6 Classic Twilight Zone Episodes for the 4th!

Posted on by

There’s a Twilight Zone marathon going on over at the Syfy channel.  There are a lot worse ways to spend a lazy 4th of July than watching Rod Serling’s presentations of some of the best sci-fi and horror ever shown on television.

However, if you only have a few of hours to spare, then I’d suggest you tune in (or set your dvr) from 7:30 to 10:30 tonight.  Here’s what you”ll get:

7:30  “The Howling Man” – David Ellington while hiking in Europe after WWII stumbles across a remote abbey when a violent storm kicks up.  Reluctantly given refuge for the night by the monks, Ellington hears howling and discovers a man being held prisoner by the monks.  Before he can set the man free, Ellington is told the true nature of the prisoner.  Ellington is left with a decision that may haunt him for the rest of his life…

8:00  “Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?” – On a dark, snowy night, two deputies respond to a call about a crashed spaceship.  Tracks lead to a remote dinner where seven bus passengers and the diner’s owner are waiting out the storm.  The funny thing is there were only supposed to be six passengers on the bus and strange things are starting to happen at the dinner.  Coincidence or is there an alien among them?

8:30  “The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street” – It’s just getting dark when a strange sound and flashing lights in the sky bring neighbors out of their houses.  A child suggests it’s aliens from a flying saucer.  The adults laugh it off until strange things begin to happen and their paranoia increases.  Soon they are looking at each other — could aliens already be here?

9:00 “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” – A man, with a fear of flying and recently recovered from a nervous breakdown, is having a hard time making it through a stormy, late night flight.  Then he sees a  monster on the wing trying to damage the plane’s engine…

9:30 “Time Enough At Last” – When a meek book lover finds himself the sole survivor of a nuclear holocaust, he takes joy in that he will at last have time enough to read… or will he?

10:00 “To Serve Man” – Aliens come to earth promising peace and shared technology. They seem to be making good on their promise to turn earth into a paradise, yet some doubts linger…

Andy Griffith – R.I.P.

Posted on by

Andy Griffith passed away this morning at the age of 86.

Most of us know Mr. Griffith from his role as Andy Taylor, the sheriff of the fictional town of Mayberry.  The classic series was of course, “The Andy Griffith Show,” one of only three shows [along with “I Love Lucy” and “Seinfeld”]  to ever end their run while on top.

I can’t tell you how many I hours I spent watching “The Andy Griffith Show” … my guess is that you can’t either.  (Well, if you can, tell me, how many hours did I spend watching it?)

What was always refreshing to hear was that Andy Griffith was just as nice in real life as he was on tv.  Mark Evanier wrote a great tribute which confirmed that Andy Griffith was just as caring and smart and nice as Andy Taylor.  Seems fitting, doesn’t it?

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Andy Griffith’s family, friends and fans.

Walking Dead: The Official Magazine

Posted on by

You’re looking at the cover for the first issue of a new quarterly magazine, officially sanctioned and dedicated to all things Walking Dead.  Walking Dead: The Official Magazine will premiere on October 23rd and feature articles, interviews and behind-the-scenes looks at the comic and television series.

Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead had this to say:

“This magazine will be your one stop destination for all the news pertaining to the comic, TV show, video game, toys, games, and whatever else exists in the ever-expanding Walking Dead universe! If it’s happening, you’ll find out all about it right here!”

Thanks and a tip o’ Carl’s hat to CBR.com for their full report.

Planetoid #1 Sells Out (in a Good Way)

Posted on by

About six months ago I suggested  this article at iFanboy about Ken Garing’s comic Planetoid. I thought Planetoid looked and sounded like something readers of this blog would like:

  • PLANETOID #1
  • Written and Drawn by Ken Garing
  • 32pages/ full color
  • Silas, an ex-soldier turned space pirate, finds himself stranded on a mysterious planet in alien territory. As he explores the long-abandoned industrial ruins of the planet’s surface he will have to fend off rogue mechanical creatures, roving cyborg militias, and a hostile alien military with a bounty on his head. With a small survival kit, Richter (a computerized assistant built into his space suit), and one really powerful gun, Silas will have to rely on resourcefulness and bare-bones survival tactics in order to stay alive and ultimately unlock the secrets of a planet where survival is a luxury and escape an impossibility.

It seems that a lot of people felt the same.  Planetoid #1 has sold out and is going back to press.  It’s good to know that we were ahead of THAT curve.

I Support Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse II, Too

Posted on by

Way back in August of 2008, I posted a very positive review of Victor Gischler’s Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse.  The fact that I really enjoyed Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse wasn’t surprising, since I’ve enjoyed all of Victor’s novels and also highly recommend Gun Monkeys; Pistol Poets; and The Deputy. 

Victor recently announced that he’s doing a sequel to Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse which will be called, appropriately enough, Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse II: The Luxury Wars.  The cool thing is that Victor is bringing Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse II: The Luxury Wars directly to his fans as a Kickstarter project.

I’m on board as a backer of the book and encourage you to consider becoming one as well.       

 

Don’t Ever Cross Alex Cross

Posted on by

Tyler Perry as Alex Cross?  Yeah, that could work, although I have to admit it was a bit of surprise to see Madea taking on the role of James Patterson’s detective.

I liked the poster a lot better at first glance, but the more I look at it the more the layout bugs me.  All of the white space to the left and the fact that Matthew Fox and Tyler Perry are in the same pose just makes the poster fall a bit flat.  I also think that they could have come up with a better tag line than: Don’t Ever Cross Alex Cross.  The trailer is interesting though.

Heroes Con or Bust!

Posted on by

If all went well, Doralya, Mike, Erin and I should arrive at Heroes Con in Charlotte, just before it opens this morning.  I’m really looking forward to the show.  It’s always a blast, with something for everyone.  Look at the guest list and schedule of events and you can see I’m not kidding. 

It’s been a few years since Mike has attended the show, so he and I will hang out at the con while our ladies play tourists around Charlotte.  Then we’ll all come together for the Drink & Draw Session at Fuel on Friday and the annual Heroes Con Art Auction on Saturday.   The rest of the time will be spent roaming the convention floor looking for fun. 

Hope to see you there, but if you can’t make the show, don’t worry, I’ll post a full report later in the week.

[And Chris, if you’re reading this, remember: No parties!  Be sure to feed Bruiser and Jack!]