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When I was a baby, my parents took me to Universal Studios in Hollywood. They took me to see all the shows, like Backdraft (screamed my head off), Miami Vice (screamed my head off), and in fact, I didn't stop screaming my head off until the backlot tour tram got captured by Cylons and saved by a Colonial Warrior. At least, that's how the story goes. I choose to believe it. It does sound like me.

Years later, (or should I say "yahrens"? I always get tripped up on the translation) I actually watched the 1978 movie. Not long afterward, a squadron of lego Vipers and a tiny ragtag fleet appeared in my bedroom. Thus began my quest for my warrior uniform. Being pretty much flat broke, I rightly concluded that I would have to make mine from scratch. Weeks of searching, sewing, accessorizing, agonizing, begging mom for help, and finally just resigning myself to the outcome produced something that looked like a baseball uniform with a brown curtain draped over it. And that is still what I have to work with. But it is mine, and it is brown, and it has four shiny gold...I'm not sure I'd call them buckles...pseudo-buckles? Maybe it's an act of desperation, obsession, or insanity. But it's a brown coat. (with sparkly gold, rhinestone, and pearl viper pilot pins XD)

Well naturally, my wearing of this thing started getting me attention. That, and the (I will openly admit AWFUL) fanfiction I was writing. A friend of mine started to read this fanfiction, without having seen the series, and in spite of the awfulness of my original character, decided she liked BSG enough to start watching it. Voila, a new convert! We marathoned the series and to this day, she still goes by Athena. (and they call ME crazy!)

So there it is, my Battlestar history. Oh, and I met a Muffit suit at the EMP science fiction museum in Seattle. I have the beginnings of my own little museum, myself, got some old BSG books and action figures, some of the Majestics collectible dolls, anything I can pick up here and there. I may not be quite as obsessive as I used to be about the show...but who knows, the craze will probably come around again!

At the Comicpalooza panel in Houston, Texas this past weekend, Edward James Olmos announced his project that he's working on with his son, producer, and  co-writer Michael Olmos and co-writer Bob Layton (IRON MAN's amazing "Demon In A Bottle" comic and creator of Valiant Comics),  The project is a superhero story called METTLE.  There will be comic books based on the character in his youth, and then a full-length feature film.

The premise of the story concerns Olmos' character, a Latino soldier from the Vietnam War, who when captured by the Vietcong undergoes various medical experiments that grant him superpowers.  When he gets home he learns to adapt to his powers (which were unspecified at the panel, but I'd imagine some super-strength would be involved, based on the hints they gave).  Come present day, Olmos' character is struck ill and loses his abilities, and also must deal with post-traumatic stress disorder due to the traumatizing events of his life.  It's at that moment that his enemies decide to strike, and Olmos' character must deal with the return of his enemies and their plots at the moment in his life when he's most vulnerable.  Layton, especially was talking up the story, which Olmos said, "has a killer ending.  Maybe better than SEVEN's.  A killer opening, too."

The way Olmos pitched the project, it really sounded amazing, big in scope, and Layton talked about how in the end, it's what the character is willing to die for that counts.  There would be flashbacks to earlier in Olmos' superhero career, and they clearly stated that Olmos would be playing the character at all stages of his life.  Whether this would be achieved through CGI, or makeup, was unclear, but they were very specific that Olmos would be playing Mettle (which I'm assuming the hero would be called) through the entire film.  There is a plan to release a comic book with Mettle's younger exploits in it, as well.

Edward James Olmos also stated that he hopes the project gets enough success that he would be able to launch his dream project - the story of Roy Benevidez, American Congressional Medal of Honor winner, and soldier in Vietnam.  "If this weren't real, people would never believe it," said Olmos, who went on to describe a story of pure heroics as Benevidez jumped out of a helicopter to help save his fellow soldiers in a firefight in Vietnam.  "This guy out-Rambos Rambo."

I hope EVERYONE here knows who Tom DeSanto is....I'm sure you all do.

Amazing is an understatement and a half, I assure you.

For all those...and I can't imagine who wouldn't be familiar with his work, let me give you a brief overview (though I can really get into detail!).

Tom started off in the Hollywood game with his friend, the director Bryan Singer (don't get me going on that...whole other chapter I would have to write), suffice to say Bryan is a mega-talent in his own right.

Anyway, their first movie together, on which Tom was a contributing writer was Stephen King's "Apt Pupil", which stared Ian McClellan (Magneto of "X-Men" fame & "Lord of the Rings"), taken from the pages of his anthology "Differrent Seasons".

Little sidebar on that...that particular book also spawned "The Shawshank Redemption" featuring Morgan Freeman (Insert movie name here!) & Tim Robbins (pick a movie!)  as well as "Stand By Me" with River Phoenix  (yup, the brother of Joaquin!) and Jerry O'Connell ("Sliders").

Moving on from that point Tom also was a writer on the Original "X-Men" movie & then moved on to co-write & Executive Produce "X:Men: United").

The concept came to him to do a live-actiion version of "Transformers" which he did the film treatment for & then Produced with Steven Spielberg ("Jaws", "Raiders of the Lost Ark") Executive Producing.

He went on to to create "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" & is currrently hard at work on "Transformers: Dark of the Moon".

Hard at work right NOW on that last mentioned film...!

(I know there are many out there who cannot wait to see it!).

He's also written introductions to such graphic comic book collections as "Superman: Red Sun" by Mark Millar & "Wolverine: Origin" by Paul Jenkins.

So how does this all relate to "Battlestar Galactica"?

Wellll....I will tell you, back in the day...

Actually back in 2001, when the Battlestar Galactica Fan Club was just a baby (2 years old back then), Tom DeSanto & Bryan Singer had the VERY bright idea to revive Battlestar Galactica.

If you all recall, Richard Hatch was lobbying very hard at the time for the revival & of course we here at the club were as well.

Tom took an interest in what we were doing & contacted myself & Chris Feehan (who Co-Founded the site with me).

That was the start & things were looking VERY bright for Battlestar Galactica back in the summer of 2001.

Then September 11th came.

That set not only the entire country back on it's heels for a while....it also basically forced the Hollywood machine to a profound stop.

When things had geard back up again & a measure of normalcy had come back...the "Battlestar Galactica" project had been sadly put aside...matter of fact if I'm not mistaken, the Sci-Fi Channel actually came up with "Firefly" in it's place.

Don't get me wrong..."Firefly" was a great show, as well as the "Serenity" feature film....but I would have liked to have seen what Tom could have done with BSG.

Picture Commander Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) aboard the bridge of the Galactica, welcoming back his long lost & just rescued friend Captain Apollo (Richard Hatch), who in turning away from his friend & facing the camera has an eerie red light drifting back and forth across his eyes.

I'm not making that up!

That was to be the end scene of the the mini-series pilot that was going to launch the new show!

Anyway, despite that setback, I remained in touch with Tom...& finally met him at Richard Hatch's "Galacticon" celebrating 25 years of BSG, here in Los Angeles in 2003.

(I had just moved to California from the east coast, truth be told).

Anyway, having talked to a person & emailing back & forth had set the stage for our actual person to person meeting.

"Whas up bro?"

"Not much buddy, wassup?"

Literally, something like that...Tom is a real down to earth guy.

Tom was also kind enough to grace us with his presence on our 2008 "Galacticruise" which was the 30th anniversary celebration of Battlestar Galactica.

While not able (due to scheduling) to accompany us on the celebrity cruise, he did join us on the Queen Mary (berthed in Long Beach) & yeah the original ship!...for a very excellent dinner & just blew everyone away with everything he brought to show everyone relating to his Battlestar Galactica project.

Listen...I love the re-imagined "Battlestar Galactica" & I have to hand it to Ron Moore...but I am VERY curious to see how Tom's version would have worked out.

Anyway, obviously I still keep in touch with Tom & he mentioned to me the other day that he had just directed a video with Austin Brown...a mashup of 5 of his songs wrapped up in this incredibly visionary video.

He said it took them two days to film...& of course that's not counting the time for the CGI...anyway, for all of you who don't know who Austin Brown is...think, um...MICHAEL JACKSON's nephew!

Anyway, here is the video...I hope you all enjoy!

So say we all!

http://battlestarfanclub.com/video/austin-brown-85