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• So, the Japanese are building robot ninjas.
  And Duke University is teaching monkeys to control robots.
  These two research groups should never meet.

• Chris found something neat.
  Chris notes: Now let's see about finding the script for the unproduced third part to Fate of Lightspeed...

• Our own Matt Williams has already moved on to bigger and better things, having just pulled in TWO references on Cartoon Network's recent Adult Swim webcast. The proof is in the pudding, and Matt's holding Bill Cosby hostage here.
  Chris notes: Casting adrift this mortal coil of sporadic updates and BYOBF references and ascending to the domain of Williams Street internet attache. How long you think before Matt's on staff?
  Derik notes: Depends, does he have incriminating photos for leverage like Amit?
  Chris notes: Amit was in those incriminating photos.
  Derik notes: Pfshaw; I'd like to see THAT hold up in court.

• In our endless pursuit of exploring PR's minutia, our own Jesse Herndon has finally managed to deduce the precise return address in Kim's infamous "you never satisfied me as a man" letter to Tommy. Oh, Coach Schmidt's training camp was in Florida, all right... Florida, California. She moved to a different part of THE STATE. Oh, you cannot tell me this breakup was about distance...
  Jarod notes: I thought we were in the endless pursuit of leisure.
  Chris notes: No, that's the new Sugar Ray album. Not their strongest, either.
  Derik notes: Not to nitpick grammar- but that really should be 'his best' Chris.
  

• So I was catching up on this week's One Life to Live, and I happened to notice an ad for Ernie Hudson's new show 10-8 coming this fall to ABC. While I found this intensely amusing -- of all the Ghostbuster actors I would have pictured headlining a cop show, Winston would be the last -- what caught my eye was the presence of Saban Ent.'s own Sarah Brown as a character. She was sporting a red flak-jacket with energy dispersion properties, cut intriguingly low around her mecha-cans.
  Jesse notes: Having just watched VR Troopers from start to finish, including a couple episodes with her in swimwear, I can assuredly say Sarah was given the surgical Eliza Doolittle work over.
  Chris notes: Shuki must have bought her those after she had the kid, when you can safely lie about that kind of thing -- they popped up (so to speak) during her Birds of Prey appearance as well.
  Derik notes: Wait, I thought Eliza was Dr. Doolittle's caring but unpleasantly hypochondrial sister?

• A few weeks ago I happened to pick up the TRU exclusive Savage Battle pack at a Toys R Us upstate. It was the last they had in stock, and it delighted me to no end. I was finally going to own the Master Org figure- screw the forty bucks it set me back! And it wasn't until sometime after I got home I realized there was a second toy in there that had no individual distribution. There's an Armored Yellow Ranger included. A quick perusal of John Green's guide confirmed for me the absence of a Taylor Mega Battle. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the first "true" Mega Battle granted a female Ranger, he says pointedly ignoring Cassie and Ashley's Astro Armor from the Space release. Fic writers take note.
  Chris notes: Like all the Savage Battles, there isn't a ton of "armor" in this upgrade beyond the gauntlets and boots they all share, but the toy itself comes with this really neat chicken-claws that fit over her forearms and hands. Max's upgraded Fighting Fins are also neat.
  Derik notes: Chris and I always wanted Alyssa to have an armored upgrade on the show that would allow them to resurrect the dead "PR for Grrrlz" line. The White Fairyized Ranger, with sparkly transparent butterfly wings, a telescoping White Tiger Baton that spits out pastel ribbons... and Alyssa is horribly embarassed to use it.
  Jesse notes: PR for Grrrlz? A Pink Ranger with bad hair in a faded and torn oversize uniform listening to Blur?
  Chris notes: Grrrll power is not just a Seattle Grunge thing anymore Jesse. And PR4G was the Barbie-knockoff line with cute dress-up rangers.

• Maybe it's just because I haven't been paying attention, but these Abaranger Megazords were a pleasant surprise. here and here. (Remember to open the links in a new window if you want them to work.)

• Man, whoever plays the Black Ranger next year is gonna be hated-on by the fans so bad...

• This just in- CHYLER LEIGH IS THE KISS OF DEATH!
  I called this six months ago. David E. Kelley's The Practice is facing what looks to be its "closing arguments." Zap2It reports the long-running legal drama's contract with ABC has expired, and the producers are uncertain as to the future fate of the program. Astute Funaroverse readers will recall that this is the fourth program in six years that the lovely Mrs. Khayman has destroyed, on three networks.
  Derik notes: Wither now, Chyler? Whither now?
  Jesse notes: There's only one chance. Chyler has to get naked in something, quickly. FOR THE EARTH!

• "So I'm on vacation, and while shuttling from one theme park to another I make the acqutaince of two young women from the great state of Texas. Being, as they were, from Texas, I did not mess with them. We got to discussing thrill rides in our respective cities, and the younger of the two suggested I try the "Texas Twister."
  I asked where that's located, and the elder of the pair laughed and said they'd be happy to show it to me personally. Then their mother showed up, and we filtered apart. It was not until later, upon discussion with my associate and travel companion that the notion was approached that I had just been offered, and refused, a menage a trois. And so I leave it to you, the humble Funaroverse reader... Was I being propositioned?"

• Some nifty auctions for autographed PRWF swag on ebay have come to my attention, and I would, in turn, like to direct your attention to them. Lord knows how I don't like to see collectibles languish, unsold. First up is this lovely headshot of the angelic Jessica Rey, also featuring a delightfully TACTLESS plug for her website.
  -Next up, if you feel like making your autograph heyday a REYday, consider also bidding on this lovely Spin-Morphin' figure, also autographed by Jessica. Not featuring any desperate plugs for hits, but still nice. I love that butterfly signature of hers.
  -And finally, this boxed set of the first wave PRWF figures, sporting the collective John Hancocks of all five core Rangers, Danny Wayne Stallcup, and Sin Wong. Cheap at twice the price, for all you salivating Jindrax fangirls.
  Chris notes: You may be wondering; Chris, why are you updating for this? Something you stand to gain nothing on? Because I was asked nicely by our dedicated beat reporter T-Dini. Like the Rolling Stones, I'm here to make an Emotional (Lightspeed) Rescue.
  Derik notes: These actions are awfully tame considering some of the things T-Dini has gotten from rangers over the years.
  Chris notes: But I don't think you can sell something social on e-bay. Maybe in Nevada.

• Mesa am mooey mooey sorry for our recent attack by devious Gungan hackers. No doubt this was in brutal retaliation for our slanderous attack on Jar-Jar Binks and Auld Lang Syne last New Years. Gungans have a laid back, relaxed take on revenge. Rest assured that no, that was not our last update.

• Jefferson Starship told us that no time is a good time for good-bye. And they would be right. I don't like having to give up my primary writing chores. But when I am physically shaking due to the amount of stress this is putting on my already taxed system, I think it's time to step back. Besides, my relationship with the 'verse was about as screwed up as the one in Miike's "Audition." I need this for myself.
  Chris notes: Back when I was a teenager, I used to spend my summers on Mackinac Island in Michigan. I'd work as a packer in one of the small fudge shops which dotted their main street. It was there that I first honed my prowess on the Simpsons arcade game. And where an elegant and worldly French piano instructor first taught me the meaning of love-- err, how to run a website.

• This past weekend a preview for Ninja Storm ran on ABC Family. The usual "we don't even have one episode in the can" mishmash of Toei footage, but it's worlds above the pap ABC Kids produces for their ad campaigns. So you'll have to wait until closer to February to get your first glimpse at PRNS #1: "Reconciliation! The Unbroken Franchise is Relocated? Go Now!" Until then, enjoy the encode at PRN.

• Go see the film Treasure Planet. Paul Schrier gets a special thanks at the end of the credits for what should be obvious reasons. And then go pick up a copy of Red Star Annual #1, jam-packed with Paul's delightful computer work.
  Goofy notes: Garwsh, what would a graphic artist be doing listed in a CG intensive film? A-hyuk.

• Chris Peterson and Will Mayberry have reopened the Secret Files of Ali Mac, and bring their pet website back to life. And good for them. Even if it no longer has the endorsement of Alison, it was a handy site to everyone's favorite -- Nuts. I never picked a coy word for her, like I did with AJJ. Anyway...
  Quisp P. notes: Random fun fact regarding Alison. In Germany, "Truth Discovered" was entitled "Die Schwester mit dem Busen."
  Derik notes: You had to ask your mom for help with that one, didn't you?
  Quisp P. notes: Totally.

• Will also took the time to show off his impressive culinary skills by producing this marvelous cake in the image of the Crimson Thunder Ranger.
  Jesse notes: I thought he was the Red Shadow Ranger.
  Chris notes: He was. The new production team changed the name Bandai selected.
  Derik notes: You know what type of cake that new Blue Ranger would be? GERMAN Chocolate. Master cake for the master race!
  Chris notes: I'd like to preemptively apologize for the slanderous words of my webmaster to all of our German friends out there, such as Dagmar and the good people at Power Rangers World...
  Derik notes: Stop sucking up to the Aryans! It will do you no good, Spanard!
  Chris notes: What have the Germans ever done to deserve your constant ridicule?

• Johnathan Custis is a really great guy. I just wanted to get a chance to say this before we board up all the windows and deadbolt the door. Polite, courteous, and helpful. We neglected to inform people weeks ago of Sarah Brown's appearance on the now very canceled Birds of Prey, or Brad Hawkins' turn on Fastlane (featuring PR's own Mark Richardson). But Johnathan still managed to get caps of both, along with Ilia's appearance on Fastlane. Two VR Troopers AND Master Org for the price of one? But that's not all. Since we acted now, we also got Archie Kao's last appearance on CSI!
  Sarah, Brad, Ilia, and Archie!
  Chris notes: Best of all? You can actually use these graphics, provided you credit him for his hard work. Like us, he believes in open source. Good man, he is. Indeed. Makes ya proud to still be in this fandom.

  -Johnathan also has a really, really, really amazing site dedicated to Power Rangers Turbo. That most maligned of incarnations, and Derik's very favorite season. This is just the kind of website I wish we had more of. It's all available here, and it's well worth a look.

• Going up two newsbytes, Eva Beckwith provides us with the following transcript from the Dallas Morning News, Friday, November 22, 2002, section 3J, from movie columnist Jane Sumner.

  "His classmates at Plano High School knew him as Dana Wroblski. But it was as Brad Hawkins that he guest-starred this week as a slick mobster on Fox's Fastlane series. Brad, who was discovered by Eddie Winkler, director of the teen broadcast division at the Kim Dawson Agency. launched his acting career in 1994 as the lead of VR Troopers, a spinoff of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. In 1996, he took a break to pursue his dream of a music career. During his three-year hiatus, he opened for the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw and charted two Top 10 videos."
  Chris notes: Excuse me while I snigger pointedly at Brad's unfortunate real name.

• Mike Devine let us know Melody Perkins is continuing her trend of advertising for internet companies, this time throwing her lot in with the juggernaut that is Microsoft. Thanks for the cap, Mike. I forgot how to do that trick where you cap your own monitor. Derik, care to illuminate for the people at home?
  Derik notes: Hit 'Print Screen'. Then paste it into... anyplace.

• From the "astounding coincidence" department (as well as the "suck up to our lords and masters department"), something that can compare to such time-bending incidents as, say, the Wild West Rangers and Colonial Tommy. I bring you the oldest known drawing of Mickey Mouse. A 700 year old drawing from Austria. Yes, he appears to have a human (and disturbingly female) body, but there it is. The Austrian government is planning to challenge Disney's rights to Mickey.
  Derik notes: Stupid MTA guy needs a firm smack. Malta Mouse is firmly int he public domain, Wailt has every right to produce derivitive works which he owns. Matt notes: Reminds me of a joke I saw in a Disney Cartoon book where Walt was purported to have come up with the plot to "Masters of the Universe" in 1941. Chris notes: You still work here? Matt notes: Oh, crap, how'd this get *here*? Derik notes: I seem to think a lot of people need a smacking lately. Maybe I need conciling. Oh, and if Disney continues extending copyright law in congress, they could concievably infringe upon Malta Mouse eventually...

• So I'm on the Celebrity Breast Forum (I have hobbies outside of this fandom), and what should I happen upon but the following pictures of Katrina Devine from Atomic Twister. Name aside, she's charmingly well clothed for the entire duration. Extra special thanks go to Wonderboy, who I would have e-mailed for permission... Except you can't e-mail other posters to that forum. For good reason.
  Chris notes: For instance, my band is consuming large portions of my free time.
  Derik notes: Chris, that's a band of pirates.
  Chris notes: Aarugh, that we be matey, that we be...

  -Katrina's breasts are popping up all over the place! For those of you who happen to be a skosh naughtier than our usual clientele, the intrepid Ryan Johnson brings us some hot SKIN PICS of her from the Australian edition of Ralph magazine. Following in the brave footsteps of our Sentai brethren, Village Roadshow is. Maybe I'm daft, but does it look to anyone else like ol' Kitty here has lazy eye? I'm reminded of the rather charming description given men's magazines in the story Dance of a Lifetime. "It's not porn, but it's as close as legally possible."
  Derik notes: I just want a crack at the wiseguy who dubbed those things men's magazines, as though every man out there were just chomping at the bit to see partially clothed women.

• Our flash-facts section has been hereby locked down until further notice. And until somebody can scrounge up enough material on PRNS to make restoring it viable.

• A website recently had pictures of Jason Frank and his fiance available, but a slew of jealous cookie-dough-eating Oliverettes hissed and clawed until the poor webmaster was forced to take it down. PR fangirls are scary when confronting reality (that they'll never touch any of these people). The emotional disconnect those poor Yost fans have had to make ever since his sudden transformation into George W. Bush comes readily to mind. If said webmaster would like to contact me, we'd be glad to host the pictures here. This site exists specifically to invoke the ire of others.

• From the collection of our own Derik Smith, these scans of Australian MMPR and PRZ magazines. Of particular note is a completely different "Bad Reflection on You," a version of Doomsday far more in keeping with the Zyuranger finale, a comic which formalizes the UAE as an agency back in Zeo, and Klunk. Klunk is clearly intended as Orbus, from his bio. But I don't care. We have a canonical name for another Machine Empire robot, and screw internal logic. He's a Klank repaint now, baby. (PRAwiO)
  Chris notes: This kind of stuff is my OXYGEN. Almost as much as Monk/Sharona porn.
  Derik notes: I seriously want one of our Australian readers to drop us a line on whether or not this version of Doomsday might have actually aired in OZ. Like the reedited version of "Changing of the Zords" that runs in the UK. BTW, that's so wrong Chris.
  Chris notes: What intrigues me is that while the artists and writers of the Zeo magazine were clearly given visual cues for Ohranger, they got nada on Kakuranger beyond the colors of the team. Rito looks like Bones. My god- Delphine is blue. And check OUT those Battle Borgs. It's like ROM suddenly acquired the ability to grow. And this coming from someone who reads Lil' Bow Wow slash?
  Jesse notes: To help him in the battle with the Dire Wraiths, of course.
  Jarod notes: Rito looks like Dr. McCoy?
  Derik notes: Hank or Leonard?

• Stand and deliver. We made a passing comment as to how Serpentera would look on that sentai mech comparison chart, and Ray Calderon provides us one which actually includes the old girl. If you want it, here it is. Come and get it. But you better hurry, cause it may not last.
  Chris notes: Badfinger's right! PRC has been experiencing server troubles. And don't steal his graphics, bitches.
  Lynn notes: Give it a week and someone will make a site from this picture.

• Ray additionally graces the fandom with a fantastic little bit of flashware. It's PRC's "Top Ten Moments in PR History," and it's well worth taking a look. Though I would note that, were I compiling this, the Astro Megazord's "come get some" hand gesture to the Barillian Bug would SO be on there.
  Chris notes: Really, now that we're retired from the nuts and bolts of news reporting, there's no reason Derik and I couldn't do a special project like that for the site at some future date.

• Blake Foster returns to network television this coming Friday, with Fox's "Brady Bunch in the White House." Oh god, make the hurting stop. I give the first Brady Bunch movie credit for taking an already awful premise to its next logical step, but this is just sad. You can't do an already crummy premise all over, with the pretext that it's "kitsch." And this is coming from a fan of POWER RANGERS. But, um... Go Blake.
  Derik notes: So you'd rather they bring back an hour-long TV drama version of the Brady Bunch? Where Mike legitimately runs for State Senator? How soon you forget the fever dream that was CBS' "The Bradys."

• Farscape fans scare the crap out of me. Come to think of it, Farscape also scares the crap out of me. But you can't fault the tenacity of that fandom. While the likes of you were eating pudding like a bunch of cowboys as the Walt Disney Company destroyed nearly all of the props and paraphernalia used in PR, they were rallying to keep the Jim Henson Company from tearing down their sets. It's all available here. Thanks go to James Anatidae in rec.arts.tv.mst3k.misc for calling this to my attention. And so I make this proposition to you, my friends. If things go south on Ninja Storm within the first ten episodes, we rally together and ride in to the rescue like some MacGuffin Wildzords. If nothing else, ads demanding the ousting of Doug Sloan and Ann Austin and the restoration of Jonathan Tzachor would be deliciously moronic in the eyes of the media.
  Chris notes: This sort of thing doesn't have a great track record of working historically, but that kind of movement from Gargoyles fandom did force Disney to acknowledge the god-awful Goliath Chronicles "never happened." Besides, I want to be Bjo Trimble.
  Derik notes: I think you mean 'Be PR's Bjo Trimble.'
  Quisp P. notes: Where have all the cowboys gone? Into Hershey's Cookies and Creme. A mouthful of cowboys in every bite.

• Do we have time to insult one more person before we go? I think so. Ronixis. Insane sixteen year old. One of those people who used to think Toonami was a way of life, and not just a shockingly successful marketing gimmick. Arguably the most entertaining Power Rangers fan of the last two years. Scope this action here. Then go read his website and have a good, long cry. You see, there's a "conspiracy" run by every major company to keep children's television bland and generic. As opposed to the actual one they have to rule the world. Clearly these heads of industry are about as intelligent as Captain Planet villains. What this paranoid little twat fails to grasp is that corporations partner when at all applicable in order to save as much money as possible. Michael Eisner is not scared of Thundercats. The only people scared of Thundercats are people with taste.
  Chris notes: Did you ever stop and think about Captain Planet's enemies? These are people that run companies whose sole purpose is to pollute. How do you think those board of director meetings go? Their quarterly market projections?
  Jesse notes: For that matter, what about Ziktor Industries? Its entire purpose is to breach the Reality Barrier! Karl's in another DIMENSION for half the business day! And his employees are all Skugs!
  Derik notes: To be fair, Thundercats boes have a real '1970's German Sci-fi porn' vibe to it. And scary-ass fans. Not just the furries, anyone that can expound on Mandora an an example of Thundercats didactic approach to humanism needs a good swat to the head.

• Oh, what the hey. One more mortal insult intended, and then we blow this joint. Mingy Muppet Dogma. An unfunny ten year old from Ray's message board with severe emotional problems. Not unlike the child in Del Amitri's "The Whole World is Quiet." This is the little boy who claims I've made up the entire contents of this site, and that Jesse is unreliable. He can look at PRSW and PR's TV Tome site, and claim it's all a fabrication. A bigger man might let this slide. But I just can't help spanking him like the unruly child he is. Check out el Mingyverse, which is just like our site and Snoops' el Warnerverse-- except so, so much worse. Fine line between being a scathing humorist and just being a jackass, folks. Learn your lessons now.
  Ellen Brand notes: Somebody needs to be strung up by his reproductive organs. Derik notes: Be fair, Chris. We don't know it was his UNCLE that molested him, like in the song.

• Running a site on the Internet is the most thankless task in the world. And with good reason. This is not a job. This is not an obligation. This is a hobby. This fandom has seen far too many webmasters forget their place, and start down the self-destructive path of pitying themselves and bullying others. And I have reached a point in my life where I feel I must bid you all adieu. For the last four months my grasp has exceeded my reach, and my health and emotional well being have paid the price for that. I simply cannot continue to run the Funaroverse under these conditions.
  
  Call it poetic justice that my retirement comes on the heels of Disney's dissolving MMPR Productions. I see this as the best possible breaking point for the site. I've watched people I care for lose their livelihoods, and it sours me on enjoying Ninja Storm as much as I should. We celebrated all that Power Rangers has been for the past two years. I leave it to others to chart where the series will take us now.
  
  Will we ever be back? I'd like to think so. I just have too much going on in my life at this time to worry about things like Jack Guzman's upcoming role as the live-action Mr. Clean. If nothing else, this site will not be shut down. I find the practice of dismantling old websites to be a bit distasteful, and counterproductive to the proliferation of material. And we still have a few surprises coming up, like our Q&A with Paul Schrier and a full summary of the original script to Doomsday. But I feel our days as a weekly news digest are over for the foreseeable future.
  
  I'd like to take a moment to thank my staff. The whole useless, good-for-nothing, poor-spelling lot of them. You've all been dear friends, and lord knows releasing you from your contracts isn't going to change that fact.
  
  But most of all, I'd like to thank the readers. You people have been a real inspiration to me, and it always did my heart good to know that someone out there cared about the work we did. Even if not one of you ingrates ever thanked me for the hell I went through securing the Chip Lynn interview.
  
  The final news update will be coming this weekend.
  
  See ya in the funny pages.
  
  CLF
  
  Postscript: A note to the wise, kids. Thank your webmasters while you still have them. Why not pop on over to PRC's comments forum, and leave Ray a nice note for the six years he's given this fandom selflessly? And then e-mail Jesse, and thank him for painstakingly transcribing each and every episode. Help control the pet population.

• Comic book superhero and Joe's Crab Shack spokesman Kyle Rayner was recently revealed to be "Secretly Hispanic" by his writer Judd Winwick. Which is to say, he discovered his long-lost father a secret agent of Hispanic descent. This shocked Kyle, who up until this point assumed to be lilly-white. Fans rallied against this revelation, claiming it's impossible for someone to be utterly aware of their ethnic heritage, and mocking it as a blatant attempt to add more color to the (very white) Justice League.
  So... I recently discovered while going through some of my father's old papers, that the Funaro crime family changed its name several generations back during an extended stay in Italy. We were originally... the Corderos. Ladies, gentlemen; I am secretly hispanic. This would explain where my natural skill as a hot-blooded lover came from.
  Derik notes: Now you can live out your life-long dream of speaking in awful unnatural "Spanish" dialogue, like Rocky does in all those fanfics!
  Chris notes: Madre de Dios!

• We here at the Funaroverse like to honor the hard work of fans who try to give a little extra something to our net community. And certainly at the top of that list are the hard working monsieurs and madames at France Five. These good folks work their butts off to produce a homemade Tokusatsu, and they do a heck of a job at it. Why not give them your patronage at their home page? My cheri amour...
  Quisp P. notes: Nothing like watching our fearless leader mangle the French language.
  Chris notes: Si! Danke gutt!

• More newsbytes are coming, but I'm too damn tired to write them. Expect everything else we're working on in a day or two. You try living the high stakes life of a supervillain, and see where it gets you...

• Theoretical Power Rangers alum (she counts more than a grip, but less than a voice actor) Chyler Leigh has made what can only be described as a staggeringly good career move. Within the space of two days, Khayman's wombmate successfully transferred from the sinking ocean liner that was Girl's Club to the viable Love Boat that is David E. Kelley's The Practice. I sincerely hope we don't have to report that show's cancellation in the near future.
  Chris notes: I'm not trying to pontificate here, but ABANDON ALL HOPE for this show. That girl, while ridiculously talented and adorable, is ratings poison!
  Derik notes: great resume, though. she'l have killed shows on three major networks, and had a moderately successful role in a feature film as the brainy chick who *didn't* get naked.
  Jarod notes: The likelihood she's going to refer to someone on an ABC program by a derogatory term for homosexuals seems much slimmer than it did on Fox. Even if she's basicly playing the same character.

• On November 30th, Blake Foster is going to be holding another one of those chats he's so famous for. Thanks to Dan for supplying this pic of the last time (here) Blake participated in one. Note the presence of his old helmet. More information is available here.

• Courtesy of the marvelous Johnathan (as opposed to The Amazing Jonathan), these caps of Ilia Volok's recent turn on Fox's Fastlane. He LOVED Bill Belamy! Loved him with all his heart! But then Richard Evans stole him away!

• You know, we like to joke about fanfics that paint Kat as the ultimate evil in the uñiverse, and the reason children and old people die. And then someone had to go and actually write about it. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... CRAP!
  Chris notes: So people say to me, Chris, I thought you were never going to do newsbytes about individual fanfics. And to that I say- not to PROMOTE them...

• Somehow, when constructing my newsbyte weeks ago on Melody Perkins' recent promotional work for Real Media, I neglected to make the obvious "Karoni" macaroni collage joke you were all expecting of me. I would like to take a moment to apologize.
  Derik notes: I don't get it.

• Johnathan Custis brings us yet another nugget of sentai mecha goodness. This guide to the scales of the sentai robos which have peppered Toei programs over the years. As is always the case in giant robot programs, this gauge is totally off. Even if those increments are meters rather than feet (which I believe they are). Recall PRLR. Dana's Rescuezord can hold several stories worth of cars. Now look at how small Lightspeed Rescue Megazord is. Even so, this pic is just horrifying. Imagine this fleet running towards YOUR house.
  Jarod notes: Imagine a fleet of a hundred or so Evil Space Aliens of comparable height running towards your house from the other direction. Scared now?
  Derik notes: Notice that since Serpentera wasn't a mech in Japan, it isn't included. That's a shame, because it would require at least the entire background of this picture just to get past its arms. And that's laying down.
  Quisp P. notes: What was Serpentera in Japan?
  Derik notes: Lovecraftian god posessed by the spirits of a dead yazuka crime family or something. Like I know from sentai.

• One of the questions we had been asking ourselves (when not on our quest to discover new and exciting woodchuck wood-chucking quotas) was how they were going to get the cover art to the forthcoming Ultimate Rangers DVD to span the various incarnations of PR. Some sort of hodge podge, like the original opening credits to season two? PrometheusUFO provides the moderately exciting answer. Behold! Mighty Generic Outline Rangers! I rather like this, truth be known. It keeps the various incarnations of the show in the background, which doesn't confuse stupid parents or former fans.

• Stephen! (KLANK! WHAM!) went to the trouble of encoding and zipping the legendary Dairanger exercise video. This is something I think every child should be forced to watch during Phys-Ed. For added weirdness, mute your computer and play Dr. Macdoo's Macahula Dance during it.

• One of the things we have a real dearth of in this fandom are websites dedicated to the sundry and varied thematic sister programs PR has. There are NO good Beetleborgs sites, there used to be a passable Masked Rider site (same with SSSS), and Rachel Dawson has a damn fine Mystic Knights shrine. Next Mutation fans are out of luck. But hey! There is one nice VR Troopers site out there, and so I thrust this lovely place into the limelight for you all to admire. Oh sure, a lot of stuff has been "coming soon" for three years and change, but at least it EXISTS.
  Chris notes: Sometimes, when I'm tired of the hassle of running this site, and I'm thinking of quitting because Derik never updates, I toy with the notion of doing a compendium to the Beetleborgs universe. Though only I would care...
  Jesse notes: I just spent the last hour looking for fan sites to Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters From Beverly Hills. Why aren't we getting paid for this?

• It's Election Day. And in that spirit, we encourage all US Fuñaroverse readers of legal age to participate in our great electoral process. Me, I'm going to be paying a visit to my surgeon, enjoying the ministrations of the device known as "the scraper." Which, when you really think about it, is pretty much the same thing as voting.
  Chris notes: I personally am voting for a man I remain confident can lead the great state of Minnesota into the 21st century. Mr. Robert Zimmerman.
  Derik notes: Who?
  Chris notes: Bob Dylan. Bear in mind, I also voted for Tommy as President in '00. I'm not much for partisan politics.
  Derik notes: Is he dead? I was never clear on that.

• Tommy thought he had defeated the remnants of the Machine Empire once and for all with the destruction of General Venjix. But he was mistaken. From out of the past arises an unstoppable juggernaut as our new executive producer. Prince Gasket returns, and woe to any who stand in his way. From this week's Variety, Yellow Lightning brings us this article on Ninja Storm. Spoilers ahoy. Like, right up through the introduction of the sixth Ranger.

  And in the spirit of the above, we present YOUR DENVER BRONCOS! Pau! Sally! Glenn! Adam! Jorgito! Grant! Katrina! The other Katrina! Cubby! Annette! Justin Timberlake!
  Jesse notes: All we could find on Adam was a listing for him as a bus driver on a show produced in, surprise surprise, Australia.
  Chris notes: I wasn't even going to attempt finding a site for Jason Chan. The name is just too common, and I didn't want to encourage disinformation regarding who we had joining the cast of our little spandex show. However, disclaimers applying, this gentleman seems promising. From the UK! Love, international style!

• You knew it had to happen sooner or later. Cute-as-a-button Khayman sibling slash sex partner Chyler Leigh's Girls Club has been canceled. Far be it from me to make any kind of crack at David E. "Snoops" Kelley's expense. I have nothing but bonhomie for the man who brought us such modern day fables as Lake Placid. A cautionary tale of what happens when Betty White has too much viagra in her cracklin' wild oat bran. And also, there's an alligator.
  Chris notes: In the space of one year, Chyler has killed TWO television shows on the Fox network. Me, I blame her doof husband...
  Jesse notes: I wonder if they'll be taking down those giant posters of her in the malls now? I'd totally want one for my house.

• Purdue is one step closer to building a FUNCTIONAL PLASMA TUBE. I swear, if some giant interdimensional head shows up prophesizing doom and destruction...

• I'm back now. As you can see, my webmaster (whose job it is simply to encode the painstakingly old-world crafted jokes I make) could not be bothered to update until I had been gone for THREE days. The complete travelogue to my recent vacation will be available in the near future. Derik is all atwitter waiting for its publication.
  Derik notes: 'old world crafted?' I thought you paid korean comedians .03 an hour under inhumane workign conditions...

• Ilia Volok has been making a name for himself. Master Org was recently seen on last week's Firefly (info courtesy of Ecliptor17), Robbery Homicide Division (the unflappable Jesse Herndon), and this coming Wednesday's Fastlane (T-Dini). We want caps. This is, to be fair, the kind of stuff Ilia had been going prior to PRWF, but it's nice to see the age-old taint placed upon PR alums isn't quite so strong on the good doctor.

• And while we're on the subject, RHD also recently featured Jennifer "Vypra" Yen, not to mention Steve "Darkonda" Kramer. Shame they couldn't have picked one of the more SUCCESSFUL CSI ripoffs, like Archie.
  Jarod notes: Uhhh... Archie's on the original CSI.
  Chris notes: Which is itself just a ripoff of Quincy.

• In a surprising change of pace, PRC's message board actually provided a rather good little discussion regarding the mythologies from which each of the Thunderzords are derived. Rather surprised nobody pointed out the White Tiger is a very revered figure in Indian culture.
  Chris notes: If you look at this in relation to the toy's tech specs, Zordon's little robots predate most of these mythologies by thousands of years. It's like how Japanese culture, writing, and spirituality were the result of Demonic Era artifacts -- when Earth was most likely used as a spaceport for alien cultures. Fascinating speculation, that.
  Derik notes: Robogoat is a MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURE. That is SO messed up.
  Chris notes: Derik and I actually had a long discussion years ago on the newsgroup about the dragons of PR, and why none looked much like one another. This, of course, predated a real live dragon popping up on the show -- of the EUROPEAN stock.

• Well, I'm off to Las Vegas until the 27th. And that means Derik is in charge. Don't expect a single update until I get back, in other words.
  Chris notes: I love Vegas. Only city in the world where "International Superstar Rick Springfield" can be said with total sincerity in promotional materials.
  Derik notes: Hey- you're not back yet, and this is updated!
  Chris notes: I got online from Vegas to yell at you!
  Derik notes: Fine, go ahead and undermine my point.

• Best of PR. DVD collection. Seven eps. Warrior Jedah. PRC board. Can't be funny. My foot's already halfway out the door.

• Ryan Johnson brings us this news regarding Ninja Storm's production staff. Janine used to work on Action Pack shows. And I don't mean "generic crap hour-long action programs." I mean, she worked on REAL Action Pack shows! For Sam Raimi!

• Courtesy of the delightful Will Maberry, these additional scans from the Sentai Mech Artbook of scrapped designs. Not Zyu/Dai hybrid Zords, but still relevant to PR. First up is Gao Bat. Next up are Gao Mouse and Gao Horse from the finale, and their scrapped Megazord configuration. Your guess is as good as mine how this worked in practical terms. Note the Q-Rex inspired redesigned Gao Elephant, not to mention Gao Dolphin, Hummingbird, and Mole! Then there's the finale's very awesome Gao Peacock. Who is, as Derik guessed, an analogue to the Eaglezord. Gao Manta is the last of the finale's mecha, and along for the ride are Gao Warthog, and what looks like a totally new configuration based around the Falcon. Totally new legs, two new arms (Warthog's arm configuration looks like Digmon from 02!), Gao Bat hitching a ride, and a new head. Grife.
  Chris notes: You know what I love most about Japanese robot-oriented programming? They never lack for adjectives. Even the most mundane show becomes "FIGHT! Super Robot Equestrian Life-Form Mr. Ed!"
  Derik notes: Hrm, Geo Peackock looks nothing like the one considered fro PRWF's finale. (Before that was scrapped.)

• El Ceriñaverse update!
  Boy, there's a sentence we haven't had to use for a while. Our own diligent Derik Smith took note of the surprisingly well-clothed Ms. Vincent making a repeat performance on Howard Stern's Son of the Beach, this time changing tacts from nuclear coed to coed Madame. As opposed to naked coed. Let's hope Cerina gets some slightly more choice roles in the future. She seems like a nice girl, even if we do delight in tugging on her metaphorical pigtails. The episode in question is entitled "Witness for the Prostitution," if anyone is curious.
  Derik notes: Unlike AJJ, who we make fun of because she is a spiteful bitch.
  Chris notes: Dick Dietrich from Night Stand is on this show?
  Derik notes: Why else would I be watching it?
  Chris notes: I dunno, maybe the blatant cheesecake girls?
  Derik notes: ...

• Courtesy of Krissy (who'd very much like it if we'd plug her Catherine Sutherland site, available here), these rather startling pictures of Catherine being made up for her appearance in The Cell. Let it never be said PR alums aren't willing to suffer for their art.

• Knux Five brings us this amusing article from last month's Toy Fare Magazine. it seems one of the people behind the Transformers Armada line used to work on PR for Bandai. Megatron seems less than enthused by this. Poor Chad. He really *can* do the splits now.

• Damn you, He-Man!
  Derik notes: Properly- that's 'damn you MotU' Chris.

• Matt Williams brought us this article last week of particular interest to fans of the departed series Farscape. Or who are just giant freakin' shills for the Muppets (such as myself and Derik). I just remembered we had it in the backlog. Oops. EMTV is looking to unload the world famous felt-and-wire production, and among the prospective buyers is everybody's favorite media despot, Haim Saban!
  Chris notes: Um, when did Disney SELL the Muppets in the first place? This article makes a vague assertion to the fact that EMTV bought it from Disney... Why buy it back? Why even sell it to start with? Am I the only one to remember the hoopla when the merger took place? The Muppets at Disneyworld TV special, featuring Jim Henson's final performance as Kermit? Mmm... The Jim Henson Hour... Derik notes: Perhaps they dumped it during he late 90's, under pressure to increase profitability by shedding inactive liscences they were holding.
  Chris notes: Isn't Mickey Mouse an inactive liscence? What's the last real project involving him? Before House of Mouse... Mickey's Brain? And that was a short.
  Derik notes: Would you spend millions promoting a property about to enter into the public domain?

• And in related news, my man Snoop Dogg has been shamefully cut from the final version of the upcoming Very Muppety Christmas. Thanks to the good folks at Toonzone's message boards for calling this to our attention.
  Derik notes: I'm not one to encourage conspiracy theories, but notice Snoop gets cut out of a muppet movie while they're under the stewardship of GERMANS. I bet that new Blue Ranger is behind all of this!
  Chris notes: Uh, Derik? Australia...
  Derik notes: Australian Austrians! Hiding in PLAIN SIGHT!

• Folks ask me why I'm so cynical. Why my heart is blackened and cold. Why Cole is unable to use his empathy on me. This, ladies and gentlemen, would be why. Oh, the auction is over by now... But look at what he was trying to get for a FREAKING VHS COPY OFF OF NETWORK TELEVISION. People like that deserve some sort of finger torture.

• Look what David Yost! is up to! (Cyro)
  Quisp P. notes: *Ahem* 'Appearing in this production or in these photos is in no way an indication of any performers sexual orientation.'
  Chris notes: *rolls eyes*
  Derik notes: Congradulations David!!!

• Beonca brought us these additional pictures of Glenn, the latest piece of fresh meat to be thrown on the metaphorical PR barbie like so much... Ah... Fresh meat. Yeah. Right. Anyway, he's really very adorable and awkward, and I've no doubts Derik is writing slash about him even as we speak. Thanks, Beonca!
  Chris notes: Is it too early for us to be making fun of them? They might be amazing actors. But this guy looks like such a DOOF!
  Lynn notes: And Mustang Sally looks like Hansi: The Ranger Who Loved the Swastika.
  Chris notes: Earth Power! Wind Power! Aryan Power! Ninja Storm'll be WHACK.
  Derik notes: It's 'barbae' Chris.

• Power Rangers Network has managed to score a rather impressive scoop, bringing us two articles from New Zealand and Australian newspapers detailing members of our forthcoming PRNS cast. Meet Sally Martin and Glenn McMillan. Well, I must say they're certainly going for a different "look" to our alums this year. Glenn and his school chums put me in the mind of Power Rangers Britannia. Spot of Quidditch, anyone?
  Chris notes: Can't fault their investigatory credentials. This is shit we'd certainly never think to look for. But the SITE... So hideously over-designed...
  Derik notes: Just because our first site was pure HTML with no graphics doesn't make that right for everyone Chris.
  Chris notes: ...you're the one who thinks anything after HTML 2.0 is a sex crime.
  Derik notes: I know, I'm playing Devil's advocate.

• Timbo alerts us to these auctions for the Blue Shadow, Red Shadow, Yellow Ninja Storm, and Red Ninja Storm prototype figures. Love the color inversion in the Shadows especially. They look like something Astronema, or possibly Skull, would play chess with. And hey, no cheezy gimmicks on the first wave releases!
  Derik notes: By process of elimination, Sally is the Blue Ninja Storm Ranger. These prototypes eliminate Yellow NS, and Blue and Red Shadow. Yay, one extra guy!

• Johnny Yong Bosch is still diligently plugging away at a career in voice acting. Our own Lynn recently confirmed a small role in the "Ah! My Goddess" movie, and unsubstantiated reports have placed him as the young Prince Adam in a past episode of Toonami's He-Man revival. I'd make a joke about roles involving the name Adam, but my brain ceased to function a good five hours ago.

• Ellen Brand was noodling away at real.com when she noticed a certain someone's lovely face being used to peddle Real's (soft) wares. Haw! I slay me. Go to the main page (www.real.com) and see for yourself. There's no mistaking those lovely freckles. Be warned, though. Her picture is in three parts, for those of you angling to save yourself a copy. Slap 'em together! Make a collage out of macaroni!

• Batman goes down in the annals of PR history as the man to break the name of our new production company, now that MMPR Productions has been crushed by Dark Specter while Astronema slept. Give a warm PR fandom welcome to Village Roadshow Ltd., the company which gave us Hercules, Xena, and the first Matrix motion picture.
  Chris notes: You know what amuses me immeasurably? The way this site makes PR sound like a brand new series. Because to all of the people who will be working on it, it IS. PR has never *aired* in New Zealand, it was banned during season one!
  Derik notes: That never got lifted? Huh. Hey, does anyone know if shows produced in NZ are exempted from Australia's odd local production quotas?
  Quisp P. notes: Tee-hee, 'annals.'

• Devinemi reminded us that Archie, Ron, and Amy Jo aren't the only alums to currently be enjoying gainful employment. The delightfully pixieish Sasha Williams is currently working on a movie entitled Dark Wolf. Pictures of Sasha being turned into a werewolf are available here.
  Chris notes: I want vampire AJJ to bite werewolf Sasha. Then we'd get all sorts of crazy combinations, like that awesome Real Ghostbusters ep with the crossbreeds. Remember the werewolves that grew giant bat wings?
  Derik notes: Why has no one optioned Ghostbusters for one of those awful syndicated sci-fi shows? It's one of those 'perfect' concepts that requires no explanation for the viewer and produces great episodes.

• Timbo notified us that the Deluxe Red Lion; Deluxe Isis, and Deluxe Ultimus Megazords are now available at Amazon. Huh. Isis is $60 there, too. I thought FAO Schwartz was just ridiculously overvaluing the thing. Also, notice the review for Isis says it includes a RHINOX. Not a rhino. A Rhinox. Good lord. I guess Tankorr really is repenting for his sins during Beast Machines.

• Lydia Hunter swung by my palatial estate and left a note with my manservant Bulk, letting me know that Ron Rogge has a recurring role on ABC's new show MD's. Though he was in the original pilot (and subsequently cut), Ron's television premiere is in episode five. Get those VCR's ready for some hot Mitchell action, folks.

• General Takach brings us exciting news from *the future!* It seems Kickboxing Academy, Christopher Khayman Lee and Chyler Leigh's makeout debut together will soon be coming to video and DVD. Preorder it now! Yes, you can thrill to the first time Khayman kissed his own sister... But not the last...
  Derik notes: Look for Chyler in Fox's upcoming Girl's Club. Look for Khayman at the Piggly Wiggly, giving out samples of Hillshire Farm Little Smokies.

• Karan Ashley's manager has written a book about her meteoric rise to fame. Given that this site represents her a management, I'd say this guy is pretty much confirmed to be who he says he is. I must confess I'm utterly fascinated by what he would have to say. Not to mention that he apparently also discovered Erykah Badu.
  Chris notes: I loved Squatt and Badu. PR really lost something when Mallow and Sorich left.

• Amy Jo Johnson's vampire movie Cold Hearts is now available for purchase. I've no doubt the film contains too much metaphorical booty in the proverbial pants.

• AJJ's nekkid movie, Pursuit of Happiness, is currently playing on Starz. I couldn't think of any more spin for this film than we've already given it.
  Chris notes: I wonder if the PRU version of AJJ is related to TJ? And while we're on the subject of Johnsons, how could I have neglected to make a joke in the My Little Eye byte about "seeing Sean's Johnson?"
  Jesse notes: Your time is nigh. Go to bed, old man!
  Derik notes: I don't get it.

• And on the subject of Amy's NEXT movie that will get absolutely crap distribution and go immediately thereafter to video- Her film The Liars Club is currently playing in limited release in Chicago.
  Lynn notes: And all the psudo-porn shots I had to wade through to actually find that info.... the horror! I need therapy now.
  Derik notes: Now?
  Chris notes: Hey Lynn, you're in Chi-town. You go see it.
  Lynn notes: How much you paying me? It better be worth my time not to mention the expensive as all hell theater.
  Chris notes: Oh, now you all want to be PAID?

• Cool news. On the heels of Sunday's Red Rangerthon, ABC Family is giving Best of Power Rangers a well deserved daily slot! Oh, it's the same old season one pre-GWE dross none of us liked to begin with, but it's better than the 400 times we've seen Never Give Up and Lionheart this month, right? 8:30 EST, kids. Be there, or be marginally more square than you already are for being a Power Rangers fan over the age of ten. Major thanks to Matt for breaking this.
  Chris notes: The big question is why they're skipping High Five. It contains nothing particularly objectionable post-9/11.

• As you may well know, the Funaroverse is a nonprofit website out of necessity. Because we would be sued down to our mucus membranes if we tried. So our work here is subsidized, like public broadcasting, through donations and our for-profit endeavors. These subsidiaries include Wüf brand dog food, the Girls of Many Nations Party Line, and Smutty Joe's Smutorium. And today we're pleased to announce a new addition to the Funaroverse family of auto dealerships. Welcome to Planetnaboo, Power Rangers Spoiler Warnings!

• So. Forever Red has finally aired, and I think it was at least as exciting as that new ostomy paste that doesn't get all cementy. Let's all take a moment to give our thanks to the good people at MMPR Productions, and particularly story editor Amit Bhaumik. Episodes like this don't just hide among the contents of a produce truck, waiting for Turbanshell to consume them. And, to clarify this once and for all, that was the real Danny Slavin in the episode. He was edited in during post-production. No stock footage of "The Slav" was used outside of his morphing sequence.
  Chris notes: I'm still not totally convinced this episode isn't an elaborate hoax.
  Jesse notes: Tommy has hair like Fido Dido now.

• Prometheus UFO alerts us to this article on the recent appearance of the Power Rangers (ie: five lunks in suits) at Time Square's Toys R Us to commemorate the show's tenth anniversary. Ray Calderon helpfully provides these pictures of the event and generic autographed photo for the kiddies. This has got to be the weirdest promotional tie-in since P. Diddy did his "All About the Bennigans" campaign.
  Derik notes: Ray's pics might be temporarily unavailable, there's been a snag while switching servers that should be corrected presently.

• And while we're on the subject, I don't know what the hell kind of promotion this company was putting on involving some chump in a Wes costume, but it's too damn early to be illuminating a Christmas tree. Still, they did recognize Jen is the leader. Thanks to Rachel Trench for bringing this to our attention.

• Is Archie Kao going wild again, as Kais are wont to do? Why, I believe he is. Aaron Thall noticed Arch in last week's People Magazine, where he's listed as being a cast member of CSI. Not just a recurring character, a cast member. Next up, Vickie Marlin alerts us to Archie's appearance on this week's episode. Hey, cut me some slack. You still have... What, two days to get your tapes ready and make some caps? And finally, as anyone with a pair of eyes who watches the end credits noticed, Archie appeared in Forever Red as the voice of General Venjix. That's what we like to call a hat trick.

• Our thanks go to Jarod, or as we like to call him around these parts, "The Alabama Slammer," for getting this update online in the absence of my no-good webmaster. Kids today. Isn't that always the way? They make time to quip and make hilarious bon mots...
  Jarod notes: That's just my name until I can legally change it to Jarod Jerusalem Intrepid Reporter and Eater of Puppies.

• It's ten in the morning. I'm hunkering down to enjoy Plinko with a big bowl of Team Cheerios. Nothing can ruin my good mood. Then our man Matt Williams throws this steaming turd in my cereal, and my day is ruined. From the New York Post (so you already know it's slightly more reliable than the Enquirer, but less reliable than Inside Edition), an article on the possibility of... Wait for it... Wait for it... Disney-Time Warner. Aaaaaah!
  Matt notes: A major point of contention in even discussing this hypothetical merger is that AOL Time Warner would have to spin off its cable assets to comply with regulations barring ownership of both cable systems and broadcast networks. And Time Warner Cable provides service to a number of states.
  Chris notes: Wonder how they got around starting The WB, then?
  Derik notes: Disney and AOL-Time Warner. A partnership just slightly less tumultuous than the Gene Simmons/Shannon Tweed marriage.

• On the subject of happier news, Ray Calderon was recently interviewed by the Orange County Register for a forthcoming article on the tenth anniversary of Power Rangers and that fake JDF episode I don't really believe is happening. Congratulations, Ray! You've graduated to the prestigious level of being PR fandom's Bjo Trimble. And everybody living in Orange County, California... Try and keep a lookout, all right?

• In the interest of brevity, sometimes elements included in the original scripts to episodes have to be excised. Such is the case with the hastily introduced Jungle Blaster in Team Carnival a few weeks back. Fortunately, the always dutiful Amit Bhaumik was there to provide us with the missing scene explaining its origin, and a blast from the proverbial Power Past.
  Alyssa notes: You're AMAZING, White Tiger!!
  Jarod notes: You think that's amazing, you should have seen him that time in Alaska, at the army base, fighting those cyborg terrorists. That was amazing!

• As you know, we here at the Funaroverse like to affect change peaceably. Like the wuss little brother on the WB's smash hit series Khayman's Creek (Rue Mcclanahan! Woo!). Such was the spirit in which we tried to make PRO less graphics-intensive. And so shall it be here. I was unaware Power Rangers Network existed until a few weeks ago. Look at it. LOOK AT IT! Wipe that blood out of your eyes and keep looking!! I want to like this site. They're hosting encodes of episodes by Will, and you know we all love Will. But gul-durnit... Graphics that take two minutes to load doesn't make your site good. Content does.
  Lynn Notes: Having buttons which lead to things would also be nice. About half the stuff off the main page doesn't work. Because they're trying to recruit people to do it.

• In an incredibly weird turn of events, I got a congratulations in the course of a Forever Red essay. I'm not entirely sure just what I did, but let's not look a free thanks in the mouth. Seriously, check this site out. Especially the essays on the cabal controlling the animation industry in the US. It's worth it. It's like watching somebody have a complete psychotic breakdown in text.
  Jarod notes: When did Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy become the same person?
  Chris notes: I think about the same time Fox "Galidor/Beast Machines/Cyber 6/Digimon/Los Luchadores/Ninja Turtles/Round the Twist" Kids became the last staple for American children's programming.
  Jesse notes: My name is Herndon! HERNDON! I AM NOT DAMON'S BROTHER!
  Derik notes: Seriously, while I'm even tangentially on the subject: The new Thundercats comic blows. This is why "fanfic" tends to be used as an insult in some circles.

• The lumbering masses at the PRC board have done it again, this time digging up a really nice poster of the Zeo Rangers from Totally Kids magazine, and what appears to be the first printed reference to the then-forthcoming Turbo motion picture. Of course, this also means they automatically assumed there was a Zeo movie on pike...
  Chris notes: Going to make a quick PRZ rant. Pardon the intrusion. You know, even Atari had the presence of mind to crush all their unsold cartridges before they sealed them up in cement and shipped them off to the dump. Billy leaves valuable, irreplaceable Megazord components lying around the Angel Grove dump unguarded. Just waiting for a battalion of Cogs to come and try to steal them. And last time I checked, Atari wasn't in the habit of using Eltarian technology. That was 3D0.

• Because I love you all so very, very much-- The single greatest MMPR:TM review in history. X-Entertainment is also a great fun site in general. Their shocking expose on Kid Cuisine totally blew the lid off that Swanson Dinners profiteering scam.
  Chris notes: And led to the single greatest sentence in history being spoken by the FBI. "I don't know what the VanDeKamps people are paying you, but I'll double it."

• Special thanks to my man Dan for finding us this site. Not only do they seem to be boasting a dubbed version of the final Gaoranger, but they also have a parody trailer for Ninja Storm. Worth a peek, unless you're on a crappy dialup like some of us.
  Derik notes: There's a sentai dubbing project? Why was I not informed?
  Chris notes: Because you think Sentai sucks?
  Derik notes: Actually, while 2 years ago I'd have said that Sentai was stuck in a 12 year rut of rehashing tired ofld material, I think it's managed to reinvent itself over the last 2 years with different pacing and episodic style, become more mecha focused.
  Chris notes: ...hasn'T PR become LESS mcha-focused in the last 2 years?
  Derik notes: Oh yes, the 2 series are heading in completely different directions. It's facinating to watch.

• Nora Melancon took a moment to let us know that Daniel Southworth is doing stunt work for the upcoming Frankie Chang movie "The Tuxedo." He apparently appears in the HBO behind the scenes special. Poor Daniel also finds himself in the ignominious position of having to teach the ghoulish Jennifer Love Hewitt how to fight. Or at least fake a punch for the close-ups until they can put a small Asian man in a wig and a dress. Man, why couldn't Dan get some decent work in a Jackie Chan flick? Jackie's square-jawed nephew? Street thug #4?
  Derik notes: Yah, I remember when Melancon escaped from the X-Vault. Good episode, that. Had this weird fixation on the Quantum Ranger...

• Last minute Forever Red update!! You know all the idle bitching I'd made about how ABC Family has effectively ruined this episode for me? Well, that doesn't mean we won't host our own images from the promos anyway. Courtesy of our own Jesse Herndon, an bagload of caps from the .60 and .30 versions. (PRAwiO)

• It's that time of the year again. When boys like Linus stake themselves out a spot in the ol' pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arise. And when men like Derik lurk in the pumpkin patch, waiting for boys like Linus. It's in this festive spirit that Eva Beckwith brings us Zoltan, the monolithic cucurbita pepo who just happens to sound like Zordon and Zoltar's OTHER brother. The Fredo of their Corleones. Or possibly the name of a grade-z stage magician.

• In the pursuit of perpetual wackiness, sometimes we inadvertently crib material from sources without being consciously aware of it. Such a situation was brought to my attention this past week. My new roommate is an insane fan of the series "Friends." Imagine my horror when, during one of the incessant reruns of the program which air locally, one of those overpaid, overrated actors discussed "Naked Wednesdays." I have no idea where I'd first been exposed to it. And so I extend my most sincere apologies for each of you. You deserve better than watered over Must See TV jokes.

• You know, every so often we ask ourselves why in the world PR never produced a genuine breakout star. Cerina's career seems purely limited to what's in her shirt, AJJ never went anywhere in particular, and even the Junoesque Ms. Valerie Vernon has yet to commercially release her country album. But then I'm reminded of the good folks at Jerry Bruckheimer's studio. CSI is, after Burger King and warm park benches to sleep on, the only thing keeping Archie Kao alive. And now they've gone and extended the hand of salvation to another. Walter Jones put in appearance on this past Thursday's episode as a drag racer. Always good to know Zack Taylor is doing marginally better for himself than Zach Galifianakis.
  Chris notes: Look for Richard Genelle and Gregg Bullock in starring roles on the forthcoming CSI: Edmonton. A show awash in the hearty stink of bacon and mounties.

• On the opposite end of the spectrum we find a star who sank to the depths of everyone's favorite mediocre children's television series. Well- the mediocre motion picture debut of everyone's favorite superheroes, anyway. Paul Freeman put in yet another appearance on this week's ER as Dr. Corday. Standard rules apply for both these bytes. Any of you good folks have snaps, we'll happily host them for you. And thanks to Eurydice for sending both our way.

• Eury also chipped in this scan of Hilary Shepard-Turner's fashion bout with Claudia Schiffer in the recent People Magazine "best dressed" issue. Gee, that's not even remotely one-sided, is it? Sheesh. Still, Hil's keeping herself in good shape.

• Alyson Kiperman and Jason Frank's episodes of Undressed have recently begun airing in the UK. Standard disclaimer here. If anyone, particularly Jason38uk, happened to get some snaps of this, we'd love to see them.

• Joe Rofang recently brought to our attention the fact that the Thunderzord toy boxes actually contained bios and tech specs for the fleet. Transcription is available here. One of the down sides to actually opening up your toys and playing with them is that you can forget crazy crap like this. Dragonia? Indestructible? Reasonably authoritative proof that Zordon created the Thunderzords five thousand years before his legendary battle with Rita?
  Chris notes: I choose to view the whole Thunder/Dinozord situation as being not unlike how the Animal Crystals of the Wild Force Rangers animate the Savage Cycles with sentience. Alpha saved enough of the Dinozords to keep them "alive," and their spirits ride into battle to activate the Thunderzord bodies Zordon had prefabricated.
  Jarod notes: To be fair, the only parts of the Thunder Megazord that fell off were the parts that attached TO the Red Dragonzord. The Zord itself might very well be intact.
  Jesse notes: I bet Dragonia is where the Kingdom of Kells is located.

• And while we're on the subject of the Dino/Thunderzord situation, Johnathan Custis brings us additional pictures from his Toei mech guide, this time spotlighting Titanus in Space, the Red Mobile Armored Vehicle, and some sort of odd serpent-zord. What in the blue bloody blazes would that be? Designs for the Serpentera toy? The dad-blasted thing didn't much resemble the show, but were the possible designs that drastic?

• If you've ever had a mad posh to look at the cast poses from the PRWF opening without those pesky letters getting in the way, you've lucked out. Courtesy of Jesse, it's caps from Disney's textless feed of ABC Kids. Yes, they actually feed them without text. Proud Family's feed even omits words on signs and objects. Is it the redneck feed?

• Last week a call was put out to you, our loyal Fuñaroverse readers. And in a landslide victory, Kelly Clarkson defeated Jus-- wait, wrong call. We asked if any of you could substantiate the claims of Alison MacInnis appearing on Unsolved Mysteries. This is one of the reason we need to institute some sort of a memo policy, folks. It seems our own Quisp P. Peterson was well aware of this fact. Not only did Ali appear on UM, but she also popped up on the Andy Dick Show. Yes. Well. Um. Ahem...
  Quisp P. notes: If nothing else, I want to see her humiliated by or in the presence of Andy. I'm owed that much.
  Chris notes: I'm reminded of the time a female acquaintance of mine was sent my photograph, and replied that I reminded her of a nude Andy Dick...
  Derik notes: You know, Andy Dick is much what I imagine Elgar looks like naked...

• This month, Danny Delgado takes the reins as the new Captain America! Max Cooper, no stranger to blue uniforms, is the Bucky for a new millennium! Just some of the goodness you can expect to see, should Disney's tentative buyout of Marvel Comics goes through...
  Chris notes: Just think, George Rodd would get his wish of a PR After Dark, via Marvel Max...

• In news which pertains to nothing, I watched my first episode of Ultraman Tiga today. My god, I had no idea the BBC was still making Dr. Who episodes! That involve giant monsters, and a silver guy from outer space who fights them. And no jelly babies. It's beautifully clear, but the effects budget looks to be around ten dollars.
  Chris notes: The Fox Box promotional machine makes me think of some kind of syndication package that airs on Sunday mornings at 5 AM, right after fishing shows, on some obscure channel in the UHF range. I fully expect a Fantastic Max revival to hit the airwaves in due time.
  Derik notes: Screw Fantastic Max, I want a Mighty Max revival. One of a handful of really good US animated shows of the early 90's...

• You know what I remember best about the halcyon days of my youth? A time when people weren't spoiling us about EVERY FRICKIN' THING pertaining to Forever Red. Enough already! I'm talking to you, Jason Frank! I'm talking to you, ABC promotions! Some things are meant to be savored, like your graduation, or when you lose your virginity on the PRTF Time Blaster! I don't want the cliff's notes! Sigh. Anyway, Prometheus UFO was a dear, and is currently hosting a RM and snaps from the latest ad ABC Family has thrust upon us.
  Jesse notes: Forever Red, brought to you by Dr. Pepper Red Fusion and Mountain Dew Red Alert!
  Chris notes: I would seriously kill to see an ad during the course of this ep with Rocky, Justin, Kai, and the rest hocking Pepsi Blue. It's LIQUID GUMMI
  Derik notes: What is this Dr. Pepper 'Red Fusion' you speak of? I like Dr. Pepper, is it good? DP strikes me as a hard taste to reflavor...

• This weekend's episodes of Lightspeed contained several edits; among them Vypra's luring the Rangers out in the open to confront Ryan. By blasting a building. If someone would like to illuminate me on what else got cut, I'd muchly appreciate it.
  Chris notes: You kids want to know the REAL REASON why the Titanium Saga isn't being run in its entirety on ABC Fam? The Darkside Connection's debut. The explosive feathers, and the quarantine placed over the city. The ep isn't AIRABLE in this climate. Which sucks, because Falcar is one of my favorite PR characters ever...

• I'm a simple man, with simple needs. I want big bucks and no whammies, I'd like a sandwich right about now, and I'd love to meet One Life to Live's Melissa Archer. But, as Mick and Keith so sagely told us, you can't always get what you want. So instead I'll settle for a surprise appearance by David Guzman, PRiS/PRLG's Runtus! Our lovable black arms dealer slash part-time North Pole employee cameoed on last night's Emmys, boffing Larry King with a puffball full of makeup powder.

• Matt has just written a treatise on the headaches caused by the current ABC Kids scheduling problems plaguing the country, and his theoretical solution. We recommend you go read it, as what he's saying is really quite reasonable. The phenomenal successes of Rugrats and Toonami prove his point. Or the fact that the new He-Man and Transformers have exclusive runs on CN.
  Chris notes: And congratulations go to Matt, who has just become the official webmaster for Toonzone's Adult Swim website! I've no doubt he'll soon regale us all with tales of how he's read by more people in the space of an hour than we are all year...
  Derik notes: They grow up so fast.

• Jonathan Custis recently purchased a sentai art book on ebay. Included therein was what seems like a holy grail in PR fandom's quest to try and comprehend just what was going through the minds of Saban and Toei executives in 1993/94, as the phenomenon of Power Rangers unexpectedly exploded. While the cross-communication that resulted in the "Zyu2" footage is reasonably well known, this new piece of information may be a Rosetta Stone. Ladies and gentlemen- Redesigned Dinozords, labeled "Power Rangers." (Geo shuts down high-traffic sites, try the mirror too.) Especially telling is that the sixth mech in the system is a barely modified White Tigerzord from Dairanger. Were Toei and Saban at least conceptualizing adapting Dairanger elements, while continuing to shoot US exclusive Zyuranger footage? A hypothetical "Zyu3?"
  Chris notes: All of this artwork contains Japanese text. It might lend a clue. Derik, remind me to e-mail Miko in the next couple of days?
  Derik notes: While this is all very interesting, I should note that a Japanese art book for Transformers also contains pictures of what it would have looked like if Rodimus Prime were a fire truck. Sometimes a tree is just a tree. Even if it's a German-exclusive Piranhatron figure.

• As a good many of you know, Kate Sheldon had some nebulously defined role in the film Bring it On (which PRC's board would have you think made the AFI's top one hundred films of all time). Our dedicated Sheldonphile Chris Peterson put himself through the torment of watching the film over and over again until he could bring YOU some proof positive Kate was in the movie. With her natural hair color, no less. And thanks to the good folks at PRAwiO once again for hosting duties.
  Krispy notes: My god, it was so horrible. That opening chant, before Mary Jane Watson loses her top... I swear, it's going to haunt me for the rest of my days! It's in my head, Chris! It's IN MY HEAD!!

• Who says Alison MacInnis isn't going places? An inhabitant of a web board I don't frequent is reporting an appearance of the always coifed Ms. Mac on Unsolved Mysteries, playing a corpse named "Wendy" dredged up during a case update. Anybody who actually talks to Ali want to substantiate this for us?

• For those of you grousing about what happened to the Power Chamber schematics Tim hosted, we're delighted to let you know that he's put everything on one central index page for ease of use. Tim's just an angel. And a mad hottie. He gets chased around by adoring fans at least as much as Jesus (aka the White Ranger) and Ultraman do.

• Our own Derik Smith is prone to sudden unexpected e-floodings from Japanese spammers selling him things of indeterminate use and origin. We're uncertain as to just why Derik gets these letters; as uncertain as Derik is about what they're trying to sell him.
  Derik interjects: Near as I can figure, they're either hocking toffee candies, or vacations to Thai sex-hosues... They are very loud, very busy, and very, very pink. It was in that spirit that we proudly present to you our new Funaroverse design!
  Lynn notes: I want it made abundantly clear that I had nothing to do with this, lest anyone decide to pin it on the chick.
  Chris notes: Trust me, we have people other than Lynn running around here who have a predilection for the color pink, or Thai sex hosues. Or toffee.
  Derik notes: No actually, I don't like toffee.

• PRAwiO is hosting a lengthy series of caps from 1998's Fox Kids/Family Affiliates Meeting. Featured therein are Haim Saban garbed as a milkman, a calf with a penchant for sniffing anuses, and a whole bunch of surprises you'll just have to see for yourself. Annotations for most of these pictures provided by the unflappable Jesse Herndon.
  Jesse notes: When you're a Stack, you're a Stack all the way! From your first cigarette to your last dying day!

• We're just going through newsbytes like Jennifer Garner goes through falsies. This week's issue of People Magazine (the best and worst dressed of 2k2) features PR alum Hilary Shepard Turner in a face-off against CLAUDIA SCHIFFER, of all people. You can guess who won the vote. Somebody wanna go buy a copy and get us a scan before the next issue is out? This might be the first and last time Hilary gets in a major publication.

• We're back on planetnaboo, and all is right with the world. Our thanks go to Jarod for finagling everything back to the previous status quo. Our additional thanks go to Buta-chan for tolerating our incessant yammerings for the past month or so.
  Chris notes: Hey Jarod, does eating chicken all the time ever get boring?
  Jarod notes: No, not when it's a great new taste from Subway!

• The fall television season is upon us. Until reruns start in Mid-October, in anticipation for the networks' collective November Sweeps push. Damn politics. And in the span of two days, two relics of Power Rangers make their presence known on some new programs. First up, Grant High School (better known to you as Angel Grove High) has gotten a choice slot as the high school on the WB's new show Do Over.
  Chris notes: I really, really want this show to succeed. I loved the Al Steiner porn it was adapted from. I can't wait to see the concessions they'll have to make to turn Aftermath into a weekly series!

  -And in a double-triple reference, the discarded uniforms from Starship Troopers which were used for GSA Troops in PRLG (and later modified for the two Time Force prison guard uniforms in PRTF and Reinforcements From the Future) have now been given a warm and squishy home on Joss Whedon's new series Firefly.
  Jesse notes: God, I have no faith in this show's survival. They started with the second episode. The series had two discarded pilots shot already!
  Chris notes: And also, Ben Edlund is a producer. When he could be doing better things, like producing that Tick movie. Or just finishing Tick #13. Traitor.

• If there's one thing that stings worse than when they installed my Prince Albert, it's when we print a mistake. So, given our track record, you can imagine how many hours of the day I spend in pain. John Green dropped us a line to let us know that his site's domain has changed to www.grnrngr.com. Consider our hot link changed accordingly.

• Go visit the official site for The Red Star, a comic which has included the CGI contributions of PR's own Paulie Schrier. As an incentive, check out this (flattering) picture of Paul included in the second trade paperback. Chef Boyardee would be proud.

• General Takach reports a fascinating blunder regarding the US Lunar Wolf Ranger costume. It has an extra band, denoting Merrick's place in the team dynamic. What does this mean? Beats the heck out of me. If we were to be literal minded, it means we've never MET the sixth intended Wild Force Ranger...
  Krispy notes: If even one of you brings up the Chromaline Titanium Ranger, I swear somebody dies.

• This has absolutely nothing to do with anything, but Derik and I just discovered that the Astro Megazord Digizord came in three different colors. Basic blue, PRLG Microverse Playset red, and WHITE. Naturally, this tiny little picture fueled our curiosity. If anyone out there has some information on where we might find a reasonably inexpensive (and MOC) Albino Digizord, we'd much appreciate it.
  Derik notes: Wait, you didn't know the Digizord came in 3 different colors?

• Fulfilling the dreams and desires of a man who was at the time talking out of his bag, Athers' Power Rangers Library is now online. Please go there. Right now. And start sending them your fanfiction. She has a design I love, she has quality control, she has a staff... She's our last, best hope of getting a new central fanfic archive back up and running, after the fall of Cynthia's site.
  Chris notes: Plus, if you're leading a boycott against Xing's current practices at ff.net, as our own Lynn has taken to do, this is just a nice alternative. Fanfiction.net has not only encouraged mediocre writing to flourish, but it's also killed the neighborhood fanfic archive. Please think of the kittens.
  Derik notes: Objectively, a site like this is what we'll need after the inevitable fall of ff.net. It was too big of a target; too ambitious to remain untouched by litigation. Fandoms need their own individual central archives, not a main hub. While small archives usually fall (Paladar's comes to mind), at least the pieces can be picked up. Athers gives us the best features of that site, tailored specifically to PR.
  Chris notes: Well, except for reviews- which gives us a chance to plug Selma's PR Fanfic Recommendations site again...

• Tim stands and delivers once again, bringing us two fresh new Klank comic scans. I like how he gets his own special little masthead on these. "KLANK!" It makes me think of the band WHAM! Make it big, baby. Make it big.
  Derik notes: These comics, simple as they are, provide a wealth of fascinating information regarding the Machine Empire. Like the fact that they can ingest raw materials and digest them for nourishment.
  Chris notes: You just like the fact that "screw," "tug," and "strain" are all sound effects used in it, 1960's Batman-style.
  Derik notes: Well, that too.

• Save for the fact that Judd Lynn is really really really good looking (like Derek Zoolander!), we really don't have any idea what the production end of PR looks like. That's why this is such a marvelous treat for the masses. Courtesy of the good people at Princesshayla.com, it's the fandom's first known image of Jonathan Tzachor. Boy needs to get something to eat, he does.

• Prometheus UFO gleefully provides us with the latest two Ninja Storm casting scriptlets. Tori/Shane number one and number two. And then mentor (and gerbil daughter) Kim number one and number two. Thanks man!
  Chris notes: Ya know... At least Stanton and Trakeena's were REUSED from PRLG. Kim is a name reuse with an incarnation-specific casting side.
  Derik notes: Glad I didn't have to buy them for once. Showfax was catching on to the fact that I never auditioned for anything.

• This is tangentially related to the show at best, but boy am I glad I never ended up buying those MMPR strawberry milkshakes. Yes, I had every intention of drinking them. On film.
  Jarod notes: What Jim Jones did for Kool-Aid, Chris Funaro does for milkshakes.

• And now we know the real reason why the Mutorgs fled back to the year 2002. They had a copy of the reputed original PRLG #32, featuring Patricia Ja Lee instead of Melody Perkins. Our congratulations go to mutated Org General Takach, and we look forward to high grade RM's of the bootleg.
  Chris notes: This is less funny than Scorpion Rain, but more funny than when people claimed we were behind Forever Red. Who made that accusation, again...?
  Derik notes: In an unrelated note, our condolences go out to longtime PR fan Aaron Thall over the loss of his feline life-partner.

• www.fanfiction.net announced friday that in one month's time they will delete every NC-17 fanfic from their archive. In addition, fan stories in several other categories have been and are being removed. This in response to complaints that minors are accessing adult-rated stories, effortlessly sidestepping the various safeguards in place to keep them from doing so. Kids today, so precocious. In response there's an online petition to pressure ff.net to reverse the decision.
  Chris notes: I figured out what Pepsi Blue tastes like, it's like drinking a gummi worm! It's Liquid Gummi!
  Lynn notes: See this is where those fandom specific archeives will come in mighty handy.
  Derik notes: Of course, the aforementioned well-meaning petition is hopelessly wrongheaded. Voices need to be raised not in protest, but support. ff.net has expanded to the point that its majority population is no longer the hardcore fic writers who so flocked to it for what it was- a free central archive with bitchin' options like chaptering and reviews where authors could easily meet and critique. The kind of complaints leveled against ff.net, by their very nature, come from fiction consumers, not producers. Producers value the freedom to produce and share anything much more than consumers do.
  Chris notes: ...you're saying that second quartile users are oppressing first quartile users. A small vocal minority is ruining things for everyone else.
  Derik notes: Welcome to America. Of course chances are some of the pressure being brought to bear on ff.net is coming from cause-heads who've never even used the site, and are merely offended by the idea of something that has no actual bearing on their lives.
  Jarod notes: Also, ff.net has made itself a lightning rod for this kind of attack simply by virtue of being the monolith that it is. That runs both ways, it attracts and weathers flack that would probably shut down a small, single-fandom archive, but at the same time it takes hit after hit. What's really needed is another fanfic site of Comparable size to confuse critics. It's difficult to bring pressure to bear on multiple fronts at once, thus why the music-sharing groups are targeted one-by-one, not all at once.
  Derik notes: Here's a game I like to play. If XXX Powerpuff/N'Synch stories should be banned, how about a tender, if explicit, fan-sequel to The Blue Lagoon? Or a G-rated Backstreet Boys story spoofing Blues Brothers? Still sure where the line should be drawn?
  Lynn notes: Uh, Derik? Under FF.net's new rules, none of those stories would be allowed, not even the G-rated one.
  Derik notes: Huh. Food for thought, that. Rock the vote kids. Vote for your favorite candidate, not for who you think can win, and help reduce the ambient level of stupidity in this country. Until the populace can no longer be played against itself, we remain slaves to a systerm that cannot recognize more than two diametricly opposed views at once.

• Are you (yes, you. with the face) frustrated and agitated about your ABC affiliate reslotting the airing of Power Rangers in your area? Are you too frickin' lazy to consult with Excite-TV or our own, admittedly lackluster, schedule? Need to make absolutely sure that Turn of the Wretched Wrench hasn't come on the Best of PR rotation yet? Look no further, friends, than Burgundy Ranger's brand new PR On-Air Central, a service whose scope and ambitious would probably kill a lesser man. I do not envy the task ahead of you, Burg. It makes me all the happier we never tried to move up to actually using graphs on this site.

• As you know, the Internet Movie Database is, at best, a shot in the dark. It stands about as much chance of being right about forthcoming projects as a random person you might stop on the street and ask. But there are exceptions. Or at least times when someone supplies something plausible enough that we take note. Included with a production code under guest appearances in the IMDB entry for Wild Force is a young boy's role in the season finale. And a title for said finale. Go look for yourself, if you cotton to some spoilers.
  Chris notes: Ouch. Darkly ominous titles, anyone?

• Saturday's second episode of PR (which Derik and I should be seeing in just a couple hours from the time of this writing) featured the return of two beloved MMPR alums. The new Duke Orgs Artilla and Helicos are voiced by Michael J. Sorich and David Mallow. That's right, kids. Squatt and Baboo are back, AND working for a Barbara Goodson character! It's like 1993 all over again. Homecoming even features the return of Mallow as the MMPR "last/next time" announcer, narrating a sequence of the episode.
  Jesse notes: This makes for three announcers over the course of the season. McConnohie for Lionheart, Reynolds for Bear Necessities' next time segment, and now Mallow. And Sorich has now claimed his third Org voice for the season. That's a record.

• Some questions have haunted mankind since the dawn of time. What is the meaning of life; why do bad things happen to good people while the unjust are rewarded; what would you do for a Klondike Bar? But all of these pale in comparison to- how intelligent a reference can we expect out of Power Rangers? Cyro answers this imponderable for us. It's a (German) biography of politician Victor Adler. Coincidence? Probably. Socialism is a little above PR's target audience. It's still cool.
  Matt notes: Mankind? I was unaware Mick Foley had been around since the dawn of time!
  Chris notes: Well, he IS the Hardcore Champion.

• Since no one ever bothered to check for themselves, I finally verified that the Temple Ruins playset's exclusive Princess Shayla figure IS, in fact, modeled after child role-model and possible methamphetamine addict Ann Marie Crouch. I think this calls for a luau! I didn't indulge, m'self. Though Sexy Repaint Megazord did make me rethink my previous stance on not buying toys anymore. Mmm... Animus...
  Derik notes: You are buying Ultimus Megazord when it comes out, right? Right? After all, I did play a tangental hand in the recolored Power Animals used therein...
  Chris notes: Yes, yes, and you'll get your damn fun fact about that in due process.

• Hey! Ryan Johnson helpfully notifies us of the cover of this month's Disney Adventures, featuring the Wild Force Rangers! Even though there's absolutely no accompanying article. Still, glad the world is now largely aware PR is a Disney property, and not languishing somewhere. The media does tend to be fickle about PR's continued existence.

  -Ryan additionally notifies us of the upcoming multi-incarnation compilation video, Red Alert. A generic MMPR episode, the beginning of the Secret City arc, and the most batshit crazy episode of Time Force in the entire run. Say what you will, Disney has certainly made sure PR has a viable... Er, PR machine. Can a re-release of Alpha's Totally Bitchin' Roshashana be far behind?

  -And completing the hat trick, Ryan lets us know that the only significant edits made to ABC Family's reairing of Green With Evil was trimming down Skull dragging Bulk from his (melted) ice cream as Goldar rampages past the Juice Bar, and the removal of Dragonzord attacking the Rangers atop the highrise. The actual impact of its missiles on the roof was hid by a commercial break. That's surprisingly light. Surprised that SAME FRICKIN' SCENE was left intact when Mutiny reran, though...
  Chris notes: Wow, three in one week. Ryan's pulling more weight than most of you guys. Why isn't HE on staff?
  Jesse notes: Don't ask questions you already know the answers to. It's bad form.

• In related news, 4Kids' dubbed Ultraman Tiga debuted this weekend. Just in case you were confused and thought PR's old slot had been given to Jeff Nimoy's What's New, Pussycat: The Series.
  Jesse notes: How is it THIS show can have building destruction and people fleeing in terror?
  Derik notes: Because it looks fake. Of course, September 11th looked fake... stupid Hollywood hyperrealism desensitizing me...

• Perhaps you noticed we managed to pull a second update in under a week's time from out of the ether. Perhaps you also wondered how we could possibly manage this feat, given the site's terminal lateness problem. The solution, once I thought of it, was simple. Migrant workers. They work for next to nothing, and they aren't all grabby with their "notes" privileges. Expect the same prompt service you've come to associate with other, better news sites in the near future.
  Derik notes: Does this mean no Naked Wednesday?
  Chris notes: Hey, if you're so jazzed to see Lupe...

• You know why I asked everyone who had pressing news to re e-mail me everything they had sent? This is why. You have TWO DAYS to order a lifesize Wild Force Red Ranger costume. On a mannequin. In the UK, which probably won't be shipped abroad. And the demand will determine whether the things are even produced in the first place. Thanks to Jason for telling us. Here's hoping enough interest was sparked initially to get them produced.
  Chris notes: I spent too long trying to catch up on the mail I had gotten while I was in the hospital- I couldn't really catch up on the mail I still had incoming.
  Derik notes: This falls under 'cheap at twice the price' for the helmet alone, even if it turns out to be a cheap cast knockoff.

• Rumors have been trickling in from the far flung colonies of the fandom that last Sunday's airing of Green With Evil contained numerous edits. And the restoration of the original "Green With Evil" title card, omitting the individual episode names. I'd love some confirmation of this claim from a reliable source, as I sure didn't bother taping it (some of us are sleepy, and lack the dedication to keep blipping out commercials to fit five episodes on one SP mode video tape.) But if BVS put out a DVD, I'd buy it...
  Chris notes: Figures, if they did edit it... Bulk and Skull inside the Youth Center as it's being attacked is much more "9/11 questionable" than their being inside a collapsing skyscraper in Turbo. Great job, Disney!

• The caped crusader pulls through in the clutch once again. Batman, while scouring ABC Medianet for net crime, discovered that while they still list JACK for this coming Saturday, October 5th's entry is up and running. And that, ladies and germs, will be the day that Forever Red makes its triumphant American television debut.
  Derik notes: Make that Sunday, October 6th for Chris and I. The second episode of PR gets run by our affiliate at 5 AM. Screw you, Hubbard Broadcasting!

• Last time we linked to Jessica Rey's official site it was up to the fans to determine which layout they preferred. Now the final product is up and running and worth a quick look. In addition, Phillip Jeanmarie's site, is up and running (albeit not complete) for those who are avid fans or merely have the time to kill.
  Lynn Notes: Derik would hate these sites since both are entirely flash and java based.
  Derik notes: 'Would'? Bah, pinko flash-heads.

• 1997's Speed Racer revival is now airing on Nickelodeon's SLAM! block, Sundays at 4 PM Eastern. This brand spanking new translation is story edited by former PR writer (and Shuki's sister) Ellen Levy-Sarnoff, and features Henry and Yolei's voice actors from Digimon as the new Speed and Trixie.
  Jesse notes: Almost makes you want to put on your copy of Manos, don't it?
  Chris notes: *honk, honk* Way to go, Speeeeeed!

• I'm feeling extremely unmotivated to do a fresh byte about AJJ. The Felicity season one boxed set is out. Blah blah. That girl with the ugly hair is in it. Amy Jo has a big butt, but I mask that comment by using a big word like "callipygous."
  Lynn notes: Do I have to keep cajoling you? It's your job to write about all the female Rangers; even the ones you don't like. This set is a good investment, folks. The WB isn't the best in their rerun airing practices.

• Anime News Service is reporting, from a purported ABC Family press release, the plot to the upcoming Forever Red. While we remain suspicious until Matt sees something on the Toonzone desk, I would also like to point out that anime sites will believe any old crap about Power Rangers you tell them. They're extremely unmotivated to fact-check stuff that falls outside of their jurisdiction.
  Chris notes: 99% of the rumors in PR fandom are true? Somebody better tell Chibi Cel-Chan to change that "rumors" button to read "news."
  Derik notes: Fans today, so complacent about leaked reports. I remember back when we used to doubt everything, uphill, both ways. Sadly, I don't think we'll ever recapture that giddy uncertianty short of a Stalinesque purge of PR staff, cutting away everyone who could have ties to the fan community. Maybe we should just start reporting lies to keep everyone on their toes...
  Jesse notes: (kids, highlight fer spoilers!) Actually, whoever wrote this hoax did their homework. Lion Tamer Org seems to be Gaoranger's Ringmaster Aurg.
  Jarod notes: And really, this site is just questionable in their accuracy anyway. You see the story they have about how the Playstation 3 will be coming in pill form? Sony's ads specificly said the PS12 would be the first with that feature!

• A trailer for JYB's current project (and tentative series pilot) Fast Max is now online. Now just watch as dozens of anime sites report that this is Johnnycakes' big foray into live-action work.
  Lynn notes: I desperately hope this series is picked up. I have to say it is the STRANGEST combination of genres I have ever seen. The trailer has cars, motorcycles, aliens, spaceships, and it seems to have a "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" theme going with the whole scavenger hunt plot.

• As you're no doubt aware, Ultraman is the most recognized person in the world, beating out such illustrious competition as Ronald McDonald and Jesus. He can't walk down the street without being mobbed like the opening scene to Hard Day's Night. And as such, it's that time again. Tsuburaya Productions is trotting out their golden boy for another doomed-to-failure US adaptation. Man, give it up. Hanna Barbera couldn't even sell Ultraman, and they peddled crap like Scooby Doo and the Snorks until they sold. In spite of this, this week marks the debut of Fox Box's (dubbed) Ultraman Tiga. And Animerica is getting in the spirit by promoting both the show, and the now-available DVD's from Image Entertainment. Thanks to Lynn for getting us this scan.
  Derik notes: Might I humbly suggest that Tsuburaya cater to the large portion of the American viewing audience who has no idea what Ultraman is like by tailoring a special new series to our Japanese tastes? I give thee- ULTRAMON! Gotta color time 'em all!
  Ultraman Jack notes: Ultra! Ultra! Jack!
  Chris notes: Remember when Dreamworks was going to do something with the Ultraman license, back in the 90's? I have an action figure from then. That's the sum total of what Spielberg did with the rights, isn't it?
  Derik notes: I remember the Ultrman cartoon from the late 1980's, when they lived in Lincoln's head. I loved that thing. That was before I became a fan and learned to hate everything.

• I'm going to make this very simple, so I don't continue offending all the parties involved. Everyone who e-mailed me with site business since the start of June through the beginning of this month, assuming it's still pertinent, and wasn't already added by the other staffers during my absence, please re e-mail me? My backlog is presently in the hundreds, and I do not savor having to individually check each letter.

• Just when you thought it was safe to return to your regularly scheduled fall programming, Disney springs a surprise anal ambush on us all. Let's roll with the changes, just like the Speedwagon told us. Monday, September 9th sees the premiere of Digimon Frontier in syndication. Check your local listings for time and channel.
  Things get stick-tay on the 14th, as ABC Family takes a sledgehammer to Best of Power Rangers, and liberally intersperses PRWF reruns for flavor. 8:00 AM Eastern sees the premiere of Lightspeed Rescue, immediately followed by The Master's Last Stand. The 15th kicks it off with Lightspeed Teamwork at 8:00, topped off by what is presumably PR's ABC Kids premiere from the previous day, Unfinished Business. At 10:00 is A Matter of Trust and Lionheart. Great job, Disney programming execs. You just broke some poor kid's head.
  Chris notes: The Walt Disney Company- another amazing division of Globo-Chem!
  Pit-Pat notes: Take it from me, I love you!

• As you know, we at the Funaroverse have the utmost dedication to providing you with informative, topical news; which Derik then uploads two weeks after the fact. To that end, we've instituted a new policy- Naked Wednesdays! Er, I mean, to sidestep this problem, Matt decided to just post the times and channels for ABC Kids' fall roster on the newsgroup, and let us link to it directly. Thereby giving all parties involved plenty of prep time. Good show, old bean.
  Chris notes: Because, god knows, Disney couldn't have mandated the affiliates run any of these shows in their proper sequential order. These are the MAJOR MARKETS in America. Does even one of them air things when they're supposed to? Our local affiliate cares so little about network scheduling that they actually let ANOTHER station run some of their afternoon soaps!

• Batman, while taking time out from his nightly patrols of Gotham, popped on the newsgroup to let us know that while the episodes for both next week's episodes on ABC are not known, nor for the week following, the 28th's episodes ARE. The episodes are titled... (highlight for spoilers)
  Taming of the Zords
  Monitoring Earth
  Our thanks go to the Dark Knight for his able assistance.

• We don't often cover the careers of PR's voice actors, beyond a select few. This is mostly because they turn out successful, and god knows we can't advertise successes on this site. It makes the regular actors look bad. But my arm has been sufficiently twisted, and so we bring you Wendee Lee's official site. Wendee is, as you know, the voices of Scorpina and Alpha 6 mark two. She's also very easy on the eyes.
  Lynn notes: Hey, you know what, I can probably play the six degrees of Wendee Lee when it comes to voice acting! She's been in just about every major anime!

• Emerging from the wild, untamed jungles in darkest Germany, intrepid explorer slash archeologist slash adventurer Chris Peterson has returned to share with us the latest wares acquired in his never-ending quest for booty. It's Power Rangers World, and it may be the single greatest PR site I've seen since Power Rangers Power Up! Let's just ignore that both of these sites were produced in countries outside of North America, in languages other than English, shall we? Scope the design. The graphics. The ease of use. It's everything PR's official sites aren't.
  Chris P. notes: Dagmar, we may have to pick apart your big, squishy brain to get an accurate translation. And, if you'd be a luv, translating a fan letter from us to the webmaster...
  Derik notes: Chris is much slashier than I'd realized... And he can be nicknamed Krispy!

• And what's Krispy been keeping himself up to lately? Why, in addition to his work at Producing Power Rangers, he's just begun work on the world's very first Kevin Kleinberg fansite! Go visit, we need to encourage shrines for our marginally less popular, yet still adorably puppyish, actors.
  Chris notes: This provides a tidy segue into the byte Lynn already wrote below...

• Well, anybody wonder exactly whatever became of certain PR alums? Most disappear right? Most thought this of Karan Ashley but here is the link to her management company. Browse around to find an updated picture not to mention some projects in the works.
  Lynn Notes: I watch way to many indie films to actually find stuff like that without trying.
  Derik notes: I hear Harrisson Ford has signed on to do a new one.
  Lynn notes: Apparently some of these movies are now available for sale off the site. Any rabid Aisha fans out there with 15 bucks to blow?
  Chris notes: ... Aisha has fans?

• This is a link we really should have referenced a long time ago, the former official Patricia Ja Lee fansite! The Q&A and exclusive pics more than compensate for those fifteen minutes of your life you will never get back.

• We really weren't trying for a theme of "actor sites" with this update, but Blake simply left us with no choice. Coming soon: for a nominal fee, you too can buy an autographed picture of young master Foster. Do you want Blake dressed up like a pimp, or alternately Anastasia on the cover of her latest album? Perhaps pensive, contemplative Blake? Or topless Blake?
  Derik notes: Hrm, I see Sean Johnson still has the smallest nipples of any PR actor...

• And continuing our double-header of Blakeness, we give you this interview from an official Brady Bunch fan site with everyone's favorite little guy. No, not Michael Dukakis.
  Chris notes: You know, I really can't complain at all about the job Lynn has been doing. Under a week, and we're already on our second update. She really pulls her weight.
  Derik notes: So glad you met Yoko, John.
  Chris notes: Yoko didn't make John do more Beatles work, "Paul."
  Lynn notes: I think he feels I am intruding on his slacking.
  Derik notes: That's sexual harassment, and I don't have to take it. ...And no one of our generation not from Minnesota knows who Michael Dukakis is.

• And now a byte for the rabid anime and PR fan alike... This article featuring long departed alum Johnny Yong Bosch. See... there is work for a former PR alum without getting naked after all!
  Lynn notes: Now here's to hoping he will end up at an anime con I can actually get to. Damn Sakuracon having been within a week of Anime Central!

• Proving that, yes, sometimes actors can escape the grim specter of post-PR work (in spite of everything we said above,) we bring you this glowing review of Sean "Puffy" Johnson's latest creative endeavor, My Little Eye. Ripped off from variety.com and transcribed to the newsgroup by some unscrupulous party whose identity remains shrouded in mystery.
  Chris notes: I wish Sean all the best at a career which doesn't require him to drop trou.

• Ebay is really an amazing opiate for the masses. It allows you to bid on crap you could never possibly muster the courage to purchase in the outside world without recrimination or the potential for wedgies. And what does our faithful friend Snoops Warner bring us, in that noble entrepreneurial spirit? MMPR Strawberry Milkshakes. Eat them up yum. I'm seriously tempted to place a bid before the day is over.

• Also courtesy of our capitalist friends at Bandai is the latest in PR's fantrabulous series, "action figures of US original characters." This trend had recently reestablished itself with last year's lovely Ransik toy, but had seemingly tapped itself out for Wild Force with the exclusive Princess Shayla figure. To our delight, Goggleboy proves us wrong. Next on pike is Master Org. Well, you know what they say. Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man. He even has a staff accessory, for highfalutin and posturing ACTION!
  Chris notes: Did anybody ever bother to buy the damn playset, so we can find out if the Shayla toy is based on the original actress? I mean, how hard is it to determine whether the action figure has a crop-top on?
  Jesse notes: Master Org looks like he has about as much range of motion as the Bulk and Skull PVC's from season two. Damn cumbersome robes to mold.

• When Derik and I aren't riding the range like the wily hombres you know we are, we like to kick back and relax by installing whoever we want into positions of power. Like the Supreme Court. Last week I made a plea to all you good people to vote for the Haunted Tank in DC Comics' online poll, and you responded. I'm delighted to (off-topically) report that the tank has won the contest, and will be appearing in future issues of The Power Company. He won by a margin of 613 votes. I don't think it's stroking my ego too much to think we actually did swing this vote. And so I extend my thanks to you, our loyal readers.
  Derik notes: At least this worked out better than that Sandra Day O'Conner thing...

• Major kudos go out to Brian, our web host. Who locked us out of the server since the 17th, preventing an update I put myself through emotional hell to produce from actually getting added on time- something I do realize you good people have yet to receive in the time since my disappearance. Thanks to Jarod, who moved us to Buta-chan.
  Jarod notes: And for those of you bitching about where the site is: this is why we advertise the funaroverse.com URL, and don't encourage direct linking to the naboo space. In case we have to move.

• I'd probably feel bad that we didn't get the chance to promote the special two-and-a-half-hour Best of Power Rangers this weekend, spotlighting Green With Evil, but it was supposed to be Derik's job to add that update. And a smashing good job he did! Besides, you all go to enough other sites in PR fandom that we're allowed an occasional lapse, right?
  Derik notes: That's next weekend Chris. This weekend is PRLG's finale, which I'm watching right now.
  Chris notes: I knew that. Notice they're going from PRLG to a presentation of MMPR. Bet from there's is MMPR season 3 or Zeo. Kinda unfortunate that PRLR's city-anihilationg premiere would've fallen across the week of september 11...
  Matt notes: That, and Forever Red you know. Aww, MMPR is stealing it's extra half-hour from Big Guy and Rusty next week. Poor Big Guy...

• We extend a warm Funaroverse welcome to our newest correspondent, Lynn. No, not Judd. We don't have that much sway with the man. Finally, this smelly rathole will have a woman's touch. And, just to earn her keep, she happily contributes this exciting link to a Nakia Burrise Q&A. See, this is the kind of stuff we live for. Mad props to you, Lynn.
  Derik notes: Well... I suppose I can tolerate the skirt. For now. For now...
  Lynn notes: Yeah now you guys gotta keep your pants on around here.
  Chris notes: That's what you think.

• It seems our own Matt Williams just can't keep his personal life out of the papers. Bad Matt. Bad. What would the rest of the Toonzone gang think?

• So, intrepid reporter Jesse Herndon was reading Lying in the Gutter at Comic Book Resources, and he happened upon this article. Battle for the Planets fandom is scary. Ignoring the myriad continuities. If you need more evidence of this, just take a gander at reactions to the recent revival comic produced by Image. And, if I might take a moment to say so, a little nostalgia is a dangerous thing. It's how you end up with someone like Cam Clarke slumming as He-Man. Or an X-Treme Thundercats.
  Chris notes: You may ask what relevance this has to us as PR fans. I see it somewhere between "cautionary tale," for when PR has its inevitable comeback, and just being of interest because of Gatchaman's sentai derived elements.
  Derik notes: I've read the Thudnercats comic. It took 3 minuites. How I loathe 'widescreen' storytelling in comics.

• Some items simply justify their own existence. Nose hair-trimmers. Sandwiches. That magnetic fishing game kids play. It is in this grand tradition that we present to you the single greatest piece of PR fandom memorabilia ever. The Mark Oxman t-shirt. Not only does it benefit a good cause, but wearing it reminds us all of just how far humanity can sink. Thanks to Marie for finding this for us.
  Chris notes: My god, I had no idea Mark even inhabited other fandoms.
  Derik notes: Hey now, I like Mark! He's... minunderstood.
  Chris notes: How is he misunderstood?
  Derik notes: By himself, mostly.

• I really don't ask very much of you people. Oh, I ask you to put up with my smarmy one-liners, as you slog through the site in search of some nugget of actual news, but you'd endure