ROMANTIC STORY #107, June 1970. Rare Ditko romance story.

ROMANTIC STORY #107 is your typical romance fare for the era. A rather nice cover and story with a thrill seeking ne'erdowell (Luis Avila art), the one pager with catty girlfriends (art by Charles Nicholas and Jack Abel), a standard "ski resort" tale (art by the team of Nicholas and Alascia). But the real reason to read this one is for the Steve Ditko story. Ditko drew only a handful of romance stories for Charlton (or anywhere else for that matter), and while this is still rather mundane compared to his genre work, it's a nice look at something he just didn't get to do very often.

Nicola Cuti's MOONIE AND THE SPIDER QUEEN movie

Cheers, friends! I'd like to let everyone know about Nick Cuti's film "MOONIE AND THE SPIDER QUEEN". As many of you know , the first episode has been available for a while on DVD, but now that the film has been accepted into at least one film festival , The Galactic Film Festival Of Los Angelos (and with over 20 others pending!), Mr. Cuti would like to screen the full-length version. To do that he has set up a Kickstarter page to help fund the remaining sfx and scenes.
(click here to visit the page: MOONIE KICKSTARTER )

A few words from Cuti:

"We intend to raise a quarter of a million dollars for "Moonie and the Spider Queen". We are going for broke, but we will have a theatrical release quality movie, and you can be a part of it. If you'd like to donate $50,000 or more, that's fine, but for as little as $5 you can still join the project. Even if you are unable to donate you can help by just letting people know about the project. This can become your project as well as ours."

and:
"Hi Everyone,
As you probably know "Moonie and the Spider Queen, Episode One" has been entered in over 20 Film Festivals and we've just heard from the Galactic Film Festival of Los Angeles. WE'RE IN !!! As more festivals accept Moonie we'll let you know.
With over two weeks to go to deadline, we're certain there must be at least 249,085 space opera fans out there with a buck to contribute to fun/quality space adventure, the kind you'd like to see.

Forgive my comment, but I just saw "Gravity" and "Europa Report" and God help us if that is what we have to look forward to in space opera. They were so, ho-hum, I kept praying for the Cylons to ride in and zap them. If you want exciting space opera, you've got to give. Long live "Star Wars" and "Aliens"!
Best,
Nick"

Every little bit helps!

GHOSTLY TALES #72, March 1969

GHOSTLY TALES #72 has a lot going for it, with stories by Ditko, Boyette, and Aparo, making it a jam-packed issue full of intensely great art.

This one is notable for a couple of reasons. First, it's one of the rare issues not have not have the cover , nor any of it's stories reprinted in the US. It was, however, reprinted once (in it's entirety, save the letters page) in the Australian GHOSTLY TALES #7, 1979.


The really interesting thing here, though, is Pat Boyette drawing what is essentially a hot rod story, which is his only foray into the genre--at least as far as I have been able to discern. Add the ghost element, and the fact that the host, Mr. Dedd, steps out from his role of host and is a key figure in the story, and it's a real wild ride!