Rest in Peace, Forry

Barely a week after his 92nd birthday, the great Forrest J. Ackerman passed away yesterday from heart attack.

He was perhaps the godfather of sci-fi (a term he coined) and genre fandom in general. Among other things, he founded and edited the magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland which he edited for decades, and he also discovered Ray Bradbury. His Los Angeles home was veritable museum of film which was open to the public every Saturday morning he was home. He was also a writer himself as well as a literary agent as well as a movie and television star.

Forry was one of the greats, and he will be missed.

A Tale of Two Michelles

This is the tale of two Michelles, one with one L and one with two, and a happy situation, unfortunately at the expense of a Judi.


Several months ago, New Jersey 101.5 FM’s After Hours program with Michele Pilenza went from a train wreck that I would listen to only to hear the carnage, to an actually interesting radio show. This was due to the presence of Michelle Jerson, subbing for Pilenza while she had her baby.

Michelle Jerson was a breath of fresh air. Not only was she a more experienced, and in my humble opinion, a much more entertaining broadcaster, but she was much more open-minded - something that might be important in doing a radio talk show that purports to give advice about lifestyle, relationships, sex and romance.

When Michele Pilenza with one L returned from maternity leave, she stepped easily back into the same shoes she left. Judgmental and close-minded as ever, she was back, and I was out of there. I was missing Ms. Jerson badly, as I really wanted to enjoy the show as an intelligent talk show instead of a nightly train wreck. Seriously, I just couldn't take Ms. Pilenza saying inane things like "fat people shouldn't date" or "ugly people should just give up" or telling callers that they were "freaks" because of some miscellaneous fetish. Like I said, she was real open-minded.

Luckily, or unluckily depending on your outlook, Ms. Pilenza has left the evening airways for the mornings, joining Dennis Malloy to replace the departing Judi Franco. As I wasn't a fan, this didn't affect me, but the side effect did - Michelle Jerson returned to the nighttime After Hours slot. Way to go, Michelle, you've got a regular listener.

Watchmen Sneak Peek

The second trailer to the Watchmen film is now available.

This time we get to hear the voices of the characters, the infamous opening sequence, and closer looks at the Owlship and Rorshach's inkblot-morphing mask, all set to a Philip Glass-like score.

See it here.

Watchmen, barring further legal troubles, opens march 2009.

I Feel Terribly, Terribly Old...

"Nevermind," the album by Nirvana that changed everything back in 1990 has now officially become nostalgia, I suppose. The baby featured on the album cover is now eighteen years old. Wow.

I feel terribly, terribly old now. I was twenty-eight when "Nevermind" came out and changed music and pop culture, and nastily put the wooden stake into the back of hair bands and bubble gum (at least for a little while), and brought grunge and alternative music into the limelight.

Despite nearly two decades passing, "Nevermind" remains just as crisp and innovative now as it did when I first heard it. Clearly it's in the realm of a "Sgt. Pepper" or a "Pet Sounds" or "Tapestry" and not just a trendy flash in the pan.

I feel even older when I think about the fact that twenty-eight is usually the age when folks give up on new music and settle into oldies mode. Luckily, or unluckily, I didn't. Hmmm... maybe that's why I feel so old now...

Dark Corridor #2

Dark Corridor #2 from Main Enterprises is now available!

Available at last is the second isue of this popular magazine of horror, fantasy and suspense fiction and illustration.

Returning are authors Sam Gafford ("Exchange" and "The Council of Forever"), Michael Vance ("Cross Purposes") and newcomer Mark Orr ("Plastic Jesus).

Illustrators include Terry Pavlet (front cover), John Lambert (inside front cover), Barry Southworth (inside back cover), David Simmons (back cover), Noor Hafizah, Jack Bertram, Dan Taylor, Greg Woronchak, Rick Limacher and Jeff Mason.

Also our new review section, "Den of the Dark," begins this issue - featuring a review of Kim Richards' "Death Masks."

Get your copy now.