A GODZILLA-sized Welcome for SVENGOOLIE at G-FEST!

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When I say that it was a dream come true for National Horror Host, Svengoolie, to be a guest at the quintessential Godzilla event, G-FEST, I am really not kidding! I rediscovered that Sven was back on TV in 2003 and went to my first G-FEST in 2004 – wondering for the last 8 years why the two had never joined forces. After all, this was the Horror Host who helped cultivate my love of these films back in his “Son of Svengoolie” days. He’s also family & fan friendly, and there are few other events that capture that spirit like G-FEST does.

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G-FEST XIX Godzilla & Kaiju Models: Sculpting Scares and Creating Magic!

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I have to confess that my favorite part of G-Fest is checking out the amazing models created by fans and put on display during the weekend. I had tried my hand at it a couple of years too but found out that I am better off sticking to writing as opposed to model-making. This stigma, however, is a personal issue, as ALL ages and skill levels are not only welcomed but encouraged here.

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Penny Dreadul & Ghoul A Go-Go Dance-off at Monsterbash!

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When Ghoul A Go-Go frontrunner, Vlad Tepis, was unable to appear at this year’s MONSTERBASH it was Shilling Shocker’s Penny Dreadful to the rescue! The crafty New England witch made a spell-binding replacement, all done last minute. Ghoul A G-Go is a popular show combining monsters, laughs, and dancing! They’re regulars of the premiere Pennsylvania  Monster event but the absence of Vlad (which Penny jokingly explained was due to his protest of the DARK SHADOWS remake) created a bit of a dilemma in lieu of their scheduled performance. You see, Vlad is the only member of the trio who actually speaks! (NOTE: Out of respect for the wishes of Ghoul A Go-Go, all photos and video are B&W).

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I did the MONSTERBASH!

Usually when I attend a fan convention, it’s after weeks of planning and preparation leading up to the big weekend itself. MONSTERBASH (summer 2012) was a last minute decision that threw my convention(al) wisdom straight out the window! I’ve always wanted to do one of these but there were two main issues; 1) Its about a 7 hour drive from my native Chicago to Butler, Pennsylvania and certainly not a journey I relish doing alone. 2) Its slated right before July which is always the busiest convention month here in the Midwest. This requires me having to use up vacation days and resources at a time when I need to be stockpiling them in order to get through the next month. So what changed my mind?

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