Monthly Archive: April 2011

‘Thor’ post-credits leaked, with MAJOR spoiler action– watch it if you dare!

  • News
  • April 22, 2011

If you can’t wait two weeks for Thor, starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, we have a surprise for you. This is the post credit sequence at the end of the movie– the quality isn’t great and we’re looking for a better one, but you can figure out a whole lot.

Seriously, we aren’t kidding: if you don’t want to see what happens in this sequence, don’t view it, as it gives clues that lead us up to Marvel’s upcoming films Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers.

You’ve been warned.

[viddler id=a379c3a7&w=545&h=349]

Thanks to the guys at The Flickcast.

Heavenly Heroes - Supergirl, Mary Marvel, Dark Supergirl

Weekend Window Closing Wrap Up: April 22, 2010

  • News
  • April 22, 2011

167647_134993413231021_100001610898855_223035_2619390_n-300x383-4269055Closing windows on my computer so you can open them on yours:

Ugh– and I still have dozens of tabs open. But this should do for a start.

Gerard Jones On Comics Life & Death

  • News
  • April 22, 2011

With half a dozen comic book based films set to open in weeks and sales inside the comic shops at an all time low, where is it all heading? We talked to Comic Historian and Author GERARD JONES on his perspective, plus trouble with the HAPPY DAYS Crew and a DOCTOR WHO History Crash Course.

 

Do you think comics are dying? Drop us a comment below!

HANCOCK TIPS HIS HAT TO FERGUSON’S DILLON!

  • News
  • April 22, 2011

TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock

‘Dillon and The Judas Chalice’
by Derrick Ferguson
Exclusive Author Released Short Story

In the New Pulp genre, there are a handful of characters that already have some name recognition, a following of fans eager for the next drop of pulpy goodness from this harbinger of action and adventure.  One such character is Dillon, the all around jack of all trades hero type from the wonderful mind and world of Derrick Ferguson.  Every time Ferguson speaks of Dillon on the Book Cave or his blog or wherever, murmurs begin about new Dillon, the next Dillon, untold tales of Dillon, etc. and so forth.   This story is just such an event, one that was written by Ferguson as a birthday gift to all his friends and fans.

And what a gift it is!

This story opens with Dillon on a high speed chase, both chasing something and being chased by probably every law enforcement agency in the world.   After this chase ends and Dillon saves the day in his own balls to the wall fashion, he is whisked away by a notorious millionaire who tells him of a wonderful artifact-the Judas Chalice, a cup made from the silver Judas Iscariot took for betraying Jesus Christ.  This item allegedly will give its bearer whatever it wants as long as the bearer betrays those around them, the millionaire once its bearer, but now a victim of its power.  Dillon, more out of an instant affection for the vile traitorous soul he’d just met than anything else, undertakes the mission to retrieve the Chalice, stolen by the millionaire’s former right hand man and his own traitorous wife.

What ensues at this point is one of the best all around rollicking roller coasters I’ve read in the short story form in a while.  Dillon and his cohorts, including the millionaire’s own daughter, are complete and fully realized, full of facets and levels that are often hard to capture in just a few pages.    The bad guys have all they need to have as well, being driven by their own desires, but even in the end, being basically people overwhelmed by their own urges.   Explosions, gunfights, treachery, destruction, close calls, near misses, it’s all here!  And that even includes hints and rumors about a mysterious group who hold a whole lot of power and sway!

The only drawback I found to this tale was the opening.   It sets a tone for who Dillon is and what a day in his life would be like, but it was also distracting from what the story became.  It set a stage, but it didn’t connect really well to what came later and showed Dillon’s skills, but somehow was more of a ‘oh, well, ok, he can drive fast’ than something that added weight to the blockbuster that followed.  Even with that, though, this story is  CANNOT MISS because the last 2/3 or so blow most full length novels out of the water.

FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-The beginning might be a little clunky, but overall the story is a fist in your face and an uppercut to your gut!  Awesome stuff!

ALL PULP NEWSSTAND BULLDOG EDITION 4/22/11

  • News
  • April 22, 2011
ALL PULP NEWSSTAND
BULLDOG EDITION
4/22/11
COMING SOON FROM ALTUS PRESS!
From Matt Moring, http://www.altuspress.com/
The Crimes of The Scarlet Ace: The Complete Stories of Major Lacy & Amusement, Inc.
by Theodore A. Tinsley, covers by Frank Tinsley & Eugene Fradzen, Introduction by Will Murray
Major John Tattersall Lacy, once of the U.S. Marines–and now field leader of the Emergency Council for Crime Control with orders to meet the racketeers at their own game, to fight terror with terror and death with death…. Backed with tremendous resources, and the power of the six foremost men in the metropolis, Lacy and his ex-marine mates have broadcast their challenge–“Run, rat, or die!” And underworld war-lords ready an answer.
From the author of THE SHADOW! Reprinted in its entirety for the first time, the entire saga of Lacy’s battle with the underworld army of the Scarlet Ace from the pages of BLACK ACES and ALL DETECTIVE. And it features an all-new introduction by Will Murray.
approx. 390 pages | $29.95 softcover | $39.95 hardcover

Dan Fowler: G-Man Companion
by Tom Johnson, Will Murray, Robert Sidney Bowen, Charles Greenberg, & Norvell W. Page
For nearly 20 years, Dan Fowler and his G-men battled crimedom in the pages of G-Men Detective. Now, author Tom Johnson has indexed each issue, listing everything you need to know about the series. Also included are complete reprints of the two best Dan Fowler stories as chosen by Johnson and pulp historian Will Murray: “Give ‘Em Hell” by Norvell W. Page and “Bullet Justice” by Charles Greenberg. And reprinted in its entirety for the first time: “I Cover the Murder Front,” the lost, rejected Dan Fowler story.
Featuring additional articles by Johnson and Murray, this is the ultimate history of the series.
414 pages | $34.95 softcover | $44.95 hardcover

The Green Lama: The Complete Pulp Adventures Volume 1
by Kendell Foster Crossen, Illustrated by V.E. Pyles, Introduction by Will Murray
Om! Ma-ni pad-me Hum! The first of its kind, the complete adventures of the Green Lama follows the adventures of Buddhist Jethro Dumont and his aides as the battle the forces of evil in the western world.
Written by Kendell Foster Crossen, it’s non-stop action in the vein of The Shadow!
Never completely reprinted before, the series is collected in three volumes. Each volume contains an all-new introduction, focusing on a different aspect of the character’s life across several forms of
popular media. Volume 1 contains in introduction by Will Murray and features the first five stories: “The Case of the Crimson Hand,” “The Case of the Croesus of Murder,” “The Case of Babies for Sale,” “The Case of the Wave of Death,” and “The Case of the Man Who Wasn’t There.”
524 pages | $34.95 softcover | $44.95 hardcover

NOTE: Volumes 2 and 3 will follow immediately after the release of Volume 1.

Riding the Pulp Trail
by Paul S. Powers, Edited by Laurie Powers
Most fans of Western fiction know Paul S. Powers as one of the foundation authors of the famous pulp magazine of the 1930s and 1940s, Wild West Weekly. Now, for the first time, are twelve Paul Powers stories written in the years after Wild West Weekly stopped publication. Six of these stories were published in magazines such as Exciting Western, Thrilling Western, The Rio Kid Western and Thrilling Ranch Stories. The other six are brand new stories – never before published – that were discovered in 2009. Altogether they make for an outstanding collection of western stories that represent the glory years of the Western short story and the best of Powers’ prolific pulp Western career.
350 pages | $29.95 softcover | $39.95 hardcover

Alias The Whirlwind
by Johnston McCulley and Tom Johnson
Written in the depths of The Depression, this collects the entire saga of The Whirlwind, Johnston (Zorro) McCulley’s other Southwestern hero of the Old West!
Never before reprinted, this omnibus includes an all-new Whirlwind adventure by novelist Tom Johnson.
228 pages | $19.95 softcover | $29.95 hardcover

Secret Agent “X” – The Complete Series Volume 5
by Paul Chadwick & G.T. Fleming-Roberts, Introduction by Tom Johnson
For 41 issues from 1934 to 1939, SECRET AGENT “X” battled the forces of evil in the pages of his own pulp magazine. Now, for the first time… the complete pulp series is being reprinted in nine deluxe omnibus editions! The text has been reset and all the original interior illustrations have been remastered. This volume contains the next five stories, by Paul Chadwick and G.T. Fleming-Roberts: “MONARCH OF MURDER,” “LEGION OF THE LIVING DEAD,” “HORDE OF THE DAMNED,” “RINGMASTER OF DOOM” and “KINGDOM OF BLUE CORPSES.” This is THE Secret Agent “X” reprint series to own!
576 pages | $34.95 softcover | $44.95 hardcover

Secret Agent “X” – The Complete Series Volume 6
Authored by G.T. Fleming-Roberts & Paul Chadwick, Introduction by Tom Johnson
For 41 issues from 1934 to 1939, SECRET AGENT “X” battled the forces of evil in the pages of his own pulp magazine. Now, for the first time… the complete pulp series is being reprinted in nine deluxe omnibus editions! The text has been reset and all the original interior illustrations have been remastered. This volume contains the next five stories, by G.T. Fleming-Roberts and Paul Chadwick: “BRAND OF THE METAL MAIDEN,” “DIVIDENDS OF DOOM,” “THE FEAR MERCHANTS,” “FACELESS FURY” and “SUBTERRANEAN SCOURGE.” This is THE Secret Agent
“X” reprint series to own!
492 pages | $34.95 softcover | $44.95 hardcover

The Complete Adventures of Senorita Scorpion Volume 1
by Les Savage Jr, Introduction by Will Murray
Saddle up! Taken from their original appearances ACTION STORIES from 1944-45, this book collects the first four adventures of Senorita Scorpion: “Senorita Scorpion,” “The Brand of Senorita Scorpion,” “Secret of Santiago” and “The Curse of Montezuma.” Volume 1 also includes an all-new introduction by pulp historian Will Murray.
308 pages | $29.95 softcover | $39.95 hardcover

HONEY WEST BACK IN ACTION!
From Howard Hopkins, http://networkedblogs.com/gXwWB

honeywest-7865428I’m pleased to announce I will be editing and contributing to a brand new anthology of short stories dedicated to the ’60s sexy PI chick Honey West.

Honey West began as a series of paperbacks in 1957 with This Girl For Hire, written by the husband and wife team of Gloria and Forest Fickling under the penname G.G. Fickling. The novels were a tad risque for their time and ran 10 novels through the ’60s, with two more in an early ’70s comeback. They became a cult favorite TV series in 1965-66, starring Anne Francis and running some 30 episodes, and while the toplessness might have been toned down for prime time, Anne was still allowed to be a slinky sexy investigator with a big pus–um, ocelot, named Bruce, at her side. She was one of the first female private eyes on television, given to quips and leopard print outfits, though the series made her a bit more like The Avengers’ Emma Peel, with Judo expertise, exploding compacts and other gadgets. Unfortunately, that very tact helped contribute to her demise on TV because it was cheaper for the network to import The Avengers than to continue with the series.

Recently Moonstone began a new series of Honey West comic books, written by the much talented Trina Robbins, who is slated to pen a brand new tale for this anthology. A number of other talented scribes have been brought aboard as well, such as Elaine Lee, Will Murray, Mark Ellis, CJ Henderson and Mel Odom, along with some surprises.

It promises to to be a Honey of a book.

MOONSTONE ANNOUNCES AVENGER: JUSTICE, INC. TABLE OF CONTENTS!
TOC: ‘The Avenger: The Justice Inc Files’ Edited by Joe Gentile & Howard Hopkins
1933076909-01-_sclzzzzzzz_sl200_-9684506Here’s the table of contents for the upcoming The Avenger: The Justice Inc Files edited by Joe Gentile & Howard Hopkins, available next month from Moonstone Books:

  1. “East Wind, Rain” by Paul Kupperberg
  2. “Invisible Empire” by Matthew Baugh
  3. “Vengeance, Inc.” by Howard Hopkins
  4. “Whiteout” by Robyn Wayne Bailey
  5. “Happy Death Men” by Win Scott Eckert
  6. “Vengeance is Mine” by Ron Fortier
  7. “The Devil’s Workmen” by Barry Reese
  8. “Dead Man’s Vengeance” by Eric Fein
  9. “The Breath of Destruction” by Frank Schildiner
  10. “Devil’s Dark Harvest” by Christopher Paul Carey
  11. “Snow Blind” by Mark Ellis
  12. “The Changeling” by Will Murray
  13. “The Medicine Murders” by B. Chris Bell
  14. “The Blood Moons” by David Michelinie

‘Rex Mundi’ Finds New Screenwriters from ‘Tron’ Debris

  • News
  • April 21, 2011

Heat Vision reports that the percolating film adaptation of  Rex Mundi, which is being produced by Johnny Depp‘s  Infinitum Nihil for Warner Bros. Pictures, has hired screenwriters. Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal, who were among the credited writers for last year’s Tron: Legacy, have signed on.

The series, from Arvid Nelson and Argentinian artist Juan Ferreyra, has run a total of 38 issues, evenly split between Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics. The story is all about the quest for the Holy Grail, in Europe’s dark days just before the outbreak of World War II. The difference is that this alternate reality of 1933 presumes magic is real and feudalism reigns supreme. The Protestant Reformation was crushed long before and the Catholic Church has a stranglehold over Europe.

The character’s name means King of the World when translated from the Latin and the acclaimed storyline and came about when Nelson visited Europe and the dry history lessons came to life for him. He then imagined the ancient cities and their beliefs co-existing in a more modern setting. He also applied his personal Bahá’í faith to the religious subtext making the characters unique and memorable.

At first, Nelson worked with artist Eric J. when the series debuted in 1993 but they split over creative differences and after a break, the series resumed in 2005 with Ferreyra providing the artwork. The entire run can be found in six trade editions from Dark Horse.

A movie version has been kicking around for years with Depp attached. Fight Club‘s Jim Uhls write a script five years ago but the project stalled despite talk surfacing every few years. Klugman and Sternthal share story credit on the critically reviled Tron sequel but to be fair, neither are experienced writers with Klugman better known as an actor. IMDB lists the film as coming in 2014 so there’s plenty of time to see what happens next.

‘Mortal Kombat’ is now a Download and YOU Can Win a Copy

  • News
  • April 21, 2011

mortal_kombat_i-300x363-1490372In 1992, there may have been nothing bigger and more exciting than the video game [[[Mortal Kombat]]].  Wisely, Midway Games created their own universe with six realms which have unique backstories, all created by the Elder Gods. Players could manipulate their favorite surviving warrior — Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, Liu Kang, and Jax, — and fight for survival in do-or-die tournaments.

The phenomenon was huge, spawning follow-up games, merchandise, and, of course, movies. Now available for download this week is the first Mortal Kombat film from 1995. The movie can be downloaded from iTunes and played on your iPod, phone, or tablet.

Released on August 18, it grossed $23 million and was proven critic proof. After earning over $70 million, it gave birth to 1997’s [[[Mortal Kombat: Annihilation]]]. The first film had the benefit of Paul W. S. Anderson’s early work, showing us what the director can do with action and other realities.

Warner Digital describes the movie this way: For nine generations an evil sorcerer has been victorious in hand-to-hand battle against his mortal enemies. If he wins a tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, desolation and evil will reign over the multiverse forever. To save Earth, three warriors must overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, their own inner demons, and superhuman foes in this action/adventure movie based on one of the most popular video games of all time. Starring Christopher Lambert (Highlander, Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan), Bridgette Wilson (Shopgirl, The Wedding Planner), Linden Ashby (Prom Night, Resident Evil: Extinction), Robin Shou (Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, Death Race) and Talisa Soto (Don Juan DeMarco, License to Kill). Directed by Paul Anderson (AVP: Alien vs. Predator, Death Race).

Here’s <a href=”

target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>a link to see the film’s trailer and remind yourself of the fun and excitement.

Meantime, ComicMix has one free digital download to give away. Tell us who your favorite character from the film is and why. The best answer received by Sunday at 11:59 p.m., as determined by our esteemed panel of judges, will win the download. Good luck.

4a82a_batman-year-one-movie12-5792721

Ben McKenzie, Bryan Cranston, Katee Sackhoff, and Eliza Dushku cast in animated ‘Batman: Year One’

  • News
  • April 21, 2011

4a82a_batman-year-one-movie12-5792721

The voice cast has been revealed for the animated version of Frank Miller’s [[[Batman: Year One]]], which premieres in July at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con. Heat Vision reports that Ben McKenzie (The O.C.) will provide the voice of Bruce Wayne/Batman, with [[[Breaking Bad]]] star Bryan Cranston portraying Lt. James Gordon. Katee Sackhoff ([[[Battlestar Galactica]]]) is voicing Detective Sarah Essen, and Eliza Dushku ([[[Dollhouse]]]) will voice Selina Kyle/Catwoman, and Alex Rocco (Moe Greene from The Godfather) will be the voice of Carmine Falcone.

 

Tab Murphy ([[[Superman/Batman:Apocalypse]]]) adapted the script, and Sam Liu and Lauren Montgomery ([[[Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths]]]) are directing. Miller’s original novel lends itself nicely to a film adaptation, and large hunks of the story were used in Christopher Nolan’s [[[Batman Begins]]]. Executive producer Bruce Timm points out:

“The source material is surprisingly cinematic; it’s a pretty straight forward literal retelling. [David] Mazzucchelli’s artwork is beautifully composed and we were able to refer to the comic for about 80 percent of the camera setups.”

Miller’s Year One storyline– along with Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, which is also being adapted into an animated version– were both pivotal in restoring a dark and gritty style to the Caped Crusader.

To refresh your memory on Miller’s original 1987 four-issue story arc, “Batman: Year One”:

A young Bruce Wayne spent his adolescence and early adulthood traveling the world so he could hone his body and mind into the perfect fighting and investigative machine. But now as he returns to Gotham City, he must find a way to focus his passion and bring justice to his city.

Retracing Batman’s first attempts to fight injustice as a costumed vigilante, we watch as he chooses the guise of a giant bat, creates an early bond with a young Lieutenant James Gordon, inadvertently plays a role in the birth of Catwoman, and helps to bring down a corrupt political system that infests Gotham.

Batman: Year One comes out on Blu-ray and DVD on September 27th.

Reviews from the 86th Floor: Barry Reese reviews Gideon’s Sword

  • News
  • April 21, 2011

Gideon’s Sword by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
9780446564328

Preston & Child are the authors of the much-loved Special Agent Pendergast series, the most recent of which (FEVER DREAM) introduced several layers to the series that further cement it as one of the best New Pulps out there. Pendergast is the Shadow, Doc Savage and The Spider, all rounded into one. It’s a tremendous tour-de-force and is highly recommended by this reviewer.

GIDEON’S SWORD is a new series, introducing Gideon Crew, who witnessed his father die in a suspicious manner. Gideon grew up believing his father was a traitor to his country and mentally unbalanced… but the truth is that his father was the fall-guy in a government conspiracy. Armed with this knowledge, Gideon sets out to get revenge — he does so (surprisingly easily) and is then recruited into a shadowy organization (one that was featured in other Preston & Child books, most notably ICE LIMIT). Gideon is also informed that he’s dying and has less than a year to live. He elects to live his life to the fullest and along the way has romantic relationships with both a prostitute with a heart of gold and a lovely CIA agent.

This felt like two books — the story of Gideon’s hunt for his father’s killer and then the story of his becoming a secret agent. The first part was simply awful and almost prompted me to give up on the book. It was trite, silly and at times, just stupid. The way people just gave up sensitive information or engaged in info-dumps for the benefit of the reader was very frustrating. Thankfully, once Gideon is recruited for his later work, things do improve, though they never come close to approaching the quality of every other Preston & Child book that I’ve read. As much as I enjoyed the character of Orchid, how many hookers-with-a-heart-of-gold have we seen in fiction? And while Gideon’s master-of-disguise talents appeal to the pulp lover in me, I didn’t get a clear indication of how Gideon mastered these skills and thus it felt convenient to me. The entire story was utterly predictable, which is not something I would usually say about these authors. Until this book, I would say that their worst work was still better than most authors’ best… but this was a disappointment, from page one.

There are enough signs of hope here that makes me think they could still salvage the series (the authors say they’ve already sold the film rights to (shudder) Michael Bay) but to be honest, I’d prefer to simply pretend this book didn’t happen and go back to enjoying the Pendergast books and the various one-offs that the authors have done (like the excellent ICE LIMIT or RIPTIDE).

I give it 2 out of 5 stars.

the_sarah_connor_chronicles_poster-150x222-4429079

Wake Up, It’s Judgment Day!

  • News
  • April 21, 2011

the_sarah_connor_chronicles_poster-150x222-4429079Forget your troubles, come on, get happy…You better chase all you cares away… Shout hallelujah, come on, get happy… Get ready for the Judgment Day.

According to [[[Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles]]], Skynet went fully live two days ago on April 19, 2011 and will begin its attack against humanity sometime today, in an attack the few survivors will call Judgment Day.

Computer scientists at Carnegie Mellon figure it’s a reaction to yesterday’s announcement of Apple’s earning statement, or it’s a Facebook game that went horribly, horribly wrong.

Here’s a highlight reel of what to expect:

With #Skynet a trending topic worldwide the last few days on Twitter, we fear the worst. Since the series was canceled prematurely by Fox, we won’t actually know until later today if Sarah Connor, John Connor, Cameron, and Reese were able to stop the machines until it&^%$JKiuyfgg

***NO CARRIER***
***SKYNET ACTIVE***
***MISSILE LAUNCH***

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