It was a whole year before our writing group held another round. That was The Scary Round V, which we held around Halloween time in 2010. Once again I wrote a very short story about some things that were interesting to me at the time: classic monsters and time travel. Ideas for this one had been rolling around in my head for a few years, and in a couple of different forms, so I was glad to finally get them out and on paper. I know this story mixed genres, but I figured if humans could time travel (in fiction, at least) then fictional characters should be able to time travel as well, right? 

"Ender's Game" is a 1977 science fiction novelette by Orson Scott Card. It is about an eleven year old boy who is drafted to command other kids in a very important military game.

G.I. Joe, A Real American Hero #5

• Date: November 1982
• Publisher: Marvel Comics Group
• Cover Price: 60¢
• 2013 Price Range: $3 - $25
• Stats: 22 color pages plus ads, "Postbox: The Pit!" letters page and Bullpen Bulletins
• Writer: Larry Hama
• Other Artists: Don Perlin, Jon D’Agostino & Mike Esposito, Jim Novak, Stan Goldberg
• Notable Notes: Cobra tries to steal a tank!

A Grand Parade

Have you ever seen a parade with a tank in it? I don't think I have. All the parades I've been to have the boring military vehicles - like the troop carriers, the ambulances, the fire trucks and such. I would totally love to see a state-of-the-art tank roll down the road in front of me! Oh well, here is a story where that exact scenario happens. I didn't see them throwing any candy though!

I didn't want to read this book, and had resisted doing so for a long, long time. My wife read it many years ago, and loved it, and kept telling me that I should read it. But I had seen the 1993 movie so many times that I felt the book wouldn't be able to keep my interest - since I knew the main plot and characters and all.

"Who’s Afraid of Wolf 359?" is a 2007, Hugo nominated, science fiction short story by Ken MacLeod. It is about a man who agrees to investigate an abandoned experimental civilization around a distant red dwarf.

The Friendly Ghost, Casper #206

• Date: October 1979
• Publisher: Harvey Publications, Inc.
• Cover Price: 40¢
• 2013 Price Range: $1.00 - $9.00
• Stats: 23 color pages plus ads
• Writers: ?
• Artists: ?
• Notable Notes: Casper visits Cardland!

Another Famous Harvey Comic

I've mentioned before that I grew up reading Harvey comics, and that they are a big reason I love comic books so much. Anyway, I thought Casper was cool but he wasn't my favorite Harvey character - that honor belonged to Hot Stuff. Casper was definitely the most famous of Harvey's characters though, and even now, years after the comics stopped being published, you can still find proof of the popularity of this friendly ghost!

Our writing group began life when we all wrote a scary story for Halloween in 2005. Every year after that (for a while) we held another "scary" round and would contribute stories to a Halloween themed contest. In 2009, for The Scary Round IV, I contributed this little piece.  At the time I was fascinated with the idea of what it would be like to have aliens living among us. Also, I had just re-watched Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory with my two young sons - so that influenced me too!

"The Last Question" is a 1956 science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It is about a super computer that is asked a question about the end of the universe - and the very, very long time it takes to come up with an answer.

The Man of Steel #4

• Date: 1986
• Publisher: DC Comics
• Cover Price: 75¢
• 2013 NM Price: $4.00
• Stats: 22 color pages plus ads
• Writer & Penciller: John Byrne
• Other Artists: Dick Giordano, Tom Zuiko, John Costanza
• Notable Notes: The start of the bad blood between Superman and Lex Luthor!

Friends Then Enemies

I wonder how many enemies in this world actually started off on relatively good terms with each other? It seems like a common thread that people who get along reasonably well can end up hating each other with a burning passion when they perceive that the other one has intentionally hurt them. The world of comics and super-heroes is no different it seems, and in this issue we learn how Superman's biggest enemy came to dislike him so much.

A couple of years after my first exposure to Picasso at the Hakone Open-air Museum in Japan, I decided to learn more about Picasso and the history of painting in general. Thus, I signed up for an art appreciation class at university.