Saturday, March 1, 2025

LARRY JOHNSON'S DREAM DIARY #3: WHERE THE SURREAL GETS REAL

I've come to realize that artist/writer Larry Johnson is the ultimate when it comes to building worlds both sweet and offbeat, envisioned as they are by luxuriant artwork (rendered via captivating, technicolor and monochrome shades) and phantasmagorical storytelling.  

Johnson's latest, the 48-page Dream Diary #3, seals the deal, with scenarios that could have sprung straight from one's nightly slumber, building relatable narratives, but with peculiar angles that bud with bold, organic abandon.  

Johnson stars in these (mis)adventures, with each reverie dated, as he launches us on a full-throttle, Twilight Zone-meets-The Far Side plunge with "The Green Potato Chip" (where a smidgeon of poison ivy insinuates calamity); "The Obelisk" (a play upon The Monolith Monsters, but in this case, the ascent is more awe-inspiring than disruptive); "The Tattooed Model" (a Bradbury-ish situation set at the artist's hub); "The Living Doll" (a wee figure comes to life with sadistic results); "Nuclear Disaster" (The Day After hits down the forlorn road); "The Office Engineer" (a battery-operated mishap disrupts the work flow); "The Cave Locomotive" (bulky machinery dominates a sequestered colony); "Bad Trip" (a carefree sojourn is rocked by an explosive, hospital elevator); "Off the Record" (a strange, vinyl disc spins a haunting conundrum); "Cat Poop" (a tarp and a cat lead to a mucky outcome); "The Indignant Men's Club" (stuffed-shirt verbosity falls to rage); and the clever "Biker Gang" (in which recruitment is based not on brawling or derring-do, but an essay composition). 

Johnson's affability defines his exploits, making his stories for common people who dare to see the world through an uncommon lens. Johnson tells us that there's wonderment (sometimes strange, sometimes serene) in every nook and cranny. We just need to open our eyes to recognize it. 

Dream Diary #3 deserves to be in your library, so be smart and send $8.00 to Mr. Johnson (per Paypal at LewBrown1@verizon.net) to make it so.   

WISE WORDS:

 

REMIND MAGAZINE (MARCH '25): A RAT PACK CELEBRATION

ReMind (March 2025) dishes a major treat for Rat Pack fans, with a front-to-back, toast-of-the-town for the legendary performers. 

Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford are all on hand, raising their glasses in welcome, along with guest-starring icons Jerry Lewis, Marilyn Monroe, Donna Reed, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Mia Farrow, Jimmy Durante, Shirley MacLaine, May Britt and Ava Gardner. 

Biographical articles on each of the gang is served, giving it a warm (and rather hip), comprehensive feel, with a peek at the men's movies, a rundown of their cool lingo, as well as heaps of nostalgic trivia and rare photos that place them front and center. (As a nice bonus to the Rat Pack flavoring, there's a sentimental assessment of the California Alligator Farm, as well as lists of the pop-cultural events that distinguish 1959, from Billboard tunes to toy releases.)

ReMind is so much fun, and more issues are coming. The best way not to miss one is to subscribe at

https://www.remindmagazine.com/

In the meantime, the ReMind, Rat Pack tribute is in full circulation, so either order a copy or make the local rounds to nab one before they're all gone. 

HAVE A MAGIK-AL BIRTHDAY, DONNA

 

THE BEEKEEPER SAVED ME

I ran into some printer problems and contacted what I believed was 1.2.3.hp.com for assistance, only to discover during the call that I had tapped a questionable source. I realized this as soon as the "employee" asked for direct access to my computer, so that he might better assess my problem. 

In addition to spouting off a few expletives, I informed the grifter that I'd seen The Beekeeper and hung up. Yeah, I know how these deals are played. Thank goodness, I'm inclined to watch righteous, tough-guy flicks. 

The thing is, for all the know-how this con artist/hacker no doubt holds, he could have just as well chosen a virtuous path to practice such. The situation is similar to those who go the extra mile to fake a disability, when for all their arduous teffort to simulate a mental or physical hindrance, they could seek and gain employment in a sincere way, which would not only benefit the tax-paying public, but themselves. Oh, and how about those who establish fake charities and all those exhausting, deceitful nonprofits? Why devote time and effort to any such hollow path, when one can just as well spur something that helps others unconditionally? I mean, really, have some self-respect. Do what's right.

Anyway, please be careful with whom you contact for any "assist" avenue. Just because a site might look professional or someone may sound kind and interested in your plight doesn't mean that the situation is on the level. If you don't believe me, well, just watch The Beekeeper and see for yourself. 

PINUP TIME: ISABELLE ADJANI IS LUCY HARKER

 

NEW STORIES, NEW ANTHOLOGIES 2025

Hello, folks. I'm posting a reminder that I've been published in in two, recent anthologies. 

The first, released in late January, is from Eighth Tower Publications, a Dark Fiction submission entitled The Neuromancers: Stories Inspired by William Gibson's universe. My contribution is "With Eyes Unconstrained," which merges cyberpunk mythology with elements of Rod Serling's Twilight Zone classic, "The Obsolete Man," among other dystopic tales.

The second, released in late February, is from Airship 27 Productions and entitled The Phantom Detective, Vol 3, which caters to the great, pulp investigator, Richard Curtis Van Sloan, aka the Phantom.

My story for Phantom Detective #3 is called "The Phantom of the Garage" and pits Van against a mysterious, deformed gangster who shakes down citizens for protection money, including Van's hard-working pal, Jerry Lannigan. 

Neuromancers is available in hardback and paperback at 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DM21JRTL?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

and Phantom Detective #3 is available in paperback at 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/195358991X?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Please consider purchasing either or both. Thanks for your support. 😊 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP: ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET JEKYLL & HYDE

 

HALEY HEAVYMETAL'S BIRTHDAY BASH: KICKSTATER UPDATE

Haley HeavyMetal, the mastermind behind the acclaimed Friday the 13th/Blade Runner crossover, Neon Fear, has another fascinating, imagi-endeavor in the works: Birthday Bash

The film is to star none other than the legendary Eric Roberts, along with revered scream queens, Brinke Stevens and Jennifer Stone, plus Ari Lehman, the original Friday the 13th's Jasonamong other terrific performers, in a wild, Evil Dead-ish plot where demons (aka, the Ravenous Wildings of H3ll) dominate a college celebration. 

One can pledge to this exciting effort through its Kickstarter campaign, where several, cool perks are available: 

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/birthday-bash-horror-movie#/

Neon Fear has thrilled many and continues to do so; Birthday Bash has the potential to captivate on yet a whole other fun and terrifying level. Please make this ambitious venture a reality.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE, HAMILTON TWP NJ 2025 (3/8)

 

SLAPPING BACK THE KNOW-IT-ALLS

I've been receiving a heavy flow of flack from the know-it-alls again, mostly through snail mail and phoned denouncements, with one courageous imbecile even using an anonymous block. Why these jackasses bother to browse my posts if they tend to hate the content so much is beyond me, but I guess they need a platform from which to bounce (and compensate for) their insecurities. 

The latest gripe is that I don't cover all the new movies, books, magazines and albums that I can, favoring materials that slipped through the cracks that the know-it-alls have determined should remain in the cracks. I'm going about it all wrong, thanks to my pedestrian taste, or so the know-it-alls say. 

One of them even condemned me for posting a David Lynch obituary, claiming that Lynch leaned a particular way and that my tribute wasn't so much an expression of affection for the director, but rather a sneaky endorsement of his political views. Trust me, the obituary holds no political slant.  

Another "insightful" condemner said that I was objectifying women with my "Pinup Time" posts, and to balance the matter, I should alternate with beefcake images, but beefcake isn't my preference, any more than romance novels and Disney-princess movies are. To those who appreciate such things, all the more power to you; I'll stand by your side to favor what you do, but in return, I only ask that you bestow me the same courtesy. (And just because I dig girlie pictures doesn't make me a chauvinistic pig.) 

With that said, I display and analyze what I find interesting, what tickles my fancy, but even then, it's only when I'm able to practice my vocation while tending to family needs. As such, it's hard for me to devote ample time to projects, e.g. writing reviews, articles, short stories and novels: areas my "creative" critics tend to evade in an upfront way, despite having all the time in the world to do so. It's easier for them to ridicule me and those of my ilk with little jabs and knocks. (It's quite a perplexing deal, which I liken to a plumb couch potato criticizing a super-fit athlete for not maneuvering fast enough on a field. Such a denouncement is fine and dandy in the privacy of a fanboy's home, but when such an individual insinuates he or she could do better than one trained to do the deed, then the denouncement becomes not only absurd, but insultingly delusional.)

With that said, a good number of my opponents will claim that they do, in fact, accomplish more than just sharing uninformed opinions. And by golly, they do. For example, many run snively, Facebook pages, where they have the gall to call themselves historians. In truth, most of these self-proclaimed highbrows struggle to express themselves on their chosen platforms, relying on visitors to fill in the gaps. Their own assertions tend to be erroneous and incomprehensible due to poor syntax. Forgive me, but I always presumed that historians were supposed to be accurate and succinct: in other words, intelligent. (Also, self-publishing a surface-value, "history of" on a character or franchise doesn't automatically make one a historian. Anyone can slap together a pamphlet on any given topic, but that doesn't make one a scholar, any more than collecting tons of memorabilia makes one a be-all/end-all expert on what one collects. For example, my friend's nine-year-old niece owns a ton of Wizard of Oz merchandise, but that doesn't make her a L. Frank Baum authority.) 

Well, there you have my slap-back at those who, well, know it all. (Gosh, it sure feels good to get that off my chiseled chest.) I hope my foes get nice and ruffled by the rebuttal, but if not, I'm certain they'll share more of their know-it-all opinions through more of their know-it-all letters and calls. (Say, you hotshots are more than welcome to leave a comment on this post or heck, do so on my Facebook page; do so anonymously if you want: whatever it takes to weave a prolific debate. And just don't post a comment to purge it a day or so later. Let's see what you've got for the long haul, unless--could it be?!--you really don't know all you profess.😕)