Let's YOU and Him fight

Just a thought for today!

Forgiveness

 

July 2, 2026 and ninety-six years ago on this day in 1932, actor Brock Peters who portrayed M’Kone in S02E08, The Last of the Supermen, Ron Ely Tarzan TV series, was born in Harlem. I first learned about Brock when he voiced Darth Vader on the PBS radio production of STAR WARS. He was awesome.  He appeared in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD with Gregory Peck and in PORGY AND BESS. He played he reoccurring characters, Admiral Cartwright and Joseph Sisko, the father of the Commander Benjamin Sisko, Deep Space Nine, on Star Trek.

 

Read a review of the episode at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag74/7431.html#39

 

 In THE LAST OF THE SUPERMEN, M’Kone, played by Brock Peters, goes on a mission to kill the returned and unrepentant Nazis that killed his wife and young son. The episode is a wonderful parable about the dangers of letting toxic people back into your life people who could care less about your forgiveness because they can’t ever imagine that they’ve done anything wrong.

 

The drabble for today, “Wolf in Wolf’s Clothing,” was inspired by THE LAST OF THE SUPERMEN and a Georgian proverb,  The message is clear, forgiveness is wasted on people who don’t acknowledge their bad behavior.

 

Jai said, “Why don’t you forgive the Nazis?”

 

M’Kone replied, “They never apologized for killing my wife and child. Since they don’t believe they’ve done anything wrong, my forgiveness means nothing to them.”

 

“But, I was taught that we should try to mend fences.”

 

“The only fence to be mended is the fence that keeps them out of our village. If you don’t have clear boundaries, their bad behavior will escalate. Kindness requires wisdom, Blind forgiveness invites more exploitation. ”

 

“Forgiveness won’t make them better people?“

 

“If you forgive the fox for killing your chickens, he will kill your sheep.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 10, 2025

 November 10, 2025 and fifty-one years ago on this day years ago in 1974, the Russ Manning scripted and illustrated Tarzan Sunday arc, Tarzan in the Valley of Mist, began. You can read the entire 14 week story arc at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag21/2131.html. Many of the pages are from French versions of the Sunday page. The pages begin as full page versions and conclude as ½ pages. The story features a hot air balloon, that somehow works without a burner. It’s mistafying.

The drabble for today is, Play Misty For Me,” and it was inspired by the story arc.

Tarzan and Liz, the woman he rescued, emerged from the mist covered valley. Liz asked, “Are we safe? What kind of tree is this?”

“Don’t know. I think it’s a mist tree.”

"My friends were right behind us.”

Tarzan replied. “They tried to escape the billowing haze, but were too slow. They were mist taken.”

“Perhaps the natives in the valley took them. We have to go back.”

“No. The tribe’s leader, the mist chief means trouble. I was mist guided and mist took him for an honorable man. I don’t know the way.”

“Why, has it been mist placed?”

#edgarriceburroughs = Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 9, 2025

 November 9, 2025 and twenty-six years ago on this day in 1999, “Dark Horse Comics” published “Tarzan: The Rivers of Blood #1.” A Bill Ross article about the Dark Horse “Tarzan Comics” is available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag11/1156.html

The creative team behind it was a pair of Croats, artist Igor Kordej (or Kordey as he rendered his name for the English-speaking market) and writer Neven Antičević. The story takes Tarzan from his home in the jungles of Africa to Vienna and then to Zurich, first seeking aid from Sigmund Freud and then finally Carl Jung to help a mentally distressed Jane, who was put under a spell by a powerful magician. It was supposed to have a total of eight issues, but was cancelled after the fourth, apparently due to low sales.

Even so, Antičević had fully scripted the series, and Kordej had completed the art, i.e., both pencils and inks, for the fifth, sixth and first half of the seventh issues, and he had also done the roughs for the rest of the seventh and all of the eighth issue. And all that material sat around for a decade and a half, when a Belgrade-based publisher, System Comics, notified Kordej and Antičević that it had managed to get a license for a Serbian edition of Rivers of Blood, with the express intention of publishing the entire story and any extra materials. So in 2015 this lovely, oversized hardcover edition – or, as Kordej put it at the time, “one single, big, fat amazing book!” – was released:

The drabble for today, “Where the Wild Things Poop,” was inspired by the story, Tarzan: The Rivers of Blood.” Nothing like a little potty humor to start the day.

Sigmund Freud said, “So Mr. Greystoke, you’re here because you’ve decided that your wife is crazy.”

“That’s Lord Greystoke.”

“Lord?”

“Yes, and I’m the king of the jungle.”

“Interesting. You think that you’re a lord and a king, but that your wife is the one who’s crazy. Let’s not talk about your wife just yet.

Let’s talk about you. How well did you get along with your mother?"

“My mother died when I was an infant and I was raised in Africa by a tribe of great apes.”

“Mein Gott! I can’t imagine what your toilet training was like.”

#lurkinginthegenepool

 My paperback copies of the newest THREE COUSINS PUBLISHING anthology, LURKING IN THE GENE POOL arrived yesterday. I love it when a book looks better than I expected it to look. The anthology is available in hardcover and paperback from Amazon, Lulu, and from my online bookstore, but don't order it from the bookstore, Shopify isn't linking for purchase fulfillment and they want to charge everyone $32.00 for shipping. I've got almost as many hours in trying to resolve that as I did in editing the the book.

The Kindle version is available from Amazon.

Today, we'd like to acknowledge one of our favorite authors, R. J. Meldum. His short story, THE COTTAGE BY THE TARN, is not doubt a product of his recent move to Ireland. I'm only a lot jealous.

R. J. Meldrum specializes in fiction that explores the world through a dark lens. His subject matter ranges from ghosts to serial killers and everything in-between. He has had over two hundred short stories and drabbles published in a variety of anthologies, e-zines and websites. He has had work published by Midnight Street Press, Culture Cult Press, Horrified Press, Infernal Clock, Trembling with Fear, Black Hare Press, Smoking Pen Press, Darkhouse Books, Breaking Rules Press, Kevin J Kennedy, West Mesa Press and James Ward Kirk Fiction. His short stories have been published in The Sirens Call e-zine, the Horror Zine and Drabblez magazine. His novellas “The Plague” and “Placid Point” were published by Demain Press in 2019 and 2021. He is a contributor to the Pen of the Damned.

#edgarirceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 7, 2026

 November 7, 2025 and one hundred and nine years ago on this day in 1916, Edgar Rice Burroughs anticipated his involvement in World War One and enrolled in the LA Riding Academy. Just an observation, but I don’t believe that very much of WW1 was fought on horseback. Ed wasn’t selected to fight in the War, but he served as an officer in the Illinois Militia during the war.

All of the major combatants in World War I began the conflict with cavalry forces. Imperial Germany stopped using them on the Western Front soon after the war began, but continued with limited use on the Eastern Front, well into the war. The Ottoman Empire used cavalry extensively during the war. On the Allied side, the United Kingdom used mounted infantry and cavalry charges throughout the war, but the United States used cavalry only briefly. Russia used cavalry forces on the Eastern Front but with limited success.

The famous "Charge of the Light Brigade" in 1854 made the futility of charging armed fortifications on horseback readily apparent.

The 100-word drabble for today, “Ride, Eddie, Ride,” was inspired by the riding refresher course.

The riding instructor said, “Mr. Burroughs, you’re a better horseman than I am. Tell me why you’re here.”

“Brushing up. There’s a war going on and I want to be ready.”

“Mr. Burroughs, I read the papers. Exactly what does horsemanship have to do with trench warfare, machine guns, and hand grenades?”

“Maybe nothing, but one thing that history teaches us is that every decision you make during war isn’t a good decision. The advantage of a good horse is that it can help you get out of trouble even faster than you got into it.”

“Right then. Saddle up.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 6, 2025

 November 6, 2025 an on this day 114 years ago in 1911, Edgar Rice Burroughs accepted an offer of $400>00 from All-Story Magazine for “Dejah Thoris, Martian Princess,” one of the many working titles for “A Princess of Mars.” Doesn’t seem like much, but $400.00 1n 1911 is about $13,800 today. That works out to about 19 cents a word in today's money - which is better than most magazines pay today. Other working titles were “The Green Martians,” “My First Adventure on Mars,” and of course, “Under the Moons of Mars.”

The check was dated November 15, 1911 and drawn on the Second National Bank of New York. It cleared.

A wealth of information about the novel and its genesis is available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag4/0421.html

The drabble for today, “You Know What You Know,” was inspired by that transaction.

“Emma,” said Edgar Rice Burroughs, “All-Story sent a contract for my Mars book. $400.00! The check will be here in less than then days.”

“They paid you four hundred dollars! Wonderful! Exactly what are they buying?”

“The story. They bought the story.”

“I read that there are lots rights and rules. Which ones did they buy?”

“Emma, I’m really not sure. I’ll do some research.”

“So, you don’t know what you’ve sold them.?”

I don’t know what I don’t know. I’ll find out. But one thing that I do know for certain is that we need the four hundred dollars.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 5, 2025

 November 5, 2025 and three years ago on this day in 2022 was the official launch of “Victory Harben: Fires of Halos by Christopher Paul Carey. Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated celebrated the day by opening their offices for a tour. The book is available from ERB Inc. Here’s some information from the Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated website.

Born in Pellucidar, the world at the Earth’s core, in 1932, Victory Harben is the daughter of Gretchen von Harben and the warrior Nadok of the Voraki tribe. From a young age, Victory studied under Abner Perry and Jason Gridley, from whom she learned a deep love for science. At age eleven, she underwent a life-changing experience when she ran away from home and encountered a Mahar named Tu-al-sa in the subterranean city of Mintra. Victory traveled for the first time to the outer crust soon after, determined to unlock the secrets of advanced mathematics and physics hinted at in the Mahar archives. After graduating with a Master’s degree in theoretical physics, Victory returned to Pellucidar at the behest of Jason Gridley to help solve the mystery of the Gridley Wave’s failure.

The 100-word drabble for today, “Fabric of Space,” is excerpted from a press release by ERB Inc. dated July 25, 2025. The press release has been slightly edited to be exactly 100 words long.

‘When a mysterious force catapults inventors Jason Gridley and Victory Harben from their home in Pellucidar and flinging them across space and time, they embark on a grand tour of strange, wondrous worlds. Their search for one another leads them to the realms of Amtor, Barsoom, and other worlds even more distant and outlandish, Jason and Victory meet heroes and heroines of unparalleled courage and ability: Carson Napier, Tarzan, John Carter, and more. With the help of their intrepid allies, Jason and Victory uncover a plot, insidious and unthinkable—one that threatens to tear apart the fabric of the universe!’

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 4, 2025

 November 4, 2025, election day in New Mexico, and it’s reported that ninety-eight years ago on this day in 1927, Script Magazine published Ed’s travelogue, “Eleven Year Itch.” In commemoration of his family’s 1916 cross-country trip, the family traveled to the Grand Canyon North Rim. His 52nd birthday was spent in Arizona, as were his 21st and his 50th: The article Eleven Year Itch is written to describe the event. Unfortunately, I don’t have that issue and I can’t find the article electronically. I can’t even confirm that Script Magazine was published in 1927, I show the first issue with a 1929 date.

Since I can’t find the article, the drabble for today, “Check-In Time,” is entirely fictional. Well, almost, the information about the hotels is accurate.

“Dad,” said Hulbert. “It was a really hard drive to the north rim of the canyon. I can’t say that it looks differently than it does from the other side.”

“No, the other side has an hotel, the El Tovar.”

Joan said, “They’re building a hotel here. It’ll open next year. “Doesn’t do us any good. We’re here now.”

“True,” said Ed. “ The first man who saw the San Fernando Valley probably though someday this will be great city.”

“Excuse me if I don’t care to wait. No beans for me. I’d like a shower and a nice cabernet.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 3, 2025

 November 3, 2025 and on this day forty years ago in 1985, the Gray Morrow illustrated and Don Kraar scripted Tarzan Sunday newspaper story arc, The Night of the Meteor, concluded. The story arc ran for twelve weeks, typical of the time.

The entire story arc and several more Sunday Tarzans are available to read at www.erbzine.com. This one is available at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag35/3513.html

A catastrophic meteor shower was predicted and Tarzan raced to save a lost colony of Boer settlers, a few of which didn’t believe him and refused his help.

The drabble for today is, “The Sky, The Sky,” and it was inspired by the story arc, “The Night of the Meteor.”

Tarzan was trying to save wildlife from an expected meteor shower. He discovered a lost Boer village. He said, “You must leave quickly. A terrible meteor shower is coming tonight. It will destroy your village.”

Jan, a Boer leader, laughed. “You sound like Chicken Little. “The sky is falling. The sky is falling. I won’t leave.”

The meteors destroyed the village and killed Jan and his followers.

Tarzan said, “Those people didn’t have to die. If I was wrong, he could have just returned to his undamaged home. My way was a win/win. His was a win/lose. He chose poorly.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - November 2, 2025

 November 2, 2025 and on this day years ago in 1942, Ed wrote to George Carlin, and no, not that George Carlin, thanking him for his United Press correspondent credentials. Edgar Rice Burroughs officially became the World’s Oldest War Correspondent. In early December, he reported for duty and began writing “Dairy of a Confused Old Man or Buck Burroughs Rides again” about his experiences. The entire diary is available to read online at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag68/6800.html. The diary is, of course, copyrighted by Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated.

The drabble for today, “Pack Up Your Ole Kit Bag,” is excerpted from the first entry in that diary. It’s been slightly edited for length to be exactly 100 words long.

Hulbert phoned to say G-2 had called to say there was a seat for me on a plane leaving the next morning reserved for me. I was in the midst of a poker hand, stayed to win it, got up, and walked out with the money.

I packed my B-4 and musette bag. G-2 told Hulbert I was allowed 55 pounds. My gear weighed much more than fifty-five. The B-4 was jammed full; so was the musette bag. I also had a tin hat and a typewriter. Later, I acquired a gas mask. When fully loaded, I could just stagger.

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - October 29, 2025

 October 29, 2025 and eighty-four years ago on this day in 1941, Edgar Rice Burroughs completed the unpublished article, Fall of Democracy. The Second World War was raging in Europe and the attack on Pearl Harbor was less than six weeks in the future when the article was written. Soon America would be embroiled in the conflict and magazines were inundated with such articles, most of which were rejected. I’ve never seen the article. One can only hope that it’s survived in the archives at Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated and we’ll see on some future July 4th.

The drabble for today, “It’s Only Wrong in the Third Person,” is 100-words long and it reflects my understanding of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s patriotism.

The war in Europe threatens freedom everywhere. It will ultimately determine whether we live in a democracy or under totalitarian rule. Democracy is delicate balance. It can be toppled by power-hungry men appealing to the worst in us. Divide and conquer. All it takes is the application of freedom and fairness disproportionally. Laws must be applied fairly, especially to those with whom you disagree. Good for the goose, good for the gander. Whenever we limit behavior and rights to those that only agree with our points of view, that very second the Statue of Liberty will tumble into the harbor.

NEW ANTHOLOGY - LURKING IN THE GENE POOL

 LURKING IN THE GENE POOL, the fourth anthology published by THREE COUSINS PUBLISNING, an imprint of WEST MESA PRESS, was published yesterday. Three formats are available from Amazon, hardcover, paperback, and Kindle. Two formats are available from LULU, hardcover and paperback. An EBook version will be available soon from Lulu.

Here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXV398DZ/

The book contains the story, ON A FROZEN NIGHT, by CHRIS L. ADAMS. Chris spent years playing guitar in bands and, during that time, was more a voracious reader than writer. After his last band collapsed, he turned from writing songs to writing stories, including "Dark Tides of Mars" and its sequel, "Gauntlets of Mars."

Chris’s first published tale was a supernatural story titled "On a Winter’s Eve" and as it ended up, that tale inspired a retelling of it from a different POV, yielding an altogether different story. Should you enjoy On a Frozen Night, you may wish to read its sister story.

In addition to writing, Chris also dabbles in painting. As a matter of fact, the cover art for his Prehistoric Tales series features his paintings. Chris resides in Southern West Virginia with his wife and kids but may be found on the web at ChrisLAdamsBizarreTales.

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - October 26, 2025

 October 26, 2025 and on this day thirty-years ago in 1992, Season 2, episode 3, “Tarzan and the Forbidden Jewels,” the Wolf Larson Tarzan television series, aired. A complete list of the episodes, along with a review of each, may be found at: https://www.erbzine.com/mag74/7464.html

It should be noted that the episodes did not always appear in the order they were written and filmed. Hauser, played by James Healy, is back and…wait. He claims he’s a reformed man and none of the regulars, Wolf Larson, Lydie Denier, and Roger Taft Jr. seem to question that he was supposed to serve five years in prison. Is this five years or later? Some sources ---Amazon, for one, claim that this season came out in 1997 (in some countries, namely America, this season didn’t air until then or later and season three in 1998). Did Hauser get out of jail early for good behavior? It would be nice if we were told. If it is 1997 here, everyone is six years older? It would explain why Roger looks older, a bit? The plot involves a lost temple that contains hidden jewels.

The 100-word drabble for today, “Forbidden,” was inspired by the story and by the thought of forbidden items and behavior.

Hauser said, “Tarzan, there’s a lost temple filled with jewels. Take me there.”

“I know the place. The temple is forbidden, as are the jewels.”

“Take me or my men will burn villages. You can’t stop them all.”

“Hauser, you do understand the word, forbidden?”

“I do, but I ask, forbidden by who?

Jane said, “You mean, by whom?”

Tarzan said, “It’s not the whom, it’s the why that matters. An American President said, ‘Forbidden fruit tastes sweeter, but the aftertaste is bitter.”

Hauser laughed, “Who cares. With the jewels, I’m sure I can afford mouthwash and a new toothbrush.”

#edgarriceburroughs - Every Day With Edgar Rice Burroughs - October 25, 2025

 October 25, 2025 and thirty-three years ago on this day in 1992, the Gray Morrow illustrated and Don Kraar scripted Sunday Tarzan story arc, “Bayou Fever,” concluded. The story began in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, moved to Morgan City, and finished in the swamps. It ran for 14 weeks.

A wealthy architect had commissioned the capture of a rare black leopard from Africa. He planned to have it released in the Louisiana swamps for he and his friends to hunt and kill the animal. Tarzan planned to intervene.

You can read the entire story arc at:

https://www.erbzine.com/mag35/3542.html

The drabble for today, “Okay By Me, If It’s Okay Bayou,” was inspired by the story.

Tarzan joined a game warden to prevent illegal hunting of a rare black African leopard in the Louisiana swamps. Tarzan found the hunters and shot an arrow into a beehive.

The angry bees swarmed. The hunting party’s leader dove into the bayou water. An alligator came after him. Tarzan jumped into the water and saved the man.

Handing the hunter over to the game warden, Tarzan said, “He was a big man, but I caught him. Are you ready to take this scoundrel to jail?”

“I am, but I'd hoped you’d let the alligator cut him down to size first.”