Final Epilogue

It's been a long time, hasn't it?

Confession - I am only updating tonight because I made a promise to someone awhile back and I wanted to fulfill that promise here, too. So please meet DJ Nebulous again for the first time. I'm only sorry I cannot revise everything completely, but I hope this will prove helpful to you.

There is another person whose name has changed since this project wrapped up. I considered revising Kabuki Katze's references, but she insisted long ago it was fine to leave them. Be aware she now answers to Wandering Kotka and adjust your bookmarks accordingly.

I've gotta admit, looking through this site, there are dozens of other things I want to change or fix. But I won't. ROJ is in the past now, and I don't want to dwell too much on it anymore. It served its purpose, and it will always mean a lot to me. But I can't go back and I won't go back.

Therefore, please understand this site is now loaded with outdated references and broken links. That's in addition to any typographical errors or just bad writing that have slipped through the cracks. "Bad writing" ha ha, what? Anyway, there are no plans for further updates of any sort, so you're on your own from here with the site. It's also highly unlikely I'll be checking correspondence or comments regarding it in the future. The site will remain online as long as I have any say in the matter though.

However! I have occasionally been posting vintage ROJ material on my reincarnated OWARI blog. Feel free to check it out for nostalgia and maybe even some new insights.

Thank you, and goodbye.

Blue Skies Forever by Lewis Smith (2015)

If anyone is still following ROJ at this late date, you are probably stunned. Yes, this is a new update! No, this is not a sign of a grand revival. We are instead here to celebrate a milestone with an anniversary picture by series creator Lewis Smith.

2015 is the 20th anniversary of the creation of Return of Jetman. This had totally escaped my notice until Lewis posted this piece. It's a symbolic meeting of Jet Phoenix and the Gai Yuki incarnation of Black Condor. Amazingly, this is the first time Lewis has ever drawn Yuki!

Thank you, Lewis, for not only this picture and launching ROJ in the summer of 1995, but for entrusting your story and characters to me. As I have said, ROJ helped me find my own voice as a storyteller and gave me the confidence and ability to go out and explore my own worlds. I owe you a tremendous debt.

And thank you all for the memories.

Artwork © Lewis Smith. Originally posted July 9, 2015.

Jet Phoenix © Christopher Elam & Lewis Smith. Based on characters from CHOJIN SENTAI JETMAN (© TV Asahi/Toei/Toei Agency). Black Condor © TV Asahi/Toei/Toei Agency.

Owari

Hail and farewell.

I used those words to kick off the introduction to my last fanzine, and they are fitting for today's post, too. Why? Because we have reached the conclusion of Return of Jetman.

The domain name for this site will be expiring on or around January 1st, 2014. Though there may be some temporary unavailability, the site will continue at the URL http://returnofjetman.blogspot.com. If you would like to keep tabs on ROJ, please make a note of this change and adjust your bookmarks accordingly.

With the completion of the annotations for each individual episode, we close the book on new material for this project. I won't swear that there will NEVER be new ROJ content, but there are no plans at this time. Keeping the site open is intended to maintain the archives online, but does allow us to return if inspiration strikes. However, to be clear: there are no new stories or art pieces in the works. There are no new commissions in the pipeline. We're not currently accepting submissions. This is "The End."

Friends, do not mourn because Return of Jetman is finished; instead, reflect on how much fun it was and look to the future. Your humble writer/webmaster/co-creator will continue to blog over at Christopher Elam's OWARI, which also serves as the central location for all of my various and sundry projects. I wouldn't bet against ROJ still coming up there from time to time.

Christopher Elam's OWARI - http://christopherelam.blogspot.com/

Meanwhile, original writer/primary artist/co-creator Lewis Smith continues the story of Kienan Ademetria at Gunmetal Black. His creativity and imagination are the main reason why ROJ became a thing far bigger for us than "just fanfiction." If you like ROJ, I encourage you to check out his other works!

Gunmetal Black - http://www.gunmetalblack.com/

I thank all of you who have made this project so rewarding over the years. ROJ began in 1995, which is mind-boggling to me sitting here today. In fact, I was just musing a few days ago that this is the first time in over a decade where I don't have something to write for ROJ. It has been a wild ride, and I will always look back on it fondly.

おわり

10 Years of Return of Jetman Online

On this date in 2002, I posted this story on the very first "Return of Jetman" website. Therefore, despite the fact that the index page had already been active for a couple of months, I usually think of November 18 as the "official" launch of the web presence of Return of Jetman. That means today marks the 10th anniversary of this milestone.

My reaction to this is, "Where did the time go?" Frankly, it seems like just yesterday that I was trying to figure out how to upload these things to my ISP webspace. ROJ was one of my first opportunities to carve out my own Internet identity, rather just contributing to things maintained by others. I like to think it holds up reasonably well, even if it sometimes (many times) wears my growing pains as a creator on its sleeve.

Though the ROJ stories concluded in 2010, the site will continue. I still have bits and pieces that I would like to finish, even if the actual demand for them is minimal. Beyond that, I want to preserve the contributions made by everyone to this modest little enterprise. I am proud to not only showcase my own work, but work by many other folks I respect a great deal.

No acknowledgment of ROJ's legacy would be complete without the name of Lewis Smith. Lewis was the guy who created ROJ and formed the basis for everything I subsequently did with the project. He graciously gave his blessing for me to not only continue where he left off, but steer things in my own direction. In a very real sense, I owe pretty much every piece of fiction I've written since then to his generosity. Thank you, Lewis.

And thank you all, both contributors and readers. I don't think ROJ would still exist as a destination in 2012 if it weren't for the enthusiasm you folks have shown. It has at times outstripped even my own, and that blows my mind. It is not a part of my daily thought process like it was back in its heyday, but ROJ laid the foundation for a lot of things I do. If that's not a valuable learning experience, I'm not sure what would be.

Gai Yuki -- Alive?!

Igadevil was afraid the news would break my mind, and that the accompanying video link might make my computer explode. It was true. Toshihide Wakamatsu was reprising his CHOJIN SENTAI JETMAN role of "Gai Yuki" on KAIZOKU SENTAI GOKAIGER. What's more, the script was reportedly by Toshiki Inoue - the man who defined the characters of JETMAN.

It's a fair question to ask how this makes me feel. After all, I spent the better part of 15 years shepherding a fanfiction story that spun out of JETMAN. I still maintain Return of Jetman and sporadically add content (which is in progress, I promise). What do I think of this return that seemed unthinkable just a few years ago?

I think it's great!

I'm not sure when I will see the full episode, but I am thrilled that GOKAIGER has been allowed to explore one of the great endings in sentai series history. Because whether you love it or hate it, everyone has an opinion on the ending of JETMAN. I am sure the very nature of that conclusion was what led my good friend Lewis Smith to create ROJ, and take it in the direction he chose.

But...what about "Return of Jetman"? Doesn't a Toei-produced sequel invalidate it? Maybe; maybe not. It depends on the specifics, doesn't it? But even if the show contradicts what we created, who cares? The stories, the artwork, and the site itself were created to be fun and entertaining. They build off a specific premise, from a specific reference point. I tried to incorporate nods to other follow-ups featuring Jetman where appropriate (the manga, SUPER SENTAI WORLD, GAORANGER VS. SUPER SENTAI). But in the end, the sentai shared universe doesn't make a lick of sense when you scrutinize it. And that's fine. It's just meant to be an exercise in creativity, not something that changes the world.

Memo to some people in this world: Your fanfiction is not canon. Expecting fidelity to your vision is a fantasy worthy of its own fanfiction. Write what you want, but don't complain if it becomes obsolete later. Just because there's a chance Toei might do something that renders ROJ null and void as far as sentai "canon" goes doesn't mean I can't enjoy GOKAIGER's sequel to JETMAN. ROJ still exists somewhere, and it's not as if the fact that it might not "fit" anymore into some imaginary timeline diminishes that.

As I have said in the past, competing with Toei is hard work. I'm glad I finished ROJ when I did, because I would likely be tearing my hair out trying to figure out what to do. As it is, I can just sit back and be entertained. Oh, and marvel at the fact that Toshihide Wakamatsu still looks like he did when he was filming JETMAN. HOW DOES HE DO IT?!

The Disaster In Japan

(The following is reposted from Christopher Elam's OWARI.)

Though I briefly mentioned it on Twitter, I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't discuss the disasters which befell Japan last week. This is being written in advance, so I'm not sure what the latest developments have been since I put this entry together. However, I do know that what we've already seen has been devastating, unbelievable, and gut-wrenching.

No disaster is more "important" than another, but it's hard to not be affected by what's happening in Japan if you're someone like me. I have a deep affinity for that country, which is probably obvious considering I gave this very blog a Japanese name. Japanese pop culture opened my imagination, and that led to an interest in the real world place that shaped those films and TV shows.

That's important to remember in a time like this. Japan is not a fantasyland, but a real place that is filled with both good and bad. We do all of ourselves a disservice if we forget that distinction. There's a Japan that exists just like the world outside your window, and it only has the vaguest connection to tokusatsu, or anime, or manga, or any of the other dozens of hobbies we pursue connected to that country.

I find everything that is happening especially poignant considering my interest in Japan was born through Godzilla. Obviously, what's happening is far more nightmarish than anything that could have been conceived in a movie studio. And you know, it's not even a monster movie that bobs to the front of my consciousness; it's a particularly dreadful movie called PROPHECIES OF NOSTRADAMUS. In that one, one disaster after another keeps getting piled on, and you think it just has to end sooner or later.

I mean, it does, doesn't it?

I haven't donated money yet, though I fully intend to do so. I am waiting a little bit until things get sorted out. You know there's going to be a need for all kinds of aid for months, and probably years, to come. However, if you would like to make a donation that will go directly to Japan, my friend Igadevil has some links over on his site you should investigate. Iga is not only a fellow fan, but he lived in Japan for a time in the affected area. So this hits closer to home for him than your average person.

I don't have a wise wrap-up for this entry. Let's just all do our part, and show a little compassion and empathy for the country that is the home to some of our favorite pop culture diversions. They can sure use it.

The Elam Art Archive

If you are a long-time follower of ROJ, you may have noticed that I have omitted a portion of the old site in this upgraded version. In fact, until now, I have neglected to even mention it. Rest assured, this was deliberate.

I'm speaking of my art.

I'm not REALLY an artist, you understand. I draw, but not particularly well. Most of the ROJ pieces I have done were created for one special reason or another, without any thought to making a big deal of them. However, before I knew it, I had enough that I had given myself my own gallery.

I was never especially happy with this development. While I have no intention to stop drawing, it didn't feel right to feature my work alongside folks who had put so much skill and care into their pictures. So, when I launched this new version of the site last year, I quietly phased out my gallery.

But fear not! If for some reason you want to see my ROJ art, I have organized a folder of it on my deviantArt account. Now, all of the pieces can be found in one handy location, for your viewing convenience.

Visit "My Return of Jetman Artwork" on deviantArt--if you dare!

Where Do We Go From Here?

What you see above is the cover to OWARI #2 (May 1996), the public debut of ROJ. This landmark issue of my fanzine was discussed earlier this week on the OWARI blog. I thought it appropriate to include the image and link to that entry here, since we're going to discuss the future of this site.

This has been a pivotal year for ROJ. The "New Return of Jetman" story was finally concluded. The site itself was transferred to Blogger. A number of new additions were made during the update process. So now we stand on the verge of 2011 and the question is...what's next?

1) Believe it or not, there is still material that needs to be added to the site. Production notes for Episodes 13 and 14 of the first ROJ and the entire NROJ series are still pending. We also need to return the "History of ROJ" feature to its place here. The plan is to wrap up these loose ends before the end of 2011. I'm sure there are a few spare odds and ends that will be appearing, too.

2) There will be NO new art commissions for ROJ in the foreseeable future. However, that doesn't prevent enterprising fans from creating fanart if they choose. Please see the FAQ for the means to contact us regarding fanart.

3) There will be NO new fiction pertaining to the ROJ cast on this site in the foreseeable future. There is a slight chance that a few of the original, non-sentai characters (Dr. Diabolo, "Wild" Bill Jackson, Dirk Dixon, Hellvira Spitfire) might appear in new stories, but the main cast's tale is finished.

The thing I most want to emphasize is that the Return of Jetman site won't be going anywhere just because the series has concluded. On the contrary - I made the move to Blogger to ensure that the site WOULD continue. It probably won't be as active as it was in its heyday, but it will still be here and still be updated from time to time.

If you're a die-hard fan, or just can't get enough Christopher Elam in your life, there is category devoted to ROJ over at OWARI. It has mostly been devoted to update notices, but there are a few things that didn't really belong here. It may include exclusive content in the future, depending on how things work out.

Thank you for your support, and for making 2010 such a memorable year for Return of Jetman!

One From The Vaults

I've recently been scanning material from my fanzine OWARI, for eventual inclusion on the blog of the same name. One of the artifacts I unearthed was this short piece that appeared in OWARI #6 (October 1999).

This was intended to promote the planned ROJ revival that didn't come to pass. It is mostly notable in that it is the first published ROJ piece that was written entirely by me. As you may notice, it follows the continuity of the story as originally conceived by Lewis Smith and presented in the pages of OWARI #2 and #3. That technically makes it part of the apocrypha, but I consider it more of a curio than anything else.

I could have just retyped this for presentation here, but it would have lost some of its crude fanzine charm in the transition. Ergo, I have reproduced it exactly the way you would have seen it in OWARI #6 waaay back in 1999-2000.

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Introduction

Greetings.

"Return of Jetman" was created in 1995, first published in 1996, and made its first appearance online in 2002. This blog is the new home of the project.

To those of you who have been following ROJ over the years, welcome back. To any newcomers who discover it through this blog, I hope you find it to your liking. It has been very much a labor of love for its creators.

Here we go.