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PEEK INSIDE LOVECRAFT’S HAUNTED HEAD!

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  • August 4, 2011
HP Lovecraft left a lot behind when he took his final steps into the audient void, including his by now infamous COMMONPLACE BOOK-filled with jotted notes, story ideas and the nascent germs of hideous plots and barely comprehensible imaginings, it’s also free to read from a variety of online sources, including wired.com. If you’ve ever wanted to get a peek into the head of the Weird Pilgrim from Providence, this is a safe bet…and who knows, it might just spark an idea or three in those of you thinking of following in Old Grandpa’s footsteps…

WHAT TIME IS IT? GREMLIN TIME!

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  • August 4, 2011
KBOO community radio out of Portland, Oregon is a pulp-lover’s dream, with their GREMLIN TIME radio show. Host Matthew Clark lines up a number of pulp-tastic post-mortem perambulations through the exciting worlds of authors such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert E. Howard and Rafael Sabatini! Featuring radio productions of stories such as “Pigeons From Hell” and “The Man With The Twisted Lip”, “It” and many more, for free to download or listen to online at http://kboo.fm/GremlinTime!

NEW REVIEW COLUMN AT ALL PULP- PULP CLASSIC!

  • News
  • August 4, 2011

PULP CLASSIC- Reviews by Joshua Pantalleresco
TARZAN OF THE APES by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Ask me to pick my all time Edgar Rice Burroughs creation, and I think most people would say John Carter.  To me, however, Tarzan was Burroughs at his most refined.  There is a level of sophistication in Tarzan that is unsurpassed with any other of Burroughs’ characters.  In fact, I’ll go so far to say that Tarzan of The Apes is probably Edgar Rice Burroughs’ most complex book in terms of character development, as the Tarzan that starts the novel is not the Tarzan that finishes it.  Part origin, part coming of age and part adventure,  I’m amazed with just how layered Tarzan really was, and it makes me realize just why this character is still so popular to this day.

Tarzan of the Apes begins with his parents arriving in to the harsh unforgiving jungle.  Alice and Clayton battle the jungle valiantly, yet ultimately succumb to the harsh terrain, leaving baby Tarzan alone in the jungle, where he is eventually adopted by apes.  The first half of the book is about Tarzan growing up in this environment.  This stuff is among my favorite writing of Burroughs period.  From covering the harsh realities of the jungle, to Tarzan discovering how to use tools, Burroughs does a great job separating Tarzan from a conventional savage and was able to show that Tarzan had a lot of cunning, reason and a little bit of a sense of humor.

One of my favorite scenes is Tarzan discovering his parent’s house and discovering the books in the library.   The fact that he spends his time learning how to read astounded me when I first read it as a kid and still astounds me now.  The thing I tend to hate with Tarzan in most of the television shows is that they make him out to be an above average ape man and nothing more.  I can’t think of anything cooler than the fact that he used a children’s book to teach himself how to read in English.  That’s an incredible feat and I’ve always thought that always having him be the simple ape man he is in most movies and television shows takes away a real important aspect of his character – his desire to become more than he is.

tarzanapes-6184294This facet of him is presented best when Jane enters the story.  He sees her and feels an instant attraction.  He starts communicating with her with the English he learns through letters.  He is sprung into action when one of his local enemies captures Jane, which leads to Tarzan rescuing her.  When he attempts to woo her with a very simplistic approach and is rebuked, he takes the first steps into becoming the gentleman English lord he is descended from.  When she leaves, Tarzan seeks her out, learning more how to communicate, act like a man, and all the while making some acute observations about the ways of men he doesn’t approve of.

In the end, he saves Jane from a marriage that would have made her miserable, yet doesn’t walk away with the girl.  All in all, it left me wanting more, just like it did when I first picked up the book years ago.   Tarzan is everything you want in a great story.  Despite the savage setting, there is something we can all relate to in Tarzan in this first book.  It’s one of my favorites.  I can’t recommend it enough.  It’s a solid five out of five stars.

GUEST REVIEW-DAMBALLA MAKES HISTORY AGAIN!

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  • August 4, 2011
Charles Saunders Makes History—Again!

A review of Damballa, by Charles Saunders.

Guest reviewer Joe Bonadonna
air-37-4757295Charles Saunders created Imaro, the first black sword and sorcery hero, over 30 years ago. He made history with that one, folks. Now, with his new novel, Damballa, Saunders has once again made history—giving us the first black crime-fighting superhero in pulp fiction. But this novel is a lot more than an action-adventure story. This one is set in the world of boxing, in 1938 Harlem. It’s film noir and hard-boiled detective, with a wonderful cast of characters. Filled with Nazis, gangsters and jazz, cultural insight, plenty of atmosphere, and a serious subtext dealing with bigotry and racism, this action-packed novel climaxes in one blistering boxing match, and an ending that is both justice served, as well as emotionally satisfying. Saunders knows how to write, how to tell a story and fill it with twists and surprises, and he is an authority on boxing. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes a great story with characters who live and breathe. You won’t be disappointed. I guarantee it.

—Joe Bonadonna, author of Mad Shadows: The Weird Tales of Dorgo the Dowser

Blu-ray Releases Of “Big Lebowski”, “Scarface” Gain Special Theaterical Screenings

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  • August 4, 2011

the-big-lebowski-blu-ray_0711-6838597Some eagerly anticipated Blu-ray debuts are making noise by hosting limited screenings in theaters. First up is the Coen Brothers’ now classic The Big Lebowski. The DVD comes out on August 16 and that day there will be a screening at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. that will include a special Q & A with Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore and T Bone Burnett, as well as a screening of the film and other festivities. Not only will the Blu-ray be out that day but it also is the debut of Jeff Bridges’ self-titled album.

Tickets are now on sale on Ticketmaster. 

A few weeks later, on August 31, Universal Studios will release their Al Pacino hit, Scarface, for a one night run at more than 475 theaters across the country. The showing will be a t7:30 local time from coast to coast and is being presented by NCM Fathom and Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Fans who attend this special event will also get an exclusive look at a 20-minute special feature that showcases interviews with popular filmmakers and talent expressing how this epic feature redefined the gangster genre, leaving an enduring influence on cinema.

Tickets for the Scarface Special Event are available at participating theater box offices and online. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom website (theaters and participants are subject to change). The Scarface Special Event will appear in more than 475 select movie theaters across the country via the new digital cinema projection systems.

The newly restored print will make its appearance on disc September 6. For a limited time only, the Scarface Special Limited Edition Blu-ray comes with collectible SteelBookTM packaging, 10 exclusive art cards, a digital copy of the film and a DVD of the original 1932 Scarface.

DENNIS O’NEIL: Green Is The Color Of My Lantern

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  • August 4, 2011

oneil-art-110804-8765644Now let’s see – where were we? Last time we decided that parallel evolution caused a duplicate David Niven… well, almost duplicate; there is the matter of that magenta complexion… a duplicate David Niven to evolve on the planet Korugar, because parallel evolution will have its way and Sinestro’s mom was so smitten with the magenta Dave’s moustache that she insisted her son grow a similar one. Or something like that. (And from here, Freudians can have their field day.)

Let’s call the moustache question settled, even if it isn’t.

Just two more items on the Green Lantern movie agenda and we can tuck it into our memory banks, at least until the sequel appears.

First, the Guardians. I dimly remember that when I was writing the Green Lantern comic book, I had the tiniest bit of a niggle over the Guardians. I mean, these aren’t just any lower case-g guardians…these are the big, honkin’ Guardians Of The Universe. The wisest, smartest, most advanced beings in the…well – in the Universe! And yet – look at them! Little blue fellas in red night shirts. Stately? Majestic? Not a bit of it. They look like first cousins to Smurfs.

Okay, I know, I know…maybe the most powerful being in the universe, if such exists, is the size of a microbe and looks like Elmer Fudd. I’m a fan of Mr. Mind, the criminal genius who bedeviled Captain Marvel and who, when his identity was finally revealed, proved to be a worm. But aren’t we allowed a bit of imagination here? Can’t our Guardians resemble something we can relate to when we’re thinking ageless galactic savants?

Here, we must offer kudos to the Green Lantern film makers. Without changing the basic design of the Guardians – still little blue guys in red gowns – they art-directed a certain gloominess and gravitas into the fellas and, if my aging eyes did their job properly, at least one gal, and these worked for the characters and the narrative. Watching the film Guardians, I had one of those uncomfortable why didn’t we think of this moments.

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Marvel Partners with Williams-Sonoma

  • News
  • August 3, 2011

In the what won’t thiey think of next department, we just received this release about Kitchen ware. Yes, when you’re ready to get back to baking as the summer heat fades, you can decorate your fall cupcakes for school with Marvel heroes. Interestingly, as seen in the graphic, classic Marvel Age artwork is being used, clearly appealing to an older demographic.

New York, NY, August 3, 2011 – Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a global character-based entertainment licensing company, and Williams-Sonoma, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands, today announced the launch of an exclusive collection of Super Hero kitchen and bakeware merchandise exclusively sold at Williams-Sonoma. Designed exclusively for the retailer, the products include renowned Super Heroes from the Marvel Universe including Spider-Man, Hulk, Captain America and Iron Man.  Featuring retro character art and graphics, the Williams-Sonoma collection captures the charm and artistry of the original Marvel Comics.

The program launches with an array of bakeware and kitchen essentials including Cookie Cutters, Pancake Molds, Adult and Child Aprons, Spatulas and Iced Cookies.  Product will be available at all Williams-Sonoma stores in the U.S. and Canada, and also via catalog and online at www.williams-sonoma.com/.

“Building upon our incredibly successful relationship with Williams-Sonoma Inc., we are excited to launch a great new line of merchandise at Williams-Sonoma stores, bringing the Marvel brand to another audience and product segment,” said Paul Gitter, President of Consumer Products for North America, Marvel Entertainment. “We are working with Williams-Sonoma on helping kids and adults spend time together in the kitchen.

DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES SEQUENTIAL PULP IMPRINT!

  • News
  • August 3, 2011

Sequential Pulp Comics Launch in September

           
pulp-5839984Sequential Pulp Comics, a highly anticipated new graphic-novel line distributed by Dark Horse, will launch in September!
This new line will bring to life works of classic literature, 1950s paperbacks, and other stories. The series comes out of the gates with Victor Hugo’s classic literary work The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a forty-four-page graphic novella that marks Tim Conrad’s first new work in twenty years!
“Michael and I share a love for great stories, no matter where they come from. I grew up with these great works of science fiction, adventure, the supernatural, and crime noir,” said Dark Horse president Mike Richardson. “I can’t wait to see how Michael and his talented teams of artists and writers will breathe new life into them in this exciting new series of graphic novels.”
“We intend to simplify matters by foregoing single-issue comics, at least at first, and going straight to the graphic novel. In doing this we reach all markets including digital at the same time, and I believe the modern comics audience is hungry for complete stories,” said Sequential Pulp president Michael Hudson. “Our goal is to tell great stories and accentuate them with excellent art.” He concluded by saying, “Mike Richardson is a personal mentor and his vision has been one of greatness for Dark Horse for twenty-five years. I like surrounding myself with successful people, and with his help I know this can be a success.”
With titles scheduled into 2013, this new line is sure to please modern comics fans, as well as others who remember these classic works of fiction. Other upcoming titles include Dick Briefer and Mary Shelley’s The Monster of Frankenstein, Harry Whittington’s noir masterpiece A Night for Screaming, and many others.

Fortier takes on CONAN THE BARBARIAN and Survives!!!

  • News
  • August 3, 2011
ALL PULP REVIEWS-Book Reviews by Ron Fortier

CONAN THE BARBARIAN

By Michael Stackpole

Berkeley Boulevard

Movie Tie-In

292 pages

It appears you just can’t keep a good barbarian down.  Conan the Barbarian is a hero and well known iconic figure in American fantasy. He was created by writer Robert E.Howard in 1932 via a series of fantasy stories sold to Weird Tales Magazine.  Howard was born and raised in Texas and spent most of his life in the town of Cross Plains.  As a boy he dreamed of becoming a writer of adventure fiction but was not successful until the age of twenty-three.

Howard’s Conan is a character whose literary imprint has been compared to such fiction greats as Tarzan, Count Dracula, Sherlock Holmes and James Bond.  With Conan, Howard created the genre known as sword and sorcery, inspiring a legion of imitators and giving him an influence in the fantasy field rivaled only by J.R.R. Tolkein.  On the eve of publishing his first novel, he committed suicide at the age of thirty. That he remains a highly read author, with his best works continuously reprinted speaks volumes for his place in the ranks of American masters.

As for Conan, he has appeared in hundreds of licensed paperbacks, Marvel comics, films, television programs, video games, roleplaying games, and even a board game.  In 1982 he came to big screen portrayed by bodybuilding champion turned actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger who recreated the role in the sequel several years later.  Producer John Milius had planned a trilogy, but the proposed third film, Conan the Conqueror was never produced.  Now, almost three decades later, the famous Cimmerian warrior from the mythological Hyborian age once again comes to the silver screen in a brand new production from Millenium Films, Lionsgate, and Paradox Entertainment.  And to promote what they hope will be a huge summer blockbuster, their marketing department commissioned a novelization of the screenplay by Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer and Sean Hood.  The writer given the job was Michael Stackpole.

Many book lovers detest such novelizations believing them to be mere carbon copy retellings form the screenplays with nothing new to offer readers who plan on seeing the movie. In many cases, that is exactly all they get. On the other hand, when such a task is given to a true fan of the material, then what results is something much deeper and more complete than the screen treatment.  Stackpole is a gifted professional who clearly knows Conan and his original exploits as chronicled by Howard.  He not only tells the story laid out by the screenplay, but at the same time enriches it scene upon scene with authentic references to the Conan canon which totally elevates the narrative beyond being a mere reflection of the movie.

Born on a battlefield, young Conan grows up amongst the mountain people of Cimmeria and is taught to be a warrior from the day he can hold and wield a sword.  But as he matures, his father relates how his unique birth is regarded by seers as a powerful portent of the fate that awaits Conan. Not only will he be a great fighter amongst his people, but there are signs that he will one day be known throughout the civilized nations as mighty hero of unrivaled strength and daring.

As always, we have to assume that there will be people picking up this book who have absolutely no idea of who Conan is or Robert E.Howard, but have seen the trailers for the movie and are curious about it. For them, this is as good an introduction to Conan as any other that has come along in the past thirty years.  The book is fun and does its job well; it makes you want to go see the film.  So please, save me the aisle seat.

MIKE GOLD: “Fly” – A Whole Different Type of Super

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  • August 3, 2011

When it comes to reviewing individual comics, I’d rather shed attention on stuff produced by smaller publishers; Marvel and DC get enough ink. Besides, it’s more fun to mock their trends than it is to analyze their product. I’d rather focus attention on really good stuff from smaller publishers you might not have heard of than really bad stuff of which you might not have heard.

Many comics shops do not have the resources to really back these titles. They’ve already bet the rent (literally) on the latest megacrossover stunts from the big lugs. Fine – so you may have to poke around a bit to find my recommendations. Hey, I grew up with the thrill of the comics hunt; welcome to my past.

So when am I going to get around to the damn review? Glad you asked.

There’s an operation out in Pennsylvania called Zenescope Entertainment. They’re best known for their sundry Grimm Fairy Tales comics and other horror-oriented stuff like Charmed, but today I’m going to wax on about a different type of horror – the horror of drug addition.

Zenescope reveals the high-concept of their new series, Fly, a mere two issues old: “What if there was a drug that gave you the power to fly? How far would you go to possess it and who would you hurt to get your next fix?” Okay, that sounds interesting.

There’s a real story here, and that’s something we don’t see very often these days. Writer Raven Gregory (The Gift, The Waking) establishes believable characters with whom the reader can identify. The premise is simple, but the execution is deep. The good kid gets in over his head. He loves to fly even though he’s having his issues adjusting. He just begins to realize the stuff that gives him this ability is fast acting and fast addicting. And he doesn’t know what to do about that.

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