Howdy there, Scream Freaks! It’s a brand spankin’ new year, but we’re still up to our same ol’ shenanigans as the web’s #1 animated horror host show, with more episodes, skits, and reviews in the works than y’all can shake a stick at!
First update — YES! We’re definitely comin’ back for a sixth season, and it’s been in the works for awhile now with the animation already underway. Even more excitin’ than last season, this one will feature alotta new freaks and beasts, a whole new slew of bad guys, and of course – a buncha reviews of yesteryear’s lesser celebrated treasures of horror entertainment that fall in line with this next season’s theme. Can ya guess what it’ll be, Scream freaks? We left ya clues all over the Howl-Inn Grub & Spirits in our 50th monumental episode!
In other news, we’re knockin’ on some doors for more crossovers with other favorite horror hosts ya cheat on us with, got a plan in place for pumpin’ out more secondary vids to sate yer hunger for more animated mayhem, and we were shut down hard by Michael Biehn for an interview at our favorite toy box!
Yup, the fella who’s best known for fightin’ James Cameron’s scariest hits on screen from terminators to xenomorphs braved recent world dilemmas to brighten movie fans’ pandemic with a two day appearance at Toy Federation, and you bet yer bottom token, we were there to ask him some insightful questions ’bout his career for our show. Before we even made his radar, however, it was obvious the guy wanted nothin’ to do with recordin’ equipment shoved in his face. Cameras, cell phones – even when he was asked to plug his appearance for the local news, he was quick to dismiss it. Not the most ideal attitude for a celebrity meetin’ his admirers, sure, but it is what it is, and we just have to respect that as one professional to ‘nother.
What really shock us us, however, was his refusin’ to take a picture with a cowboy skeleton!
“I’m not doing that,” he said, even with his features completely covered like the Invisible Man. He took pictures with everyone else, so we can only guess he was turned off by our introduction as a horror host show. In retrospect, we shoulda just said we were cosplayin’ as the corpse of his gunslinger from Tombstone.
Despite not snaggin’ the footage or even snappin’ a picture, Biehn was friendly ‘nough to candidly answer our questions we’d prepared for the video. Inspired by our talk with Tony Todd regardin’ licensin’ his looks for merch, we asked Biehn ’bout his own movie roles gettin’ the action figure treatment. The controversy over Biehn collectin’ a payday from his image as Cpl. Hicks being used in Alien 3 is well documented, and that same year, Kenner released a toyline, Operation: Aliens, also featurin’ his character from Aliens. Curious if he had the same deal over his likeness bein’ used for these figures, Biehn said he was never approached ’bout it, and the figures were sculpted with faces so generic, it would be too difficult to prove his exact mug was referenced in the sculpt. Given the toyline was originally spawned from an Aliens cartoon that didn’t happen, he further confirmed he was never contacted for his likeness bein’ potentially used for Saturday mornin’ fodder or that Hicks was even goin’ to be part of the show.
Expectin’ to hear he at least collected a fat check from the more recent toy companies pumpin’ out super detailed hunks of plastic modeled after him in Aliens and The Terminator, Biehn sadly admits it’s the same ol’ story. These new toys of Hicks and Kyle Reese may be based on his looks, sure, but they don’t look ‘nough like him to warrant anyone payin’ for his permission much less Biehn wastin’ his time suin’ anybody.
He doesn’t seemed to be bummed by it, though. Biehn confesses to just countin’ his blessings for the amazin’ life he has and thinks it’s a waste of time huntin’ down every unauthorized use of his image from photos of him slapped on Aliens toy packagin’ to that Metal Gear game art fans keep showin’ him. We just hope he has better luck now that he’s been inducted into the Star Wars universe through The Mandalorian and will finally see some kick back when he gets his eventual figure ‘longside Luke and Chewie. He’s already been appointed an honorary member of the Star Wars 501st Garrison and Legion!
Other than that, be sure to catch up on all past Screaming Soup! Seasons, check out this week’s Howl’n Hottie, read recent reviews for the newer horror films and comics we’re checkin’ out in our blogs, R-Rated Reviews and Sequential Slime, and help us get the word out about the web’s #1 animated horror host show! Please use our social buttons in the upper right corner of the site and follow our tweets, subscribe to our video channels, like our Facebook, watch and share all our vids, and keep that fan mail comin’. You can also warm up some Screaming Soup! leftovers with reruns currently playin’ on Beta Max TV, Sluggo’s The Vortexx, and Mr. Lobo‘s OSI 74!
See ya later, Scream Freaks!