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HANCOCK AND HIS HAT GO INTO ‘THE BLEEDING HELLS’!

TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock
THE BLEEDING HELLS
by Barry Reese
Published by Wild Cat Books
2008

If you know New Pulp, then you probably know the work of author Barry Reese.  Even more likely you know the character Reese is best known for creating, THE ROOK, formerly with Wild Cat Books, coming soon from Pro Se Press.  Barry has made quite a name for himself by producing ROOK story after ROOK story, most of them collected in six total volumes with plans for three full novels to come over the next year or two. What you may not know about, though, is a little Reese gem that slides under most radars.  And not only is The Rook central to the story, but Reese with all his New Pulp skill and style reaches into the land of Classic Pulp and the Public Domain and adds a liberal dose of The Black Bat, Ascott Keane, and Doctor Satan into one bleeding helluva story that may be one of my favorite ROOK adventures.

THE BLEEDING HELLS focuses on The Knife of Elohim, a blade that is a major part of The Rook’s arsenal.  This blade, once bathed in the blood of Christ, is blessed with supernatural energy.  Within this story, it turns out there were four such blades and two criminals have decided to collect all four and open up a portal into The Bleeding Hells, essentially the worst version of Lucifer’s headquarters one could imagine.  It turns out that not only does The Rook have one of these knives, but The Black Bat has one and the infamous Dr. Satan has the other two.   The criminals of course end up getting hands on all four and our heroes…and yes, one incredibly evil villain…have to pool resources, set aside differences, and hope they can save the world, even if they already be too late.

THE BLEEDING HELLS is Reese’s ROOK  at its best.  The characterization of Max Davies shows not only an avenger of justice, but a man troubled enough by his own past to fight like heck to insure the safety of the future.  Reese goes to a whole other level, however, within this tale than just putting his best Rook forward.  Once again, Barry shows an excellent grasp of what’s come before and gives fantastic portrayals of THE BLACK BAT, ASCOTT KEANE, and a thoroughly chilling and enjoyable DOCTOR SATAN.  Other strengths shine through as well, including the pacing being dead on.  Barry builds the tension of the story well, even as he thrusts you immediately into the action.  Dialogue pops all the way through, from the smarminess of Satan to the back and forth charming dialogue between the various heroes’ sidekicks.  In all ways Reese, this is one of the best efforts I’ve yet to see and definitely makes me want to see this collection of heroes and villains once again…and even twice.

The only drawback to this volume and unfortunately it’s a significant one, is the editing.  It’s not that there’s a mistake on every page, but the misspelling and absence of words is enough that it proved distracting from the beginning to the end.  I thoroughly enjoyed THE BLEEDING HELLS, but I have also built up a tolerance to editing errors to a small degree.  Even with that, though, the editing or lack of it made THE BLEEDING HELLS a little more difficult to read than I would have liked.

FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-The editing is an issue for me, but to be honest, the story is just awesome enough to overcome it.

ALL PULP INTERVIEWS PULP ARTIST JOE JUSKO!

AP:  Joe, Welcome to ALL PULP.  First, tell us a little about yourself please, sir!
JJ: Thanks! I’ve been a professional illustrator since 1978 when I sold my first cover to Heavy Metal magazine at the age of 18. Since then I’ve worked for just about every major comic company producing everything from covers to posters, trading cards, and fully painted sequential stories.
AP:  You are involved in the FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN project coming up in FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND magazine.  How did you get to be a part of this adaptation?
JJ: Facebook is a wonderful thing! Martin Powell and I follow each other’s pages and realized we both had a love all things monster in common, particularly the old Universal Monsters films and Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. Martin contacted me to inquire as to my interest in painting the cover to his filmbook adaptation for FM and I jumped at the opportunity! I have wanted to see that Famous Monsters masthead over a piece of my art since childhood. I can’t believe after all these years it’s actually happened! Cross one more thing off of my bucket list!
AP:  The cover you’ve done for the magazine the adaptation will appear in looks fantastic.  Was there any particular scene or maybe even other influence you drew inspiration from for that cover?
JJ: Well, when you think of that film the (much too brief) climactic fight is invariably the first thing that comes to mind. If you were going to paint one image to represent the movie that would have to be it! I had seen it painted before but without the surging water from the exploded dam. That is such a dramatic element I knew from the very start I’d be including it in the painting. I had thoughts about showing the dam blowing up through a window but decided against it for compositional and narrative reasons. If you know he film you know where the water is coming from and if you don’t maybe you’ll want to find out.
AP:  As an artist, can you outline your process of creating a painting or drawing for a project?  Are there any steps you go through, any particular techniques you use each time?
JJ: Geez, that is such an involved answer. Actual steps vary from piece to piece but in general I first try to determine what scene will make the most effective and eye catching image for the cover. It’s my job to get the potential reader to pick up the magazine in the first place. Once I decide on a scene I’ll work up a quick layout or two to see if my idea will work. I very seldom do more that one or two because my instincts are pretty well honed by now and I pretty much feel my first idea is always my best. Ninety percent of the time, at least.  I’ll then send the sketch the editor/AD for approval and then proceed to the final art. I either photograph or gather the reference I’ll need for a particular job (in this case I scoured the internet and shot screen grabs from a DVD) and refine the initial idea before proceeding to paint. I work exclusively in quick drying acrylics which I find suits my temperament as I’m a very impatient painter and dislike waiting for stages to dry. I then scan the final art, clean it up in Photoshop and send it off to the client.
AP:  What appeals to you as an artist about the monsters like Frankenstein and the Wolfman?
JJ: For me it’s the nostalgia and visual interest of the films. I think the Universal Monster series had some of the most imaginative set design and atmospheric cinematography that gave them a very unique look and feel. Many have tried to emulate them but never really seem to come close. Jack Pierce’s make up also set the standard for how those creatures should look. When you think of Frankenstein you think of Boris Karloff, not Kiwi Kingston.
AP:  One question some might ask about this project is relevance.  Is this a project aimed at old fans of classic monster movies or is it a project that hopes to bring in new fans?  What role do you feel art plays in that?
JJ: Let’s face it, Famous Monsters has a fairly classic, older fan base. While I truly hope the revised magazine and the art will generate new interest among a younger demographic, based on how little interest my fiancee’s 18 year old son has in reading magazines of any kind, B&W movies or anything not digitally enhanced I’m not sure. I know that many of my friends who are painting covers for FM’s current incarnation are doing it for the coolness factor and some very fond childhood memories. We are just beside ourselves to be on the cover!
AP: Art plays a major role in Pulp Fiction, both historically and even in New Pulp work.  Do you consider yourself a pulp artist and if so, why?
JJ: In many ways I do, and I often lament the fact that I was not working in the 60’s when pulp art was so prevalent in paperbacks. I am the biggest fan of artists like Robert McGinnis, Bob Abbett, Robert Maquire and Mitchell Hooks (among many others). I would be content painting pulp and genre covers all the time. I’ve done a lot of superhero work over the years but my real love is pulpy, noirish material. All the Conan covers I’ve done as well as the Edgar Rice Burroughs work definitely falls into that category to be sure.
AP:  What other projects do you have in the works that might be of interest to our Pulpy audience?
 JJ: Harkening back to the previous question I’m actually producing a series of faux 60’s style paperback images for a proposed calendar, and Im having a blast! I’m also currently painting the monthly covers for Dynamite Entertainment’s adaptations of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom series. You can’t get much pulpier than that! I also may be illustrating the first two Tarzan novels for the 100th anniversary but that is still uncertain as of this time.
AP:  Joe, thanks for your time!
JJ: My pleasure!

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Pixar Reveals La Luna Details

  • Uncategorized
  • June 7, 2011

Pixar has announced details about the short, “La Luna” that will run prior to Cars 2 later this month. The story’s synopsis, according to a studio release:

La Luna is the timeless fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait.  A big surprise awaits the little boy as he discovers his family’s most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and timeworn traditions?

The story comes from director Enrico Casarosa, who is also Pixar’s Head of Story. (more…)

‘Super 8’ Clip

  • Uncategorized
  • June 7, 2011

J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg’s Super 8, opening later this month, is certainly starting to generate buzz. The early reviews confirm that the movie has a CE3K mixed with Stand By Me feel. Things blow up but that’s not what the movie is about (thankfully). Paramount Pictures just sent us the following clip for your perusal:

‘White Collar’ Season Two

  • Uncategorized
  • June 7, 2011

USA Network sells itself as a place with memorable characters, which they certainly do. When they don’t have a lot of money compared with prime time networks, they need to be challenged creatively and have delivered over the last few years a handful of series that are never less than entertaining to watch. Beginning with the wonderful [[[Monk]]], they set the template for engaging and quirky series set in a variety of settings (wherever they can shoot cheap and probably get a tax break) but it also means the shows have distinctive looks unlike the slick gloss found on the big five networks.

The high concepts aren’t all that different from what you find on the majors but the tone feels lighter and brighter, even when things get dire. By building the shows around the characters, you quickly get emotionally invested so when things happen to them, you cheer or cry or anxiously want to see what comes next.

A new quirk is that the seasons are broken up, with around half offered up over the summer, when we want lighter fare, and you get a cliffhanger until January, when the networks tend to avoid burning new episodes in the post-holiday fatigue period.  This way, we get fresh, fun fare with familiar characters as a nice bridge.

USA isn’t alone in this arena, but they started it and capitalized quite nicely adding show after show, with two new ones coming soon. Tonight, [[[White Collar]]] returns for its third season and today, the second season is available on a four-disc box set.  The show, for those unfamiliar, is largely a buddy story of a seemingly uptight FBI agent, Peter Burke (Tim DeKay), and the notorious forger and thief Neil Caffrey (Matt Bomer), whom he has captured twice and now uses as a consultant. (more…)

A ‘Fright Night’ Clip Surfaces

About the only reason we’re interested in the remake of Fright Night is because it features the current incarnation of Pavel Chekov and the previous version of The Doctor. The film, opening August 19, the same day as Spy Kids 4,  will hopefully be entertaining. We have a newly released clip for you to check out:

The DreamWorks release stars Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, David Tennant, Imogen Poots and Toni Collette and was directed by Craig Gillespie from a script by Marti Noxon (another reason we’re interested).

Senior Charlie Brewster (Anton Yelchin) finally has it all—he’s running with the popular crowd and dating the hottest girl in high school. In fact, he’s so cool he’s even dissing his best friend Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). But trouble arrives when an intriguing stranger Jerry (Colin Farrell) moves in next door. He seems like a great guy at first, but there’s something not quite right—and everyone, including Charlie’s mom (Toni Collette), doesn’t notice. After witnessing some very unusual activity, Charlie comes to an unmistakable conclusion: Jerry is a vampire preying on his neighborhood. Unable to convince anyone that he’s telling the truth, Charlie has to find a way to get rid of the monster himself in this Craig Gillespie-helmed revamp of the comedy-horror classic.

‘Spy Kids 4’ Trailer Debuts

On August 19, Robert Rodriguez takes his [[[Spy Kids]]] on a fourth mission, All the Time in the World.

The film’s synopsis:
On the surface, Marissa Cortez Wilson (Jessica Alba) has it all…married to a famous spy hunting television reporter, a new baby and intelligent twin step kids.  But in reality, trying to mother Rebecca (Rowan Blanchard) and Cecil (Mason Cook), who clearly don’t want her around, is her toughest challenge yet.  Also, her husband, Wilbur (Joel McHale), wouldn’t know a spy if he lived with one which is exactly the case – Marissa’s a retired secret agent.
Marissa’s world is turned upside down when the maniacal Timekeeper (Jeremy Piven) threatens to take over the planet and she’s called back into action by the head of OSS, home of the greatest spies and where the now-defunct Spy Kids division was created.  With Armageddon quickly approaching, Rebecca and Cecil are thrust into action when they learn their boring stepmom was once a top agent and now the world’s most competitive ten year olds are forced to put their bickering aside and rely on their wits.  With a little help from a couple of very familiar Spy Kids, Carmen (Alexa Vega) and Juni Cortez (Daryl Sabara), and some mind-blowing gadgets, they just may be able to save the world and possibly bring their family together while they’re at it.

The cast includes Jessica Alba, Joel McHale, Jeremy Piven,  Ricky Gervais, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara,  Rowan Blanchard, Mason Cook, Danny Trejo,  and Antonio Banderas.

Superman The Complete Anthology

It’s interesting to watch how time and again, writers, artists, moviemakers, and studio executives struggle to find ways to adapt the very first comic book super-hero. Superman was something readers (and rival publishers) had never seen before, and he served as the template for the heroic fantasy that followed these last seven decades. When you have powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men, you need visionaries to bring the character from the printed page to other media. Robert Maxwell figured out how to do that with the popular radio serial. In fact, Maxwell came up with various characters and concepts that seeped into the comics, a symbiosis that made both stronger.

I was given to considering Superman in his many forms when the eight-disc Superman The Complete Anthology Blu-ray set arrived for review. Warner Home Video has taken all the previous versions and spruced them up a bit, added some new features, and placed them in a handsome box. Despite the uneven content, this is a must-have for fans.

When the Fleischer brothers got a chance to animate the Man of Steel, they set the standard that all other animators have emulated or strived to match. It certainly raised the bar when Superman came to the movie serials, with Kirk Allyn looking the part but the low budget and low-tech kept his feats to the above-average, not super-human. Things got somewhat better with the George Reeve television series of the 1950s, imprinting the archetype on two generations of television watchers and comics readers. Again, Maxwell receives credit for his serious translation to the half hour demands of syndicated television before he left and it got dumbed down in subsequent seasons. (more…)

NTD AND PULP LEGEND ANNOUNCE ‘PULP ECHOES!’

From Tom Johnson

Coming Soon From Tom Johnson And NTD!

PULP ECHOES presents seven new stories in the pulp tradition, both new and original characters: The Bat returns in “Blind As A Bat,” The Crimson Clown returns in “The Crimson Clown – Killer,” and Nibs Holloway battles Dr. Death in “Till Death Do Us Part.” The Black Ghost is back in “Carnival of Death,” Captain Anthony Adventure in “Terror In The North Country,” The Black Cat in “A Cat Among Dogs,” and Senora Scorpion in “Senora Scorpion.”
Tom Johnson

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