Comic Book Characters Soar

     A few years ago I got to meet Lou Ferrigno at a Philadelphia comic con.  That's where the above picture is from and it's the perfect place for an actor that used to play a green skinned comic character called the Hulk.  He was engaging to chat with and cool to fans.  The guy has a great story - an American dream type - of going from picked on teen to successful body builder to TV star.
     Lou Ferrigno's birthday was a few days ago - November 9th to be exact.  It seems he's 63 and still looks great.  He's left behind his days of hulking out and being green, but the Hulk's still out there in comic books and films.  People age, comic characters get rebooted. 
     Marvel Comics - the company that contains the Hulk - is more active then ever at bringing their colorful creations to the screen.  The Hulk has had his own movies and appeared within the highly profitable Avengers franchise.  In fact recently there has been news regarding a slew of new Marvel characters slated for the silver screen - including such established characters as Black Panther and Dr. Strange.  Of course recent favorites must return like Thor and Captain America.  Marvel apparently plans to have its characters cross over in films and there is apparently a release schedule set for as yet unmade films over the next five years.
     I suppose all this is splendid news for fans, but I wonder if the folks at Marvel productions aren't pushing things a bit - overloading its cash cow to the extreme.  It's happened before.  My prime interest in comic characters was my teenage years, namely the late 80's to the start of the 90's.  It was quite an invigorating time for comics.  Chris Clarmont's X-Men were the rage at Marvel while DC was launching artistic triumphants like Frank Miller's Dark Knight and Watchmen. Yes, as I grew up I watched comics mature in content from recounting the adventures of super heroes to exploring the dark psychology of masked crusaders.  Alas, as the comic book grew as an art form, so did the financial greed of its publishers.  Of course comic's success meant that each company adopted an attitude of multiple covers and crossover storylines to get readers to buy as many comic books as possible.  Eventually I experienced a burn out on trying to keep up with all that.  Apparently a lot of readers and collectors did as well and the lucrative comics industry sort of collapsed.
     Before 1990, comic book film adaptions were a rarity.  There had been black and white serials, but the only big budget color productions were the Christopher Reeve Superman films - in which there was plenty to savor there.
     Comic book characters had experienced more success and longevity on the TV screen before 1990.  DC adaptions include such fondly remembered shows as Adventures of Superman from the 1950's with George Reeves as the ultimate straight laced super hero, the 1960's camp classic Batman starring Adam West and Wonder Woman with Lynda Carter from the 1970's.  The later era also saw a number of Marvel TV adaptions - the most successful being The Incredible Hulk with Lou Ferrigno.  While these series lacked the CGI marvels of today's Marvel film adaptions, I liked the earnestness and creativity associated with them  I guess it just ages me, but I prefer these old adaptions to today's, which seem everywhere.  But then so did Marvel comic books in the 80's.  We shall see how long the film franchise thrives.   


   

Jack The Ripper Strikes Again!

November 9th marks the date that the mutilated body of Mary Kelly was found in her Whitechapel lodgings in 1888. This horrid crime is the last officially attributed to the murderous fiend referred to as Jack the Ripper.
Jack the Ripper has become a legend due to his diabolical work, but everything about him remains a mystery – from his motivation to his identity. Suspects considered have ranged from Kosminski, a mentally unbalanced immigrant living in poverty in Whitechapel, to Great Britain’s royal family. Even the number of Ripper victims varies. Five female prostitutes are generally attributed to the Ripper’s reign of terror – but there are unsolved murders before and after the five crimes generally accepted to have been done by Jack which some experts blame the Ripper for. At any rate, Mary Kelly’s was the last officially labeled a ‘Ripper’ murder. Unlike the Ripper’s other victims who were found in the street, Mary Kelly was murdered in her lodgings, which allowed Jack the Ripper a better opportunity to mutilate his victim and he took full advantage of this opportunity.
I've long been fascinated by the legend of Jack the Ripper.  I've watched films, documentaries and more on the subject as well as read a few books concerning the Ripper.  In fact, I was even moved to write a fictional book of my own involving Jack the Ripper and my interest in vampires.  The book is called TERROR'S TASTE.  Jack the Ripper also appeared in a short story of mine of a more realistic nature called THE WHITECHAPEL WAGERS which appears in my collection of fiction and poetry called SUMMONED SECRETS.  I'm not alone in a little creative speculation on the subject. 
Filmmakers have had a field day on the subject of Jack the Ripper. In fact they’ve recruited such iconic British figures as Sherlock Holmes and H.G. Wells to face off against the mad murderer. In MURDER BY DECREE,  Sherlock Holmes (Christopher Plummer) and Dr. Watson (James Mason) pursued the wicked murderer to the highest level of the monarchy. In  TIME AFTER TIME, Jack the Ripper steals the time machine crafted by H.G. Wells to flee from the authorities into the furture of 1979. David Warner is chilling as Jack the Ripper, who looks favorably upon society’s changes, and Malcom McDowell portrays Wells as a charming adventurer adrift in a strange new era in pursuit of the fiend he has unwittingly unleashed on it.
A more realistic view of the Ripper crimes can be found in FROM HELL starring Johnny Depp as the inspector matched against the vile Ripper. The film develops a jarringly realistic view of life in Whitechapel for its inhabitants. The film does indulge in a bit of fictional fantasy regarding the character of Inspector Abberline, who in Depp’s perormance is prone to visions and whose fate is different from real life history.
TV has had its own interests in the Ripper crimes. In 1988 to mark the 100th anniversary of the crime, a CBS mini-series simply called JACK THE RIPPER starred Michael Caine as Inspector Abberline. His hunt for the Ripper also found its way to Britain’s royal bloodline and its corridors of power.  More recent TV undertakings have been more interested with the Ripper’s legacy. RIPPER STREET deals with the policemen patroling Whitechapel immediately after the Ripper murders and WHITECHAPEL deals with policeman in current day Whitechapel.
The 1980’s comic book series BLOOD OF THE INNOCENT maintained much of the facts of the case while introducing Dracula for a gothic match up of evil.


                                 Below: Myself & Malcolm McDowell of Time After Time.

Below: Terror's Taste book cover.

 

 

 

Havre de Haunts Tours

I was born in Havre de Grace. The town has played host to some historic figures of fame as well as some dark deeds. It is believed a few inhabitants of this picturesque town have elected to continue to reside in Havre de Grace even after their deaths.

Havre de Haunts Tours and Paranormal Research was founded in 2013 to preserve the history of Havre de Grace and investigate its supernatural occurences.

In October the group offer tours highlighting Havre de Grace's history and ghostly legends. I'm happy to say that I will be assisting with some tours.

My tentative schedule to give tours is as follows -

Fri Oct 3rd at 7pm
Sat Oct 4th at 7pm
Fri Oct 17th at 7pm
Sat Oct 18th at 8:30pm
Fri Oct 24th at 7pm & 8:30pm
Sat Oct 25th at 8:30pm
Fri Oct 31 at 8:30pm
Sat Nov 1st at 7pm
Fri Nov 7th at 7pm
Sat Nov 8th at 7 pm

For a complete listing of tours go to http://havredehaunts.com where you can purchase tickets and learn more about Havre de Haunts Tours and Paranormal Research.

Havre de Grace currently offers festivities on First Fridays and annual parades for holidays like Christmas and Halloween. The city once offered a movie theater dating back to the silent age of cinema. The theater is no longer active, but its spirits are and may provide ghostly piano music.

Short Chills

One of the first places I placed my writings online was at microhorror.com.  Nathan Rosen is microhorror's editor, a site dedicated toward presenting a vast variety of writers and fiction all with a common goal - to leave the reader with a frightening feeling using a minimum amount of words.

My stories at microhorror.com include:

The Whitechapel Wagers - The bets of two gamblers result in terror for those living in Whitechapel.

Like Taking Candy - A night of Halloween trick or treating has a horrifying effect on several kids.

The Cemetery - All is not quiet in a graveyard - thanks to one of its residents!

Several of my stories at microhorror found their way into my collection of short stories, Summoned Secrets, which is available at www.lulu.spotlight/spotlight/wrigler

Mr. Rosen has honored me by asking me to help in the judging of the 2013 Halloween contest entries and I'm very pleased to say that exciting events are continuing to occur at www.microhorror.com including a new story contest in celebration of Halloween next month.

MANC Approaches

     Once more Maryland's Hunt Valley Wyndham is about to play host to three days of film and entertainment inspired fun! September 18 to 20th are the dates of the 9th annual Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention.  I've been happily attending since it first started in Aberdeen, Maryland.  The con has definately grown over the years and played host to a multitude of guests, from cinematic classics to sitcom favorites!  The list of past celebrity guests includes - but is not limited to - Larry Storch, Ron Ely, Davy Jones, James Best, Ed Asner, Julie Newmar, and Lana Wood.  In fact Wood was at the first con and must have had a good time as she is returning.  And the former Bond girl will fit right in as a Bond himself, George Lazenby, is amongst this year's guest list which also includes Veronica Cartwright, Piper Laurie, Josip Elic and William Sanderson (another returning guest)!  The con is a great chance to collect autographs and have pics taken with the guests.  There's a movie room plus seminars and slide shows address a wide variety of topics from entertainment's history.  See you there!

For more info go to www.MidAtlanticNostalgiaConvention.com     

Top pic -myself and Ed Asner at 2013 MANC. 
Bottom pic - Larry Storch, myself and Josip Elic at Storch's stand up event in NYC.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PINK ELEPHANTS

The circus music has started to play
and here comes a sight that’s strange for the day.
Pink elephants march all straight in a line
and lift up their trunks to reach for your wine.
Just give them their sips before you must go
to brew some coffee to end this strange show.


2014 William P. Rigler

William P. Rigler's books are available at www.lulu.com/spotlight/wrigler

Essential Sci-Fi Films

Sci-Fi is a genre that has been popular with filmmakers since the inception of the medium.  Check out Georges Melies 1902 short silent film, A Trip to the Moon, as an example.  Space travel, alien life forms, and futuristic predictions have long preoccupied the minds of filmmakers.  The following list is what I consider the most influential sci-fi films ever made and must viewing for film fans...

METROPOLIS - Acclaimed director Fritz Lang's 1927 epic view of a futuristic society/environment boasts impressive effects (for the era) and unforgettable German expressionist images (for any era).  Ingredients of the complex story include a disgruntled mad scientist and a female android that is a pawn for revolutionary ends.  The android's initial appearence was reputedly an inspiration for the look of Star War's C3PO while its scene of creation was an influence on James Whales work in the original Frankenstein.  This vision of the future must have been awesome to its original audience.  Its theme of the need for the heart to mediate between the hands (workers) and head (society's leaders)  still resonates.

THINGS TO COME – Based on a story by famed science fiction author H. G. Wells, this film was released in 1936 and the story starts at Christmas time 1940. It chronicles the occurrence of a great war, the struggle humanity undergoes to survive the aftermath and attempts to rebuild a society that can one day reach to travel to the moon. Raymond Massey stars in two roles and the film’s tone is quite somber throughout. There’s not a trace of camp or humor in this film, just a straight forward chronicle. But I have to say that the segment chronicling the walking death reminds me of a current popular TV series.

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY - This collaboration from famed director Stanley Kubrick and visionary science fiction writer Authur C. Clarke is a cinematic hallmark.  The movie meditates on humanity's evolution as well as its place is the cosmos.  Its enigmatic approach to aliens and artificial life forms both baffled and entranced audiences.  Visual effects reached new levels in this 1968 film and space became more majestic then ever before.  Kubrick's approach of minmal acting and inclusion of classical music to enhance the journey into space is enthralling.

PLANET OF THE APES - Another 1968 science fiction film of great ambition that has remained popular is Planet of the Apes, based on a novel by Pierrre Boulle.  The movie starred Charlton Heston as an astonaut who crash lands on a world run by apes.  With Heston's experience at playing history's great characters, who better to face of for humanity against the apes?  Plus screenwriter Rod Serling adds a shocking final scene that has become iconic in the annals of cinema.  I'd consider this the best of the Ape films, however the initial four films that followed in the early 70's were pretty good.  And filmmakers won't let the franchise goes.  The original was remade by Tim Burton in 2001.  New versions of the saga have since appeared, the latest of which mere days ago under the title Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  

STAR WARS - While 2001 renewed interest in sci-fi as a mind expanding force and Planet of the Apes initiated the profitable bonanza of sci-fi film marketing, it was George Lucas' Star Wars that made the genre all the rage for sudio and viewers.  With a simple plot of good against evil and colorful characters drawn from sturdy archetypes, Star Wars' appearence in 1977 was a sensation with audiences. Two sequels quickly followed with the same cast and characters. In the 90's a trilogy appeared focusing on earlier events. 



                      FORGET THE ZOMBIE INVASION - WORRY ABOUT THE APES!

 

Myself posed with prop rifle and uniform from original Apes film that is part of a friend's collection.