Christopher Lee 1922-2015

Yeah, he was Dracula, Count Dooko, Saruman, Fu Manchu, Scaramanga, and a host of other villains...

But there were things about this amazing man you probably didn't know!
Bet you didn't remember he hosted Saturday Night Live (March 25, 1978)?
"Dr Jeckyl and MisterRogers" is a must-see!

Or that the British version of This is Your Life paid him homage with a slew of big name guests (including Charltton Heston, Oliver Reed, and Patrick MacNee) in April 1974?

Or that the guys behind Rocky Horror Picture Show tailored a pair of songs for him in the superhero parody Return of Captain Invincible!

Or that one of his two favorite roles was Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man?

An astounding, talented man, he'll be missed.

Our Halloween Treat...WeirdWorld!

Every Halloween we do something unique...

This year, it'll be re-presenting the never-reprinted WeirdWorld saga.

In response to the then-current release of Ralph Bakshi's animated Lord of the Rings (though writer/co-creator Doug Moench was admant about having never read JRR Tolkien), the series featured art by co-creator Mike Ploog (who worked with Bakshi on Lord and Wizards as well as co-creating Werewolf by Night and the motorcycle-riding Ghost Rider), John Buscema, Rudy Nebres, Peter Leger, P Craig Russell, and Pat Broderick.

It's never been collected in book form or even a reprint mini-series.

But, beginning October 1st, it'll be here, in chronological order.

"Kill Bond...NOW!"

 "It took almost fifty years, but we will have the last laugh, Mr. Bond!"

A feature article in the Financial Times makes dire predictions about the fates of the film versions of James Bond 007 and The Hobbit(among others)...
"Its most prized property – James Bond – has been left to stagnate, a casualty of the uncertainty about MGM’s future.

Sam Mendes signed on to direct the next film in the series, which reignited spectacularly with Daniel Craig as the new Bond in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace – films that generated a combined $1.2 billion (emphasis mine) at the box office.
But the series is in limbo, postponed indefinitely by the Broccoli family of producers, which shares the rights with MGM, because of the uncertainty surrounding the studio".

It's a pity, because interest in the character is higher than it's been in years, thanks to the Ian Fleming Centennial celebration, with books literally flooding the stores!
Among them, a reissue set of the original Fleming novels both in hardcover and paperback with an incredibly-kool cover design motif based on the 1967 Casino Royale movie poster concept...

Sadly, they're only available in England, or (as in my case), thru the NY branch of a British SF/comic chain...
"Hee-hee-hee" he chortled ominously as he stroked the cat on his lap.