Greetings Loyal Airmen, we trust you had a good week and a nice Valentine's Day.  Seems like we are getting into the holiday season as President's Day is coming up soon as well. Car dealerships across the land will soon be bombarding the airwaves with their “Big Deals” so, as they are fond of pitching, Come On Down!  Ha.

                        
                                   Sketch by Sean Collins
We had a nice surprise waiting for us when we logged on to our e-mail this morning and found a new sketch there of the Air Chief and our beloved Airship 27.  It was rendered by our good friend, and super talented fellow, Mr. Sean Collins.  Sean is also the president of Wild Wolf Entertainment, the publisher who has printed our Mr.Jigsaw collections, volumes one and two with number three soon on the way.  Wild Wolf has also done a version of our graphic novel Daughter of Dracula and will soon be releasing their edition of The Boston Bombers.  These are vital to us because our own titles are self-published and therefore not sold through big outlets such as Amazon, whereas all Wild Wolf books are, thus making our comics available to a much larger audience.  We are very appreciative of this fact and so grateful to Sean for partnering with us at Redbud Studios to make this possible.

                        
                                      Rick Ruby by artist Rob Moran
Recently the Air Chief and his partner at Airship 27 Productions, Rob Moran, have been very busy getting out new Airship 27 pulp titles.  In March we hope to release two more titles, one of them called “The Ruby Files.” This is the start of a new series featuring a private-eye in the 1930s named Rich Ruby and was created for us by writers Bobby Nash and Sean Taylor.  Each has a story in the anthology plus two more by writers Andrew Salmon and William Maynard.  The cover will sport a painting by graphic artist legend Mark Wheatley and the book contains eight amazing interior illustrations (like the one above) by the amazing Rob Moran.  Moran loves the old black and white Warner Brothers crime movies and his noirish art reflects those movies in almost poster like detail.  We were thrilled to recruit him for this book as he was the perfect artist to help Rick Ruby to life.  So count the days and of course we'll let you know as soon as the book is out and available.

Finally, as most Loyal Airmen know, the Air Chief writes a blog called Pulp Fiction Reviews.  There is a link to that site above this column.  Since the start of the year we've been reading a great many new books and just finished this new one by our pal, Barry Reese called, “The Adventures of Lazarus Gray” published by our friends at Pro Se Productions.  If you'd like to read our complete review, go on over to the site and check it out.  This is one terrific pulp book.

That's it for this week, Loyal Airmen, again thanks for stopping by.  We always appreciate you doing so.
Ron – Over & Out!

Greetings Loyal Airmen.  It truly is funny how life sometimes leads us down paths we never would have thought possible when young.  When the Air Chief started writing pulp fiction, we never dreamed we'd be given the opportunity to work in so many different genres.  Last year saw the publication of our first western short story and last month we had the release of our very first pulp sports story, “The Hot Dog Kid” in the newly released “Final Fenway Fiction.”

         
                     One Happy Member of Red Son Nation
Two days ago our copies of this very awesome book arrived and we were thrilled.  It's a great package and we truly believe it will be a hit with Red Sox fans everywhere.

Off course we had to find a place of honor for the book on our bookshelf and what better setting then as a backstop to our Big Papi, David Ortiz action figure and our Red Sox glass mug.  Funny note to this story, we wrote this story almost three years ago.  Yeah, sometimes the publishing business does move slowly.  Thing is, upon reading our story, we had to chuckle at how many of the ballplayers we included in the tale are no longer with the team, most having been traded and a few actually retired.  Long gone are the days when the team roster stayed the same for more than one season.  Of course we are really anxious for this year's team to take to the field in historic Fenway what with a new Manager in Bobby Valentine and the new players.  Fingers crossed this book is going to herald a winning year for the home team.

     
                     JUST RELEASED
Whereas just last summer the Air Chief was asked to write a boxing story by colleague Gary Lovisi, the same gentlemen who wrote our new Airship 27 Sherlock Holmes novel, “The Baron's Revenge.”  Although never a big fan of the sport, our father was very much so and we have some wonderful memories of sitting up with him to watch the Friday Night Fights on TV.  Of all the sports magazines produced in the golden days of the pulps, the boxing titles were the most popular.  So we found ourselves accepting the challenge and eventually wrote “Blood Feud” and submitted it.  Gary loved the story and accepted it and now the book has just been released and is on sale at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all other well known book sellers.  Above is the very cool cover.  We really hope our Loyal Airmen will pick up a copy.  Amazing, two pulp sports out in less than a month of each other.  Something we never ever would have imagined a few years ago.  See what I mean about life's surprises along the way?

        
                       ART BY JIM BOTT
Of course our first love remains comic writing and we couldn't wrap this week's Flight Log without giving you a sneak peek at a beautiful piece of graphic art by British artist Jim Bott.  It is page three of a six page sci-fi mystery we are doing called, “A Cold Demise.”  Jim's work is simply amazing and as soon as the strip is finished and in print, we'll let you know where and how to pick up a copy as usual.

And there you go, Loyal Airmen, another awesome week here at Hangar 27.  We told you back at the start of Jan. that 2012 was going to be a banner year for all of us and thus far it has proven to be so.  Next week is Valentine's Day.  Don't forget to acknowledge all those people in your life that love and support you, let them know you feel the same way.  There are no mind readers in this world.  Say the words, that's why God created them – I LOVE YOU!

Ron – Over & Out!

Greetings Loyal Airmen, this week we are talk about a personal favorite comic book series of ours and a recent movie release that got us thinking about a new action queen. 

Ms. Tree was created by award winning mystery writer Max Allan Collins and artist Terry Beatty.  For over the past three decades she has starred in dozen of comics from various publishers.  Collins was inspired by Mickey Spillane's tough guy private eye, Mike Hammer, but wondered what would happen if he put a new spin on that popular genre and made his hero a tough-as-nails female.  Thus, on the night of her wedding to the owner of the Tree Investigation outfit, Michael Tree (her father wanted a boy) becomes a widow as someone guns down her husband.  She assumes the ownership of the agency and then proceeds to hunt her husband's killer and bring him to gun-blasting justice.  Ms. Tree was a hit from her first issue and today has a huge following of loyal fans.  Ironically over the years, Hollywood has tried several times to adapt the series to either the big screen or television and for some truly mysterious reasons, can't seem to get the job done.  Totally insane.

         
                        GINA CARANO
Now a few years ago there was a television show on the air called American Gladiators.  The idea was to pit average contestants against trained professional athletes for cash prizes. One of the show's regular was the beautiful Gina Carano known on the series as Crush.  Recently some Hollywood folks thought it might be a very good idea to turn Carano into the next screen action queen ala Angelina Jolie and they put together a short 90 minute action piece entitled HAYWIRE.

Earlier in the week the Air Chief attended a screening of this terrific film and was simply blown away by both this young woman's beauty and physical prowess. Surrounding her with an all male cast of some of the most recognizable names in movies, the producers wisely allowed Carano to shine in the role of an ex-Marine spy who has been framed for the murder of a political Chinese dissident.  Single handedly she goes after these conspirators and survives one attempt after another to silence her forever.  Why?  Because in the end she is both smarter and tougher than all of them.  If you haven't seen HAYWIRE yet, do so.  You will not be disappointed.

            SKETCH BY TERRY BEATTY
Still coming out of the theater after seeing HAYWIRE, the Air Chief couldn't help but think of another stunningly beautiful and tough brunette, Ms. Tree.  And we couldn't help but think, Gina Carano would be perfect to bring Collins & Beatty's gun-toting P.I. to cinematic life.  Honestly, she IS Ms. Tree.  Don't believe me us, look at this next picture from the movie HAYWIRE.

       
                                                    BEAUTIFUL AND DEADLY
After getting home from the movie theater, the Air Chief posted over on Facebook how much we enjoyed this movie and also expressed our belief that this actress should be playing Ms. Tree.  Artist Terry Beatty chimed in agreeing with us immediately.  So if there is anyone at all connected with Hollywood reading these words, WAKE UP..and get this done.  We comic fans have waited long enough for a blockbuster Ms. Tree movie.  Now we have the ultimate person to play her.  Hollywood, what the hell are you waiting for!!

And finally a few days ago THE PULP FACTORY nominations were announced publicly. These are four awards given for the best pulp novel, short story, cover and interior artwork from the previous year.  The Air Chief was thrilled to find himself as one of the nominees for Best Pulp Short Story for “Vengeance Is Mine,” our Avenger story which appeared in Moonstone Books “The Avenger – The Justice Inc. Files.” See cover above.  The book is still available at Amazon and other book distributors if you'd like to pick up a copy.  Only members of the Yahoo Pulp Factory Group can vote in these awards and winners will be announced at this year's Windy City Paper & Pulp Convention beginning April 27th.  This will be the third year the awards are given out.  Wish us luck Loyal Airmen.

And that's it for another week at Hangar 27.  As ever thanks for stopping by and stay warm.

Ron – Over & Out!

Greetings Loyal Airmen, well time is once again up to its old tricks and pretty much moving through the new year like a runaway freight train.  And dragging us all along for the ride.  The Air Chief is so happy to announce the first new Airship 27 Productions title for 2012 and it's a brand new Sherlock Holmes novel.

SHERLOCK HOLMES – The Baron's Revenge was written by writer Gary Lovisi and is a sequel to an actual story by Arthur Conan Doyle; “The Case of the Illustrious Client.”  It is a gripping suspense thriller with a madman out to destroy both the Great Detective and his loyal ally, Dr.Watson.  It features a cover by Rob Davis and digital painter Shane Evans, with nine black and white interior illustrations by Rob.  The renewed popularity of Holmes via the new movie with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law plus BBC's new “Sherlock” series has rekindled a huge world wide interest in this amazing fictional character and we've no doubt this book is going to be a huge seller.  You can pick up a copy by clicking on our airship logo to the left of this column.  Our Airship 27 Hangar store is selling digital PDF copies you can download on most e-readers for only $3, or you can go to (www.IndyPlanet.com) to purchase a hard copy for only $13.99 (plus shipping & handling).  Again, we are thrilled to get the new year rolling along with this great book.

Another book we hope you'll pick up is FINAL FENWAY FICTION.  Edited by Adam Patcher, and published by Cornerstone Book Publishers, it features a collection of stories, essays and fiction all dealing with the Boston Red Sox and their historical park, Fenway.  This year Fenway celebrates its 100th Anniversary as a national baseball park where millions of have come to enjoy America's favorite pastime.  It was an honor for the Air Chief to have been a part of this remarkable book.  Our contribution is a short story, our very first ever published pulp sports story, entitled “The Hot Dog Kid” and it tells the story of a young player coming up from the minors to the “big show.”  The book is now available at Amazon and will soon be on sale via all the big book selling distributors.  It features a stunning cover by Colorado based artist Daniel Ibanez with design work done by our good friend Rob Davis.  If you're a sports lover, you need to pick up this book.

                
                             150th SHOW GOES LIVE TONIGHT!!!
Finally, as many of you Loyal Airmen are aware, the Air Chief has co-hosted a comic book podcast known as Zone 4 for the past six months or so and had a blast doing it.  Along with co-host Brant Fowler & Gordon Dymowski, the three of us record a new episode every Saturday night and then they are posted at the Comic Related website the following Friday evening.  Whereas Brant started the show nearly three years ago, today, Jan 27th marks the 150th episode of Zone 4.  To help celebrate this monumental achievement, all of us thought it would be wild to record the show “live.”  It will be a two-hour gab-fest of craziness as the three of us welcome back former hosts, lots of past guests and just cut up with whatever pops into our heads to celebrate.

You can listen into the show by going to the following link at 7 pm EST. and logging on.
(http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/tscmd/tc/117412)  We can promise you a really fun time, so give it a shot. And as ever thanks for your support.  We'll see you back here in seven.

Ron – Over & Out!

Greetings Loyal Airmen, as you know, last week we reported that our writing mentor, Ardath Mayhar was in ill heath and in hospice care. We were keeping her in our prayers and hoping for the best when out of the blue last Sunday, Jan 14th, we received the horrible news that one of our close friends and colleagues, writer Howard Hopkins had died of a heart attack two days earlier.  Howard had just turned 50 on Dec. 12th, 2011.  The terrible irony, Howard was one of Ardath's most successful writing students.

                      
                            Howard Lance Hopkins  Dec 12, 1961-Jan 12, 2012
Howard and the Air Chief became friends many, many years ago through his early fanzine devoted to the pulps called, Golden Perils.  A lifelong resident of Maine, with the Air Chief living just across the border in New Hampshire, it was only a matter of time before we hooked up, having so many of the same interests in the world of writing.  After many years of corresponding back and forth and meeting a few times at Maine comic conventions, Howard suggested Valerie and the Air Chief come up to Portland to have lunch with him and his charming wife Dominique. It was on that day that we learned of still another unique connection we shared; Ardath Mayhar.  Not only was she the Air Chief's friend and mentor, she had also been Howard's teacher when he enrolled in a fiction writing correspondence course.  What a truly small world it is.

We learned how Howard had, since completing that course, gone on to become a professional western writer working for a British outfit called Hale Publications that published books under the Black Horse Western label.  Howard took his first and middle names to create the pseudonym of Lance Howard.  He would go on to write dozens of westerns under this tag and ultimately go on to publish others under his real name.

Howard's writing was brilliant, he had such a wonderful command of the language and his words were eloquent and graceful.  His prose rolled over a page effortlessly and he was truly a great writer.  Of course the Air Chief had to laugh at the idea of a Maine cowboy writer who had never been on a horse a day in his life and was in fact afraid of them.  Note, Howard's other passion was his life long love of the classic pulps and eventually this brought him contact with Moonstone Books' managing editor, Joe Gentile. Joe at first hired Howard to write classic pulps stories for Moonstone's pulp anthology line. Seeing just how talented Howard really was, Joe soon recruited him to act as an editor for the line and Howard would soon take charge of such books as the recent Avenger anthology, Justice Inc. in which the Air Chief had a story.  Working with Howard was a joy.  Recently Moonstone had acquired the rights to one of Howard's favorite fictional heroes, the Lone Ranger.  Although the company planned to do a full out anthology with a half dozen writers, Gentile was all too familiar with Howard's affection for the character and allowed him to write a brand new Lone Ranger novel before launching the anthology.

The Lone Ranger Vendetta was an exciting dream come true for Howard and his colleagues were all thrilled for him.  He did complete the book and submit the manuscript but sadly did not live to see it published. The book is scheduled to be released next month.  The Air Chief has had it on order since he first learned of it and now more than ever is anxious to hold it in his hands and read it.

There are no guarantees in this life and at best, as the poets tell us, it is only a fleeting thing.  It does come and go so quickly.  Howard Hopkins only had fifty years in this world, but he filled those years with so much creativity, laughter and love, his life changed for the better all of us lucky to have known him.  We will never forget our friend.  Ironically days after Howard's passing, we learned that Ardath Mayhar was miraculously regaining her strength and could possibly recover.  Miracles and loss, the roller coaster of life.  All over the internet this past week, Howard's pals have been writing so many wonderful, heartfelt tributes, many of them closing them with a very familiar western farewell Howard would have appreciated.

Happy trails, old friend.  Till we meet again.

Ron – Over & Out!

Greetings Loyal Airmen, this week we want to share with you someone very special in our life.  Someone who arrived when things were at their worst in the Air Chief's past and forever changed it for the better. As most of you know, the Air Chief is a person of deep, abiding faith.  Such faith is a gift from God. You can't earn it, you have to pray for it and then accept it with daily gratitude. That faith has taught us about the “angels” God sends our way when times are bad.  So allow us to tell you a story, a true tale about such an angel.

Many years ago, our first marriage was over and we found ourselves cast adrift, feeling like a complete and utter failure.  Seeing our children in pain at their parents breaking up, unable to console them, we were guilt ridden and many nights fell asleep in tears, wishing we could simply cease to be.  Truly, we wanted to die.  Seeing our distress, someone very close to us suggested we pray to God.  Having no better answer, we took that advice, it was a drowning soul's last desperate action.  Then one day a letter arrived from this very sweet old lady who lived in Chireno, Texas.  Her name was Ardath Mayhar; a writer who belonged to the same writers club as the Air Chief.  Now keep in mind, at this stage in our career, we had published a few comic book stories, but that was all.  Whereas Ardath had been a writing teacher, manager of a bookstore and author of several fantasy novels.

                        
                               FANTASY AUTHOR ARDATH MAYHAR
Somehow in my letters, she was able to glean that we were in pain and had lost our way. Out of the blue she suggested we come up with a plot for a book and she would help us to write it.  We would do it together.  Having nothing to lose, we followed her lead and within a few weeks were busily at work on what would eventually become our first published book.  The Air Chief would write a few chapters, send the manuscript to Ardath and she would do the next few chapters. This was way before the days of the internet.  Within six months we had completed  TRAIL OF THE SEAHAWKS.  And as exciting as that was for this first time book writer, our life had also begun to course-correct.  We had begun dating again, our children were coming to understand that their father had not abandoned them and realize he would always love them and be there for them.  And we were going back to church on a regular basis.  Somehow, while lost in the process of creating, God had pulled us back to the land of the living.  Then Ardath's agent sold the darn thing to Windwalker Books, a branch of the old TSR.

When our copies arrived in the mail, we were simply overjoyed.  One of our biggest dreams had been realized and it was all because of an angel named Ardath Mayhar.  She was born Ardath Frances Hurst in Texas in 1930 and shortly thereafter he parents moved to Oregon.  She began writing poetry at the age of nineteen and in 1979 returned to Texas with her family never to leave it again.  She married Joe Mayhar and the two of them raised a family of boys while at the same time operating “The View From Orbit Bookstore” in Nacogdoches until his passing in 1990.  Along the way, she continued writing and the Science Fiction Writers of America named her Author Emeritus in 2008.  During her lengthy career she was a teacher for a writer's correspondence school and helped guide dozens of young men and women along the path of wonder and creativity.  After the success of our first joint venture, TSR came calling wanting us to do another.  We were both happy to oblige them with a prequel called, “MONKEY STATION.”

It too would sell relatively well.  By then the Air Chief's life had completely turned around and things were going super.  We had married Valerie, moved into a new house and the kids were doing great.  When we suggested to Ardath a third book, she agreed but with the kind declaration that it would be our final collaboration as there were many other stories she wanted to tell on her own. That third book was called “WITCHFIRE” and again, it was from the Air Chief's imagination.  It tells the story of a beautiful young witch whose mother dies while she is very young and she is raised by a truly wonderful and kind woman named Mother Kalavela, who becomes her mentor in all things. We've often wondered if, while writing this fanciful adventure romance thriller, Ardath ever realized we had modeled Kalavela on her?  When finished, this particular book seemed an odd duck and the big publishers didn't want it.  Still, we never lost faith that someday it would find a home.  Over the interceding years, Ardath and the Air Chief kept in touch with the usual Christmas card and few kind letters ever so often.  It would well over twenty years later, after the Air Chief & Rob Davis hatched the plan that became Airship 27 Productions that “WITCHFIRE” would finally find a home.

    
                  MOTHER KALAVELA APPEARS ON THE BACK COVER
A few days ago, another of Ardath's many writing proteges sent us an e-mail reporting that Ardath is in very poor health and at 82, in hospice care with her family close by.  Born of rugged, pioneer stock, this lady has led an incredible life and is a fighter.  Yet, if it is the Good Lord's will to be calling her home, to be reunited with her beloved Joe, then we pray her passing will be a peaceful one she so richly deserves.  We have several good friends who are practical people who scoff at the idea of angels, miracles and a Loving God who sends them our way daily. As much as we respect their opinions, we know they are wrong.  We know an angel, her name is Ardath Mayhar ….and she gave us back our life.

Ron – Over & Out!

Greetings Loyal Airmen, well 2012 is off to a good start.  The Air Chief has been really productive this past week getting a lot of writing under way.  We mentioned last week be assigned to write two new Spider pulp stories for Moonstone Books.  Well “Spider Trap” is now under way and we are having a blast with it.  At the same time one of our artist pals, Brian Level, took it upon himself to do an amazing collage starring the new Space Captain Jain Marlee that we created for our short story, “The Smuggler's Lament” and Brian help bring to life graphically. He obviously has fun drawing her and did this piece as a complete surprise for the Air Chief.

The fun of this piece is that Brian dreamed up these different little scenarios that would all make great Captain Jain stories and believe me, the Air Chief has been properly inspired here.  Thanks, Brian. Note another pal who saw this and a few other illustrations of the character compared her to a female Han Solo and we'd have to agree that's exactly the kind of rogue-personality she has. Stay tuned, we will of course let you know when her first story does see comic print.

Our first I.V. Frost 12 pg story, “The Beastmaster” has been drawn completely with gorgeous pencils by Jake Minor and beautiful inks by Jeff Austin.  Brant Fowler will be adding letters in the next few weeks and then off it goes to Moonstone Comics.  Speaking of Brant, our co-host on the ZONE 4 TMV Cafe internet radio and yours truly are both having a grand time doing this show, along with the Professor, Gordon Dymowski and the show now airs on the internet at 9 PM EST on Tuesday nights.  We really hope you'll tune us in.

Earlier today, over on Facebook, the Air Chief posted a list of the first four Airship 27 Productions pulp title.  The plan is to release a book a month.  January will debut Gary Lovisi's novel, “Sherlock Holmes – The Baron's Revenge.”  In Feb. we'll release “Deathwalker” a novel by R.A. Jones.  Imagine Conan as an early Native American Cheyenne and you'll get the idea of this great fantasy adventure.  In March we bring out “The Ruby Files,” an anthology featuring a 1930s private eye that you won't want to miss.  The book features a gorgeous cover by Mark Wheatley.  And then in April look for, “The Moon Man” another anthology featuring the bizarre pulp Robin Hood like hero from the 1930s in four brand new adventures.  We at Airship 27 are very excited about this line up and can't wait to bring them to you, plus all the other books coming down the hangar assembly line.

To that end, we've today registered for our table at this year's Windy City Paper & Pulp Show which opens April 27th.  Now there's a lucky number.  And again this year, Rob Davis and the Air Chief will be presenting the Pulp Factory Awards for 2011 at the con, awarded excellence in four categories; Best Pulp Novel, Best Pulp Short Story, Best Pulp Cover and Best Pulp Interior Artwork.  Nominations have now begun and once a ballot is completed, members of the Pulp Factory will have from the start of Feb. to the end of March to vote. We wish all our colleagues, both artists and writers the best of luck.

                   
                                  ACTOR  ERROL FLYNN
And finally, we finished off our last Flight Log for 2011 by listing our favorite book of that year. We thought you might enjoy knowing what we've chosen to read as our first book of the new year.  It is ERROL FLYNN, a marvelous biography of the late screen star by Thomas McNulty.  Flynn was the epitome of the dashing, adventure swashbuckler and one of the Air Chief's all time favorites while growing up. We don't believe the screen has ever seen his equal since.  This biography is superbly researched and written and we are enjoying it a great deal.  You can expect a full review when we are done.

And that's it for week one of 2012, Loyal Airmen.  Take care and as ever thanks for stopping by, see you in seven.

Ron – Over & Out!

Greetings Loyal Airmen, we hope that all of you had a fantastic Christmas with your family and loved ones.  Ours was amazing, perhaps the best ever for Ye Old Air Chief.  It was that much fun.  So here we are, about to say goodbye to another year and usher in a new one.  And there have been lots of changes around the old Hangar 27 that require announcing, but before we go to that we've one final chore.

               
                           BEST READ OF 2011
This past year we had the fun or reading 38 books and reviewing them at our PULP FICTION REVIEW blog site. In that mix were many excellent books by some of our favorite writers plus lots of new discoveries.  One such was REX RIDERS by J.P. Carlson, a young adult science fiction western we absolutely adored and wish more people would find. It's target audience is teenage boys and that's just what the Air Chief felt like after having finished this amazing, exciting and fun novel.  Please, do yourself a favor and go find it at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. It truly was our favorite book of 2011.

Now that the future looms brightly ahead of us, we want to give you a few peeks as to what we will be involved with in the coming new year.  Airship 27 Productions is parting ways with our old publisher and going solo.  Rob Davis and I hope to put out at least ten new books in 2012, starting with a brand new Sherlock Holmes novel by Gary Lovisi that should be out in Jan.  It's a pip!  We also plan on another volume of Airship 27 Presents of All Star Pulp Comics.  Issue one is selling like hotcakes and so we are planning issue two right now.

            
                           COMING IN 2012
In my thirty five year career as a professional writer, the Air Chief has worked in possibly every genre there is except two: romances & sports.  Well, as of next year, we'll have finally done and had published two sports stories.  One is a story called “The Hot Dig Kid” that is about our beloved Red Sox and will be appearing in Adam Patcher's FINAL FENWAY FICTION, see the gorgeous cover above by artist Daniel Ibanez. We are guessing this will be out sometime in Spring and is advantageous as Boston's Fenway Park is celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2012 as a professional baseball stadium.  Wow. Hopefully that party will translate well for sales of this great book which is a collection of not only short stories, but essays and poems as well.

Then sometime in either Feb or March of next year, Borgo Press will release BATTLING BOXING STORIES which will contain my tale, “Blood Feud.”  Sports pulps were very common in the 30s and 40s and it has been a thrill for the Air Chief to explore new territories with his fiction.  We will keep you posted on their official releases and where to pick them up at the proper time.

         
                A SPIDER MAGAZINE COVER 1942
As for our personal pulp writing, you can expect to see a great deal with our name affixed to the credit line next year.  Several years ago, Moonstone Books did an anthology of new Spider stories featuring this truly classic pulp hero and the Air Chief was thrilled to have a story in that book.  Well, Moonstone editor Joe Gentile recently came knocking once again.  It seems Moonstone will be producing two more brand new Spider anthologies and the Air Chief will have a story in each of these.  The first, which we are currently plotting will be a typical Spider actioner pitting him against a monstrous and oh so clever villain.  Whereas the second tale to be written later in the year may well have him crossing paths with another pulp character, this one not so well recognized among pulp fans; I.V. Frost.  Frost was a combination of Sherlock Holmes & Sam Spade and appeared in 18 stories in the pages of Clue Magazine.  Working out a plot that teams him with the Master of Men is a challenge we simply could not pass up.

Meanwhile there are other pieces of fiction we've completed that should see the light of print in 2012.  These include a Johnny Dollar Insurance Investigator tale from Moonstone, a Rook adventure for Pro Se Productions and an Athena Voltaire World War II yarn for creator Steve Bryant's proposed anthology.  As you can see the Air Chief has been busy.

         
                        I.V. FROST & JEAN MORAY
Leave us not forgot the comic book front and all the projects we've got in the works there as well.  We have every intention of doing more pulp connected comics as mentioned above.  At long last the three I.V. Frost scripts I penned nearly a year ago are now being completed for Moonstone Comics and will feature the artwork of Jake Minor and James Lyle with inks by Jeff Austin and letters by Brant Fowler.  The pin-up above is by Lyle and Austin.  The first of these three stories should be completed and in-house within the next two weeks.

We've already mentioned All Star Pulp Comics # 2 and knock on wood, if all goes well, you will finally be seeing our graphic novel adaptation of Captain Hazzard – Python Men of the Lost City, a project that has been over six years in the making.  We are truly excited about that one.  Never mind more Mr.Jigsaw zaniness from Redbud Studio and of course future issues of “Ron Fortier's Tales of the Macabre.”  Number two should be out in a few more weeks and number three is already in production.

The Good Lord willing, the Air Chief will finally sit down and finish my fifth Captain Hazzard novel as well. So say a prayer for us and keeping sending those good thoughts out way.  It truly looks to be a most fun and creative year ahead.  We hope you join us on the journey.  Hey, there would be no point in doing any of this if it were not for you Loyal Airmen.

HAPPY NEW YEAR and please, be careful and NO drinking & driving.  We want you all back here next week for our first Flight Log of 2012.  God bless,

Ron – Over & Out!

Greetings Loyal Airmen and here's our traditional Christmas card to all of you from Valerie & the Air Chief, getting ready to spend our second Christmas in our new home here in Colorado. Amazing just how fast time has flown by.  The past week as has been the usual hectic activities plus some bits of fun thrown in.  We did get to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie with Robert Downey Jr. & Jude Law and liked it as much as the first one.  For those of you who do follow our Airship 27 Productions pulp titles, you'll be pleased to know we are now getting our first title for 2012 ready for a Jan. release and it is a brand new Sherlock Holmes novel by writer Gary Lovisi.  Stay tuned, it's a real winner for all Holmes fans.

On the creative side the Air Chief finished writing a pulp story for a new anthology based on Barry Reese's pulp hero The Rook.  Expect to see that early next year as well.  Whereas on the Transmissions From Zone 4 episode next Tuesday night 8 PM EST, on the TMV Cafe internet radio, the Air Chief reveals his favorite book of the past year.  That's from the 38 we read and reviewed. Give a listen. You may be surprised.

Finally we will leave you with a truly beautiful painting by Jack Sorenson we found on the internet. It's a cowboy's spiritual Christmas and one we wanted to share with all of you.  This is a joyous, happy time because it reminds all of us of the greatest gifts of all, love and hope.  God gave all of us the treasure of his son Jesus on that special night over two thousand years ago.  Regardless of whether you are religious or not, Christian or not, we want to wish all of you a truly wonderful time surrounded by friends and family. Which is what all of you have become to us here at Airship 27.  As Tiny Tim says at the end of “A Christmas Carol”, God bless us all, everyone.”

Amen – Ron – Over & Out

Great Loyal Airmen, here we are about to go into the last full week before Christmas and the frantic holiday season is truly upon us now.  Hopefully most of you have done all your gift getting and are now getting ready to kick back and just enjoy time together with family and loved ones.

Having enjoyed the first new Sherlock Holmes last year with Robert Downey Jr & Jude Law, Valerie and the Air Chief are very anxious for this sequel which opens nation wide today, Dec. 16th. Called “Game of Shadows” it pits the Great Detective against his most nefarious foe, Professor Moriarty.  The trailers have had us wound for sound for months now and come next month, we hope to catch the flick at a local matinee. We'll give you our thoughts in next week's Flight Log.

             
                             Victorian Streets of London

Not to be undone, we at Airship 27 Productions are now putting together what will be our fourth Sherlock Holmes title, although this one is a stand alone novel. In the past few years Airship 27 has produced three volumes of our best selling  SHERLOCK HOLMES – CONSULTING DETECTIVE.  Whereas the new book coming out in Jan. 2012 is called SHERLOCK HOLMES – THE BARON'S REVENGE and is authored by writer Gary Lovisi.  In fact it is an actual sequel to Arthur Conan Doyle's story, “The Illustrious Client” published in 1924 as a part of “The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes” collection.  It is a gripping suspense thriller wherein both Holmes and Dr. Watson become the targets of an old foe bent on their destruction.
             
We're extremely excited about the project and the Air Chief thought we'd give you a sneak peek at one of Rob Davis's ten interior illustrations that will appear in the book.  So mark your calendars, Holmes and pulp fans for Jan. 2012, when once again the game will be afoot.

                 
                             Cover art by Eduardo Barreto

Over the past two weeks the comic community has lost several well known legendary writers and artists.  First there was Bob Kane's partner on Batman, Jerry Robinson known for creating the Joker. He was well into his 80s at the time of his passing.  Today two more joined the ranks of those we've loss.  One was 98 year old Joe Simon, partner to the late Jack Kirby.  Joe helped create such iconic comic heroes as Captain American, the Fly and many others with King Kirby in the Golden Days of American Comics. Again we mourn his passing.  Yet the biggest shock was the news of Eduardo Barreto's death at the young age of 57.  Barreto worked mostly for DC Comics during his long career with them and was one of the most respected artist in the business.  He is remembered fondly by pulp fans for his awesome work on THE SHADOW STRIKES comic series with writer Gerard Jones.  Above is one of the many covers Barreto did for that series (before coloring was added) which evoked the feel of the old pulp covers. Beside Michael Kaluta, he is considered the greatest comic artist ever to adapt the Shadow to graphics.  That he will be missed is an understatement, especially at such a young age.  Our condolences go out to the families of these great men and our prayer is that their boundless talent and creativity will continue expand in a grander setting than even they could ever imagine in this world.

And that Loyal Airmen wraps up this week's Flight Log.  Stay safe and healthy and save some eggnog for the Air Chief.

Ron – Over & Out!