Attention loyal airmen, a truly serious threat to the internet is now worming its way through Congress. It is a new bill sponsored by the big telecom companies (AT&T, Comcast among others) that would allowed them to control your access to the internet. They are making the argument that since they are the providers, they should be able to dictate such policies of restraint to their customers. Kiss the free internet good-bye should that be allowed to become law.

I’m not blind to the smut and filth that permeates much of the internet, but I am also aware of the good this information highway has done to our world. Much like the freedom to read whatever you desire, the freedom to go wherever you desire, as adult, on the net should be a guaranteed right. Fortunately a Democrat Governor named Markey has added an amendment to this telecom bill that would guarantee the neutrality of the internet. What it stipulates is, although free to regulate prices to their customers, these companies would be forbidden to
infringe on their internet surfing choices. Airmen, I don’t normally like to get involved with politics, but this goes beyond mere politics to the heart of what a democratic society is all about. We all need to write out
respective representatives and tell them in no uncertain terms to support and vote for the Markey Amendment.

There is a petition site for this at www.thepetitionsite.com.  I urge all of you to log on and sign it. Their goal is 20,000 signature. I’d like to think freedom of expression is a cherished standard in this country and they’ll gather way more than that figure by the time word gets out on this issue.

About a month ago I mentioned I’d been recruited to write a new Spider story for the new Moonstone Anthology being edited by Joe Gentile and that I’d keep you all posted. Well last week we writers were all given a big thumbs up on our plot proposals. Thus the green light to start writing our pulp adventures featuring the Master of Men. Happily my artist amigo, the fantastic Rob Davis has signed on to do the spot illustration for my tale. Above is his take on the this classic pulp figure. I just love it.
Rob’s work never fails to excite me. And if you’d like to see this illo in its pencil stage go over to the gallery section. I’ve posted both of them side by side. Oh, and our deadline for submitting our stories is the end of June.
Of course I’m already half finished mine. Ha.
No way was I going to wait for the last minute on this. It’s too much fun.

Hey, airmen, you’ve all gone out and ordered a copy of our latest pulp novel,
CAPTAIN HAZZARD – PYTHON MEN OF THE LOST CITY, right? No? Aw, what do I have to do to convince you it’s a great read and bargain at the same time? Check out the Air Fare section
and pick up a copy. Meanwhile, all the buzz on the pulp’s release last week re-inspired my gang doing the comic book version and new pages are just flying into hanger headquarters. Above is a small sample panel of Craig Shepard’s work as inked by Chuck Bordell. Chuck’s a new addition to the team and a very welcome one. Hopefully we’ll be seeing this done and out by the end of summer.

Finally my apologies. I was hoping to have the cover and link up to my newest comic release, FRANK NG-HIRED GUN, but alas, ComiXpress doesn’t post new titles on their store site till the first of each month. In this case that will be Monday. So, if all goes well, next week that should finally be here for your inspection.

Another week under out belts. The Red Sox have once again fallen on their old habits of breaking our hearts. Airmen, it’s just painful.
See you in seven.

Ron, over and out.