Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Captain's bLog: 0702.14

I haven't done one of these round-up posts since last November. Man, I've really been slacking off, huh? Anyway,you may have noticed that I've been posting a little more frequently of late, and it's my plan to to get back to somewhat regular updates here on the blog. I doubt I'll be posting daily again (there was a while there when I was posting twice a day!), but I'll try very hard to get in at least a couple posts a week. In fact, look for a new "Space Babes" post on Friday.

I want to thank the few loyal readers who generously donated to the Space: 1970 editorial fund (link in the sidebar) over the last few months. I am incredibly grateful, and feel guilty that I didn't post more. I hope to rectify that over the coming weeks.

As an early birthday (coming up next week) gift, my wife picked me up one of the recently re-issued Space: 1999 Eagle Transporter kits from Round 2 models. This is a replica of the original MPC/Fundimensions kit from the 1970's, and I'm thrilled to have it again. (I hope they re-issue the Hawk Interceptor soon!) I also recently picked up the fifth and final season of The Six Million Dollar Man on DVD, and have been really enjoying revisiting it. Steve Austin spends a lot more time as an astronaut this season - even returning to the moon - and there are rematches with Bigfoot and a new Death Probe. Plus aliens. So, you know, all the good stuff.

On Video: As noted in previous posts, the 1983 Roger Corman-produced Space Raiders is due out on DVD and Blu-ray in August from Scorpion Releasing. It's a fun flick, full of recycled effects footage from Battle Beyond The Stars (and, I think, 1982's Android), and I'll enjoy having a copy in my library.

I missed it, but 1975's Rollerball was released a month or two ago on Blu-ray by Twilight Time. Unfortunately, it was a limited edition, and has sold out from the company. That's disappointing, because I really would have liked to pick up a copy.

Suddenly, I'm also thinking that I've forgotten another upcoming 70s sci-fi release. I really should start making notes.

UPDATE: I was right. I did forget something. Kino Video will be releasing a Blu-ray edition of the 1979 disaster flick, Meteor, in September. I'll post more info on this release soon.

Space: 1970 Wants You: I've always been open to - and grateful for - submissions from my readers. Now I want to outright encourage you folks to send me any cool Space: 1970-era stuff you might think would be interesting to your fellow Star Kids. Rare photos and production art, behind-the-scenes stills, nominations for "Space Babes" or Reader Polls, pretty much anything, really. Hell, even if you'd like to write a Guest Post, just e-mail me. I'll do my best to credit any contributions I use, of course.

Shameless self-promotion: Finally, I'm still working on my sci-fi adventure webcomic, Perils On Planet X, which is illustrated by the talented Gene Gonzales, and colored by the equally-talented Ian Sokoliwski. It runs a page a week, with a new one posted every Friday, and it's absolutely free. We're closing in on the end of the first story arc, and the story is blasting along like a rocket, packed with Flash Gordon/John Carter-styled pulp thrills. I hope you'll check it out, if you haven't already.

16 comments:

  1. I've long enjoyed reading this fantastic blog. Although much of it is a bit before my time (I was born in 1974), I experienced much of this era through home video and cable when I was a kid. Not to mention comic book shops and shows, where I was always fascinated with items from this time period. Perhaps I will attempt a guest article. Keep up the great work!

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  2. I agree with TS. This is a fantastic blog and I'm grateful to Christopher for sticking with it. I was born in 1970 -- right on the dot, so I'm definitely in the right place. I've enjoyed coming here to read the articles and sharing the memories with some fellow fans. Keep up the great work!

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  3. For Space Babe, I nominate the lovely Tracy Reed, guest star in the U.F.O episode, the Dalotek Affair :)

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  4. Great to see you blogging again as this is my favorite website. Thanks for the heads up on the mpc reproduction of the plastic model Eagle 1 Transporter. Also I'm looking forward to the dvd of Space Raiders-somehow I always missed viewing this wonderful looking film. Sadly since you wrote that last piece on Battlestar Galactica I haven't been able to respond using my Google account-oh well, fortunately you still offer Anonymous. Thanks Chris!

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  5. How about Katie Saylor from "Fantastic Journey" for Space Babe?

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  6. The Visitor is on Amazon Instant watch... spread the word. Even for 1970 Italian Sci Fi this one is incredibly out there. I'm a pretty bird... I'm a pretty bird...

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  7. So Chris...are you going for the Thrill of the Build with that Eagle or are you going to keep it unopened as a collectable?

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    1. I hope to build it eventually; at the moment, our house is so packed to overflowing that I have no place to display it. So, for the time being, it's going to sit with all the other model kits I've bought in the last 15 years, unopened, waiting.

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  8. Awesome. I had a UK reissue kit of the Orion space shuttle from 2001 a few years ago but I never actually assembled it, as I think I got it mainly for the box artwork. Now I wish I still had it.

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  9. That MPC Eagle has SUCH super memories for me. I was pretty invested in collecting Marvel comics at that time, but when 1999 came out, I was toast. I vividly remember walking into a dimestore with my mom, just a week or two after the show premiered and I literally dropped a brick when I saw it sitting on the shelf.

    I.. could.. not.. believe it was out for sale so soon after the show premiered. I had gotten a Mego and some Trek models that Christmas, but when I saw that Eagle model under the tree, everything else was '..eh...'.

    STILL my most favorite space ship ever.

    Also very odd that, even this late in their careers, that both Landau and Bain have refused to allow their likeness in any new 1999 merchandising.

    Any thoughts why, Christopher..?

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  10. I had the Eagle toy as a kid. The coolest toy I ever had. I'm not a collector, but if I found one of those complete....

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  11. My brother snapped up a copy of the Rollerball Blu-Ray, and it is gorgeous. All these years watching my VCR copy and here I thought Madrid's colors were blue and white!

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  12. Great site. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to reading all past entries. I would love to submit something sometime.

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  13. Chris I have a bunch of cool stuff that I think would be great for the site. What's your e-mail address?

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