute that. The idea that none of your decisions could ever be bad is wrong. Sometimes we make incorrect decisions and must suffer the consequences. Taking a route to work that you have always driven, may mean you are delayed by a traffic accident or road construction. This was another point made in the article, that our decisions are often made without complete information.

There are some rights and wrongs that we may want to dispute, but should. Is it wrong to kill? Yes. Must we kill? For self-defense or to execute murderers and rapists. This is our only way to keep society peaceful and civilized. There are some that oppose the death penalty because they believe there is never a reason to take a life.

The Bible instructs us not to murder. It provided for the death penalty for certain offences. Moses instructed the Hebrews in the Law to execute those who murdered intentionally. Read the book of Leviticus to get all the provisions made for this crime. It also includes what to do if a death is determined to be accidental. Quite interesting reading.

Modern laws have rejected most of the ancient Hebraic law. Parents cannot execute their children for disobeying them and homosexuals or adulterers are not put to death in this country either. Some cultures still observe these laws.

I am not advocating returning to following all the Levitical laws. It would be difficult for me to give up ham, bacon and other pork products. The pork industry would be destroyed if our government enforced kosher requirements on all U.S. products.

I am acknowledging that there are many direct truths given in the sixty-six books of the Christian Bible. It is not the only document that contains teachings that are admirable, and we can accept as truthful statements.

Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. He also commanded His followers to treat everyone the way that we want to be treated. They are truthful and sound instructions. Some believe that we should never lie. This however is not taught in these scriptures. Even our Lord withheld the truth when it was not to His benefit to answer questions.

The point I wish to make is that there is a correct and truthful answer to some questions. You might not agree with me. That is fine. You can oppose the President of the United States, and he may not be able to put you in jail unless he can prove that you violated a law. Even he can be wrong, although he usually will not admit it.

The one I will not disagree with is Jehovah God. I may not want to follow all His laws, but I have to admit that the more I read His Word and contemplate what He has been telling us for years, I see His point on most things. I agree life is precious. I believe I should follow our governmental leaders unless they violate God’s laws. But, once again, that is my opinion.

©Copyright 2025 by Charles Kensinger

The invisible woman

December 28, 2024

I sat in the campus union at my local university in the 1970s.  A fellow student stops near me and asks about the book I am reading.  The title is “Invisible Man.”  She mentioned she had read the book, and we spent the next few minutes discussing the plot and what each of us found interesting about the book.  The conversation lags and she walks away.

Over fifty years later I am reminded of this situation and begin to contemplate some things that I have not mentioned yet.  First, the book I was reading was Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man” and the book we discussed was H. G. Wels’ book “The Invisible Man”.  Ellison was a current black author who wrote a detailed account of growing up black in America.  The young lady that stopped to talk to me was also African American and at the time I found it humorous that she did not know the book I was studying for a contemporary literature class.

The point that strikes me as unusual today is that this girl was very attractive, and I let her walk away without even considering acquiring her phone number.  Was she flirting or just being friendly?  If she was flirting, why did I not pick up on that and flirt back?  Was it because I was raised that blacks and whites should not date or marry and it never occurred to me that she might be interested in me?  Or could it be that I was just too shy to have the guts to ask for her number? 

The question is, am I a bigot because I never thought to flirt with an attractive African American woman who was my contemporary, or was, I just raised to be polite unless the lady did more than just talk to me, I did not assume that she wanted or expected anything more?

I have thought about the possibility of whether I am prejudiced or not. I admit that I do have my prejudices. They are not based on race, culture, origin, or beliefs. I often judge people as being stupid. As Forest Gump’s mother said, “Stupid is as stupid does.”

Do we even know what that means? To me, stupidity is what we do. Ignorance is not having knowledge. Foolishness is lacking wisdom. Wisdom comes from God and age. Stupidity is a human characteristic. We all do things that can be referred to as stupid.

It may have been stupid for me to not take an opportunity to get to know that lady better. An invitation to the student union would have been appropriate. Continuing a conversation about science fiction could have been easy for me. I have read not only H. G. Wells but Jules Verne, Arthur C. Clark, and many other authors since that time. In another semester at that institution, I took a science fiction class. It was the first offered there and is standard now.

My problem was my inexperience with dating. I had only one girlfriend at that time. I dated her off and on for five years. Shortly after this encounter, she told me that we should not continue to date. I then began looking for girls to date. I never ran into that young lady again. I have wondered if another chance would have ended differently.

It was almost two years later before I met the woman who was to be my wife. I like to think that God brought her to me at the correct time. None of the others I dated were someone I could not live without. It has been said, “Marry the person you can’t live without, not just someone that you can live with. I did that.

©Copyright 2024 by Charles Kensinger

Reading A Christmas Carol, again

December 12, 2024

A fun thing for a reader to do is pick up a favorite book and read it again.  At Christmas there are many stories that come to mind.  One of these for this Springfield boy brings the true meaning of Christmas home.  This years’ experience has brought back some insights not thought of for many years, while reading “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens.

If you’ve never read the book and only seen the thousands of video versions of the story, it is well worth a read.  Copies are available almost anywhere and you can even find free downloads for some devices and computers.  It takes only an hour or two to read completely.  Or you can listen to the audio book. Some families make reading a Christmas tradition. 

The main character is Ebenezer Scrooge.  We all know Mr. Scrooge in his many incarnations.  Since his creation he has been copied, degraded, analyzed, and referred to as an old fart or worse.  However, the main subject is the Bob Cratchit family.  The most memorable line of the book is uttered by Cratchit’s son Tim, aka Tiny Tim, who says, “God bless us, everyone.”  The illness that has crippled this boy is not identified.  The Ghost of Christmases to Come shows Ebenezer a scene referring to the boy’s death.  The lead character’s death is also mentioned, but no one mourns for him.

Dickens was endeavoring to illustrate the plight of the poor, downtrodden, ordinary Londoner.  To illustrate what his culture lacked he chose a typical lower-income family.  They worked but could not get ahead unless they were treated better than Scrooge treated them.  The plight of the poor is not necessarily the fault of the wealthy.  They can, however, improve others lot by being fair and honest. 

Charity is not required to help the working poor.  Decent wages and proper treatment by employers go a long way.  As Bob Cratchit shows us, hard work can be rewarding, if your boss wants it to be.  The moral is more that kindness as exhibited by Tiny Tim is rewarded, than that those who lack concern for others will die and be forgotten. 

Human beings were created separately by God.  We should demonstrate human kindness and not animal unconcern.  Pets or even inanimate objects are shown more love than some people are shown.  Even Mr. Scrooge was shown kindness by the spirits.  His greed must be corrected not punished.

This was Dicken’s fourth Christmas story that he published. If you know the other three before this, you are a dedicated bibliophile. One was a short part of “The Pickwick Papers” his first novel that was published in 1837. Charles’ other Christmas stories that came after were “The Chimes” in 1844, “The Cricket on the Hearth” in 1845, “The Battle of Life” 1846. and “The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain” from 1848.

We have read many stories about Christmas over the years.  I would like to hear about yours. Make a comment below and share them with us. For other authors please send me links to your stories or blogs about this and other holidays. I know Christmas is not the only holy day that is celebrated. I am always expanding my knowledge of cultures. As Saint Nick exclaimed in Clement Clark Moore’s poem, “Happy Christmas to all. And to all a good night.”

©Copyright 2024 by Charles Kensinger

Homage to Catalonia

September 26, 2024

If you recognize this title, you are a literature professor or like myself, an avid reader with time to explore everything your favorite authors have written. If you have read anything this author wrote it is “1984” or “Animal Farm”. These may have been required for a class in high school or college.

I had read both years ago for entertainment. They are considered classics. “Animal Farm” was published before “1984”. If you read dystopian or science fiction literature, you know this one. Those who read political commentary or satire know both. If you are a history buff, you may have encountered “Homage to Catalonia” in regard to the Spanish Revolution of the 1930s.

The genre this fits in is Memoirs. Orwell was in his thirties, married, and went to Spain to fight against fascism. This is the political concept that brought us World War II. I will let you do your own research on that. I don’t understand all this political discourse and would rather discuss what George learned from being involved in a war.

I might have been able to go to Vietnam and take part in that conflict in the early 1970s. I was not drafted. I did not volunteer. I have no personal one-on-one experience with any war or conflict. I once thought I might like to report on these battles. I decided that I would rather answer a different call. You can read about that in other columns.

I have just finished reading Orwell’s memoir and would like to share what he learned from his life in this skirmish. The working class was rebelling against the rich and Spain was in turmoil. Franco was pushing fascism. Communists were pushing their form of socialism. Almost all of the working class wanted something other than capitalism. I understand rebelling against capitalism.

Free trade is not all it was cracked up to be in ECON 101. I did not understand much of that material as a college freshman. I do agree that we should work for what we want. My parents taught me that early on. I do not believe that I should pay you three or more times what something costs you. I shop for sales. I buy used. I’ve learned to wait for something until I can afford it or do without it.

Socialism was an idea that George Orwell was familiar with. He thought the people of Spain deserved this kind of society. They seemed to want it. Even many of the wealthier Spaniards accepted this concept. That was what he thought when he went to fight for them. After months on the front lines, he was not convinced of this.

After a year of fighting in Catalonia, he left to meet his wife for leave. What he saw in larger cities caused him to believe that many had forgotten there was a war. He saw what socialism was. A plot by the wealthy to keep the lower classes subject to them. Those of the lower classes who embraced socialism or communism used it to increase their own wealth and stature. Once a worker attained superiority, he was content and no longer saw a need to elevate the masses.

Few people wanted to help others. They wanted what they could get for themselves. I’ve learned this over my lifetime. We are approaching an important election. The general election is in November.

In 2016, we are learning what Orwell learned in Spain. The political parties are out for what they can get. They lie, cheat, and steal to get you to vote for their people. We, as voters, must sort out this deceit to find those who want to serve us as our representatives in government.

I’ve found one person I can support for governor. His party did not nominate him. I will write his name in on my ballot in November. I cannot vote for any Republican who supports a convicted criminal. He is only leading his party through terrorism and name-calling. I will not endorse that.

I hope you refuse to vote for liars, thieves, and insurrectionists as well. What they say must be tempered with what they do, and that is not easy to discover. We all need to listen to what real people who have had business and social contacts with the candidates say about how they feel about them. Please take the time to look for the truth. Do not just listen to political commercials, even if they are called news.

©Copyright 2024 by Charles Kensinger

Banned books

January 23, 2023

I received an e-mail from Penguin Random House today with a list of banned books I might want to read. As I went through the list, I found four that I had read. I can add a few more to their list from my favorites. It surprises me when I discover what books are deemed offensive by groups around the world.

The four from the list? Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, George Orwell’s Animal Farm and 1984, and Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. I added Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn from my Uncle Sam. I’ll begin with the oldest books. Mark Twain is famous for writing period pieces. Most were from the time in which he lived.

Recently some of Twain’s books have been removed from libraries because of the language used in them. The common term for the word that is objected to is the “N” word. It is considered derogatory in our culture. In Samuel Clemens’s day, it was a word used to describe certain people. Even in that time, some used that term to denigrate others.

These books are valuable for showing us how minorities were abused in the past. These practices need to be corrected in our world. Removing offensive language from the culture can be done without eliminating non-offensive literature. We should agree on which word is acceptable in our society and positively descriptive of this people group.

George Orwell wrote 1984 to show that a tyrannical government can control its citizens in many significant ways. We have the wonderful phrase “Big brother is watching you” from this amazing story. In the 1940s the technology to watch us 24/7 was not yet available. Today it is.

Why it and Animal Farm should be banned is not obvious to me. A story about a society inhabited by species of animals is nothing new to us now. Orwell was trying to teach us about prejudice and trying to control others for our own purposes. There is an alternative message here. Take care of others and you help yourself.

I first met the writings of Kurt Vonnegut in 1973 at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. I was a sophomore, and they offered their first class in science fiction as literature. Our instructor was a Vonnegut fan, and I was not at first. Slaughterhouse has never been a favorite. Again, I do not fully understand why they should be banned. My guess is that someone like me did not enjoy reading it.

You guessed wrong if you believe The Invisible Man is a sci-fi book. I first read this book for a literature class at SMSU. Ralph Ellison writes a memoir of what it was like growing up as a young black man in white America. As you can notice from the title his main observation is that being black made him invisible to many.

The story that I tell most often about this book is sitting in the student union reading it when a nice-looking young lady approached me and began talking to me about it. After a short conversation, I realized she had mistaken it for the H.C. Wells novel. The kicker was that she was African American. I never told her about her mistake. We enjoyed several other conversations that year. When I transferred to another university, we lost track of each other.

As a writer I recommend books I have read, and I also advise against others that I felt were a waste of time. I do not like the concept of banning books for any reason. My wife and I did try to control what our daughters read at each stage as they matured.

I do not support the bill currently in the Missouri legislature that could penalize libraries for offering certain tomes to students whose parents do not believe that they are age appropriate. This type of legislation has failed to reach the floor for a vote in previous sessions. It should fail this year as well.

©Copyright 2023 by Charles Kensinger

Reading as a life choice

December 27, 2022

Goodreads offers a reading challenge every year. I joined the group for the first time in 2017. My goal was 36 books. I thought I usually read at least three books a month. I was wrong. I only read ten books that year. That was 28%. I did not repeat this program in 2018. I did not realize the books I read that were not e-books could be added.

I read traditional books. I read audiobooks. I even read books published by independent authors who are personal friends. Goodreads has no way to know that these books even exist. I now know how to add most of these to my list.

Since 2019 I have exceeded my goal each year. That year, I wanted to read at least twelve. That was two more than I completed my first time. That was the year I retired. I finished twenty-six then. That was 217%.

In 2021 and 2022 my goal was 100. I exceeded that goal in both years. I have set a record this year by reading 120 at this time. With four more days to go, I should add at least one or two more by the 31st. Some of you may wonder if I am reading some of the books you have read this year. You can add me as a friend on Goodreads and check my reading list. We could also discuss these books online.

We could form a book club and meet once a month via Zoom for a discussion if some of you want. I read non-fiction, self-help, biblical studies, historical fiction, sci-fi, mysteries of all kinds, and even the occasional romance novel.

Writers are readers. We get our ideas from what we read, see, and hear. I often pull out my phone, a notepad, or just a scrap of paper to make a note of a story idea.

This was me as I was growing up.

I read a George Lucas biography years ago and remember how he came up with robot names. We all know the R2 and C3 series. R2D2 was a notation in one of his notebooks from the filming of American Graffiti. It was an abbreviated version of the setting for one of the lights.

What better way for us to learn even more in 2023 than by discussing the books we are reading. An alternative to a book club discussing the same story is for each to choose something we read in the last two weeks and share it with the group.

Comment below to join. We can use e-mail to decide the best days and times to have our discussions. If you do not zoom, we can do a Facebook live event or join in some other manner. I would even be open to joining a group in the Springfield, Missouri area. Let’s talk.

©Copyright 2022 by Charles Kensinger

Reading A Christmas Carol, again

December 15, 2022

A fun thing for a reader to do is pick up a favorite book and read it again.  At Christmas, there are many stories that come to mind.  One of these for this Springfield boy brings the true meaning of Christmas home.  This year’s experience has brought back some insights not thought of for many years while reading “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens.

If you’ve never read the book and only seen the thousands of video versions of the story, it is well worth a read.  Copies are available almost anywhere and you can even find free downloads for some devices and computers.  It takes only an hour or two to read completely.  Some families make reading a Christmas tradition. 

The main character is Ebenezer Scrooge.  We all know Mr. Scrooge in his many forms.  Since his creation, he has been copied, degraded, analyzed, and referred to as an old fart or worse.  However, the main subject is the Bob Crachet family.  The most memorable line of the book is uttered by Crachet’s son Tim, aka Tiny Tim, who says, “God bless us, everyone.”  The illness that has crippled this boy is not identified.  The Ghost of Christmases to Come shows Ebenezer a scene referring to the boy’s death.  The lead character’s death is also mentioned, but no one mourns for him.

Dickens was endeavoring to illustrate the plight of the poor, downtrodden, ordinary Londoner.  To illustrate what his culture lacked he chose a typical lower-income family.  They worked but could not get ahead unless they were treated better than Scrooge treated them.  The plight of the poor is not necessarily the fault of the wealthy.  They can, however, improve others a lot by being fair and honest. 

Charity is not required to help the working poor.  Decent wages and proper treatment by employers go a long way.  As Bob Cratchet shows us, hard work can be rewarding, if your boss wants it to be.  The moral is more that kindness as exhibited by Tiny Tim is rewarded, than that those who lack concern for others will die and be forgotten. 

Human beings were created separately by God.  We should demonstrate human kindness and not animal unconcern.  Pets or even inanimate objects are shown more love than some people are shown.  Even Mr. Scrooge was shown kindness by the spirits.  His greed must be corrected not punished.

Dickens used many of his books to promote the harsh conditions in Victorian England. He criticized orphanages, poor houses, businesses, the criminal justice system, and the French government. I hope when you read “The Christmas Carol” you will focus on the story and not get hung up on contemplating the motivation as I have.

©Copyright 2022 by Charles Kensinger