Picture Perfect Wednesday: Virginia Belmont

Born in 1921, Virginia Belmont was a formally trained linguist who specialized in Italian, and who enjoyed success as an actress both in Hollywood and in the studios of Rome during the 1940s and 1950s, playing mostly in westerns and other period films. Following her retirement from acting in 1957, she went to work for United Airlines and traveled the world with her husband Albert Califano. She passed away on May 6, 2014.

But her youthful beauty is captured forever on film and in photos.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Or as it is known among those who observe it, Drinko de Mayo. Here is genuine Mexican, Raquel Torres, showing some of the key elements of a successful Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Meet the first Muslim Superhero!

NUELOW Games latest comics/RPG release shines the spotlight on Kismet, Man of Fate. This long-forgotten superhero appeared in the four quarterly issues of Bomber Comics during 1944, with the first and final issues coinciding with the opening and closing of Ellliot Publishing.

Kismet was one of numerous Nazi-stomping comic book characters who appeared in comics magazines during the early 1940s, but he stands apart from the crowd not only for his ability to carry off running around shirtless while wearing gloves, a fez and a cape, but also because he is the first Muslim superhero. (There were earlier Muslim comic book heroes, but none were so obviously religious as Kismet, nor did they have superpowers.

I've edited a book for NUELOW Games that's part of the Complete Golden Age Oddballs series. For the first time anywhere, it collects all four Kismet stories under one cover, together with an all-new text piece and roleplaying game material for ROLF! and OGL d20 Modern. In addition to the Kismet stories, the also features all three published cases for Penny Parker, Debutante Detective.

By way of a preview, here are the first pages for all the Kismet stories.

Click here to see more previews, or to get your own copy of Complete Golden Age Oddballs: Kisment & Penny Parker.

Picture Perfect Wednesday: Cheyenne King

It seems like it's time for another visit with actress/model Cheyenne King.

Happy International Dance Day!

April 29 has been designated as International Dance Day by UNESCO. It also happens to be the birthday of of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), the creator of modern ballet. Ann Miller and friends wants everyone to cut rug, jump with joy, and otrherwise move to the music on this day!

It's Earth Day!

Here's a sketch artist's rendering of Mother Earth. If you see her, approach with caution. She has a tempestuous bearing, and often explodes with fiery rage. Unconfirmed reports indicate that she also has adverse reactions to immodest women.

By Amy Clark

Happy Easter!

I hope you have as much luck at finding Easter Eggs as Ann Miller did. She found the bunny that lays them!

The Milla Jovovich Quartery

It's laundry day, and Milla is waiting for the dryer cycle to finish. But the Milla Jovovich Quarterly must go on!

March 20: It's the first day of Spring...

... and Ann Miller is jumping with joy! Could there be a more Picture Perfect Wednesday?

At least once each month for all of 2014, Ann Miller will show up here in Shades of Gray to mark a special day. Keep checking back, or you may miss her!

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Hey, look! She's Irish!