SO LONG, GARY FRIEDRICH...

You bestowed your supreme talent upon the biggest and the best, including Captain America; Captain Britain; Spider-man; the Incredible Hulk; Kid Colt; the Rawhide Kid; and Sgt Fury and the Howling Commandos, with whom you had a long and respected relationship.

However, your fiery style hit a innovative high when you teamed with childhood friend, Roy Thomas and Marvel legend, Mike Ploog to revamp an established hero, thus creating Johnny Blaze, aka the Ghost Rider. In the same vein, your radical Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan (with help from artist Herb Trimpe) also redefined the annals of right and wrong, depicting a young man you dared defy his father to pave the way for good. 

The '70s comic-book scene was never quite the same thereafter, exuding a hot, new, cool vibe that both superhero and supernatural connoisseurs savored. In fact, your work on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Monster still remains a huge fan favorite. 

Your legion of admirers will be forever grateful for your bold and insightful designs. May you roar through the mighty Gates of Heaven, skidding its illustrious streets with your righteous streams of glory. 

RIP MARIE SEVERIN...

You were inspired by your talented brother, John, to color, pencil and ink, and as such charged surging depth into EC's horrors, as well as such Marvel legends as Daredevil; Sub-Mariner; Doctor Strange; the Incredible Hulk; Conan, the Barbarian; Kull, the Conqueror; and the Fantastic Four. 

You made us laugh, as well, with the wisecracking Not Brand Echh and then broke new ground when you teamed with comic-book titan, Archie Goodman to create Jessica Drew, the stunning and dynamic Spider-Woman.

No one will dispute you've made great artwork all the greater; and there's no doubt you're already brightening God's infinite canvas with your indelible strokes of joy. 

CINEMA INSOMNIA MELTDOWN: MISTER LOBO REQUIRES URGENT HELP!!!

A SPECIAL REQUEST FROM MR. LOBO, VIA OUTER SPACE INTERNATIONAL AND PATREON:
"Last week our Cinema Insomnia Hard Drive -- donated by you the fans -- died. It contained more than 3 entire new shows worth of raw footage, promos, project files, and more, including our Season 16 Finale. 

Producer/Editor Aaron M. Lane took it in and the shop found it had a damaged USB controller. After it was replaced, the drive showed up but a file structure couldn't be seen. It was then sent to their office to try some more advanced Software and Recovery methods, before resorting to hardware recovery. 

We hoped it wouldn't be so bad that we would need to go the $1000 to $1500 lab recovery route. 

Aaron almost asked for it back to recover it himself, but with something this important we figured we'd hold our breath and leave it to the experts.

It turned out that a defective USB part fried everything. But hindsight is 20/20.

It seems now very likely we can get it all back. It was just a matter of what it will cost.

If the episodes aren't lost, they are worth thousands in time, talent, and resources. Cast and Crew traveled great distances to work for free and help us pull off this season on the smallest of budgets. The very least we can do is have a finished product so they can see their hard work and enjoy the fruits of their labor and the satisfaction of a finished product. 

If it were just me alone...I could try and do it all over again. However, even if that were the case--you can't catch lightning in a bottle twice...some aspects you can't ever reproduce. But we could try. 

If Mr. Lobo has to wash cars we'll make this work somehow.

Things are rough all over and we all have crushing real world stuff to deal with on top of this...and certainly it's not the end of the world. However, we feel what we do is important and important to try to save. 

The 'Advanced Recovery' place ran diagnostic & recovery and today told us what they found. 

It's not good news.

Once they repaired the USB controller and ran further diagnostics, they found that the drive arm and needle had been fried, so it can't read any data off of it & on a drive like that with proprietary firmware, they have to replace the parts with parts from an identical drive, so they're having to send it off to a lab in Austin, Texas which will take 3-5 days to get there & the recovery work averages $1000 - $1500. 

Luckily we anticipated the worst case scenario, even while hoping for the best. 

Aaron authorized the work and should hear from Austin by the end of the week.

We had $60 in donations today from Cinsomaniacs like you! And $50 from Kelly and $25 from Glen!  $10 from Robert and another $25 from Scott! And some change from the couch cushions...

So, adding everything up we have little under $200 towards the cause so far. A big chunk of our monthly Patreon proceeds will go towards this going forward. 

Thank you for helping us make--and save our Season!

- Mr. Lobo"

Please do assist Mr. Lobo in this oh-so-important cause. 

One can join Patreon and pledge on behalf of Cinema Insomnia as little as $1 a month: https://www.patreon.com/Cinemainsomnia. 

In addition, one can donate whatever generous amount one can spare to... 

http://www.paypal.me/MisterLobo  or  ... http://www.paypal.me/Lanefilml.td.

Cinema Insomnia and Mr. Lobo are way too important to ignore in this time of crisis. Again, please help remedy this grave setback and roll misunderstood-movie history back onto the reel. Thank you!!!

I saw A-X-L...

"A-X-L" ("Attack, Exploration, Logistics") is, for all intents and purposes, a next-generation "E.T.", though more so "Short Circuit'" or "Chappie", due to its robotic roots. That also puts its eponymous character in same league (more or less) with "Doctor Who'"s K9.  In any case, the movie, written and directed by Oliver Daly, is (per its deeper, cinematic foundation) a knockoff of "Lassie Come Home", "Old Yeller"and "Benji", aimed at families seeking old-time, Disney-type fare, with a slight "Rebel Without a Cause" bent, fueled by futuristic vim. 

As one might presume, A-X-L (Dorian "The Time Machine" Kingi, beneath the CGI) is a military financed thing, dark and sleek, designed for combative and (one might presume) protective purposes. However, in the "Westworld" mode, the contraption adapts cognition and dashes off to the desert where against inexplicable odds, it successfully hides before encountering a nice, dirt-biking, young man named Miles (Alex Neustaedter).

At first, Miles is startled by A-X-L, but comes to befriend and mend it. (He even determines its gender to be male, though it holds no determining features.) Meanwhile, A.X.L.'s creators (Dominic "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Rains and Lou Taylor "Evil Dead" Pucci) monitor the machine's whereabouts, discovering to both their satisfaction and dismay that it's bonded with the boy via its intricate programming. In addition, the machine has grown playfully fond the lad's pretty, new girlfriend, Sara (Becky G), which contradicts its menacing constitution. 

Incidentally, Sara is linked to Miles' crafty rival, Sam (Alex "The 5th Wave" MacNicoll), who behaves much like Corey Allen's Buzz in "Rebel". This puts Miles in the James Dean/Jim Stark driver's seat, though Miles' dad (Thomas "the Punisher" Jane) is more accepting of rough stuff than Jim Backus's counterpart ever was. Still, it pretty much all comes out in the wash.  

These "Rebel" overlaps give the story better texture than most other teen flicks at present (which let's face it, are generally unfocused and/or wimpy), but alas, the movie's anti-military motif smothers the admirable angle, along any flourishing sense of conflict or commitment among its leads.

That means we're stuck with superfluous, seek-and-destroy spiels: so senseless in light of the scientists' proof that Miles can train their hardware. Why not share the recorded evidence with the military, then reason with the kid, who in turn, could reason with the machine? There's nothing to indicate that A-X-L must be hunted, destroyed or scrapped. If anything, the device appears to be reaching its potential and only requires more time and the proper master to fine-tune it.   

Unfortunately, by the film's boisterous climax, its prejudices far outweigh its good intent. That makes "A-X-L" a missed mark when compared to the films that inspired it. That stinks, since dewdrop fudge is now a dime a dozen, and Lord knows how much the boy-and-his-dog and family/teen scenes need a prudent shot in the arm.

STRINGMODULATOR'S MANIFESTO STRIKES A HEROIC POSE!!!

On September 10, Submarine Broadcasting Company will release a powerful, pulsating album from a dynamic German duo, Stringmodulator.

What makes Stringmodulator's Manifesto: Noises Made by Guitar and Base special is that its artists, Jan Quednau (bass) and Fabian Chmielewski (guitar) do, in fact, "string" their compositions through the aforementioned instruments (the sounds of which are filtered by a basic, two-track machine and I might add, with no overdubs). Against the odds, the resulting range is nothing short of spellbinding.

Manifesto sounds like Vangelis on speed or steroids or some transcendental concoction that mere mortals have yet to conceive. The concept is seasoned with a cool Krautrock strut, but that's only the start. There are vibrations (and moods) snapped from "Blade Runner", "Forbidden Planet", and "THX 1138", though often accelerated to a point that would make Barry Allen dizzy and faint. Indeed, these pulsations do ease when required, but only to prepare and pacify one's mindset. That speed--that righteous zeal--remains just an eager chord away. 

One might presume Manifesto to be chaotic based on that implication, but this musical masterpiece captures a steady stream of hope and strength. The intent is symbolized best in "Thump and Shriek" and "Betwixt and Between", where the shove against suppression surges within the compositions' transitioning planes and peaks. 

Manifesto's additional chapters fortify these governing tracks, with "Prologue"; "Horror Vacui" and "Quiet Place" assisting as reasonable lead-ins or interludes (drum-roll substitutes, if one will). "Echo Chamber" and "Guitar Sabotage" represent more defined (though no less raw) remissions, whereas "Growl", "Miles' Backing Band" and "White Noise" capture those pivotal periods when one has no choice except to stand up and swing.  

Through Jan and Fabian's functional "noise", I morphed into Mad Max, John Carter and Captain Scarlet, roaring my engine, swiping my sword and blasting my pistol into the symbolic wind, liberating the persecuted, impoverished and enslaved per the most basic, immediate means: my heart and soul...or should I say, my bass and guitar?

If you possess the respectable fortitude to listen, Manifesto's unfettered construction will make you a champion, too.  

Join the Stringmodulator uprising today at ... https://submarinebroadcastingco.bandcamp.com/album/manifesto.

GOODBYE, RUSS HEATH...

You covered it all, Mr. Heath, from war to westerns to undersea escape, for Warren, EC, DC and Atlas/Timely/Marvel.

Your expert hand brought to life Playboy's Little Annie Fannie and the earliest stages of the tempestuous Losers. Along with writer/editor Robert Kanigher, you created the ethereal Haunted Tank (of "G.I. Combat" fame) and bestowed your skills upon the likes of Batman, Iron Fist, Jonah Hex, Sgt Rock and Vampirella. You also rendered the best, action-packed, plastic-figure ads imaginable. 

Your long life was devoted to the characters and scenarios that so many of us hold close to our hearts, presented in a two-fisted way that today's youths could never understand or appreciate. However, for those who were there to experience your gritty work firsthand, your talent will remain eternal, savored and unequaled. 

Collection Recommendation: Ash vs Evil Dead

In recommending "Ash vs Evil Dead", I'm in truth promoting the entirety of Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" franchise, but I've come to realize that not every Deadite fan (or should I say, foe?) has had access to Starz's revival of the bumptious Ash Williams. (Premium channels don't come cheaply.) Still, with all episodes now queued on affordable Blu-Ray and DVD (Season 3 hit shelves on Aug 21), there's no longer reason to evade one's demon-cleansing calling.

Along with Campbell's eponymous character, the rowdy spree stars Dana DeLorenzo as Kelly Maxwell; Ray Santiago as Pablo Bolivar; Arielle Carver-O'Neill as Ash's daughter, Brandy; and genre heroine, Lucy Lawless as the series' perplexing protagonist, Ruby Knowby. Along for the ride is Lee Majors as Brock, Ash's pop; Ellen Sandweiss as Cheryl, Ash's sis (who costarred in the original flick); and Ted Raimi (Henrietta Knowby from "Dead by Dawn") as school chum, Chet Kaminski. Their accompanying, supporting roster is, however, as top-notch, with each performer, each character pushing the shenanigans to unexpected and outlandish levels: reason enough to have granted the series greater longevity. 

I can only speculate why "Ash vs Evil Dead" didn't go beyond its three jaunts. I doubt it was a matter of low ratings. Considering the dewdrop/SJW climate these days (i.e., the way adolescents are quick to condemn Bond, Deadpool, Rambo and Tarzan), I can only presume that "Ash vs Evil Dead" triggered more than a few negative responses from those sanctimonious pissants who probably caught (at most) preview clips of the show.

This is a damn shame, since "Ash vs Evil Dead" does hold mass appeal for a significant part of the population. It's an everyman (mis)adventure, with Ash representing those of us who (for better or worse) aren't afraid to slap a little Clubman on our cheeks, engage in a little womanizing...and then plunge full, boomstickin' force into some big, Necronomicon-spawned job. 

And boy, did those demonized outings ever get super-gory, eclipsing even the theatrical films' carnage count. One could argue that these half-hour Grand Guignol segments became exaggerated to the point of moralistic self-parody, but then that would also place them on a par with the Brothers Grimm and EC's gruesome fables. Yep, there's always a life lesson to be disinterred from Ash's exploits (which sometimes graze time-travel and alternate-reality fringes), but that our hero tries at all costs to do what's right is what matters. (He also cares about his friends, and because of his forthright nature, they care about him. Sweet...)

Though Campbell claims he won't play Ash again, his recent television return is destined to become as much a classic as the movies that inspired it. Grab this three-season frolic today (or wait for that inevitable, right-around-the-bend "complete series" release). "Ash vs Evil Dead" is the sort of gut-gougin' cheer that'll make one feel like a regular, Deadite fightin' champ, regardless of one's fruitless, drab or politically correct entrapment. 

AIRSHIP 27 PODCAST (AUG '18): READY FOR TAKEOFF!!!

It's time for a new Airship 27 Podcast, with Captain Ron Fortier and Chief Engineer Rob Davis at the controls. Rest assured, the Aug '18 segment is yet another fantastic flight for the ears, heart and mind.

Our hosts discuss New Pulp convention highs and lows; scalper pulp peddlers; the Brother Bones role-playing game; plus current company developments, including Ron's completion of Mark Justice's "The Dead Sheriff #2" (now a mere hop and a skip away from publication); and the releases of "Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective #12" and Thomas McNulty's "The Adventures of Captain Graves". 

Hop aboard at ... http://zone4podcast.com/airship27-episode042/.

FUN ADVENTURE COMICS #9: A THRILLING TRILOGY OF ECLECTIC ESCAPE!!!

I went gaga over Will Lill's Fun Adventure Comics! #8, to the point where I couldn't wait for Issue #9. Well, lo and behold, guess what's come my way...

To kick off Issue #9 (Aug '18)'s fantastic trilogy, Ron Fortier's the Invisible Hood (aka Kent Thurston) makes a heady entrance in a tense tale called "Ransom Justice", brought to detailed life by artists Mike and Aiden Belcher. 

The Invisible Hood, like Fortier's Brother Bones, is a crime fighter content to roam the shadows. In this instance, he uses his surreptitious, spectral skills to tackle a kidnapping case. Fortier's fans will be pleased as Punch by the transparent way this clever, cloak-and-dagger outing progresses and concludes: a winner through and through.

Following the Invisible Hood's exciting excursion, we're offered a satirical, space opera by author Troy Vevasis and artist Denis Pacher, starring the effervescent King Jupiter and the Rockets. 

The majestic, rock'n'roller, Jupiter and his far-out, metal mates encounter hi jinks and ardent adversaries along the cosmic way, in a star-blazing spoof that emits the cool feel of Captain Video meets the Monkees. (Trust me, this one is ripe for a Saturday-morn, animated take.)

We then swing back to a serious mood for Lloyd Smith's latest chapter in the sprawling Ash-Aman saga, entitled "Sacrifice", which conjures ornate, Russ Martin artwork in the vein of Heavy Metal and Marvel's Epic Illustrated.  

As with previous installments, Ash-Aman acts as a bold but misunderstood figure, wrestling the odds for love and acceptance in an Atlantean sector that mirrors the exotic worlds of Robert E. Howard and Edgar Rice Burroughs. 

There's an abundance of combative clashing and desperate survival in this engaging (and moving) submission: one that's designed to get the reader's most passionate regions propelled and pumped. A transcendental gem from beginning to end...

Don't miss out on Fun Adventure Comics! #9.  Order today at ...  http://www.wlcomics.com/.

MANGA'S TERROR-TRUCKER TESTAMENT!!!

Craig Manga (Mangabros) is a conjurer of clashing vibes, both in sound and theme. His music conveys it's wise to harness one's Hyde (and above all, never justify one's self-loathing), for once this angst is unleashed, its impact stays intractable.

This psychological germination characterizes Manga's Aug 31st Black Box Recordings release, the Fag Trucker Variations, Vol 1: Backdrop and (set for an on-the-heels-of date) Vol 2: Foreground.

At the heart of Manga's torrential trek is a hypocritical, serial killer: a confused and lethal man of homophobic ilk, who harbors the same sexual penchant as those he mutilates. Through his bigoted torment, he tracks his prey in a corroded truck and plants the carcasses upon the dim roads he roams: a Johnny Appleseed/John Wayne Gacy hybrid (with a little "Jeepers Creepers" along the frayed seams), sowing the unfurling tar with severed seeds.

His origin is described through Manga's distorted reverberations, which grow ever more incongruous as his weird, lustful hate matures within one's ears. It's the trucker's uncanny interludes, however, (those shadowed, off-the-cuff paths) that fertilize his gut-wrenching status, recalling the raw, sickly stuff that made Tobe Hooper and H.G. Lewis legends.  

As mentioned, the content is served in two, related cuts: one instrumental (Backdrop) and the other, vocalized (Foreground, which includes new, Manga lyrics). This two-part approach is clever, for it symbolizes the dueling emotions of the eponymous killer, as well as his victims'. In this regard, each part presents a precise mood, a particular mindset, but in the end, only one unyielding nightmare comes to fruition. 

Also, like Manga's Deepfleshred characters, Mr. Z and Nada (see 11/17), the notorious Fag Trucker has achieved an emblematic mark. Experimental-music fans, therefore, would be smart to leap in, if only to say they're among the first to give the madman's crimson roots a hardy shake. On the other hand, the saga connects and extends beyond this new material, retouching those ambitious tests that inspired the composer's epic, terror-trucker testament.

For Fag Trucker Variations' updates, visit ...  ://mangabros.bandcamp.com/album/f-g-trucker-variations-backdrop-edition.