Phil counts down to CREATURESCON 3 during the Big Wow! ComicFest at the San Jose Covention Center May 17-18, 2014

During the Big WOW! ComicFest at the San Jose Convention Center May 17th-18th, there will be another special convention happening simultaneously. CreaturesCon 3 is "the world's ONLY convention dedicated to the Bay Area's beloved TV phenomenon Creature Features." For those of you who live outside the Bay Area, this legendary show ran on KTVU Channel 2 in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1971 to 1984. The show was hosted by Bob Wilkins, and later by John Stanley, who took over in 1979. During the convention, we celebrate this beloved television show!

Celebrities in attendance for CreaturesCon 3 are as follows: Creatures Features host John Stanley, filmmaker and Creature Features archivist Tom Wyrsch, Strephon Taylor from November Fire, HARDWARE WARS director Ernie Fosselius, and Bay Area horror host Lord Blood-Rah. Bob Wilkins, who hosted the show from 1970-1979, passed away from Alzheimer's disease on January 7, 2009

John Stanley with Bob Wilkins in his famed yellow rocking chair.

There will be informative Programs and panels for fans to attend: "CreaturesCon 3" and the other "Remembering the Ackermansion." There will be a props area, cool Creatures Features items for sale, but the biggest event happening is that there will be a LIVE Creatures Features show hosted by John  Stanley!! That's right! I said a LIVE CREATURES FEATURES SHOW HOSTED BY JOHN STANLEY!! Now I grew up watching the show, and to see it live, it is a dream come true for not only myself, but for fans of the show! And the film that John will be screening is none other than George A. Romero's 1968 zombie classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD!

So for all you horror fans out there in the Bay Area, make sure you come out d be part of all this fun! To learn more about the CreaturesCon 3 and to purchase tickets and passes, please visit their official website at www.creaturescon.com. To purchase tickets and passes for the Big WOW! ComicFest, visit their official website at www.bigwowcomicfest.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show

Phil counts down to the BIG WOW! COMICFEST at the San Jose Convention Center May 17-18, 2014

Hey kids! What time is it? That's right! It's summertime! School's out. College graduations are commencing. And you know what else? That's right! The Big WOW! ComicFest returns to the San Jose Convention Center this weekend May 17th and 18th! Yes, San Jose's premier comic book show is back with comic book artists, gamers, filmmakers, cosplayers and costume contests, local and international celebraties and so much more!

With Hollywood's big GODZILLA remake opening this weekend, Big WOW! pulled out all the stops by having several  legendary Japanese actors appearing at the fest! First is Kenpachiro Satsuma, who first came to fame by donning the famous Godzilla suit for the 1984 film RETURN OF GODZILLA. After the film's release, he would play the famed reptile 11 more times! Joining him are actors Satoshi “Bin” Furuya, best known for being the original Ultraman, and Daisuke Ban, best known for his title roles in "two of the most iconic series of all time, KIKAIDA and INAZUMAN!" If you are a true Japanese fan, then you will want to meet these three acting icons!

There are numerous comic book personalities already signed up to appear at the convention and all are icons in the industry: Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), Mike Mignola (creator of Hellboy), Joe Linser (Cry for Dawn) Sergio Aragones (Groo the Wanderer), Michael Golden (The 'Nam, Dr. Strange), Joyce Chin (Vampirella, Xena, Guy Gardener: Warrior), Mark Badger (Spider-Man, X-Men), Arthur Adams (Superman, Godzilla, Monkeyman and O'Brian), and Neal Adams (Batman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow) just to name a few.

Along with comic book personal, there will be other celebrities appearing from all avenues. In the entertainment world, fans can meet local stars such as Balrok and Cave Girls Shotzi Black Heartt and Madison Hannah from the hit KOFY TV20 television show Creep KOFY Movie Time, horror hostess Miss Misery from Miss Misery's Movie Massacre, horror host Lord Blood-Rah of Lord Blood-Rah's Nerve Wraking Theatre, Strephon Taylor from November Fire, local documentary filmmaker Tom Wyrsch and legendary Creature Features host John Stanley.

As for Big WOW! celebrities, look no further than William Katt (from the TV series The Greatest American Hero, CARRIE, HOUSE), Clare Kramer (from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, BRING IT ON, and BIG ASS SPIDER), Richard Kiel ("Jaws" in the James Bond films, HAPPY GILMORE) Costas Mandylor (from the TV series Picket Fences, the SAW series), Kevin B. Grevioux (co-writer and producer of the  UNDERWORLD films), Jane Wiedlin (guitarist of The Go-Go's), and Alison MacInnis ( Dana Mitchell the Pink Ranger on the current season of Power Rangers Super Megaforce) just to name a few!

Fans will also meet some of the finest cosplayers around, including Valerie Perez (Wonder Woman),  Anthony Misiano (The Joker), Ivy Doomkitty, and Vegas Powergirl for starters. Then there's all the comic book artists at the Underground and Artist's Alley creating original works of art, the cool Anima area that includes my friend Carlyfornia, plus all the dealers, toys, comics and everything else you can imagine!

There's also cool programs and panels during the two days, including a Power Rangers panel, Top Cow Studios panel, Cosplay 101, Cultural Diversity in Comics, a Costume Contest and so much more. Plus there's also going to be a Magic the Gathering Tournaments for all you gamers out there!

Some of the big events to check out is the1st Annual Famous Monsters Film Festival, hosted by the fine folks over at Famous Monsters of Filmland, "the magazine that has inspired generations of imaginations such as Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, Steven Spielberg, and many more." The film festival will be running the entire first day and some of Sunday morning. Also worth checking out is the Batman Museum: Celebrating 75 years of the famed Caped Crusader! Witness and marvel (no pun intended) at rare original artwork, toys, games, posters and collectibles of all kinds!

So what are you waiting for? Start planing to attend Northern California's premiere comic book and entertainment event! To learn more about the convention and to purchase tickets and passes, please visit Big WOW! ComicFest's official website at www.bigwowcomicfest.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show! 

Phil attends the CREEPY KOFY HALLOWEEN HANGOVER SHOW at the Michaan's Theater-November 2, 2013

The San Francisco Bay Area has been the home to some truly unique and original local television shows that simply cannot be replicated or reproduced. Back in my youth, I grew up with the beloved KTVU Channel 2 show Creature Features, hosted by the late, great Bob Wilkins and the legendary John Stanley. These two individuals helped turn a whole generation of kids like myself into hardcore horror fans. When the show ended in 1984, there was a void that, for a very long period of time, was left unfilled. That all changed a couple of years ago when the KOFY TV20 station out in San Francisco unleashed upon an unsuspecting television audience Creepy KOFY Movie Time. Hosted by LIVE 105 deejay No Name and the demon called Balrok, the show features house band The Deadlies, the sexy Cave Girls, science wiz Dr. Scott Weitze, Webberly the Fact Rat, Slob, comedians, burlesque dancers, magicians, local bands, and other cool stuff while showing some of the best and worst horror films and trash pics of all times. Over the past couple of years they have made Saturday nights at 11pm a mandatory viewing. And this past Saturday night, they brought their show to the Michaan's Theater in Alameda for the first ever CREEPY KOFY HALLOWEEN HANGOVER SHOW! For this historic live event, they screened the 1964 stink bomb  crime thriller THE STRANGLER!

This was my first ever time visiting the Michaan's Theater and I have to say this was one beautiful looking theater. It's used to be the former Alameda Naval Air Station movie house out on Fort Mason. That night, the place was packed with CKMT fans, who where all dressed up in Halloween costumes (we CKMT fans celebrate Halloween all year round) and the energy level was high! Many friends of the show were there like the very cool folks from November Fire, who had lots of cool DVDs, posters, stickers, patches to sell. NF is owned and operated by the awesome couple Heather and Strephon Taylor. Also at the event were Jim Cravens Jr. and his fiance Catherine Benefield de Dood, the owners of the incredible Heroes and Villains Comics out in Pleasanton. And last, but certainly not least, the legendary John Stanley was in the house!

The show had everything that fans wanted and more. The Deadlies rocked the house with their sets! Jim Sweeny was there with three lovely burlesque dancers from the Hubba Hubba Revue! There was standup comedy by the very funny Anna Seregina! Also Dr. Scott was there with another informative Science Time! The Cave Girls looked fabulous and sexy as always!! And our hosts Balrok and No Name kicked ass always! And then, there was the movie!

Theatrical Movie Poster (

THE STRANGLER is about a fat, lonely, fat, sweaty looking lab technician named Leo Kroll (Victor Buono) who has serious mommy issues and loves to collect dolls. He strangles several female nurses as a way to cope with his overbearing mother, who is sick in the hospital. While the police is trying to identify this mysterious serial killer is, Leo falls in love with a young girl named Tally Raymond (Davey Davison), who works at one of the amusement park booths where he wins his dolls. Things go from bad to worse for poor, sweaty Leo, and soon the police are hot on his trail, but not before he pays his sweet Tally a visit!

The film was inspired by the killings of the Boston Strangler, who made headlines during the early 1960s. However, after watching the movie, it's clear that director Burt Topper and screenwriter Bill S. Ballinger took inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 masterpiece PSYCHO. It's all right there: and overbearing mother, a son with serious mommy issues, doesn't have great repoire with the ladies, a real loner, and likes his mother's clothing. Oh and he likes to kill too!

Actor Victor Buono appeared in a number of films such as WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?, HUSH...HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE, and THE MAD BUTCHER. But he's really well known for his role of King Tut on the 1960's Batman television show. Davey Davison has appeared in a slew of daytime and regular television shows like Bonanza, Days of Our Lives, The F.B.I., The Virginian, Cannon, and The Streets of San Francisco to name a few.

What a night that was!! It was so much fun!! I got see all my friends again, saw some sexy ladies, heard some great music, took lots a pics, drank a few beers, and saw a bad movie! It was the perfect Saturday night! And speaking of Saturday nights, make sure you check out Creepy KOFY Movie Time at 11pm on KOFY TV20 on Channel 13 here in the Bay Area! It's a party for your TV!!

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil counts down to CREATURESCON 2 during the Big Wow! ComicFest at the San Jose Covention Center May 18-19, 2013

During the Big WOW! ComicFest at the San Jose Convention Center May 18th-19th, there will be another special convention happening simultaneously. CreaturesCon 2 is "the world's ONLY convention dedicated to the Bay Area's beloved TV phenomenon Creature Features." For those of you who live outside the Bay Area, this legendary show ran on KTVU Channel 2 in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1971 to 1984. The show was hosted by Bob Wilkins, and later by John Stanley, who took over in 1979. During the convention, we celebrate this beloved television show!

Celebrities in attendance for CreaturesCon 2 are as follows: Creatures Features host John Stanley, filmmaker and Creature Features archivist Tom Wyrsch, Strephon Taylor from November Fire, HARDWARE WARS director Ernie Fosselius, Bay Area horror host Lord Blood-Rah, and Rob Wilkins, son of the late Bob Wilkins, who passed away from Alzheimer's disease on January 7, 2009.

There will be informative Programs and panels for fans to attend: History of TV Horror Hosting panel, Creepy KOFY Movie Time panel, and A Tribute to Bob Wilkins.  There will be a props area, cool Creatures Features items for sale, but the biggest event happening is that there will be a LIVE Creatures Features show hosted by John  Stanley!! That's right! I said a LIVE CREATURES FEATURES SHOW HOSTED BY JOHN STANLEY!! Now I grew up watching the show, and to see it live, it is a dream come true for not only myself, but for fans of the show!!

Creature Features hosts John Stanley (L) and Bob Wilkins (R)

So for all you horror fans out there in the Bay Area, make sure you come out d be part of all this fun! To learn more about the CreaturesCon 2 and to purchase tickets and passes, please visit their official website at www.creaturescon.com. To purchase tickets and passes for the Big WOW! ComicFest, visit their official website at www.bigwowcomicfest.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!  

Phil counts down to the BIG WOW! COMICFEST at the San Jose Convention Center May 18-19, 2013

Ladies and gentleman, fanboys and cosplayers rejoice! The Big WOW! ComicFest returns to the San Jose Convention Center this weekend May 18th and 19th! That's right, San Jose's premier comic book show is back with comic book artists, Anima/Manga, cool cosplayers and costume contests, movie stars and so much more!

There are numerous comic book personalities already signed up to appear at the convention and all are icons in the industry: Neal Adams, J. Scott Campbell, Mark Badger, Sergio Aragones, Travis Charest, Adam Hughes, Kevin Nowlan, Barbara Kesel, and Frank Cho just to name a few.

Stan Lee circa 2007.

However, the big news is that on Sunday, May 19th, making is only Northern California appearance is none other than Mr. Marvel Comics himself: Stan "The Man" Lee! For those of you who may not recognize this name, Stan Lee is the co-creator of the Marvel Universe. Along artist Jack "The King" Kirby, Lee helped create The Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, The Avengers, The X-Men, The Mighty Thor, and Spider-Man. He's made cameo appearances in every Marvel film to date, and is the founder and CEO of POW! Productions. Stan Lee is a legend in the industry, whose contributions are extraordinary. The comic book world wouldn't be the same without him!

Along with comic book personal, there will be other celebrities appearing from all avenues. In the entertainment world, fans can meet local stars such as Balrok from the hit KOFY TV20 television show Creep KOFY Movie Time, horror hostess Miss Misery from Miss Misery's Movie Massacre, horror host Lord Blood-Rah, Strephon Taylor from November Fire, local documentary filmmaker Tom Wyrsch and legendary Creature Features host John Stanley. Also appearing is gutarist Jane Wiedlin from the Go-Go's, as well as Thomas Jane, star of the 2004 Marvel film THE PUNISHER.

Fans will also meet some of the finest cosplayers around, including Valerie Perez, Ivy Doomkitty, Keith  Carter, and Tally Smith for starters. Then there's all the comic book artists at the Underground and Artist's Alley creating original works of art, the cool Anima area that includes my friend Carlyfornia, plus all the dealers, toys, comics and everything else you can imagine!

There's also cool programs and panels during the two days, including a Geek Fashion Show, Costume Rock Band Challenge, Women in Comics, Filmmaking with Miss Misery, Latinos in Comics, and so much more.

So what are you waiting for? Start planing to attend Northern California's premiere comic book and entertainment event! To learn more about the convention and to purchase tickets and passes, please visit Big WOW! ComicFest's official website at www.bigwowcomicfest.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!