MORE "FAMOUS JAPANESE MONSTERS" ARE HERE! "Clash of the Kaiju!" Run Amok in FM #262

新発売!『フェイマス・モンスターズ』No. 262の怪獣映画大全!


Another stunning kaiju cover by the redoubtable Bob Eggleton!

As the old saying goes, you can't keep a good kaiju down! So, in the monstrous footsteps of the Sold Out success of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" #259 (including a coveted Rondo Award for my interview with Haruo "Mr. Godzilla" Nakajima), the Kaiju Krew is back again for another "All Japanese Monsters" issue, in the tradition of the legendary FM #114!

This time around, we've got more variety and close-up looks at films and television shows that aren't covered elsewhere. For starters, we have my feature on the new SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO: 2199 (and reviews of the recent live action version from 2010 and the animated feature film from 2009 by Tim Eldred) as well as solid features on THE SPACE GIANTS (by Roy Ware), SPECTREMAN (by Edward Holland), VARAN THE UNBELIEVABLE (by Bob Eggleton), INAZUMAN (by David E. Chapple), MATANGO (by Jason Varney), an overview of contemporary monster makers Tomo'o Haraguchi and Fuyuki Shinada (by Jim Cironella), and an in-depth comparison of the 1990s Godzilla and Gamera films (by Matt Frank).

Plus, there are pieces on THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (by Richard J. Schellbach), IDW's Godzilla comic (by Holly Interlandi), Kaiju Eiga on Super 8mm (by David McRobie), an In Memoriam listing of Japanese filmmakers and creators who've left us over the last year (by John Paul Cassidy), and a look at some upcoming Japanese toys being released in the US (not to mention an interview with Rick Baker on his retro-aliens for MIB 3).

There is also a special "Monster World" logo cover available as well (see below)! Even before this hits the stands, I've been told by the Grue Crew at FM that this issue is selling out — FAST — so don't miss out and order directly from the Captain Company, TODAY! But, don't despair... There will be another "All Japanese Monsters Issue" coming next year... Same Gyaos Time, Same Gyaos Channel!


Collector's variant "Monster World" cover available online!

GODZILLA FANS, WIN A RONDO FOR NAKAJIMA! "Rondo Horror Awards" Voting Ends April 1st

Don't you think that Godzilla himself deserves a Rondo? Then VOTE!

Forget the inanity of the Academy Awards® and those flaccid Oscars© — it's time to voting for this year's nominees in 10th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards! Another year has passed, and I've again been humbled in being nominated thrice this time around! First, for my interview with Godzilla himself, Haruo Nakajima, appearing in Famous Monsters of Filmland #256 (an "All Japanese Monsters" issue in which I also served as Associate Editor). Then, another for my blog, The Good, The Bad, and Godzilla (which you are currently reading), for a fourth consecutive nomination! And last, but not least, for Mr. Nakajima's stage appearance at the Monsterpalooza convention last April, for which I presented and moderated (although I am not named on the ballot). There's a lot of competition every year, so please take the time to vote, because we have quite a few other deserving nominees, as always!

Here are the categories I'm running in for this year's Rondos:

14. BEST INTERVIEW (Award goes to the Interviewer): "Haruo Nakajima: The Man of a Thousand Monsters," by August Ragone. FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #256. The man who played Godzilla, Rodan, Gargantua and many others recalls the hot suit, the staged battles and the work ethic.

18. BEST BLOG OF 2011: "The Good, the Bad and the Godzilla", August Ragone's G-blog is wise among giant monsters. (Although my blog is not limited to Japanese monster flicks, or giant monster movies, or even Japanese films, in general.)

20. BEST FAN EVENT OF 2011: "They Called Him Godzilla". Hauro Nakajima talks about wearing the Godzilla suit. Monsterpalooza in Burbank. (If this takes the win, despite the stiff [no pun intended] competition, I will present this Rondo to Mr. Nakajima, himself!)

I should also chime in that 15. BEST MAGAZINE FILMBOOK, THEME OR SPECIAL CONTENT has a "Write In" option; and I would strongly suggest writing in, "Famous Monsters #256: Colossal Kaiju Invasion" (All Japanese Monsters) Issue!

Thanks for indulging me and let's get Mr. Nakajima a Rondo because he's a living legend and deserves it (I hope you'll vote in my favor, too — because I never win anything; and it would be cool to win a Rondo)! For a full listing of this year's nominees, your ballot, and how to vote, please visit the link below: All ballots must be received by Midnight on Sunday, April 1, 2012! Good luck to all of this year's Nominees!

The 10th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Film Awards Ballot!

HEY, IT'S THAT "RONDO AWARDS" TIME AGAIN! August Ragone Garners Three Big Nominations

The coveted "Rondo Award" statuette, sculpted by Kerry Gammill.

Forget the inanity of the Academy Awards® and those flaccid Oscars© — it's time to voting for this year's nominees in 10th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards! Another year has past, and I've again been humbled in being nominated thrice this time around! First, for my interview with Godzilla himself, Haruo Nakajima, appearing in Famous Monsters of Filmland #256 (an "All Japanese Monsters" issue in which I also served as Associate Editor). Then, another for my blog, The Good, The Bad, and Godzilla (which you are currently reading), for a fourth consecutive nomination! And last, but not least, for Mr. Nakajima's stage appearance at the Monsterpalooza convention last April, for which I presented and moderated (although I am not named on the ballot). There's a lot of competition every year, so please take the time to vote, because we have quite a few other deserving nominees, as always!

Here are the categories I'm running in for this year's Rondos:

14. BEST INTERVIEW (Award goes to the Interviewer): "Haruo Nakajima: The Man of a Thousand Monsters," by August Ragone. FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #256. The man who played Godzilla, Rodan, Gargantua and many others recalls the hot suit, the staged battles and the work ethic.

18. BEST BLOG OF 2011: "The Good, the Bad and the Godzilla", August Ragone's G-blog is wise among giant monsters. (Although my blog is not limited to Japanese monster flicks, or giant monster movies, or even Japanese films, in general.)

20. BEST FAN EVENT OF 2011: "They Called Him Godzilla". Hauro Nakajima talks about wearing the Godzilla suit. Monsterpalooza in Burbank. (If this takes the win, despite the stiff [no pun intended] competition, I will present this Rondo to Mr. Nakajima, himself!)

I should also chime in that 15. BEST MAGAZINE FILMBOOK, THEME OR SPECIAL CONTENT has a "Write In" option; and I would strongly suggest writing in, "Famous Monsters #256: Colossal Kaiju Invasion" (All Japanese Monsters) Issue!

Thanks for indulging me and I hope you'll vote in my favor (because I never win anything; and it would be cool to win a Rondo)! For a full listing of this year's nominees, your ballot, and how to vote, please visit the link below: All ballots must be received by Midnight on Sunday, April 1, 2012! Good luck to all of this year's Nominees!

The 10th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Film Awards Ballot!

FAMOUS MONSTERS' COLOSSAL KAIJU INVASION! The New FM Returns to Monster Island in #256

新発売!『フェイマス・モンスターズ』No. 256の怪獣映画大全!


Fangtastic Godzilla vs. Ultraman & Goldar cover by Bob Eggleton!

Last Fall, celebrated artist (my pal and fellow Godzilla freak), Bob Eggleton, and I were approached by the publisher of the latest incarnation Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, Phil Kim, to put together an "All Japanese Monsters Issue" akin to the legendary Famous Monsters #114, published in 1975 — which was the best-selling issue in their history. During our two-hour conference call, the three of us geeked out on what made that issue so special, and how this "FM #114 for the 21st Century" could do the same.

So, as the Contributing Editor, I lined up a veritable "A-Team" of fans who never seem to get enough of the spotlight for their expertise, contributions, and efforts to promote Japanese Fantasy Films and Television outside of Japan. After giving them their assignments, I handed them over to FM's claws-on editor with flair, Ed Blair. All of them did a killer job on their pieces, and together, we created a solid, updated bookend to the 1975 issue. A Kaiju Eiga 101 for a new generation.

Our FM #256 A-Team included Edward L. Holland (founder of Monster Attack Team) on KIKAIDA, David McRobie (creator of Xenorama) on the original Gamera films (with a sidebar on Shusuke Kaneko's Gamera trilogy by Jason Varney), Roy Ware (founder of Black Sun) on JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT, Jim Cirronella (producer of Autopsy of the Dead) on ULTRA Q, Philip Nino Tan-Gatue on how the Super Robot genre spawned Transformers, Artist Matt Frank on IDW's new Godzilla comic, and David Eric Dopko on Collecting Japanese Monster Toys.

Bob Eggleton also provides a piece on how much he loves Godzilla (and that's a lot), while yours truly provided ramblings on Eiji Tsuburaya and the Honda-Tsuburaya Godzilla films, snagged an exclusive interview with Godzilla himself, Haruo Nakajima (with some great photos by Chris Mirjahangir and an tremendous title page by Jolyon B. Yates), and got to gush about the thing that got me into this whole mess: ULTRAMAN! We even ran the original Forrest J. Ackerman article which ignited the crazy myth that there were "two endings" filmed for KING KONG VS. GODZILLA — and last, but not least — none other than John Carpenter, the Master of Horror himself, dropped us some kind words about Japanese Monsters!

Working on a breakneck deadline, we pulled everything together like Baron Frankenstein, gathered up some terrorific images, let the layout people do their thing, proofs, and then... viola! We're done and the final is off to the printers... and we all waited for the June release date to see just how this Nipponese monster melange has congealed. Then, we received a message from the man at the top of the stairs, Phil Kim, who brings us some startling news: "Before it has even hit the stands, FM #256 is SOLD OUT!" We were stunned. Elated. Flabbergasted. History had repeated itself, and then-some!

The Newsstand version (sporting a Transformers 3 cover by Paul Gerrard) had sold out from the publisher, and copies of Bob Eggleton Godzilla cover edition (available through Diamond Distributors) were filled and those in the hands of FM's own Captain Company were running dangerously low. And it didn't take long for those remaining 150 copies to fly out into the mail faster than Rodan on a rampage, thus placing FM #256 into the history books as another benchmark for the legendary magazine — grab one while you can!

The question now is, can King Ghidorah's lightning strike thrice? Well, as the old saying goes, only time, and a certain Venusian Prophetess, will tell!