MUSINGS FROM THE MYSTERIOUS MANSION

I wanted to take time out today to discuss a few things related to me and my blogs (including the one you're at here): FEAR IN FOUR COLORS, THE JACK PIERCE MAKEUP MEMORIAL, and THE ORIGINAL ARKHAM PRESS. WORLD OF MONSTERS is my flagship blog and I've managed to average at least one post a day for the last seven years.

FEAR IN FOUR COLORS and THE JACK PIERCE MAKEUP MEMORIAL are related to writing projects, but I don't post to those anywhere near as much as I do for WoM. The Arkham Press site is an artifact that I still have a placeholder for, and in the off chance I may end up publishing something down the line, it'll most likely be mentioned there.

I've had a busy year writing articles (and one fiction story!) for various magazines. Needless to say, the research and writing of these takes a considerable amount of time. Luckily, I have a fairly sizable library here at the Mysterious Mansion, which saves time waiting for inter-library loans (my local libraries don't have a lot of the books I need for reference). Although there are numerous trustworthy sites, I try to keep away from the internet for obvious reasons.

As for upcoming articles, the next two months will see a few more of them published. Coming next month, I'll have an article in CRYPTOLOGY #5 about The Pirates of the Caribbean model kits (the ride, not the films) and another one coming up sometime after that.

I'll also have work appearing in the Fall issue of PREHISTORIC TIMES (WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH); the sixth installment of my horror comics history series, "Fear In Four Colors: The Hideous History of American Horror Comics" is slated for NIGHTMARE ABBEY #9 and I've got not one, but two articles coming up in CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN #42. one on the 100th anniversary of Lon Chaney's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and the 90th anniversary of BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN.

I consider myself fortunate to get on board with TwoMorrow's CRYPTOLOGY, just one of the many high-quality titles published by the company. I've got the green light to write two more articles for them which will take some in-depth research and time to write. In the midst of all this, I'm still writing a book with my co-author that has been lagging more than I care to admit. As a result, this will probably diminish my resources for my other projects, in particular my time spent blogging. I don't expect any serious drop-offs, especially on Wom and FIFC, but if you notice fewer lengthy posts and skipped days, you'll know why.

In the meantime, I appreciate all of you who visit one or more of these sites regularly and I'll keep you up-to-date with all the news as it happens.

IS THE PRINT MONSTER MAGAZINE DEAD?

It wasn't that long ago that just about every month I would bring home an armload of monster 'zines from my local brick 'n mortar B&N. Now I have a difficult time justifying even a couple anymore. Why?

The cover price is the major culprit here. In the last few years, the cost of these, and any other magazine for that matter, has jumped to wallet-emptying proportions. It's one thing deliberating over whether or not to shell out a hard-earned 10 bucks for, say, the latest RUE MORGUE, and altogether another to lay down $12.95 for the pint-sized VIDEO WATCHDOG.

My choices in the matter have considerably lessened of late, as a number of monster magazines have either suspended publishing or disappeared off the shelf entirely.

The biggest hit has been the announcement of the discontinued print publishing of the venerable FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND (see below). Now, this has happened before, but it is unlikely any time soon that current own Phil Kim will sell off the rights because there still remains the faint revenue-inducing patina of name recognition. So, #288 looks like the last of the hold-in-your-hand issues we may ever experience since the bygone days of the 1960s Monster Craze. Instead, we will be getting the occasional "monster art" issue which sounds like it will be akin to the DARK ARTS specials that FM published a few years ago. While it may be an attractive looking 'zine, it will have absolutely nothing to do with what we once knew of Forry's Fabulous Folly.



FAMOUS MONSTERS' "Gallery" art 'zine.

Next on the hit list is VIDEO WATCHDOG. Critically hailed as the premier 'zine of horror film reviews and which boasted one of the most impressive line-up of writers of any genre magazine, VW as a print magazine is history (see below).

Then, earlier this year there was the firing of long-time editor of FANGORIA, Michael Gingold (see below). Since then, Fango has floundered, managing only an issue or two during the "restructuring period". I have a feeling that's going to be it and we'll see the magazine that has been with us since 1978 go digital as well. In any case, the magazine will look totally different, as art director Bill Mohalley was fired along with Gingold.

VIDEO WATCHDOG'S first issue.

SCARY MONSTERS lasted for 100 issues before Dennis Druktenis sold his 'zine to an online monster merchandiser. Two issues have been published -- on time, I might add -- at a reasonable price for the usually massive page count. Time will tell on the longevity of this 'zine.

Other 'zines have seen print in fits and starts for months, the most noticeable being DIABOLIQUE. Another quality publication, it's fate is in the meantime being kept behind castle walls. Also irregularly published is Ray Ferry's FREAKY MONSTERS, the closest thing we have to a vintage-looking FAMOUS MONSTERS we have left (maybe with the inclusion of MONSTER BASH).

All put together, the state of the print monster magazine is not looking good. Among the vanquished, a few titles seem still vibrant (HORRORHOUND, still only $6.99, and the U.K's CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES which is looking more like the heir apparent to MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT with every issue). But who knows? Like all the fallen, we could get an announcement out of the blue, heralding yet another death knell.

I'm am remaining guardedly optimistic about the monster print 'zine, but with costs going up and distributors folding up their tents at a record pace, the future is in the hands of us, the readers.

So, support your favorite monster mag -- or maybe two -- and let the people who put their life's blood into them know that us monster fans still care.

FAMOUS MONSTERS becoming a monster art magazine
David Weiner, executive editor of Famous Monsters, on Facebook:

FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND Editor, David Weiner.

All good things must come to an end... I am parting ways with Famous Monsters once I deliver my last issue, FM #288, which comes out in October. I am now in search of new job opportunities and adventures.

After seven memorable magazine entries under my stewardship as its executive editor, Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine -- in its current format -- is ending.

Moving forward, the publisher has a new concept: FM will continue on quarterly with a new format as an art-driven publication, showcasing the art of 8-12 artists and their work, with each artist getting an interview page.

Everything about FM has been a labor of love for me, from creating and managing the bi-monthly magazine to being the face of FM at Comic-Con, our film festival, events requiring hosting and panel moderation, for our podcast, our successful Kickstarter, and so much more.

But with a major format change turning the magazine into something entirely different than the Hollywood genre pop-culture/interview-driven content I've enjoyed creating -- inspired by the long-standing format that FM founder Forrest J Ackerman pioneered, which I've loved ever since I was a kid -- it was time to renegotiate or exit amicably.

Renegotiation turned out not to be an option, so I am exiting amicably.

As a company and a brand, Famous Monsters continues to thrive in other fields, from comics, art publication, live events, to merchandising and other forms of mass media.

It's fitting that my last issue of FM will be our tribute to Forry Ackerman on the occasion of his centennial birthday.

I am interested to see how fans of the magazine respond to the new art-driven format of FM. It’s been an absolute privilege to carry the torch for this stretch of FM. I have been proud to call myself editor of one of the greatest magazines ever published.

So, down to brass tacks: If anyone knows of a job opportunity that you think might be a good fit for me in entertainment (creative content-driven, ideally with an entertainment writing/journalism/interview foundation) that is L.A.-based, I am open to suggestions/recommendations.

-- David Weiner

Forry Ackerman at his desk.

Thoughts on the passing of "Famous Monsters" magazine
Former FM editor Ed Blair on Facebook:
 Today, while out having a quiet lunch, my phone practically came to life as I was inundated with messages asking me about the shuttering of FM as a magazine. I hadn't heard the news, but I was directed to current Editor David Weiner's FB post detailing that FM as we know it would cease to exist and thus become a quarterly art book akin to the "Dark Arts" books we made 4-5 years ago. My first emotion was sadness, as I'm sure it was for so many others. It felt like a chapter in my life had come to end, one I didn't even know was still open. There's a palpable sense of loss, having steered the ship for 6 years and over 30 issues. After watching what has unfolded at Fangoria, as a monster fan, it's tough to see this.

Of all the things I was involved with during my tenure, taking the reins of that beloved magazine was my favorite and most fulfilling. I, along with so many others, poured everything into that magazine, as I know David did. I'm not sure if it's poetic or just plain cruel that the magazine is ending on what would have been founding editor Forrest J Ackerman's 100th birthday. Maybe it's a mixture of the two.

I have seen that the FM official statement talks about bad economies and new media and that FM will still be relevant, just in its different forms. I had always argued that the magazine was the beating heart of FM, that everything had to flow from its pages outward. That without the magazine everything else was just noise. I still believe that, but it doesn't mean I'm right. For the sake of history and for the love of monsters and all that it stands for, I hope I'm wrong, and that FM is able to right the ship and find its course in this brave new world.

I left FM over a year ago so I really don't have any details to add. The discussions about turning the magazine into an art book date back several years, a move I strenuously argued against, but I wasn't surprised at that path that had been chosen. I was just surprised by the timing of it all. David had really taken the magazine to an incredible place, landing exclusives and features that were as good as big boys like EMPIRE and EW. The covers, like Harryhausen's Medusa or ALIENS were as good as they've ever been. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

There have been a lot of questions and prognostications since David posted the news. I even read speculation that I would return to the magazine. While I appreciate the sentiment, my FM days are well and truly behind me. It was a wild six-year ride, but the feelings of finality on that subject are mutual. I will always have love for FM Magazine. What it stood for, what Forry Ackerman brought to the world and the goodwill he created. The generations of creators that it influenced and who have, in turn, shone their lights so brightly on the world. Whatever happens to FM moving forward, whether the new format is a success or not, it will always live on. Not only in the hearts and minds of those who embrace it, but in the creative works of all the Monster Kids who took their love of the strange and turned it into beautiful art for all of us to enjoy. It's bigger than any one of us and has cemented its legacy. And in so being, it becomes our responsibility to champion the classics, to tell fangtastic new stories, to find the new generations while keeping the classics forever in front of new audiences. As long as we love. . .

  . . . Famous Monsters shall not die.



VIDEO WATCHDOG'S Tim and Donna Lucas.

Video Watchdog ends print run publication
From the VIDEO WATCHDOG website:

More bad news for genre magazines, and film scholarship, today as Tim and Donna Lucas announce that VIDEO WATCHDOG will end puiblication as a print magazine after 27 years.

"After trying many creative ways to generate sales to compensate for newsstand losses and lack of advertising support, rising shipping and postage costs, and a depressed economy, it is simply no longer possible to keep Video Watchdog moving forward,'' the couple says at the Video Watchblog website.

With regret, we must announce that after 27 wonderful years we are no longer able to publish new print editions of Video Watchdog.

Some of you have been with us since the early days of "desktop publishing," when bookstores carried a wide variety of offbeat publications catering to all kinds of niche readerships. It was an exciting time, one in which Video Watchdog thrived.

From the time of our first pre-publication ads in 1989, The Perfectionist's Guide to Fantastic Video has never stopped evolving growing from 60 to 64 to 80 pages in its black-and-white configuration, blossoming into full-color with issue 100, and introducing interactive digital versions of each issue in 2013. We can confidently state that our most recent issues were among the best we ever published.

Over the last quarter century, we have always depended on newsstand sales, subscriptions, advertising, and because all of that was still not fully sustaining side projects in order to continue publishing. We were able to make ends meet so long as all of these facets were working together but, in recent years, it has become a losing battle. There are many reasons for this: the diminishing number of retail outlets, the sad state of print distribution, the easy availability of free information and critical writing via the Internet, and the now-widespread availability on Blu-ray and DVD of so many of the once-obscure titles Video Watchdog was among the first to tell you about.

After trying many creative ways to generate sales to compensate for newsstand losses and lack of advertising support, rising shipping and postage costs, and a depressed economy, it is simply no longer possible to keep Video Watchdog moving forward.

Looking back, we take great pride in the fact that, in our time, Video Watchdog was able to present the writing and original art of the genre's most talented writers, artists, and thinkers; that it attracted the attention and respect of so many of the great contemporary masters of cinema (from Scorsese to Del Toro); and that its coverage inspired a number of people to enter the film and video businesses to promote film restoration and preservation from the inside.

We are deeply grateful for the contributors and audience that enabled us to sustain our publication for so long. The coming months will be difficult as we try to figure out what's next for us, and what awaits Video Watchdog and its readership.

Please bear with us during this uncertain time, and we will keep you informed of further developments as they become more definitive.

Tim and Donna Lucas
Publishers

FANGORIA'S ex-Editor, Michael Gingold.

Fangoria Editor-in-Chief Michael Gingold fired after 28 Years – Guillermo del Toro and others offer support
From IndiWire.com
The horror publication has dismissed former Editor-in-Chief Michael Gingold and longtime art director Bill Mohalley, and hasn't published a print edition in months.

Graham Winfrey
Jun 1, 2016 12:17 pm

Chances are strong that if you were a horror movie fan over the past several decades, you probably read Fangoria. And that means you experienced the influence of Editor-in-Chief Michael Gingold, who has held a prominent role at the influential genre-focused monthly since 1988.

But that changed last week, when Gingold was promptly fired, in a decision that has yielded words of support from major figures throughout the horror community.

“Fangoria will never be the same w/o him,” tweeted director Guillermo del Toro. In an email to IndieWire, del Toro added that Gingold is “the torch carrier for the original spirit of a generation of horror, fantasy, and science fiction aficionados” and that “it is truly puzzling that someone thinks that such a bond has no value to the readers of Fangoria.”

Former Fangoria web editor Sam Zimmerman tweeted “Michael Gingold no longer at Fangoria is a little incomprehensible. He deserves much celebration and I owe him even more.” HitFix editor Drew McWeeny, a former editor at Ain’t It Cool News, tweeted “What a shock,” adding that “Few people have ever embodied a publication as completely as Michael Gingold did with Fangoria.”

Gingold was named associate editor of New York-based Fangoria in 1990 and managing editor in 1992, a title he held for 23 years until his promotion to Editor-in-Chief last year. Fangoria’s longtime art director Bill Mohalley has also been let go.

Ken Hanley, who joined Fangoria as an editorial assistant in the fall of 2012 and most recently held the title of Managing Editor, has been named as the magazine’s new Editor-in-Chief. “Mike Gingold is one of the classiest and hard-working men in horror journalism,” Hanley told IndieWire. “It’s going to be extremely difficult to fill his shoes.”

In a post on Fangoria’s website, Hanley wrote that the magazine “will be restructuring to bring in new blood, including at least two exceptional women in the horror journalism field.” Fangoria posted an announcement about new members of its staff on Wednesday.

In an interview with IndieWire, Gingold declined to discuss the details of his termination, but said that his discussions with Fangoria president and owner Tom DeFeo “were mostly financial in nature.” DeFeo did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. News of Gingold’s termination has triggered an outpouring of support online from Fangoria readers, horror fans and filmmakers.

Others who have known and worked with Gingold have expressed sentiments bordering on outrage. “Absolutely disgusted to learn that the president of Fangoria has let Michael Gingold go,” Mitch Davis, co-director of the Fantasia International Film Festival, wrote in a Facebook post. In an email to IndieWire, Davis noted that in recent years, several beloved Fangoria contributors have walked from the publication. That includes longtime editor Chris Alexander, who stepped down last fall to become managing editor of the horror site Shock Till You Drop.

“With the magazine’s president discarding seasoned writers with so many years of history, knowledge and trust among fans, it’s hard to imagine a bright future [for Fangoria],” Davis wrote. “Michael has dedicated his entire adult life to shaping how genre cinema is experienced and discussed, and he’s shined a light on so many brilliant emerging talents that I can’t imagine Fangoria being anything near the same without him.”

On Twitter, del Toro recalled submitting his early short film “Geometra” to Fangoria’s affiliated publication Starlog and receiving a handwritten note of encouragement from Gingold. “This went a long way in encouraging me to keep going,” del Toro told IndieWire. “Michael’s note meant the world to me.” Were it not for Gingold’s reply, del Toro added, “Geometra” would have amounted to a “message in a bottle.” To this day, the director added, “the man remains a champion of genre filmmaking.”

In recent years, Fangoria has struggled to sustain itself due to dwindling revenue from print advertisers, said Tony Timpone, who served as the magazines Editor-in-Chief from 1987 to 2010 and still serves as Editor Emeritus. “The magazine used to be packed full of ads, and we’ve lost a lot of our advertising with the collapse of the DVD business,” Timpone told IndieWire, adding that Fangoria has been trying to transition to a bi-monthly publishing schedule but hasn’t put out a print edition since its distributor went out of business in 2015.

“It’s no secret that Fangoria has had financial troubles, but they can be attributed to many of the troubles associated with running a print medium in general,” Hanley told IndieWire. “With distributors and fulfillment houses folding and advertisers turning to web, it’s amazing there are any magazines remaining at all.”

Since taking over as Editor-in-Chief, Gingold put out several digital-only issues of the publication. He is currently pursuing a number of different writing projects, including a collaboration on a horror feature film script with filmmaker Dante Tomaselli. Four of Gingold’s previous horror screenplays have been produced, most notably 2006’s “Shadow: Dead Riot” and 2003’s “Leeches!”

“While I’m not sure where I’m going in terms of full-time employment right now, there’s a lot of stuff that I’m working on that I’m very excited about,” he said, adding that the outpouring of support he’s received since leaving Fangoria has been phenomenal.

“I’ve always tried to champion independent filmmakers and illuminate all the different corners of the genre,” he said. “It’s great to know that my work has touched so many people.”

Additional reporting by Eric Kohn. This article has been updated with quotes from Fangoria’s Ken Hanley.

NEW YEAR "HEAD"ITORIAL

Unless one has been living under a rock, one can hardly ignore that the world has increasingly become an unsettled place. To say that it's "going to Hell in a hand basket" might be a little premature, but the exact sentiment has been expressed more frequently in recent times. The result of the inculcation of ideas from modern education, entitlement sensibilities, unpunished greed and corruption at the highest levels, the failure to enforce laws, and the gradual erosion of the traditional household -- all have a bearing on the evolution of mankind. We are at a transition where "the old guard" is fading and a new generation of this planet's custodians is taking over. What we do with it is anybody's guess.

You may wonder what the aforementioned musings have anything to do with the theme and content of this blog. Well, as its founder and author, I find myself sometimes thinking, "why bother with this -- there's more important things to write about than monsters". But then again, I am reminded that, throughout our history, when times get tough, the masses find ways to alleviate the angst and fear in their lives. One of the most popular outlets for these feelings is the movies. Is it no wonder then, that STAR TREK, the story of the space-bound existing apart from a Utopian earth that has been rarely seen -- or alluded to?

One of the most enduring genres during these times has been the horror film, and for good reason. Horror films allow the viewer to vicariously participate in the primal fears of life and death and come out unscathed (at least physically) in the end. Clearly, then, there must be outlets for the psyche that alleviate its creeping malaise. Otherwise, how could we function?

Consequently, I have no reluctance to carry on in my fashion, providing content that allows readers to momentarily forget the trouble in their lives (or the world). However, I don't profess to, by this blog, pompously claim to be able to soothe readers with the balm of salvation, but I do know too well the troubles we face. So, instead of railing about the corruption and the greed and the violence and the insanity, I prefer to, in some small way, ignore the slouching Beast and preserve a slice of the past that has not only thrilled and entertained, but provided surcease from a world of growing fear and perplexity.

MUSINGS FROM THE MYSTERIOUS MANSION

Since it's been a few days since the last post, I thought I'd let you all know that I am in the midst of a computer upgrade and will be back up and running soon.

In the meantime, please feel free to enjoy the many wonders of MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD's archives.

MUSINGS FROM THE MYSTERIOUS MANSION

GREETINGS, MONSTER LOVERS!
 
Wow, here it is the end of 2014. Can you believe it? It came up on me so fast I've haven't done much in the way of thinking about future plans for MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD.

You may have noticed that the number of posts has dropped significantly here this year. Well, the main reason for it is because I suffered a great personal blow back in February when my Dad passed away at 91. He'd been ill for quite some time but one can never predict what will happen to one's emotions with the passing of a parent. He served our country with honor during WWII and lived with its effects for the rest of his life. He was the last of his B-24 crew to fly up into the fabled Wild Blue Yonder. The night before he died, I read off one more time the roll call of the men that he lived and fought with. He never opened his eyes or spoke a word that night, but I got a little nod of acknowledgement from him when I read off the names of his pals for the final time.

So far as those future plans, I can't say that I'll be back posting daily any time soon, but I have every intention of keeping up things on a regular basis.

With that, I'll sign off for this year. I sincerely thank everyone that's come by and visited, and hope you continue to do so. I'll try my best to make it worth your while.

ENCOUNTER WITH AN "ORANGE DRACULA"

LAST SATURDAY, MY WIFE AND I CELEBRATED our wedding anniversary. I won't tell you exactly how many years it has been since we tied the knot, but I will tell you that it's a lot, especially considering that the last time I heard, the statistic is holding steady at about 50% of marriages that are still failing. Given that, I feel pretty darn good about our chances this far down the road.

If you were to ask me, I couldn't really give you any valuable advice on the longevity of relationships . . . except for perhaps this: When you feel like the chips are down and you are at the end of your proverbial rope with seemingly nowhere to turn and nothing left to do, find a way to get through the crisis and make it work. Believe me, you'll actually feel good about yourself when you have given it your best shot, and many times things only improve afterwards. So far, I haven't heard anybody complain that "make up" sex was ever lousy, know what I mean?

I have a younger family member that has tried marriage -- and given up on it -- three times already, and to hear the insipid, superficial, selfish reasons disguised as "game breakers", honestly I don't know whether to laugh or to cry.

That brings me to one more tidbit of advice, now that I think about it: Don't make up your mind (or what's left of it at the time) until you've heard someone else's viewpoint, preferably from either a non-emotionally attached friend or family member, or better yet, a professional counselor.

So, it turned out to be a sunny -- and just a little bit chilly -- Saturday here. We headed out over the 520 toll bridge (for decades it was free) to Seattle and the renown Pike Place Market, where the main attraction is the fish vendor tossing 10 lb. whole King Salmon to the poor, unsuspecting tourists hoping for a photo op and having no idea how unwieldy ... and slimy a dead fish can be. You can also have fun here if you are a people watcher, as, invariably by noontime, the place is elbow-to-elbow with 'em. With masses of tourists and locals alike, we usually reserve this delightful encounter with humanity for excursions with out-of-town guests and first-time visitors.

You might be wondering by now if there are going to be any monsters mentioned in today's slice 'o life. Funny you should ask, for in the nether chambers of the market known as "Down Under" we came across a shop that caught my usual discerning eye and impeccable taste for the finer things in life. Called "Orange Dracula", it's billed as "the dime store for those with unusual tastes". The melange of kitsch includes a Francis Ford Coppola Dracula pinball machine, a fortune teller vending machine, and a working photo booth. Predominant in the store are monster-related items like models, pins, buttons, patches and other paraphernalia. In the window there is  an original 6-foot Frankenstein poster from the Captain Company days. The proprietor is an amiable and talkative fellow and is more than willing to share his interests in monsters with the clientele. Orange Dracula has a website HERE. If you find yourself at the world-famous Pike Place Market, I recommend you find time to stop in at Orange Dracula.

We escaped the multitudes of the market and headed down to the pier, spending the next hour or so at the Seattle Aquarium. There are some really astonishing live exhibits here, including otters, harbor seals, and octopi. Plus, there's anemones, starfish (nay, sea stars), coral and other marine life that look they came right out of an H.P. Lovecraft story.

Your roving Monsterologist, ready for chowder.

 We finished off the evening at The Fisherman's on Pier 57 with chowder, a wedge salad, and mesquite-grilled halibut. Navigating after dark through the various construction zones in town, we made it over the bridge and back home, happy, content and ready to take on another new year.

The Puget Sound, dark and deep.

Looking back east from the water, towards downtown Seattle.

A very big boardwalk to enjoy the view from.

Somebody always has to feed the gulls.

Anemones from Yuggoth ... er, the Seattle Aquarium.

A bed of sea stars, a.k.a. starfish.

A strange-looking salt water plant.

Alien landscape? No, aquarium fish tank!

Our view from the restaurant.

It really was this pink.

Dusk settles on the carousel. Note the quarter moon top right.

MUSINGS FROM THE MYSTERIOUS MANSION

GOOD EVENING, MONSTER LOVERS! I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season.

Beginning tomorrow, things will be a little different at MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD. After a long deliberation, I have decided that I could really use more time to pursue other projects. I know this is a common affliction that eventually hits most bloggers and your host here at the Mysterious Mansion is no exception.

I can't begin to tell you how much time and energy that it takes to sit down and create at least one blog posting a day for more than two years. I'm not complaining, mind you -- I've loved every minute of it, and I wish I had enough time to continue. But, the truth is, I've got some other creative irons in the fire that are demanding my attention and I just can't summon the forces to make it all happen the way it's been going. As a result, I'll be economizing my efforts here to free up some time for other things.

Fear not, you will still see regular posts, just not on a daily basis. There will be no set schedule, so I would ask you all to check here regularly as I know a lot of you do.

In the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD in its new format. Thanks for your support, and a Happy New Year to you all!

IF YOU CAN READ THIS, WE SURVIVED THE APOCALYPSE

Well, here we are gang. No worse for the wear, wouldn't you say? I wouldn't lie to you -- I have to admit that I really didn't want the world to end today. Why? Because I've got so much left to share with you, dear readers of MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD! So, thanks, Big Guy. Just let that meteor the size of Brazil fly right on by, will you?

BTW, I'm just about back in business, computer wise. Maybe someday I'll try a Mac, but I settled on a Toshiba Satellite running Windows 7. I passed on Windows 8 -- not ready yet for another learning curve right now. Since it's the last of the batch, I got a really good deal on it. Also saved a couple hundred bucks by pulling out the hard drive of my old HP (which I found out have a tendency to burn up motherboards running with AMD chips) and sticking into a hard drive enclosure. Since there was no damage to the HD I managed to recover all the files that I hadn't yet backed up when disaster struck. So, outside of a few tweeks here and there, I'm off and running again, loaded up with system security and anti-malware and God knows what else to slow down the darned machine.

I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Yule Season, and, oh, a Good Solstice, too. Hope its a fun one, folks!

Now, back to the regular postings . . .

WE NOW INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM . . .

Well, I guess it had to happen sooner or later. Earlier last week, my primary computer -- an HP laptop -- decided to give up the ghost. I lifted the lid and the lights went on, but nobody was home. No activity on the hard drive light led me to the conclusion that it was toast.

In times like these it becomes immediately evident how much we rely on these things called computers. For instance, I can't tell you how many hours I have invested in the blog you are presently reading. Along with the countless hours mining the 'net for materials and resources, I'd have to say that a good portion of my waking state is spent on the modern-day version of Bierce's eponymous "Damned Thing". At least you can't accuse me of wasting my time with TV!

Some -- but not all -- was lost. I have a lot of my stuff backed up except for the very recent files. So, outside of the inconvenience (and quite a major one at that), I'm not entirely devasted. In fact, I've just in the last few days returned my (hopefully) trusty XP to service. This is the destop that I've used last 3 years for little else than a computer to receive page scans on. My HP multi-use printer along with Photoshop 5 (!) and Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 have been more than enough to create images that you have seen nearly daily here at MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD. A few upgrades and a little nip and a tuck later, and I can get on with things, albeit in a slight slower and clunkier way.

Now, before you start asking if I'd like some cheese with my whine, I'll just close by saying -- for the time being, anyway -- MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD'S schedule will be a little modified until I get back to a full head of steam again. That said, you will probably see less posts here for a while. I will not complety abandon this project or you, faithful Monsteologists, but I will have to slow down the breakneck pace that I've been keeping of late because, frankly, it's just too difficult to set up things for daily posting.

Please bear with me. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy what I can offer.

PLEASE STAND BY . . .

It seems like there are a number of other bloggers out there with the same issues, but the MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD BlogSpot has been experiencing some technical difficulties in the last few days.

The worst of it is the Google Blogger scheduling function. When a blog is completed and scheduled for posting later, it does not do what it is supposed to, which is post the blog at the specified date and time.

Other, no less vexing issues have cropped up of late, I suspect due to another tiresome "upgrade" of the Blogger interface. A look at some trouble report forums for Word Press yielded similar angst from loyal users who just want to follow the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" maxim.

Fortunately, the posting editor has not been freezing up while writing this, because earlier this evening, it was.

All this has forced me to rethink the stability of this giant electronic Frankenstein monster that we have, for the most part, unknowingly created. I'm wondering if delivering a regular HTML-formatted electronic newsletter mailed to a subscriber audience may not be a viable alternative?

In any event, if you see some weird things here (besides the usual that you have come to expect, that is), and the postings seem a bit off, etc., then don't blame me. Google is off busily trying to make the biggest online file folder in the universe, so it probably wouldn't pay to nudge the bear, either. Guess I'll wait it out . . .

Thanks to all you readers who voted, MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD has, for the second year in a row, received an "Honorable Mention" in the Best Blog category in the annual RONDO AWARDS. I want to thank each and every one of you who voted for my blog and for continuing to support my efforts.

As I have mentioned before, my mission here is to share with you my experiences from bygone Monster Craze days that have left a lasting impression, as well as provide comments and opinion regarding the current state of affairs with this very active industry.

You also spoke loud and clear with the last Reader's Survey when you said you liked the format and length of the postings here just the way they are. Accordingly, I will give you what you like best.

I also reminded you that MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD is available in a reader-friendly mobile phone version for all you monsters on the go.

I recently offered for sale the first-ever MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD 2011 BLOG BOOK that includes an entire year's worth of posts. It is still available at the ridiculous price of only 99 cents (order info on the sidebar).

Plus, I have a few more surprises up my sleeve that I will spring on you in the coming months.

So, once again for your readership and support. Please take the time to comment once in a while or use the reaction buttons to let me know you're out there. I REALLY APPRECIATE the time you spend here at MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD. I will do my best to give you a reason to keep coming back.

DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF WIRELESS SHEEP?

I downloaded my first app today. This has come about three weeks into owning my Samsung Galaxy II Skyrocket "smartphone". It came complete with 4G and LTE technology for "lightning fast" use. I soon found out, though, that my provider, AT&T, doesn't at the moment have a huge network of 4G cell towers in the Seattle area. Oh, and the "lightning fast" LTE technology? Well, that's not even available yet. Now, I've heard about taking products out for a beta test drive but this is ridiculous. Talk about over-hype and over selling. Oh well, I've got it now, and I'm not about to let them take 35 of my hard-earned bucks for a "re-stock" fee just for the pleasure of returning it.

I've been living up 'til now in that fertile plot of mobile phoneland known as BlackBerry. The company that owns it, Research In Motion, has tanked as of late. With only 10% of the market share, they've got a new CEO who has big plans to revitalize their interest in this very competitive field. My Skyrocket operates with Google's Android software, and much of the gizmo's inner workings are based on Google's ever-expanding pallet of . . . apps. So, if you want one of these and have it be fully functional, you're gonna have to give up your heart and soul to a Google account.

Also, everything's app driven. Mine came with a number of default programs already loaded. But, while the BlackBerry comes ready to use as a phone, I'm going to have to download an app to enable voice dialing. Ultimately, I guess the Skyrocket is more of a hand-held, multi-functional computer that doubles as a phone instead of the other way around.

Why did I buy one in the first place, you might ask? Well, the story's longer than I care to relate here on a MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD blog post, but I can tell you that my wife played a major part in it. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not blaming her -- just that she had a lot to do with the 400 dollar purchase of two phones that retail for over a thousand. Plus, I think I'm starting to like it.

Anyway, I was taking a look at the latest UK horror 'zine, SCREAM, when I spotted one of those increasingly familiar pixelated Rohrshach squares that seem to be popping up all over the place these days on an ad for a free horror app. So, I launched the pre-loaded app that allows me to read these things, lined the viewfinder up with the image on the magazine and clicked away. The screen prompt asked me if I wanted to either go to the app's website or the "market" folder on my smartphone. It was then that the singular thought occurred to me that I could have just gone to the website in the first place. For that I could have used the really cool Google voice-activated search app to go to the website (that's not entirely correct -- it will prompt you to click "yes" to go to the website if it's recognized your voice command properly).

I'm not a techno fuddy-duddy, and while the app itself doesn't exactly blow my skirt up, I can see these things have promise, and I can't honestly judge the concept without first trying out a few. This one was free, but a lot of them you have to pay for.

This all has got me wondering about the use of apps when it comes to my beloved monster 'zines. I know RUE MORGUE's got one, but I'll have to check -- I recall it only being available for iPhones. I have downloaded some of their RUE MORGUE RADIO shows on mp3. Those are fun to listen to with the Skyrocket's ample built-in speaker.

Samsung is known for their marvelous screen displays, and I have to say that the MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD blog looks pretty good on the Skyrocket, which has a screensize that's about 2 1/2 times the size of my BlackBerry's.

More and more I think you'll see this market forcing down our throats stuff that we think we need. Some of it's really cool and some of it is a big WTF. I also think that exclusively digital monster magazine content -- that is, monster 'zines that will someday only be available on smartphones -- is a long way away. I won't be surprised, though, to see the envelope being pushed from now on. Kindles, Nooks, and tablets are all the latest craze, offering the user the ability to read and browse content like never before. Frankly, I'm thinking how much is enough? It has me wondering about the phrase that Jeff Goldblum so sagely put in the film, JURASSIC PARK, that goes something like: "Maybe it's better to think about why we should have instead of that we could." Somehow I don't think that advice carries much weight with technology.

In the meantime, I'll still be pining a bit for my BlackBerry, sitting quietly in its holster and waiting for me to reactivate it. But, as I said, I'm beginning to like my 4G, LTE Samsung Skyrocket running on Google's Android. And, in order to fully answer the question as to these so-called "smartphones" being as "smart" as they say they are, I guess I'll have to buy another app that will tell me that.

HAPPY NEW YEAR -- TO SEX, BLOOD, AND ROCK 'N ROLL!

Depending on your point of view, the year 2012 will be a year, a) like any other, b) whatever you can make of it, or, c) the year the world ends. While little has been discussed by the media about the first two points, much has been bantered about by the third. And if you are to believe what the so-called “experts” think, then you will also know what the ancient Mayan long-count calendar suggests by its running out – December 21, 2012 will be doomsday.

In the January/February 2011 issue of ATLANTIS RISING magazine, publisher J. Douglas Kenyon encapsulates the collective consciousness of “end-times angst” by explaining:

“The persistence of the [doomsday prediction] phenomenon seems itself to be symptomatic of a deep-seated, society-wide anxiety mechanism, and there are those that argue that such fear of cataclysmic destruction is itself the product of a materialistic culture which has lost contact with its source and, thus, in the guilty fear of having offended its parent, now, tragically – albeit subconsciously – seeks it own destruction.”

Ironically, this seems to me to sound not unlike the apologists who are springing up like weeds, with the notion that the United States should not only minimize, but abandon altogether its power and influence in the greater civilized world.

At the expense at coming across as bellicose, it appears like more and more people (don’t hyperventilate here – I'm saying more, not all) are walking around, dosed up on irrational and obtuse ideas as a result of having formed their overall (albeit quotidian) opinions regarding morals, culture, government, money and other elements of the fabric that makes up civilized society, by the seductively sweet artifice of pop culture. Nurturing a mindset and a philosophy by feeding mainly from the plentiful mother’s milk supplied by Ellison’s Glass Teat and other popular media leads the way to an absurd equivalency that is tenuous at best and carries with it the pervasive taint of ignorance.

Examples of this “phenomenon of guilt” are omnipresent: Just watch any of the multitude of reality TV shows (which have become so numerous that parentheses are no longer needed around the term “reality”) to learn your social graces, or just take a look at any of the music videos for the latest in dress codes and de rigueur fashion, or take a look at any video game for a heaping measure of sex, blood, and rock ‘n roll. These info streams, pipelined straight to the brain via wireless remote and hypodermic HDMI have already become the roadmap of the new reality. So, here’s a message to all you conspiracy theorists: the real New Order is not the World Bank, it’s not the Illuminati, and it’s not Sarah Palin – pleased to meet you -- it has been going by the name of Pop Culture for a long time.

From a historical perspective, this type of collective behavior always seems to coincide with mankind’s great advances. We are in the midst of a digital revolution – the last example that comes to mind was the industrialization of Europe and the United States, and it drove a good many people literally into the arms of Morpheus (in one form or another) so that they could escape the impending doom of the mechanized monster called “Progress”.

I grew up in Southern California, not far from some of the most well-known beaches, tourist spots, and destinations in the world. As a result, I can’t say I had it all bad. My Christmas list was most always filled, and I had plenty of comics to read and TV to watch. I remember saying the Pledge of Allegiance every morning in Elementary School, I remember the occasional “drop drill”, just in case the Commies bombed us with nukes, and I remember when my teacher told our class that President Kennedy had been assassinated – we had to put our heads down on our desk in mourning.

Now, I’m no stranger to end-time angst. In my teens (which would have put the date in the mid-to-late-1960’s) I can’t tell you how many times that an eschatologist (usually self-professed, or promoted by a small group of glaze-eyed acolytes with looks not unlike those that were about to be released in a movie called NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD) found themselves in the news, proclaiming that the “end is near”. This boy-who-cried-wolf hue and cry became so pedantic that you began to see many magazine and newspaper cartoons lampooning the phony pop culture phrase. There even appeared a poster of a map showing exactly how the San Andreas Fault was going to split and send half of California plunging into the Pacific Ocean.

Well, the last time I looked, California is still whole, land-wise anyway. One thing is for certain – the end will come sometime. And if we listen closely enough, it’s still coming soon, just like it was 40-plus years ago. I’ve had to rotate my dehydrated survival food several times now, but I know I’ll be ready when the time comes.

Come to think of it, though, we monster lovers have seen the world end – as a matter of fact, many times over, haven’t we? We’ve seen Godzilla tear up Tokyo and a giant octopus rip up bridges, and aliens land on earth and immediately lay waste to the countryside, haven’t we? In my book, that gives us a distinct advantage over the rest of the population. And that might be just enough of an edge to keep us alive and watching our favorite monster movies on Ellison’s Glass Teat, right? Let’s see . . . let’s start off with Vincent Price in THE LAST MAN ON EARTH – or, how about Charlton Heston in PLANET OF THE APES, or . . .

UNDER THE INFLUENCE: FULL MOON OVER PORTLAND

 
This past weekend I escaped ever-so-briefly from the Mysterious Mansion to where us Washingtonian's call "South of the Border" -- that means the State of Oregon -- and particularly in this instance, Portland. Lots of us go there for quick stops to buy cars and other high ticket items because Oregon mercifully does not have a State Sales Tax.

The purpose of my visit this time was to meet up with a portion of my wife's family, some of which live further south in the beautiful town of Corvallis, the rest who were in town from SoCal. We stayed in the "Rose Quarter" in the City of Roses, Portland, right smack dab in the middle of the Historic Waterfront District.

After spending a very pleasant afternoon with the family, we headed back downtown to one of the largest bookstores on the West Coast, the world-reknowned POWELL'S BOOKS. Taking up several floors and an entire city block, they even have a parking garage dedicated to patrons.

After leaving my wife to her beloved Astrology section, I went upstairs to the rare book department. On the way I browsed briefly at a collection of several hundred books that were up for sale that belong to noted vampire novelist Anne Rice. Lots of different tiles and looked like they might be a part of her research library that she might have used while writing some of her books.

A short stack of horror books were found through the secure door to the rare books. A couple of signed editions, a couple of Lovecraftian tomes, and one signed first edition of Fred Chappell's Southern Gothic Lovecraftian novel, Dagon.

Then, it was off to the film section where I found a couple titles that I had been casually seeking for a few years. After that, it was back downstairs to one of the largest selections of science-fiction, fantasy, and horror books you'll ever want to browse through.

The pics shown here are from a batch I took Friday during the full moon, just a few hours before the eclipse.

A great trip and good to get out of town for a couple of days. Now, Return of the Blob .... er, Blog!