In honor of the memory of Minck Oosterveer, who passed away last weekend, BOOM! Studios is offering all issues of Mark Waid and Oosterveer’s The Unknown and The Unknown: Devil Made Flesh for free through all their digital partners — comiXology, iVerse, Graphicly, and mydigitalcomics. It’s a very good story, albeit a bit weird reading it now, with its themes of life after death.

Take a look and see just what made this guy so good. Here’s a preview of the first ten pages of The Unknown:

Also, BOOM!’s Editor-in-Chief, Matt Gagnon, has written a stirring remembrance of Minck.

Welcome back to the Fishtopia, gentle readers. Once again, I’m refraining from dumping all over DC. I know, bold move. But boldness is what I’m known for. Boldness, being Jewish, and uhh… having a beard. I thought I’d tickle my fantasy bone today and open a door to a magic land. Come with me, won’t you? We open on a cool, crisp Chicago late afternoon. A chilly breeze blows through my thick beardly-locks. The lake air wafts past my nose, bringing with it the scents of a city. A hotdog dragged through the garden. Buttery deep dish pizza choked with cheese and sausage. Hipster-douchebags in knit caps, skinny jeans, and too much Old Spice. Ahhhh. I gaze longingly at the Lake. A lonely boat drifts in the distance. My iPhone rings. Oh! It’s Marvel calling.

Me: Hello?

Them: Marc-E-Marc! It’s Axel!

Me: The Axe-Man! What’s the happy haps?

Them: So we just have to get you on the payroll here. It’s been too long!

Me: I know, I know. What do you have in mind? Another Slingers mini? Maybe Matt and I can knock out that Darkhawk book we keep pitching to you?

Them: Oh no, bubbala. I got something better. Something you’ve been dying for.

Me: No.

Them: Oh… oh yes.

Me: Say it. I want to hear you say it.

Them: OK Fish. Malibu. It’s yours.

At this point my legs go a bit limp. I find a bench. All is right with the world.

It’s no secret. I loved Malibu Comics’ Ultraverse. I owned nearly every book they published. If a genie were to grant me three wishes… bringing them back is the first thing I’d ask for (after world peace and a carb and calorieless Mac and Cheese). For those who aren’t familiar, let me dial up the pop-tart sized Wikipedia entry for you to wolf down before we proceed.

In 1993, a small publisher, Malibu Comics, decided to put out a line of superhero books. Hey why not, everyone else was doing it! The “Ultraverse” as it were, was a fun romp not beleaguered by decades of history (like Marvel or DC), knee-deep in boobs and guns (Ahem, Image…), nor entrenched in wads of super-science and hyper-continuity (like Valiant). Malibu’s line was just about the fun. Characters with barely believable backstories fighting baddies with a wide array of appropriated super-powers. As a 12-year old, I ate it up like a church group at a Sunday buffet. Yeah, I went there.

Fast forward to the mid-nineties… and sales dropped. Turned out all those issues of the Death of Superman weren’t worth thousands, and people were getting tired of counting the flaps of Spawn’s cape in a book of 17 splash pages. Marvel picked up the ashes of the now unpopular Ultraverse, and laid them to rest after a failed crossover. Ever since, I’ve wanted to grab those dirty ashes and reanimate them to their former glory. Here’s how…

Keeping things to their own li’l separate universe would be key. Call me crazy, but usurping an entire universe and rewriting continuity just to force a few has-beens into a modern setting seems like the dumb kid trying to wedge the square into the circle hole. Sound like anyone you know? Nah, me neither. Anyone here reading Voodoo and Grifter yet? But I digress!

I would make a batch of four or five books, akin to Marvel’s successful (turned boring, turned Jeph Loeb nightmare, turned interesting again) Ultimate line. A solid solo adventure book. A sturdy team book. Something to explore the fantasy/sci-fi angle. Maybe a nice villain-centered book. And then? A book with Wolverine in it. Hey, even in my wildest dreams, I need to sell some books. Allow me to pontificate.

My solo book? Prime. Here’s a character that begs to brought back. Taking the original Captain Marvel concept (a boy who can transform into a 20/30 something super-man), but adding a pinch of angst… makes this a title to appeal to teens and not-teens alike. Billy Batson is gee-golly-gosh cool. Seriously. I loved Mike Kunkel’s Johnny DC title. But we ain’t talkin’ about Billy.

Prime’s alter-ego is (was) Kevin Green… troubled youth. With a chip on his shoulder and an attitude problem, he’s the quintessential anti-Batson. Where a Peter Parker or Clark Kent have that “boy next door” charm, and a happy demeanor in and out of costume… Kevin is at that perfect age where he knows all the answers, and still can’t get girls to dig him. But when danger is afoot, he activates his liquid flesh power, and becomes the hyper-muscular Prime. Unlike a Marvel or Captain America though… Prime is instinctively still a teenager. He’s quick to anger. Quick to fight. And he’s powerful enough that no one is going to tell him otherwise, by force or not. Add in some crazy scientist arch nemesis and robots to trash? Maybe a love triangle where Kevin has the hots for a teen girl in high school, and a seductive Super Heroine as Prime? The book practically writes itself! Will Kevin lose his virginity to the super-slut, or save himself for prom? And how can he fight the evil mutant army, when he still needs to clean his room!?

How about a team adventure? Well, look no further than The Strangers. When a group of seven random passengers aboard a San Francisco trolley get hit by sentient alien lightning, they are imbued with super powers. They must unite to fight a mysterious eighth citizen who’s bent on taking over the city! OK, simple pitch aside, what I loved about The Strangers back in the day still holds true now. The pure oddity of powers given matched with completely dissimilar character types makes a book that never stops being fun for fun’s sake. The team is led by an art school student with Firestorm level matter-altering powers (and he doesn’t have the restriction of needing to know how to convert matter a la Ronnie or Jason). His best friend, a hot-head with a Guy Gardner level chip on his shoulder, is constantly trying to steal the spotlight. There’s a street urchin who’s more interested in using his super speed to score and sell drugs. A fashion designer who could care less about her new powers… she’s got a business to run. And did I mention the team has a hooker-android with electrical powers that may be remotely controlled by a mad scientist? What wouldn’t this book have people?!

OK, one more before I go. Mantra. For the sword and sorcery set who dig a little gender bending to boot. A warrior cursed to live eternally is reborn once more, after a thousand years… but this time, in the body of a woman! Having to acclimate himself to a modern world he’s not ready for, in a body he can’t get used to! It’s a fish out of water, with boobs. Marvel at Mantra as she fights against evil modern-day warlocks and demons… while trying to get the hang of sports bras and depilatories. Sex and the City meets Dungeons and Dragons, folks. Come get some.

Of course, you can’t actually get some. Malibu’s contracts were coated in leagues of red tape and legal roadblocks. Marvel tried to unearth the Ultraverse in 2005, but it go no further than a wish on the wind. And while no one of importance cared… I cried that lone American-Indian-on-the-side-of-the-road tear. Normally, I’d figure out a nifty way to end my column. A nice summation told via a pun or a wicked barb aimed at a worthy foe.

But I’m too sad right now. So I’m just ending with a bitter plea. Someone out there give me a million dollars, so I can go make this happen. No? You’re a bunch of jerks!

SUNDAY: John Ostrander

NEWS. FLASH!!

FLASH GORDON : THE VENGEANCE OF MING COMING SEPTEMBER 2011
INVASION OF THE RED SWORD TPB – COMING THIS FALL 2011

With the next exciting Flash Gordon series on the launching pad (The Vengeance of Ming #1 – due September ’11), Ardden can also reveal that its Collected Edition of The Mercy Wars is almost out of print and due to go back to press this fall for the book market and with a brand new cover too!

The Mercy Wars has gained great reviews and critical acclaim and collects the hard to find issue zero and issues #1 to #6 of the mini series released in 2009. Written by Brendan Deneen with art by Paul Green, Flash Gordon: The Mercy Wars #1 sold a staggering 15,000 copies of its debut issue in July 2008 and since then fans have just loved Ardden’s twist on a the classic sci-fi hero.

The follow-up collected edition, The Invasion Of the Red Sword, is also written by Deneen by this time Eduardo Garcia provides the interior artwork, with colors by JOK and will be 160 pages with additional material and priced at $19.99.

Ardden has something planned for the New York Comic-con this fall for Flash fans – so make sure you’re they’re to “pick up” the excitement!

FLASH GORDON : THE INVASION OF THE RED SWORD #2 – OUT NOW!!
ISSUE #3 IN JULY!

Thank you everyone who have been emailing us about the next issue of Flash Gordon IOTRS… well, you’ll be pleased to know that issue #2 is out now, with issue #3 in stores very soon.

Both Brendan and yours truly would like to let you know that Flash will return with another series very soon and after IOTRS is wrapped up in August. We’re so pleased with the feedback we’re getting – and the fanbase we’ve built – that we’d love to keep it going for another 1000 issues, but Brendan has a definitive story that will end after 24 issues and as they say “all good things come to an end.”

We’d also like to thank you for the emails that amassed after another indie publisher announced that it too would be publishing Flash Gordon. We’re none too worried as we know that when we all look back in a few years we’ll all agree that Ardden’s Flash was the best one out there. They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery — and we tend to agree! :)

Moving on… we have lots planned. The last few months have been rather busy for us with several new indie signings, one of which has caught the eye of several international publishers and studios. But for now… Flash is our main goal and to make sure you love what we’re doing each and every month.

FLASH GORDON : INVASION OF THE RED SWORD #2
Writer: Brendan Deneen
Artist: Eduardo Garcia
Price: $3.99
Full Color

To learn more about Ardden Entertainment, please visit http://limited-edition-comix.com/atlas/index.htm

Coming in October from Dynamite Entertainment.

DARK SHADOWS #1

Price: $3.99
Shipping: October, 2011
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SKU: C725130179708
Rating: Teen +
Covers: Francesco Francavilla (50%), Aaron Campbell (50%)
Writer: Stuart Manning
Artist: Aaron Campbell
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages
Rights: WW
Age range: 16+
UPC: 725130179708
Television’s original reluctant vampire is back! Barnabas Collins is re-adjusting to life under his vampiric curse. Haunted by terrifying dreams of his age-old lover and nemesis, Angelique, and fighting his bloodlust, Barnabas fears that danger lies ahead for all who live at Collinwood. Meanwhile, Barnabas’ ally and trusted friend Dr. Julia Hoffman is harboring secrets of her own…

RED SONJA STATUE INSPIRED BY J. SCOTT CAMPBELL

SKU: C117134
This beautiful statue was inspired by the incredible Red Sonja artwork of J. Scott Campbell.
Tom and Joy Snyder sculpted, painted and painstakingly reviewed every detail of this statue under the watchful eye of J. Scott, creating one of the most compelling and beautiful Red Sonja statues of all time. Measuring approximately 8.5″ tall with a base 4″ long x 6″ wide, this magnificent piece shows that we created a piece that fans will appreciate for years to come
Price: $189.99
Shipping: October, 2011

WARLORD OF MARS 2012 CALENDAR

Price: $14.99
Shipping: October, 2011
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SKU: C117556
Publication Date: August 2011 (advance solicit for October 2011)
Dimensions: 12 x 12
Format: Wall Calendar
Page Count: 24 pgs
Caution Code: C:0-1-2
UPC: 725130175564
Start 2012 with a trip to Mars! This full color calendar features incredible art by J. Scott Campbell, ,Alex Ross, Joe Jusko, Paul Renaud, Arthur Adams, and Lucio Parrillo from the hit Warlord of Mars comic books. 2012 is the year of John Carter and his adventures on Mars!

KEVIN SMITH’S THE BIONIC MAN #3

Price: $3.99
Shipping: October, 2011
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SKU: C725130179753
Rating: Teen +
Covers: Alex Ross (main), Jonathan Lau (1-in-10)
Writer: Kevin Smith with Phil Hester
Artist: Jonathan Lau
Colorist: Ivan Nunes
Genre: Media Tie-In, Action Adventure
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages
Rights: WW
Age range: 16+
UPC: 725130179753
Colonel Steve Austin’s body is ruined, his spirit broken, the prospect of a future as a barely human cyborg haunting him as he hovers between life and death. Meanwhile, the demented cyborg Hull launches the first strike in his fanatical war against humanity! From the team that brought you Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet.

WARLORD OF MARS #13

Price: $3.99
Shipping: October, 2011
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SKU: C725130179852
Rating: Mature
Covers: Joe Jusko (50%), Stephen Sadowski (50%), Lucio Parrillo (1-in-15)
Writer: Arvid Nelson
Artist: Stephen Sadowski
Colorist: Adriano Lucas
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Super-Hero
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages
Rights: WW
Age range: 16+
UPC: 725130179852
John Carter returns to Mars to be with his beloved princess and the son he has never know – at least, that was his plan. He arrives on the Red Planet in a forest of horrors, a place he’s never seen before. Fortunately, an old friend joins him soon enough. Before Carter can look for answers about where he is, he’s going to have to do what he does best – kick a little ass. Well, more than a little! Warlord of Mars #13: A Forest Battle is the thrilling first installment of the Gods of Mars story arc, believed by some, including the writer of this very blurb, to be the finest of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars novels. You don’t want to miss it!

WARLORD OF MARS: DEJAH THORIS #8

Price: $3.99
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SKU: C725130179883
Rating: Mature
Covers: Paul Renaud (33%), Joe Jusko (33%), Ale Garza (33%)
Writer: Arvid Nelson
Artist: Carlos Rafael
Colorist: Carlos Lopez
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Super-Hero
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages
Rights: WW
Age range: 16+
UPC: 725130179883
Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, and Phondari, Pirate Queen of Mars, find themselves in the clutches of Phodari’s old master, Xen Brega. But before Xen was Phondari’s master, he was her slave. Phondari wasn’t the kindest of mistresses, and Xen’s looking for a little vengeance. He’s invited Phondari and Dejah to dinner… to be the main course! If Dejah and Phondari can escape the butcher’s knife, Dejah might just learn a thing or two about the mysterious coin she discovered, and why Phondari is so interested in it. Get ready for Dejah Thoris #8: The Hoard of Segotha!

WARLORD OF MARS: FALL OF BARSOOM #4

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SKU: C725130179913
Rating: Teen +
Covers: Joe Jusko (main), Francesco Francavilla (1-in-10)
Writer: Robert Place Napton
Artist: Roberto Castro
Genre: Action/Adventure
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages
Rights: WW
Age range: 16+
UPC: 725130179913
100,000 YEARS BEFORE THE TIME OF JOHN CARTER! A tribe of Red Martians attacks the Atmosphere Plant just as it’s about to go operational. Meanwhile, the savage Warhoon march on the last stronghold of the Orovar — the city of Horz–determined to wipe the White Martians from the face Mars. This is the penultimate chapter in the Fall of Barsoom!

GREEN HORNET #21

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SKU: C725130180018
Rating: Teen +
Covers: Brian Denham (33%), Phil Hester (33%), and Jonathan Lau (33%)
Writer: Ande Parks
Artist: Igor Vitorino
Colorist: Ivan Nunes
Genre: Super-Hero, Adventure
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages
Rights: WW
Age range: 16+
UPC: 725130180018
This stand alone story is jam packed with malevolent Mixed Martial Arts mayhem, as Green Hornet and Kato enter a cage match with the baddest men in Century City! Britt Reid and Mulan have decided to enjoy a nice, street clothes night out at the fights. When an old college buddy of Britt’s is seriously injured in the octagon, our heroes join the fray. Now, Green Hornet and Kato have to stay alive in a bloody cage match to the death against the very fighters they bought tickets to see.

ZORRO RIDES AGAIN #4 (OF 12)

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Rating: Teen +
Covers: Matt Wagner
Writer: Matt Wagner
Artist: Esteve Polls
Genre: Action/Adventure
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages
Rights: WW
Age range: 16+
UPC: 725130180025
Matt Wagner (MAGE, GRENDEL) continues the finale of his epic story of Zorro! How will Don Diego’s personal life affect Zorro’s continuing crusade against the alcalde of Los Angeles, Luis Quintero? Find out in ZORRO RIDES AGAIN #4!

RED SONJA #64

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SKU: C725130180049
Rating: Teen +
Covers: Walter Geovani (50%), Wagner Reis (50%)
Writer: Eric Trautmann
Artist: Walter Geovani
Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Adventure, Superhero
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages
Rights: WW
Age range: 16+
UPC: 725130180049
The She-Devil With A Sword has traveled from pastoral Shem to strife-torn Koth and now, into the dark heart of Stygia itself. Sonja’s quest: a lost weapon of terrifying power, and perhaps, some measure of atonement. But the sinister schemes of the Phaorah’s own witch, Azenathi, may only bring Red Sonja death.

QUEEN SONJA #24

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SKU: C725130180056
Rating: Teen +
Cover: Lucio Parrillo (50%), Adriano Batista (50%)
Writer: Luke Lieberman
Artist: Fritz Casas
Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Adventure
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages
Rights: WW
Age range: 16+
UPC: 725130180056
When finally the forces of Emora and Songoria meet in open battle, who lives and who dies? Can Queen Sonja stop the Emperor’s onslaught on Songoria from a hundred Leagues away? And once she sits on the Emperor’s throne, will she ever give it up?

THE LONE RANGER VOL 4: RESOLVE TPB

Price: $19.99
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SKU: C1606901184
Rating: Teen +
Cover: John Cassaday
Writer: Brett Matthews
Penciller/Inker: Sergio Cariello
Colorist: Marcelo Pinto
Genre: Western, Action Adventure
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: soft cover trade paperback
Page Count: 180+
The Ranger and Tonto head for their final confrontation with the villainy that is Butch Cavendish. Along the way, love is found, life is lost, and the Ranger learns the true meaning of “Resolve”.
Collects issues #17-25, along with a complete cover gallery by artist John Cassaday.
ISBN-10: 1-60690-118-4
ISBN-13: 978-1-60690-118-2

GREEN HORNET VOL 3: IDOLS TPB

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SKU: C1606902199
Rating: Teen +
Cover: Alex Ross
Writer: Phil Hester
Artist: Jonathan Lau
Colorist: Ivan Nunes
Genre: Superhero, Action Adventure
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: soft cover trade paperback
Page Count: 136
Picking up right where Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet left off! The Black Hornet is history, but a new, even deadlier threat has grown right in the heart of Century City, and it may already be too late for The Green Hornet and Kato to stop it. How can Green Hornet scare a street gang out of business when the gang members themselves have no fear of anything – even death? Is the horrifying power behind their fearless ferocity truly supernatural? And just who is Saint Death?
Collects issues #11-15 in one volume, along with complete cover gallery.
Introduction by Ande Parks
ISBN-10: 1-60690-219-9
ISBN-13: 978-1-60690-219-6

WARLORD OF MARS: DEJAH THORIS VOLUME 1 – THE COLOSSUS OF MARS TP

Price: $16.99
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SKU: C1606902458
Rating: Mature
Cover: Paul Renaud
Writer: Arvid Nelson
Artist: Carlos Rafael
Colorist: Carlos Lopez
Genre: Fantasy, Sci Fi, Action Adventure
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: soft cover trade paperback
Page Count: 128
Martians live forever – everyone knows that. So what was Dejah Thoris doing all those hundreds of years before John Carter arrived? Four hundred years before the events of Warlord of Mars took place, Dejah’s nation of Helium was divided into two warring city-states. An unscrupulous overlord from afar encouraged that rivalry to his own advantage, until he discovers a terrible secret from Mars’s ancient past beneath Dejah Thoris’ capital. A secret to kill for!
Collecting the first five issues of the hit series in one volume, with bonus material and a complete cover gallery from artists such as Art Adams, Joe Jusko, Paul Renaud, Sean Chen, and Ale Garza.
John Carter of Mars film in development from Pixar, set for a March 9, 2012 release in theaters worldwide.
ISBN-10: 1-60690-245-8
ISBN-13: 978-1-60690-245-5

SHERLOCK HOLMES: YEAR ONE TPB

Price: $19.99
Shipping: October, 2011
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SKU: C1606902172
Rating: Teen +
Cover: Francesco Francavilla
Writer: Scott Beatty
Artist: Daniel Indro
Genre: Mystery, Action Adventure
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: soft cover trade paperback
Page Count: 144
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s dauntless detective returns in an all-new series of adventures exploring the sleuth’s untold origins! Join Dr. John Watson as he meets young Sherlock Holmes in a fateful encounter that will forever shape both men’s destinies! Mysteries and murders most foul abound as we discover clues that reveal just how Holmes became the world’s most famous detective.
Collecting the 6-issue series in one volume, plus bonus material and a complete cover gallery timed to coincide with the new Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movie, A Game of Shadows, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law slated for theatrical release December 16, 2011!
ISBN-10: 1-60690-217-2
ISBN-13: 978-1-60690-217-2

WAREHOUSE 13 #3 (OF 5)

Price: $3.99
Shipping: October, 2011
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SKU: C725130179982
Rating: Teen +
Covers: Ben Morse (50%), Photo Cover (50%)
Writer: Marque Franklin-Williams & John-Paul Nickel
Artist: Ben Morse
Genre: Media Tie-In, Sci-Fi
Awards: N/A
Publication Date: Oct 2011
Format: Comic Book
Page Count: 32 pages
Rights: WW
Age range: 16+
UPC: 725130179982
When a series of strange murders in Japan pings the Warehouse team’s radar, Pete, Myka and Claudia journey to the Land of the Rising Sun to investigate. What they discover is a masked assassin who’s using an artifact to cut a swath of terror through the Japanese criminal underworld. In order to snag, bag and tag this deadly weapon, our heroes will have to protect the head of the Yakuza from becoming the killer’s next victim. Little do they realize the assassin is closer than they think! Written by WAREHOUSE 13’s Marque Franklin-Williams & John-Paul Nickel.

For a full listing of Dynamite’s October Release, visit them at http://www.dynamite.net/htmlfiles/previews.html?getMonth=October&getYear=2011

GRIOTS
Edited by Milton Davis & Charles Saunders
MV Media LLC.
284 pages

This reviewer has often made it known that he enjoys anthologies for two reasons; the first being the concept of similarly themed tales from various writers collected between two cover is just plain fun.  The second is the continued encouragement of the short story format. For many years academics were decrying the extinction of this form with the loss of so many monthly literary magazines and they were right to do so. But thanks to the emergence of genre themed anthologies, the short story has truly had a strong resurgence in popularity over the past decade.

Now comes this truly unique book which heralds the supposed creation of yet another fiction genre, that of “sword and soul.”  In the opening introduction, editors Davis and Saunders, both African Americans and leading writers in the field of fantasy adventure, detail a history of the genre first established by pulp writer Robert E. Howard when he invented sword and sorcery with his well known Conan adventures.  Whereas Saunders entered the field in the 1970s with the creation of his own barbaric warrior hero, Imaro and later Davis followed suit, each imbuing this fantasy sub-genre with what they believe is a clearly felt African sensibility.  Davis argues this is a new, original evolution of the well established sword and sorcery theme.  Are they correct, or simply trying to sell us something old with a new coat of paint?

As always, reviewing an anthology to determine its entertainment worth is pure mathematics.  You simply count how many stories are in the volume and then during the course of reading label those which are exceptional, those which are simply mediocre and those that are ineffective. At the end, whichever way the scales tip, you have your verdict.  GRIOTS, that’s French  for African storytellers, collects fourteen tales of exotic action and adventure all presented by African American writers.  Here are my favorite six in this collection.

“Changeling” by Carole McDonnell is my favorite of the bunch.  It tells the story of three sisters and their fates in a poignant tale of human emotions from the noble self-scarifying nature of true love to the petty ugliness of greed and jealousy.  Three princesses, each cast in a different mold confront the meanings of their lives and truth while resigning themselves to destiny proving the age old adage that a leopard can’t change its spots.  McDonnell is a gifted writer and she lays out her plot with an efficiency of words that mesmerize and paint images long remembered after the reading.

“The Three Faced One,” by Charles Saunders was no surprise as my second favorite here in that it is us another great tale of the wandering warrior, Imaro, the hero of several of Saunders’ novels.  This story finds Imaro coming to the aid of a tribe of cattle herders being taken abused by a three-faced demon.  Once more the powerful hero must pit his muscles against the forces of evil sorcery.  This is pure Imaro gold and worth the price of admission by itself.

“Skin Magic” by P.Djeli Clark is a gripping, original action piece about the victim of a dying sorcerer’s curse.  A young thief must live with moving tattoos etched his chest that are actual portals to other worlds and the monsters that live there.  How he comes to deal with this horrid fate is a very gripping and exciting entry. 

Whereas co-editor Milton Davis’s own “Captured Beauty” is the rollicking action tale of Changa, who despises slavery and risks his own position with his sympathetic employer to find a kidnapped maiden and rescue her from a cruel master who wields black magic.  

Another winner is “The Demon in the Wall,” by Stafford L.Battle featuring beautiful Makhulu and her warrior grandson Zende.  Together they must rescue their captured family from the demoness Swallow and her human ally, the rich and fat Fabu. Together they are an unbeatable combination of sorcery and strength.
In “The Queen, The Demon & The Mercenary,” by Ronald T. Jones, Queen Zara’s land is besieged by an evil demon warrior and her salvation lies in the hands of an enigmatic mercenary with a cocky air of self-confidence.

The above half dozen are extremely well done and highly recommended.  At the same time honorable mention goes to “Awakening” by Valjeanne Jeffers, “Lost Son” by Maurice Broaddus, “The General’s Daughter” by Anthony Kwamu and “The Leopard Walks Alone,” by Melvin Carter.

The remaining four failed to impress me and one was so convoluted in its prose, I re-read it twice and still couldn’t decipher what exactly was going in the story.  You may have a different opinion.  Still six truly well crafted adventures and four equally well told make GRIOTS a winning anthology unlike most of the fantasy found on today’s book shelves.  Is it really a new genre?  I leave that for you to decide, me, I just enjoyed the stories regardless of what anyone wishes to label them.

Review Postscript – I do have one final critique concerning GRIOTS, but as it does not concern its literary contents, I felt it best to set this issue apart from my main review.  Many readers do not give much attention to the accompanying artwork in such volumes but they are, at least to this reviewer, an integral part of the book’s overall presentation.  Following the tradition of classic pulp fiction, GRIOTS, besides its lovely cover painting, also showcases fourteen black and white interior illustrations, one for each of the stories. 

And therein is my frustration as the art is delivered by half a dozen artists.  At their basic core, anthologies are diverse stories all connected by a central theme.  Nothing helps cement that theme more than one artist bringing his or her talent to a book, giving it a visual cohesiveness that is crucial to the overall feel of the tome.  But when a reader is confronted by multiple art pieces done in a variety of styles with differing levels of quality that unifying thread is shattered. 

Consider this analogy if you will.  Imagine being invited to a fancy, hip hop dance with lively modern music.  You’re out on the dance floor have a grand time when suddenly you have to hold up because every new track being played has to be handled by a new D.J.  All too soon what was once a fun time is now a discordant mess.  A single, talented D.J. can clearly leave his or her personality imprint on such a party, a single illustrator for GRIOTS would have left the same kind of visual oneness.

I would strongly urge the editors to consider using only one interior artist for their follow up sequels.  And just so you do not think I’m anti artists, let me finish with saying I really liked the work of Stanley Weaver, John Jennings, Paul Davey and Shawn Alleyne found in this book.