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When It Was Cool Newsletter - March 31, 2025 - The Who, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Hulk Hogan, G.I. Joe, More
On multiple podcasts in the past, I have often compared the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I still stand by that analogy. One of the questions we have been talking about are 'double inductees' which seems to bother some voters without considering the 'act' itself. This new article discusses how many artists are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, both as a solo artist and a group. Read More.
When It Was Cool Newsletter - March 24, 2025 - Bill Mercer, Abdullah the Butcher, Batman II, KISS, and More
I was very sad to hear about the death of heavyweight boxing legend George Foreman at the age of 76. As a young kid and a boxing fan, I watched George Foreman growing up in the 1970s, enjoyed his 1990s comeback, and was impressed by his power and charisma. George Forman knocked out Joe Frazier in 1973 to begin his reign as World heavyweight champion after previously winning the Gold Medal in boxing at the Olympics in 1968. Read More.
When It Was Cool Newsletter - March 17, 2025 - Podcasts, Hulk Hogan Problems, Kraven the Hunter, More
There was a significant severe weather event this weekend from the Great Lakes all the way to the Gulf Coast where there were multiple fatalities. We are fine here, thankfully, and we certainly hope all of you are as well! Beginning this week, I am making some long-term changes to my weekly DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show. I have already taped this week's show which is the latest installment of the Long Form History of Wrestling discussing February 1985. Going forward I am going to do… Read More.
When It Was Cool Newsletter - March 10, 2025 - Hannibal TV, Prong, Ciclon Ramierz, Daredevil, Herculoids
Our flagship When It Was Cool Podcast returns with a new episode this Thursday. It will revive a practice we used to have in the early days of When It Was Cool, there will be a free version and an extended Patreon version. This Thursday's show, for instance, features almost an additional 30 minutes of conversation for Patreon supporters. I was honored to be invited on The Hannibal TV for an interview this past Sunday. 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!
Superman in Order - Action Comics Issue 1 - The First Appearance of Superman
We begin our Superman in Order series here… appropriately enough in the very beginning with Action Comics Issue 1. These reviews will be less about the creators, behind the scenes, and the process of it all, and more about the story of Superman, the character, and how he has changed and evolved and often represented or stood against common conventions of the time. Read More.
FREE: When It Was Cool Newsletter - Gene Hackman, Don Coss, Gran Hamada, The Punisher, More (February 27, 2025)
Obviously, the big news of today, breaking just as I was putting the finishing touches on this newsletter, is the shocking deaths of actor Gene Hackeman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog in New Mexico. Authorities have publicly stated they do not suspect foul play. The Associated Press stated, "The investigation into the deaths is 'active and ongoing,' the office said. The home is in Santa Fe's Hyde Park area, police said. The gas company is taking part in the investigation." Read More
Batman in Order - Detective Comics Issue 47 - The Twenty-Fifth Appearance of Batman
Detective Comics issue 47 continues the move of Batman from more gritty stories to less violent stories. Periodically, Batman is still drawn in dynamic ways such as his pro wrestling style press slam on a bad guy on the opening page of the stories. Read More.
I Asked AI to Write An Article About 1800s Pro Wrestling and How It Has Change Until Now… This Is What It Wrote…
There are a few weird things that I consider myself an expert on. They are very different but, for whatever reason, I know a lot about them. The realm of expertise I am best known for, I suppose, is being an expert in professional wrestling, especially the evolution of pro wrestling. In fact, I literally wrote the book on it: DragonKingKarl’s Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer called my book, “the best book written on the era”. Read 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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Superman (2025)… Is This the Superman We Have Been Waiting For?
I still believe in Superman. Despite the fact his character has been beaten down, misinterpreted, and dulled down over the last 30 years it still has not destroyed my love for the first and greatest of the superheroes: Superman. So, imagine my initial horror in seeing the new Superman (2025) movie trailer as a beaten and bloody Superman came crashing down onto a snow-covered landscape. I sighed, ‘Oh, no’, another dark and sad Superman movie… Read More.
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame 2024 - Tracking the Future
A poster at The Board at Wrestling Observer called 'AmericanNumbers' has put together an incredible resource that I am sure will stir a lot of discussion over the next year. This is a spread sheet with everything you need to know about the remaining candidates in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. Read More.
DragonKingKarl’s Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling Book. What’s to Know and Why Does it Matter?
I am very excited to release my new book, DragonKingKarl’s Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling. I have put years of work into this project which, I believe, is the most in-depth and detailed exploration of pre-1900 professional wrestling ever undertaken. The Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Wrestling is sourced from hundreds of pro wrestling researchers, newsletters, books, magazines, newspapers, and years of firsthand research, and I have documented every major event in pro wrestling before the year 1900. Read More.
Check out our new video on the When It Was Cool YouTube Channel featuring Karl Stern and the new DragonKingKarl’s Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling Omnibus: The Bible of the Pioneer Era of Pro Wrestling book.
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.
