One neat review from "Salt Lake City Paranormal Examiner", Steven Symes, about the Secret Saturdays' impact on Cryptozoology for kids, and another by Radical Raven at
Cartoon Network has just launched their online fighting robot game TKO: Titanic Kungfubot Offensive, and players can choose one of three Secret Saturdays character bots to do battle with. Check out the awesome designs for Van Rook, Zak Saturday, and Munya (above) by Vanhoozer Studios! Wicked!
Heads' up-- I'll be appearing at the Toronto FanExpo this coming weekend, August 28th-30th 2009. Come on by if you're in the neighborhood and chat me up. Other cool, creepy guests include legendary horror film stars Barbera Steele and Bruce Campbell, the King of B-Movies, Roger Corman, and Master of Horror Mags, Rue Morgue, with whom I've just talked to for a piece on creepy cartoons that will appear in the October ish. (above: cover rough for Cartoon Network Action Pack #44)
There's a nice article on the Secret Saturdays game over at Kidzworld that's of special note because it's got 3 mini-interview videos with Phil 'Doc' Morris, Nicole 'Drew' Sullivan, and Jess 'Piecemeal' Harnell! Go check it out!
I'm a fan of Mark Buford's daily comic strip Scary Gary. It's a creepy monster comedy with a dry, and often dark, sense of humor. I haven't seen a dud yet. The strip centers around Gary the vampire and his green, demonic, sidekick, Leopold as they try to adjust to life in the suburbs. There's also a nerdy ghost named Owen and a head in a jar named Travis. From Go Comics: "He's rather burned out on vampirism and is ready to hang up his cape... but Leopold keeps the neighborhood thoroughly terrorized."
Once in a while something creeps on on me and blows my monster-lovin' mind. Spook House Dave! snuck up from Atlanta, a cute, creepy cross between Mad Monster Party and the Muppets, created by delightfully deranged puppet master Lucky Yates and Dragonfruit geniuses Melissa Honabach and Michael Koziol. I love it!
The jaystephens.com website is in the midst of a major, and long overdue, update. Check out the new Gallery images, updated Checklist, Bio, and more. I'll try and maintain it better from now on, I swear!
Loren Coleman at Cryptomundo has reported that eminent Cryptozoologist John A. Keel passed away on Friday, July 3rd. Keel was a controversial and influential writer and investigator, best known for his work 'The Mothman Prophesies' about a cryptid sighted in West Virginia in the late 1960's, that was later made into a Hollywood film of the same name. Keel's theories about cryptid sightings, which combined other paranormal and occult areas of study with cryptozoology, influenced the creation of The Secret Saturdays. As a tribute, I recommend checking out one of his many weird, wonderful books out from your local Library. See you on the other side, John.
... and not just because that's our month on the CN 2009 Calendar (check out that sasquatch Nood above!). July is also the month we launch the Toy line... all this cool stuff is out now, so do me, the series, and cartoons on Cartoon Network a big favour and support the Secret Saturdays! Later this month (the 21st) will see the release of the first Saturdays DVD, too, and the second one has just been announced. It's starting to get exciting!
I was 12 years old when the mind-blowing video for Thriller was released. It's an understatement to say that this 14 minute horror musical, with it's zombies, werewolves, and Vincent Price narration, did more to popularize the horror genre for folks my age than any single film from that period. Michael Jackson and John Landis created lasting horror-pop with this video that influenced and inspired a generation. Monsterama gives props. At the other end of Michael Jacksons' career, we have the mysterious, long-haired, masked weirdo, who lived in a twisted theme park with a mansion full of the world's oddest curiosities (like the skeletal remains of Joseph Merrick, the 'Elephant Man'). No matter how horrible he became, he retained a legion of fans, many of whom actually enjoyed reading about his latest bizarre exploits. It ought to come as no surprise that the character of Argost from my show The Secret Saturdays is partially inspired by this late-period Jackson. From the Jackson 5 songs of my youth, to the eccentric stranger of recent years, I own Michael Jackson a great debt for the inspiration received. 
Newsarama has posted a wonderful interview with one of my favourite people, Phil 'Doc Saturday' Morris. The talk is primarily about the Brave And The Bold show, but leave it Phil to make sure the Saturdays got some mention! From the link--
Not sure which issue of Strange Tales my four-pager featuring Morbius and The Beast will appear in, but I'm sure glad this stuff is finally seeing print! And check out that cover by my pal Pope on the first issue-- excelsior!!!
Here's a little hype about all the wicked Secret Saturdays merch heading your way this summer. The cryptids are taking over the world! (Saturdays computer screen image by Geno)
Monsterama is all about cute creeps. I'm a big fan of scary stuff aimed at children. But I'm noticing a cultural trend towards exposing kids to the genuinely terrifying that puzzles and interests me. I mean, as a parent, I'm not sure I get the idea of gross-out kiddie cars, or making kids believe they are being attacked by a zombie. Not that I don't find it fascinating to look at. The awesome band MGMT really captures this vibe in their new video for Kids. What's going on, here? I'm interested in your opinions...
Check out the exclusive preview clip of the Secret Saturdays console game, "Beasts Of The 5th Sun" over at kidzworld! Looks awesome! From the site: "... players will take control of multiple characters that include the entire Saturday family... and some select Cryptids to fly, swing, pole vault and battle enemies. Players will adventure through 10 action packed levels in amazing environments from dangerous jungles to lost undersea cities to collect and interact with more than 50 never-before-seen Cryptids. Along the way, players will record the details of each find in their very own Cryptipedia. Fun puzzle elements allow players to locate hidden Cryptids and discover new paths as they fight recognizable enemies from the show including Van Rook, Piecemeal, Munya and the evil V.V. Argost.
The new 10 episodes of the Secret Saturdays are shaping up very nicely. You'll have to wait until the Fall to see what I mean, but here's a little teaser image of just a few of the many cryptids that will be making an appearance. That's the Lake Van Monster, Xing-Xing, Arabhar, Vltava River Sprite, and a new Naga...
The Secret Saturdays Film Manga books aren't the only serialized publications by Del Rey/Random House to launch this summer. We're also going to get cool little chapter books, like the one shown above (Vol. 3, The Call Of Kur), featuring art by the likes of series director Scott Jeralds and the ever-wicked Ethan Beavers. The first two in the series will be adaptations of the Hibagon and Kumari Kandam episodes. Add the Field Guide into the mix, and you've got yourself quite a Secret Saturdays Library!
