Now, I’m talking about us horror fans (which I’m guessing would be the only ones reading this!), but I am once again reminded on how great of a time we are living in, as horror fans. Yes, I know, the world is in turmoil right now, with us on the brink of destruction. But guess what, it always seems to be, or at least has been multiple times in my lifetime. So why not take a second and look at some positive things going on that, while doesn’t solve all the world’s problems, it does make you realize that there are some pretty damn cool things, even if it is just related to that “silly monster stuff”.

We got back from Monster Bash just after midnight on Sunday night after a long 8-hour drive. I had started to think even while the show was going on, but especially on the long drive home, on how much fun I was having, and how lucky I am. Lucky to have the wife I have that not only lets me indulge deeply into my passions but joins in with me. You can’t put a price on that, my friends. I’m also lucky to be surrounded by so many friends that share that deep and passionate love for the genre, where just sitting around the lobby of a hotel and talk about movies, conventions, and everything even remotely connected to it, for hours on end, and have that be one of the best parts of the weekend.

I’m also so lucky to have many of those friends to be damn talented in what they do, from being artists (in many forms), to writers, or just fellow collectors, that take their love of the genre and create wonderful new things for others to look at, read, and enjoy, or even just sharing their mutual passion. Again, deeply honored to be living in the same lifetime as they are.

And speaking of lucky, how freaking cool is this, that someone made one of those good old-fashioned slide puzzles but used characters from Phantasm for the art? They also had one for Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses. I picked both of them up from Daniel Roebuck’s table at the show. Too damn cool.

Both Friday and Saturday night (and almost Sunday), I sat in the lobby with mainly three gentlemen (though others popped in and out throughout the night). It was Bob Hagerty, Richard Schellbach, and Anthony Taylor (all pictured below) who kept me up way past my bedtime. Or maybe the other way around. I know we were all just passing time until the Karaoke started on Friday night, but I think we kept each other entertained with “old man” stories. I know I was!

Anthony met a few years ago at Monster Bash and have become great friends over the years. He had just won a Rondo Award for Monster Kid Hall of Fame (which he more than deserves). It was fun talking about conventions with them, both of us knowing the same events and “questionable” promoters! Anthony also runs Monsterama down in Atlanta, which I keep threatening to show up there. I’ve known Richard for quite some time when he was a fellow columnist nominee for the Rondos, after he reached out to me when we were both nominated. Another class act, even though his tastes in horror reference books might need to be improved upon, but we’re working on that! Check out his blog HERE. Richard’s friend Bob, who I first met last year, has worked as a cameraman for longer than I can fathom, and had some incredible stories, even if they were more about music than horror. None the less, both nights were a lot of fun just listening to these guys. It really is times like this that makes conventions so much damn fun! Thank you, guys, for the wonderful conversations and making this show so much fun.

Scott Kelley, who runs Alternative Images, is a vendor dealing in model kits, that he not only builds but paints as well. I met him at Monster Bash a few years ago and ended up buying a couple of kits from him, namely a full-sized Beast of Blood kit that was basically the art from the poster but in a kit. Beautifully painted, I knew when I saw it, I was going to have to take it home. He mentioned even then that he had an idea for making a life-size kit of the beast’s head, being held up by its hands. I told him right there that I would be his first customer. Flash forward to this last Friday, when I saw him setting up, and sitting on the top shelf was the kit. When I walked over to get a closer look, I couldn’t believe the job he had done, and promptly told him so. He said thanks, smiled, and pointed behind his table saying, “I’ve got yours already packed up and ready to go.” It wasn’t even a question on if I was going to get it. Of course I had to get it! And now, as I write this out, it is staring down at me from the top of one of my bookcases. Talk about inspiring!

If you get a chance to see Scott at a show, make sure you stop by and admire his work, and maybe take home a kit, or two (like me). He does incredible work and I still have the ones I’ve bought from him over the years on display. Here are some of the kits he had at this last Bash.

Like any convention, it is our friends that we only see at the cons that make one of the reasons coming for special. From Rob and Phyllis Floyd, Gunga Jim and his lovely wife Amy, Scott and Shirley Wilson, Tom and Terri Mount, and all our other convention family, you guys are part we love coming back.

Of course, we can’t talk about the Bash and not mention the head monster himself, Ron Adams. This guy goes above and beyond to make a great show each and every time for fans of these classic monster films. Always has tons of programming, from films, Q&As, lectures, and much more. I told him as we left Sunday that as long as he keeps putting these on, we’ll continue to make that long trip to PA for the Bash.