Colvin (at left) and Walter Bosley at Giant Rock – December 2010.
Andy Colvin showed up in L.A. unexpectedly last weekend, so of course I had to ask him on the show. Colvin is the author of three books (and two more in the pipe) on the Mothman phenomenon. All are called The Mothman’s Photographer (I, II and III), a moniker with which Colvin has dubbed himself after repeated personal involvement and synchroncities surrounding the notorious events of 40 years ago in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. He also directed a 30-hour documentary on people and events surrounding the phenomenon.
We assumed that our audience is familiar with the “standard” Mothman story, and did not attempt to explain or recap the occurrences. If you are not, please refer to the excellent book by John Keel.
We talked about little-known strangeness connected with the history leading up to the collapse of the Silver Bridge across the Ohio River in December of 1967. Andy recalls his childhood in the area and the plethora of defense and chemical company employees in the communities surrounding Point Pleasant. Government intrigue and possible efforts at suppressing organized labor in the nearby Union Carbide facility may have fed into the paranoia and a rich local paranormal/ psychic stew.
Colvin muses about semi-famous contactee Woodrow Derenberger and his creepy spaceman friend Indrid Cold, guessing that Cold may have been completely human and employed by industrial concerns to monitor labor unrest in the area under a disguise of strangeness.
Andy also told us about a group of genius-level children in the local schools, one of whom had apocalyptic and prophetic visions which he shared with Colvin and which continue to come true in his life. Other children saw Mothman and Mothman-like entities as well.
My favorite part of Colvin’s outlook is that he doesn’t “believe” any of his research, but remains fascinated by the connections and implications (real, symbolic or otherwise) of what he has found in the last several years.
Sound intriguing? Unbelievable? Paranoia-inducing? You have no idea. Enjoy the episode!
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