Greetings airmen, here we are wrapping up as yet another gorgeous, summer week. Lots of things to discuss this time up, so let’s get started.

I want to thank all the wonderful fans who showed up at last week’s Chelmsford,MA one-day con to say hi, talk comics and get their books signed. One fellow brought along a copy of the GREEN HORNET hardback edition for me to sign and that was a treat. (David, it was terrific meeting you and thanks for the e-mail later in the week. Hope to see you again soon.) One fellow, who had earlier purchased a copy of my pulp book, BROTHER GRIM, made a point of telling me how much he enjoyed it and then proceeded to pick up a copy of my second book, THE HOUNDS OF HELL. With that kind of loyalty and support,is it any wonder why I love doing what I do? Fans, not just mine alone, are the finest people in the world and going to cons affords me the opportunity to meet them and to thank them.

Which is as good as any way to segue into my busy convention schedule coming up. The last weekend of Sept. I’ll be at the three day Wizard World Boston. Looks to be a blow-out show and I hope all you New England readers will make it down. I’ll mostly be hanging out between the Digital Webbing tables and those of my favorite comic shop, the Paperback Bazaar. I’ll have plenty of copies of both BROTHER GRIM and THE HOUNDS OF HELL on hand, so if you still haven’t latched onto a copy of either, or both, now is your chance. The Saturday after the Boston show, I’ll be in Manchester,NH doing a store signing at the Double Midnight Comic shop. So if you live or around the Queen City, hope to see you there. On the 13th November, it’s back to the Redhook Brewery Convention Center at the nearby Pease Tradeport in Portsmouth and finally, I’ll be on hand at the two-day, Halloween comic show in Nashua,NH along with tons of other cool guests. There will also be an advanced screening of Derry,NH filmmaker Rob Fitz’s fantastic GOD OF VAMPIRES movie. Believe me, if you like horror, you won’t want to miss this.

One of the joys of last week’s Chelmsford show was being able to get my hands on Digital Webbing Presents #24, the amazing, full color anthology edited and published by Ed Dukeshire.
This is the issue with my MASK OF THE GARGOYLE story and it looks fantastic. The comic should be in all your various comic shops this coming week, so please, hunt one up.

After getting home from the con, I dove into the new week and was almost instantly flooded with all sorts of positive highlights to many of my varied projects. Craig Shephard, the new artist on my CAPTAIN HAZZARD comic series, turned in some great sketches and I’m really excited about how this is coming out. I’ve assembled the entire team now, with an inker, letterer and colorist all on board. Things are on the fast track. Speaking of HAZZARD, I finsished Chatpers 7-8-9 of the new pulp thriller featuring this classic hero and have sent the manuscript to writer-partner, Martin Powell, to continue. We each do several chapters each before bouncing the script back to each other. Happily our styles are complimentary and the book is going to get done fast. Meanwhile, artist Rob Davis turned in another spot illo for the serialization of the first ever Hazzard book, PYTHON MEN OF LOST CITY, which Brian Meredith hopes to have up and running on his website, Modern Pulp.com, in a few more weeks.

Javier Lugo turned in more pencil breakdowns for our vampire comic and John Polacek finished the first page of the new Brother Grim comic.
All in all, a great week production-wise.

But by far the biggest event of the week was my writing a curriculum for a new 8 week course in how to write and draw comics. I put this together at the behest of Ralp DiBernardo, of the Paperback Bazaar, where the classes will be held, starting in early October. I will be teaching along side JOHNNY RAYGUN artist, Rich Woodall. The class will be an informal study of sequential graphics and our goal is to give our students a complete understanding of what it takes to be a working professional in this field today. Obviously, all of us involved are very excited to see how it all evolves. To the best of my knowledge, nothing like this has ever been tried before on a local, community level. I’ll keep you posted as it gears up.

So there you go, lots of great cons, busy at work on dozens of projects…and getting ready to venture into the world of teaching.
Man oh man, and they call this retirement!
Take care, Ron, over and out!

One of the first comic book series I ever had published was STREET-FIGHTER, done with my good pal, Gary Kato. From the moment I had the idea for the character, it took almost three years for this concept to see print. Back then I thought that was an awfully long time. Over the years I’ve learned it was pretty much a drop in the bucket compared to others that have languished in depths of bottomless my files.

Earlier this year, my pulp novel, THE HOUNDS OF HELL (with Gordon Linzner) was published. It was first written back in 1976! How’s that for not losing hope in a project. When young writers come to me at conventions asking for advice, one of the tenets I always put forth is, “Never-ever, throw anything away!” If you don’t sell it now, file it away for later. One never knows how the whims of publishing will change.

This past week two such comic projects have proven that belief once again. I am currently
putting together a new art team for the production of my CAPTAIN HAZZARD three issue mini-series. I’ve mentioned that several times here, in the flight log. The difference now is that I’ve found the perfect penciller for the job. His name is Craig Shephard and he hails from Fall River, MA. Almost in my backyard. Craig is busy doing up sketches even as I write this, and I have high hopes another twenty year
old project will soon be entertaining all of you. More as things develops.

In the same vein, I was digging through those very same, crammed packed files, a few days ago, and came across some copies of artwork that just blew me away. Sitting down and examining them closer, I realized I was looking at pages from as yet another long-ago aborted comic project,
MAJOR LIBERTY. The artwork in these pages is by
Kevin Wiggins, a remarkably talented fellow. The page of above is one of the six I had kept in my files. I was once again caught up with how great it looked and immediately started doing some hunting in my “old” PC files. Lo and behold, there was a copy of the actual script those pages illustrated. I realized, again for the upteenth time, here was something that had to get finished, and out there. A quick e-mail to Kevin and I learned he still had all the original pages and is most eager to bring the project back to life. So, my fellow airmen, here we go again. I’m already hunting up an inker and colorist. Ha.

And that’s the moral of those week’s log, amigos. Never-ever trash any work you have put hard work into. You never know when opportunity will circle the galaxy and come back, knocking a second time. You have to be ready to heed the call!

Lastly, I’m off to Chelmsford, MA, in two days, Sunday 14th for another of Larry Dougherty’s terrific shows. Ed Dukeshire and the Digital Webbing Gang will be on hand with advanced copies of DWP #24, the one with my MASK OF THE GARGOYLE tale. So if you happen to be in the neighborhood, come on by. It’s going to be a fun show. Until next week, stay safe, active
and smell the coffee. Ron, over and out.

Greetings airmen, it’s been a busy week around the hangar. A few months ago, Vincent Sneed, publisher of Die Monster Die books, invited a group of writers to participate in a new anthology he was putting together to be called, DARK FURIES.
The concept centered around the age old theme of beauty and the beast. For the project I created a brand new pulp heroine, Kate Fury and she debuts in the story “Fury in Vermont.” It is one of a dozen great horror, fantasy and action
gems in this new anthology. If you would like to pre-order a copy, you can do so now at
(www.Shocklines.com). Tell ’em, Ron sent you.

Equal Footing is a new magazine devoted to the world of comics. ALong with their hardcopy mag, they also do a mag-blog that can be found at (http://efzine.com/content/). John, one of the editors at EF, interviewed me earlier in the week and that discussion can found at the link above. Just scroll down until you find my name and the cover to Digital Webbing Presents #24. In the interview, I talked a little bit about how I got started in comics and about my new career in pulp writing. The folks at EF did a great job putting it together with lots of great visuals from my various projects.
So check it out.

I’ve also had some very positive responses to my web-ads for a new art team to do the CAPTAIN HAZZARD mini-series that has been languishing in my files for almost twenty-years. Several very talented pros have answered the call and are now doing up sketches for me to look at. I’m getting excited. I’ll keep you posted.

Lastly, I’ve just turned in a new PULP FICTION column to the Paperback Bazaar and it
should be posted Sunday morning. See link above this log. Ralph and Jim do a great job with the site so stop on by and see what other goodies they have posted there.

Take care, Ron, over and out.

Last Saturday I was finally on air with Mr.K and the Dome at Sci-Fi Saturday Night – AM Radio
930 WGIN out of Manchester, NH. Was a short stint as we had to make way for the broadcast of the Red Sox game. During the twenty-minute chat, co-host
Brian Belenger, a Manchester comic creator himself, asked why the trend in comics today was to portray darker, menacing heroes, ala Spawn and others. My answer was simply the belief that today’s society doesn’t know what to do with real heroes. We’ve become a jaded, much more cynical society and find it impossible to believe in good, old fashion values anymore.
A truly sad commentary. One I hope will eventually change back to a more optimistic world-view. Although it’s hard to believe in these days what with the recent Grim Reaper harvesting.

A couple of logs ago I mentioned the lost of writer Ed McBain, my favorite writer. Since his passing, we’ve also lost Jim Aparo, one of the greatest artist ever to grace the pages of DC Comics. Jim did what lots of fans believe is the finest interpretation of Batman ever. I personally loved his work on the Phantom Stranger title. He will be sorely missed. Along about the same time Byron Preiss, a New York based publisher/innovator, was killed in a car accident. Not much older than yours truly, his death was real shock to all of in the publishing community. Then last week, Star Trek’s own Scotty, actor James Doohan left us. He was certainly part of the charm that made the original Star Trek such a success. In reading his opituary, I also discovered he was a real war hero, having survived the Canadian troop landings at Juno beach on Normandy. Wounded several times by machine gun fire, Doohan, upon recovery in a British Hospital demanded to be sent back to the front. Amazing. And finally, just a few days ago, veteran film and television actor, George Wallace, passed away. His life was full of achievements but us thrill fans will always remember him as Commando Cody, Skymarshal of the Universe (see pix above) from the 1950
Republic Serial RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON. As yet another hero gone. One has to wonder if God has need of these brave men in some kind of cosmic eternity war against evil. If so, he’s getting the best of the best.

And less you think this entire log entry is going to be maudlin, let me introduce you to a new, and very talented artist, Jerry Newingham.
Jerry’s no kid, but rather a mature duffer who long ago, because of life’s demands, put aside his dreams of working in comics. Now, at 54, and thanks to the internet, he’s revived those dreams and created an amazing site called
WORLD FINEST SERIALS. I’ve posted his banner on the links page, so once you’ve read this, go over and check it out. Through a masterful use of flashpoint, Jerry does web comics featuring the golden/silver age versions of Superman and Batman, then peppers the story with famous characters like the familiar private eye in the photo above. His story is gripping and expertly
told. He’s a new friend who truly deserves your support. Tell him Ron sent you.

As for my activities, I will be back on Sci-Fi Saturday Night again this week, as the segments are so short. Still much fun to do, so if you live within broadcast range, its 6 PM. Tune us in. I will also be in Chelmsford, MA once again, for a one day comic show, 14th Aug. I’ll
be sitting with the crew from Digital Webbing and hopefully we will have copies of DWP #24 with the MASK OF THE GARGOYLE story. Mark your calenders and come on down. Would love to meet you and sign a copy for you.

Two new movies hit theaters today. STEALTH, the so-called mega-war-weapons blockbuster about a robot plane that threatens mankind. Sort of TOP GUN on steroids. I’ll pass. Whereas Disney is putting forth SKY HIGH, a sort of cross ala THE INCREDIBLES meet Harry Porter. With Kurt Russell as the Super Dad who wants his son to follow in the family business, I’m there! Looks to be a really fun flick!,

Another week, take care. Ron, over and out.

Well another week has rolled around and I thought I’d take a few paragraphs to update you on what’s been keeping me busy. The above cover is for one of a dozen comic book projects I’ve been involved with these past few months. LA FEMME LIBERTE is a 16 pg. title for the Just A Buck series and all the artwork (including this dynamite cover) is by talented newcomer, John Palocek. It’s about a female OSS spy working in Nazis occupied Paris during the early days of WW II. I was so delighted with
John’s work on this effort, I immediately recruited him to draw the first ever BROTHER GRIM comic, now in production. More on that as time goes on. And of course I’ll let you all know when this particular comic will be available.

A work in progress is a new anthology book I’m now putting together to be called RON FORTIER’S LETHAL LADIES. The preliminary cover above is by Dario Carrasco and features the three love ladies in question. In a crouch, is jewel thief, Satin Wei, star of my series. SATIN’S WAYS, co-created with Chilean artist fantastic, Gonzalo Martinez. The big bruiser, is BLACK BETTY, a Los Angeles based private eye,
co-created by the afore-mentioned Mr.Carrasco.
And lastly, the attractive copper is Nora Temple, one half of the crime-busting team of TEMPLE & NASH (..first book still available elsewhere on this site) as created by yours truly and
one Johnny Atomic. The book is a collection of short strips starring each of the deadly damsels. No publisher yet, but once something is locked down, I’ll fill you in.

Finally, I mentioned a few logs back that I had finished a re-write of the classic pulp magazine, CAPTAIN HAZZARD. Well my good friend,
and design genius, Chris Mills, had fun by dressing up the original cover to include my by-line and make the cosmetic changes ala my finished script. The book will be published, with a brand new, original Tom Floyd cover, later this year. It will then be followed by the first ever new Captain Hazzard novel in over sixty years, by yours truly and Martin Powell. The adventure is called CITADEL OF FEAR and Martin and I are well into it, having a blast.
So hang in there, pulp fans. Good stuff is on the way.

A final note, the idiot terrorists who bombed London, England two weeks ago, tried again yesterday, and failed miserably. Personally, I think angels were sent to protect the courageous
Brits and there was divine intervention. When it comes to terrorists, I’ve absolutley no mercy. As is evidence every day in Iraq and Afghanistan, they are animals willing to kill innocent women and children to achieve their sicko goals. They have perverted a religion of brotherhood and peace into something vile and obscene. I support our President in his stance to wipe them all off the face of the Earth. Should we be the guardians of the peace? Look around, my friends. There isn’t anyone else? Either we battle evil in the world, or just sit back and wait for it to come to us. Personally,
I like option #1.

Over and out for another week, Ron.

UPDATE TO THIS LOG ENTRY. SADLY MY APPEARANCE ON SCI-FI SAT. THIS EVENING WAS CANCELLED AS THEY RAN OUT OF TIME TO SQUEEZE ME IN. HOPEFULLY I WILL BE ON NEXT WEEK. THAT’S SHOW
BIZ! HA!

Tomorrow night, July 16th, I will be a guest on Sci-Fi Saturday Night; a radio program hosted by AM 610-WGIR out of Manchester,NH. Its a terrific show,hosted by the mysterious Mr.K, and his loyal assistants, the Dome and Krianna the Anime Princess. They sent me an invitation a few weeks back and I was thrilled. It’s a fun show and I’m told, my segment will start somewhere between 8 & 8:30 PM. So if any of you are within range of this station, tune your dials to AM 610 and listen up. Should be a ton of fun.

Been a very productive work writing-wise. I’m in the middle of a brand new, 4 issue MASK OF THE GARGOYLE mini-series, having wrapped script #2 this week. Entitled HELLSTRUM, this project is still a ways off, as artist Dario Carrasco won’t get to it until Feb.2006. Talk about far out scheduling. Ha.

Another project moving along quite nicely is
the new CAPTAIN HAZZARD pulp novel series I’m
launching with fellow-scribe, Martin Powell. Sometime later this year, Wild Cat Press will release my re-write version of the original, 1935 CAPTAIN HAZZARD adventure, PYTHON MEN OF LOST CITY. There was ever only one issue of this magazine. Mostly due to the fact it was badly written. The writer, using a pen-name, clearly did not invest a whole lot of thought and time into its production. Thus it has remained a pulp oddity throughout the years. Now, Martin and I will be bringing it back, with, as stated above, all new adventures. We are into the first new book and I’m very, very excited about this entire project. More as it develops.

When I was 13 years old, Marvel Comics was born with the debut of the FANTASTIC 4 title.
It was a cheesy, rough-around-the-edges book
competing against the much slicker superhero line from DC Comics, then the dominating publisher in the field. It was this dorkiness,
awkward underdog feel about the FF that I loved
and would find in all the wild new books soon
to be unleased by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and the entire staff of the Mighty Marvel Marching Society. Lo these many years later, and Columbia has just released a big-budget cinema version of that comic. The critics panned it soundly. Whereas I, and the millions of movie-going fans across the country, loved it!
Hoorah! This movie is the most successful box-office entry of the summer thus far! It exceeded indusrty predictions for its opening weekend by nearly 15 million dollars. I’m thrilled. The comic I loved as a kid is up there on that big silver screen, in a glorious, over-the-top,fun and action filled adaptation. Give yourselves a treat and catch it at a theater near you. With its resounding
success, we are very likely guaranteed sequels.
I couldn’t be happier.

Whereas if I really need doom and gloom, I need look no further than Fenway Park and the dismal performance of the World Champion Red Sox as they kicked of the second half of the baseball season. Last night their rivals, the New York Yankees, pretty much demoralized their
entire pitching roster and the highly anticipated Curt Schilling-as-a-closer expirement was a disastrous boondoggle, as the once mighty and confident Schilling gave up a two-run homer that put the Yankees on top. Then their closer, Mariano Raviera, came in and shut us down, one, two, three. Look, I love the Red Sox and am as loyal as the next guy. But here’s the bottom line, they are not going back to the World Series this year with this pitching squad. Epstein and company either have to get us some new blood or else we kiss a second trophy good-bye now.

Finally, HARRY POTTER Book #6 is on sale tomorrow and I’m so anxious to get my copy. I’ve enjoyed this series tremendously ever since my grand-daugther, Kristi, started reading them and got me hooked. And speaking of books, I hope you are all following my Pulp Fiction reviews over at the Paperback Bazaar website. (See link above this log.) They have started an on-line store making it possible for folks to actually buy the books I review in my bi-weekly column. So check them out, if you’re hunting up good reading fare.

For another week, over and out, Ron.

Salvatore Lombini was born in 1926. During World War II he served in the Navy, and while in uniform, tried his had at writing. When it looked like publishers were rejecting his work outright because of his ethnicity, he legally changed his named to Evan Hunter. And from that point onward, went on to become one of the greatest American writers of all time.

In the 1950s he wrote several movie scripts based on his own novels. One was the ground breaking BLACKBOARD JUNGLE starring Glenn Ford,
Sidney Poitier and Vic Morrow. It was based loosely on Hunter’s experiences, after the war, as a young English teacher in New York City.
His second most widely known film-project was
having done the screenplay of Daphne du Maurier’s novel THE BIRDS for Alfred Hitchcock.
But films were not where he would make his lasting mark.

In 1956, under the pseudonym of Ed McBain,
he wrote a crime novel called COP HATER. It would be the first of a series that would star not one particular character, but an entire detective squad working out of a thinly disguised New York City he called Isola. For the next 49 years of his life, he would continue to write novels involving the 87th Precinct’s detective squad and in the process revolutionized
police procedural mysteries forever. So successful for these books that they inspired a 1961 televsions series starring Robert Lansing
and Gena Rowland. This in turned produced a tie-in comic book series from Dell Comics. There was even, for a short-lived time, an Ed McBain Mystery Magazine.

Dozens of 87th Precinct books were adapted to both feature films and made-for-TV movies. The most popular being the 1972 Universal release, FUZZ, starring Burt Reynolds and Yul Brenner. The cast also included Racquel Welch, Jack Weston and Tom Skerritt. The last being a 1997 TV movie, HEATWAVE starring Dale Midkiff as the ever persisitent good-guy detective, Steve Carella. Several 87th books were even adatped to Japanese movies. Now that has to be surreal.

I discovered the 87th Precinct books somewhere in my teens. My best guess is I was a junior in high school at the time. I loved them from the start, totally amazed at how well written they were and how McBain handled characterizations. His people seem to leap off the pages into my imagination and I believed they were all real. I became a devoted fan and whenever a new 87th Precinct thriller hit the newstands, I was quick to pick it up. Over the years my devotion to them, and to Hunter, simply grew with my maturity. The more I became a writer myself, the more I understood the fantastic talent this man possessed and I purposely tried to emulate him every chance I could. He was the writer I wanted to be like.

So why am I writing all this? Because two days ago, 6th July, at the age of 78, Evan Hunter died of throat cancer in his home of Hartford, CT. The news came as a complete surprise to me and over the past two days I’ve shared my sense of loss with many of my writing colleagues, who share the same grief.
All of us have lost a true Master in the game, and a unique literary voice. Personally, the man was my hero, and will ever reamin so. His books are his legacy, those written under his own name of Evan Hunter, and those under his various pen-names. He had several: Curt Cannon, Hunt Collins, Ezra Hannon, Richard Marsten, and John Abbott. But the one that will always come to mind, when his fans remember him is of course, Ed McBain. So, if you’ve never read any of his work, do yourself a big-big favor and go find one at your local bookstore. Your are in for one major treat.

Rest in peace, Ed McBain. You earned it big time, and from this fan, thanks.

Ron, over and out.

Happy 4th of July weekend to all of you. I’m a little late getting this week’s entry up, but I’ve got a very good reason as you’ll see.

It’s no secret to anyone who knows me even a little bit, that I’m a movie fanatic. I’ve been since my dad dragged me to Saturday matinees with him from the time I was seven years old. I quickly became addicted to that big silver screen and the amazing stories it revealed to me. I thought movies were magic back then, and I still do. Well, this week two movies that will soon be released to the world at large were the focus of most of my imagination and have me really excited. One is a major special effects blockbuster due out in Dec. and the other is an unknown, little independent horror flick made entirely by a new friend.

The 1933 KING KONG is my all time favorite movie. Nothing has ever come close to doing to me what this film did when I first saw it at the age of 9. Now, all these years later, and after that ridiculously awful remake in the70s, Peter Jackson (he of the LORD OF THE RINGS miracle) is doing his own retelling of that classic yarn and this past week his studio released their first official trailer. It lasted only a few minutes but that was enough. Way enough..to see a real 1930s New York City…to see Naomi Watts wearing the exact same style clothes, down to the hat, that Fay Wray wore in the original when we first see her as Ann Darrow, starving on the cold city streets…enough to see Jack Black’s take on
movie showman, Carl Denham is near perfect…with none of over-the-top-rock & roll antics he’s known for..enough to show Skull Island as it meant to be…the dinosaurs that are REAL…and finally..the baddest, meanest, toughest..greatest giant ape of them all..KING KONG in all his magnificent primal might. My prediciton is this will not only be the movie of the year, it will ultimately be the movie of the decade. Thing is, I’m going to go ape myself waiting for Dec. to get here.

The other movie I’m thrilled about is GOD OF VAMPIRES and it was written, produced and directed by Derry, N.H. native, Rob Fitz. I met Rob last year at Atlanta’s Dragon Con and we hit it off. He’s been working of GoV for the past five years and has poured his blood, sweat, and tears into it. Two weeks ago he called to tell me he had a rough cut ready and would I like to see it? Like asking me if I like to breathe..ha. Valerie and I then invited JOHNNY RAYGUN comics creators, Matt Talbot & Rich Woodall (and their respective mates) to join us last night in viewing this amazing, bloody over-the-top indy. We had pizza and soda, socialized a bit, and then all came down to the Batcave and watched Rob’s amazing movie on my big-screen TV. When it was over, we were cheering, hooting and applauding soundly. GOD OF VAMPIRES is going to do to the horror genre what EL MARIACHI did to the actions scene years ago. Rob is of that same professional, genius caliber as Quentin Tarrentino and Robert Rodriguez. Folks, you are in for a treat. He hopes to have the film shown at Dragon Con this year (Labor Day weekend) and later, hopefully, at the Halloween Two day Comic Con in Nashua, NH. It may not even be done by then, but Rob loves the feedback from true fans of the genre. It was quite a night.

So there you have it, two very different movies, but both with same quality and heart made by people of vision, integrity and courage.
Big and small, the size never matters, it’s all about the dreams, folks, and the stuff of dreams.

Have a great holiday, Ron, over and out.

For those of you who aren’t aware of my professional history, my first comic book work
was a 12 pg. sci-fi story called DUEL IN THE STARS and it appeared in a try-out book called CHARLTON BULLSEYE. This being a product of a small Conneticut publisher, Charlton Comics. Upon that first pro appearance, then associate editor, Bill Pearson, asked artist Gary Kato, and yours truly, to keep submitting. This resulted in the creation and subsequent appearance of our comedy super-hero, MR.JIGSAW, MAN OF A THOUSAND PARTS. He took the cover spot in Charlton’s SCARY TALES # 38. Chalrton was never one of the big boys in the comics industry, but over its brief lifespan, it was the home of many gifted writers and artists and their unique and exciting line of characters. Sadly, Charlton folded a long, long time ago. Yet, whenever I
pull out those two particular comics, now aged with yellowed pages, I remember my debt to
Charlton.

Another devotee, perhaps the most knowledgeable, of this little comic outfit, is
Texan Michael Ambrose. A few years back Mike
started a magazine dedicated to the history of
the company and called it appropriately enough
CHARLTON SPOTLIGHT. In his second issue, Gary
and I contributed our recollections on our
all too brief connection with Charlton. Yesterday, the mail brought me CS #4 and it, like all the others, is a fantastic issue. In particular because it honors the memory of the late Pete Morisi, a cop by day and and comic book creator by night. In his tenure at Charlton, Morisi created two of the finest comic characters ever brought to the magic of four color adentures; PETER CANON THUNDERBOLT, and the eye-patch wearing private eye, JOHNNY DYNAMITE. Both solid winners fondly rememberd by fans around the world. I recommend this great, quality book to all lovers of American comics history. It can be had for $7.95/US –
$8.95/Canada, from Argo Press, P.O.Box 4201, Austin, TX 78765-4201. You can also check it out at Mike’s website (www.charltonspotlight.com). Tell him, Ron sent you.

Summer has finally arrived, the backyard looks half-way decent and my roses are blooming.
It’s a wonderful time of year in New England.
And Ron’s been a busy writing beaver. My graphic novel with Rob Davis, DAUGHTER OF DRACULA is now three fourths completed and is gorgeous. This is going to be Rob’s magnus opus hands down. I’m involved with something called
THE GODBOX featuring a new cartoonist named Chad Hurd that’s just too much fun. And I’m putting together a movie-tie comic called FRANK NG-HIRED GUN that involves itself with a new independent horror flick, GOD OF VAMPIRES, being done locally by a rookie movie maker named Rob Fitz.
And in just two more weeks, DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS #24 hits the comic shops with my Mask of the Gargoyle story. Below is a sneek peek at page one. Do not miss this one!

So that’s it for another week. The 4th is just around the corner. Take care, write when you can and have fun, life’s too short not to.
Over and out, Ron.

A package arrived at the hangar yesterday and when I opened it up, there was this bright red Incredibles telphone! And a Father’s Day card from my oldest son, Scott. He said, now that the Batcave was remodeled, I should have an official super-hero hotline. Primarily, he added, to call him whenever I have PC problems. Ha. Something I do quite often, and he bears up with very graciously. Anyways, I love this new toy to pieces. The entire rotary actually lights up when it toots. And yes, I said, toots. Exactly as it did in the movie. It is so cool. Talk about a son knowing his dad. Ha.

I got another gift this morning, this one from my daughter Michelle. It was a book on
what a father is. Obviously the answer to that is a very complex one, but in the end, it comes down to this, a father is the male foundation all of us build our lives on. What the book also points out is, what makes a father’s heart soar are his children. And in my case, I’m the luckiest dad in the world. Scott is an amazing fellow, with a great sense of humor, a loyal friend to all who know him, a devoted husband
and now great father himself. Kevin is a big hearted musician with a zest for life and all things fanciful. The tatoos that cover his body
reflect a soul that will never-ever grow old.
Alan, well, he went out to Colorado years ago
and built an amazing landscape business from scatch; Yards Elves,Inc. Lots of hard, back-breaking work, sweat and tears. That he is so successful in his community is no surprise to me, the kid has a will of steel. He’s also a loving husband
and super father as well. Those are the boys.
Michelle, whom I mentioned above, is a funny,
giving, larger-than-life force of nature that
amazes me constantly. She’s also a wonderful wife and mother. And lastly, though never least, is my princess, Heather. Strong, independent and kind hearted, she’s working on her master’s now and plows through life like a living dynamo. Am so bloody proud of her, words escape me. Of course it also helps that she’s a major Red Sox fan. Five remarkable human beings who call me Dad. If I think about it too long, it scares me, cause they are my heroes, each and every one of them. God blessed me with them and maybe someday I’ll figure out why?

Valerie and I went and see BATMAN BEGINS this afternoon. It is the best movie of the character ever done. Hands down. I was mesmerized from start to finish. The cast was
superb, the story cleverly thought out (for a change) and the directing skillful. This is the Batman I grew up reading in the comics. Thank you Warner Bros. for finally getting him right.

Finally, here’s a great shot of the old time radio hero, Captain Spectre, as done by Tom Floyd. If you aren’t reading this weekly net strip, you’re missing some classic adventures.
You can find him on my links page. Do yourselves a big favor and check it now.

And that’s it for another week, take care,
Ron. Over and out.