Art by Julian Lopez

New Pulp Author Vito Delsante returns to Trip City’s Steel City Noir for another bite-sized pulp tale. Beauty Hides Her Way begins and ends as so many pulp tales do… with a woman.

(Based on Actual Events)

“I have to know. Why Pittsburgh?”

“What do you mean?” she asked. “Like, why did I choose Pittsburgh?”

“Yeah. Why here?” I stopped, raising my head off of the pillow slightly to look out of the open window.

There, on the horizon, thousands and thousands of lights that symbolized better futures and presents than the one I was in right now. “You could have gone to New York. LA. But…you’re here, in ‘Nowheresville.’”

“Oh, baby,” she said as her lips curled up into the smile of a killer, “I didn’t choose this city. The city didn’t choose me.” She grabbed the half-smoked cigarette from her bedside ashtray. She lit it again, the renewal of a promise made. She exhaled easy, like the smoke was a part of her and the air was the poison.

“Honey, this is as far as my money took me, and I decided to stop.” She laughed. She didn’t giggle, or snicker. She laughed like the joke was so obvious to everyone but me.

I wanted to hate her for that but it was far too late for any semblance of sentiment now.

Want to read more?
Of course you do.

You can read the rest of Steel City Noir: Beauty Hides Her Way here.

So it came to my attention by way of an amazingly nice lass that some forward thinking teacher-types are slowly coming around the bend. Yup, they are looking toward comic books, those evil things, as potential fodder for their classrooms. Gasp! And, as it would seem, this very nice girl asked me – little old me – to give my two cents on the matter. And because I love killing two birds with one stone, I figured this outta make a great li’l rant to share with you, my adoring public. Of course, I realize now I admitted to the glee I feel when I commit aviaricide. Well, there went my fan-base. Tally ho!

I know back in the olden days, comics were largely seen as kitchy wastes of ink and paper. Kids buried in them were potentially violent sociopaths just waiting to commit crimes of laziness. But by the time I was in school they were starting to be called graphic novels. Thanks in large part to the artsy works of Art Spiegelman, Joe Kuburt, and Will Eisner, the medium as a whole was slowly pulling itself out of the low-bro.

That being said, I was never assigned a graphic novel to read for a class. Nor was I able to select one for independent book reports or the like. Even within the realm of studio art classes I was nixed the ability to cite Alex Ross as a major influence without scoffs. But as Bob Dylan sings, “The times, they are a changin’.”

If I were to suggest opening up a classroom to comics, well, it’s a simple issue – do it. Comics are easily one of the best gateways to literacy I can think of. Truth be told, the first books our parents read us (and I’m reading to my own boy now) are gloriously illustrated. Dr. Seuss, a one-time newspaper comics guy, is just panel borders away from sharing shelf space with Daniel Clowes. In the earliest of classroom settings I’d start with the recognizable. Art Baltazar and Franco’s Tiny Titans is as accessible a comic as I know of. But more than just being kid friendly, the book is funny, bright, and charming. So much so that I was an avid reader of it long before I was even married, let alone a father. And because it uses semi-recognizable super hero sidekicks, it’s easy for kids to relate, and learn to read.

Tiny Titans aside, there’s always Jeff Smith’s tome of toonage, Bone. The long running series blends laughs, mysteries, and adventure. If kids can’t find something to love there? Well, then I’ll eat my hat. Come to think of it, I don’t own hats anymore. Note to self…

Beyond the early readers, the always-tough-to-please nine year olds (perhaps through 13 or 14?) are going to start dividing themselves. Girls have cooties. Boys are messy. The division of the sexes may make many a teacher feel like comic books will degrade into the capes and cowls for the boys and leave nothing for the girls. Nay, I say. Nay! Both the boys and girls can take heed that I myself grew to love comics at this tender age due to the long-running Archie series. And Archie, unlike his more heroic counterparts, seems to have found a way to stay with the times, without diverging into the too-real, too-gritty, or too-angsty. Consider also the Adventures of TinTin. Long before it was a computer-animated movie, it was a comic. A great comic. And don’t we all laugh a bit when we recount the Scrooge McDuck comics of yesteryear? That book was doing Inception long before Chris Nolan was firing up the vomit-comet to film anti-gravity fight scenes.

The real meat and potatoes for me though come right at adolescence. Here, our kids are primed to learn that comics are more than just good fun. The Pulitizer Prize-winning Maus (by the aforementioned Spiegelman), Jew Gangster (by the late and beyond-great Kubert), and A Contract With God (by Will Eisner) all help teach that the medium of comics transcends the super power set. And sure, they all hold quite a bit of Jewish lore to them… so allow me to expand beyond Judaica.

Mike Gold himself turned me on to Stagger Lee by Derek McCulloch and Kings in Disguise by Dan E. Burr. They are both amazing reads. And please, don’t get me wrong – comics at this tender age need not be without a twinge of the supernatural. Watchmen might as well be a high school freshman class in and of itself. Frank Miller’s Sin City and or 300 are far better on page than on screen, and on screen they were both pretty amazing.

And let’s not leave Marvel out of this. Kurt Busiek’s Marvels singlehandedly brought me out of a four year freeze of comic book reading. It’s insightful, and a beautiful take on super heroes from the human perspective. And I’ve little column space left to suggest even more here… Empire by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson, Astro City, Batman: Year One, Runaways and Y: The Last Man all spring to mind. But I digress.

Suffice to say, introducing comics to a literature program shouldn’t be that hard to tackle. The fact is the medium itself makes open discussion far easier to instigate. More work to enjoy than watching a movie, without the scariness of endless pages without something beyond words to look at means less barrier to entry. For those learning to read (or who have trouble with it) comics are a gateway drug to amazing new worlds. For those already well versed in literature, comics offer an endless string of independent authors bringing original takes on the world that combine their plots with art that tends to force us to stop and appreciate. Akin to indie films, comics at any age offer more than the commercial world. Thanks to a bit of knowledge gained at this year’s Harvey Awards (thank you, Ross Ritchie), I leave on this thought:

 “The French codified it well: they call it “The Ninth Art.” The first is architecture, the second sculpture. The third painting, the fourth dance, then there’s music, poetry, cinema, and television. And ninth is comic books.”

Now, the question is: if it is indeed the ninth art of our world, comics should not be considered for the classroom. They should be compulsory.

SUNDAY: John Ostrander

Summer’s singing its last karaoke and the flash mobs of Gangnam Style have come and gone for the nonce. But back-to-school, be ye student or mentor, doesn’t have to mean the fun’s over—just shifting gears. So let’s go to Tampa with Gina, BF Bobby, and her vamped-up posse for adventure #3 in Lucienne Diver’s [[[Fangtastic]]] (Flux, trade paperback, $9.95/$11.50 Canada, $3.44 Kindle, ages 12 & up, Jan. 2012). Wassup? A lot. Heat, humidity, steampunk geeks, government spooks gone…well…even more spooky, death, mayhem—and vampires, of course! Pretty much Buffy on X—so Diver maintains her signature style. The first in the series is still my fav, and I’m not feeling that Tampa plays a crucial role in this story (could be any hot city), but those are minor points in what is otherwise another successful outing full of chic twists and turns that keep things entertaining. I may not always agree on a few details of how she gets there, but I like where she’s taking the series. The focus here is the steampunk club scene full of wannabe vamps and the Feds assign Gina and her crew to infiltrate the true vamps who run the clubs behind-the-scenes so she can investigate a string of club kids murders—but who’re the real big bads? Gina’s really beginning to wonder and doesn’t like what she finds out along the way and she does something about it. This is Gina coming more into her vampy own and raising the stakes (pun sort of unintended…wink) and Diver doing some deeper world building with lots of bells-n-whistles, new minions, and the addition of some surprise superpowers—with which I’m not yet entirely on-board, but I’ll roll with it through next book. There is enough grit and wit in this installment to keep adults engaged, as well as plugged-in co-eds. So take a fabulous spin. And stay tuned for book #4, Fangtabulous, come January, just in time for winter break.

When you’re done clubbing with the kids in Tampa, how about a romantic trip to the beach, the spa—the police station with hot Detective Armani!—with a few gods and goddesses in LA? This is where Diver’s adult urban fantasy romance based upon mythical characters comes to life in [[[Bad Blood]]] (Samhain, $14 trade paperback, $7.96 Kindle, June 2012). And her typically sharp and snarky voice is in full evidence here, but darker than in her Vamped series and with a bit more romantic spice, and appropriately so for the mature audience this is aimed at—right between the eyes. Here we’ve got a freakshow family that is, literally, part circus and part PIs, and the newest working gal, since her Uncle Christos’ disappearance, Tori Karacis, is up to her eyeballs in murder, gore, silicon starlets, Circe, Apollo, Hermes, Hephaestus, mermen, perhaps even Zeus and Poseidon, and a whole lotta WTF?! It is Hollyweird, after all. Blood is thicker than muck, so it seems. And, of course, the bad guys cheat!  But I won’t serve up any spoilers save that this all adds up to impending California style DOOM! Let’s just say that the tale contains the typically hot tidbits of the tough gal’s softer side and her having to choose between two impossibly hot men who totally want her, of course (I did say fantasy) and who are competitive with each other, plus wacky grandma Yiayia over the phone—the only family member who actually makes a sort-of appearance besides quirky quotes at the head of each chapter, which is sort of disappointing. And you don’t really see much of Tori’s circus skills—hope that’s remedied in subsequent books in the series. Those complaints aside, it’s an amusing ride with all the romance tropes to keep those genre fans happy, enough who-done-it on the frothy side to keep the mystery fans engaged, and of course there are the supernaturals to hook the fantasy crowd – everyone’s invited to the party and the Tarrantino-level fantabulous ending! The entertainment? It’s all in the blood, natch! Crazy in the Blood ($4.24 Kindle…in print 2013)…next in the series.

Visit http://stamfordmuseum.org/upcoming-exhibit.html for details.

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center in Stamford, Connecticut has announced that it is hosting an exhibit called Flash Gordon and the Heroes of the Universe from September 22 – November 4, 2012.

About Flash Gordon and the Heroes of the Universe:
Flash Gordon and the Heroes of the Universe showcases artwork by two of the finest Flash Gordon illustrators, Alex Raymond and Al Williamson, as well as numerous other science fiction cartoonists. The artwork and memorabilia on display, representing space adventure creations from Buck Rogers to Star Wars, provides evidence of the significant impact that these heroes of the universe have had on American culture. Flash Gordon, which first appeared in 1934, was created by Alex Raymond (New Rochelle, 1909 – Stamford, 1956) and has impacted countless science fiction creators including George Lucas, director of “Star Wars.” Lucas claims, “Had it not been for Alex Raymond and Flash Gordon, there might not have been a Star Wars.”

One of the most influential artists in the history of his genre, Raymond is credited with having created “the visual standard by which all such comic strips would henceforth be measured.” The exhibition will also include original artwork by Al Williamson, who continued Raymond’s creation and put his own imprint on the way the character was drawn and presented. Writer and cartoonist Brian Walker, who served as curator for Fifty Years of Bailey Bailey at the Museum in 2001, is serving as the guest curator for this exhibition. He has been the curator of more than seventy exhibitions and is the author of numerous books on cartoon history.

Flash Gordon and the Heroes of the Universe is made possible, in part, by support from King Features Syndicate, A Unit of Hearst Corporation, as well as the annual support of Premier Partners: Aquarion Water Company, First County Bank and Purdue Pharma. The Stamford Museum & Nature Center would like to thank Cori Williamson, Peter Maresca, Jim Keefe, Bill Janocha, Steve Kammer, Bob Fujitani, Brian Walker and the Strong Museum for lending artwork and artifacts to this exhibition.

About the Stamford Museum & Nature Center:
Stamford Museum & Nature Center is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resource for the community, and a focal point for family activity and interaction, seeking to inspire creativity, foster self-discovery, and nurture an appreciation for lifelong learning through exhibitions, educational programs, and special events that enhance the visitor’s experience of our unique site.

Learn more about the Stamford Museum & Nature Center at http://stamfordmuseum.org.

If you stop by the exhibit, tell them All Pulp sent ya!

Shawn Ryan (THE SHIELD) is back on TV, and with what might be the most unique premise of the season. LAST RESORT is not your standard drama, and Shawn explains why plus Clint Eastwood & Amy Adams talk about making the first fun baseball movie in years, TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE and more on why DREDD 3-D will be exceeding most fan’s expectations.

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Top Shelf is having its annual $3 web sale. When you visit the site, you’ll find 170 graphic novels and comics on sale — with over 100 titles marked down to just $3 & $1! Shipping & handling is a flat fee regardless of how much you order, so load up and save big!

Head honcho Chris Satros said, “Each year we use these funds to help clear the decks on our current amazing releases, and ‘kick start a full rollout for next year.”

But here are a few sample sale items:

— Slashed Prices: The Underwater Welder, Lost Dogs, League 2009/1969, and more!
— Slashed Prices: From Hell, Blankets (HC&SC), Carnet de Voyage, and more!
— Slashed Prices: Wizzywig, Lovely Horrible Stuff, Any Empire, Clumsy, and more!
— Slashed Prices: Chester 5000, SuperF*ckers, Moving Pictures, and more!
— Slashed Prices: Alec, American Elf, The Ticking, Far Arden, and more!
— Slashed Prices: Owly, Korgi, Johnny Boo, Dragon Puncher, and more!

— $3 Titles: Ax, Lucille, Undeleted Scenes, and more!
— $3 Titles: Gingerbread Girl, The Homeland Directive, Liar’s Kiss, and more!
— $3 Titles: Incredible Change-Bots, Night Animals, Underwire, and more!
— $3 Titles: Voice of the Fire, The Playwright, Fingerprints, and more!
— $3 Titles: BB Wolf, Three Fingers, The Surrogates (V1&V2), and more!
— $3 Titles: Pirate Penguin, Okie Dokie Donuts, Pinky & Stinky, Yam, and more!

— $1 Titles: Sulk (Vols 1, 2, & 3), SuperF*ckers #1-#4, and more!
— $1 Titles: The Surrogates #1-#5, The Sketchbook Diaries #1-#4, and more!
— $1 Titles: Lower Regions, Feeble Attempts, Conversations #1 & #2, and more!
— $1 Titles: Comic Diorama, The Man Who Loved Breasts, Doublecross, and more!
— $1 Titles: Tales/Great Unspoken, Black Ghost Apple Factory, Dang!, and more!
— $1 Titles: Mephisto & The Empty Box, Hey Mister, Yearbook Stores, and more!
**Please note that Top Shelf accepts PayPal (as well as Visa, MasterCard, Amex, and Discover — all secure), and that this sale is good for retailers as well (and comic book shops will get their wholesale discount on top of these sale prices).