John Findley's Tex Arcana

John Findley's Tex Arcana has not indicated an update for over three years.  I thought to email to the link a few days ago, to ask about it.  I'd done it before.  The email generates an auto-reply, advising that there's a registration process to allow the message to get past spam blockage.  I've been actually lucky enough to get a response a few times over the years, and he was quite gracious about it (actually corresponding with actual HM creators is an actual thrill for me), but the last time was over three years ago.


While I wait, I thought to look on the internet, and was disappointed to learn that the Tex Arcana comic was no longer available on the site, but for one short story, and it's been like that for almost 2 years!  I felt really bad, not really checking for so long that the great story I've been pointing to wasn't there anymore.  The Book looks like it's still available, which is good, and I recommend to anyone reading this you should go buy it.  I did earlier and I'm glad I did.


So I certainly hope things are going well for Mr Findley, and that this might just mean he wants to encourage people to buy his book (do it) or something else constructive.  In any case I remain grateful for what he did and what he shared freely, and for the kindness he showed me in previous correspondence, and I wish only the best of what his life has to offer for him.


But I remembered double checking on a link on an earlier post before, and it worked.  And it does.  For some reason, the work on the fourth as-yet-unpublished book, is still out there.  Starting here, after the end of the still-up story, are over eighty pages of some really cool expansion of the Tex Arcana saga.  If you're still reading this, you should go take a look at it, while it's still there.  As we see, nothing lasts forever.

some history

an article by R. M. Rhodes, who does the HM page-a-day tumblr, about the Eastman era. 


https://comicsdc.blogspot.com/2018/04/and-then-heavy-metal-was-bought-by.html?m=1


I read it before, and I should have posted it then, but HM fbook linked to it, so I get another chance.  It has interesting perspectives, some of which I share, but it's informative to anyone who wants to know more about why Heavy Metal Magazine still exists.


Thanks for sharing

Heavy Metal Documentary

Just announced on Variety via a post on HM Fbook, a Heavy Metal Magazine documentary is planned.  It may be interesting, and I'll look forward to hearing more.  But the article erroneously says HM led to the phrase Heavy Metal being used for Metal music.  And it mentions the 1981 movie, and the abortive effort for another movie in 2008, but ignores the Heavy Metal 2000 F.A.K.K. 2 movie. 


I kind of understand why no one wants to remember the second Heavy Metal movie, it was plenty bad.  But it had its moments, and Mr Eastman did manage to actually produce it.  I hope the documentary does happen, and they give Mr Eastman his due for keeping the mag alive, and making it his own for so many years, including the story of the 2nd HM movie. 


Honestly my favorite part of HM2000 was having Billy Idol in a lead voice role, because of this from Dossier in the mag in December 1982:

Which is something I've wanted an excuse to post for a while.  The recent meme joke on the HM Fbook recently almost did it, but my bringing up the HM2000 movie here gave me my opening.  I've thought it was funny that Mr Idol was in the HM2000 movie, remembering this snarky takedown, and how much I agreed with the sentiment at the time.  With his sneery poser-punk act all over the MTV cable-waves taunting me, I spent a whole year actively changing the station or shutting off the radio whenever he came on.  Now, as I approach senior-hood, I am much less offended than amused, I probably wouldn't want to punch his face anymore, and I understand Mr Idol is an ok guy with a sense of humor about it all.


So best of luck with the documentary guys.  I hope it actually gets done and it doesn't suck.