THE ADVENTURES OF DOC SAVAGE Radio Archives 2010 $24.98 ISBN 978-1610815000
This attractive package collects the 1985 NPR radio program that adapted two classic Doc Savage adventures: Fear Cay and The Thousand-Headed Man. If you enjoy the classic radio shows of the past, then you’ll definitely get a kick out of this: the bonus is that since it’s a relatively new production, the sound quality is far superior to the old shows. Everything is in digital stereo and the acting is superb. Doc *sounds* like Doc and all of his aides are played to perfection. The adaptations are spot-on, too. The classic bits are included and the pacing is well-done, with the expected cliffhanger endings for each chapter.
Honestly, there’s no real complain I have about this package — everything, from the Bob Larkin cover image of Doc & Pat — to the “making-of” audio documentary that’s included is extremely well done and exciting. As a bonus, you also get Two additional “bonus” radio dramas: a Philip Marlowe adventure entitled “The August Lion” and a Michael Shayne drama titled “A Problem in Murder.”
I simply cannot recommend this enough to Doc Savage fans or fans of old-time radio. I give it my highest rating.
“I learned the mechanics of sex from Carl Barks. He was known as the good duck artist (for his work on Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge), but for me he was the good fuck artist.”
Craig Yoe said that last night at the opening of Comics Stripped, an exhibition at the Museum of Sex in (where else?) Manhattan. Yoe is best known out in the real world as the man behind Yoe! Studios, a design outfit that was highly influenced by its founder’s fondness of comics art. The former creative director of the Muppets workshop, in our fannish conclave Craig’s best known as the historian who feverishly documents the relatively hidden nooks and crannies that weave their way through our beloved art form. His more recent books have been published by IDW and Fantagraphics.
Yoe was referring to Bark’s esser-known semi-erotic work, none of which was published by Disney. Unca Carl wasn’t the only major comics creator who drew on the wild side. He was joined by Dan DeCarlo, Jack Cole, Wally Wood, Willy Elder, Joe Shuster and others, all of whom – except Barks – represented in the Comics Stripped exhibition. They are joined by a wide range of artists including Robert Crumb, Jessica Fink, Spain Rodriguez, Eldon Dedini, Eric Stanton, Colleen Coover and a great many other cartoonist legends.
Yoe curated the exhibit and some of the work represented came from his own collection. Classic mid-30s “eight-pagers” were well represented, as were publications ranging from Capt. Billy’s Whiz-Bang and Ballyhoo to more contemporary publications such as Glamour, Screw and Jiz.
Those extremely well-versed in comics history and lore might not learn all that much but they will happily join the rest in gawking over all that beautiful original art.
The Comics Stripped show has an open-ended run at The Museum of Sex, 233 Fifth Avenue (at 27th Street) in New York City. Admission is $16.75 plus tax. More info: click.
I had the privilege of working with Tom Ziuko on such projects as Legends, Blackhawk and The History of the DC Universe; he’s worked on everything from Superman to The Flintstones to Hellblazer, and that’s just the tip of his iceberg of credits. Tom’s work speaks for itself; if you’re not familiar with his stuff, Google or GCD him. I’m sure you’ve got tons of it in your collection.
Tom’s got a problem. He’s suffering from kidney failure and is in his fourth week of hospitalization. There is hope: there are treatments available that might save his life. The trouble is, Tom’s a comic book freelancer and, like most comic book freelancers, he can’t afford health insurance. Let’s not mince words: that means that, in fairly short order, Tom Ziuko could die from his aliment.
There’s a whole political argument to be made here, one I’ve made before and one I rarely pass up. But you already know the spiel, and I’ve got more important stuff to talk about.
Tom needs your help. His pal Alan Kupperberg has started raising money for his health care. You can send any contributions to Alan’s PayPal account (kupperberg@earthlink.net) and he will pass every penny of it – and more – on to Tom. If you need verification or wish to offer Tom your support, he has email access in his hospital – Atomica999@aol.com.
Yes, there’s a lot of people out there in his position. Yes, I said I wouldn’t go political on you. So stop me before I go political again. Please contribute what to can to Tom.
You never know when magic will happen. You tell a friend to go write a story. He goes and does his research, getting very excited by the prospects and writes. He reads to you the finished novel and it moves you in unexpected ways. Since you’re a film producer, you decide you want to adapt this to the screen. Somehow, you convince someone to publish the book while you go out and raise the $132 million you know in your heart it will take to make the film. Along the way, a third friend, equally moved by the book, convinces everyone that he not only wants to star in the film, but make his directorial debut. Everyone agrees and suddenly, you’re shooting in South Dakota. A year or so later, the movie tests through the roof. Audiences have responded with enthusiasm. Your peers honor you with twelve Academy Award nominations and you win seven. When you weren’t looking, you not only conjured up magic but you made an important film.
And that is what happened with [[[Dances With Wolves]]], the three-hour long story of John Jay Dunbar, a wounded Civil War veteran who asks for a remote assignment out in the frontier, noting he wants to see it before it’s all gone. While out in the wild, he slowly recognizes the beauty of America and the nobility of the Native Americans, many (including Wind in his Hair [Rodney A. Grant] and Kicking Bird [Graham Greene]) who cautiously befriends him. Dunbar also discovers a white woman, who was raised by the Lakota and renamed Stands with a Fist (Mary McDonnell). She serves as his guide to a world he falls in love with, making him unique among his fellow man.
Kevin Costner did a marvelous job taking his friend Michael Blake’s novel and turning it into a movie that reminded Americans of those who dwelt here first and still linger on their reservations. He let the story unfold slowly, with marvelous cinematography, making American the Beautiful once more. He filled the cast with many Native Americans, many who needed to relearn their native tongue. Coupled with John Barry’s stirring score, the movie transports you to another time and another way of life. When it was released 20 years ago, it also sparked a new dialogue over the plight of the Native Americans and just how cruel the settlers were. The Library of Congress thought it significant enough to add it in 2007 as one of the culturally significant films to be preserved.
In case you missed this excellent movie, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has released it as a 20th Anniversary two-disc Blu-ray event. The first disc is an extended version of the film, now running 3:54 and frankly the extra 55 minutes Costner tucked back in doesn’t necessarily make it a better story. Instead, we are treated to lots of extended views of the land and the people moving across the land. It’s all beautiful but doesn’t necessarily add to our enjoyment of the story. The film is brilliantly transferred to high-definition with rich colors. The new DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is also most welcome.
This week on The Book Cave, Ric interviews Jim Layne, author of ‘A WEEK IN HELL’ and other pulp type works! Then Tommy Hancock follows up with the ALL PULP news!
Listen in on the Book Cave, ALL PULP’s official podcast at thebookcave.libsyn.com!
According to an email obtained by ComicMix, Diamond Book Distributors has suspended further book shipments to Borders stores because Borders suspended payments to its suppliers earlier this week. Diamond handles distribution for Image, Oni, Dark Horse, Dynamite, and IDW, which distributes trade paperbacks to ComicMix.
The email (with redacted email addresses) follows:
This email is to confirm reports in the news that Borders is suspending
payments to its suppliers, inclluding [sic] Diamond. As a result, we have made
the difficult decision to stop shipping them and put their account on
hold, as of last week, until such time as they are able to resume payment.
DBD is actively seeking a resolution to this issue and will work with
Borders to get shipments moving again provided that we can craft a
solution that proves to be in the best interests of both DBD and our
publishers.
If you have anyy [sic] additional questions or concerns, please feel free to
drop me an email or give me a call.
Sincerely,
Bill Schanes
Vice President of Purchasing
Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc.
Borders has been in trouble for a while, with many of their current problems stemming from a 2005 $250 million stock buyback. The chain confirmed on December 30 that it was delaying payments to vendors while it works on restructuring its debt. On New Year’s Eve, Calvin Reid of Publishers Weeklyreported that “at least one of the “big six” New York houses has suspended shipping books to Borders, a troubling sign for the company as it attempts to find lenders to refinance its debt and provide enough liquidity to get the national book retail chain through to early 2012. Borders carries about $450 million in trade payables on its balance sheet and many publishers are anxiously waiting to see which houses will be paid and which will not be.”
There are 509 Borders superstores and 168 Waldenbooks stores in the U.S., making Borders a significant segment of the retail market; ICv2 estimating that over 20% of manga sales in the bookstore channel are through Borders.
PW reports that tomorrow Borders and publisher representatives will be meeting, hoping to hear “about the retailer’s new finance and turnaround plan from the Borders’ team. Publishers were unimpressed with the presentations made by Borders last week and the sense is that if Borders expects publishers to accept their proposal for publishers to exchange missed payments for notes, they need to hear a much more robust plan.” Borders also confirmed that it will officially shut its LaVergne, Tenn. warehouse by mid-July, cutting 310 jobs. Of course, by the end of tomorrow we could be hearing about a lot more jobs being lost…
AP: Frank, Thanks for stopping by ALL PULP today! Start us off with a little background, if you don’t mind.
FS: I was born on a mountaintop in Tennessee….oh wait, that’s the Davy Crockett song…okay, serious now. I’m a martial arts instructor at Amorosi’s Mixed Martial Arts in Livingston, NJ. That and writing are my true joys in life, I’m not sure I could live without either. After years of rejection, I finally found my muse and learned enough from him to be published by Airship27 and Black Coat Press.
AP: You’ve done more than dabbled in the arena of pulp. What have you written, both fiction and nonfiction wise?
FS: I’m a regular contributor to Black Coat Press’s wonderful yearly anthology, “Tales of the Shadowmen” in which I’ve written characters such as Jean Kariven, the Toff, Inspector Cramer and Kato from the Green Hornet series. My first pulp was for Airship27, Secret Agent X volume 3 “The Mask of Medusa”. I’ve also written a Black Bat mystery for them called “Claws of the Crimson Commissar”. I’m very proud of the three stories I’ve written for Jay Piscopo’s pulp hero Commander X, for his year Christmas tales aka Commander Xmas. In non-fiction I wrote an article on Hellboy and the real Nazi occult and science from the series as well as a Wold Newton article on Dark Shadows and the show’s use of Lovecraftian themes.
AP: Why do you write? And after that, more specifically, why pulp?
FS: I write because not writing is impossible for me. There were times I tried to deny my need to write, but it never worked for long. It’s really part of who I am as a person. By accepting that much, I’m far happier with life. As to why pulp, I love both the period pulp represents and the positive message the style promotes. In this day of cynical heroes who are seen as pathological cases no better than the villains they fight, pulp stands apart. Heroes are good because they choose to right wrongs and villains are horrible, twisted creatures. It’s a respite from the deconstructionist beliefs that fiction, comics and Hollywood have promoted for many years.
AP: A major part of your writing resume centers around classic pulp characters that have found their way into the public domain. What is the appeal of writing these already established, though possibly not wide read characters as opposed to your own original creations?
FS: I used to wonder that myself, until I was given a Nero Wolfe story by Robert Goldsborough. Of course it wasn’t as well-written as a Rex Stout, few could match that man’s mastery of language. But the story brought me back to a world I loved with characters I grew up making a part of my life. I’d like to think that when I write classic pulps or public domain heroes, I’m proving some of that pleasure to my readers. That’s my hope at least.
AP: There’s been a lot of talk about pulp being relevant today, especially here on ALL PULP. Although you can comment on that if you wish, there’s another question to ask. How do you as a writer think you can make pulp readable tomorrow…in the future?
FS: By growing without losing the spirit of what makes pulp enjoyable to the readers. An excellent example of that is the Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson, a best-selling book that shows that a hero can be a good man, fighting the right fight, without being a cliche. Another illustration of pulp being accessible to the modern reader are the Pendergast tales by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. These demonstrate that pulp can be readable in the future and even be revered by those who would ignore the class heroes. Moving beyond the classics, without losing the spirit that made them legends.
AP: Talk a bit about your nonfiction work as it relates to pulp. Is there a level of academics, of scholarship to the pulp genre? What interests you enough to write articles about fictional worlds, concepts, etc?
FS: Non-fiction is very intensive and does require major research and analysis of detail. To be credible in any way, a writer needs to take their personal opinion out of the examination and learn from the results, at least in my opinion. My first non-fiction article was on the comic world created in the Hellboy comic series by Mike Mignola. I went in with definite views, but pushed them aside to learn from the actual true details from history. I believe in that case I succeeded, I was able to refute many of the more fanciful tales while presenting some pretty amazing details that astonished me in the end. And that also explains why I enjoy non-fiction, by remaining open to the evidence, I end up learning so much in the end.
AP: You’ve done quite a bit of work for Airship 27 Productions, most recently a story in the RAVENWOOD: STEPSON OF MYSTERY anthology. Can you tell us about your story and the character in general?
FS: Ravenwood was the creation of a giant in the pulp field, Frederick C. Davis, writer of many heroes such as the Moon Man, Secret Agent X and Operator #5. Ravenwood the Stepson of Mystery was a backup feature in the Secret Agent X magazines, an occult hero who was odd for the period in that he used actual magic. In pulp, magic powers tended to be reserved for villains or were scientific trickery. Ravenwood, who was raised by an Asian mystic called “The Nameless One” demonstrated true powers and were always on the side of good.
In my story, Ravenwood takes on another pulp legend, Sun Koh the Prince of Atlantis. Sun koh is called “the Nazi Doc Savage” and the comparison is apt. He’s an Atlantean prince brough back to our time, intent on returning his lost empire to greatness. The character, according to pulp scholar Jess Nevins who read the tales in their original form, was a thorough Nazi who promoted their horrific beliefs. Who better to pit against Ravenwood the Stepson of Mystery?! Oh and in my tale, Sun Koh is a follower of the terrible Lovecraftian Outer Gods…or maybe a stooge is a better way of putting it… Anyway, the story is action packed and fun, presenting my own way of writing occult, one that loses the dustiness and staid quality many occult tales seem to promote.
AP: What appeal does the supernatural have for you as a pulp writer?
FS: The supernatural is an area I love to write because it’s an area open to interpretation. As I’ve said to many would-be writers, you need to present your own view on even areas that are well-established. The biggest mistake many make when they write, say Lovecraft, is to try and present it in the same style the great man did back in the 1920’s. That’s a real mistake and results in painful copies not worth reading. By presenting your own version of the supernatural, a writer can create whole world of adventure for the reader.
AP: OK, now here’s what everyone wants to know…who are your favorite pulp/literary characters, not just those you’ve written, but the ones you enjoy as a fan?
FS:That’s a long list to say the least. Okay, here goes; Tarzan was probably my first pulp and still thrills me to this day. Doc Savage and the Avenger are the truest examples of the pulp ideal and I’ve been a fan for most of my life. Operator #5 and Secret Agent X are spy heroes I find far more enjoyable than modern spy tales and I collect their reprints. Also I’d add newspaper heroes like the Spirit, Flash Gordon, the Phantom as pulp heroes I absolutely love.
AP: Do you feel, both as a writer and a fan, that there’s a direction modern pulp hasn’t gone in yet that it needs to? If so, explain.
FS: There’s always new ground to cover, we’re only limited by our imaginations. As to what those areas are…I’m in the process of working on that myself now. Through much of 2010 and into 2011 I’ve been experimenting with form and learning the directions modern pulp can be taken by a writer.
AP: So, what’s coming up from Frank Schildiner? Anything pulp wise you want to talk about?
FS:I have an Avenger tale coming from Moonstone Pulp, I’m so happy I was given a chance to write that character. Plus it was a learning experience, Joe Gentile and Howard Hopkins taught me a lot about being a writer. I have an original occult action pulp starring a gangster turned hero named Lee Cohen. That one is being published by Pro Se Productions. Also in the works is a PD comic world called the “The Last Dominion” and an occult adventure in the period of King Henry V, to be published by Pulp Tone. Basically I’m always busy and that’s just a dream come true.
AP: Frank, ALL PULP appreciates you taking time to visit!
Joe Gores, former Private Investigator turned mystery writer and noted expert on the works of Dashiell Hammett, passed away on 1/12/11. Gores, a 3-time Edgar Award winner and past president of the Mystery Writers of America, was the author and creator of a hard-boiled mystery series set in San Francisco, the Daniel Kearny & Associates series. He was also the author of SPADE AND ARCHER, the novel that was the prequel to Hammett’s Maltese Falcon.
Sequart is excited to announce that 2011 is the YEAR OF ELLIS — as in celebrated comics writer Warren Ellis. Throughout the year, we’ll be offering three books and a documentary film on Ellis, exploring his major works, his overall career, and why he deserves his status in the top pantheon of comics writers.
Our second Ellis book of 2011 will be Shot in the Face: A Savage Journey to the Heart of Transmetropolitan, edited by CBR’s Chad Nevett. This book of essays will study the riveting collaboration of Ellis and artist Darick Robertson. It features essays by Greg Burgas, Johanna Draper Carlson, Julian Darius, Sara K. Ellis, Ryan K. Lindsay, Patrick Meaney, Jason Michelitch, Chris Murphy, Chad Nevett, Kevin Thurman, Brett Williams, and Sean Witzke.
Our third Ellis book of the year will beVoyage in Noise: Warren Ellis and the Demise of Western Civilization, authored by Kevin Thurman. This book examines Ellis’s entire body of work for common themes, discovering philosophical perspectives and parallels that illuminate contemporary society.
To top it all off, 2011 will see the premier of the documentary filmWarren Ellis: Captured Ghosts, directed by Patrick Meaney and produced in association with Respect! Films (Amber Yoder, Jordan Rennert, and Patrick Meaney). It’s executive produced by Sequart (Julian Darius and Mike Phillips) and F. J. DeSanto, with creative consultant Kevin Thurman. This follow-up to Respect! and Sequart’s popular Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods features interviews with Ellis and a plethora of other comics professionals. It’s tentatively scheduled for late 2011 release.
Although 2011 is the Year of Ellis, that doesn’t mean Sequart won’t also be releasing other works. In fact, even before any of our Ellis titles, we’re offeringClassics on Infinite Earths: The Justice League and DC Crossover Canon, authored by Julian Darius. The book examines classic Justice League stories and universe-wide DC crossovers, arguing that they constitute a literary canon. Along with this book, other non-Ellis projects are in the works, and we’ll be making some major announcements on those in the coming months.
Thanks for your support, and be sure to tweet and post about the Year of Ellis!
And you thought the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble would never get together again…
David Tennant and Catherine Tate are set to star in a new West End production of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, beginning performances at Wyndham’s Theatre May 16, prior to an official opening June 1, for a run lasting through September 3.
Tennant, who will play Benedick, was last seen on the London stage in the title role of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet, opposite Sir Patrick Stewart. (Man, it’s still weird typing “Sir” in front of his name.)
Tennant is best known for his time on “Doctor Who”, but his extensive prior stage credits include seasons with the RSC, for whom he has appeared in As You Like It, The Comedy of Errors, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Love’s Labour’s Lost in addition to Hamlet.
Catherine Tate, who will be playing Beatrice, can currently be seen in Alan Ayckbourn’s Season’s Greetings at the National Theatre. Her own TV sketch show “The Catherine Tate Show” has had three successful seasons on the BBC, and she has previously appeared opposite Tennant as the Doctor’s companion Donna Noble in the fourth series of “Doctor Who”.
THE ADVENTURES OF DOC SAVAGE
“I learned the mechanics of sex from Carl Barks. He was known as the good duck artist (for his work on Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge), but for me he was the good fuck artist.”
I had the privilege of working with Tom Ziuko on such projects as Legends, Blackhawk and The History of the DC Universe; he’s worked on everything from Superman to The Flintstones to Hellblazer, and that’s just the tip of his iceberg of credits. Tom’s work speaks for itself; if you’re not familiar with his stuff, Google or GCD him. I’m sure you’ve got tons of it in your collection. 
You never know when magic will happen. You tell a friend to go write a story. He goes and does his research, getting very excited by the prospects and writes. He reads to you the finished novel and it moves you in unexpected ways. Since you’re a film producer, you decide you want to adapt this to the screen. Somehow, you convince someone to publish the book while you go out and raise the $132 million you know in your heart it will take to make the film. Along the way, a third friend, equally moved by the book, convinces everyone that he not only wants to star in the film, but make his directorial debut. Everyone agrees and suddenly, you’re shooting in South Dakota. A year or so later, the movie tests through the roof. Audiences have responded with enthusiasm. Your peers honor you with twelve Academy Award nominations and you win seven. When you weren’t looking, you not only conjured up magic but you made an important film.
According to an email obtained by ComicMix, Diamond Book Distributors has suspended further book shipments to Borders stores because Borders suspended payments to its suppliers earlier this week. Diamond handles distribution for Image, Oni, Dark Horse, Dynamite, and IDW, which distributes trade paperbacks to ComicMix.
And you thought the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble would never get together again…
