Action Comics #507 (May 1980)

Losing a family member can be hard for anyone...even for the Man of Steel. In the Silver/Bronze Ages, the passing away of his parents Jonathan and Martha Kent marked the end of Clark Kent's days as Superboy...and the eventual emergence of Superman.

The 1980s would be a landmark decade for the Man of Steel. Crisis on Infinite Earths and John Byrne's Man of Steel would radically revamp the character and his mythos. But the early 80s were still a time for Superman to engage in some Silver Age-style hijinks. What does that have to do with what I just said about losing a family member? Well, because in the Silver/Bronze Age era of the Man of Steel's books, it had been established that Jonathan and Martha Kent had died when Clark Kent was 18. He was unable to save his beloved parents, and it would spell the end of his time as Superboy.

But what if his father not only suddenly returned from the dead, but the world rearranged itself so that they never died at all? That is a mystery Superman has to deal with in Action Comics #507!

The cover is a Ross Andru and Dick Giordano piece. It's pretty good. It depicts a shocked Superman noticing that Jonathan Kent's grave is gone...and the man himself is standing right behind him. It looks like a setup for a horror movie.

"The Miraculous Return of Jonathan Kent"
Writer: Cary Bates
Penciler: Curt Swan
Inker: Frank Chiaramonte
Letterer: Milt Snapinn
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Editors: Julius Schwartz, E. Nelson Bridwell.
Executive Editor: Joe Orlando

The story begins with Clark Kent and Lana Lang reporting on Superman rescuing a ship called the Queen Dory. 

You may be a bit confused about this. Well, at this time, Clark Kent had become a television reporter for WGBS Communications. This would be wiped from history after Crisis on Infinite Earths...but considering the current state of DC "canon", who knows what is canon or non-canon anymore.

Anyway, once their transmission is done, Clark thinks about how crime has been on the upswing in Metropolis lately, and maybe he needs to do a bit more patrolling as Superman. However, he's taken out of his thoughts by Lana Lang. She has a table for the two of them waiting at this restaurant called Marcel's. They serve some great ham. Mmmm...ham...

Eh, anyway, Lana tells Clark that she has a mystery guest who hasn't seen Clark in a long time. The Kryptonian hero agrees to go, figuring that nothing will convince Lana to let him back out. The two head for the restaurant, where the mystery guest reveals himself.

...a Mr. Jonathan Kent. But he's supposed to be dead.

Let me explain. In the old Earth-One Superman canon, Jonathan Kent died in a flashback shown in Superman #363 (September 1981). He and Martha Kent died of infection by an alien organism. As I said earlier, then-18-year-old Clark Kent tried to save them, but he failed.

At first, Clark Kent is understandably angry about this, thinking Lana is pulling some sick joke. However, his super-senses are able to indicate that Lana thinks this is Jonathan Kent. It's especially odd as she did attend the Kents' funeral. It leads Clark to conclude that whoever "Jonathan Kent" is, he has Lana under some sort of hypnotic spell. He's determined to expose this imposter, and quickly.

Meanwhile, several blocks over, a rich couple sees a hippie-looking panhandler asking for some donations for a trip to Los Angeles. His name is Starshine. 

No, not that one. However, despite having more than enough money to spare him a bus or even a plane ticket, the rich couple sneers at him and tells him to get a job. Hey jerks, you ever consider the reason he wants to go to LA is because he wants to find some work?! Anyway, Starshine is all "Okay, no more Mr. Nice Hippie", and asks for their valuables. 

Can't say I feel too bad for those guys. If they just gave him twenty bucks, he'd have left them alone. Generosity is good for the soul after all. Back at the restaurant, Clark tries to befuddle "Jonathan Kent" by telling a story about how the two brought an injured rabbit home when Clark was ten. Clark thinks he caught the impostor, as that's a pretty obscure fact about his childhood. But "Jonathan" recalls it perfectly.

Meanwhile, at a bank, the guard tosses Starshine out. Evidently, Starshine asked for some change. Uh, Starshine, you stole a bunch of jewelry from a rich couple. Why didn't you just fence it? Angry about this, he uses his vocal trick to ask the bank to give him all its money. Meanwhile, Clark is using his microscopic vision to check the glass that "Jonathan" touched and discovers that even the fingerprints match up.

Clark finds himself wondering if maybe this is his father brought back to life. I mean, it's the DC Universe, so it's not implausible. After all, at this point, Superman has encountered some wacky things in his life. He's traveled to other worlds and dimensions, been turned into all sorts of bizarre creatures thanks to Red Kryptonite, and is a member of the Justice League. His dead father being restored to life is likely very low on the weird scale for him.

The dining party hear about a commotion, and Clark discovers that Starshine is robbing the bank. Jonathan acts like he has an ulcer that acts up. He claims that he takes pills to help relieve it, but he's fresh out, so asks Clark to get it refilled for him. Clark agrees and makes his exit. You see, it's a semi-truth. Jonathan used to have an ulcer, but it cleared up. He kept the empty pill bottle around so that he can give young Clark Kent an excuse to leave and change into Superboy. Superman uses his microscopic vision to check the bottle. The bottle is the same one. Even the yellowing of the label is authentic. As he flies off, he renews his determination to prove "Jonathan Kent" is a fake, and he knows how to prove it. But that can wait for now. He's got a bank robber to stop. 

Superman flies to the bank, and asks Starshine how he's pulling his trick off. Starshine says that he's really not interested in the money (which explains why he didn't fence the jewelry he got from the rich couple earlier), but he just wanted to teach a lesson in manners. Superman is not impressed, and grabs the hippie. Starshine turns him down, and he finds the Man of Steel rude. As such, he tells Superman to go take a slow boat to China...please. 

Superman finds himself losing control of his body. He drops Starshine, and flies off towards a junk heading for China.

Superman realizes that this is a literal slow boat, as he calculates at that the speed the junk is going, it'll take him a full day to reach port. He solves that problem by using his super-breath to push the junk to its destination. With Starshine's command fulfilled, Superman feels that he's back in control of his body again. As such, he flies home. When he returns, the police report that Starshine returned the money to the bank, and Lana Lang reported it. Superman returns to Marcel's and find that "Jonathan" is gone. There's one last place Superman wants to check, the place that will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that "Jonathan" is a fake...the Smallville Cemetery.

You see, Jonathan and Martha were buried there together. Superman arrives as Clark Kent, and gets a wreath to place at the graves. He finds something that shocks him. 

Remember, Jonathan and Martha were buried next to each other. Martha's grave is still there. But Jonathan's? It's vanished. There isn't even a tombstone. It's like reality has been altered...a foreshadowing of DC's mangling of its canon to the point it's utterly incomprehensible? Not really. Superman is aware of it here. 

He even goes to his old childhood home. Former Smallville police chief Parker should be staying here, as he's been taking care of the place since his retirement. But there's no sign of him, and all of Jonathan's possessions are there, as if he's still living there. Even the mail that has come in indicates that Jonathan has been alive all these years. All the evidence indicates that only has Jonathan returned from the grave...history has been altered so that he never died in the first place.

Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Jonathan Kent asks a pair of men for the location of Clark's home. However, the men are not interested in playing map, they want Johnny's money. All his money. Superman arrives, and gives the muggers a thrashing in the form of showing off his juggling skills and tossing them to the cops.

With Jonathan safe, Superman takes him to his home. He hugs his father, even though he's still a little confused. Meanwhile, the story ends with Starshine issuing a command to the people of Metropolis...well, anyone there over 30 years old. 

That's right! The youth are taking over!

I found this to be a rather interesting story. It does feel like it was trying to be a more "modern" take on a Silver Age Superman story. What helps is Curt Swan doing penciling duties. Swan had been Superman's regular artist for nearly twenty years at this point, and he's synonymous with the Silver Age Superman. I've seen Swan's art from the 1960s and looking at what he's doing here in the 1980s, it's pretty clear that his art style had undergone some evolution over the decades. 

His interpretation of Starshine doesn't quite work for me at times. You see, he's supposed to be a youthful hippie type, but the way Swan draws him, he looks quite a bit older at times. Doesn't really help sell the idea that he's a young'un. However, it can be argued that maybe he looks more haggard making him look older, so yeah. I find it a bit weird the character is meant to be a hippie-type of character even though the comic is from the 80s. It's so bizarre. Hopefully, there's a story explanation. 

The mystery of Jonathan Kent's return is actually pretty intriguing. I do feel that it would make a great set up for a psychological thriller/horror story. I mean, imagine if you remember someone you love dying, but not only are they suddenly still around, but as far as everyone is aware, they never died in the first place. Talk about a mind screw. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2006 trade paperback Superman in the Eighties. 

International Tiger Day!

Happy International Tiger Day!

What is International Tiger Day? Well, this day was first celebrated in 2010 after it was discovered that there were less than 3,000 tigers left in the wild. This day is a day to raise awareness for the need for conservation of these majestic animals. In honor of this day, I want to show off some cool facts about these critters, courtesy of FactRetriever:

1. Tigers are the biggest cats on Earth.

Out of all the species of big cats on Earth, the tiger is the biggest. The Siberian tiger is the largest of all the tigers, and they can weigh up to nearly 700 pounds.

2. Tigers are expert leapers.

An adult male tiger can leap distances up to 9 yards and can also jump up to 5 yards vertically. 

3. Tigers like to sleep.

Tigers in the wild can sleep up to 18 hours a day. They take their naptimes very seriously.

4. Tigers are old.

The earliest tiger fossils are 2 million years old. Yup. The tiger has been with us for a long time.

5. Tigers love swimming.

Tigers are an oddity among cats. Most cats don't like water. But tigers? Love it. They're talented swimmers. The Sumerian tiger is especially talented at swimming, thanks to its webbed feet.

6. Tigers like sharing.

When tigers hunt, they'll share their kills with other tigers, and even take turns eating. 

7. Tiger spit kills germs.

A tiger's saliva has antiseptic properties. Which is handy as tigers treat wounds by licking them.

8. Tiger stripes are'nt just on the fur.

A tiger is known for its stripes. The stripes aren't just on the fur, they're also on the skin. And speaking of tiger stripes...

9. Every tiger's stripe pattern is unique.

You know how humans tend to all have unique fingerprints? Well, the same is true for tigers. No two tigers have the same stripe pattern. And different species of tigers have different amounts of stripes. The South China tiger has the least, and the Sumatran tiger has the most. 

10. Tigers are not African.

For some reason, pop culture likes to say that tigers come from Africa. But that's not true. No species of tiger hails from Africa. Tigers actually hail from Southeast Asia. In fact, India and Bangladesh consider them their national animal. Korean mythology portrays the tiger as a defender against evil spirits and a bringer of good luck. In Chinese mythology, the tiger is one of the animals in its zodiac, and in Imperial China, it was seen as a personification of war. 

And there's some ten interesting facts about the tiger. International Tiger Day is especially important as the tiger is in a lot of danger. All six known tiger species are endangered, mainly because of habitat destruction and poaching. Tigers are beautiful animals, and we should do what we can to help protect them. 

Twisted Metal Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1995 (in North America/Europe, 1996 in Japan), Sony Computer Entertainment released the Sony Interactive Studios America and SingleTrac-developed vehicular combat game known as Twisted Metal for the original PlayStation. Set in 2005 Los Angeles, the game requires the player to take control of one of ten combat-modified vehicles and fight the other nine to the death in a competition held by a mysterious man called Calypso. The winner gets to have their wish granted by Calypso, no matter what. 

The game would go on to be critically acclaimed as well as a best-selling game for the PlayStation. The series would see games on the first three PlayStation consoles, and the character of Sweet Tooth would become a mascot for the series. 

In May 2019, it was announced that a television series based on the games was in development by Sony Pictures Television alongside PlayStation Productions for the Peacock streaming service. It will star Anthony Mackie as John Doe, an amnesiac delivery man who ends up with an opportunity to go on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The series will also star Stephanie Beatriz, Thomas Haden Church, Neve Campbell, and Samoa Joe as Sweet Tooth (with Will Arnett providing the voice). 

Before we begin, I have to remind you, this is the NSFW trailer, it's got blood and cursing. So, with that in mind, let's look at the trailer!

Okay, Let's all be honest with ourselves. This was Florida's fault.

This kind of reminds me of Escape from New York. Except instead of making Manhattan a prison, they turned much of the country into one. 

Anthony Mackie is having way too much fun doing this.

I imagine in this world, Texas is literally a No Man's Land. 

WHY DOES EVERYONE WANT THIS PACKAGE?! IT'S JUST SOME STUFFED ANIMALS!
...oh crud, he's carrying some rare Beanie Babies, isn't he?

That's nice. Do they have a LEGO store? I've kind of gotten back into LEGOs recently.

"...but can you tell me who I am?"
"...I'll have to take a raincheck on that."

I'm guessing 4-ply.

Cool watch, man.

Man, she must really like that watch, too!

Finally, an actual character from the games!

And you all thought the regular DMV was a nightmare.

I admit, I got some chuckles out of the trailer, and it looks like it will be an interesting watch, even for those who never really played the games like me. If I had Peacock, I'd give it a shot. 

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Happy World Whale and Dolphin Day!

Happy World Whale and Dolphin Day!

What is World Whale and Dolphin Day? Well, on July 23, 1986, this day was declared by the International Whaling Commission. This declaration also came with an international ban on whaling, helping end two centuries of the killing of whales. Whales still do face threats in this day and age, on this day, I thought to help raise awareness of whales and dolphins by showing some cool facts courtesy of NOAA: 

1. Blue whales have the biggest hearts of any known animal.

Blue whales are among the biggest animals on Earth. As such, it makes sense that they would have rather large organs. A blue whale's heart can weigh over 1,000 pounds. Yeah, try lifting one of those blood-pumpers!

2. Dolphins can swim very fast.

Dall's porpoises are among the fastest swimmers among their fellow cetaceans. They can reach speeds of 34 miles per hour for small distances. They are potentially to sea creatures what cheetahs are to land animals. Pretty cool.

3. Dolphins are intelligent.

Dolphins are among the most intelligent species of animals on Earth. Various species of dolphins and whales have been observed coming up with strategies to help catch their prey for lunch. One example is some bottlenose dolphins living in Australia use basket sponges to protect their beaks while they forage on the seabed. Humpback whales corral plankton and small fish near the surface of the water using a trick called "Bubble net feeding". This trick lets them swallow a whole lot of their prey whole.

4. Whales and Dolphins once lived on land.

Fossil records have shown that in the distant past, whales and dolphins once lived on land, before evolving into the aquatic creatures we know today. It's why whales and dolphins have blowholes. You see, like humans, whales and dolphins can't breathe underwater. When they move through the water, they're holding their breath. Blowholes allow them to take breaths. 

5. Whales could help combat climate change.

How? Well, during a great whale's life, their bodies accumulate carbon. When a whale dies, its body sinks to the bottom of the ocean. Depending on the whale's lifespan, it can accumulate as much as 33 tons of carbon on average. And when it sinks, it keeps the carbon out of the atmosphere for centuries. Great whales' bodies are better than trees at absorbing carbon. It's one reason why preserving these creatures is so important. 

6. Dolphins swallow their prey whole.

Dolphins do have teeth, but unlike humans, they don't use them to chew their food. The teeth are actually used to help grip prey so that dolphins can swallow them whole safely. 

So, yeah! Dolphins and whales are fascinating and important critters. 

Eternals #7 (April 1986)

It's that time again! It time to rejoin the Eternals in their greatest battle against the Deviants! Last time around, we had some fighting, some nice little moments with Sersi and Dave, and Thena decided to take a page from Hulk Hogan at the 1996 Bash at the Beach and betray WCW, I mean, betray the Eternals. So, where do we go from here? Let's find out in Eternals #7!

The cover is a Bob Layton piece. It's pretty good. It depicts Kro and Thena running for their lives from a horde of angry Deviants. What amuses me is that Thena is depicted in her regular gold outfit and Kro is in trunks. And considering the puddles on the ground behind them, I get the impression that the story is that Kro snuck into a closed pool to take a swim, and Thena was supposed to be a lookout...but she didn't do the best job. Dang it, Thena!

"Naked to Mine Enemies"
Writer: Peter Gillis
Penciler: Sal Buscema
Inker: Danny Bulanadi
Colorist: George Roussos
Letterer: Rick Parker
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The story begins right after the events of the last issue. Thena and Kro have managed to teleport to Lemuria, the Deviants' home city. The two are now fugitives from their own people. Luckily, they're in an area of the city that Kro knows quite well. After all, his favorite bar is here, and he really needs a drink.

Naw, I'm kidding. The actual reason Kro knows this area well is because it's one of the places he has been meeting up with the anti-Priesthood resistance. He then sees something that shocks him. 

The priests have declared it as "Purity Time". Thena is familiar with it. It's the time when those Deviants who have been determined to be too genetically monstrous are taken to be purified. As in killed.

Yeah, Deviant culture can be pretty horrific by human standards. The two renegades are spotted, and they have to run for it.

Thena points out she could easily destroy the guards, but Kro counters that if she does, Ghaur will know about it, and it's best for the both of them if he is unaware they're in Lemuria. The two are able to make their way to a hiding spot hidden by a grate. Meanwhile, Ghaur himself is demanding a report. One of the priests announces that Kro escaped, but they did get the vial from the Pyramid of the Winds. Ghaur is disappointed that Kro didn't end up a martyr, but he is still happy that the vial is in the Priests' hands. And they are sending it to Lemuria via Rocket Mail. 

Ghaur mulls over the situation. True to Kro's prediction, Ghaur has no idea he and Thena are in Lemuria at the moment. He does vow to hunt them down and kill them. Ghaur finds a bit of amusement in Thena's betrayal, as it would allow him to create a temporary alliance with the Eternals to hunt them down. This also would provide a nice distraction for the Eternals, too. 

On the Eternals' ship, Makkari is struggling with the idea that Thena would betray the Eternals. Ransak is...not being helpful. Kingo points out that Eternals do grow smarter as time passes, but they can also grow ignorant. Bonds between Eternals can grow, but so can secrets between them. Ransak gets angry, pointing out Thena was an idiot. Kingo reminds him that Thena was the one who rescued Ransak from the Deviants' gladiatorial arenas. Ransak wants to put some Deviants six feet under. Kingo tells him he acts like a rabid animal...and then shows why the man is superior to the animal.

Ikaris mans the controls of the ship...and a silence falls between him and his human love, Margo Damien. Margo tries to offer him words of comfort, but it seemingly does little to abate the grim mood Ikaris is in. Meanwhile, Lemuria also get another surprise visitor. 

"Aw man, you ruined my carpet!"

Yeah, remember in the last issue, when Khoryphos jumped in the portal? Well, he ended up in Yrdisis's art studio. The green-skinned woman understandably freaks out.

Khoryphos assures her he means her no harm. After all, he is an artist first, and a warrior second. He looks around and sees her paintings. He is genuinely impressed with her work. A freaked out Yrdisis isn't hearing it and runs out into the dark. Elsewhere in the city, Kro and Thena flee. An angry Thena refuses to come along with the pink-skinned Warlord. She's done playing his games. Kro points out they need each other right now. Both the Eternals and the Deviants want their heads. Things are more complicated now. He takes her to his ally Ahqlau's house. Turns out she wasn't much of an ally after all.

"You still owe me 20 bucks, Kro!"

Yeah. Back to the Eternals. Makkari agrees to find Thena and bring her to Olympia. And that's when Sersi shows up.

"Sersi, we're tired of babysitting your projects!"

She leaves Dave Chatterton with them. Yeah, she just does that.

Ransak gets mad and picks a fight with Dave, and Dave KOs him, with some hidden help from Kingo.

Back to Lemuria! The Priests have Kro and Thena at swordpoint, but Thena is basically like, "Bye!" and teleports herself and Kro away...only to end up at the Flame Pits, the place where the Deviants considered too monstrous go to...get purified.

Kro wants Thena to see what happens to the Deviants who have to go through this. It's here the two make quite a discovery. You see, the Deviants aren't burned to death...they're led to a transport chamber, taken to an unknown place. Kro bursts out laughing. He laughs in rage and fury. All the pain, all the self-loathing...just to maintain a lie. Really shows the manipulative horror of the Priesthood. Thena pleads with Kro to let her help stop this madness, and seals her point with a kiss. Ghaur and his goons discover the two.

"I told you this is a terrible makeout spot, Thena!"

Ghaur tells the two they can't escape. After all, the place is shielded from Thena's power. This chamber is old. Very old. It was built by the priesthood before the Second Host of the Celestials, before they sunk Lemuria into the sea. Ghaur explains this plot has been going long before even he was born, he's just a continuation. Thanks to certain events, most of the Eternals are gone. The Deviants have an opportunity to finally become the dominant race on Earth. Kro states he's insane.

Kro points out that the last time the Deviants tried this, the Celestials came down on their heads. They will not be happy with a second attempt. It might lead to them all getting destroyed. Ghaur isn't worried. After all, he believes the Celestials can be...replaced. But before he can explain, the Eternals burst in.

"🎵Here we come to save the dayyyyy...🎵"

Thena sees an opportunity to escape (the Eternals bursting in made a gap in the anti-teleportation shielding), so she and Kro teleport out. The story ends with both Ghaur and the Eternals left enraged, and determined to capture the two. 

I enjoyed this comic. We get a further hinting of Ghaur's endgame, and there's lots of nice little character moments. I did get a good chuckle from Dave Chatterton KO'ing the angry Ransak the Reject with a little help from Kingo. Sometimes, a little tough love is necessary to get the message across. I also really liked the scene with Khoryphos and Yrdisis. Sadly, I don't think anything more with them is done in this miniseries. It's a shame, really. I would like to have seen those two bonding over a mutual love of art and being talented artists themselves, Khoryphos being a musician and Yrdisis being a painter. 

The revelation of the true nature of the "Purity Time" is horrifying in its own right. Not because of the writing, but because it's been shown that Deviants have had to become cold and uncaring because their own loved ones could be sacrificed due to being "too genetically impure". However, it was something that did not need to happen, as the "Purity Time" actually takes them...elsewhere. Where exactly is not revealed, maybe in future issues. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2020 trade paperback The Eternals: The Dreaming Celestial Saga. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Trailer, My Thoughts

If you ever played video games at any point in your life, you may have heard the name Prince of Persia. Created by Jordan Mechner, the game centered around the eponymous Prince of the kingdom of Persia (now Iran) as he saves a princess. A platform game, the original Prince of Persia was not an immediate commercial success, it would become a best-seller. It also got critical acclaim, and its usage of rotoscoping for the Prince's movements would be a pioneering moment in gaming, influencing other platform games like Another World and Flashback. 

Originally released for the Apple II, the original game would be ported to numerous computers and gaming consoles. The game would get numerous sequels, and even a film adaptation. And now a new game is coming nest year: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Let's look at the trailer!

Ooh, this looks fun already! Sargon reminds me of Strider.

Man, what did those birds do to make you that mad, Sargon!?

 Yeah, having symbiotes running around would cause problems.

Nice shield, lady. Captain America would be proud. 👍

I wonder if these "Immortals" are playable. If they are, maybe each of them have unique gimmicks and strengths that affect how you play the game. That would be cool.

Well, you guys weren't prepared for the Prince getting prince-napped, makes sense you'd all drop the ball in other ways.

That is one angry manticore.

You know, Sargon. If those swords of yours can't do the job, I know a guy with a flamethrower that can.

That knight must be a Crusader.

Who is that?!

And lots of fighting and platforming.

I have to admit, the music choice is a bit...odd. Nothing against it, it's got that hard-driving feel, but I would have liked to maybe have heard something from the game's actual soundtrack. 

Ooh, right on that dude's neck! That's gonna hurt!

Well, this game looks like it will be a lot of fun! I heard there was some backlash to the trailer, but I don't get why. It looks like a modern PoP game. I can't wait to add this to my Switch library! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

National Ice Cream Day

Today is National Ice Cream Day!

This day is celebrated on every third Sunday in July. The day was decreed by then-President Ronald Reagan in 1984. The decree was done to glorify the dairy industry. Americans consume more ice cream than anyone else in the world, on average about 23 gallons a year. Mmm, ice cream...

The creation of ice cream can't really be pegged on one person. Modern ice cream's history is long and a story of evolution, provided by National Today. The first recorded consumption of an ancestor of ice cream was in China from 618-97 AD, made from flour, buffalo milk, and camphor. Alexander the Great enjoyed treat that mixed ice, honey, and nectar. During the reign of Julius Caesar, he'd send men to gather snow from the mountains so he could enjoy it mixed with fruit and juices. 

Marco Polo would introduce the West to the sherbet thanks to bringing back a recipe for it from the Far East. In 1660, the general public would get to know ice cream thanks to a Sicilian chef named Francesco Procopio dei Cotelli, aka Procopio Cuto. Inspired by a dish that was a mixture of snow, fruit juices, and honey, he created gelato. Gelato is just the Italian term for ice cream. Cuto had inherited an ice-making machine that was invented by his fisherman grandfather Francesco. Cuto improved and modified the machine and used it to make gelato in his Parisian Cafe. As such, he is credited as the inventor of modern gelato.

The first-known time ice cream was mentioned in the United States was in a letter written by a guest of Maryland Attorney-General William Bladen in 1744. On May 12, 1777, the New York Gazette printed the very first advertisement for the cold treat in the country. The popularity of ice cream in the United States exploded after the American Revolution, and it's been beloved by Americans since then.

So, on this day, go and enjoy yourself a nice scoop of ice cream. Thanks for enjoying this blog entry! See you next time!