Greetings Loyal Airman, today, Nov. 11th is Veteran's Day, something we Fortiers have always been proud of.  Our father, George Fortier and his brothers Richard Fortier and Noel Fortier all served in World War II, while their older brother Raymond Fortier worked as a welder at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.  During the Korean conflict their younger brothers Robert and Paul Fortier both served in the Navy.  By the time the 60s rolled around, the Air Chief and three of his first cousins all served in Vietnam and our brother George Fortier Jr, served with Naval Intelligence at this same time. About ten years ago our oldest son Scott Fortier served six years in the Army Reserves and today our nephew Jason Cormier is stationed in Iraq.  As you can see our family has never shirked its duty to our great country and on this Veteran's Day the Air Chief wishes to thank ALL the brave men and women, in all the branches of services protecting our great country in all parts of the world.  We never ever take you for granted and you are always in our prayers ever single day. God bless you all, everyone and bring you home safely when your tour of duty is honorably served.  Amen.

    
Last week we posted a rough sketch of the above cover as done by the amazing Michael Wm. Kaluta.  We are thrilled to reveal the full, finished piece in all its dramatic beauty.  The book is by first time writer, Don Gates, and now on sale out our Digital Hangar (merely click on the dirigible logo to the left of this column) and also available at our Print On Demand shop at Indy Planet.  Withing a week it should be available from our publisher Cornerstone Book Publishers through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all other major book distributors.  CHALLENGER STORM – Isle of Blood is our ninth book of the year.  We have one final release planned Dec. which will bring out catalog of Airship 27 titles to a whopping 43 books!!!  And take my word for it, if you are at all excited by this great looking book, hold on to your hats.  We got lots of great new titles ready to roll out next year.  The old Airship 27 continues to soar higher and higher.

       
                    Space Captain Jain Marlee
A few weeks ago, over on the Comic Related website, the Air Chief made friends with a super talented young artist named Brian Level.  Brian works in a tatoo parlor is married and at that time was expecting their first child.  We were so taken with Brian's drawing that we started kicking around possibly doing a small strip together, but it would have to be that…small.  Brian was worried about what kind of commitment he could give a project once the baby arrived.  Last night, the Air Chief sat down and wrote a 4 pg comic script entitled THE SMUGGLER'S LAMENT and sent it off to Brian via e-mail attachment.  Lo and behold, he replied today after telling us that his baby had indeed arrived earlier in the week and he and his wife were deliriously happy and frantic all at the same time. So much so he failed to tell me the baby's sex, name or any other pertinent details. Ha.  But along with his joyous note was this piece of art which he whipped up hastily after reading my short script, it is of the story's hero, Space Captain Jain Marlee.  Brian loved our script and has agreed, when time permits, to draw it for us. We couldn't be happier.  Once the project is done, it will be published in a future issue of “Ron Fortier's Tales of the Macabre.”  Stay tuned.  We'll keep you posted.

(Just in from Brian – Samuel Burton Level was born at home on Sunday 6th Nov 2011, at 10:39 a.m. and weighed 9 lbs and was 21″ long. He and Mom are doing super and Brian said it was all “…a beautiful experience.”)

Finally, tomorrow, Sat. Nov. 12th the Air Chief will be one of the many guest at the Cowtown Comix Fest located on the Metro State campus, Tivoli Building, Berrensen Room 320 in Denver Colorado between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m.  The show is pretty much devoted to independent artists and their comics and their are almost twenty local creators scheduled to be there. We hope to see many Loyal Airmen stop by.  In thirty five years of being part of comics, we've never done a “night” con before.  It should prove to be most interesting.

And there you have it for another week, Loyal Airmen, as ever thanks for stopping by and again, if you know a Vet, or have one in your family, give him or her a handshake, hug or salute and just say THANK YOU. It means everything!
Ron – Over & Out!