Author: Tommy Hancock

PULP SIGNING AND ALL PULP WAS THERE!

  • News
  • October 18, 2010

The Broadway Mall bookstore of Denver, Colorado played host on Sunday,  Oct. 17th to Laura Givens, pulp/sci-fi cover artist turned writer/editor and she and several of her colleagues greeted the public and signed copies of SIX GUNS FROM HELL.

Seated left to write are David Boop, Carol Hightshoe, Laura Givens, Jennifer Campbell-Hicks & David B. Riley.  The book was published by Science Fiction Trails Publishing. The signing attracted a nice crowd of friends, family and fans and a really fun time was had by all in attendance.

Laura Givens is a popular, well known cover artist who will be featured in a full length ALL PULP interview later this week.
For All Pulp – Ron Fortier

Ferguson reviews Mitchum in ‘The Wrath of God’ during THE LONG MATINEE

  • News
  • October 17, 2010
THE LONG MATINEE -Movie Reviews by Derrick Ferguson
twog1-1603848
THE WRATH OF GOD

1972
MGM

Produced by William S. Gilmore
Directed by Ralph Nelson
Screenplay by Ralph Nelson and James Graham
Based on a novel by James Graham

Back in the 60’s and 70’s there was a sub-genre of the western that had these elements: a group of American outlaws/mercenaries/rogues would find themselves in Mexico or South America at the turn of the century and get involved in what amounted to a suicide mission that circumstances forced them to accept. There’s usually a huge amount of money waiting for them at the end of the mission but during the course of the adventure the outlaws would find their long buried sense of justice and honor awakened and they would abandon the money to take up the cause of the downtrodden and oppressed peasantry. This is pretty much the plot of movies such as “The Wild Bunch” “The Professionals” “Duck, You Sucker” and “Vera Cruz” but I’ve never seen this plot worked in such a goofy and flat out off the wall manner as we see in THE WRATH OF GOD.

Emmett Keogh (Ken Hutchinson) is a wildass Irishman stuck in South America during the 1920’s. He’s blackmailed into driving a truck north by Jennings (Victor Buono) who tells him it’s a load of whiskey that will fetch a helluva price in the United States that is suffering under Prohibition. Since Jennings was the guy who arraigned for his passport to be stolen, Emmett has no choice to agree. Along the way he meets Father Oliver Van Horn (Robert Mitchum) who is one of the strangest priests that Emmett has ever met since Father Van Horn drinks liquor like it’s lemonade, swears like a Kansas City pimp and totes a huge black valise carrying a Thompson sub-machine gun. It’s a weapon that Father Van Horn knows as well as a monkey knows his coconuts which he demonstrates when Emmett and Father Van Horn have to rescue an Indian girl named Chela (Paula Pritchett) from being gang raped by the soldiers of Colonel Santilla (John Colicos) The two men are forced to go on the run with the girl in tow but they’re caught by Colonel Santilla’s troops and Emmett discovers that the truck actually carries guns meant for the rebels. Jennings has also been captured by Santilla and the three men are made an offer they can’t refuse: in return for their lives they have to agree to kill De La Plata (Frank Langella) a local rebel warlord who is causing Santilla a great deal of trouble.

Posing as mining engineers, Jennings and Emmett infiltrate De La Plata’s fortress-like hacienda while Van Horn takes up residence in the village church, which has been desecrated. It turns out that De Le Plata hates priests and personally killed the last one himself. Del La Plata’s mother (Rita Hayworth) begs her son not to kill this priest and De La Plata agrees not to since Van Horn saves his mother’s life when the local mine caves in. You see, the mine is filled with gold and De La Plata has terrorized the villagers into digging it out for him. But the mine is horribly unsafe and he needs the expertise of mining engineers to get it out. Of course, the three outlaws have to kill De La Plata before he figures out that Jennings and Emmett know as much about mining as I do about Chinese arithmetic. The situation is complicated by Emmett’s relationship with Chela who has fallen in love with him and Van Horn’s increasing desire to live up to the trust the villagers have in him as a priest. And while the outlaws have no loyalty to Santilla, they also see that living under De La Plata’s rule isn’t any day at the beach either. So they make a decision. And that’s when the story really takes off as Father Van Horn begins to conscript the villagers to stand up for themselves against De La Plata, Chela marries Emmett and Jennings makes plans to break outta Dodge and save his own ass.

You see? I told you it was goofy. What makes THE WRATH OF GOD so much fun to watch is that you never know where this damn movie is going to take you or what’s going to happen next. There’s a plot twist every five minutes and just when you think you know what’s going to happen, it doesn’t. There are a lot of really funny one-liners thrown back and forth between the three leading men and from the amount of humor in the story you might think halfway through it that it’s a spoof of the genre. I mean, this is a movie that has Victor Buono as an action hero, for cryin’ out loud. We’re talking about a guy who’s best known role was probably as the King Tut villain on the “Batman” TV show. In this movie he has a great scene where he drives a car like a battering ram into the barricaded gates of De La Plata’s fortress while firing a Thompson sub-machine and then he jumps out to take on the chief henchman with his sword cane. And he’s totally convincing during his fight scenes of which he has several. And he has a bunch of great one liners, such as “We’re going to get along famously” which is used in this movie the same way “I have a bad feeling about this” was used in “Star Wars”

I’ve never seen Ken Hutchinson in a movie before and have no idea who he is but he’s immensely likeable as the wily Emmett who seems to tumble in and out of adventures as easily as you or I eat fried chicken. A lot of the humor in the movie comes from him as he’s constantly thrown into situations where he’s clearly way in over his head but he manages to come through with luck and sheer dogged determination that even Dirk Pitt might admire. And as for Robert Mitchum…well, he’s flat out terrific in this. For much of the movie we’re never sure what the deal with Father Van Horn is.  Not only does he carry an arsenal of machine guns and grenades in that big black valise of his but he also has $50,000 dollars that he hints he got by robbing banks. He has a great scene where he tells the villagers that he’s going to hold an all night service in the church where he performs weddings, baptizes babies and hears confessions where it made clear that he knows the rituals of The Catholic Church inside and out but he also indulges in decidedly un-priestly activities like sleeping with whores, drinking whiskey like water and cussing like crazy. He also carries a Bible that has a concealed gun inside and his cross hides a six-inch blade. Nobody in the movie really knows if this guy is actually one really badass priest or a really eccentric badass who likes to pretend he’s a priest until he spills the beans near the end of the movie.

Robert Mitchum is one of those old type movie stars I love because he looks like a man who actually looks like he’s tough enough to kick your ass with just a look, unlike a lot of the current crop of movie stars who are just too damn pretty to look like they’re as tough as the characters they’re portraying on screen. Robert Mitchum comes from the crop of actors I like to call ‘Old School Tough’. I’m talking about guys like Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, William Holden, Ernest Borgnine and Steve McQueen. You know what I’m talking about. Whenever he’s on screen in this movie you just can’t take your eyes off him, as you want to know just like the other characters what the real deal with him is.

There are a lot of great action sequences in this movie, especially when the three outlaws finally take on De La Plata’s army in a ferocious shootout in front of the church and the final showdown at the fortress. In between we’ve got a whole series of double-crosses, fistfights, staredowns and showdowns that will make your head giddy. Trust me, this isn’t a boring movie. In fact, despite having been made back in 1972, THE WRATH OF GOD seemed to me a lot more of how current action/adventure are made with it’s healthy mix of violent action, comedy and eccentric characters which is why I think it makes enjoyable watching today.

So should you see THE WRATH OF GOD? Hell yes. If you’re a big Robert Mitchum fan it’s worth seeing just for him alone as obviously he’s having a great time with his role and the material. Victor Buono and Ken Hutchinson also turn in great performances as well. Frank Langella has a wonderful time with his role as a bad guy and his scene in the church where he confronts Robert Mitchum and tells him why he hates priests and God is an example of just plain good solid acting from both of them that goes a long way to establishing both of their characters and sets up the conflict between them nicely. THE WRATH OF GOD works as a really good cinematic pulp adventure that should be enjoyed for what it is: a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon with the snacks and beverages of your choice. If you get Turner Classic Movies on your satellite/cable provider you can wait for it to show up there but if you’re a dedicated pulp or Robert Mitchum fan, spring for the rental fee and give it a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I know I wasn’t.

Rated: PG
111 Minutes

PULP ARTIST’S WEEKEND-Interview with LANCE STAR artist James Burns!!AND CHECK OUT HIS GALLERY!

  • News
  • October 17, 2010


AP: Tell us a little about yourself and your pulp interests.
JB: When I was a kid I owned all 80-some Doc Savage paperbacks. I lived and breathed Kenneth Robeson.
 AP: What does pulp mean to you?
JB: Adventure stories, told in a direct, no nonsense fashion, or possibly something having to do with the timber industry…
AP: Your entry into creating comic books is rather unique compared to most. Tell us about the personal story that launched your comic book career.

JB: It’s both a scary, as well as a redemptive tale, and one actually told in my first comic Book. I had always loved comics, and had always wanted to create a comic, but I was one of those folks who talked about it a lot, but when I sat down to actually make one, I found I didn’t really have a story to tell.Then in 2002 I had a serious problem with my eyes, a detached retina, which necessitated having surgery on both of my eyes, a scary prospect for a visual artist. Needless to say, I recovered, but at last I had a story to tell, and at age 45 I drew my first comic, Detached, about the experience. AP: Let’s talk Grumbles. How did your long running weekly comic strip come about, how long has it been appearing, and where folks can find it.

JB: Grumbles has been running in Atlanta’s Sunday Paper for over six years now. I first pitched it when I heard they were starting an alt-newsweekly in town, and they were nice enough to accept it. I had a guaranteed 9 weeks of strips that they’d buy. I’m now working on week 314.I wish I were more of a self-promoter, so I could get it into more publications, but I’m happy that someone pays me to draw on a weekly basis. It also serves as an outlet for my anger at what I consider to be the stupid or cruel or selfish behavior of my fellow man, and expressing that angst on a weekly basis keeps my head from exploding.All of the weekly strips are available in an archive at http://jamesburnsdesign.com/comics/grumbles/, and I also sell physical compilations of each year’s strips at comic shows, and on Indyplanet.com.

AP: You handled the art on Lance Star: Sky Ranger’s leap from pulp anthology to comic book. How did that come about?


JB: Atlanta has a vital and energetic community of comics creators, and there are frequent chances for them to get together and work on projects together. That’s how working on this comic came about, from talking with Lance Star’s creator Bobby Nash, and as a result of networking at comic shows.It was a lot of fun to work on, especially as this was the first script I’ve drawn that I hadn’t written myself. What a fun character! Who doesn’t like to draw Nazis being punched out, or fantastic air battles?

AP: You were the creator, editor, and publisher of Real Magicalism. Tell us a bit about the book and the title. Are there plans for more Real Magicalism volumes?

JB: Well, the title comes from the literary term for a dreamlike narrative style, called magical realism where you can’t really tell what’s real and what’s part of the dream. I twisted the title around to both pay homage to that genre, as well as to indicate that these stories in the anthology also contained a twist, a slant. I’m very proud of that volume, and learned a lot about pulling an anthology together. It’s quality is due to the wonderful work with which I managed to surround my own work with, which in the end made my stuff look that much better. I cannot thank the contributors enough.Yes, I’d like to do another volume when I get enough of my own work collected to start the ball rolling again.

AP: Who are some of your artistic/creative influences?

JB: I love the classic, old-school storytellers; Kirby, Wally Wood, Wil Eisner… They all share 2 characteristics – the ability to tell a story really well, and they’re all amazing visual artists.They’re something to aspire to.There may be some illustrators out there who have perfect technique, their draftsmanship might be considered superior to these folks, but in terms of pure storytelling, they’re unparalleled.

AP: What does James Burns do when he’s not making comic books?

JB: For the last 25 years I’ve created motion graphics for a living; that means things like title animations for video, cable, television, and the web. For the last year I’ve also been teaching what I know at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), here at their Atlanta campus.On the personal side, I’ve been married to the beautiful and talented Rebecca Burns, author, editor, and writer, for over 21 years.We have a beautiful 18-year-old daughter who’s just starting college. I’m a very lucky man.

AP: Where can readers find learn more about you and your work?


JB: My main website is http://jamesburnsdesign.com, from which you can find out about all aspects of my professional life, and http://jamesburnsdesign.com/comics/ to find out about my comics work.


AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to mention?


JB: Grumble Year 6 should be out before the end of the year, and I’ll also have translated versions of a couple of my strips in the Italian magazine Mamma! My plan is to take Europe by storm, and become famous over there like Jerry Lewis is in France.

AP: Are there any upcoming convention appearances or signings coming up where fans can meet you?

JB:  I tend to stick at home and not travel far afield, which means I’ll be at any Atlanta area convention that will have me. The end of the year looks busy for me, with a trip to Germany and some much-needed back surgery (perhaps I’ll get a new comic out of it… “Slipped!”) , I probably won’t be at any show until Wes Tilander’s next Atlanta Comic Convention, on Superbowl Sunday.

AP: You have served as a writer, artist, colorist, letterer, editor, and publisher. Are there any creative areas you’ve not been worked in that you would like to try your hand at doing?

JB: I think it would be fun to do a children’s book, or perhaps a novel. I’ve always envied writers. Especially comic book writers. They’re allowed to write something like “… at that moment every soul on the planet stood up, put on a crushed velvet tuxedo, slicked back their hair, and brandishing an authentic katana sword, joined the battle…” and then some poor comic artist would be expected to draw that. What a scam!


AP: And finally, what advice would you give to anyone wanting to work in comics and/or art?

JB: Talk is cheap. Lot’s of people say they want to do comic books, but all they ever produce is fan art or single illustrations.If you really want to create comic books, just sit down and start doing it. Don’t wait to get a publisher, don’t wait to get a deal, just buckle down and start learning the craft of storytelling by actually putting pen to paper and by doing it.

PULP ARTIST’S WEEKEND-ARTIST TERRY TIDWELL AND WRITER JOHN WOOLEY!

  • News
  • October 17, 2010

John Wooley and Terry Tidwell-Creators, Miracle Squad and Twilight Avenger 
Terry Tidwell


AP: Tell us a bit about Miracle Squad and Twilight Avenger and how these books came about?

John: The Miracle Squad is a loosely knit group of people from a Poverty Row movie studio who band together to try and prevent a takeover of the company by a powerful L.A. gangster. Running the gamut from studio head to star to handyman, they find adventure in 1930s Hollywood, and beyond.
The Twilight Avenger
also takes place in the late 1930s, but in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa was a progressive city, the “Oil Capital of the World,” the place to be in the Midwest. The banks were full of money, and Oklahoma had its share of flamboyant bank robbers such as Pretty Boy Floyd and Bonnie and Clyde. Reese Chambers, local college football star, suffers a loss at the hands of some of these bank robbers. With the help of a college chemistry professor, who was active in the design of gas weaponry in World War I, a gas gun is created and Reese dons a gas mask and goes after them as the Twilight Avenger.

  is another ‘30s character, a costumed hero whose alter-ego is a student athlete at an Oklahoma university during the Dust Bowl.
John Wooley

These books came about for a couple of reasons. Terry, who is younger than me by several years, was a friend of my brother’s, and I found out Terry wanted to be a comic-book artist. Since I had sold a few comic-book stories to Warren’s Eerie back in the early ‘70s, my brother thought we should meet. We did, I loved Terry’s samples, and we set about trying to come up with characters we’d enjoy writing and drawing. I’m a huge fan of ‘30s B-pictures and pulp magazines, so those were definitely an influence. In fact, while I was in Viet Nam I’d written a prose story called “The Return of Mr. Mystery,” in which a dying pulp writer comes face-to-face with his creations, and some of those characters ended up as members of the Miracle Squad.
That story, by the way, will be a part of the boatload of extras planned for the Miracle Squad graphic novels from Pulp 2.0 Press.
Terry: The Miracle Squad is set in late 1930’s Hollywood. Miracle Studios, a Poverty Row movie studio, is being threatened by gangsters. People working at the studio band together and fight off the gangster’s attempted takeover. The Miracle Squad consists of Mark Barron, head of the studio; Sandra Castle, actress, the studio’s ” IT” girl; Johnny Rice, the Amazing Miralco, serial movie actor, illusionist and escape artist; Robert B. Leslie, studio detective; Hamilton Wynde, character actor; Billy Caserta, prop man, mentally challenged giant, over 8 feet tall; and Tito Guzman, Mark Barron’s personal valet and martial arts whiz.
Terry:

AP: How did you hook up with everyone’s favorite Mad Pulp Bastard, Bill Cunningham, at Pulp 2.0 Press?

John: Bill actually contacted us. As it turned out, he’d bought the original issues of Miracle Squad and the Twilight Avenger off the stands in the ‘80s, and he’d enjoyed them and remembered them when he decided to start his press. One phone conversation convinced me that his heart and head were both in the right place, and we were delighted to have the characters come out again under the Pulp 2.0 imprint.
Plus, Bill obviously navigates cyberspace with ease, and is hip to all the most current ways of marketing and delivering books and comics to this generation, which opens us up to a vast potential new audience. Me, I don’t even understand my own website.

Terry: Bill contacted me via Facebook.

AP: Do you have plans to tell new stories with Miracle Squad and/or Twilight Avenger?

John: We’d love to. When the black-and-white comics boom went bust, we still had plenty of ideas we hadn’t yet been able to get down on paper. Thanks to MPB and his Pulp 2.0 Press, we may just get a chance to do that – even if it is a generation later.

Terry:

AP: Both Miracle Squad and/or Twilight Avenger have a pulp vibe to them. Are you fans of the pulps?

John: As I said earlier, I’m a huge pulp fan. In fact, my love of pulps has provided me with some of my writing income over the years. I’ve either edited or co-edited a number of pulp-story collections, including At the Stroke of Midnight and Thrilling Detective Heroes for Adventure House, Super-Detective Flip Book for Off Trail Press, and Robert Leslie Bellem’s Dan Turner, Hollywood Detective for Popular Press.
I’m sort of considered the authority on Dan Turner, certainly one of the wackiest hard-boiled detectives to see print, and he’s been good to me. In addition to editing a couple of Turner collections, I wrote a Dan Turner series for Eternity Comics and scripted the 1990 made-for-TV movie Dan Turner, Hollywood Detective (aka The Raven Red Kiss-Off), which starred Marc (Beastmaster, V) Singer as Dan.
I’m a regular attendee at the Windy City Pulp & Paperback Convention and PulpFest (as well as its predecessor, Pulpcon). At Pulpcon 35 in 2006, I was honored with the Lamont Award, given “for outstanding effort in keeping alive the memory and spirit of the Pulp Magazine Era.”

Terry:
Growing up, I was a fan of Houdini. I used to practice escaping from ropes and such, and seeing how long I could hold my breath using Houdini’s methods ( such as forcing air into your stomach and burping it up, ha) . I owned a couple of books exposing how Houdini did his escapes. They were written by Walter Gibson, Houdini’s assistant.
Gibson also wrote the Shadow. So yeah, I read and enjoyed the Shadow too.
I think Miracle Squad has a Doc Savage feel to it, while Twilight Avenger has elements of The Shadow.

Twilight Avenger I knew of John way before I actually met him. I’d heard the talk around Chelsea, Oklahoma of this wonder boy, who sat around reading newspapers when he was four years old. They said he had a monstrous comic book collection. I had a drawer half full of them. Then , while I was in junior high, I became friends with his younger brother, Mark. One day when I was over at Mark’s house, and John was away at college, Mark asked if I wanted to see John’s comic book collection. He led me up narrow stairs to a small room over the garage. The room’s walls were covered with old movie posters and photos. In a case of huge wooden drawers was the mother lode! He had everything: Fantastic Four, Avengers , Spiderman and something I’d never heard of …. PULPS. I remember being nervous, thinking what would happen if John were to return at that moment and find his neatly stored editions strewn all over the floor.Jump to years later…… I was in college and Mark introduced us. I was trying to break into comics then and John had some cool ideas for stories. We started to work……

AP: Both Miracle Squad and Twilight Avenger were originally published in the 1980’s. What makes this is the perfect time for these pulp graphic novels to return?

John: Maybe it’s just me, but I seem to be seeing a pulp renaissance, or maybe just a new pulp sensibility, out there in the zeitgeist right now. Part of the heyday of the actual pulp magazines was the Great Depression, and those wild escapist stories provided a few hours of stress relief for millions of strung-out and worried folks. We’re in some fairly hard times today as well, and the great thing is that pulps still work, still provide some beautiful alpha waves for readers beset upon by the world, or simply looking for a little entertainment.
Both the Twilight Avenger and the Miracle Squad, I think, carry the true spirit of the old-time pulps. We’re not being cynical or post-modern. We love to read this kind of stuff ourselves. I read a lot, in fact, and sometimes nothing but a pulp will do.
Well……hmmmm. Pulp-based projects have had a tough go of it over the years, with Indiana Jones movies being the one exception. I think a lot of pulp projects throughout the last few decades were presented tongue in cheek , with camp sensibilities. They’ve had these great properties such as Doc Savage or The Phantom, and just didn’t take the subject matter seriously. John and I love, understand and have respect for the pulps. I think our approach in Miracle Squad and Twilight Avenger will be what makes this a “perfect time” for pulp graphic novels. YES!!!! We have untold stories, and ideas for new tales! I was a fan of Doc Savage. I was pulled in by those gorgeous James Bama covers!!! I have a collection of them now. The concept of Doc Savage and his band of five, working out of the top of the Empire State building engages me and sparks all kinds of images! Oh, by the way Lester Dent worked at the Tulsa World newspaper for a bit, way back then. John used to work for the World too!

AP: What does pulp mean to you?

John: Pulp is something more than escapism and nostalgia, although the best of it contains both those elements. But I think there has to be a sense of wonder there, too, a willingness to, as the saying goes, suspend your disbelief and give yourself over to the material, just as you would have when you were a kid.

Terry:
The world wasn’t so well explored back in those pulp days. Who knew then? Maybe there was a Pellucidar at the bottom of the planet, a city of Opar in the jungles of Africa, or a group of Mayan miners tending to a secret gold mine in central America.
I guess pulp gives me a chance to imagine what it would be like to live in that era. Of course the reality of that time was that of an economic depression. Pulps were an escape then from the economic realities of the day. Hmmmm. Maybe it is the perfect time for a pulp resurgence! Creating pulp-based comics is just pure fun!. I love the design of the cars, the airplanes, blimps and locomotives of that era. I also love the clunkiness of the machines of that time, whether it’s an autogyro or mechanical desktop calculator. I used to be an engineer before I quit to draw Miracle Squad and Twilight Avenger. I love being able to look at these old machines and envision how they actually worked and how simple they were in terms of today’s high-tech wonders. The art deco buildings and streamlined designs are beautiful.　
AP: Where can readers find information on Miracle Squad and Twilight Avenger?

John: Bill Cunningham’s doing a bang-up job of publicity, and I’m also going to try to have regular updates on my website,www.johnwooley.com

I’m also, Lord help me, tweeting @JohnSWooley

Terry:I know John has already listed his web site. I have quite a bit of stuff concerning Miracle Squad and Twilight Avenger on my blog: http://uncannymanfrog.wordpress.com/

AP: Where can readers find learn more about John Wooley, Terry Tidwell, and your work?

John: Same places.

Terry: www.miraclestudios.com is my art studio. It was named after Miracle Studios in the Miracle Squad. You can see lots of my current work there. Also at Miracle Studios’ blog at http://miraclestudiosblog.wordpress.com/An interview by Doug Kelly featuring John and me and our work on The Miracle Squad will be published soon in Back Issue magazine, published by Two Morrows Publishing . http://twomorrows.com/John and I are in an exhibit at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. If you go there you can watch videos of us going on and on about comics, ha. Art from the books is on display and the Twilight Avenger costume, complete with gas gun and magnesium light stands there in a glass case! Check it out here…..http://www.okiecartoonists.org/Information about John and me, as well as art from Twilight Avenger and Miracle Squad, is on display at the Toy and Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, where we were both inducted into the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame. http://www.actionfiguremuseum.com/oklahoma_cartoonists.htm
　

AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to mention?

John: I have two books scheduled to hit the shelves next spring: Wes Craven: A Man and His Nightmares, from John Wiley and Sons, and Shot in Oklahoma, a history of movies made in the state, from the University of Oklahoma Press. With Pulp 2.0 Press scheduled to bring out the first of the Miracle Squad/Twilight Avenger books around the same time, it should be a pretty lively season for me. Thankfully.

　Terry: I’m working on two new graphic novels which will debut at Comic Con next year: “Blood Code” which is a new Uncanny Man-Frog book, and “Liberty” set in a futuristic dystopia where a Joan of Arc type character, leads a boy scout army against the evil status quo.


AP: Are there any upcoming convention appearances or signings coming up where fans can meet you and pick up copies of Miracle Squad and/or Twilight Avenger?

John: At this point, I plan on making the Windy City Pulp and Paperback Convention in Chicago on April 15-17, and PulpFest in Columbus, Ohio, July 29-31. I’m sure there will be other signings and appearances for one or both of us.

Terry: I will be at Comic Con next year. Look me up!

AP: Thanks, John and Terry.

John: Thank you, Bobby. We appreciate it, and if there’s anything else you need from me, please let me know.

 

PULP ARTIST’S WEEKEND-TIM SALBER INTERVIEW

  • News
  • October 16, 2010


AP: Hi, Tim! Please take a seat. I want to thank you so much for permitting ALL PULP and myself the opportunity to interview you. Would you care for a cup of coffee or tea, a tall, ice-cold glass of lemonade, loganberry or sweet tea? I’d offer you an espresso but the diminutive alien that lives in our machine has invited some friends over to convert it into a transtemporal spaceport!
TS: You know, I have that same problem and have just given up on espresso. By the way, the little buggers are called Pithians, and there is an interesting anecdote about them in my book. I’ll have a small shot of Satchel’s Fire Water if you have any. I just love the flavor, and the little flames that burst out of your mouth after each sip are a real hoot.

AP: Salber? Is that French? How did you meet Tim Storm? Are you old school chums?

TS: Salber is actually of German origin and means “Salve Maker.” My early ancestors must have been alchemists of sorts. I’ve used the stage name “Tim Storm” for many years as a musician, as my pen name, and also when signing my artwork. I started singing for a rock band during my high school years, and our drummer enjoyed doing things to get my dander up. When I would get angry he would tell me “Calm down, Stormy.” I eventually realized that he was simply having fun with me, somewhat like the friendly rivalry between Monk Mayfair and Ham Brooks, so I took it all in good humor and started using the name. It sounded more like a name worthy of a pulp hero, or rock star than my given surname.
AP: Are you a native of Florida? Where were you born and raised? Could you tell us little about your family as you were growing up?
TS: My father worked as an engineer for NASA during the Apollo program. Having grown up and lived most of my life near Kennedy Space Center, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to view countless launches of the Apollo and Saturn rockets, and eventually the Shuttle missions from my own back yard. Naturally, I became interested in the exploration of space and how it might play a role in mankind’s future. The space program stimulated my imagination, and I eventually began to wonder and speculate about the grander mysteries of the universe, such as the relationship between time and distance, as well as the anomalies of space, so these are some of the elements that are crucial to the plot of Magenta Zephyr and the Universe Bender. To quote from the book; “The universe is populated with phenomena that defy human understanding and challenge the laws of physics as we understand them. It is a boiling cauldron of cosmic soup peppered with unique singularities that blur the distinctions between matter and energy and distort the very fabric of time and space.”
I have one brother and three sisters and, although we all pretty much had our own interests growing up, we are a very close family as adults and we try to get together as often as possible. I am happy to say that my family members are some of my closest and most respected friends, though I am really the only one of my immediate family who is so immersed in the arts. Neither of my parents and none of my siblings have had the inclination to follow that path. I don’t really know why I seem to pursue all of the arts with such fervor. I’m always thinking creatively and just seem to view life as one big opportunity to continually create something interesting and unique. Maybe it’s because I so admire the great creative minds that have contributed in a positive way to our culture.
AP: What kind of books did you read when you were young? What led you to start writing fiction? What were your favorite TV shows? Did you participate in school sports? Do you remember the first movie you saw?
TS: As a boy I was first inspired by reading Mark Twain’s works featuring Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. My friends and I would build our own rafts and travel through the canals and swamps throughout Brevard County, FL and I began to realize that you can create your own adventure simply by exploring the world around you. Around the age of nine or ten I began to develop an insatiable desire to read everything I could get my hands on, and decided that I would like to create my own adventures to share with others.
During my teenage years I was deeply moved by the themes and style of Ken Kesey’s book One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Other authors whose writing had a deep impression on me are Tom Robbins and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. I really enjoyed their unconventional writing style and it helped me to understand that you can really create your own unique voice as an author. Some of my favorite authors are Robert A. Heinlein, Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Rice Burroughs. As far as modern authors, I love any well-written mystery or thriller with a unique protagonist.
I’ve always had a vivid imagination, and wrote my first novel at the age of fourteen. It was a detective novel set during the Great Depression and featured two young friends who had a penchant for solving crimes. Since then, I have developed a great number of story outlines and intend to develop them further in the future. Right now, I’m focusing on promoting Magenta Zephyr and the Universe Bender, but hope to get back to spending more time focusing on my writing soon. Many people have inquired about the sequel, so I suppose I really need to get cracking on that . . .
Some of my favorite shows while growing up were Star Trek, Night Gallery, The Twilight Zone, Night Stalker, and (believe it or not) Leave it to Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show. Though most of these were older programs and in syndication at the time.
AP: What inspired you or Tim Storm to create a female pulp hero like Magenta Zephyr? What gave you the idea for Magenta Zephyr & The Universe Bender?
TS: Since most famous fictional heroes are male, my intent was to create a strong iconic heroine that people could identify with. I wanted to write an adventure that would be fun and entertaining to read, whether the reader is a fan of science fiction or not. Being a musician, it seemed natural to incorporate some of those experiences into the novel as well, so the title character, Magenta Zephyr, is a musical superstar and an iconic heroine in the mold of the old Pulp Fiction heroes. The story features quirky characters, unique plot elements, and a healthy dose of humor. Along with presenting some of the deep questions posed by the mysteries of the universe, the book also deals with themes of human spirituality and other issues confronting humanity in a manner that is intended to stimulate the reader’s imagination. I wanted to write a book that has universal appeal and rises above the classification of a science fiction novel, in the same way that the Harry Potter novels have wider appeal among readers than books that are classified as “fantasy” novels.
AP: What is Magenta’s connection, if any, to the Wold Newton family of pulp heroes?
TS: I’m a huge fan of iconic fictional heroes such as Sherlock Holmes, Ellery Queen, and the old Pulp Fiction heroes, The Shadow, The Avenger and my all-time favorite Doc Savage. Magenta Zephyr is a larger-than-life heroine modeled after some of those old pulp magazine heroes and she is a direct descendant of Doc Savage and Tarzan, as presented in Philip Jose Farmer’s Wold Newton family tree. Many of the characters in the book are descendants of famous fictional characters linked to the Wold Newton universe, which is my way of paying tribute to the pulp genre.
AP: What was your weirdest childhood experience?
TS: I used to have extremely vivid dreams and terrifying nightmares. My bedroom windows faced a densely wooded area and I actually believed that I was visited by spirits that would drift out of the forest. I would wake up and I could feel them touching me and one time even seemed to be embraced by one of these ethereal creatures. I would try to scream but could neither move nor make a sound. As I grew older, I learned that these experiences are called “Sleep Paralysis” and are common for some people. It is a dream-state in which one is not fully asleep, yet not fully awake either. It is believed that these experiences are the origins of the Incubus and Succubus myths, and I can tell you first-hand that they are truly terrifying. I recently saw a documentary in which people were subjected to magnetic fields around certain areas of the brain and this state was induced. Many of the subjects experienced the presence of strange beings, and the doctor who was directing the study hypothesized that these might indeed be actual interdimensional beings, or possibly what we call “angels.” (Insert scary music here) It’s an extremely interesting phenomenon that has always intrigued me. Perhaps a subject for a future novel . . .
AP: Did you keep in touch with your childhood friends? Did any of them encourage you to be an artist, author or musician? Who introduced you to the Man of Bronze? What was the first Doc Savage story you read? Was Doc the first piece of pulp fiction you read?
TS: Interestingly enough, I still keep in constant contact with my closest boyhood friend, the person who introduced me to Doc Savage when I was about thirteen years old. His father was a huge fan of Doc Savage and my friend, Chris, would give the Bantam paperbacks to me after he and his father had finished reading them. I believe the very first adventure that I read was “Red Snow,” and I was instantly hooked! I began collecting them and buying them myself, and eventually acquired the entire Bantam catalog. I still own the entire collection as well as every other Doc related item I can find. I have about 20 of the original pulps, as well as all of the Street and Smith hardbacks. I probably have one of the most extensive Doc Savage collections in existence and still think that Doc is the greatest literary hero ever. I really tried to create a similar iconic character with Magenta Zephyr and think that I succeeded on many levels. Although, Magenta is more sensitive and artistic — much more able to relate to people on an emotional level than the stoic Doc. My friend Chris also introduced me to some of the great music that I grew up on . . . I owe him a huge debt for introducing me to the world of Doc Savage and influencing my taste in music.
AP: Where did you go to school? Were you a member of the drama club or school band?
TS: After the Apollo program ended, my family moved to Daytona Beach, where I attended my first year of High School. Then we moved to San Jose, California where I finished out my High School years. I was heavily involved in the Drama Clubs during high school and my most exciting and memorable times were with the crazy, creative people who tend to gravitate toward the performing arts. My proudest achievements during those years were playing the starring role as Randall McMurphy in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” and writing and producing a play for children, based on my first novel, which was presented to numerous elementary schools in the San Jose area. I played the alto saxophone in the school band during my junior high years, but eventually dropped it and took up the guitar.
AP: Where did you get your graphic design training?
TS: I am a self-taught artist, spending much of my time in elementary school daydreaming and drawing cartoons. I had the opportunity to hone my skills as a graphic artist during my eleven years working for the newspaper, FLORIDA TODAY, based in Brevard County. I worked as a Creative Services Graphic Designer, developing and designing advertising campaigns for local businesses, as well as large national corporations. I’ve been employed as a writer and graphic designer for the past 15 years, and I enjoy helping people translate their ideas into reality, but my illustration and fiction writing give me the freedom to express my own creative ideas.
AP: What instruments do you play? Have you ever been the frontman for a band? Can we listen to music you’ve written somewhere on the internet?
TS:I play guitar and sing, and have been the frontman for a group called Shadowfax during the late 70’s and shared the spotlight with my songwriting partner, Barry Hicks, in a band called The Imposters during the 80’s and 90’s. I have a CD of my own original songs available online at:
I’ve been working with my partner, Barry, to mix some of the studio tracks that we recorded through the years and we hope to release a CD of the Imposters’ music sometime in the next year.
AP: Would you say that Magenta’s first outing in MAGENTA ZEPHYR AND THE UNIVERSE BENDER is speculative fiction or an outright tribute to space opera of times gone by?
TS: I would say that it is an equal measure of both. Although it has many of the elements of a traditional pulp story, it is written in an unconventional style and is unique in its presentation of those elements. I consider it to be a tribute to the pulp genre, but written for a modern audience.
AP: What books are you, currently, reading? Was there a summer blockbuster of a movie that you savored?
TS: I am a voracious reader, at least 2 or 3 books a week. I’ve been reading a lot of Clive Cussler, and I love the writing team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child and their Agent Pendergast novels. Agent Pendergast is an eccentric FBI agent whose eccentricities rival the great Sherlock Holmes. Also, love James Rollins and anything by Dean Koontz. I am really enjoying reading a lot of the new authors who incorporate historical elements with modern adventure and intrigue.
As for movies, I am thrilled by the proliferation of superhero-based films and I’m really looking forward to all the new Marvel hero movies that are planned for release in the coming years. Modern computer animation has made so many things possible on film that just couldn’t be done before, and I really enjoy any film that incorporates some of that amazing imagery. Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson’s King Kong, The Transformers, X-Men . . . I just love all that stuff!
AP: Speaking of blockbusters, not only have you written one but you’ve also created something that no else has done before! What can you tell us about THE GREAT COSMIC BOOK?
TS: That’s one of my favorite parts of the novel. I use quotes from the Great Cosmic Book throughout the novel and actually incorporate it into the storyline. It’s an enigmatic book of irreverent universal wisdom that appears mysteriously throughout the universe. Its source is unknown and it is often found in hotel rooms, in place of the Gideon’s Bible. How the book is distributed is unknown, but it often appears in place of lost or stolen personal items and trinkets of negligible value.
I’ve created an online version intended to be an eternally expanding collection of new and original quotations; simple adages with profound insight into the mysteries of the universe, whether sublime or mundane. All visitors to the site are encouraged to submit their own contributions, as well as to browse through the existing entries. A couple sample entries:
“In the beginning one infinite spark ignited all of this divine madness.”
“When it starts to rain save the fire.”
I hope some of your readers will visit
AP: Do pigs fly?
TS: Not yet, but in the Universe according to Magenta Zephyr, famed geneticist Dr. Lunden Fogg, a descendant of the renowned adventurer Phileas Fogg from Jules Verne’s classic “Around the World in Eighty Days,” eventually creates the world’s first flying pig, a momentous achievement which has unfortunate consequences.
AP: Are there any book shows or comicbook conventions that you’ll be attending soon or in the year ahead?
TS: I am planning to attend some conventions in 2012, do some book signings and promote Magenta Zephyr, but it all depends on my work schedule.
AP:Is this your first published work of fiction?
TS: I’ve previously written and illustrated two children’s books; Monkey See, Monkey Do and Way Over Yonder. Magenta Zephyr and the Universe Bender is the first book that I’ve had published for more mature readers. It’s intended for an audience ranging from young readers to adults. (Side note: I also created the cover art for the novel.)
AP: Best part about writing?
TS: Writing is a form of therapy for me. It’s a great way to escape from the daily grind, vent my creative energy, and express myself. It’s a fantastic way to reach out and connect with people. It’s my hope that Magenta Zephyr and the Universe Bender will entertain people, stimulate their imaginations, and perhaps, on a deeper level, contribute to our culture in a positive way. Since this is my first full-length novel, that may be too much to hope for, but I believe those are the ultimate goals of most authors, and what motivates those of us who express our ideas through creative fiction.
AP: Biggest challenge in writing it Magenta Zephyr and the Universe Bender?

TS: The biggest challenge in completing the book was finding the time to write while
working full-time and keeping up with other daily obligations. It’s also difficult, as an author, to find that fount of inspiration and maintain enthusiasm for writing while dealing with the pressures that we face in this modern world. They’re the same challenges we all face, day to day, in motivating ourselves, setting priorities, taking care of our responsibilities, and making time to do what’s most important to us.

AP: What did you learn about writing you didn’t know before?
TS: I suppose it’s the same in any field, but I didn’t realize that writing is an art that requires an immense amount of dedication and personal discipline. While writing a book, an author has to really immerse himself in the characters and the world he is creating in order to maintain continuity in plot and style. If you’re not already a successful novelist, time is a precious commodity, so an aspiring author has to sacrifice leisure time and curtail their social life if they really want to fulfill their aspirations and complete a book. In learning how much effort it really takes to maintain focus and complete a full-length novel, I developed a deep respect for authors and professional writers.

AP: What’s next for you as a writer?

TS:I am currently working on an outline for the sequel to Magenta Zephyr and the Universe Bender, and I intend to write a series of books chronicling her adventures. I am also writing and illustrating a children’s book titled, Linus Hart, Private Eye, featuring a young lion in the title role and a cast of animal characters that I’ve developed over the past few years. In this particular book, I plan to include puzzles and educational elements, such as vocabulary and math exercises for young readers. I have numerous other projects in development including some treatments for animated cartoon series.
AP: Any parting shots? Someone you would like to say “Hello!” to? Something you’d like to unabashedly promote?
TS: Magenta Zephyr and the Universe Bender is published by iUniverse and is available at iuniverse.com, barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, and other online retailers. Anyone interested in learning more about the book or purchasing it can visit the official web site at www.greatcosmicbook.com or the Magenta Zephyr web site and leave some quotes of their own.www.magentazephyr.com. Also, anyone interested in hearing my music can listen to clips and purchase tracks at www.cdbaby.com/cd/timstorm http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/timstorm

AP: Thanks again, Tim, for graciously allowing us the opportunity to interview you on behalf of ALL PULP! Good Luck and God Bless You on your current and future endeavors!!

TS: My pleasure, Sarge! I really appreciate the opportunity to share my love of the pulp genre and shamelessly plug my book!

INTERVIEW WITH ALL PULP’S TOMMY HANCOCK!!!

  • News
  • October 15, 2010
TOMMY HANCOCK – Pulp writer/editor/Con Organizer/Stage Actor/Director

AP: Thanks for agreeing to take the Hot Seat, Tommy. First up, please, give us a little background as to your age, education and where you hang your hat these days.

TH: I guess it’s only fair that I take my turn, but man, I do like it better where you’re sitting. Well, I’m 38, I have a Masters’ in History with a certification in Secondary Education, but most of my work experience has been in the area of mental health, juvenile law, and marketing. As for where I hang my often tipped fedora, it has its own nail in my home in Melbourne, Arkansas (smaller than a small town) where I live with my three children, Braeden, my miracle, Alex, my gift, and Kailee, my angel, and their mother who there isn’t enough purple prose to describe how wonderful she is, Lisa.

AP:  Before jumping into Pulps, were you a comic book fan and if so, how much? Were you a big collector and con-attendee?

TH: Con attendee, no. I have hit a handful that were close to where I lived, the farthest away being Dallas. And I was a major comic book fan, focusing almost exclusively growing up on DC Comics, but not really the mainstream stuff. I’ve always had an interest in the Golden Age characters as well as obscure characters. Superman, Batman, etc. are great, but give me The Red Bee, Johnny Quick, and Brother Power, the Geek anytime. But your question was about me being a comic fan before jumping into Pulps…actually it was sort of the other way around.

AP: So how did you discover Pulps? And what was it about Pulps that made you want to get involved with the genre?

TH: The first two books I remember seeing areThe Bible and a Doc Savage paperback. I’m sure it was one of the Bantams, but I have no idea which one. I just remember the image on the front of this large bronze skinned man face forward, looking right at me. Comics came some time after that, but before them came the random Doc Savage novel, my tripping across a reference to The Shadow and other hints of Pulp, while also becoming completely enamored with black and white movies, old serials, and especially old time radio. I guess it’s no wonder that when I did get into comics, I was drawn to the obscure and the old.

What drew me into the Pulps is easy to answer. I grew up steeped in John Wayne, Sherlock Holmes, Steve McGarrett, Wyatt Earp, Hercules, Rick Blaine, Paul Bunyan, Han Solo, and Robert B. Parker’s Spenser among others. The story/myth/legend of the Hero has always been a part of my life and exploring that, adding to that, weaving my own tales of Heroic fiction…that’s one of only a few things I always knew I would do.
　
AP: What was your first real entry into the world of Pulps?

TH: As a fan, that first book. As a writer, it’s actually been fairly recent. I am a partner in a company, Pro Se Productions (www.proseproductions.com). My partner, Fuller Bumpers (Writer/artist/actor) came to me with an idea to get into production of some sort, originally video and audio. We worked on audio as well as developing some stage stuff, but I brought the focus of print work with me. It turned out after our first set of audio productions (all three of which are available for free on our site) that print in a lot of ways would be easier, more profitable, and better overall. That was more the editing side initially, although I do write.

My first published work was in an Airship 27 anthology, THE MASKED RIDER: TALES OF THE WILD WEST. I wrote a story focusing on my favorite Earp brother, Virgil. Fortunately, it was well received enough that not only am I writing another Virgil story for Airship 27, but the state paper did a story on my first published work as well as Pulp in general.

AP: Tell us more about Pro Se Productions. Where did the idea come from and was it realized exactly as you had imagined or did you have to adjust certain concepts to make it real?

TH: Well, Pro Se Productions is a company that Fuller, my partner, started after he returned to Arkansas from spending a few years as an actor and writer in LA. He brought me on board a year and a half year ago. Pro Se is a print (for now) production company focused on the publishing of monthly Pulp. The idea to go into print was largely mine in one respect, but also came out of Pro Se wanting to throw its net as wide as it could initially and then narrow the concept appropriately. That narrowing happened fairly quickly and our focus for the foreseeable future is Pulp related, print and conventions primarily.

As far as adjusting concepts, you bet. As I said before, we started out producing audio and for a variety of reasons changed that direction to print. Our original plan was to produce three monthly magazines and although we had the material for it, time was a major factor as were the general issues with putting together one print project, much less three. We are extremely lucky in that we have a formatter, Ali, a good longtime friend and supporter of mine and an absolute genius at putting our books together. His work is art all by itself. Still, three issues a month is a load, so after we got the original debut issues of each title out, we readjusted our plan.

AP: How many different titles is Pro Se doing and what’s the schedule?

TH: OK, well, let’s start at the beginning. We debuted three number one issues two months ago. After those, we determined we would be better off putting out one magazine a month, so we created one title with three rotating ‘subtitles. Pro Se Productions puts out PRO SE PRESENTS monthly, around the middle of the month give or take. The three subtitles (PECULIAR ADVENTURES, MASKED GUN MYSTERY, AND FANTASY AND FEAR) rotate under that banner, retaining their original numbering. PRO SE PRESENTS PECULIAR ADVENTURES 2 came out in September. PRO SE PRESENTS FANTASY AND FEAR 2 will be out early next week. PRO SE PRESENTS MASKED GUN MYSTERY 2 will be out in November, then the rotation starts again.
Also, starting next year, Pro Se will be producing collections, anthologies, original books, and comics.

AP: I alluded to your Theater experience. Before getting into the other Pulp stuff, how about some info about your work in community theater. Are you solely a producer, or do you direct and act as well?

TH: It’s funny being called a producer at all because I’ve never really seen myself as such, but I guess I am. I organized, started, and ended a community theater in my area in the past three years. We are still an acting troupe of sorts, held together in case Pro Se ever steps back toward the stage arena. I am also the Drama Director for our church drama ministry, ACTS OF FAITH. I direct, act, write, stage manage, costume design, pretty much I do it all as is the wont when you are in community theater. Now, if you are asking how well I do it all, I’m definitely the wrong guy to answer that.

AP: Okay, now for the real big topic. Where in the hell did you get the idea to launch a full blown weekend Pulp Convention? And did your friends and family think you were crazy when you first suggested it?

TH: They thought I was crazy before then for writing, jumping into a production company, starting my own theater, and all the other wild things I’ve somehow been associated with in my lifetime. As for where the idea came from, part of it has to do with that just being who I am. Anything I become involved in, I’m always looking at how to do it more, what the next level is, and how I can get there. A bigger contributor, though, to the genesis of Pulp Ark has to do with the local interest and support. Once the article about my first publication came out, people, both individuals and groups, came to me and congratulated me. Some suggested getting these ‘Pulp writers’ together and doing readings and such, then some others took that a step farther and suggested some writers workshops and the like. Well, all that stirring of ideas mixed together in my head and came out as Pulp Ark.

And let’s clarify, Pulp Ark is not simply a convention. It is that, most definitely, but it is also designed to be a conference for writers and artists of Pulp fiction. Even if a single fan does not walk through the door (God forbid), the action is so designed that this will be an opportunity for us as a community to learn, grow, and work together to improve the craft we call Pulp.

AP: Do you have a ballpark tally of just how many Pulp creators are going to be attending the first ever Pulp Ark? What kind of con events will be happening at this show?

TH: The show is May 13-15, 2011 in Batesville, AR, about 90 miles straight north of Little Rock, three hours from Memphis, five hours from St. Louis, six hours from Dallas. Right now, looking at the guest list that I know is confirmed, we have over 20 creators that will be present. I have sort of an informal goal of having 50 different creators minimum at this thing and I really think we can get to that. In hopes of doing that, we are offering free tables to Pulp writers, artists, and publishers. Vendors we are charging, but its a very small fee. And let me say, although we don’t have any vendors yet per se, this is an extremely vendor friendly conference/convention.

As for events, well, there’s quite a few and news will be forthcoming on even more…but there will of course be panels of all types from Pulp writers and artists. There will be writers’ and artists’ workshops as well because I don’t care how long you’ve done this, something can be learned by all of us all of the time. There will be evening events as well. And since this is being done on Main Street Batesville, there are events being planned for family members of attendees as well as for guests and vendors up and down the street.

Also, there will be an interactive drama that will take place the entire weekend. It utilizes my troupe of actors and it is a live action Pulp adventure that will take place without warning throughout Pulp Ark. Other things in the works include a gallery showing of Pulp Art as well as an art auction, and the First Annual Pulp Ark Awards will be presented. And yes, there will be more information on all of this hitting the newsstand in the coming days.

AP: You have a reputation for being the hardest working creator in Pulps today.
After everything else you were doing, what was the inspiration behind starting All Pulp and what do you see as its primary mission?

TH: The idea for All Pulp has been with me for a long time. Having been a comic fan, I’ve frequented the website Comic Book Resources quite a bit and have thought for at least two or three years that Pulp needed a site to do for it what CBR does for comics. Now, don’t get me wrong. The definitive site for listing what is available for purchase in the Pulp field has existed for a long time and Bill Thom’s Coming Attractions is still a weekly stop for me and always will be. What All Pulp is designed to be is the step beyond Coming Attractions. All Pulp is the news venue for Pulp, the behind the scenes peek at the creators, the history, all of it, and delivered in a variety of styles. Its mission is pretty evident in its name and in the content the Spectacled Seven, that’s the crew, myself included, behind All Pulp, have been putting on the site. To deliver all the news and more that can be called Pulp.

AP: There’s been a little internet flak concerning the team you recruited for All Pulp.
Would you like to explain your reasoning for choosing this particular group?
This is simple, really. The six people who make up the Spectacled Seven with me were, at the time that All Pulp became a reality the six people I talked to within the Pulp genre more than anyone else. When I decided to do All Pulp, it was because discussions with these six people, all individually, never as a group initially, often went toward discussing the need for a one stop shop for news and such for Pulp. Did I discuss it more with some of them than others, yes, but it was a discussion I had with people I was talking to, most of them nightly, because they were my friends and the people I talked to.

And, in their own rights, these guys are no slouches. Each one brings a different set of skills and benefits to the table. Now, does that mean that they were the only people that could have been a part of this crew? No, and trust me, some people have not been shy about telling me and others that. Within the past five weeks, every member of the Spectacled Seven, myself included on multiple occasions, has been mentioned by someone as ‘not being qualified to be a part of a news site’ or that there is ‘someone more qualified to cover Pulp news than him.’ Well, as far as more qualified, I will guarantee you there are people in this field that have been at it longer, know more, and have given far more to it than I have at this point. There is absolutely no argument there. And the six people that helped me start this were not chosen for any reason other than they shared my interest in getting this done and we actively talked about it and they each brought talents with them. I am likely not the most qualified, although I don’t know of a list of ‘qualifications’ that exists anywhere, to front a Pulp news website. The fact of the matter is, though, that I have done just that.

The Spectacled Seven will remain the same seven people until one or more of them moves on. Having said that, though, All Pulp welcomes writers to present articles on history, events, etc. There will be guest writers in the future, guaranteed. I have discussed this with several notable names in the field and have been told by at least two that I will be receiving work from them soon. All Pulp, I hope, has done a good job of showing that it is fair and open for the entire Pulp community and I definitely welcome submission of articles from guest writers. But I’m also supportive and glad to be a part of the Spectacled Seven with the six men working with me.

AP: Back to personal focus now. Is there a particular classic Pulp hero you enjoy more than others and why?

Peculiar Oddfellow, drawn by Erik Burnham

TH: Not a particular hero, no…but a particular type of hero. I may be in the minority, but I am a major fan of obscure, little known and/or little used characters. Now, do not mistake me. I am a Doc Savage/Shadow/Spider/etc. fan and always will be. But as far as writing and creating, I am fascinated with taking a character that has a bit of history, that has the makings of something great, and trying to weave that something great out of what little is there. So, yes, the less known, the more appealing to me.

AP: Aside from your own Pro Se, you have worked for other Pulp outfits. What can we expect from your fantastic imagination in the near future fiction wise?

TH: Well, due to some medical issues I’ve struggled with for a while and am still dealing with-I’m basically fighting a battle with diabetes and who’s winning depends on the day- I have had to cut out some writing projects (And thank you by the way to all within the community who have been supportive and understanding and encouraging while I’ve been dealing with this). Basically what I had to do was trim my writing commitments down to what was already in progress, to the projects I had actually put words on the page for. Even with doing that, though, the list of what’s coming in the next year or so is pretty substantial.

Age of Adventure, Wayne Skiver’s company, has a ‘VAMPIRES VERSUS WEREWOLVES’ anthology due out around Halloween and I have a story, “Beastly and Bloody” in that collection. I also have two stories that have been done in the last few months centered around my concept THE MAN FROM SHADOW LIMB that have appeared in issues 1 and 2 of Age of Adventure’s SIX GUN WESTERN.

I have three projects in various levels of progress for Airship 27. Two short stories, the previously mentioned follow up to my Virgil Earp tale and one set in the South Seas for a collection entitled TALES FROM THE HANGING MONKEY. I also have my first full length novel in the works for Airship. It’s centered around an obscure Pulp character and is entitled FUNNY FACE: RICH MEN KILL EASY.

The Shipman from YESTERYEAR
Art by Fuller Bumpers

I’m also working on adapting a whole universe of characters of my own creation, my take on golden age characters entitled YESTERYEAR, into audio scripts for Brokensea Audio Productions. Some of these characters have already appeared in prose form in magazines from Pro Se, including one in a story penned several years ago by Derrick Ferguson.

Speaking of my own magazine, I am writing the adventures of one of our flagship characters, Peculiar Oddfellow for each and every issue of PRO SE PRESENTS PECULIAR ADVENTURES. I am also working on one third of what is being called THE SOVEREIGN CITY PROJECT, the other two thirds being done by Barry Reese and Derrick Ferguson. My character is DOC DAYE, 24 HOUR HERO. I have a third series in the works as well that will debut next year in the Pro Se lineup. That series will focus on a character by the name of Jameson Journey…more on that later.

Ad for ‘Peculiar Oddfellow’ Comic
due 2011 from Pro Se
Art by Lou Manna
Colors by John Palmer IV

Also from Pro Se, scheduled to debut early next year, will be a four issue comic mini series entitled THE VARIED ADVENTURES OF PECULIAR ODDFELLOW. I’m very excited about this as Pec is a character that I’ve had ready to go for almost ten years now. The artwork on this book is done and most masterfully so by comic veteran Lou Manna. This will be a pleasure to see, trust me.

I’m also working on the outline for ‘THE CASE OF THE BLOODY PULP’ which is the story at the center of the interactive drama at Pulp Ark next year. The story will be plotted by me and co written with Bobby Nash.

And then there’s a project, one of those ‘I’m not at liberty to discuss it yet, but when I am…’ things…Actually, there’s two of those…

AP: Tommy, thanks so much for taking time out from your always busy schedule to take the hot seat and best of luck with all your great endeavors.

TH: Thanks a ton for interviewing me. Now…uh…can I have my chair back on THAT side of the table please?

                                     __________________________

CLASSIC PULP POLICE PROCEDURALS OPTIONED FOR TV!

  • News
  • October 15, 2010

 From Ron Fortier reporting for All Pulp-

The widow of the late mystery writer Evan Hunter has sent out a batch letter to her husband’s fans with some truly wonderful news.   Under the pseudonym of  Ed McBain, Hunter created a series of police procedural novels starring the fictitious 87th Precinct in 1956.  The books were quickly hailed by mystery fans as some of the best cop books every written.  There was a short lived TV series that only ran one season between 1961-62 starring Robert Lansing as Detective Steve Corella and Gena Rowlands and his deaf-mute wife, Teddy.  Several of the books were turned into feature films and made-for-tv projects; the most well known being FUZZ with Burt Reynold, Racquel Welch and Yul Brynner.  Hunter died in 2005, by then having won a Mystery Writers of America Grandmaster honorarium.  At the time of his death he had written over fifty 87th Precinct novels.
   
Now, Stanley Tucci and Steve Buscemi have optioned the books and formed a production team with Lionsgate films to develop them as a series for NBC.  The pilot script is being written.  This is fantastic
news for all pulp mystery fans.

INTERVIEW WITH PULP 2.0 PRESS’ BILL CUNNINGHAM ABOUT UPCOMING COMIC PROJECT!

  • News
  • October 15, 2010

BILL CUNNINGHAM: PUBLISHER, PULP 2.0 Press
AP: Tell us a bit about Miracle Squad and Twilight Avenger and why this is the perfect time for these pulp graphic novels to return.
BC: Anyone who knows me knows that I love classic movie serials, poverty row thrillers and creature features – the great pulp movies. Back in 1987, I was in the USAF and stationed at Nellis, AFB in Las Vegas,NV. I used to frequent my local comic shop every weekend when I was home. Now imagine you’re me, die-hard pulp movie fan, and you walk into your comic shop and there on the shelf you see comics that not only look like classic movie serials, they read like them and they’re in glorious black & white. How could you not rush right over and throw them in your ‘buy pile’?

Even though it’s many years later, I still remember picking Miracle Squad and Twilight Avenger from that comic shop [Page after Page] and reading them cover to cover – even before I left the parking lot. Those two comics captured that wonderful energy and enthusiasm of the serials and were able to place it on the page, much like the way that The Rocketeer did.

That’s magic.

For those of you who don’t remember: The Miracle Squad is the A-TEAM set in 1930’s Los Angeles. All of the characters work at a small poverty row movie studio, and when the studio is threatened with a hostile takeover by a local gangster they use their special talents to thwart him. It’s got stunts, special effects and of course – cliffhanger thrills aplenty. What really sets it apart though is the fact that these characters become a family of sorts. A family that wears disguises, escapes deathtraps, leap from airplanes, chase cars and takes the bad guys down, but a family nonetheless.

The Twilight Avenger is every pulp, golden age comic or serial hero you’ve ever heard of — but done in a new way. You’ve got a young man seeking revenge against the mob who crippled his fiance; a mouthy lady reporter who always gets in over her head; a hooded villain called The Centipede (cut from the same cloth as Capt. Marvel’s serial nemesis The Scorpion) and plenty of henchmen who stand between our hero and his revenge. Add to that a cool gas gun, a magnesium chest lamp and you have a recipe for a steaming hot bowl of pulp chili. www.pulp2ohpress.com as well as out to our audience via our upcoming newsletter and Facebook page.

Pulp never goes away – so the idea that pulp is ‘returning’ is to my mind, something of a misnomer. Pulp is an attitude and it transcends the restrictions of the 1930’s and 40’s pulpwood magazine format it used to inhabit. In the 50’s and 60’s, “pulp” meant the cheap, lurid paperbacks or the outrageous EC comics. In the 1970’s it meant paperbacks with new heroes like The Destroyer, The Executioner and others. Pulp also meant that the classic pulps like Doc Savage, The Shadow and The Spider were being reprinted. The pulp attitude also migrated to movies and television: westerns, science-fiction, crime and ‘spy-fi’ owe a lot to the pulps. In the 80’s John and Terry were able to capture that essence and place it in their comics.

Thanks to technology, Pulp 2.0 is taking readers back to our pulp roots – entertaining popular fiction distributed and marketed inexpensively to our target audience. MS and TA are books that are going to appeal to fans of Indiana Jones, The Rocketeer, Golden age comics, movie serials, old time radio – the works. They ARE just that much fun, and we know there’s an audience out there that is hungry for fun when it comes to their comics entertainment. Now they can find these books, read them and most of all – ENJOY THEM – without having to pay Ebay prices.
　
AP: In the age of “remastering” material before it is repackaged, will these books be run as is or are they being updated with new colors, or tweaking things?
BC: These two separate series have never had the ‘graphic novel’ treatment. Their issues were originally supposed to be in color, but each publisher yanked the color after the first issue. Since each of these titles mimic the black & white films of yesteryear, I thought it would be best to republish them as exactly that and not mess with color. That isn’t to say that in the future we won’t try color – but right now it’s cost prohibitive and would stand in the way of our placing these great stories in the hearts of readers.

We will be collecting them as graphic novels and releasing them in that format. You will get complete stories with each volume. Whether you read these for digital or print, all of the images are going to be taken from the original artwork wherever possible and optimized. That means I’m sitting down with the scanner and Photoshop and cleaning up each page of artwork so it’s clear, crisp and dynamic. It will look good on your screen or in your hand.

Because we take a stylized pulp approach to our books there will be details and design you never saw in their original floppy magazine editions. Things like full color covers, bonus content features, behind-the-scenes material and so on. In this way all of our print editions are like BluRay Special Editions – worthy of displaying on your bookshelf.
　
AP: As with Pulp 2.0 Press’ other offerings, Miracle Squad and Twilight Avenger will be offered via digital and print distribution. In what formats will readers be able to purchase these books?
BC: As always our digital books are designed and distributed to be as cost effective and accessible as possible. You will be able to get a full trade paperback book – well over 100 pages – on your digital device for only $2.99. That’s cheaper than a current single issue of a 32 page comic. We do that because we know what it’s like to hunt for a lost classic – only to find it online for a small fortune. Our job is to get cool pulp entertainment into your hands as quickly and inexpensively as possible so you can enjoy it. Right now our digital components include: downloadable PDF’s and Kindle versions (which can be read on PC, Mac, Kindle, IPad, IPhone and Blackberry). We will be following this up with an epub version which can be read on a variety of other types of devices.

We are partnered with Createspace for all of our print editions. They do black & white print really well and I am eager to challenge them with the design for this project. It will be a larger trade size (8 x 10) that will showcase the art in a new pulpy way. Fortunately for me, Terry did a great job originally composing his art for black & white reproduction so that makes my design job that much easier.

AP: Are there plans to tell new stories with Miracle Squad and/or Twilight Avenger after these new editions are released?

BC: Never say never. If the audience demands it – we’ll try and satisfy that need. I always have a few tricks up my sleeve, but for right now it will be very satisfying to get these books in front of their audience. I read recently that Robert Kirkman’s Walking Dead is going from a series of graphic novels to prose. I think that’s a great idea and I want to explore more transmedia experiences like that especially with properties like Miracle Squad, Twilight Avenger or my own The Knightmare (who’s already starred in his own radio serial with Decoder Ring Theatre) Remember: Pulp is not a medium – it’s an extra large!
AP: What type of bonus “behind-the-scenes” features can we look forward to for the print editions?
BC: We are still in the design phase of the project – the ink is still wet on the contracts after all – but I can say that we’ll be including all of the original extras like John’s essay on the poverty row cinema of the 30’s, an original story, as well as some other pulp cinema-related surprises. I sent the art direction document to Terry the other day and I think we’re going to have some great brainstorming sessions coming up with something that will capture the essence of these books.

And as always we’ll be making limited edition cover proofs available for fans who send us pictures of themselves with the book once it comes out in print.

As soon as we nail down some of our design choices and have a cover, the information will go up on our website

AP: What other books can readers find from Pulp 2.0 Press?
BC: This October we will be releasing Radio Western Adventures – our tribute to radio, movie and tv cowboys of the airwaves – on Kindle. Then we will be releasing the first volume of our New Adventures of Frankenstein series in time for Christmas. Beginning in in 1st Quarter 2011 we will release Miracle Squad Volume 1 for Kindle. Long before that we will be releasing promotional material so you’ll know exactly how cool this book really is – an online preview of the book’s first chapter, a good look at the cover in full color, and whatever other goodies we can think up for you to download and place on your blog or website.

Of course, we currently have our debut book Brother Blood available in both ebook and print editions.

AP: Are there plans for more comic book revivals, or new pulp graphic novels, coming from Pulp 2.0 Press?

BC: I have plans in 2011 to announce more comic and pulp reprint titles, Kindle-only pulp specials and other cool stuff. We are a company that creates, develops and publishes pulp and comic BOOKS – no matter what their form. I am open to pursuing stuff I think is cool and that I think my readers want to see.

There’s a lot of great material out there that deserves to be seen and read by this generation so they can enjoy it as much as our grandparents, parents and we did. We have our work cut out for us.
　
AP: Are there any upcoming convention appearances or signings coming up where fans can meet you and pick up copies of Miracle Squad and/or Twilight Avenger?
BC: We have been taking baby steps through this first year of our existence. We’ve only done a couple of appearances here and there and really are trying to test the waters to see where we swim best. I will be announcing a 2011 appearance schedule that allows us plenty of face time with fans.

AP: Thanks, Bill.

CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON LANCE STAR: SKY RANGER!

  • News
  • October 15, 2010

AND MEANWHILE, OUR HERO…- Pulp Character Spotlights

Character Written and Profile Completed by Bobby Nash

1. Lance Star: Sky Ranger’s secret identity is…?
Lance Star. Lance and his team do not hide their identities. Their many exploits have even garnered them something akin to celebrity status thanks to their repeated appearances in newsreels. Some call them heroes. They call themselves Sky Rangers.

2. In five sentences or less, Lance Star: Sky Ranger’s origin is…?

Lance Star is a top-notch pilot, an Air Ace. Lance owns and operates Lance Star. Inc. and Star Field, which builds custom aircraft. When he was a child, Lance and his father, Landon Star traveled the world on one adventure after another until Landon one day flew off alone and was never heard from again. Lance continues his father’s legacy of exploration and adventure.

3. Lance Star: Sky Ranger’s first appearance was…?
Lance Star’s first appearance was in the Lance Star: Sky Ranger pulp anthology, published by Wildcat Books in 2006.

4. Lance Star: Sky Ranger’s most recent appearance was…?
Lance’s most recent appearance was in the Lance Star: Sky Ranger “One Shot!” comic book, published by BEN Books.

5. The 5 most important people in Lance Star: Sky Ranger’s life are…?
Betty Terrel, Buck Tellonger, Eric (Red) Davis, Walt Anderson, and Skip Terrel.

6. The 3 top villains Lance Star: Sky Ranger has faced are…?
Austrian Air Ace Otto Baron Von Blood, pirates, and Nazis.

7. Lance Star: Sky Ranger likes…?

Flying, being elbow-deep inside the engine of an airplane, spending time with the lovely Betty Terrel, reading pulp novels, and going on adventures with the Sky Rangers.

8. Lance Star: Sky Ranger dislikes…?
Being told what to do, politics, and Nazis. He really hates Nazis.

9. Existing characters Lance Star: Sky Ranger has met/had a crossover with include…?
Lance Star met Ellen Patrick, also known to pulp readers as the Domino Lady, in vol. 2 of the Lance star: Sky Ranger pulp anthology series from Airship 27 and Cornerstone Books.

10. Lance Star: Sky Ranger’s greatest fear is…?
Losing another of his pilots. The loss of young pilot and sky Ranger in training, Skip Terrel was a terrible blow to Lance, one from which he almost did not recover.

11. Lance Star: Sky Ranger’s favorite food is…?
Steak and potatoes washed down with a beer or a soda.

12. If Lance Star: Sky Ranger couldn’t be there to save the day, the person he’d pick to take his place is…?
Lance would certainly trust any of the other Sky Rangers to save the day. If they weren’t available he would probably call on Bill Barnes, Captain Midnight, or Niles Isburgh.

13. Free-for-all-Say anything, in ten sentences or less, you want about your character. That would be…?
Lance Star and his Sky Rangers love a fun adventure and they would love to have you tag along with them on their next one, coming soon to a bookstore near you.

14. Links for more of Lance Star: Sky Ranger include…?
www.lance-star.com
http://bobby-nash-news.blogspot.com/

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