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Film Review: Underworld Beauty
Official synopsis: Released from prison, a gangster immediately sets out to make things right with his friend and collaborator Mihara who was severely injured in the jewelry heist that went awry. Now he finds himself going to war with the people he pledged fealty to. Read More.
Remember When It Was Cool? The Death of Small Town America: Rural Economic Decline: The Overlooked Struggles of Rural America
I was a cop for almost 32 years, most of that time was spent in small town rural America. I am retired now but for over three decades I saw firsthand the downward spiral of small-town life. Ravaged by a 1990’s recession, the massive plague of both the opioid and methamphetamine epidemic followed by four years of failed Joe Biden economic policies which have now been followed by a political narrative that everything is good and getting better. Our current President has said so many times… only it isn’t. Getting better, that is. Not around here. Read More.
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti: This is something different! Spaghetti has, for centuries, been a favorite food around the world. This is spaghetti with a twist! Chicken, a tomato sauce, and lots of cheese! So, say ‘cheese!’ to Tonya’s Diner at When It Was Cool and get this incredible recipe. Get the recipe.
First! Captain America Issue 1 (1941) A New Podcast Series from When It Was Cool!
The debut of the new First! podcast series from When It Was Cool. This series takes a look back at first issues, first appearances, and pop culture firsts contained in comic books. We will be looking at comics from the Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, and Modern Age of comics. Today we look back to one of the earliest patriotic heroes and the most successful of them all- Captain America! Today, Captain America has multiple movie appearances including in the successful Marvel Avengers franchise, but all started out in 1941 with Captain America punching a certain real life historical bad guy right in the face!
Check out the Golden Age Captain America graphic novel here.
Film Review: Night of the Juggler (Fantasia 2025)
Night of the Juggler (1980) is a vintage thriller that never lets up, and it is the recipient of a beautiful new 4K restoration from Kino Lorber. Director Robert Butler, who replaced original director Sidney J. Furie a few weeks into production, captures a grimy New York City that can only be seen in rare films like this. Read More.
Hulk Hogan, Pro Wrestling Legend, Dead at Age 71
Terry Gene Bollea—better known as Hulk Hogan—was born on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia. He began his pro wrestling journey in 1977 and shot to fame in the mid‑1980s after joining the WWF (now WWE) in late 1983. With his patriotic persona and unmistakable look—muscular physique, blond horseshoe moustache, and bandana—Hogan helped usher in a new era of wrestling popularity. He headlined eight of the first nine WrestleMania events, including the record‑breaking WrestleMania III match against André the Giant. Read More.
Check out our free podcast about the death of pro wrestling icon Hulk Hogan:
Superman (2025) Movie is not a Woke Nightmare: It is a Wild, Crazy, and Largely Very Good Comic Book Superhero Movie
Let’s just rip the band-aid off right now—I’ve never been shy about my disdain for the Zack Snyder era of DC movies. His so-called “Snyder-verse” was a cinematic emo mixtape: grim, gray, and grimy. It was like watching a Justice League that hadn’t smiled since Y2K. Everyone looked like they needed a hug... or at least a sunny day. Read More.
Free First Chapter from DragonKingKarl’s Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus Book: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling
I have been researching the pioneer era of professional wrestling for a long time. While the bulk of my wrestling research (and fandom) is tied to the 1980’s, my favorite time period to read about and research is the pioneer era. I define the pioneer era as roughly everything pre-Frank Gotch or roughly pre-1900. Read More.
Marvel Comics 1992 WCW Comic Book Series Review
In 1992 pro wrestling was in a very difficult situation. After several years of previously unprecedented popularity during the mid to late 1980s, pro wrestling went on a slide. Several reasons played into this dip in popularity. The biggest pro wrestling star of the 1980s, Hulk Hogan, had begun to see his popularity decline and the entire WWF (WWE) was embroiled in multiple scandals including an underage ring boy sex scandal and rampant accusations of large-scale steroid use and abuse. Read More.
When It Was Cool’s Karl Stern as guest on Hannibal TV discussing pioneer era pro wrestling, early 1990s WCW, Wrestling Observer and WWE Hall of Fame, and much more!
Hell on Earth: When It Was Not Cool: The Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys Video
Join Karl and Tonya on this video we shot last year of the horrible Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys. Many of you who follow our When It Was Cool Podcast know that Tonya’s father was placed here when he was a child. It was later determined that the State of Florida beat, tortured, and killed numerous children there and hid their bodies in a graveyard deep in the woods almost a mile away. Check out our educational video on this little publicized injustice. Watch Here.
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201 Greatest Pro Wrestlers of All Time List: Who Are the Greatest Pro Wrestlers of All Time
Compiled By: Karl Stern Sourcing Data from over 30 Historians, Vetted Greatest Wrestler of All Time Lists, Major Media Rankings, Cumulative Lists, and Major Vetted Halls of Fame. This list is not my opinion. The only input I had into ranking this list was doing the math and averaging the results and putting it together in a readable format. This, according to multiple respected pro wrestling historians, major media rankings, published books, and vetted rankings are the 201 greatest pro wrestlers of all time, with bonus points given for major vetted Halls of Fame and Wrestler of the Year Awards. Read More.
