The Shadow Fan returns for Episode 41! This week, Barry Reese talks about Howard Chaykin’s return to the character, responds to some listener feedback, and then dives into the first issue of The Shadow/Green Hornet: Dark Nights # 1. It’s another action-packed episode devoted to the greatest crimefighter of the pulp era!
If you love The Shadow, this is the podcast for you!
Designed to be a one-stop location for all the news about Airship 27 Productions, one of the leading publishers in the New Pulp Movement, the publisher announced their new Airship 27 Blog.
Says Ron Fortier of the new site, “Not only will you learn what new titles are coming but, but this site will also feature exclusives interviews with many of the talented Airship 27 writers and artists who help make out books the leading quality books they are. Me, I’m managing editor Ron Fortier and I hope you’ll sign on to our blog ranks and become an Official Loyal Airmen. Believe when I say the best is yet to come. UP SHIP!!”
Altus Press has announced that Dr. Thaddeus C. Harker: The Complete Tales is now available in softcover, limited edition hardcover, and ebook.
Press Release:
Dr. Thaddeus C. Harker: The Complete Tales
by Edwin Truett Long
introduction by Tom Johnson
Written by Edwin Truett Long, Doc Harker was one of the last of the Munsey heroes who were introduced to battle the oncoming wave of the comic book industry. Dressed in a Prince Albert coat and looking like a Kentucky gentleman, Harker and his crew travel the country selling their cure-all Chickasha Remedies… and encounter crime at every stop. This edition collects the entire series: “Crime Nest,” “Woe to the Vanquished” and “South of the Border,” all from 1940 and complete, remastered, with all the original illustrations. And it’s rounded out by an introduction by pulp historian Tom Johnson which reveals many facts about this previously-unidentified pulp author, along with an exhaustive Edwin Truett Long bibliography.
San Diego Comic-Con International has come and gone, and it was a blast! But boy, am I exhausted. I definitely need a little bit of mellow down-time after all of the (great!) excitement of the biggest genre con in North America (or maybe the world? I’m too tired to look this up, y’all). That’s why even though I’ve got lots of fantastic news and interviews coming your way (Psych! Almost Human! I Know That Voice! Warehouse 13! Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D.! Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox! Captain America: The Winter Soldier! Guardians of the Galaxy! Interviews with voice actors Rob Paulsen and Dee Bradley Baker!), today I want to talk about the most chill place I hung out this weekend – Nerd HQ.
Nerd HQ, now in its third year, is technically not part of SDCC, being the brainchild of Chuck star Zachary Levi and operating as its own thing, but it took place in nearby Petco Park during the con and featured a number of celebrity guests, which made it feel a bit like a mini-SDCC or arm of the con. The atmosphere, however, was a nice and relaxed change from the hustle and bustle of the con floor and crowded panels; and also, it was free to walk around and enjoy the main area, which is cool.
Featuring mainly a long promenade which included an arcade where fans could play video games both old and new (there were several actual arcade games there, along with games on laptops and larger screens for console games), the area also had some nice seating that allowed fans to sit and look out at the field if they wanted to, possibly while eating the food available for purchase nearby. One very nice feature is that the area was covered but open, so fans could get a little fresh air while nerding out during the weekend; which is a great way to decompress after a stint on the con floor or in con program rooms. Just walking around for a few, still immersed in “my people” having a good time but also away from the intensity of the con, certainly did me good when I went over on Saturday.
There was also a stage at the end of the promenade where a YouTube channel (GeekWeek, I believe?) was filming events such as a costume contest and a puppet show to stream throughout the weekend. On the nearer end, a photo area was set up so that fans could get photos with celebrities who dropped by sporadically throughout. Zac was there taking photos when I walked in, and apparently greats such as Stan Lee had also been there at various times. Although the very efficient security whisked me away from stopping to watch the photo experience for too long, I did witness a happy fan on the phone with a friend afterwards, literally in tears because she’d gotten a photo with Zac. So that feature of Nerd HQ was definitely a success in fan enjoyment.
Another great part of Nerd HQ is the Conversations for a Cause; small panels limited to 250 fans, which generally feature guests who are in town for the con anyway. The Conversations took place in a glassed-in area overlooking the field (possibly in the VIP boxes? It was hard to tell with the setup, but it was nice), and (happily for me, after my mad dash from the convention center for the panel I attended) had fans or air conditioning of some sort keeping the area cool. Although the tickets for some of these panels sell out in a hot minute (the Joss Whedon one sold out in 30 seconds or less, along with about three-fourths of the others in the first flight of panels announced), I was able to get a ticket to the Zac Levi & Mystery Guests panel. It would have been fun just to see Zac on a panel, of course; but the mystery guests for the panel turned out to be ace too; being Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk (which made my Firefly shirt especially appropriate attire), and Rob Kazinsky (who turned out to be perhaps the biggest geek of all, and was a great panelist).
Zac both moderated and participated in the panel, which mainly consisted of people asking questions from the audience. The answers were often hilarious and well-worth the $22 ticket price, and Alan Tudyk made things infinitely cooler for the question-askers by bringing along a bag of neat swag to give them (and now I know that if I ever see Alan Tudyk again, I should not give him anything, because he is the World Champion of re-gifters). Possibly the coolest prizes (in my opinion) were several clothing items he had from various places, such as a couple of Dollhouse-related coats, and a giant duster that Russell Crowe and Christian Bale had apparently bought during filming for 3:10 to Yuma and given to him.
Along with being highly entertaining, we learned some new things about the panelists, such as how they got their first big breaks (and with no context whatsoever, because Gondor needs no context, I present this quote from Zac regarding Alan’s story: “Alan, as much as I appreciate your tranny bar story, what was your big break?”). We also learned that Zac’s favorite superhero is Deadpool, which, as anyone who reads my column (or @Ask_Deadpool) will know, automatically raises his coolness factor by infinity; and that Rob Kazinsky manages to be both badass (having been a stuntman and trained extensively with swords) and a nerd to outnerd all nerds, possibly including Zac himself. And Nathan Fillion showed himself to be the sweetheart I already suspected him to be by offering to buy several meals for a poor fan from Australia (I think) who’d had her bags stolen while in San Diego (yikes!).
I did mention that there’s a ticket price for the Conversations; and the photo ops cost money as well. However, the prices are reasonable, and even better, the proceeds go to charity, or more specifically to Operation Smile, which I first learned about from voice actor Rob Paulsen, who also supports them. Operation Smile provides free surgeries for kids with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities; and how could anyone not think that’s a worthy cause?
Overall, Nerd HQ is a pretty chill place to go for a break from the SDCC madness, and I had a great time at the panel and a fun time briefly wandering the promenade. I would suggest better availability of both directions (like noting that 7th St. has two names for the stretch next to the con!) and information overall. For instance, visiting fans who haven’t been to Nerd HQ before might not know what-all is available to do for free there; or might not realize they can get photos with celebrities or sometimes walk right in and go to a panel that’s not sold out. Having one of the cheerful volunteers already on hand give out a one-page flyer as fans enter, explaining the set-up of Nerd HQ (and including URLs for things like the YouTube stage, which I can’t find listed anywhere), wouldn’t go amiss, especially since the website doesn’t have really specific information, and cell service can be spotty near the con anyway. There’s also apparently a NERD party sometime over the weekend; and I love a good party, but have no idea where I should have looked to find out more about it. I totally would have considered it if I knew anything more about it!
But don’t take these small critiques to mean I don’t think Nerd HQ is a great thing! It’s pretty rad; and being something that started in a sort of spontaneous way, is bound to have some growing pains. Apparently this year’s HQ was bigger than last; so I’m looking forward to seeing what next year’s is like (while hoping it doesn’t get too big and unwieldy, or it may lose its charm). If I get to SDCC again, it will definitely be on my list of places to go!
In the meantime, stay tuned for all of my other SDCC coverage; and since there’s so much of it, it’ll be coming through as fast as I can get it done, rather than just on my regular Tuesday column schedule. So keep an eye out here to hear about all the other cool stuff I saw and people I talked to at SDCC.
And until then: Viva La Nerdolution! And Servo Lectio!
UPDATED!
New Pulp author Mark Ellis has released a sneak peek of his new upcoming book called Rag Baby, now available at Amazon.
SEX, BLACKMAIL AND MURDER IN THE DARK HEART OF THE SUNSHINE STATE!
Bonaparte “Bone” Mizell, formerly of the DEA, has a problem on his hands: Dale Bristline, his 400 lb. client with a beautiful ex-stripper wife needs help dealing with a blackmailer — Brandy’s first husband has returned from the dead and is making outrageous demands…and she mustn’t be told about it.
When drug-dealer turned sex club owner Bristline needs some help dealing with the blackmailer, cash-strapped Bone accepts the case…and he quickly learns that behind the sunshine and laid-back lifestyle is a dangerous jungle, where sex is big business and jealousy can lead to murder. Bone deals with bikers turned bodyguards, scorned strippers and a lovely Latina sheriff, all out to get him – in one way or another.
As a DEA agent, Bone was used to hitting all the wrong places at just the wrong time. Now a cast of bizarre characters and a storm of violence traps him in a mystery that will take all of his resourcefulness to solve – and survive!
For the third interview in the BAD TIGER series, ALL PULP corners Writer/Creator/Marketing Director D. C. Golightly!
ALL PULP: Tell us about yourself, your personal background, and how you got into writing/art/etc.
DCG: I reside in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with my wife and kids. I love comics, cookies, and characters. Follow my freelance rumblings at http://dave-golightly.blogspot.com/. I’ve always been a huge comic fan, and growing up I really got into more adventure pulps as my comic collection grew. Since I wanted to weave a wonderful world myself, I started scribbling little stories. I’ve been lucky enough that some people are willing to pay for those stories. I always wanted to be an artist, but I lack talent. Therefor the pen is the only version of the brush that I can manipulate as a creator.
AP: What is your role at Bad Tiger?
DCG: I write The Skull, a bi-monthly strip, as well as the prose for The Black Kingdom. I’ve recently agreed to take on the role of Minister of Propaganda…or Marketing Director…or whatever you want to call the guy that advertises our junk.
AP: In our modern society, some would say that there’s nothing new or original anymore. What makes Bad Tiger stand out?
DCG: It’s a group of like-minded people that have a single goal: create awesome stories. We’re not doing this to get paid; we’re doing this because we love these characters and this genre. There’s a lot of work being put into this venture, and a lot of talent to recognize. This group is populated by people that are not only good enough to make it in the industry, but to an extent already are. We choose to take the time to build this initiative because we believe in it and want to get our stories told.
AP: What are your inspirations, influences for the work you do?
DCG: Jim Butcher is always on his game, and I would buy lunch for Mark Waid any day of the week. Jeffery Deaver can write a character out of any corner.
AP: What do you think appeals to the public about heroic/genre fiction and/or comic strips? Why will people come to Bad Tiger?
DCG: Bad Tiger Studios will quickly become a place fans recognize as a platform for creative talent, free of charge. We’ll toss incredible projects to the wall, see what sticks, and then turn them around for readers. The quality of the material is out of this world and the people interested in this genre will undoubtedly return after they get a sample of what we have to offer. These are the kinds of stories that people want to see, and we’re more than happy to offer them.
AP: Free response! Say whatever you’d like to about Bad Tiger, yourself, or the experience!
DCG: I’m flattered to be associated with such uniquely creative people. These people are putting in many long hours of work just to provide entertainment, and all they are asking for is a shot to be viewed.
All Pulp congratulates Al Bohl who won first place for best feature article “Tarzan: Lord of the Louisiana Jungle” at the New Orleans Press Club annual Journalism awards banquet. Al wrote the article for the Fall 2012 magazine of “Cultural Vistas.”
Al Bohl pictured with David Johnson, the Art Director who won first place for the layout and design of his article. Al accepted the award and gave the audience a RKO Johnny Weismuller Tarzan yell.
It’s Honey West and T.H.E Cat, in the first new Honey West novel in over 40 years, A Girl and Her Cat!
Following on the heels of the first ever Honey West & T.H.E Cat crossover comic, Moonstone’s “Death in the Desert,” comes the Honey West & T.H.E Cat novel, A Girl and Her Cat…
Cover art teaser! Initial concept sketch by the mighty Douglas Klauba!
When an exotic green-eyed Asian doctor hires Honey to recover a stolen sample of a new Rubella vaccine from a rival scientist, the blonde bombshell private eye—suspicious but bored—takes the case. But after she’s attacked not once, but twice, on her way from Long Beach to San Francisco to track down her quarry, she knows there’s more—much more—to her femme fatale client than meets the eye.
Along the way, Honey’s one-time paramour Johnny Doom—ex-bounty hunter and current Company agent—reenters the picture, and the gorgeous doctor’s insidious—and deadly—grandfather deals himself in. But when Honey questions whether Johnny’s playing her game, or just playing her for a patsy, she joins forces—as only Honey can—with the one man in Frisco who can help her recover the stolen vaccine-cum-bioweapon and prevent worldwide genocide by germ-warfare—former cat burglar-turned-bodyguard Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat: T.H.E Cat!
Join writers Win Scott Eckert and Matthew Baugh, and cover artist Douglas Klauba Artworks, for A Girl and Her Cat, a groovy, racy 1960s romp coming soon from Moonstone! (Stay tuned for ordering information!)
– Win Scott Eckert (The Green Hornet, The Avenger, Pat Wildman, The Domino Lady, Zorro, The Phantom, Sherlock Holmes, Wold Newton Origins, etc.) – Matthew Baugh (Zorro, The Avenger, The Green Hornet, Sherlock Holmes, Six-Guns Straight from Hell, The Phantom, the Cthulhu Mythos, etc.) – Douglas Klauba (The Phantom, Zorro, The Green Hornet, The Spider, Kolchak, The Black Terror, The Green Lama, Philip Marlowe, Doc Savage, etc.) – Moonstone: Classic & new heroes in thrilling tales of adventure, mystery, & horror!
In an interview at IGN that’s already raised many hackles and comments, the developer behind The Order: 1886 claims GameStop’s used games business model is hurting developers.
“Weerasuriya’s solution is simple: “I don’t think we should stop used games, but we should do something about getting part of the revenue back from GameStop and places like that. That’s not penalizing consumers; they’ll still get what they want.””
Small problem.
GameStop isn’t just going to “give” money to the companies. And I’ll go so far as to say that if they’re asked to, they’ll simply go out of business. If companies try and come up with some method to get said to get said money, Gamestop will not simply settle for less – they’ll raise the prices of their used games, which may well just get people to buy the new ones after all, which gets the developers what they want.
I think it’s safe to say their used games market is more profitable than their new one. They’ll sell thousands, millions of copies on day of release, but they make a lot more on the used ones they start selling two weeks later. Mainly because they pay outrageously low prices for them Oh, they might give you twenty or thirty dollars for a hot new game, but that’s credit – look at how much less you get if you ask for cash; more like ten ot fifteen. And that drops fast as time passes, far faster then the price they charge does. They they turn around and sell that copy for five bucks less then a new copy, less another ten percent if you’re a power member. So the used games make them a lot more money – no surprise they push you to buy the used end when you can. You save five bucks; they make an extra ten, easy.I’ve heard endless arguments about how developers are getting “shafted” by the used market. They argue that if everyone “had to” buy a used copy, they companies would do much better, and could even afford to lower their prices. Save argument – when’s the last time you ever saw a company voluntarily lower their prices cause they were “making enough money”? The only reason companies lower prices is when they aren’t making enough money. They lower prices to increase purchases, and “make it up on volume” as the cliche goes.
Books, records, CDs, DVDs, none of these have any limits on what you do with them once you’re done with them. And any attempt to TRY to do so is met with ridiculous (and justified) pushback. Anyone old enough to remember when DIVX was an actual machine, and not just a codec? Buyers are already very angry about the DRM, online codes, and all the other things companies added to their products right out of the gate. The famous users’ agreements you gleefully click all the time basically make you admit that you don’t own the program you just paid for – you bought a license to use the program, technically forever, but still rescindable by the publisher at any time. Luckily, that agreement is rarely enforced, but there’s nothing stopping them from doing so, save for the potential response of the public.
To a degree, the argument for buying used crosses the argument for pirating – “They’re trying to screw us out of too much money”. Used gamers just wait for the price to drop, or the used copies to appear, pirates go further and don’t pay at all. The end result is the same – the developer makes less money. Prices for new things (electronics, medicines, video games) are more expensive at first because the company is trying to make back the money it spent on its development, off what are called the “first adopters”. That money needs to be made back quickly, mainly so the company doesn’t go out of business, but more importantly, so they have money to invent the next cool thing. As the prices go down, the company makes less on each item, but by that time (presumably) it’s pure profit, save for the megligible cost of manufacture.
The rule is simple – when the list price of a new game drops, the company is making money. With a used copy, Gamestop makes the money. If you want to make sure the company benefits, buy a new copy on sale – GameStop paid the same amount for the game wholesale, they’re taking a hit on their side to get you in the store.
