[[[Pilot & Huxley: The First Adventure
]]]By Dan McGuinness Scholastic/Graphix, 64 pages, $7.99
Australian cartoonist Dan McGuinness could draw from childhood but it wasn’t until he began working for a comic shop and a skateboard company that he began parodying is friends and life in a series of sketchbooks. Out of these doodles and daydreams evolved best friends Pilot and Huxley who are everykids, prone to take risks, obsessed with the gross, and dedicated to a life of videogame playing. When they’re late returning [[[Alien vs. Terminator vs. Predator vs. Robocop vs. Jim Carry]]] to the store, panicked aliens send the Grim Reaper to collect it since that copy contained the secret password to activate their secret weapon.
And so begins the fast-paced, uproariously silly antics of the two boys, whisked far from home and seeking a way back without letting the aliens conquer their homeworld. The new series is coming out in rapid fashion with book three scheduled for release in a matter of weeks. The colorful pages are filled with the outrageous and the gross as the boys need to obtain the golden nose hair from a Mountain Giant or duck blasts from a snot gun. The boys sound like boys on the cusp of adolescence and McGuinness does a nice job with different character voices.
Not everyone is out to kill them as they met Brett, a girl who can also turn into a giant pink beast. And then there’s Tuppence McFrilly, who the boys freed from a monster. The pirate boy had been trapped for 40 years without aging a day and also has the odd ability to transform himself in an armored tank – just what they need for protection.
Younger readers will love the slime and snot along with the absurdist approach the subject matter. The alien environments and threats are far from scary since the danger is tempered with doses of a wacky humor (the Grim Reaper pursues the boys but has to take the bus).
While the main threat is ended as the book ends, the boys’ attempt to return home hits a snag so they, and Brett, find themselves in yet another absurd environment, leading readers to the second volume.
This is fresh and fun and ideal for the younger readers. McGuinness is off to a strong start and based on the positive reviews this series is already receiving; it’s likely these boys will be having many more adventures in the years to come.
AP: Don, welcome to ALL PULP! First, can you tell us about yourself, some personal background?
DT: I was born in a small town in Tennessee, and my father was in the Air Force so we tended to move around a lot. Then my mom divorced him and married another guy that had a job where we moved around even more. And my older brother and I just got used to finding the closest library in the area we were in and reading as many of their books as they had to offer.
AP: As a writer, what influences have affected your style and interests the most over the years? Do you have a particular genre/type of story you prefer to write?
DT: This last year there seems to have been a serious clash of ideologies in America, and for that matter the ideologies of America clashing with the rest of the world. It’s like that old song “Something’s happening here.” Lots of tension and no one really knows what the final result will be.
I have always enjoyed Fantasy, as it was influenced by older legends and mythology. And my first love as far as what genre to write was Horror, and from time to time I like to go back to it. So I would say that both would be at the top of my list as far as the type of story I like to write. But with that said, I do enjoy tackling a genre or style that I’ve never done before, and one day I’ll eventually write a lowbrow slapstick comedic story, mainly because I haven’t as of yet.
AP: What about genres that make you uncomfortable? What areas within pulp are a little bit intimidating for you as an author?
DT: Not really one to get uncomfortable when it comes to genres. There’s some that I just haven’t done as much as others, and one is prone to be more comfortable writing in the genres that they are used to. And as far as my pulp writing I would probably have to say that Science Fiction oriented pulp is a little bit intimidating because I was such a fan of all the old 30’s to 50’s pulp Science Fiction writing that was done back then. And to me it just seems that those guys back then raised the bar pretty high.
AP: Are you a pulp fan? If so, how has that affected you as a writer of pulps. If you aren’t a longtime fan, then why pulp?
DT: Oh yeah I would say that I’m a pulp fan, and throughout my life I have run through several different styles and genres of pulp. And the majority of it has been very enjoyable to me. And as a writer it has a “in the trenches” feel to it, very dramatic with a quicker pace than the standard type of story from beginning to end.
AP: What do you think you bring to pulp fiction as a writer?
DT: I’m a storyteller, and have been all my life. If I’d been born in an earlier age before computers or even books for that matter, I would have been the guy sitting by the campfire keeping everyone else entertained with a good story. And that’s another thing, to me a good story is exactly that, it captures the interest of the reader, instilling in them a want to get to the next page to find out what happens next. So when I’m writing I like to keep that in mind.
AP: Your work has been published recently with PRO SE PRODUCTIONS in their various magazines. Can you tell a bit about THE BROTHERS JADE three part novella as well as MURDER IN THE GHETTO OF TRENTONIUM.
DT: THE BROTHERS JADE is a Fantasy story involving the beginning of the quest for the Drink of the Gods. And the drink is a magical brew that imbues upon the drinker immortality and possibly godhood. They are the ones foretold about in the sacred Prophecies of Michael Crucible. Earlier Michael Crucible, the greatest god of good in the world of Mythas sacrificed himself to finally defeat the Great Enemy, “He who should not be named”. And both were undone by that sacrifice, resulting in a major power vacuum on the world stage, especially when it comes to the forces of good.
But luckily Michael Crucible left a series of prophecies that predicted that a group of adventurers that would come. And they would be charged with the responsibility of not only achieving the fabled Drink of the Gods, but also restoring the overall balance of power.
And if THE BROTHERS JADE is the story that deals with important events going on worldwide throughout all of Mythas, then the characters and setting of MURDER IN THE GHETTO OF TRENTONIUM is more of a different more localized story. It is more about the smaller picture in one particular city, and although it to is a Fantasy story, I would say that it is the more mundane of the two. Gim Bolt and Mohrian the Wizard are crime investigators for the city of Trentonium, and their specialty is going after murderous individuals whose crimes have brought them to the attention of the city guard for various reasons.
AP: These stories exist in the same universe, right? Do you have a thought out universe using these characters and will readers get more of this in upcoming issues of PRO SE PRESENTS or elsewhere?
Fantasy and Fear 1 Cover Featuing ‘Trentonium’ Characters Art by Erik Burnham
DT: Yes both stories exist in the same universe. In fact several of the characters from MURDER IN THE GHETTO OF TRENTONIUM appear in the second novella installment of THE BROTHERS JADE. And yes the universe of Mythas has been pretty intensively thought out, and the plan is to reveal more and more details about this universe with all of my Fantasy stories that will be based in that setting.
AP: What is your creative process as far as creating a story and writing? What techniques or steps do you take?
DT: Before I start a story I’ll usually think a lot of the basic points of it out before I ever set pen to paper. And even than I’ll still usually come up with a least a basic outline of events, coupled with information about the major characters of each storyline. Then at that point I will think about the interlocking chain of events that will take the reader from the initial first steps down the road towards the eventual climax. And then I set down and start writing things out, with all of those various steps in mind. Although sometimes a story will take me down a road or avenue that I hadn’t expected originally.
AP: What’s coming from Don Thomas? Any projects you want to discuss?
DT: In the world of Mythas, even before the prophesized group from THE BROTHERS JADE, there were others that quested for the fabled drink of the gods. And they were a band of notorious villains that had a lot to do with tilting all of Mythas so dangerously close to being subjugated the remaining gods of evil. So there is not only a parallel to both stories, but also to a degree each interweaves with the other.
Besides that I am also working on another story involving Gim, Mohrian, and their tight knit group of friends as they try to counter an outside force attempts to organize into a formidable threat against the entire city of Trentonium. And this particular story will highlight other characters in the group, especially Storm the pit fighter.
And there’s also my series of stories about the masked adventurer THE RAPIER, and his climatic battle in 1940’s Los Angeles against a very real evil mastermind, whose nefarious plan causes Jason Graves aka The Rapier to evolve from Hollywood bad boy actor just playing the role of a hero, to him becoming a full-fledged costumed vigilante.
Long-time Dick Tracy aficionado Joe Staton will be taking the classic Dick Tracy newspaper strip following the retirement of long-time artist Dick Locher after March 13.
That’s the right man for the job. Of course, this writer made that suggestion to the newspaper syndicate 27 years ago. Joe should be admired for his patience as well as his craft.
Staton is well-known for his work on such comics characters as Superman, Spider-Man, E-Man, Green Lantern, the Justice Society, The Avengers, The Hulk, The Huntress, Scooby-Doo, Plastic Man … well, you get the point.
What this means is, unlike Brenda Starr and Little Orphan Annie, Tribune Media Services is not canceling Dick Tracy – contrary to rumor.
PRO SE PRODUCTIONS, already dedicated to providing Pulp fans and readers with a monthly dose of pulp through its PRO SE PRESENTS banner and rotating titles of FANTASY AND FEAR, PECULIAR ADVENTURES, and MASKED GUN MYSTERY, now bring that same dedication to pushing pulp DAILY! Pro Se’s PULP MACHINE is a site dedicated to teasing about upcoming Pro Se tales, focusing on Pro Se Authors, sharing past Pro Se stories, and posting new exclusive PULP MACHINE ONLY content! So Come in, stay awhile, look around, and tell all your pulp pals about PRO SE’S PULP MACHINE! http://www.pulpmachine.blogspot.com/
NOTED AUTHOR’S SERIES CHARACTER TO APPEAR IN ANTHOLOGY
Art from Debut St. Cyprian Tale Coming Soon from Pro Se Art by Clayton Hinkle
Pulp-writer Joshua Reynolds will have a story appearing in Pill Hill Press’ forthcoming anthology, Leather, Denim and Silver-Legends of the Monster Hunter. The story, titled “The Artist as Wolf”, will feature the character of Royal Occultist Charles St. Cyprian, who will be appearing regularly in Pro Se Press’ Fantasy & Fear magazine, debuting in this month’s issue (AVAILABLE SOON), battling a singularly lethal (not to mention artistically-inclined) lycanthrope in Edwardian London’s East End.
Award-winning actor Anthony LaPaglia returns to his villainous roots as the voice of Lex Luthor in All-Star Superman, the highly anticipated 10th entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies coming February 22, 2011 from Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Home Video.
LaPaglia is known far and wide for his lead role on the CBS drama Without A Trace, but his fame goes well beyond those 160 episodes over seven seasons on the primetime series. LaPaglia’s career highlights include an Emmy Award as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Simon on Frasier, a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series/Drama for Without a Trace, and the 1998 Tony Award for Best Actor (Play) for the revival of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge. He has also been honored with two AFI Awards as Best Lead Actor in the films Balibo (2009) and Lantana (2001).
LaPaglia takes the villainous lead in an All-Star Superman cast that includes James Denton (Desperate Housewives) as Superman, Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) as Lois Lane, seven-time Emmy® Award winner Ed Asner (Up) as Perry White, Golden Globe® winner Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) as Ma Kent, Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds) as Jimmy Olsen and Linda Cardellini (ER) as Nasty.
In All-Star Superman, the Man of Steel rescues an ill-fated mission to the Sun (sabotaged by Lex Luthor) and, in the process, is oversaturated by radiation – which accelerates his cell degeneration. Sensing even he will be unable to cheat death, Superman ventures into new realms – finally revealing his secret to Lois, confronting Lex Luthor’s perspective of humanity, and attempting to ensure Earth’s safety before his own impending end with one final, selfless act.
Warner Bros. Home Video is sitting on one of the most loved libraries of classic cartoons you could imagine. In many ways, their shorts are superior to Disney’s given the freedom the animators had for decades and the memorable characters generated as a result. At first they released the [[[Golden Collection box sets]]] which were a nice mix of material but they wound that down. Instead, they’ve now opted for a series under the [[[Looney Tunes Super Stars]]] umbrella with the first two releases coming late last year.
While these are welcome discs with cartoons we’ve not previously had available, it is still not the ultimate library we want (and the characters deserve). The two discs — [[[Foghorn Leghorn & Friends: Barnyard Bigmouth]]] and [[[Tweety & Sylvester: Feline Fwenzy]]] – each offer up two hours of cartoons but are a hodge-podge selection.
Foghorn Leghorn was created by Robert McKimson in 1946 and starred in 28 cartoons, good for a two-disc set that would have been complete. Instead, we get nine Foghorn Leghorn shorts plus six cartoons featuring “friends”. These date from the latter part of animation’s golden age, originally released between February 19, 1955 through April 21, 1962. All fifteen remastered shorts can be seen as matted-widescreen versions or the original full screen versions.
Foghorn and his distinctive speech pattern was modeled after Senator Claghorn, a popular character from the Fred Allen radio series. As usual, Mel Blanc handled the voices and made the rooster an oft-imitated classic. Foghorn’s adventures avoided the templating that many of the others experienced although a recurring theme was a rivalry with the Barnyard Dawg/George P. Dog or being sought as a meal by Henery Hawk. The shorts relied less on physical feats as opposed to verbal repartee.
The friends mentioned include Elmer Fudd vs. the Mexican crows Manuel and Jose (directed by the great Friz Freleng); the Goofy Gophers, Mac and Tosh; and even the [[[Honeymooners]]] character pastiches.
I remember everything. The way she leaned into me, whispering something about how we could just go away together..the three of us..Me, Her, and all that money. The scent of gardenias in spring teases my nostrils still and the haunting image of her glistening apple red lips coming closer to mine creeps around my memory lingering like bittersweet almonds. Her auburn hair rolling about her tarnished angel’s face framed the last time I ever saw her before her mouth melted like angry lightning into mine. I remember all of it. I even remember the way the bullet felt as it carved its way viciously, a concussive scalpel slicing through my gut and lodging somewhere in the wall behind me.
I remember dying. Being dead. No longer breathing. No more heartbeats. Nothing.
But if that’s all true, what in the hell am I doing sitting here behind this battered desk?!
Thus begins THE DAYS I DIED. The speaker above, Redmond “Red” Graves, a 1930s cop who rose from the uniform into plainclothes meteorically and fell just as quickly six months into being a detective. Why? Graves was booted off the force of the big city because of ‘extreme brutality’ which meant, being the 1930s, that Graves would get his man every time or die trying and most of those he got were closer to dying than he ever got. After being ejected from the force, Graves opened a one man Private Investigator firm and his reputation brought him his first client. An auburn haired beauty named Lenora Shaw. His first client would also end up being the woman who killed him. Well, the one who killed him the first time anyway.
THE DAYS I DIED follow Graves as he wakes up in a PI’s dingy office after dying..and he did indeed die. He gets up, looks around, looks in a mirror, and notices two things. First, it isn’t his dingy office. Secondly, the face in the mirror isn’t his, either. The premise is that Graves for some reason woke up in the body of a PI who was killed and his body disposed of where no one would ever find it. Now in a whole, unharmed body, Graves has to figure out what happened, but before he can, there’s a knock on the office door. It’s Lenora Shaw, the woman who killed Red Graves.
What happens at this point is Graves has to solve the killing of the PI he now inhabits and in turn uncovers things about what led to his own death that make it a mystery as well, things that may go back to his savage days as a uniformed cop, or even farther back to the days he watched his street fighter father work his way up through the ranks to the ring.
Now, this tale could end right here, Graves could solve both cases and meet his maker peacefully. But if I ever have the time to write this, what will likely happen is that Graves will solve the other PI’s murder and be oh so close to solving his own, then get killed again. Then what? You guessed it…he wakes up in another hero’s body…maybe not a PI, could be a soldier, a vigilante working the streets, a well heeled scientist adventurer type…whatever, but it will always be a hero and one who has died. Graves could go on for years, getting so close to solving his own case, and yet never quite making the bar. Also, these stories could see Graves assuming the life of one of these other men for years at a time before going on to the next one. It could also be that the people Graves inhabits could be in different years…first it could be in 1938, where the story starts, then it could be back in 1918…or even farther back…but each story, regardless of the year its placed in has to offer some clue to Graves’ case..that’s the tether.
This idea is of course the intellectual property of Tommy Hancock and therefore copyrighted 2011, but if you’re interested in helping me flesh this out and get it out to the masses, drop me a line at allpulp@yahoo.com. I’m holding onto it, but wouldn’t mind someone else writing some of the tales of THE DAYS I DIED.
Airship 27 Productions is thrilled offer their latest pulp title, Ravenwood – Stepson of Mystery digitally to those pulp readers who wish to read this title on their E-readers. They have created a new Digital Store page where their fans can go to purchase pdfs of their books. http://homepage.mac.com/robmdavis/Airship27Hangar/index.html
As an introductory offer for a limited only, Ravenwood – Stepson of Mystery will sell for only $5. The pdf will include all interior illustrations and the gorgeous cover art by Bryan Fowler. Art Director Rob Davis plays on adding all the company’s titles eventually.
Welcome to the future of pulp fiction with Airship 27 Productions.
PODCAST TALKS PULP MOVIES!
From BETTER IN THE DARK- Episode Ninety-Nine: TWIN PISTOLS AND SUPER SCIENCE–PULP HEROES IN THE MOVIES (Special Guest Ron Fortier)
To…well, celebrate seems a inappropriate word…the release of the new Green Hornet film, The Boys Outta Brooklyn welcome noted pulp authority (and writer for some Green Hornet comics in the 90’s!) Ron Fortier to examine some movies featuring pulp heroes in a high- energy, high-spirited conversation! Join Tom, Derrick and Ron as they examine The Shadow, Doc Savage, The Rocketeer and other great films featuring hot girls, cold steel and high adventure! Plus the trio discuss their expectations–or lack thereof–regarding the big screen Michel Gondrey/Seth Rogen adaptation! The weed of crime bears better fruit, so get to clicking!
Moonstone Comics is proud to announce that this week various writers and artists from Moonstone Entertainment, Inc. will appear on the podcasts done on a weekly basis by Pulp/Comic Enthusiast and Podcaster Extraordinaire Ric Croxton. Each week, Croxton does episodes of THE BOOK CAVE, interviewing pulp authors and reviewing classic and new pulp works, RIC’S COMICS, focusing on comic books, any and all types and genres, and FUTURE 4 COLOR, a review of upcoming comics as featured in PREVIEWS.
This week, Moonstone writer Mike Bullock, creator Ed Catto, and artist Jay Piscopo discuss upcoming Moonstone comics on RIC’S COMICS posted the evening of 1/18/11. Then on 1/20/11, writers Elaine Lee, Barbara Randall Kesel, and Debbie Viguie discuss their stories that will be featured in Moonstone’s upcoming CHICKS IN CAPES anthology with Ric and his co host Art Sippo on THE BOOK CAVE! Finally, Ric will review the upcoming Independent comics with Moonstone staffers on FUTURE 4 COLOR on 1/21/11! Tune in all week long to thebookcave.libsyn.com/ to hear MOONSTONE!!!
TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Pulp Reviews by Tommy Hancock
THE SPIDER #1-Death Siege of the Frankenstein Legion written by Martin Powell Art by Pablo Marcos Colors by Jay Piscopo Cover by Dan Brereton Moonstone Books http://www.moonstonebooks.com/
NOTE-This review only covers THE SPIDER story in this issue, not the Operator 5 story.
Nita Van Sloan, on a visit to a friend, runs into monstrous trouble and troublesome monsters and amateur criminologist Richard Wentworth sheds his humanity, so to speak, and becomes the ultra violent vigilante, The Spider, and jumps feet first and guns blazing into a nightmarish adventure.
Yup, that’s it. That’s the plot. And it’s masterfully told and illustrated in twelve nonstop, frantic, frightening pages by Powell and Marcos. This story starts on the run and even when its over, has the reader breathing hard, looking over his/her shoulder, and still wanting more. Even though there’s a spot or two where storytelling could be just a little tighter, Powell wins a major battle here. He fits a tale that easily could be a novella or a couple of comic issues into twelve pages and makes it complete, whole, and more than satisfying. Marcos compliments Powell’s story telling well with aggressive pencils, expressive figures, and control of the single panel unmatched by most.
You like your SPIDER the way it should be? Then buy this comic when its available in a few weeks. You will not regret it.
FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-This is a fantastic kickoff to a series that in just twelve pages is already running all out no holds barred!
Long-time Dick Tracy aficionado Joe Staton will be taking the classic Dick Tracy newspaper strip following the retirement of long-time artist Dick Locher after March 13.
Award-winning actor Anthony LaPaglia returns to his villainous roots as the voice of Lex Luthor in All-Star Superman, the highly anticipated 10th entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies coming February 22, 2011 from Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Home Video.
Warner Bros. Home Video is sitting on one of the most loved libraries of classic cartoons you could imagine. In many ways, their shorts are superior to Disney’s given the freedom the animators had for decades and the memorable characters generated as a result. At first they released the [[[Golden Collection box sets]]] which were a nice mix of material but they wound that down. Instead, they’ve now opted for a series under the [[[Looney Tunes Super Stars]]] umbrella with the first two releases coming late last year.
