The Portland Sea Dogs meet Scooby-Doo

 I will be in Portland, ME this coming Sunday representing both DC Comics and the International Cryptozoology Museum, along with ICM founder and cryptozoologist, Loren Coleman. 

I will also be doing something I'd never anticipated would be part of my life experience, which is throwing out the first pitch. 

The fun starts at 1:00 at Delta Dental Park (Hadlock Field). There will a number of Scooby-Doo themed events and merchandise including, I'm told, an appearance by the Mystery Inc. gang. Jinkies!

Tickets and information can be found here. 

International Cryptozoology Conference 2024

 

Cryptids have appeared in my work for some time, so this weekend I'll be attending the International Cryptozoology Conference. 

The ICM's International Cryptozoology Conference will feature engaging talks and presentations by leading Cryptozoology experts on a variety of topics as well as access to the our vendor rooms, hosting over two dozen cryptozoology, science, curiosity, and Fortean themed vendors. This one of a kind event is an important program and fundraiser supporting the non-profit scientific and educational mission of the International Cryptozoology Museum (ICM) - it's also a lot of fun! Get your tickets today: https://cryptozoologymuseum.simpletix.com/

Special rates for kids under 13, as always babes in arms and strollers are free.

Friday Night VIP Event Schedule:
3:00-6:00pm - Vendor Room Early Access (not all vendors may yet be present)
4:30-6:30pm - Meet & Greet Tea Time Fundraiser for Herp Haven - touch reptiles, chat with cryptozoology experts and other enthusiasts
6:00-7:00pm - Casual Pizza Dinner with VIP seating - eat and mingle with over a dozen cryptozoology celebrities! Celebrities include most of our speakers and: Nathaniel Brislin author of "Crawlers: A Conclusive Casebook,” Aleksandar Petakov of Small Town Monsters, Michael Familant of In the Shadow of Big Red Eye, Jeff Foran of Strangeology Podcast, Sam Baltrusis author of Ghosts of Salem, Travis J Hill - artist, and more!
7:00-8:00pm - Keynote Address: J.W. Ocker, author of The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters
8:00-10:00pm - Screening of BIG FUR, a feature documentary movie about taxidermist Ken Walker, Bigfoot and the value of wilderness. Meet taxidermist Ken Walker, filmmaker Dan Wayne, and "Patty" the bigfoot.

Saturday Main Conference Schedule:
9:00-6:00pm - Vendor Room Fully Open Come See Live Reptiles
9:45-10:00am - Official Conference Welcome
10:00-10:45am - "Bigfoot in Maine: Back into the Woods" - Michelle Souliere, author of Bigfoot in Maine & Strange Maine
11:00-11:45am - "Cryptozoology Adventures" - Pat Spain, host of Travel Channel's Legend Hunter, Nat Geo's Beast Hunter
12:15-12:45pm - "Mystery Cats" - Jean Tewksbury, Eastern Cougar Researcher
12:00-1:00pm - Lunch at the Food Trucks, vendor room open
1:00-:1:45pm - "Big Cats are Scary: A case study of cryptozoology & folklore" - Christopher Packard, author, biologist, and folklorist
2:00-2:45pm - "My Favorite 25 Cryptozoology Facts" - Wen Eldridge, cryptozoologist and creator at Facebook's "Cryptozoology Facts"
3:00-3:45pm - "Cryptozoology, Cthulhu, and Lovecraft" - David Goudsward, author and cryptozoologist
4:00-4:45pm - "Digging into Skinwalker Ranch's Cryptozoology: Bigfoot, Dogmen, & Dinobeavers"" - Loren Coleman, author, cryptozoology legend, and founder of the ICM
5:00-5:30pm - Official Closing Remarks

Dinner on your own - offsite - see what Portland has to offer.

Optional Add-on - The International Cryptozoology Museum is open during the conference and Sunday 10-6 and is only a short distance away from the conference and come tour the museum! Separate ticket purchase required.

Special rates available in our block of rooms at the Clarion - room availability is limited so book your reservation now, only rooms in the block include free breakfast.
Reservation link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YH91V6

The Best Cryptozoology Books 0f 2023

 

Loren Coleman has released a list of the best Cryptozoology related books of 2023 which included issue #121 of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You. You can see all of the books on the list here. 

Signing at the International Cryptozoology Museum

On May 6th, famed Cryptozoologist, Loren Coleman and I signed 300 copies of Scooby-Doo! Where Are You? #121 at the International Cryptozoology Museum in Bangor, Maine. The comic book, which I wrote, features a thinly veiled version of Loren and his museum.

It was a fun day overall. I got to poke around in the museum library. We met some great people who attended the signing, and afterwards Loren took me on an abbreviated Stephen King tour. (The King household is right around the corner from the museum). Loren also showed me the future museum site and generously sent me home with a pile of loot.

If you were unable to attend, copies are still available at the International Cryptozoology Museum at both its Bangor, and Portland, Maine locations. They are free with a $10.00 donation to the museum. Shipping is additional. Thank you to Loren Coleman and Jean Tewksbury for hosting me. Signing photos by Jean Tewksbury Photos outside the King house by Loren Coleman

Signing at The International Cryptozoology Museum with Loren Coleman

Next Saturday, May 6, 2023, world renowned cryptozoologist, Loren Coleman, and I will be signing copies of Scooby-Doo! Where Are You #121 at the International Cryptozoology Musuem's neew location in Bangor, Maine. Scoony Doo! Where Are You? #121 was recently published by DC Comics. It features a story I wrote which features a character who is very thinly veiled version of Loren Coleman and also features an equally barely disguised version of the International Cryptozoology Museum. The story was drawn by Walter Carzon, inked by Horacio Ottolini, colored by Sylvana Brys, and lettered by Saida Temofonte. It was edited by Courtney Jordan. See previous posts for more information.

The signing will take place between 11:00 am and 4:00 PM. All proceeds will benefit the International Cryptozoology Museum located at: 585 Hammond Street Bangor, Maine 04401

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #121

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #121 marks my return to writing Scooby-Doo comics after a twelve year absence. Guest starring a thinly veiled friend of mine, and world renowned cryptozoologist, this issue is available today at a comic book store near you. There's a preview of the first few pages here. Published by DC Comics the issue was edited by Courtney Jordan, drawn by Walter Carzon, inked by Horacio Ottolini, colored by Sylvana Brys, and lettered by Saida Temofonte.

31 Days of Halloween - Day 17

The Van Meter Visitor by Chad Lewis, Noah Voss, and Kevin Lee Nelson

On The Road Publications. 2013

Over a couple of nights in 1903, the small town of Van Meter, Iowa, found itself disturbed by the presence of an eight-foot tall bird-like creature, with bat-like wings, four-legs, and a bright light which shined from a horn-like protrusion on the top of its beak. It caused no harm, but was shot at repeatedly to no avail before vanishing (along with a second, smaller creature) into the town's mines.

The entirety of this strange experience was initially related in a single, short, newspaper article that was published at the end of the events listed above. No follow up was ever recorded, so there's no way to know if that was the end of the story. The authors of this book deserve credit for taking what could've been a single paragraph, or foot note, in a more expansive book on weird phenomena, or cryptozoological beings, and making a full book out of it.

They did what research could be done over a hundred years after the related events, and for the most part, provided sound analysis. The part for me that I have issues with in books such as this one, is when they start getting into areas such as "ultraterrestrial" explanations, conjecturing that strange creatures, such as the one being investigated, could possibly be visitors from another dimension. It's hard enough to try and identify a mysterious creature using behavioral and biological bases, but when you are taking a creature not proven to be real and using theories about parallel universes which are not proven to be real, to account for them, you're building a case lacking any solid foundation. Especially so, when you've already gone to great lengths to relate your careful, sound investigative techniques and analysis.

Don't get me wrong, parallel universes and the collective consciousness are fascinating to me, but risk erasing constructed credibility because they seem like entirely speculative conjecture, and probably sound a bit crackpot to the lay reader.

A very interesting read, though.

31 Days of Halloween - Day 15

Monster: The Thetis Lake Monster

Appearance: "Attack of the Lake Monster" Cartoon Network Action Pack #47. May, 2010.

Scott Jeralds: Penciller, Scott Awley: Inker, Rob Clark, Jr.: Letterer, Heroic Age: Colorist, Sean Ryan: Editor, The Secret Saturdays created by Jay Stephens. 

Thetis Lake lies within conservation land outside of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In August of 1972, two local teenagers claim that they were chased by a man-like creature covered in scales with a monstrous head. It was described as being about 5 feet tall with three webbed fingers on each hand and three webbed toes on each foot, and barbed fins on its head, arms and legs. The boys also said it had a point sticking out of its head and great big ears. It's color was a silverish blue. One of the boys even claimed that the creature slashed his hand. 

The Canadian Mounted Police felt the boys were sincere and took the investigation seriously, though they turned up nothing. Four days later two men reported spotting the creature rising from the water, looking around, and then returning to the water before they ran off. 

This is not the only man-fish reported throughout the world. Other cultures have their man-fish, too. I thought the Thetis Lake Monster would make a good cryptid to feature in a Secret Saturdays story that addressed the impact of human populations and global warming on ecosystems. The story wound up being about a pair of these creatures whose attempts at breeding have been thwarted due to a combination of factors; humans using their once secluded habitat as a recreational area, and rising temperatures in the lake. 

The difference between the Thetis Lake monsters in my story and the one reported in 1972, is that I treated mine as actual existing creatures. In real life, an attempt was made to connect the sightings with an escaped Tegu lizard (which in no way resembles what was described). The real explanation? "It was just a big lie." Russell Van Nice, one of the teen witnesses eventually came forward to say that the other boy, Mike Gold, just concocted the whole thing in an attempt to get attention. 

While general descriptions of the Thetis Lake monster suggest a similar appearance to the Creature from the Black Lagoon, it turns out the boys were inspired by a much different movie that they had recently seen...

...The Beach Girls and the Monster (1965)

31 Days of Halloween - Day 9

Monster: Cadborosaurus

Appearance: "Velma's Monsters of the World: Cadborosaurus" Scooby-Doo #143. June 2009. 

Karen Matchette: Pencils, Mike DeCarlo: Inks, Heroic Age: Colors, Travis Lanham: Letters, Harvey Richards: Editor

The Cadborosaurus, or "Caddy" is another crytpozooligical specimen. This time its an aquatic creature allegedly found off the coats of the Pacific Northwest, taking its name from Cadboro Bay in Greater Victoria, British Columbia where the bulk of sightings have taken place. 

Described as having a long, serpent-like body, flippers, and a horse, or camel-like head, the creature is known to several native tribes north of Cadboro Bay, suggesting a greater range of habitation. 

What makes the Cadborosaurus such an interesting cryptid is the large number of sightings, which continue to today, and two frustrating bits of possible physical evidence (both of which can be viewed in the page from the story above) which got away.

Above is one of several photos of what is believed to be the remains of a cadborosaurus retrieved from the stomach of a sperm whale in Naden Harbour in 1937. Analysis of a tissue sample wrongly identified the specimen as a fetal baleen whale. The experienced whalers, no doubt, would have encountered their fair share of whale fetuses, as well as all manner of ingested sea life,  in their work. That they felt compelled to have this specimen analysed suggests that it could have been an unknown creature. Unfortunately, the tissue samples, and the carcass lo longer exist for further examination. There is however a life-size reproduction of the carcass on display at the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine. 

31 Days of Halloween - Day 8

Monster: The Chupacabra

Appearance: "Scape Goats" The X-Files Comics Digest #3. September 1996.

Charles Adlard: Artist,  John Workman: Letterer, Digital Chameleon: Color Design & Rendering, Jim Salicrup and Dwight Jon Zimmerman: Editors

Back when I wrote this story, and even when it appeared, the chupacabra was a pretty much brand new phenomenon on the international scene. Was it an alleged extraterrestrial lifeform? Was it a cryptid? It was still early enough to make categorization problematic.

For the purposes of my story I stuck to the reports and set the story in Puerto Rico, where chupacabra activity had limited itself, associated it with unexplained sightings of lights in the skies, and gave it the appearance suggested by eye-witnesses which looked very much like the traditional "grey" alien only with spines running down it's back and more animal-like hind legs.

Because this was an X-Files story, there needed to be crime that would involve the FBI, and so a murder was conceived in which a human suspect seemed a lot more plausible than a -- whatever the livestock mutilating chupacabra was. Of course, one of the key bits of evidence presented in the story got botched (probably by the incredibly complicated and swift deadlines required of The X-Files comics) in which Charlie drew a convertible with the roof down, when a locked car with a roof was required. The editors missed it and I didn't see it until after it was published.

It was an interesting story to write because it was topical and playing with a new phenomena, which doesn't happen too much with these kinds of stories. In any case, the chupacabra was a lot more intriguing back then when it was tied to one specific bit of geography and still looked like this:

As far fetched as it seems, rather than being reduced to something that's suddenly appearing everywhere in the Americas where Spanish is spoken and looking like this: 

I'm sorry, but a coyote in need of a dermatologist does not make a monster, let alone an intriguing one capable of carrying a story. 

Legendary Creature

This post is a long overdue answer to a question that Robert Pope asked a few months back. Normally, this would be because I was procrastinating, or being just plain lazy, but this time it's actually because I really had to think about it.

Robert's question:

If one urban legend creature could actually exist (assuming in fact that they do not) which one would you want it to be and why?

My flippant answer would have been "all of them," but that's not really true. 

Over the course of my life I've certainly done a lot of reading, research, and writing about legendary creatures, but aside from my fascination with them, I don't believe that many of them actually exist. 

My top pick would be Bigfoot, but I actually think that compiled evidence supports its existence, and that it just hasn't been proven real. Anything you get from a newscast is not going to be fair, balanced, or even informed, and will generally bunch in any possibly valid sightings, or evidence in with unfortunate, and obvious, hoaxes such as the refrigerated bigfoot corpse from a few years back, or bad television shows like Finding Bigfoot, which my son calls "Faking Bigfoot." If you ask any scientists actually involved with evaluating gathered evidence, you will reach a very different conclusion. 

Since, I'm certain that Bigfoot exists, the sasquatch is not my choice for legendary creature I wish were real. For my answer I give you: 

THE SEA SERPENT (though I'll gladly take lake monsters) such as our local beast, the Gloucester sea monster seen above. I've read enough accounts of sea monster sightings to find them a compelling mystery. On one hand, I logically think no way. On the other hand, some specific animals had such regular and frequent sightings by a vast number of people, including experienced maritime folks, that they had to be something, and misidentified existing animals don't really fit the descriptions. I don't think they were dinosaur like reptiles. Maybe they were once real, and are now extinct. 

Creatures, such as the Loch Ness monster I find less credible, but again, maybe they were around, and once people surrounded their habitat they died off. Again, I don't think they were surviving plesiosaurs, but they could have been unknown animals. 

Overall, I find them to be more legendary than likely, but I'd sure like to see one. 

31 Days of Halloween - Day 25

In years past, as part of my Halloween Countdown I've shared some of my favorite monsters of literature and film. This year I thought I'd offer up my favorite real monster.

Ever since encountering it, and the following illustration in The Werewolf in Lore and Legend by Montague Summers, I've had a fascination with "the beast of Gevaudan." Here was a huge, unidentified, wolf-like animal which ranged over 250 square miles of territory in south-central France and killed over 100 people over a three year period while evading all attempts at hunting it down.

While some details in eyewitness descriptions of the beast varied, it was regularly said to be large, about the size of a calf with a white belly, red fur over its body with black stripe running down its back consisting of fur longer than on the rest of its body, much like a mane. It was said to have had a long tail, wide face and broad mouth full of sharp, pointed teeth in a short snout. It also was said to have straight ears and large eyes.

At the time there was a lot of speculation as to just what kind of animal it was. Theories ranged from large cats such as lions and panthers, large wolves, hyaenas, werewolves and even bizarre hybrid animals. Of course, the idea that it was an escaped exotic pet also became part of the speculation. It was also uncertain if it was a single animal, or a number of animals. Some logic was applied to dismissing some of the speculation. The idea that a hyaena would have left its natural territory and not found anything it liked to eat before reaching France seemed to rule out that animal. In a region where many of the victims were shepherds, and wolves were common, the beast was certainly not acting in the manner common to wolves, typically killing the human shepherd while ignoring their plentiful flock. Also a familiarity with wolves would have made misidentification unlikely.

The attacks began in June of 1964 and often involved women and children.The beast would often decapitate its victims and carry off the head. Bullets seemed to bounce off of it, though that was more likely a combination of poor, inaccurate, weapons and the beast's thick coat. In any case it was crafty, evading hunters, trackers, and even the army while continuing to pick off victims throughout the region.

In September 1765, a large wolf, or wolf-like creature was killed, stuffed and presented to King Louis XV as the beast of Gevaudan. Poor preservation and taxidermy methods make an accurate identification of this animal impossible and it was eventually disposed of. The terror seemed to be over, but in December of the same year, the attacks resumed and continued until June, 1767, when a second creature was killed.

While the most popular theory as to the identity of the beast is that it was a large wolf, or several large wolves ranging through the region, this is still speculation and its true species, whether known, or unknown, remains a mystery.

Cryptids in the Magic Kingdom

Cryptozoology, the study of hidden animals, ie; the search for animals not yet proven to exist, such as bigfoot, is not something typically associated with Disney. This summer's Winnie the Pooh will feature the animated short, The Ballad of Nessie about how the Loch Ness monster came to live in Loch Ness. Previously, Nessie could be found in Man, Monsters and Mystery, a fake documentary set out to prove whether or not the Loch Ness monster is real, also starring an animated lake monster set into real backgrounds. This segment was originally featured on The Wonderful World of Disney and can be found as an extra on the Pete's Dragon DVD. In 1971, the Wide World of Disney featured the two-part episode, "The Strange Monster of Strawberry Cove" based on the story "The Strange Sea Monster of Strawberry Lake" a Mad Scientist's Club tale by Bertrand R. Brinley about a group of smart kids who construct a hoax sea monster. I really hope this shows up on DVD some time as it was a favorite of mine when it was shown on tv. 

Beyond that, there wasn't a whole lot of cryptozoology to be found in Disney Entertainment. Imagine my surprise at how much cryptozoology could be found at Walt Disney World. Given that we are talking about animals, even though they have not been proven to exist, most of the cryptids were found in Disney's Animal Kingdom including three very visible, very live, very real, former Cryptids; the okapi, komodo dragon, and gorilla. Like the sasquatch, these three animals (along with the giant squid and giant panda, among others) were believed to be the fanciful creations of local folklore. 

The most famous cryptid to be found in Disney's Animal Kingdom is the yeti. Once you enter the part of the park representing Asia, the yeti dominates in signs and decor. There are themed structures, shrines, statues, stores, and even exhibits from a non-existent yeti museum (very difficult to photograph as they line the congested queue to the Expedition Everest thrill ride which also features a gigantic yeti represented in projected 2-D animation, and sadly in a blink and you'll miss it audio-animatronic representation towards the ride's final drop.

It was great to see so much yeti material in one place, both folkloric, scientific, and utterly fantastic. It was also great to see cryptozoologist,  Loren Coleman's book on oilman and cryptozoology expedition funder, Tom Slick not only on sale in the gift shop, but part of the yeti museum display. Sadly, most of the other yeti souvenirs on sale were of a cute and/or cartoony nature, so no realistic or folkloric art  inspired yeti statue came home with us.


At the Norway pavillion in EPCOT' s World Showcase there were some examples of sea serpents to be found. Norse mythology has provided us with two famous sea monster's, the Kraken, and the Midgard Serpent, which circle's the world. The viking dragon ships also evoke the appearance of a sea monster and no doubt that's what inspired the two representations below. Non-cryptid folkloric creatures such as trolls, were the centerpiece of the Maelstrom boat ride in Norway.

The following images come from a previous visit, but can still be seen in Walt Disney World. 

Above is the sea monster seen in the nightly Electric Water Pageant, a water parade of barges carrying fanciful aquatic animals composed of lights. This can be seen on the Seven Seas Lagoon at the base of the Magic Kingdom, or from resorts, such as the Polynesian lining the lagoon.

The above sea serpent made of Lego bricks can easily be found in Downtown Disney. It is pretty enormous and impressive to see. 

If there are other cryptids in Walt Disney World, like their real world counterparts, they remain hidden, at least to me. If you know of any more please let me know what they are, and where to find them.