Greeting loyal airmen and welcome to another week's Log Entry where the old Air Chief's ego takes flight, soaring to new heights of humility.  Ha.  But before launching into what that's all about, we want to give a sharp Airship 27 salute to Airman Wayne Reinagle who provided us with that amazing picture of the USS Akron on one of its flights over Manhattan.  Simply majestic, these grand and graceful cloud cruisers.  Is it any wonder your old Air Chief loves them so much?  Thanks again, Wayne.

If you're a fan of the TV cops and robbers shows, you'll know that every time detectives interview possible suspects in a murder investigation they will invariably ask about the victim, “Did he have any enemies?”  Many times while watching those shows I'll wonder about that question in regards to my own life.  It would be really wonderful to go through life and never have a single enemy.  Sadly, we humans being imperfect souls at best, just can't seem to get through this life without at one time or another offending others, be intentional or not.  I sometimes imagine a story wherein the TV investigator would look at the widow and ask instead, “Did he have any friends?”   You see, at the end of the day, its not whether we have enemies or friends, but rather how many of both?

A few years ago I had Valerie snap the above photo of yours truly.  It was intended for the back of the very first pulp book we ever had published.  I purposely posed ala those serious “author” shots you always see in books.  Whenever I look at it now, it just makes me laugh.  Why?  Because as serious as I might want people to take me, the most honest thing about this picture is the Captain Specter lightning patch on my jacket identifying me as a member of the Lightning Legion.  Yeah, that's how serious I get. 

How do others see us?  One night while surfing the web, I pulled up the free encyclopedia site, Wikipedia and punched in the name Ron Fortier.  Holy smokes, what came up stunned your old Air Chief!  There was this humongous entry detailing 98% of my writing career in chronological order.  It was so detailed, I simply couldn't believe it.  Or that someone out there on the net, obviously devoted loyal airmen, had spent so much time doing up this truly marvelous history of my writing career.  Whoever you good people are, my sincerest and most humble thanks.  Looking over that long lists of credits (way more than I've got listed here…ha), was a trip back in time for sure.  One I had the good pleasure of repeating again this past week on the air.

About a year ago, a loyal airmen named Chuck Moore invited me to join his growing website, Comic Related.  He was kind enough to offer me my own dedicated forums at this terrific site.  He wanted me to have a place where I could go one on one with all of you.  Something we never added here.  So I signed on and within weeks Chuck and I became fast amigos.  I know of very few people who love the world of comics and everything about them as does Chuck.  He recently started doing a series of weekly Comic Related podcast and they are so much fun to listen to.  A few days ago Chuck asked me if I'd like to be his next podcast subject.  Owing him so much for my forums at CR, I happily agreed.  He gave me a call one night and we spoke for almost two full hours about comics, pulps and my blessed career in the field.  It was all about the Air Chief, loyal airmen, and I got to tell many of my “war” stories.  So if you've ever wondered what the Air Chief actually sounds like, or are curious at all about some of the things I've briefly touched upon in this journal, you really should check these out.  Simply go to our Links page, click on the Comic Related logo there and away you go.  Chuck broke our conversation into two one hour podcasts ( # 21 & # 22) and they are both right there on his front menu page.  As Chuck is another loyal airmen who stops by here every single week, THANKS AMIGO!!!  It was so much fun rapping with you about things we both love dearly.  I only hope I didn't put too many of your listeners to sleep.  Ha.

On to other fronts.  I've just finished one of the finest fantasy adventure books ever, LAMPLIGHTER by D.M. Cornish.  Click on my Pulp Fiction Review link above this column for my full review.  If you love this kind of imaginative fiction, don't miss this truly amazing work.  It's a rare find.

Saw the movie version of GET SMART with my daughter, Heather, last week.  It, and dinner afterward, were her belated Father's Day treat for me.  Both of us really liked the movie a great deal.  It is funny and captures the warm zaniest of the original Don Adams TV series.  The Air Chief gives it thumbs up.  Of course my Canadian colleague, Andrew Salmon swears up and down he will not see this movie.  Andrew's a diehard fan of the TV show and is boycotting this flick.  Too bad.  He's missing a really funny time.  Then again, I've been keeping the guy busy writing our newest pulp blockbuster, GHOST SQUAD.   Andrew and I finally slapped THE END on the 127 page manuscript two days ago and now the book is in production with Rob Davis getting ready to do his illos and design work.  Fingers crossed we'll be announcing its release within a month or so.  You airmen are going to love this one.   Tons and tons of pulp action from page one to the climatic finale.  Hang in there, its on its way.

This coming weekend marks the half-way mark of the baseball season.  The Red Sox are holding on to second place behind those come-out-of-nowhere Tampa Bay Rays.  Here's a team that was in last place last year as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  Now they take the word devil out of their name and all of a sudden they can't lose.  Hmmm, think about that for a while.  Anyway, next week is the All Star game, and then it's back at it. GO SOX!!

Ron – Over & Out.