Pre-Orders for My New Book Are Now Open - Retro Pop Culture A to Z Volume 2: From Activision to Zelda

 

PRE-ORDERS ARE NOW OPEN!

I’m incredibly excited to announce that my first book in three years is now available for pre-order!

Retro Pop Culture A to Z Volume 2: From Activision to Zelda will ship in September of this year.

And as a special thank-you to everyone who pre-orders, I’ll include a FREE GIFT with your book!

U.S. residents only, at least for now.

To pre-order your signed-or-unsigned copy, please send $32 via Venmo to @Brett-Weiss-18. Or, you can message me on Facebook to get my PayPal information.

 The $32 includes:

• $25 for the book

• $7 for shipping & handling

Want your book signed? Just include a note with your Venmo payment letting me know. If you’d like it personalized, tell me the name you’d like me to make it out to. Otherwise, I’ll simply sign my name.

Thank you so much for supporting my work and helping make this new book possible. I can’t wait to get Retro Pop Culture A to Z Volume 2 into your hands!

Pre-order yours today!

The sequel to Retro Pop Culture A to Z: From Atari 2600 to Zombie Films, Retro Pop Culture A to Z Volume 2: From Activision to Zelda was a pure labor of love. There are 60 chapters on a wide variety of topics, including Activision and Atari 2600, the ColecoVision, cartoons, comic books, classic monsters, classic rock, the Console Wars of the 1990s, the Nintendo 64, robots in popular culture, Super Mario Bros., and The Transformers, to name just a few. If you want the full story on the Intellivision Amico debacle, this is the only place to get my perspective.

It's a diverse list, but the overriding theme remains the same: nostalgia. Each chapter is a deep dive into the subject, with most featuring quotes from collectors, experts, and/or celebrities. One of my favorite aspects of being a writer is interviewing interesting people such as Q*bert co-creator Warren Davis, Emma Caulfield (Anya on Buffy the Vampire Slayer), John Schneider of Smallville and The Dukes of Hazzard fame, and Lydia Criss, the ex-wife of former KISS drummer Peter Criss. I even go into detail on my unpleasant interaction with William Shatner.

 If you’ve ever stayed up all night watching your favorite film series in its entirety, dug through a box of cereal to find the prize, devoted an entire room of your house to your video game collection, camped out for concert tickets, spent a weekend treasure hunting at garage sales, or cosplayed as your favorite superhero or other fictional character, Retro Pop Culture A to Z Volume 2: From Activision to Zelda is for you. Most of the essays are reprinted from my years of working as a journalist, writing articles for newspapers and magazines, but there are some BRAND NEW essays as well. EVERY essay has been UPDATED FOR 2026, and EVERY essay features NEW “FONDEST MEMORY” ANECDOTES.

****THESE PAGES WILL APPEAR LARGER AND CLEARER IN PRINT

 The book includes:

 *60 essays on nostalgic pop culture favorites

*More than 117,000 words

*More than 240 black-and-white photos

*Quotes from celebrities and experts

*Production histories

*Author anecdotes

*And much more!

 Here’s the full list of essays:

 Introduction

1. Activision and the Atari 2600

2. Activision Classics: Top 10 Games of the 1980s

3. Back to the Future Part II: What it Got Right; What it Got Wrong

4. Barbie: She’s a Real Doll

5. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

6. Bettie Page: Queen of the Pinups

7. Black Lightning Strikes: Tony Isabella on Creating a Milestone Hero

8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Interview with an Ex-Demon

9. ColecoVision Christmas

10. Comic Book Fanzines: The Golden Age of Fandom

11. Daredevil: Blind Ambition

12. Dracula: Dead and Liking It

13. Dragon’s Lair: The Interactive Cartoon

14. The Dukes of Hazzard: Good Ol’ Boys Never Meanin’ No Harm

15. Dungeons & Dragons: The Neverending Quest

16. The Exorcist: A Film So Powerful It Will Make Your Head Spin

17. Flash Gordon: Savior of the Universe

18. The Original Flash TV Show: Gone in a Flash, Remembered for Decades

19. Frank Frazetta: Muscles, Monsters, and Masterpieces

20. Frankenstein: The Monster That Refuses to Die

21. Gilligan’s Island: A Three-Hour Tour

22. Harry Potter: Muggle Mania

23. The Hunchback of Notre Dame: A Legend That Still Rings True

24. Intellivision Amico: A Family-Friendly Fiasco

25. Jr. Pac-Man: A Chomp Off the Old Block

26. Ken Kesey Takes It Further: LSD, Literature, and Life on the Road

27. KISS: The Lydia Criss Interview

28. Lois Lane: Press Pass to Peril & Passion

29. Mickey Mouse Club: Of Mice and Mouseketeers

30. Mickey Mouse: The Mouse That Roared

31. Mr. Do!: An Apple a Day Keeps the Monsters Away

32. Night of the Living Dead: A Graveyard Smash

33. Nintendo 64: A Dozen Hidden Gems

34. Nintendo Entertainment System: Night of the Living Sprites

35. Obscure ColecoVision Arcade Ports: Coleco’s Cabinet Curiosities

36. Obsessed with Comics: Becoming a Collector

37. Peanuts: Going Nuts Since 1950

38. Photonovels: From Screen to Printed Page

39. Pinocchio: A Nose for Trouble and Truth

40. Planet of the Apes: Still Going Ape

41. Robin: The Boy Wonder Years

42. Robots in Cartoons: Toon in to Tomorrow

43. Robots in Popular Music: The Beep Goes On

44. Robots in Video Games: Wired for War

45. Rock Concert T-Shirts: Worn to Be Wild

46. Rolling Stone Magazine: Time is on its Side

47. Sears Catalog: Where Every Page Has a Price

48. Summer of Love: It Was (Almost) 60 Years Ago Today

49. Super Mario Bros.: Plumbing the Depths of Gaming History

50. Tabloid-Sized Comic Books: Making a Big Impression

51. The Time Machine: The Future Isn't What It Used to Be

52. Transformers: More than Meets the Eye

53. Under Fire: Classic Light Gun Shooters

54. Video Game History: The Early Years

55. Vincent Van Gogh: A Brush with Immortality

56. William Shatner: Captain Jerk

57. X-treme 16-Bit Showdown: Console War of the 1990s

58. Yesteryear's Arcade Hits: Game Boy Edition

59. Zaxxon: Beyond the Space Fortress

60. Zelda: Four Decades of Hyrule Heroics

Acknowledgements

 

My Tour of the Amazing Brady Bunch House in Studio City California

 

My wife Charis and I recently had the incredible opportunity to tour the famous Brady Bunch House in California, and it was an experience we’ll never forget. Walking through those rooms that so many of us grew up seeing on television was truly surreal. It felt like stepping right into a piece of TV history, with so many familiar details bringing back memories of one of the most beloved shows of all time.

A huge thank you goes to HGTV for the amazing restoration and the incredible job they did bringing the house back to life. The attention to detail was unbelievable, and you can really see the passion and care that went into recreating the magic of the original Brady home. Being there in person was something special, and sharing the tour with everyone has made it even better.

I’m so grateful that my video tour of the house has now passed 40,000 views! Thank you to everyone who watched, commented, shared, and took the time to enjoy this nostalgic trip with us. It means a lot to know that so many people enjoyed coming along for the tour.

Thank you again — and here are some kind comments on the video:

@scarletredmagic6724

I do have to say this is the best tour of the Brady home then other videos you really pointed out each and every detail the shelves everything I love it thanks for the great video 🥰

@Edde0425

This was great to watch. Bobby was always my favorite since we were about the same age when I was watching it after school. They did an amazing job recreating this.

@whouse7

Great job walking and talking through all the props!!! Yes, I remember just about all of them; how about when Marsha's bf tried to steal Greg's football play book... haha. Thanks for posting 👍

@Just.G

I loved the episode at Kings Island Amusement Park, Season 5, Episode 11! I dragged my sister there in the 2000 so I could reminisce about the scenes, we laughed a lot. Great video tour of the home. Thanks for sharing!

@roxangel6271

This was so much fun; thank you so much for taking us on the tour. I remember this house so well and what a great job they did recreating it. From what I heard there was no second floor on this house so they had to add it. My favorite Brady was Jan and of course Peter was my crush lol... I like your wife, I remember all the songs, what a great time. Thank you again!

@suegomez677

Loved the tour! Great job! Thank you so much! You guys were great to watch and funny as well. I made the trip out there a few years ago to see the house, but only the outside. They weren't offering tours at that time. I am a huge Brady Bunch fan from back in 1969. Watched the episodes hundreds of times. Barry Williams and I also share the same birthday. Some day I'd like to make it back to see the inside! 😊

@paulfranklin5861

Thank you for sharing your video, I absolutely love it! If I lived in the area, I would definitely do the Brady Bunch House tour! One of my favorite 'Brady Bunch' is episode 23 from the first season and its subtitle is "To Move or Not To Move", where the kids haunt the house because Mike and Carol want to sell it and move to a larger home and the kids want to stay put. So, the Brady kids haunt their house because haunted houses aren't selling! Anyway, I love all of the Bradys, but my favorite Brady kid is Jan. Thank you again, your video tour is awesome!

Texas Frightmare Weekend 2026 Preview - 20th Anniversary!

 

Texas Frightmare Weekend – May 22-24

20^th Anniversary Show

For horror fans, spring in Texas means one scary thing: Texas Frightmare Weekend. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, TFW has grown into one of the largest horror conventions in the nation—and I’ve been fortunate enough to attend since the very first show back in 2006, when it was held at the small Grapevine Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. That inaugural event already boasted an impressive guest list, including Joe Bob Briggs, scream queens Linnea Quigley and Brinke Stevens, effects legend Tom Savini, and more. A Lifetime Achievement Award was even presented to the “founding father of bad cinematic blood,” Herschell Gordon Lewis, making it clear from the start that this convention was serious about honoring horror history. Even in those early days, you could feel the passion in the room. It was intimate, grassroots, and packed with die-hard fans. Two decades later, the show has expanded dramatically, but the spirit remains the same—and I still have a great time every year.

For the past few years, the event has taken place at the much larger Irving Convention Center (500 West Las Colinas Blvd, Irving, TX 75039), and it fills the venue wall-to-wall with horror energy. Texas Frightmare Weekend is famous for its celebrity meet-and-greets, autograph sessions, professional photo ops, cosplay, film screenings, panel discussions, and awesome parties. The vendor floor is a collector’s paradise, offering everything from rare vintage horror memorabilia and autographed items to DVDs, VHS tapes, Blu-rays, toys, action figures, original artwork, and horror-themed clothing.

This milestone 20th anniversary celebration features some incredible reunions and major guests. Horror fans will be lining up for the Saw reunion with Tobin Bell, the chilling Jigsaw himself; Shawnee Smith, who became a franchise mainstay as Amanda; and Leigh Whannell, co-creator and writer of Saw who later directed acclaimed genre hits like Insidious: Chapter 3 and The Invisible Man. It’s a rare opportunity to see key architects of one of the most successful horror franchises of the 2000s together in one place.

Equally exciting is the announcement of the Halloween III: Season of the Witch reunion (my second favorite film in the franchise), featuring Tom Atkins—beloved for roles in The Fog, Night of the Creeps, and Escape from New York—alongside Stacey Nelkin and writer-director Tommy Lee Wallace. Halloween III has evolved from misunderstood sequel to cult classic, and this once-in-a-lifetime reunion will be a major draw for fans of the franchise.

Beyond the reunions, the guest list is stacked with familiar faces from horror and beyond. Warwick Davis, known for Leprechaun, Willow, and multiple Star Wars and Harry Potter films, bridges horror and fantasy fandoms. Mira Sorvino, an Academy Award winner for Mighty Aphrodite, also starred in genre fare like Mimic. Skeet Ulrich is forever linked to Scream and The Craft, two defining films of 1990s horror, and he was great as Jughead’s dad in Riverdale. Billy Zane brings crossover appeal from Demon Knight, Dead Calm, and the blockbuster Titanic. And Gina Gershon, known for Bound and Face/Off, adds even more star power to the lineup.

From its humble beginnings in Grapevine to its current status as a nationally recognized horror powerhouse, Texas Frightmare Weekend has become a permanent highlight on my calendar. Whether you’re a lifelong horror devotee, a memorabilia collector hunting rare treasures, or simply someone who loves the electric atmosphere of genre fandom, this 20th anniversary edition promises to be something special. I’ll be there—just like I have been since 2006—and I can’t wait to celebrate two decades of frights.

For hours, schedule, and other information, click HERE.