Over the last decade or so, I have become accustomed to seeing white males depicted as idiots, buffoons, or simply the cause of all the suffering the world has ever known.  Check out commercials on any channel other than ESPN and you’ll see what I mean.  And if you are a married, employed white male father?  You have no chance!

So I am used to being stupid after all of these years and I’m okay with it, but every now and then, I get somewhat annoyed at the depiction of the modern South in Hollywood films.  As a lifetime citizen of the proud state of Georgia (for 53+ years) I feel like I’m moderately qualified to speak on the status of my home state.  I was born and raised in the deep southern farmland, went to college and now reside in the North Georgia hills of Dahlonega, and have worked in the Big City of Hotlanta since 2006.  As a member of the Governor’s staff for nearly six years, I think I’ve seen pretty much all that Georgia has to offer, good and bad.  And in my travels, I haven’t seen much difference between the mindset of Georgia and those of our Southern neighbors like Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi or the Carolinas.

Don’t get me wrong … I enjoy a good southern redneck joke with the best of ‘em.  And I don’t usually even raise an eyebrow at most Hollywood depictions of my heritage.  This country grew up in the Civil Rights era basking in the homespun wisdom of Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show.  Richard Nixon admitted that his favorite TV show during his Presidency was The Beverly Hillbillies.  And who didn’t laugh at Boss Hog and those good ole boys from The Dukes of Hazzard?  I can just think of some of those old episodes and laugh aloud again … and again.  Hey, I’m a white male father so I’m easy to entertain, I suppose.

It’s when the tales lose their sense of humor and take a turn to the dark side that I scratch my head and wonder if the writers/producers have ever even BEEN to the South!  I chuckle from time to time at horrific southern accents (Martin Sheen as Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg (1993), Nick Cage as Cameron Poe in Con Air (1997) or Phillip Casnoff as Elkanah Bent in North & South (1985) and I think to myself, “I don’t know ANYONE who talks like that!”

But since Burt Reynolds garnered critical acclaim for Deliverance (1972), Hollywood seems to think that everybody in the South is a bunch of racist, redneck, braindead monkeys.  The most recent of these atrocities, which led me to write my post on this subject this week, is the 2011 remake of Sam Peckinpah’s Straw Dogs (originally released in 1971).

I confess to not being a big fan of Peckinpah.  I don’t think I was his target audience and his views never fell in line with mine.  But I do admit that he was a very talented writer and director who knew how to tell stories charged with raw emotion that left you exhausted.  I saw the original Straw Dogs on TV when I was in my mid-20’s so it was more than a decade passed from its original release and heavily edited.  Can’t say it made a big impact on me.  I rented the 2011 remake this week, thinking it would be a good, action thriller.  What I got was one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen.  If I’d paid to see it at the theater, I’d have walked out, making it the 4th movie I have ever felt so strongly about.  (I’ll have to write about the other three sometime).

The 2011 version shifts from the original’s England to Mississippi.  Here’s what I “learned” about the South from this movie … not about just a few characters or just the bad guys, but about EVERYBODY in this entire Southern community:

-         Women are stupid and can barely put words into a sentence;

-         Women love to hang around and giggle while “their man” talks in a vulgar, totally disgusting manner about what they’d like to do to other women … “it’s romantic!”;

-         All men are drunks and stupid;

-         Even rapists (which are most men) and perverts wear ties, carry Bibles and pack the local church (there is only one, I guess) every Sunday morning;

-         They can even quote the Bible if need be;

-         Nobody really works hard … what’s the point?;

-         Education and success are frowned upon;

-         Beer drinking begins at sunrise;

-         Mentally challenged persons are openly abused and beaten with no consequence;

-         High school football is the pinnacle expected of every resident … no need to plan your life beyond next week’s Homecoming Game;

-         There are only two African-American residents in the town, and they happen to be the ONLY nice people in the State;

-         Everybody drives pick-up trucks and carries deer rifles or shotguns 24/7.

I could go on and on, but you get the message.  The inept script and completely unbelievable dialogue make this movie a “DEFINITE MISS.”

Sadly, this type of misrepresentation seems to permeate modern sensibilities more than you might imagine.  In the late 1980s while stationed in Germany, the wife of a fellow soldier, not knowing Renee and I hailed from the South, began telling us that she “knew for a fact” that people in the South “still want slavery to be legal.”  When asked if she’d ever been to the South, her response was, “Absolutely not!  I’m too educated to live down there!”  What?

Burt, you may have opened the door to this mentality with Deliverance and White Lightning (1973) may have made sense in its day, but Sharky’s Machine (1981) showed Atlanta as the modern, expanding city and jewel of the South that it has become.  (More on Burt & “Sharky” in my Valentine’s Day blog coming soon)!  Where are the other movies that depict Southern living as anything but a bunch of in-bred redneck hillbillies with bad teeth and a constant drunk?

Think the South will rise again?  Wake up and look around!  It already has risen and has long ago left the racist and blockheaded  past of bygone days behind.  Still, you’d think that every movie producer in modern times hears dueling banjos each time he/she envisions a film in the land of cherry blossoms and blushing dogwoods!

So if anyone from Hollywood is listening, I make the following offer … the next time you plan on shooting a film set in the modern south, why not come actually visit first?  I promise we won’t make fun of the way you talk!

Regardless … PLEASE … no more absolute travesties like Straw Dogs, I beg you!

Ya’ll come on back now, y’hear?

I’m not a stamp collector, but I do love art and I love to send/receive letters in the mail.  Thus, I generally am excited when new and/or exciting stamps are issued by the USPS.  And if you are reading this blog, chances are that you already know how much I love exciting stories packed with action, heroic avengers and dastardly villains (and maybe a monster or two)!  That’s why I readily confess to my excitement over the preview of 2012 stamps recently released by the USPS … among the many cool stamps planned for this year includes one honoring one of my all-time favorite writers and creative inspirations, Edgar Rice Burroughs!

Chances are that you already know exactly who ER Burroughs is, but in case you don’t, he’s the guy who created Tarzan!  ‘Nuff said!

For the record, Burroughs’ father was a major in the Union army during the Civil War.  The junior Burroughs attended various educational institutions from Brown to Harvard to Michigan Military Academy before an unsuccessful attempt to become a cadet at West Point.  He worked a variety of jobs all over the country before he successfully published Under the Moons of Mars in six parts between February and July of 1912 for All-Story Magazine.   (The 100^th anniversary of this publication is the impetus for this stamp issue).  Readers devoured it and later that year, the magazine published his second novel, Tarzan of the Apes.  You may have heard of it.

Tarzan became an immediate phenomenon.  The book was published in 1914 and the first Tarzan film, starring Elmo Lincoln, debuted in 1918, becoming one of the first films to earn more than $1-million!

Burroughs was in Hawaii on December 7, 1941 and stayed on afterward as a war correspondent.  He died in 1950, having written a thunderous 91 novels, 26 of which were about Tarzan.  Another of his famous characters, John Carter of Mars, is the subject of a major Disney film to be released in the summer this year.

The man whose books sold hundreds of millions of copies in over thirty languages (and was reportedly the favorite author of Russian Dictator Joe Stalin) once said “I write to escape poverty.”  The cities of Tarzana, CA & Tarzan, TX are named after his legendary jungle hero.

Despite all of Burroughs accomplishments, it’s still Tarzan that drives his popularity for me.  The Whitman Publishing version was one of the first “real books” I recall purchasing and reading (circa 1968) in my adolescent life, but even at the tender age of 9/10, I was already well-acquainted with the Earl of Greystoke thanks to those wonderful Johnny Weismueller Tarzan films that ran in syndication every weekend.  Johnny Sheffield, who played “Boy, Son of Tarzan” in many of those films, later became a dear and beloved personal friend.

And of course, being a comic fan, I was very familiar with Tarzan through the Gold Key Comics title and the widely-published newspaper strip drawn by Russ Manning.  Oh, yes, the “Tarzan yell” was commonly heard by my Mom at all hours in those days.

When the Ron Ely TV series debuted in 1968, I was initially excited but quickly lost interest.  I think Ely was a fine actor, but he was never really Tarzan to me.

Over the years, detractors have tried to discredit Burroughs’ writing as being politically incorrect and outdated, much as has been done relative to the works of Mark Twain and Margaret Mitchell, among others.   The same has been done to the Weismueller films.  But few writers piqued my budding childhood creativity like Burroughs (HG Wells ranked up there, too).  And despite recent efforts to demean his work, few can argue against the fact that just the mention of the word … TARZAN … does not conjure up a powerful, iconic image of the Lord of the Jungle.

Thanks to the USPS for issuing this stamp to a well-deserved fanbase of the man who still inspires a spirit of action and adventure 100-years later!  Agree?  Disagree?  Let me know, but do me a favor … instead of weighing in by e-mail, please send me a letter in the mail … and use an ER Burroughs stamp to ensure its delivery!

As Tarzan would say, “Umgawa!”

For more information on Burroughs and his famous creations, please go to these websites.

http://www.tarzan.com/

www.edgarriceburroughs.com

It’s shameless self-promotion time!  As some of you have commented over the last several weeks, I’ve been dropping hints about my coming novel, Dove of War.  Dove will be a fast-paced, horror/thriller not for the timid that will serve not only as the sequel for 2009’s award winning I Know Why the Dogwoods Blush but will also tie in to my ongoing suspense/thriller web comic, Void!  As a side note, it’s planned to be part II of IV in my planned “quadrilogy” I’ve dubbed “The Age of Chaos!” If you don’t like monster stories with creepy villains, don’t read these tales!

So as I was editing Dove this week, I came across one of my chapter lead-in quotes (one of my signatures in fictional writing) introducing chapter VII.  I am proud of this chapter because it’s the one I refer to as “the train sequence!”

I love action sequences centered on trains.  It gives a sense of “entrapment” as there is no place to escape to … you are stuck on the train with whatever the danger may be and you can’t get off or away.

Practically all of Hollywood’s “tough-guy” actors have had at least one movie or action sequence centered on a train.  Remember Sean Connery’s 007 against Robert Shaw’s “Donald Grant” in From Russia With Love (1963)?  Murder on the Orient Express (1974)?  The dramatic end sequence of The Greatest Show on Earth(1952)?  The list is endless, and guys like John Wayne (The Train Robbers, 1973), Charles Bronson (Breakheart Pass, 1975), Christopher Lambert (one of my very favorite train fights of all time, The Hunted, 1995) Amazing Spider-Man II (2004) and Steven Seagal (Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, 1995) represent the tip of the iceberg of movies where the entire premise of a noteworthy action sequence centers on the train.

So armed with this kind of action-tale history, I am very excited to do my own train sequence.  And since I ride the MARTA to work every day, I decided to use the Atlanta MARTA system as my “train” for this battle.  Now since Dove of War is full of monsters and nasty baddies with sharp teeth, I needed a lead-in quote for this chapter to properly set the stage.  The choice was a no-brainer as it has haunted me since I first heard it circa 1968 (I was 10/11).  I decided to use a quote from the anonymous poem, The Hell-Bound Train!

Atlanta's MARTA system serves as the setting for my "Monsters on the Train" sequence in DOVE OF WAR!

I was in the 6^th grade at Hamilton Elementary School in Colquitt County, Georgia.  My teacher, Mrs. Presley, was beloved and well-respected and a very sweet lady.  She would read poems and short stories to us from time to time when we’d study literature or creative writing.  It was the time and place where I first learned of the works and names like Robert Frost, Carl Sandberg, Mark Twain, James Thurber and Ernest Hemmingway.

But NOTHING ever hit me like the day she read The Hell-Bound Train!

I’ve included the entire poem below for you to peruse.  The portion highlighted in RED is the section I used as my lead-in quote for that chapter.  I think it pretty much gives you an indication of the kind of chapter … and story … that Dove will be.

In the years after hearing this poem, I have stumbled across similar themes in various forms of entertainment.  Remember the old country music classic, Ghost Riders in the Sky?  It was recorded by Johnny Cash, among others, and remains a haunting version of the same basic tale.  And Josh Turner had a huge hit in 2003 with Long Black Train, with the Devil serving as engineer on a train bound for … where else?  Hell!

Still, NOTHING will ever compare to the sense of terror and imagery that this powerful poem engineered on my adolescent mind in my preteen years!  And that’s why I wanted to use it to capture the terror of this midnight train ride on the Atlanta MARTA system in Dove of War!  But there’s a twist, a twist I can’t fully reveal here, but I will leave you with this question … what if the ones on the train with the most to fear were the monsters?  Just who the heck is this man known as “The Dove?”

You’ll find out soon enough.  Until then, check out the full version below of Hell-Bound Train!  And tremble! 

The Hell-Bound Train!

A Texas cowboy lay down on a barroom floor, Having drunk so much he could drink no more; So he fell asleep with a troubled brain To dream that he rode on a hell-bound train. The engine with murderous blood was damp And was brilliantly lit with a brimstone lamp; An imp, for fuel, was shoveling bones, While the furnace rang with a thousand groans. The boiler was filled with lager beer And the devil himself was the engineer; The passengers were a most motley crew– Church member, atheist, Gentile, and Jew, Rich men in broadcloth, beggars in rags, Handsome young ladies, and withered old hags, Yellow and black men, red, brown, and white, All chained together–O God, what a sight! While the train rushed on at an awful pace– The sulphurous fumes scorched their hands and face; Wider and wider the country grew, As faster and faster the engine flew. Louder and louder the thunder crashed And brighter and brighter the lightning flashed; Hotter and hotter the air became Till the clothes were burned from each quivering frame. And out of the distance there arose a yell, “Ha, ha,” said the devil, “we’re nearing hell!” Then oh, how the passengers all shrieked with pain And begged the devil to stop the train. But he capered about and danced for glee, And laughed and joked at their misery. “My faithful friends, you have done the work And the devil never can a payday shirk. “You’ve bullied the weak, you’ve robbed the poor, The starving brother you’ve turned from the door; You’ve laid up gold where the canker rust, And have given free vent to your beastly lust. “You’ve justice scorned, and corruption sown, And trampled the laws of nature down. You have drunk, rioted, cheated, plundered, and lied, And mocked at God in your hell-born pride. “You have paid full fare, so I’ll carry you through, For it’s only right you should have your due. Why, the laborer always expects his hire, So I’ll land you safe in the lake of fire, “Where your flesh will waste in the flames that roar, And my imps torment you forevermore.” Then the cowboy awoke with an anguished cry, His clothes wet with sweat and his hair standing high Then he prayed as he never had prayed till that hour To be saved from his sin and the demon’s power; And his prayers and his vows were not in vain, For he never road the hell-bound train.

Unknown

My friend and mentor, the late George Roussos, loved trains and painted several versions of them over the years. This one, painted circa 1990, is of a black train carrying dead souls to eternity. You're STILL inspiring me, George!

Welcome back to the rear end of my “Out with the old, in with the new” 2-parter to kick-off the new year.  While last week was focused on looking back at 2011, here’s some things I will be looking for in 2012.  Again, this is not all-inclusive … just random thoughts about what I expect in the coming year.  So here goes …

-State of the Union Address.

This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union Address will occur on the same day.  This is an ironic juxtaposition of events.  One involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to an insignificant creature of little intelligence for prognostication.  The other involves a groundhog.  (I wish I could claim authorship of this jibe, but I stole it from an anon blogger.  Still, I couldn’t help but share it)!

-Presidential Election Year.

Get ready for another onslaught on your senses as President Obama stands-off against the Republican Nominee (it appears to be either Gingrich, Paul or Romney … I think it will be Romney … but who knows?).  We saw the brutal take-down of challenger Herman Cain already, reminding us of how nasty politics can be.  As Winston Churchill once said, “Democracy is the worst form of government available to man … unless you count all the rest!”

-Afghanistan and the War on Terror.

The books closed on Iraq in 2011 and the winds of change are in the air in Afghanistan for 2012.  My friend, fraternity brother and classmate from NGCSU, LTG James Terry, takes over there this month.  While the US policy is to begin troop withdrawal  and initiate shifting more combat responsibility to the Afghan military this year, the future of the US in the region is still very unclear.  President Obama pledged (in 2008) to win this war.  The problem will be defining victory and who will make that call!  I have long stated publicly that we MUST stay the course in Afghanistan for many years, even after overt hostilities cease.  This year will go a long way in determining what our national strategy here will be.

-World Problems and Crises.

The Iranian nuclear issue, Palestine/Israel violence, Saudi terrorism, the threat of a post-Kim North Korea to China and the US, and the ongoing US economic crisis will continue to haunt our world in 2012.  Not to mention the inevitable earthquakes, floods, fires and storms that will impact the lives of countless millions.  And there is always SOMETHING no one saw coming!

-The Avengers!

You all know how much I love the iconic super-hero, Captain America! The famous super-soldier continues his movie mayhem with the much-anticipated summer blockbuster, The Avengers! It’s a dream cast and project for a guy like me.  I can’t wait!

Other movies I’m looking forward to in 2012 include:

Amazing Spider-Man, Battleground, Battleship, Bullet to the Head, Dark Knight Rises, Dark Shadows, Expendables 2, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, The Hobbit, Last Stand, Prometheus, Universal Soldier 3D, and many more!

-21 December 2012.  The End of the World?

Here we go again … another “End of the World” conspiracy!  This one deals with the Mayans and how their calendar ends on December 21, 2012.  Hey, if the Presidential Election does not end up like you planned, at least you won’t have to deal with it for long!

-Andrew Luck and the NFL Draft!

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is the consensus #1 overall pick coming in the NFL draft in April.  My Minnesota Vikings are in the running to grab him after their dismal season (worst in their 50+ year history).  What’s the future of Colts QB Peyton Manning?  And for the first time in years, we’ll begin Monday Night Football without Hank Williams, Jr!

-The Dove of War!

My sixth book and second fictional novel (the art above is your first look at the cover, created by my friend, Steve Purtill),  will see print in the “Bill Cain Universe.” It will stand alone but is intended to be the 2^nd of four tales in my “Age of Chaos” Quadrilogy.  It WILL be controversial but I hope readers will find it to be the uplifting tale of tragedy and redemption I intend it to be.  And of course, my online comic, VOID, will continue to act as the “bridge” between Dove of War and my 2009 thriller, I Know Why the Dogwoods Blush!

Beyond that?  Who knows?  It’s a fruitless exercise to try to predict the future.  Besides, I’m pretty busy with the present to dwell on it too much!  But whatever comes, I am proud to know that I’ll be facing it with my family, my friends, and readers like you who follow this blog and keep giving me hope in my lifelong pursuit of writing.  Regardless of what tomorrow may bring, may it be happy for you and yours.

Let me leave you with this excerpt to digest from The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews:

There are generations yet unborn whose very lives will be shifted and shaped by the moves you make and the actions you take today.  And tomorrow.  And the next day.  And the next.

Every single thing you do matters.

You have been created as one of a kind.

On the planet Earth, there has never been one like you …and there will never be again.

Your spirit, your thoughts and feelings, your ability to reason and act all exist in no one else.

The rarities that make you special are no mere accident or quirk of fate.

You have been created in order that you might make a difference.  You have within you the power to change the world.

Know that your actions cannot be hoarded, saved for later, or used selectively.

By your hand, millions—billions—of lives will be altered, caught up in a chain of events begun by you this day.

The very beating of your heart has meaning and purpose.

Your actions have value far greater than silver or gold.

Your life… And what you do with it today … matters forever.

Let’s get started!

Well, we made it!  The end of the year is upon us and we can bid ‘farewell” to 2011 with 2012 waiting in the wings to carry the torch into the New Year!  For my last post of the year, I thought it might be fun to look back at 2011 and give a moment or two to look ahead to 2012 and beyond.  So here goes!

My Top memories of 2011, not in a particular order … just as they popped into my head.  Some of these are of major international significance and some are just small, personal stories that likely had limited impact outside my close-knit world.  I wrote on many of these events over the course of the year, so here goes:

-The Death of my Father, William T. Cain, Sr.

To be honest, all other stories pale with this one.  How can anything compare with the loss of the man who raised you, who gave you your name, who provided for you until you were able to make it on your own?  It is nature’s way to move the elderly and make way for the young, but that does not make it easy.  Thanks for the life you set me up for, Dad.  I continue trying to repay you the only way I know how … by being a good father to my own children in return.

-In that regard, here is a listing of noted names who passed in 2011.  It is by no means all-inclusive as I view EVERY passing as a monumental tragedy to someone, but these are names that caused me to take note upon hearing of their demise (I wrote about some of these in my blog):

James Arness (Gunsmoke);

Gene Colan (comic artist);

Peter Falk (Columbo);

Betty Ford (former First Lady and founder of the famous clinic that bears her name);

Jack LaLane (I remember doing jumping jacks watching him on TV);

Harry Morgan (M.A.S.H.);

Johnny Sheffield (my good pal and the former star of the old Tarzan and Bomba films);

Elizabeth Taylor (Hollywood legend).

-Osama bin Laden Killed!

No tears shed for you in my home, bin Laden!

Not all deaths were tragedies!  This one made my day!  The mastermind of the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. managed to hide out for almost a decade despite the world’s most aggressive global manhunt and a $25 million bounty on his head!  On May 1 (Happy Birthday, Renee!), U.S. Special Ops Forces raided  the Pakistani compound where Osama was believed to be hiding.  The world’s most notorious and hated villain was killed in the raid.  After DNA confirmation and a burial at sea, President Obama announced bin Laden’s killing in a televised address.

-Farewell to Moammar Gadhafi!

Good riddance, Ghadafi!

The longtime leader of Libya and enemy of the USA, Moammar Gadhafi (Gaddafi) was killed October 20 in a cross-fire between rebels and loyalist fighters in Libya when the rebels in Gadhafi’s birthplace of Sirt attempted to take the ousted colonel, who was wounded after an attack, to an ambulance.  Gadhafi had been hiding in a large sewer pipe in Sirt.  Dating back to the 1970s, Gadhafi had been listed as a supporter and enabler of terrorism across the world.

-Farewell to “Insane” Kim-Jong-Il!

Make it 3-in-a-row!!!

Longtime nutjob and Dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong-Il, died of a heart attack 17 December.  Another of the longtime enemies of the USA, he was possibly the most insane ruler on the planet.  Sadly, his death will only add more chaos and turmoil to an already dangerous environment across our Pacific area of interest.  I thank God every day that I was not born into North Korea!

-Arab Spring!

The impact of the Arab Spring concerns protests or attempts to organize growing protest movements that were inspired by or similar to the Arab Spring in the Arab-majority states of North Africa and the Middle East.  These demonstrations and protest efforts have all been critical of the government in their respective countries, though they have ranged from calls for the incumbent government to make certain policy changes to attempts to bring down the current political system in its entirety.  Protests considered to be inspired by the Arab Spring have taken place on every inhabited continent with varying degrees of success and prominence. On October 15, 2011, the subsidiary “Occupy” movements inspired protests in 82 countries.  “Occupy” protests are ongoing in the United States.

-US Military Withdrawal from Iraq.

I have no words!

America’s contentious war in Iraq officially ended December 15 with an understated ceremony in Baghdad that contrasted sharply with its thundering start known as the “shock and awe” bombardment of Baghdad that launched the war against Saddam Hussein in March 2003.  In all, the United States spent more than $800 billion in Iraq, but there was an even greater cost … nearly 4,500 Americans were killed in this war and more than 30,000, wounded.  The aftermath of this momentous event, actually dating back to August 1990, is the most powerful and painful event that shaped the course of my life.

-William & Kate say “I do!”

Did you watch? Sure you did!

Prince William and Kate Middleton were pronounced husband and wife at Westminister Abbey in London on April 29.   The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they are now known, made their vows in front of 1,900 guests and the eyes of the world.   The hype generated by this event in the USA was dwarfed only by the Royal Wedding of Charles and Diana in 1981.

-The 10^th Anniversary of 9/11.

Cracks on my heart!

Ten years after two planes struck the twin towers in an attack that killed nearly 3,000 people, New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania all marked a decade of pain and healing with emotional ceremonies marred by renewed terrorist threats.

The ground zero ceremony paused for the moments exactly 10 years ago that the hijacked planes hit the towers and when they collapsed.  The times that the other planes hit the Pentagon and crashed in Pennsylvania were also observed with silence.

One by one, loved ones read aloud the names of the 2,977 killed on Sept. 11, 2001: those who perished in New York, as well as the people who died at the Pentagon and in rural Pennsylvania. The names of those killed in the February 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center were also read.

As family members read the names of their loved ones, they called out personal tributes to the dead, sometimes noting the passage of a decade since they had last been together or telling them about milestones they had missed in those years.  The eternal wound of 9/11 on the heart of the nation and her citizens … including me … remains an open and painful thing.

-Earthquake in Japan.

In the aftermath of this devastatin earthquake, the world shared Japan's sorrow!

At 2:46 p.m. local time on March 11, Japan was rocked by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake centered off the coast of Honshu.  More than 20,000 people were killed, tens of thousands more were left homeless, and Japan’s economy was rocked.  Road and rail lines were damaged, water and sewage systems were disrupted and damaged, and electric lines were damaged.  Several nuclear power stations were damaged.   Radiation concerns necessitated an 18-mile evacuation and no-fly zone before the situation was brought under control.

-Penn State.

The statue has clay feet!

I’m still in shock over this one!  I’m not a fan of Penn State, but I always admired Joe “Pa” Paterno.  Amid the lurid accusations involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, charged with abusing young boys sexually, the legendary Paterno was fired.     The scandal is still unfolding but regardless of how it unfolds in the end, the story speaks volumes to the taboos involving both sexual abuse victims and institutions that think they are bigger than the laws which govern and protect.

-Hurricane Irene.

Hell hath no FURY like the swirling IRENE!

The first hurricane to strike the U.S. since Ike in 2008, Irene was a menace to the East Coast in August, making a direct hit on New Jersey and New York while knocking out power for almost 50 million people and flooding Vermont.  Irene caused widespread destruction, killing 56 people and causing an estimated $10 billion in damage.  For days in August, Irene virtually shut down the entire U.S. East Coast.  I learned my lesson … NEVER make reservations for the beach that are non-refundable!  Thanks, Irene!

-Atlanta Braves Meltdown!

Not with a BANG ... just a WHIMPER!

The 2011 World Series Champions were the St. Louis Cardinals, making it hard to accept that they trailed the Braves by 10 1/2 games in the Wild Card standings on Aug. 25 and by three games with just five to play. Braves fans lamented their first season in 20+ years without Bobby Cox at the helm.  The only thing that kept the Braves’ collapse from being the #1 sports story of September was the Boston Red Sox, who lost an 11-game lead which led to the dismissal of their longtime manager, Terry Francona.

-Captain America:  The First Avenger!

Actor Chris Evans made it COOL to be American in Hollywood again!

He was one of the first comic book heroes I recall from my preschool childhood and he has been my favorite fictional character for nearly 50 years!  In a fitting farewell commemorating the 70^th Anniversary of this iconic character, Co-Creator Joe Simon passed away December 14 at the tender age of 98.  RIP, Mr. Simon!  Finally seeing the story of Steve Rogers given the big-budget Hollywood treatment … and having him treated with such respect and reverence … made this movie an instant classic to me and my favorite movie of the year (or probably the last 5-years)!

-Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom & Lodge.

They look so ... REAL!!!

For the first time in my life, I booked our annual Disneyworld vacation in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.  It immediately became the site of our annual “getaway” from the world!  The Lodge is an African-themed resort amidst a 43-acre wildlife preserve.

Featuring over 30 species of wildlife that roam amidst lush, tropical savannas, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge offers the unique opportunity to observe exotic animals from special alcoves with glass windows throughout the Resort and, best of all, FROM YOUR OWN ROOM BALCONY! It was one of the most fun weeks of our married life, a week we intend to replicate on an annual basis for years to come!

Want to share YOUR favorite memories of 2011?  Drop me a line!  I’d love to hear from you!

Next Week!!!

Thoughts on What to Expect in 2012!

Christmas is upon us!  While many across the globe are making that final trip out to trim the tree or stuff a stocking, it’s also a time to fondly remember the ghosts of Christmas past!  And no, despite my penchant for telling scary stories and love of Charles Dickens, my Christmas ghosts are not maniacal at all … they are quite warm and friendly all.

As a child of the 1960s, Christmas television specials helped drive my love and excitement of the pending visit by that jolly old elf.  Consider that the usual holiday music variety shows of the day … Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Andy Williams, etc … were lovely but they were geared toward the adults.  Still, little rugrats like me had much to look forward to … The Charlie Brown Christmas Special, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Little Drummer Boy, Mr. McGoo, and Frosty the Snowman all made their debuts in the 1960s.  But my favorite?  My all-time #1 best Christmas special program?  That would have to be 1964’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!

I think one reason for my love of Rudolph lay in my knowledge of his story that predated the TV show.  I’d been raised singing that little song since before I could read.  I was also a fan of singing cowboys Roy Rogers & Gene Autry, so I knew all about Rudolph from Gene’s 1949 hit song.  More on that later.

I was also fascinated about where Rudolph fit into the Santa legend concerning his reindeer.  ‘Twas the Night before Christmas, commonly credited to Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863), clearly established that there were eight reindeer … Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner & Blitzen.  So as a kid, I always wondered, “Where does Rudolph fit into the stable at Santa’s North Pole headquarters?”

To get the answer, we must travel back in time to 1939.  Robert May, an employee in the marketing offices of Chicago’s Montgomery Ward chain, was tasked to develop some type of Christmas giveaway booklet to distribute to customers for the holiday shopping season.  Knowing how much his own daughter loved the story of Hans Christian Anderson’s Ugly Duckling, May decided to use the same formula for a wayward but eventually validated magical reindeer.

After writing the tale (testing it on his 4-year old daughter, who LOVED it), May made his pitch to the bosses at Montgomery Ward.  It was initially met with some concern … would the red nose be considered a representation of a drunkard?  Would that offend parents and, more importantly, consumers?  But all of those concerns melted away when board members saw May’s sketches of reindeer playing “reindeer games.”  May was an extremely talented artist, and using reindeer models from the Lincoln Park Zoo, he’d perfectly captured the image he wanted to convey.

The Montgomery Ward CEO gave his approval.  And as the story goes, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer went down in history.

Nearly 2.5 million copies of the 9-page pamphlet were printed for that Christmas 1939 giveaway and they were eagerly devoured instantly.  As paper rationing was already beginning in some major markets (and WWII just around the corner), mass production did not occur until 1946.  But when it did begin?  More than six million copies were printed and sold in Montgomery Ward stores that year alone!

But here’s a unique human interest story concerning the copyright of Rudolph.  As Montgomery Ward held the printing rights (May had been a “work for hire” employee), May received practically nothing for his work.  But in an amazing move, the company turned over all copyrights to May in 1947 to help pay for his ill wife’s medical bills.  May published his story commercially the following Christmas and Rudolph guided him to a comfortable living for the remainder of his life.

In 1949, Johnny Marks wrote the famous tune and Gene Autry recorded it.  The record sold two million records that year, making it the #1 selling song of 1949.  To this day, it’s the #2 best-selling Christmas song of all time, behind only Bing Crosby’s immortal White Christmas.

And so, by the Christmas of 1964 (I had just turned six), I sat in rapt attention as Burl Ives opened the narration of the now classic stop-action special, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  Like so many children of that era, I fully believed in Santa, magical elves, and how an ostracized reindeer with a “very shiny nose” saved the day for little boys and girls across the globe.  I used to stare into the sky on Christmas Eve night, searching excitedly for a tiny glint of red that would signify Santa was on his way with Rudolph in the lead.

So forgive me if, in my Christmas universe, Santa’s sleigh is pulled by nine reindeer instead of eight.  Here on the verge of Christmas Day, let me again wish each of you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Thank you for following my humble blog for another year.  I hope you’ll join me again in 2012.  Until then, please excuse me … it’s kinda foggy outside so I’m heading out to look for a tiny red glow in the Northern Skies … just in case!

Ah, the much anticipated Christmas season is here.  It’s still a magical time for me, despite all the controversy of recent years involving the ‘legality’ of calling it the birthday of Christ and the marketing onslaught to promote merchandise.  I guess I will forever live in the world of which Elvis sang, “Why can’t everyday be like Christmas?  For if every day could be just like Christmas, what a wonderful world this would be!”

I have written before about my experiences in the Czech Republic in May 2005, representing 3^rd Army (and George Patton) while celebrating the 60^th Anniversary of the liberation of Czechoslovakia from the Nazis (May 1945).  I bring it up today because as I still think of Christmas as the birthday of Jesus, there is a magical story that emerged from the beautiful city of Prague involving Christ as a child.  I’m speaking of the Prague Infant.

If you are not familiar with the story of the Prague Infant, that’s good!  You are the reason I’m writing this week’s post!

Prague is a breathtakingly beautiful city located in the NW portion of the Czech Republic along the Vltava River.  Brutalized by the Nazis, it was a stepping stone for General Patton as he plunged east toward Russia following the fall of Berlin in 1945.  Ol’ ‘Blood & Guts’ only stopped in the town of Plzen under direct orders from Eisenhower to withdraw westward.  As Patton withdrew, the Russians moved in, leading to roughly 50-years of Soviet oppression.  One of my most emotional and endearing memories of my 26+ year Army career occurred while meeting and mingling with the wonderful people of the Czech Republic.

The city’s romantic, religious history is obvious and compelling.  As you stroll across the Charles Bridge (built in the 14^th Century) into the “old city,” you’ll pass some of the most heart-rending statues representing the persecution of Christians and their faith dating back more than 600 years. It is one of the most scenic and powerful panoramas you’ll see anywhere in the world.

In Karmelitská Street in the Lesser Town district of Prague stands the Church of Our Lady of Victory.   This structure is of great significance to this story, not only because of its architecture and artistic decoration but because in it is preserved and venerated the famous statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague.

I was not familiar with the story, so while shopping for gifts to bring back to my family, I stopped in a small jewelry store at the foot of the bridge to purchase a necklace for my wife, Renee.  The jeweler recommended a pendant of the Prague Infant.  “What is the Prague Infant,” I asked?  His response pierced me to my soul.

With great reverence and respect, this kindly man explained that the Infant Jesus of Prague originally came from Spain.  According to legend, Jesus appeared miraculously to a certain monk who modeled the statue based on the appearance of the apparition (Christ as an infant).   Over the years, the statue passed from one church to another, eventually arriving at the church of Our Lady of Victory in 1628.

Church leaders placed the statue in the novitiate chapel so that the young monks could learn from the virtues of the Child Jesus.  This was during the time of the Thirty Years’ War raging across Europe.  Sadly, even the Infant Jesus was not spared when the Saxon army occupied Prague in 1631.  The church was destroyed and the statue, having no monetary value, was brutalized and tossed in the smoking rubble the Saxons left behind.

Six years passed, and in 1637, Father Cyril of the Mother of God Church, originally from Luxemburg, began efforts to restore the church to its former beauty and prominence.  As he oversaw construction, he heard a baby crying beneath the rocks.  With the help of various workers, he began digging and discovered the disfigured and abandoned statue.  One of the most obvious ‘wounds’ was the hands … both had been broken off.

At this moment, Father Cyril heard a voice coming from the statue, saying:

Have mercy on me and I will have mercy on you.  Give me hands and I will give you peace.  The more you honor me, the more I will bless you.

As church construction commenced, Father Cyril had new hands made for the Infant Jesus.  The money invested in this effort was returned many times over as the Child Jesus began to bless the monastery, the local people, and the whole of Prague.  Miraculous healings were attributed to Him, as was the protection of Prague when it was laid siege by the Swedes in 1639.  In 1651 the statue was carried as a pilgrim round all the churches in Prague.  In 1655 it was solemnly crowned by the Bishop of Prague. This event is still remembered on the anniversary feast-day, falling on the first Sunday in May.

When the Black Death ravaged Europe in the mid-late 1600s, the plague did not enter Prague.  The Infant Statue is credited with this miracle, along with saving Prague from the ravages of war and many other horrific events.  The Empress Maria Theresa had gold clothing made for the statuette in 1742, marking the end of the French occupation of Prague.

Today the Infant of Prague is cared for meticulously and has over 60 costumes. Great care is given to keep the statuette in top shape and provide a change of clothing to commemorate church holidays.

Needless to say, I purchased the pendant.  It remains one of my favorite pieces of jewelry I have ever presented as a gift.

Do I believe that the ‘Spirit of Christ’ inhabited a statue and granted blessings on the people of Prague as a result?  No, I don’t.  But many people have in the past and still do, which is enough for me to show the story the reverence and respect it deserves.

The Bible gives us precious little information about the life of Jesus as a child and/or infant, but we as a Christian society are fascinated by the possibilities.  Witness tales and songs like Away in a Manger, The Little Drummer Boy, or various insights from the so-called “Lost Books of the Bible” and it’s obvious that many persons of faith still seek the blessings of the Christ child, just as the three wise men sought to do while following His star in the eastern sky.

If you are one of those persons, imagine the elation you would feel in kneeling before the Prague Infant in the beautiful Church of Our Lady of Victory at the foot of the Charles Bridge.  As your mind races, imagining the horrors and emotions that swirled among the city from eons past, it would be easy to, just for a moment, imagine that Christ as a child stands before you, full of compassion, mercy and forgiveness.  I confess that I am comforted by knowing this statue exists in our world today.

As the aforementioned “king” once sang, if everyday would be just like Christmas, what a wonderful world this would be!

Welcome to the 2^nd birthday party of Bill Cain Online.  It’s hard to believe that this website and weekly blog have been hanging around for 2-years already!  Where has the time gone?

For those of you who have been around from the start, you know that this blog began strictly to promote my 2009 novel, I Know Why the Dogwoods Blush.  Since then, it’s mutated into what you are reading today.  I still use the webpage, Facebook and my blog to promote my writing ambition, but I also use it to have some fun.  And I hope you have some fun reading it as well.

As I did last year, let me give you my “Annual Report” (with highlights and lowlights) and finish with my vision for the coming year.  First, let’s compare 2011 to 2010.  The numbers below are first from 2010, then 2011:

Posts                                  73                               68

Avg Daily Visits            150                             255

Comments                     300                            174

That tells me that some of you are still reading my weekly blog as I’m averaging 255 hits on my website per day (up 59% from last year).  Part of that increase is due to my online comic, Void, which I’ll discuss in a moment.  But the bottom line here is that my site was visited nearly 100,000 times in 2011.  For a small, self-operated site that relies primarily on word of mouth, I’m pretty happy with those numbers.

The biggest single day was 12 June, when 601 visitors logged in.  That was due primarily to my post of the death of legendary Gunsmoke star, James Arness.

The most read posts of 2011, based on hits on the site, were:

#5: Farewell to James Arness (June 4);

#4: National Dog Week (September 16);

#3: Consoling the Disconsolate (November 18);

#2: The Nashville Scene (October 7);

#1: Mother’s Day, the Treasure, and Other-Mama! (May 6).

There are obviously many fans of mothers out there as my Mother’s Day post was the clear winner for the second year in a row!  Way to go, Moms (and Grandmoms)!

The least read posts were my countdown of the scariest Urban Legends of all time (my Halloween special).  I mean NOBODY read them!  Zero!  Zilch!  I guess those old cautionary tales didn’t resonate with readers the way they did with me.  I’ll do something better next Halloween, I promise!

But there are other great successes from 2011.  My writer’s Facebook page now has 277 followers as of this post.  I am grateful that so many people cared enough to follow me on Facebook where I post things exclusively for them from time to time not found in my blog or on my personal page.  One major thrill of 2011 was getting a response from Mrs. Harriet Bronson, wife of the late Charles Bronson, thanking me for a post I’d written about her book and about her famous, action-star husband.  It was a magical moment for me, as many of you know of my lifelong admiration for the great Charlie Bronson (he was the inspiration for the hero, Jeremiah Bronson, in 2009’s Dogwoods Blush).

Speaking of successes and Dogwoods Blush, that book was awarded the Bronze Medal for Fictional Mystery Book of the Year by the Military Writers Society of America last October.  I lost out to some guy named Dale Dye!  Hey, if you gotta lose, then lose to a superstar!  But as Arnold would say, “I’ll be back!”

Crossing the Line, my autobiographical book recounting my experiences in Iraq from DESERT STORM and IRAQI FREEDOM, published in June.  It’s now available on Amazon.com.  It’s my most personal and emotional book ever or that ever will be written by me.  For better or worse, like it or hate it, I am very proud of it and the many great Americans who helped make that story possible.

Finally, 2011 also saw a very successful year for my online comic, VOID! While 2010 ended on a sour note (I had to sever ties with the artist I’d thought would be with me through the whole story), 2011 has seen my mysterious London investigator take off!  With 75 followers on Facebook and roughly 500 readers per week, Deacon Void is picking up speed.  I published two complete issues in 2011 and issue #3 is ongoing as I write this.  The plan is to tell the story in 12-issues (300+ pages) of fast-paced comic art and dialogue.  Who is he?  Why is he here?  What’s his secret?  If you have not been following Void, then what are you waiting for?  You can join the party right here:

Enter … the VOID!

Void is intended to be a bridge between 2009’s Dogwoods Blush and my coming 2012 sequel, Dove of War.  Dove is going to be controversial and totally unlike anything I’ve ever written before.  But if readers will see it through and take note of how Void ties in with both Dogwoods & Dove, I think they’ll be moved in a very powerful way.  At least, I hope so!

But my bottom line?  If you are reading this post, then YOU are my biggest writing success of 2011.  When I decided to start putting my stories on paper for others to read, I set this goal:

If at least one person reads my stories and likes them, I’ll count that as a success.

That goal has been met and surpassed and you are a huge part of that story.  Thank you so much for caring enough to read my stories, blogs, and rants.  If you’ll stick with me, I plan for 2012 to be the biggest and best year yet.  So please plan to join me for the ride!  And bring a friend!

CROSSING THE LINE

I won’t elaborate in this post … it’s the first (to my knowledge) professional review of Crossing the Line.  I admit that I chuckled when I read, “Cain inadvertently puts too much emphasis on Saddam Hussein as the source of the war and evil.  Much self-criticism of country and self is missing in action.”  Guilty as charged.  Saddam Hussein was 100% guilty for DESERT STORM and all the pain that has followed ever since.  But I actually did criticize myself … pretty hard, in fact … in my poor analysis leading up to DESERT STORM.

And also, another chuckle:  “On a few occasions his neutrality as an historian was skewed to the right …”  Guilty again!  But as most of you reading this blog already know, I invested a piece of my soul in Iraq and that piece is forever painfully missing.  I confess opening that I am not the person to give an unbiased, objective analysis on the pain and suffering that has emerged from more than a decade-long war with Iraq.

With that said, here goes!  Let me know what YOU think!

j. greenwald

Lead Reviewer, MWSA

Title: Crossing the Line

Author:  Bill Cain

Genre: Non-Fiction     Sub-Category: Memoir

Reviewed by: Ron Camarda

Review:

Crossing the Line takes the reader on a journey to Iraq and back again. The subtitle is misleading. The story isn’t just about one soldier, his eight-month pregnant wife, his children, an embedded journalist, or even the 42^nd Field Artillery Brigade faced with a deployment to a warzone that was different than any other war, and yet a war like all other wars. As the story unfolds, the reader is allowed to experience, taste and be frustrated by the absolute boredom, tedious desert buildup and the aching for home along with the adrenalin rushes of the battle. The book is personal.

Those of us who have served or deployed (and those of us who watched and prayed for a loved one go off to war and return), Bill Cain captures that incredible place where a few days of waiting seem like an endless twilight zone. As a young intelligence officer at the time, Cain gives insight about how difficult and frustrating simple communications were in 1991. Cain places letters and notes of family, peers and enlisted throughout the book in chronological order, even though many were actually received days, weeks, or months later. It seems to be effective. Bill was tortured by not knowing whether his son was born. Historically, this book is very important for us to understand a time when most communications were done by snail mail. Today it is unfathomable for us to experience a war without Skype, Facebook, or cell phones. Yet the real fear of biological and chemical warfare wreaked havoc on the troops and all of us back home. It reminded me of my first convoy in Iraq in 2004 when I was terrified, whiney and just didn’t know what was coming next. Cain does a good job in showing the differences and similarities of the two Iraq wars. If a picture is truly worth more than a thousand words, the picture of Cain just before deployment with his caption pierce our humanity: “That’s me in the holding area, Rhein Mein, trying to cope with all the emotions of the moment.”

Even after we veterans return, we notice that something is left undone. Something remains in the desert, in the loneliness of being with others, and longing for the love in our bed beside us. Lovers have lost days, weeks and months that will never ever be found. We attempt to write them in books, journals, poetry, or songs, but we seem to never finish the story that has no ending. Crossing the Line is about crossing into the place of being lost, and then taking a shot at finding our way home…even if home is now changed forever. The true war is within. It isn’t political, although it often masquerades behind the political, capitalist, or communist machines of man’s creation.

Bill and Renee’s son who was born during the Desert Storm is now almost 20 years old. Their children’s lives are forever affected by this five-month deployment to a war zone. Their choice of studies, the kind of family they grow, and their involvements with the military were and are probably profoundly affected. It was only mentioned that their oldest son served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Yes, we are soldiers and soldiers’ spouses…but our greatest love always sustains us and is victorious over any war or battle. The book left me longing for the real mark of the war in Bill’s relationship to his wife, family, and self over the years. Regrettably, Cain inadvertently puts too much emphasis on Saddam Hussein as the source of the war and evil. Much self-criticism of country and self is missing in action.

The last chapters were the most intriguing for me. Bill shares his wisdom as a seasoned colonel with his own bias that sometimes bordered on apologetics. In the chapters leading up to the “crossing of the line” I was a little bogged down by the military jargon, complaints, and tedious details of the plan of war. However, the weaving of Bill and Renee’s letters of love throughout the book kept the storyline anchored. Conclusions were based on his intimate experiences blended with his trustworthy and professional assessment in which disagreement was an option. On a few occasions his neutrality as an historian was skewed to the right, but for the most part he presented a very fair presentation. As one who went into Fallujah, Iraq in 2004 as a chaplain without this knowledge and understanding of the Gulf War, the book would be of great value for college and high school American History courses. The discussions would be lively.

When Bill writes about OIF:  “…it’s easy to see how the insurgency was initially fueled by our failure to properly account for the immediate aftermath of war.” and “…it was clear that we had problems to solve beyond the enemy situation in Iraq.” These quotes revealed to me how crucial this book was to our growing awareness of the part we play in the wars of the world. Self-evaluation is always tough. Bill Cain was courageous in his attempt.

Bill Cain offers his own insight, craftily written to allow the reader to insert one’s own insight without negatively or positively reacting to the author. Bill is a hero for serving…especially for writing this thought provoking journey. It warrants all liberals and conservatives to read and then to come together and discuss on a back porch treating each other with profound respect and love.

This book was an honor to read. It offered me the opportunity to also go back to Iraq again to better understand what I (and those who love me) experienced. Thank you.

Now that December is upon us, we all begin to have visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads.  But while I join in the legions who look forward to the magic of Christmas, December ALWAYS brings military memories to me as well.

I deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation DESERT SHIELD a couple of days before Christmas in 1990.  Another part of my military/December allure is December 7, 1941, which I wrote about in past blog posts.  Another part is “The Battle of the Bulge,” the December 1944 assault in the Ardennes Forest which sealed the fate of Nazi Germany and will forever be held as the standard for courage and sacrifice.  That battle has always appealed to my heart and soul.

While I was serving in US Army V Corps, 42^nd Field Artillery Brigade, Giessen, Germany (1989-1991), I had the great opportunity to tour the battle sites in Luxembourg and Belgium that made up the Battle of the Bulge.  And in December 2004, I was allowed to represent 3^rd US Army in Bastogne during the 60^th anniversary of that monumental event.  I need to write about that trip more in the future … although I have already done so in this blog, I have many more stories to tell.

Anyway, my Dad’s brother, Max Cain, was a WWII veteran who fought with 3^rd Army in the Battle of the Bulge (his funeral flag is proudly displayed on my home office wall) used to regale me with tales of his combat experience in WWII.  So I feel like I’ve had a link to Bastogne all of my life.  And that’s where this week’s post comes into play.

Shortly after my friend, Marvel Comics colorist George Roussos, passed away in 2000, I was in New York to say my “good-byes” and was having lunch with longtime Marvel staffer and “I love her like family” friend, Flo Steinberg (look for a blog on “Fabulous Flo” sometime in 2012).  Flo introduced me to legendary creator Larry Hama.  We became instant friends and began thinking of ways we might work together one day.

For those of you who don’t know Larry Hama, here’s a quick “Hama 101” Course:  A Vietnam Veteran, Larry is generally considered THE creative force behind the GI Joe franchise.

A protégé of legendary artist Wally Wood, Larry is a multiple published novelist, screenplay writer, Broadway actor, rock musician, artist and comic creator.  We linked up for dinner recently during his visit in Atlanta and I felt like I was in the presence of royalty!  He was continuously barraged for autograph and photo requests.  He’s simply one of the most creative people I’ve ever known.  Check out his comments here on the recent GI Joe:  Rise of the Cobra (2009) film:

And so when Larry was offered an opportunity to write for Rosen Press (2006) as part of their “High Tech Military Series” for Scholastic Books, he pulled me in with him.  Thus, we co-wrote two books in that series, published in 2007.  You can read all about them on my website or via the below links:

Stryker:  Tank of Tomorrow

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Larry had also written some graphic novels for Osprey Publishing about some of the major battles that shaped world history (Island of Terror:  Iwo Jima,  Antietam:  The Bloodiest Day, and The Battle of First Bull Run, to name a few).  When Osprey was looking for someone to write their adaptation of Battle of the Bulge, Larry recommended me.  This would become my first published work in the field of comics.  Here’s the link to that book as well:

Hitler’s Last Gamble:  Battle of the Bulge

I was able to honor my Uncle Max Cain in that book, dedicating a page to him that I know you’ve seen before on my Facebook page and elsewhere.  But what you’ve never seen is the favor Larry Hama did for me that sealed the deal with Osprey.

As I’d not worked in comics previously, Larry offered to do a 3-page mock-up sample for me to script that I could send to Osprey, proving I knew how to pace a story in a comic/graphic novel format.  After some research, I chose the story of WWII Medal of Honor recipient SGT Joseph Muller.  Below is his story, pulled from the official Medal of Honor webpage:

JOSEPH E. MULLER.

He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty.  When his platoon was stopped by deadly fire from a strongly defended ridge, he directed men to points where they could cover his attack.  Then through the vicious machinegun and automatic fire, crawling forward alone, he suddenly jumped up, hurled his grenades, charged the enemy, and drove them into the open where his squad shot them down.  Seeing enemy survivors about to man a machinegun, he fired his rifle at point-blank range, hurled himself upon them, and killed the remaining 4.  Before dawn the next day, the enemy counterattacked fiercely to retake the position.  Sgt. Muller crawled forward through the flying bullets and explosives, then leaping to his feet, hurling grenades and firing his rifle, he charged the Japanese and routed them.  As he moved into his foxhole shared with 2 other men, a lone enemy, who had been feigning death, threw a grenade.  Quickly seeing the danger to his companions, Sgt. Muller threw himself over it and smothered the blast with his body, heroically sacrificing his life to save his comrades.  SGT Muller upheld the highest traditions of the military service.

Here, published for the very first time, are the pages Larry drew for me after I sent him my rough page outline.  I scripted them and submitted my script with these rough page layouts.  Osprey was convinced and they hired me.  It remains one of the great moments in my creative professional life.

FYI, it was also Larry who suggested that I look into webcomics if I wanted to break into comics writing.  Thus, my current ongoing series, Void, exists in part because of his encouragement.  Check that series out right here:

Enter … the VOID!

My bottom line this week is that December is a month of varied emotions for me, both happy and sad.  But it’s a month that I will ALWAYS stop to reflect on the sacrifices of generations past, especially those brave men who gave their all in the frozen forests of the Ardennes, but also of my friend, Larry Hama, who opened the door for me to pursue my dream of writing about the Battle of the Bulge and gave me my opportunity to work in the world of comics writing.  He’s not just the creative force behind the world of GI Joe, he’s the real thing!  Thanks, Larry!