Direct Current #12/Box Office 1982

ITEM!  Comics Reader - Reading Comics #78 "Batman R.I.P."
Grant Morrison has been writing Batman comics since 2006, and this is perhaps the hallmark of those efforts, what may be simplified as his "Knightfall," but may have still more interesting parallels to the Christopher Nolan blockbuster trilogy beyond that.  Do you like the Joker?  Because he's here, too...

Read more here.

ITEM!  Star Trek Fan Companion - Enterprise 2x12 "The Catwalk"
This is the story of an episode that disappointed me when it originally aired, but may still yet have a source of redemption.  I don't explain the redemption, only how it might be found.  What starts as a story that focuses squarely on the crew turns into a pretty episodic problem.

Read more here.

THE BEST OF WHAT'S AROUND

Did PT Dilloway turn his superhero into the T-Mobile Girl?

Did John Seavey just redeem The Blair Witch Project?

SOAP BOX

Here's the Box Office Top Ten of 1982:

1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial ($359 mil)
It's hard to imagine a world without Steven Spielberg's friendly little alien, turning thirty this year (along with every other film from this year!), and not just because we might not have Reece's Pieces without him!  One of the few times I cried because of a movie is during E.T.'s apparent death.  I mean, who wants his story to end like that?

2. Tootsie ($177 mil)
Dustin Hoffman was a huge star.  Is he the only guy who could pull of a huge box office success dressed in drag?  Well, no.  Robin Williams did it, too.  But an actor like Hoffman built his reputation on being taken seriously.  Could you imagine Al Pacino in the role?

3. An Officer and a Gentleman ($129 mil)
Here's the reason Richard Gere became a Hollywood staple.  In recent years he's almost become anonymous, but he'll always find work because he was a legit star, and this movie's success proves it.

4. Rocky III ($124 mil)
Sly Stallone is perhaps unique in transforming an art project into a blockbuster franchise.  This is probably the point where he failed to distinguish the difference.  I'd argue the fifth and sixth installments put the series back in the right direction.

5. Porky's ($105 mil)
The American Pie of its day.  I'm proud to admit that I have never seen it.  Though I love American Pie.

6. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ($78 mil)
Khaaaaan!  Star Trek reentered the popular consciousness with an epic duel between Kirk and one of his most notable foes from the original TV series.  Plus there was that whole death-of-Spock thing.

7. 48 Hours ($78 mil)
Did you know Eddie Murphy was originally supposed to co-star in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home?  Doesn't seem to far-fetched when you see the order of box office results from 1982, now does it?  This was Murphy's first blockbuster.  He was huge at the time.  Like Richard Gere, he can now say he's seen better days.

8. Poltergeist ($76 mil)
A remnant of the '70s horror scene, before the '80s scene became completely dominated by the new movie monsters, many of whom had already debuted by this point.

9. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ($69 mil)
Why yes, that gross is appropriate!  Stars Burt Reynolds, Dolly Parton.  Both were pretty much icons at the time.  How many people even know this movie exists today?

10. Annie ($57 mil)
Everyone loves the the little orphan!  And this is one of the reasons why.  Although we may be getting to a point where a new version is necessary to keep her famous.

Other notable releases: Gandhi ($52 mil), First Blood ($47 mil), Conan the Barbarian ($39 mil), Friday the 13th Part III ($34 mil), Tron ($33 mil), The World According to Garp ($29 mil), Victor/Victoria ($28 mil), Blade Runner ($27 mil), Airplane II: The Sequel ($27 mil), Fast Times at Ridgemont High ($27 mil), The Road Warrior ($23 mil)

Source: Box Office Mojo