In a message dated 4/11/02 8:34:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
aerolbj@i-next.net writes:

The burial place of Helen Vaughn, half-sister to "Mei'ou
Setsuna" and "Lamont Cranston" and Wilbur Whateley.

How's that for obscure and mysterious. ^_^

       Plenty, for lil' ol' me.  Ummm...will there be an appendix of these 
literary references, for the clue-impaired (like myself)?  Or do you plan to 
just drop little tantalizing hints and make us go read the original source 
material for ourselves?  (:)

"Setsuna" is half-human, half-abomination beyond space and time. ^_^

       !
       Oooh, boy.  Hmmm....so, was Lovecraft a serious chronicler of the 
world's secret history in this universe?  Or a hapless researcher of exotic 
archaeology who got in too deep and was driven mad by what he 
found/experienced/realized?

Ayup. Would it surprise you that La Maupin is related to Haruka in
this timeline? ^_^

       Note to self:  Google "La Maupin."

Foundation exists in this universe. The Silver millenium novels
are a result of the little run-in Asimov had with the Guardians
of Time during World War 2.

       <!>
       No, that's not strong enough:   <!!!!!!!>
       Please, PLEASE tell me we're going to get to see (at least part of) 
the story behind that...

Arsene Lupin the Second was, of course, recruited by French Intelligence
and was the French version of Jimmy Bond for over fifty years.

       Which begs the question:  Where Is Bond?  
       Answer:  in bed with some lovely example of female pulchitrude, of 
course.
       Alternate answer:  The knot in someone's family tree, *or* the 
skeleton in their closet.  Heh.

Ah, The Woman. Irene Adler. The only person who ever actually outsmarted

and

beat Sherlock Holmes.

And his grandmother, according to Dr. Watson's original manuscript
for "A Scandal in Bohemia". ^_^

       Huh?  Oh, you mean in *your* universe!  <blink>  So, Holmes fell for 
his own grandmother?  How...Oedipal.  Did he *know* who she was?
       Hm.  For someone who's half edlritch horror, Setsuna seems to have 
pretty likeable offspring/descendants.  

I'm following pulp tradition. So no scarf. And the girasol is a
unique signal. It also happens to be the mark of recognition for
the Order of The Avenging Angel, a secret society established by
the Count of Monte Cristo! ^_^

       Great.  Yet *another* volume for the To-Read Pile.  It's *only* 
thirty-seven years deep as is....

Wrong writing. The original Shadow was assumed to have had four
pistols in a brace with reloads.

The Shadow of the '90s has a body brace holster which would hold
eight. But that's overkill. ^_^

       "Overkill"?  What is this "overkill" you speak of?  I know not this 
word.  (;)

Michael Cranston, son of "Lamont" and Myra Cranston married Michelle
Wentworth when he hung up the cape and slouch hat in 1977.

       Y'know, it just now hits me that Natasha's internal narration never 
seems to mention either of her parents; just her grandparents.  

Hey, he figured it out! ^_^
Yeah, having two psycho grandfathers can be really spooky. Can
you imagine what the boys she brings home feel like? ^_^

       I dunno...I'd go for it.  Assuming I didn't get myself killed for 
going Fanboy on them, I would have *one* major advantage:  I'd *know* better 
than to do anything that might get either of them on my case.  Of course, 
that's only because I read their books in reality...

Alas, Mr. Hudson we do not live in the same universe. In _my_ universe,
the only successful fictional superhero is Superman. Batman went bust
in the '60s because of that horrible little show. The Shadow being both
and honored and real personage in my universe overshadowed the cheap
imitator. To quote Grant and Robeson:

       Batman:  "CHEAP??  Do you have any *idea* how much it *costs* to equip 
a whole cave full of Flash-Gordon-esque technology?  Not to mention the 
heating bills..."
       Speaking of Flash Gordon:  does *he* fit into this anywhere?  Or how 
about the *original* Buck Rogers, the Phillip Francis Nowlan version?

"The Shadow was tangible enough to gain support, yet also mysterious
enough that the merchandising could be done. Thus the fictionalizations
began..."

       Hm.  So, did the Shadow have a semi-official chronicler, the way Doc 
Savage did?  And speaking of Doc Savage...

1991 saw "The Shadow" with Michael Keaton as the Shadow, Kim Basinger as
Margo Lane and Jack Nicholson as Shiwan Khan. 1992 had "The Shadow Returns"
again with Keaton as the Shadow, Michelle Pfeiffer as Margo Lane(now with
the proper brunnette hairdo), and Danny De Vito as the Prince of Evil.

       That's....just....wrong.

1994 will see the release of "The Shadow Forever" with Val kilmer and etc.
The Shadow franchise will came back with a vengeance in 1996 when John
Woo directed "The Shadow Strikes" with Nick Cage and John Travolta as
two Shadows!!!

       And that's worse...

Grandma Myra would kick Gramps' ass. ^_^

       Ah.  So, even men who are part horror-from-beyond-time-and-space are 
still helpless slaves to their wives' whims.  That restores my faith in the 
balance of the universe, that it does.  (:)

Literary cameos are my way of putting in easter eggs for sharp readers. ^_^

       <whimper>  But what about those of us who are dull?  There *will* be 
an appendix, right?  Right?  Pleeeeeeez?


-- 
David McMillan, Imagineer at Large.  
Chief Systems Analyst and Integration Engineer, Exotic Technologies Division, 
KUKA GmbH.  Mecha and Weapons Design Specialist.
"Agent Mulder?  My name is Neo.  I believe I may be able to show you part of 
the truth you've been searching for.  I should warn you, however -- it's not 
what you think."
--



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