Greetings Loyal Airmen, we have a few fun bits to look at and discuss this week.  Let’s start with the Air Chief’s first try at teaching comics.

As most of you know over the last five years the Air Chief has taught a class on How To Write Comics & Graphics Novels at the Front Range Community College here in Fort Collins, CO.  What most of you don’t know is this course wasn’t the first time we tried our hand at teaching comic. Over twenty years ago, when we still lived in Somersworth, NH, we frequented a comic shop called the Paperback Bazaar managed by our good friend Ralph DiBarnido. Somehow Ralph got us in a discussion about possibly teaching such a class in the store’s back room twice a week and suggested we bring in artist Rich Woodall, another Somersworth resident, pal and creator of Johnny Raygun. After a couple of talks with Rich, we opted to team up and class the class over an eight week period with the Air Chief teaching the history of comics and how to pen a script while Rick would handle how to draw graphics. How successful was the class, well we taught it twice, the first time with three students and the last with two. Both Rich and the Air Chief worked well together and hopefully those five students learned some valuable things from us. It was fun, but really in the end had no future. So we let it go. Imagine twenty years later and here we are back at it again, in a college setting. The above add for the class was discovered by a good friend of us from Maine. Sure brought back a whole lot of nice memories. Thanks Larry.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTION

The Air Chief is happy to report two new Airship 27 pulp anthologies are moving down the production line smoothly. (Above at left) Artist Daniele Danbrenus Spezzani continues doing his wonderful illustrations for the new “Mars McCoy Space Ranger” anthology, Volume Three. Then Airship 27 Art Director Rob Davis is almost finished with his illustrations for our popular series “Mystery Men (& Women Vol 9.” (Above right is one of those illos.) Rob will also provide the cover when the entire book is finished. Both are titles we are so eager to get out there to you Loyal Airmen. Stay tuned.

CHARLES SAUNDERS & IMARO

One of our dearest friends was the late fantasy adventure writer, Charles Saunders. During his career, the most popular character Charles ever created was his warrior Imaro who lived and fought in an ancient mythological Africa. Charles wrote several books featuring the character and when passed away several years ago, he was in talks with a young Hollywood producer to bring Imaro’s adventures to the big screen. So imagine the Air Chief’s surprise when the other day, upon logging on to Facebook, we find the above drawing of Imaro done by the talented artist Chuck Patton. We were overjoyed to see it and of course had to share it with all of you. The last we had heard, that Hollywood producer was still moving forward with his project. All fingers crossed, it comes to pass and will be a fitting tribute to a truly wonderful man who though gone, will never be forgotten.

And that’s it for this weekend, Loyal Airmen. As ever, thanks for stopping by and hopefully we’ll see you all back here next Friday.

Ron – Over & Out!