Greetings Loyal Airmen, well after that long essay on the story behind Black Lion last week, we’re going to get back to a regular entry this time around with peeks at what goodies we’ve got in story for you in the near future.

Okay, here we go. Issue # 2 of my GUNS OF THE BLACK BAT series for Moonstone Comics is now being solicited. That means if you get the Diamond Preview catalog from your comic shop, then its time for you order this issue. Note the regular cover on the left about, by the amazing Michael Stribling and the bonus alternate to the right, should a shop order more than 3 copies, then they can request the alternate. As ever the story is by yours truly with gorgeous interior art by Sylvestre Szilagyi, one of the most talented graphic we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. This project was so much fun to work and we can’t wait to hold copies in our hands.

Next up, this past week saw the release of the Official Ballot for the Pulp Factory Awards.  This was put together from nominations made by the Yahoo Group Pulp Factory as the best in New Pulp Fiction and Art from 2015.  Below is the actual ballot and a link where you can go and vote.  Yes, voting is open to the public.

BALLOT FOR PULP FACTORY AWARDS OFFICIALLY RELEASED; VOTING NOW OPEN UNTIL 3/15 AWARDS TO BE GIVEN OUT AT WINDY CITY PULP & PAPER
Lombard, Illinois – February 21, 2016

With April’s Windy City Pulp and Paper approaching fast, the ballot for the 2016 Pulp Factory Awards – to be handed out at the conference – has just opened up for voting by the reading public.

(The ballot can be found online at http://bit.ly/2016PFAwardBallot )

Voters have until Tuesday, March 15th to select one nominee in several categories. (We are limiting voting to the electronic ballot via Google forms to simplify the process). Nominees in each category are as follows:

BEST PULP NOVEL
LIE CATCHERS (Paul Bishop; Pro Se Productions)
THE CAGLIOSTRO CHRONICLES III: INTO THE HEART OF EVIL (Ralph Angelo, Jr; Cosmic Comet)
JEZEBEL JOHNSON: DEVIL’S HANDMAIDEN (Nancy Hansen; Airship 27)
VINNIE DE SOTH, JOBBING OCCULTIST (I.A. Watson; Chillwater Press)
LADY ACTION: THE SANDS OF FOREVER (Ron Fortier; Airship 27)
THE GRIM SPECTRE (Ralph Angelo, Jr; Cosmic Comet)
BAD TIMES FOUR: HELLDORADO (Chuck Dixon; Bruno Books)
MANHATTAN CONFIDENTIAL: MALLOY AND RUSSELL, BOOK 2 (Elizabeth K Wadsworth; Elizabeth K Wadsworth)

BEST PULP COVER
LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION (Douglas Klauba; Airship 27)
BASS REEVES, FRONTIER MARSHAL, VOL 1 (Marco Turini; Airship 27)
BARANAK: STORMING THE GATES (Mark Williams; White Rocket Books)
DOMINO LADY: VOL 1 (Ted Hammond; Airship 27)
THE LEMON HERBERTS (Michael Hegedus; Pro Se Productions)
NIGHT HAWK: BURNING SKIES (Douglas Klauba; Airship 27)
SHERLOCK HOLMES: CONSULTING DETECTIVE VOL 7 (Michael Youngblood; Airship 27)

BEST PULP SHORT STORY
A Different Kind of People (Chuck Miller; LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION; Airship 27)
Nature of the Beast (BC Bell; LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION; Airship 27)
Spring-Heeled Jack (I.A. Watson; SHERLOCK HOLMES: CONSULTING DETECTIVE, VOL 7; Airship 27)
Voodah of the Mountain (Derrick Ferguson; LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION; Airship 27)
When Angels Fall (Gordon Dymowski; DREAMERS SYNDROME: NEW WORLD NAVIGATION; Space Buggy Press)

BEST PULP INTERIOR ILLUSTRATIONS
BASS REEVES, FRONTIER MARSHAL, VOL 1 (Rob Davis; Airship 27)
SHERLOCK HOLMES, CONSULTING DETECTIVE, VOL 7 (Rob Davis; Airship 27)
SIX GUN TERRORS, VOL 2 (Zachary Brunner; Airship 27)

BEST PULP ANTHOLOGY
LEGENDS OF NEW PULP FICTION (Airship 27)
BASS REEVES, FRONTIER MARSHAL, VOL 1 (Airship 27)
SHERLOCK HOLMES, CONSULTING DETECTIVE, VOL 7 (Airship 27)
THE LEMON HERBERTS (Pro Se Productions)
After March 15th, the committee will tally all of the electronic votes via http://bit.ly/2016PFAwardBallot, and the winners will be announced at the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention from April 22 – April 24th, 2016.

Questions and concerns should be directed to PulpAwards@gmail.com. This will insure a more prompt response than reaching out to individual committee members.

Thank you for your interest, and looking forward to your votes!

(A downloadable version of this release can be found via http://bit.ly/PFARel)

We are particularly thrilled by how many Airship 27 creators were listed in so many of these five categories, especially the massive Legends of New Pulp Fiction and our own novel, Lady Action-Sands of Forever.  A tip of the pulp fedora to Pulp Factory members Gordon Dymowski and Van Allen Plexico for managing the awards this, their seventh year.  And Yo Old Air Chief has been asked to once again MC the awards presentation Friday at the Con.  A job we totally love. So thanks one and all and please, find that link above and GO VOTE!!

It was also announced a few days ago that the Air Chief will be a featured guest at the Rocky Mountain Con in Denver on Nov 5th & 6th.  We consider this our “home con” and are always thrilled to be invited back each year. Promoter Tim Moret and his staff doing an amazing job with this show and it is wall to wall fun for comic fans of all all ages. Never mind, 5th Nov is the Air Chief’s birthday!  Yup. Going ot be a fun party for sure.

And there you have it for this week, Loyal Airmen. As ever, thanks for dropping by and we’ll see you next Friday.

Ron – Over & Out!