Pop Culture

Sunday Comics

Thanks to Peter Loh, for a smiling peek at the cover of his forthcoming comic book about some recent adventures.

Sun Journal: Creature Looks Like A Canine

Click on image for full-size version Photograph by Michelle O’Donnell. Used by permission. The body of the dead animal found in Turner, Maine, according to DNA tests conducted on behalf of and paid for by the Lewiston newspaper, the Sun Journal, belonged to a member of the genus Canis, not a Tasmanian devil, not a rodent, not a Chupacabras, not a hyena, not a werewolf, not an Eastern Bigfoot, and/or not from any wild species speculations that were heard over the last ten days. Nevertheless, it is important to understand, the real Mystery Beast is still out there! Readers of [...]

Merchandising the Monster

Artist: Roland LaVallee, Crow Track Gallery, Eastport, Maine. Used with permission. Lewiston reporter and Cryptomundo associate these days, Mark Laflamme takes some moments on Monday, August 21, 2006, to look at “Merchandising the beast?” in the Sun Journal. Please click on image for full-size version Photograph by Michelle O’Donnell. Used by permission. Laflamme speaking to a local central Maine readership, first and foremost, observes: Admit it. All week, you’ve been calling friends around the country to brag about the mystery creature stalking the Maine woods. You love that dead, unidentified beast and you want a way to celebrate it. Put [...]

No Silly Season, Just Dog Daze

Click on image for full-size version Photograph by Michelle O’Donnell. Used by permission. On Monday, August 21,2006, Judith Meyer, editor at the Sun Journal in Lewiston, Maine, took a few moments to ponder the seven days that had just gone by. In her article “The Dog Daze in August,” she writes, in part: Last week was beyond weird. The public clamor for stories and photos about the mystery creature in Turner was so intense, the Sun Journal Web site couldn’t keep up and crashed. The switchboard was busy with media requests from around the world, and researchers and experts in [...]

Sunday Op-Ed Funnies

Johor Hominid Says: “What’s this I’ve heard about some missing photographs in Maine? Would you like to see some drawings of them?” ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Meanwhile, deep in the rainforests of Malaysia….

Maine Mutant Takes Down Website

The media attention was unabated on August 18 for this story, continuing late into the night for me with local television comments, scores of email inquiries & requests, and an interview on BBC News at 10:50 p.m. People wanted to have an answer to the "Maine Mutant" or "Mystery Beast" question, even when I told them there really is not one, but two parts here: the unknown large canid creature still out in the woods, uncaught, and the dead body off Route 4, which was most likely a strange, small feral dog. As noted below, with our publication of the [...]

Bizarre Animal Carcass Draws International Media Attention

Portland, Maine’s television station WCSH-TV, Channel 6, did a balanced, upbeat report on the media frenzy. They ended their report by showing footage of their reporter scrolling through the online “Maine Beast” blogs at Cryptomundo. Bizarre Animal Carcass Draws International Media Attention to Turner Web Editor:  Chris Facchini, Reporter   Created: 8/17/2006 5:11:52 PM Updated: 8/17/2006 5:15:39 PM Media from Maine to Germany to Madagascar have reported on the dead animal carcass that one expert says is likely nothing more than a feral dog. The Town of Turner is right in the middle of a media feeding frenzy. It’s all [...]