Giant Fire Breathing Rooster Threatens Mankind - Bizarre Monster Mash-up By Bunkyo Gakuin University | VALID MAN

Written by Ken Hulsey

In a bizarre and imaginative mash-up that could only come from the creative minds of Japanese filmmakers, students at Bunkyo Gakuin University's Kuno Laboratory have unleashed a cinematic monstrosity upon the world. Their latest film, titled "Valid Man," features a truly outlandish premise - a colossal, fire-breathing rooster has risen from the grave with a singular mission: to annihilate an ancient race of werewolves. As if that wasn't wild enough, the unlikely hero tasked with saving humanity from this feathered, flame-spewing fiend is a meek, bespectacled schoolgirl with the ability to transform into a towering superhero. This utterly bonkers blend of horror, fantasy, and absurdist humor showcases the unrestrained imagination and audacity of these young filmmakers, who clearly have no qualms about pushing the boundaries of the genre to their breaking point. One can only wonder what sort of fever dream-induced brainstorming session spawned such a preposterous concept, but the result is undeniably entertaining, leaving audiences equal parts baffled and enthralled by the sheer audacity of this avian apocalypse.

Exploring Historic Downtown Natchez, Mississippi - A Rainy Morning Adventure | Ken's Adventures in the South

 Photos and Story by Ken Hulsey

This past week, I was blessed to spend time in what is quickly becoming my favorite place in the South: Natchez, Mississippi. I was in the area on business, making sales visits with local companies. Our company is trying to expand our presence in Mississippi, so I spent much of my day being charming and witty, discussing the importance of safety meetings and inspections.

Mazinger Z Jumbo Machineder Action Figure | Bandai Tamashii Nations Action Figures

 The iconic Jumbo Machinder series captivated the world in the 1970s, and now it's back better than ever! Leading the charge is the legendary Mazinger Z, a towering 23 3/5-inch action figure that captures the vintage style and coloring of the classic mech. This massive figure comes packed with impressive features, including 2 three-shot missile launchers, a Hover Pilder, 20 missiles, and even functional Rocket Punch fists! Fans ages 15 and up won't want to miss adding this impressive Mazinger Z Jumbo Machinder to their collection. Don't let this iconic mech slip away - get it now!

$169.99 @ Entertainment Earth - Order Here

Star Wars - Anchorhead: The Lost Scenes, Missing Footage and Outtakes

 Written By Ken Hulsey 

From the Monster Island News Archives - Originally Posted in 2000. Revised in 2008 & 2021.

Many years ago, I wrote an article for the original Monster Island News about the infamous deleted scenes from "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope." At the time, the footage that had ended up on the cutting room floor was rarely seen, and mysteriously absent from both DVD and VHS releases of the original Star Wars trilogy. Similarly, content from "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" had also been left out, including scenes like Biggs talking with Luke in Anchorhead, Wampas running amok in the Rebel Base on Hoth, and a Tatooine sandstorm in Jedi.

Russian Female Bigfoot Seek Human Mates? - Bizarre Encounters | Cryptid Chronicles

From the files of Monster Island News - December 2008

Written By Ken Hulsey

It seems there's a shortage of male Bigfoot (known locally as Almasty) in Russia, and the females of the species have been seeking human companions. In the northern Caucasus town of Elbrus, residents have reported an unusual number of Almasty sightings, mostly encounters with flirtatious females, typically by local men. In fact, it's a very common occurrence to spot the legendary creature around the town itself, with every resident claiming to have seen the Almasty at least once.

Project U.F.O. (Project Blue Book) - From The Land of Forgotten Television | Retro TV Rewind

Ezekiel saw the wheel.
This is the wheel he said he saw.
These are Unidentified Flying Objects that people say they are seeing now.
Are they proof that we are being visited by civilizations from other stars?
Or just what are they?
The United States Air Force began an investigation of this high strangeness in a search for the truth.
What you are about to see is part of that 20 year search. - Radio and television veteran Jack Webb spoke these words to open the premiere episode of the series 'Project: U.F.O.'

Project U.F.O. was a late 1970s NBC television series that ran for two seasons, from 1978 to 1979. The show was loosely based on the real-life Project Blue Book and created by Dragnet veteran Jack Webb, who pored through Air Force files to find episode ideas.

In the first season, the show faithfully reflected the Project Blue Book files, with most UFO sightings explained, and only a few remaining unexplained. However, in the second season, the storylines took a turn, as the main characters - Major Gatlin and Captain Ryan - actually witnessed a UFO themselves. These later episodes typically ended with shocking revelations suggesting the sightings were of alien craft or other unexplained phenomena.

Remnants Of The Santa Fe Railroad Still Roll In The Mojave Desert - Edwards AFB California | BNSF

 Photos and Story by Ken Hulsey

I know I've mentioned this before, but there's an incredible amount of former Santa Fe Railroad equipment still in use on the BNSF network. Nearly a decade ago, when I lived in the Mojave Desert, I was fortunate to capture numerous images of ex-Santa Fe locomotives still hard at work. And on a trip to Tehachapi one afternoon, I came across even more examples of the ATSF legacy living on, over 20 years after the merger with Burlington Northern.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Marvel Studios Trailer Prepares for Launch | Marvel Studios and Future Foundation

 Move over Marvel Universe - It's Clobberin' Time!

The cast of Marvel Studios' upcoming film "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" joined a live audience at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama - home of the iconic Space Camp program - to officially launch the movie's inaugural trailer on Tuesday. Fans from around the world tuned in via a Marvel livestream to catch the big debut in real time, with the towering Saturn V rocket serving as a dramatic backdrop. Stars Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach led the countdown, hyping up the crowd for the highly anticipated first look at the new Fantastic Four film.

Discover New Mexico: Explore the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science in Albuquerque | Travel New Mexico

 Story by Ken Hulsey

When I lived in Albuquerque, one of my favorite places was the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. I have to admit that back in the 80s, the museum wasn't much to write home about - it had a couple of dinosaur skeletons and little else. However, it was still really interesting, and I always enjoyed exploring the exhibits, with my favorite being the giant leg bones of a Seismosaurus, the largest dinosaur ever discovered, which used to call New Mexico home.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956) - Retro Science Fiction Classics | Toho / Embassy

 "Our tale begins dramatically amidst the smoldering ruins of what was once a great city. Twisted girders, cracked, blistering sidewalks and the skeletal frames of demolished buildings paint a grim portrait of this smoldering memorial to the unknown. Tokyo, once a proud metropolis of six million people, is now a graveyard." - Steve Martin - United World News

Godzilla, King of the Monsters! is a 1956 kaiju film directed by Terry O. Morse and Ishirō Honda. This "Americanization," is a heavily re-edited version of the 1954 Japanese film Godzilla. The film was a Japanese-American co-production, with the original footage produced by Toho Co., Ltd, and the new footage produced by Jewell Enterprises. Starring Raymond Burr, Takashi Shimura, Momoko Kōchi, Akira Takarada, and Akihiko Hirata, with Haruo Nakajima and Katsumi Tezuka as Godzilla, the film follows an American reporter covering a giant reptilian monster's attack on Japan.