304. Johnny Sokko's Voyage into Space!

                   

An Executive decision

 

By order of the most evil Emperor Guillotine, Xenorama #43 will be published before Xenorama #42. There are a few more articles I am waiting on for the official 30th anniversary issue, so there may be a few more issues done.  I could renumber the issues, but dang it, I want issue #42 to be the special issue.  It is the answer to life, the universe and everything.  That makes it seem special to me and I hope all the readers will think so as well.

Voyage Into Space Blu Ray review

 

How on Earth is this movie available on Blu Ray?  And how did I not know about it?  It was released by Scorpion Releasing and is available from Roninflix.com, amongst other places.  The back says it is from a brand-new 2019 master, and it does indeed look amazing.  I had often wondered why some enterprising fan didn't stitch together a version of the movie from the nice DVD set.  This disc looks it came from a new transfer, and it is better looking than the DVD set.  

Xenorama #43 cover

 

While Xenorama #42, the 30th anniversary issue is nearing completion, we are hard at work for the next five or so issues.  Spider-Man, an issue about musicals, an issue about really cool toys and more are all lined up.  When Xenorama relaunched in July of 2013 I did not know how things would go, but that was issue 15.  In less than 10 years we have published over twenty more issues.  I still find it amazing and I love writing more all the time.  I also love that I get to watch movies and shows and call it "research" as well.

Voyage into Space (1970) poster

 

AIP might have sold Voyage into Space as a theatrical movie in other parts of the world.  It would have been fun to see on the big screen especially as a kid.  This may have just been a promotional piece of art for the press kit, though.  It is pretty evocative, though one could easily see how Giant Robot looks like Commando Cody (this is what I actually thought when when I saw the 8mm movie box in Kmart as a kid.  Whattya want, I was eight years old or so!).  I should have paid more attention.  

Voyage into Space

 

This shows up on Comet TV now and then, and boy is it fun to see it on television.  It's available on Amazon Prime as well, which is unusual, since you have to purchase episodes from them.  No one knew when it was originally aired just how much it had in common with Gigantor.  At least no one else could command Robo, even if they stole the watch from Johnny.

8mm Monster memories

I've mentioned various 8mm movies I owned as a kid on this blog in the past, but only as part of an overall blog.  last year I wrote an entire article about said films for the iconic monster magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland.  I owned several of these little movies, and loved watching them.

Giant Robot vs Dragon, Ninja Monster

Johnny Sokko is a great show. it's missing a legit DVD release over here, and MGM could do it up right. they were going to offer it for a burn on demand, but it hasn't happened yet. bootlegs abound though, and you can buy the whole series on itunes, which is cool.

Spectreman

I wish I had seen this show growing up, as I am sure I would love it more now.  not that it would have aired in Colorado (see previous lamentations about Japanese genre shows) but perhaps I could have seen it in WV or somewhere else.

unfortunately, Spectreman had such a limited release I only ever heard about it in 1988 or so, when looking through a video store catalog, which had 12 volumes of the show.  which seemed pretty cool, but when I tried to order one, it was never delivered.  which looking back on it should have been no surprise to anyone, but at least they tried.

I also tried to order one in a SunCoast as well, but again was met with failure. 

the show is fun, but I don't have the attachment to it that I do with Ultraman or even Johnny Sokko.  I'd still probably buy a legit release of it if it ever happened.

I'm not gonna hold my breath...

Johnny Sokko burn on Demand

here's some rockin' news-  MGM through Amazon is offering the entire Johnny Sokko series through burn on demand.  not exactly sure what all that entails, but that is great.

and Opticon will be watching!

Tetsujin 1-7

mostly known to us over here as "Brain 17" this is a fun show.  it essentially follows the Gigantor/Johnny Sokko theme of boy controls a giant robot and battles evil monsters and such which of course is what every boy dreams of.

I'd never seen an episode of it in Japanese, but found that some kind souls are fansubbing it.  too bad it's MKV sort of thing, as I prefer watching shows on a tv than a computer, but I can live with it if it's just one episode.

I have a ton of these one shot fansubs, Kamen Rider episode 1, JAKQ, Battle Fever J, Metaldar, even Ultraman Neos episode 1 has been done.  I appreciate their efforts, since I certainly couldn't do it.

a flying jawbone?

more fun than it would sound! Johnny Sokko episode #6.

Giant Robo vs Cats

got this Giant Robo toy several years ago at the local comic book shop.  it moves and even came with a rather out of proportion Johnny Sokko figure.  Johnny wouldn't stand up on the carpet so he got left out.

that's my tortoise shell cat Dacya in the background, she's not very impressed with our hero. 

I would have loved to have one of these as a kid, wouldn't that have just been a great toy to play with till it fell apart?  moves about as well as the live action one as well!

now if they only made a Dragulon to have him fight, the package would be complete.  I think he's my favorite of the monsters from that series.

here's Thuvia Jane, or TJ as it's easier for me to write and say.  she's also rather nonplussed about the impending battle with our hero.

Daci is just the supervisor for this battle.  don't worry, no harm came to either the toy or the cat, since she'd rather bat about softer fuzzier things.

space? what voyage?

a nice comp movie based on the "Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot".  it was compiled in 1970 and presented as a feature movie to various tv stations around the country (none in CO, of course).

I only ever saw one episode of "Sokko" growing up, the first one, and that is mostly presented here.  I actually first saw the movie in an 8mm box in K-mart, of all places, back when that was all you could own.  which I am sure just astounds many kids these days that can see just about anything they want to immediately.  the movie is made up of the first, second, third and fourth episodes, the thirteenth (I think) and the final one.  they used each monster at least twice, which saved on costs, I'd think.

of course, since there was no blurb ON the box telling me it was a Japanese movie, I passed it up for quite possibly "Varan, The Unbelievable".  while I greatly enjoyed seeing all 11 minutes of destruction that Varan does, I think perhaps a giant robot fighting 2 or 3 monsters would have been more my thing then.  I mean, look at this thing!

there's 26 episodes in the series, and it was dubbed by a different team than AIP's usual go to guys, Titra/Titan.  Jerry Berke, AKA the voice of 8th Man, is the narrator.  Bobbie Byers, the voice of Prince Planet was the voice for Johnny (and probably the rest of the female characters).  it's good dubbing, but not quite up to Titan/Titra standards.

it's a really fun show, full of energy and destruction and monsters.  it's also pretty violent, as our heroes gun down villains with no remorse- even Johnny, who appears to be about 12, is armed and dangerous!  of course, not quite as well equipped as Giant Robot is!  eat your heart out, MechaGodzilla!

did I mention that none of our heroes voyage into space at all in the movie?

Tetsujin 28-go toys

usually I don't post pictures from my "toy" collection- I mean, really, are these toys if they just sit on the shelf and don't move? I don't think so.

but since we've been discussing Tetsujin/Gigantor, I thought it would be fun to post a few pictures of these two figures I have. I keep calling the "GR2" figure the Black Ox, but it's plain that is not who it is. if he shows up in the 2004 series later don't tell me, I have only watched half of the show.

boy, wouldn't it be nice to have figures like this easily obtainable in the States?
here's a side view of the evil GR2- though that name makes me think of Giant Robo, since he did fight GR2.

and here at last is our hero, who always will be Gigantor to me. he looks pretty cool, and the base he is standing on also has a little controlling device on it.

I've got some various other small figures, and some other toys that will appear here occasionally. it's not much of a collection I have, that's for sure. sold most of it to various collectors several years ago- would you believe I got $170 for tagged Megalon figure in 1999?

Johnny Sokko on Hulu... free!

thanks to the the good people at Monster Island News! enjoy the show, and keep hoping for it to show up on legit DVD some day.