Welcome to Monsteropolis

Guess what? We've thrown our hats back in the podcasting ring. Please check out the new show at: monsteropolis.podbean.com 

And if you like it, please leave a rating and review somewhere, OK? Thanks!

Monsterland Ohio Radio: The Archive

It's kind of a sad day here at M.O. Radio HQ. For budgetary and storage reasons, I had to whittle down the podcast archive to eight episodes. For a sentimental sap like me, it was no easy task. But, I think the episodes that will now exist in perpetuity represent what we did pretty well.

They are:

Episode 1: Introductions

Episode 3: Remembering G-FEST XXI

Episode 18: Ohio Bigfoot Conference

Episode 21: Monster Bash 2015

Episode 22: The Ultimate Abbott and Costello Tribute Show

Episode 35: Live from Fouke

Special Edition: G-FEST XXIII

Episode 44: Monster Bash Recap


As always, thanks for listening!

2018 Update: Still Monstrous

Hello there! It has been an awfully long time. That's on me. So I thought I'd give you a little update, since our online presence basically evaporated as of late last year. What happened?

Basically this: We made the decision to send Andy to a brick-and-mortar school, after half-a-decade plus of homeschooling. That affected many things--nothing more profoundly than our weekly schedule. To be completely candid, we are four months in, and no one is used to it, but there's just twenty class days to go before summer vacation kicks in, and as you can see, we're counting each one.

As a result, podcasting and blogging have gotten squeezed out. We announced the end of our run with SasWhat on our Facebook page in early January, and we simply haven't recorded any new Monsterland Ohio Radio episodes since July of 2017. Why? I'm not entirely sure, except to say, "Life happens fast." And; recording, producing, and posting a podcast is work, no matter how much fun you're having. Another factor: our involvement in Small Town Monsters has continued to grow.

On that front, we've continued to contribute to Seth Breedlove's documentaries in a variety of ways. In December of 2017, Sue and I made our on-screen debut in "Flatwoods Monster: A Legacy of Fear," for which Sue also recorded voiceover dialogue. Acting against a green screen was this film nerd's dream come true, and to see the finished product, where Sue and I (as George and Edith Snitowski) were menaced by a robotic-looking alien monster, is still a surreal sight to behold. 

Also in late December, Andy and I were invited to write for Stephen Bissette's next book, "Cryptid Cinema: Volume Two," about our experiences during the filming of "Boggy Creek Monster" in Fouke, Arkansas. We became acquainted with Stephen at the International Cryptozoology Conference in Portland, Maine, in September 2017. Needless to say, it was an extreme thrill to contribute to the Swamp Thing artist's latest work, and we will keep you updated as to its release date. 

Earlier this month, we were part of the Small Town Monsters crew that descended upon Elkhorn, Wisconsin, for the filming of "The Bray Road Beast," a documentary based on the work of Linda Godfrey. In fact, Linda was one of the people we interviewed for the movie. We drove up and down Bray Road, talked to eyewitnesses, and ate at a lot of great local establishments (cheese curds, anyone?). It was a memorable way to celebrate Andy's fifteenth birthday! I am also co-writing "The Bray Road Beast" with Seth and transcribing interviews.

Upon our return, I recorded the narration for "On the Trail of...Champ," Small Town Monsters' first mini-series, a collaboration with Aleksandar Petakov, a Boston-based filmmaker. It details the history of--and ongoing search for--a Loch Ness-type creature that has been observed in the waters of Lake Champlain. "Champ" comes out on VidiSpace and DVD in June of 2018, and other platforms in July. 

This past Saturday, we joined Seth at the Kent (Ohio) Paranormal Weekend for a screening of "Flatwoods Monster" at the Kent Stage, and took in a number of presentations, including "The Strange and Spooky World of James A. Willis." James lives in Columbus and is the co-author of "Weird Ohio," as well as a host of other excellent books that you should read.

Where do we go from here? It's off to Monster Bash in June (at which there will be a Small Town Monsters presence for the first time); G-FEST in July (at which Sue will once again run a craft corner for young kaiju fans); the good folks at Monster Bash will be hosting some Godzilla movies at the Canton Palace Theater in August; and after that, who knows? I imagine there will be some events in connection with the release of "The Bray Road Beast" in October, and rumor has it that I will be involved with the next STM series, "On the Trail of...Bigfoot." 

So that's where things stand for now. If you've managed to read this far, thank you for all your support, especially of Small Town Monsters, and for the kind things that have been said about the podcasts. We have made a lot of good, lasting friends around this toybox, and we're very grateful.

Mark and Andy

SasWhat Episode 131

SasWhat Episode 130

The State of Monsterland Ohio Radio

Today marks the third anniversary of our humble little podcast, "Monsterland Ohio Radio." The blog has been around a lot longer--almost nine years--but the actual blogging has slowed to a tiny trickle in favor of the podcast format. There are a couple reasons for that; the main one being that it was a fairly easy way for Andy and I to contribute content together.

I have my friend Seth to thank for getting us/me into podcasting in the first place. Getting to know him helped me to realize that this was a very do-able hobby, and he encouraged me along the way. I've always loved making audio recordings. My first cassette recorder was a red, plastic, portable job. As a very little kid, I would take it on vacation and narrate the trip. I still have one of those tapes. I suppose that podcasting is simply an extension of all that.

The show has inadvertently become a time capsule of Andy's transition from childhood to young adulthood. Depending on the day, I find it amusing, or heartbreaking, to listen to those early episodes, as time passes so quickly. I'm grateful that he still seems to enjoy giant monsters and unexplained mysteries. Having my dad come on the show as the unofficial third co-host adds another layer to the proceedings. It's a record of something very special to me.

Our involvement with SasWhat: A Show About Bigfoot and Small Town Monsters productions has created a progression of events that we sometimes find hard to believe. It has taken us from watching monster movies to helping make monster movies. Both of us had a hand in the upcoming documentary "Invasion on Chestnut Ridge," which will be released in October of this year. But we will always be fans first, and so Monsterland Ohio Radio will continue to catalogue our favorite things. If you've listened to the show, we thank you. If you've written to us, we really thank you. Hopefully we've given you a few smiles along the way, or pointed you in the direction of a new show to watch. Whatever your "toybox of life" happens to be, I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy making this for you.

Episode 44: Monster Bash Recap

A New Look for M.O. Radio!

The time has come to bid farewell to our little green and orange mascot, and to embrace a new look for the podcast. We've become a real fan of Colin Richards' work, and love the fact that he can cook up an image like this in no time. We had a lot of fun suggesting commission work to Colin at Monster Bash.

For more, check out: www.colinrichardsart.com

Episode 43: Convention Preview 2017

SasWhat Episode 117

SasWhat Episode 116

SasWhat Episode 115

SasWhat Episode 114

SasWhat Episode 113

Monsterland Ohio Radio Episode 42: An Incomplete Retrospective of Kong