LATEST NEWS (6/29/05):
IT'S HERE! Monsters from the Vault #20 premiered at Monster Bash on 6/24/2005 (click on the "MFTV Road Trips" link for a report and photos). This issue, like the first issue, is dedicated to my late mother who passed away while I was working on the first issue of MFTV 10 years ago. She's always in my thoughts, and without her kindness and understanding of my love of Monsters there would be no Monsters from the Vault today. I miss you Mom!
If you're a subscriber your copy of #20 will ship by July 1st. For those who buy the magazine from their local comic book shop or Tower Records, you should start to see copies on their shelves in two or three weeks after the Bash. All future subscribers, and current subscribers planning to renew their subscriptions, need to note our new subscription rates. I held out as long as possible, but the ever increasing cost of postage has force me to raise our subscription rates, and do away with some completely. Please click on the "Subscription Info" link for the new rates before sending your payment.
This past Memorial Day weekend Marian and I attended our first Wonderfest in Louisville, Kentucky. We had a wonderful time hanging out with many old friends (most of whom are regulars in the Old Dark Clubhouse at Ron Adams' Monster Bash Convention) and meeting many new ones. Hats off to the organizers of the show (especially Donnie Waddell and Dave Conover); they provided us with a wonderful weekend of fun filled with great programming. A few of the highlights were the Tribute to Wah Chang, Greg Nicotero's presentation on Land of The Dead, the showing of The Time Machine on the big screen, and Dr. Gangrene's Chiller Cinema Live on Saturday night, which was a 70th birthday bash for Bob Burns complete with a screening of Bob's short film Major Mars and an episode of The Ghost Busters TV series from the mid-seventies. The evening concluded with a surprise visit from Miss Shock and Tracy the Gorilla.Everyone couldn't wait to get their pictures taken with them. Last but not least was Sunday morning's Monster Kid Home Movies (which will premiere at this year's Monster Bash) presentation with Joe Busam, Bob Burns, and Frank Dietz. I got to view most of the Monster Kid Home Movies DVD Friday night with Joe Busam and Gary Prange, but I also received my advance copy of the DVD. All I can say is WOW! What started as a few Monster Kids taking their home movies to Monster Bash to share with others in the Old Dark Clubhouse has come full circle with this extraordinary DVD release. While the idea of putting these movies together on a DVD had been kicked around for a few years, it took a monumental effort by Joe Busam to make it happen.
The awesome cover artwork, the "How to Make a Box Monster" insert (courtesy of Richard Olson), the DVD that looks like a 8mm movie reel, and the fantastic menu design all show that this DVD was made for Monster Kids by a Monster Kid. You can watch the films (30 in all) with music and sound effects (in most cases added by Joe), with commentary by the filmmakers, or with the hum of an 8mm projector running. The bottom line is, no matter how you watch, the end result is the same: pure pleasure. I've seen many of the films over the years at Monster Bash, but believe me they've never looked this good. Joe has done a remarkable job cleaning them up and adjusting the color balance so that the films look much better than they were ever expected to look. There are also filmmaker biographies and, in some cases, still galleries. I won't go into the films, as they must be seen to be believed, but with a running time of approximately 3 hours, this DVD is a bargain at any price. (Click on the image for ordering information.) Along with Flip, Monster Kid Home Movies is a DVD that belongs on the shelf of every Monster Kid, whether young or old. I salute all the filmmakers for their creativity (many times at a very young age) and perseverance; you've all created something very special and you should be very proud of yourselves. I only wish my father would have let me use his Super 8 camera when I wanted to; if he had, one of my films might have been included. So, everyone start digging around for your Monster Kid Home Movies, because if this DVD is successful (and how can it not be?), thereÕll be more volumes to come. What else can I say except, Joe Busam, you're my choice for "Monster Kid of the Year"!
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