Ripley's Believe it or Not - Part 1

As a kid I was an avid reader of any Ripley's book I could lay my hands on. It's where I got all my info about the weird and wonderful. So when I spied this comic at work, I just had to have it. It was somewhat disappointing as it was not packed full of the small thumbnails cataloging the strange and bizarre that I remember from my paperbacks. This 1971 issue of True Demons and Monsters features only a few stories. They stories themselves though, totally remind me of the kind thing Mulder would recount to Scully to demonstrate that these weird and bizarre things happen more than you think.

The stories in this issue include, The Trumpeting Demons of Death (revenge story featuring ghostly elephants), Vengeance of the Kobolds (creatures undermining the local mines), The Horror of the Black Lake (underwater monster), and Prey of the Banshee (yep, story about a Banshee). There's also a one page story, in text only, called The Dark Cloud (demon terrorizing local farmer).

Years later, all this interest in weirdness would lead me to the Fortean Times and Charles Fort.

I have to close the pages now because my nose is being infiltrated by the mustiness floating off this ancient tome...and god knows what else!

X-files fun

I think I've mentioned before that my husband and I are re-watching the X-files on Netflix. We are in Season 5 right now, which is where I find things start to get somewhat bogged down. However, among the episodes we've watched up to this point are a few that I think are fine Halloween viewing.

If you are looking for something typically Halloween-y then Chinga or The Calusari might interest you.





If you are looking for something a bit more blood filled try Die Hand Die Verletz.



But if you are looking for something a little lighter try The Modern Prometheus (a re-telling of Frankenstein).

I am saving 3 of the scariest episodes for tomorrow night....

Feeling monstrous...

Transcontinental moves are difficult to say the least. Because we've done this once before I know there is an awkward period of transition. On the border of the past and the threshold of the future it's a liminal time; neither here nor there, neither this nor that. Doesn't make it any easier but good to know it will pass.

Horny, hairy and horrifying: the scariest monsters in art

Dead Skeletons

More familiar faces (or Totenskelett a.k.a. dead skeletons) from German-language catalogs for the celebration of Karneval. This time from 1974 --- the last image (a nautical pirate theme) contains a skeleton figure (articulated, embossed, diecut) that was here available in 2 sizes - 70 cm (~27 1/2") and 125 cm (~ 50"). 

Update 12-13-2015 Per some additional queries to those selling these old catalogs, as well as further research by another into more recent editions... it appears years 71/72, 74, and 76 have nearly 90% (?) of the same content, though I have not personally observed this with actual copies. I've been told the skeleton seen above didn't always have the same sizes available from year to year.