Tagged: review

Guest Reviewer Doc Hermes on DESERT DEMONS!

  • News
  • August 24, 2011
 
In November 1993, the last of Will Murray’s new Doc Savage novels, THE FORGOTTEN REALM, was published. I wrote in a review a dozen years later, “It has been twelve years since THE FORGOTTEN REALM was published. Right now, it looks like we will not see a new Doc Savage novel on the stands ever again. But…. that’s what we thought in 1949, too.”

And against the odds (as we might expect from him) the Man of Bronze has returned yet again. Will Murray has begun a new “new” series of Doc adventures and I’m signing up for the ride. I had to order a copy from Altus Press: Barnes & Noble were no help and I’m not much for using Amazon or eBay. (And frankly, $24 is a bit of a gouge for a trade paperback this size but of course I’ve paid more than that for an old pulp or out-of-print books, it’s my choice).

THE DESERT DEMONS is just fine. It’s not as good as the very best of the original pulp stories like METEOR MENACE or THE SARGASSO OGRE, but then neither were most the pulps. There were many original Docs that ranged from passable down to atrocious, and DEMONS is a lot more fun than most of the wartime issues. The book is based on an unused outline Lester Dent left behind. I appreciate the respect Will Murray shows for Dent and understand why he incorporates as much Dent material as he can. But I would be perfectly willing to read a new book that is all Murray, I have trust in his integrity and his own storytelling.

Okay, it’s 1936 again and yet another mysterious menace has surfaced for our hero to investigate. Out in Hollywood, a phenomenon called the Copper Clouds has been killing people. They’re a sort of red cyclonic masses that swoop down from the sky as if targetting individuals, then turn black and evaporate, leaving only white ash, bleached brittle houses or cars and an occasional piece of glass. This is exactly the sort of threat Clark Savage Sr raised his little boy to handle. All five of the aides are on hand, plus Patricia and even Chemistry and Habeas Corpus, and there are enough “hair-raising thrills, breath-taking escapes and blood-curdling excitement” (as the old Bantam paperbacks promised) to more than satisfy. The gadgets are fired off with abandon, science detection is used and there’s even a dirigible. It’s Thirties to the core. References to the then-new phenomenon “smog” and the then-recent Florida land-bust add to the atmosphere.

Of COURSE I have a few complaints. It’s inevitable, there are always a few flaws in any piece of work. Coming in at 239 pages, this is more accessible than the unweildy 300-pagers like THE FORGOTTEN REALM or THE WHISTLING WRAITH. I like my pulp novels around 120 to 150 pages, enough to finish off on a snowy Sunday afternoon without real breaks. They seem to work best when you plow through them at a good clip like riding a roller coaster. Even so, while THE DESERT DEMONS is well paced and doesn’t drag, it can’t be as crisp and headlong as the original pulps. With the extra space available, I hoped to see Renny or Long Tom get a few chapters to themselves with room for them to shine but instead we got more incidents and incidental characters. The other place where I think THE DESERT DEMONS misstepped is that nearly all the story takes place in Hollywood and at the very end we go to Florida for the wrap-up. My preference is for the classic two-part structure with mystery and intrigue in New York, then a trip to Tibet or Brazil or Samoa for a blast of all-out action. So I’d like to see that structure return, but it’s not mandatory for every adventure.

And the menace turns out to be more outright science fictional than usual. I’m good with this. The original series, after all, featured everything from genuine invisibility to fifteen-foot tall Monster Men to the Blue Meteor and earthquake-making machines. The wilder more implausible stuff was usually explained away as hoaxes and misinterpretations (“so the giant spider was a marionette?” “Fraid so,”) but Doc Savage was always borderline science fiction. I think I would draw the line at time travel as going too far, but I’d be fine with seeing Doc tackle things like someone rediscovering Dr Jekyll’s serum. Nothing of the outright supernatural, though… I think Doc Savage’s world just wouldn’t have real werewolves or vampires.

I have come to count on Will Murray to throw in many delightful bits almost as asides. Ham Brooks shows some actual legal knowledge for once. (He says,”In the absence of a corpse, California law allows a grace period of a year before someone may be declared dead.”)Doc can look at a revolver held on him and see that it’s loaded with blanks. Long Tom finally gets useful application for his electronic bug-repelling machine he always seemed to be getting nowhere with. When Doc grapples with someone, the person’s actions seem to be in slow-motion because the bronze man is moving so quickly. (This has the ring of classic Lester Dent to it!)

That’s it, I’m convinced. It would take an awful lot to keep me from getting the next book in the series. I’m so glad how things have turned out for Doc Savage fans. The pulp ended in 1949, which was then thought to be the last the characters would ever be seen. Then in 1964, Bantam started a few reprint paperbacks and the usual event would be to see a handful appear but no… eventually all 181 of the original novels were available, as well as a previously unpublished story. Ah well, that was good but it had to be the end. No. Then Philip Jose Farmer wrote ESCAPE FROM LOKI and starting in 1991, Will Murray turned out seven new books. In 1993, putting down THE FORBIDDEN REALM, I hoped that I would live long enough to see a few more authorized Doc Savage adventures come to be, and here we are.

Reviews from the 86th Floor: Barry Reese Looks at The Black Bat Graphic Novel

  • News
  • August 18, 2011



The Black Bat

Written by Mike Bullock

Art by Michael Metcalf and Fernando Peniche

Letters by Josh Aitken

Moonstone Books

ISBN 978-1-933076-96-6

$8.99

Longtime readers of my review column know that I’m a big fan of Mike Bullock’s run on The Phantom. So when Moonstone announced their “Return of the Originals” projects, I was intrigued to see Bullock’s name on both a revival (The Black Bat) and a new creation (Death Angel). This collection collects stories of both characters, though the cover is a bit misleading — it prominently features The Black Bat, with a relatively small “Also Starring Death Angel” logo on the lower right. There aren’t enough Black Bat pages to make it a graphic novel on its own so I understand the inclusion of Death Angel but I would have preferred a title that made it clearer that this was, in fact, a book with equal amounts of both heroes.

The front and back covers are by Tom Grindberg and are absolutely gorgeous. I really, really liked both images and I think the cover will definitely help sell a few copies. Super stuff.

Inside the book we get alternating Black Bat & Death Angel stories (both comic and prose), with one short teaming the two. In both cases, the heroes are tracking down drug pushers and the like. I was a little confused about the era these stories were set in — some things in the Black Bat stories definitely made me think this was set in the 1930s (fashion, the language used, etc.) but Death Angel seemed more modern, both in design and in terms of her hi-tech nano-fiber tachyon-shooting power suit. The two characters interact, so obviously they are in the same era, whenever that may be.

Let’s tackle The Black Bat first. This is not your father’s Black Bat. As in the original stories, this is District Attorney Anthony Quinn. Blinded by a criminal’s attack, Quinn later gets his vision restored and takes to the night as a vigilante. But in this version, The Black Bat suffers from multiple personality disorder and is as bloodthirsty as The Spider. While interrogating criminals, he uses various legal terms to question them, all the while arguing with himself for leading the witness, etc. It’s an interesting take on the character but purists will feel that this is not The Black Bat and perhaps should have been a new character instead. I’m okay with updating characters and this one retains enough of the original for me to recognize him but his willingness to kill (and kill graphically) was shocking. I wish there had been more time to show The Black Bat in his civilian identity, though. The profile that’s included implies that he’s relatively normal in his day-to-day affairs and that it’s only as The Black Bat that his mental instability comes to light. I’m curious how that would have played out. There were places in the story – and I’m not sure if the fault lies with the script or the art, or both — where things felt very, very disjointed and the scene jumps made me pause and flip back a few page to see if I’d missed something. It kinda felt like I was reading the Cliff note’s version of much cooler stories.

From an art standpoint… Hmm. Michael Metcalf does all but one of the Black Bat stories (Fernando Peniche does the one that teams The Black Bat with Death Angel) and I have to admit… I did not like it. The art is far too scratchy and actually looked unfinished in places. It detracted from the story. There were individual panels that looked kind of cool but overall, the story was not served well by this. The Peniche art was a step up and I liked it much better.

Death Angel is a far stronger package overall — perhaps because the burdens of our past expectations are not challenged here. With The Black Bat, pulp fans are constantly comparing and contrasting this version to the original — but Death Angel is a new character and is free from that. Strangely, Michael Metcalf does the art on these sections, as well, but the art looks much, much better. I can only assume that Metcalf deliberately used a different style on The Black Bat stories — this artwork is much stronger.

As with The Black Bat, Death Angel is a vicious character. Her stories all revolve around two things: drugs and sexual abuse. This latter plays well off her origin but I would have liked to have seen a little more variety in the threats she faces here. I found the Death Angel stories to be more interesting and would definitely like to see more.

The overall package… I will say that taken as a whole, this is probably my least favorite of Bullock’s works to date. If I separated out the character arcs, I’d give much higher marks to the Death Angel portions of the book.

Do I think it’s worth your time and money? If you’re looking for the classic Black Bat or if you like your heroes to be of the “don’t kill, but bring the bad guys in for justice” variety… No. If you’re looking for bloodthirsty vigilante types or want to sample a genuinely interesting New Pulp hero in Death Angel, I’d say yes.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

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!

  • News
  • 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

Derrick Ferguson Ducks The Mighty Shield of CAPTAIN AMERICA

  • News
  • August 2, 2011

2011
Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures
Directed by Joe Johnston
Produced by Kevin Feige
Screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Based on “Captain America” created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
Before we get into the review, please indulge me for a minute…hit it:
I had hopes that when Jon Favreau snuck in the 1960’s Iron Man theme song, they’d find a way to do it in other movies based on Marvel superheroes.  Such was not the case.  “Star-Spangled Man” was okay, but it can’t beat this song.  Maybe in the sequel.  And I have no doubt that there will be a sequel as CAPTAIN AMERICA is in my head, fighting “Iron Man” and “Thor” as the best Marvel superhero movie made to date.  Joe Johnston doesn’t get a single thing wrong in this movie which is actually two movies in one: it’s not only a superhero movie but it’s a World War II movie as well and never to the two elements clash with each other. 
4F Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) tries time and time again to enlist in the U.S. Army as he desperately wants to do his part and fight the Nazis.  But his list of physical aliments prevents that until chance puts him in the path of Professor Erskine (Stanley Tucci).  The professor left Germany to willingly work for the United States on his greatest experiment: The Super Soldier Serum which can transform a man into the perfect human.  Erskine wants to try his serum on Steve as he is impressed with the man’s heart and compassion.
Colonel Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones) the head of the Super Soldier Project isn’t so sure this scrawny specimen is the right man.  But Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) of the Strategic Scientific Reserve agrees with Erskine and the experiment goes ahead.  Steve is endowed with enhanced strength, reflexes, heightened senses and a metabolism that heals him at a faster rate than normal.  Tragedy dims the success of the project and as a result Steve is regulated to being used a mere publicity tool to sell war bonds, going on USO tours as ‘Captain America’ dressed in a gaudy red, white and blue costume.
But over in Europe, the war isn’t waiting for Steve.  Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving) is the head of HYDRA, a separate organization within the Nazi party dedicated to developing advanced weaponry for its own purposes.  Schmidt is also known as The Red Skull, due to an unfortunate side effect of Erskine’s Super Soldier Serum which he took himself.  Along with his chief scientist Arnim Zola (Toby Jones) The Red Skull has his own plan of world domination that doesn’t involve Hitler.
Things really kick into high gear when Steve, fed up with being treated as a joke, goes on a one-man rescue mission behind enemies lines to rescue his best friend James Buchanan ‘Bucky’ Barnes (Sebastian Stan) and over four hundred prisoners of war, including a bunch of fightin’ fools known as The Howling Commandos (Neil McDonough, Derek Luke, Kenneth Choi, Bruno Ricci and J.J. Field).
Captain America, now a front line soldier with Bucky and The Howling Commandos backing him up as well as a new protective uniform and shield developed by genius inventor/industrialist/futurist Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) is regarded as a genuine real American hero.  His battles are rapidly becoming the stuff of legend.  But it’s a legend that may be cut short when he finally confronts The Red Skull…
There are so many things that CAPTAIN AMERICA gets right I could easily take about an hour listing them.  Elements of the origin are moved around but the spirit of the character is intact.  Chris Evans finds exactly the right note for Steve Rogers/Captain America and never strays from it.  Just like when he played Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in the two “Fantastic Four” movies, I get the impression that he took the time to read the comics.
The only problem I have with Tommy Lee Jones is that his character wasn’t named “Happy Sam” Sawyer since to me that’s who he’s playing.  Neil McDonough is absolutely scary in how much he looks like “Dum Dum” Dugan.  And he sounds exactly like I always heard Dugan’s voice in my head while reading those “Sgt. Fury” comic books.  The changes in the relationship between Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes is one I thought made that relationship even stronger.  I really liked how Tony Stark’s dad got in on a lot of the action and we get to see a lot of where Tony gets his swagger from.  Hugo Weaving and Toby Jones make for an effective pair of bad guys and Hayley Atwell steals every scene she’s in as Peggy Carter, a woman definitely ahead of her time.
But the star behind the scenes is Joe Johnston who I’ve been telling you folks for years now is a genius.  Hopefully the success of CAPTAIN AMERICA will cause people to finally acknowledge “The Rocketeer” as the masterpiece it is.  And “Jurassic Park III” and “The Wolfman” ain’t bad either.
So should you see CAPTAIN AMERICA?  Are you kidding me?  What are you waiting for?  

HANCOCK TIPS HIS HAT TO ‘THE WAY THEY WERE’!!

  • News
  • July 31, 2011
TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock



(I would like to extend a personal apology to Jeff Deischer, author of the book reviewed below.  I intended to have this review posted last week, but due to issues far beyond my control, I could not.  Doesn’t mean it’s right to break a promise, My sincerest apologies, Jeff.)

THE WAY THEY WERE: The Histories of Some of Adventure Fiction’s Most Famous Heroes and Villains

By Jeff Deischer


Published 2011 by Westerntainment





thewaytheywere-6430513One of the many fantastic things about literature in general and about Pulp specifically is the richness and variety woven into the novels, stories, and tales that make up the genre.   Not only are heroes good and larger than life and villains evil and over the top, but there is a depth to these characters and the events creators thrust them into, a depth that over years has been explored in a myriad of ways. 


One of the most fun of these, in my opinion, is the work of creators and scholars to not only establish timelines for these fictitious creations and their marvelous escapades.   Although many people might find actual history boring, there’s something inventive and exciting about taking a literary character and matching their exploits to a particular year or event, tying our fantasy into our reality.  And an even cooler step beyond that is finding connections between one character and others, connections that given the right phrasing and tweaking become familial or uncover possible links that could lead to here to yet untold adventures.   Several works of this type have been written in the last several decades, including chronologies, timelines, or just full on stories bringing characters you’d never imagine being drawn together into the same realm.


Jeff Deischer, author THE WAY THEY WERE, is one of those writers and creators who not only imagines the possibilities, but sets out to establish them, not simply by telling tales, but by providing thought provoking articles and essays.  Drawing first from his own interest as a fan and reader, Deischer adds in research and analysis as he takes on several questions that have plagued Pulp fans for years and, in other articles, he poses brand new theories and brings characters to mind that at least I as a reader hadn’t given much thought to in a while.


Deischer tackles well-traveled ground by covering points various and sundry about Doc Savage and The Avenger.  He also takes on famous characters from horror literature, tying Dracula and Frankenstein and the Phantom of the Opera to timeframes and situations.  Surprises lurk within these pages as well, including a multi article study of the works of Jules Verne and a most excellent essay about the use of Antarctica and Mars in early Pulp fiction.   Regardless of it being James Bond or Gullivar of Mars, Deischer brings new life to old characters, breathing into them questions and theories that show a different light on them.   One of Deischer’s strongest points is his willingness to present ideas that run totally the opposite of established concepts and then go on to back them up.   Add to that a writing skill that is both engaging and entertaining, THE WAY THEY WERE reads as much like a multi chapter pulp tale as it does a collection of essays.


FOUR OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF HANCOCK’S HAT-Insight and detail add to the education into these fantastic characters that THE WAY THEY WERE provides.

ALL PULP ANNOUNCES NEW STAFF!

  • News
  • July 29, 2011

In efforts to continue to bring Pulp fans the most comprehensive coverage of Pulp news of all types, ALL PULP has expanded its staff to include top notch reporters, reviewers, and commentators!  With the Spectacled Seven at the helm, ALL PULP has made a name for itself in being a major source of Pulp news and discussion for nearly a year.  With both the increase of awareness among fans and the public of ALL PULP along with the continuing increase of interest in all things Pulp, it was determined more hands were needed to man the juggernaut that is ALL PULP!  Current ALL PULP staff, leading off with the new Staffers and ending with the Spectacled Seven are as follows-

STAFF
WEEKLY STAFFERS
josh-5466253 JOSHUA PANTALLERESCO comes on board as ALL PULP’S Assistant Editor.   Joshua has published “I Am…” a poetry book and is working on a new collection. He also penned an essay, “The Modern Day Perceval” In the collection “Secrets of the Dragon Riders”. Joshua has served as one of the editors for Northern Flight, an arts and literary magazine. and has published a non fiction piece “A Series of Unfortunate Events” and the fiction piece “Imaginary” as well. Veritas, Joshua’s first comic, is completed and now available. He is currently working on two novels and now will be assisting with editorial duties at ALL PULP as well as working in the trenches as a full time staffer, providing reviews, columns, and interviews several times a week!
adamprofile-9699647ADAM L. GARCIA, one of the up and coming faces in the New Pulp Movement, is an award winning writer, most notably for his work on revitalizing the classic pulp character THE GREEN LAMA via Airship 27.  Adam isn’t a one character writer, though.  He’s working on various other projects, including original Pulp characters as well as mutliple projects that go beyond Pulp.  Adam will be providing news stories as well as his own unique take on Pulp via reviews and editorial columns.
brent-2774552BRENT LAMBERT, is an aspiring author working on his first novel and is excited to be able to expand not only his experience, but his knowledge as well by joining ALL PULP and delivering the best in news, reviews, interviews, and commentary on the world that is Pulp!
 
 
frank2-4117320FRANK SCHILDINER, Pulp Author and Creator, joins ALL PULP’s ranks, ready to bring all his best to news coverage in the Pulp World.  Frank has had work published with Airship 27 Productions and is one of the many creators involved in the Infinity Comics Group.  Frank is also working on a novel and a whole universe all his own, for Pro Se Press, where he also acts as the editor of Pro Se’s ‘MASKED GUN MYSTERY’ line of short stories

joshr-9979506JOSHUA REYNOLDS is perhaps one of the most prolific writers of the New Pulp Movement.  A partner in Pulpwork Press, Joshua has also written for Airship 27, Pro Se Press, Moonstone, as well as other New Pulp Publishers.  Currently, Joshua is writing for Black Library as well and has a WARHAMMER novel coming out in the near future, not to mention a ton of other really cool projects that are so secret even Josh isn’t allowed to know about them.  With all of that, Joshua will be bringing his views and thoughts to ALL PULP every week!



CONTRIBUTING STAFFERS
suzanne-2188748Suzanne Fuller, an aspiring writer, hails from Scotland and provides reviews that are entertaining, comprehensive, insightful, and do what a good review should-Helps the reader make a decision about the book and keeps the reader coming back looking for Suzanne’s next review at ALL PULP!

chuck2-1215608CHUCK MILLER, New Pulp Author and Creator, is the mastermind behind one of the internet’s best New Pulp characters and accompanying universes, The Black Centipede!  With Pro Se Press publishing the first and future volumes of the Centipede’s adventures, Chuck is readying to work on other projects as continuing to expand the Centipede’s wild and wacky world, turning out the occasional column or interview for ALL PULP in the process.

AND FINALLY, THE SPECTACLED SEVEN
tommy-1454826Tommy Hancock,Editor in Chief of ALL PULP,  first and foremost, is a Pulp fan. What form it comes in really doesn’t matter. Book, Movie, Radio, Comic…Orange, not really a deal for him. This has been a lifetime condition for Tommy and went to the next level very early in life as he became a writer and, soon following that development, an actor. He has performed on stage since high school, formed and disbanded (mostly) a community theater all his own, and is now Drama Ministry Director at his church. He also has a background in audio drama. He was a newspaper reporter at 14 and has lived a variety of experiences in his time. Currently, he is Editor in Chief of Pro Se Press and the founder and coordinator of the PULP ARK Creator’s Conference/Convention. He is also a published writer, his first novella published by Airship 27 Productions. He is currently working on projects for Airship 27,  Moonstone, Decoder Ring Theater, and his own Pro Se Press.

img_0034-7141277Barry Reese has spent the last decade writing for publishers as diverse as Marvel Comics, West End Games, Wild Cat Books and Moonstone Books. Known primarily for his pulp adventure works like The Rook Chronicles, The Adventures of Lazarus Gray and Savage Tales of Ki-Gor, Barry has also delved into slasher horror (Rabbit Heart) and even the fantasy pirate genre (Guan-Yin and the Horrors of Skull Island). His favorite classic pulp heroes are The Avenger, Doc Savage, John Carter, Conan and Seekay.
From his secret lair in the wilds of Bethlehem, Georgia, Bobby Nash writes. He is an author of novels and short stories like Evil Ways, Fantastix, Lance Star: Sky Ranger, Domino Lady, Sentinels: Alternate Visions, Full Throttle Space Tales: Space Sirens, A Fistful Of Legends, and the upcoming Green Hornet Chronicles and Secret Agent X among others. He also writes comic books and graphic novels like Life In The Faster Lane, Fuzzy Bunnies From Hell, Demonslayer, Fantastix, Yin Yang, I Am Googol: The Great Invasion, and Lance Star: Sky Ranger, among others. For more information on Bobby Nash please visit him at www.bobbynash.com, http://bobby-nash-news.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/bobbyenash, www.lance-star.com, and www.twitter.com/bobbynash, among other places across the web.

Much like removing a bandaid I suppose the best way to get through this is to rip it off as quickly as possible, accept the pain and move on: My name is Derrick Ferguson and I’m from Brooklyn, New York where I’ve lived most of my life. Married for 28 years to the wonderful Patricia Cabbagestalk-Ferguson who lets me get away with far more than is good for me. My interests include old radio shows, classic pulps from the 30’s/40’s, comic books, fan fiction, Star Trek, pop culture, science fiction, animation, television and movies…oh yeah…movies. I’m currently the co-host of the podcast BETTER IN THE DARK where my partner Thomas Deja and I rant and rave about movies on a bi-weekly basis. To date I’ve written five books: “Dillon And The Voice of Odin”, my love letter to classic pulp action/adventure with a modern flavor and the sequel, “Dillon And The Legend of The Golden Bell” ; “Derrick Ferguson’s Movie Review Notebook” and its sequel “The Return of Derrick Ferguson’s Movie Review Notebook.” Both of ’em packed full of movie reviews that I think are pretty damn good otherwise I wouldn’t be asking folks to pay hard earned cash for ’em, now would I? ; “Diamondback Vol I: It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time”, a spaghetti western disgused as a modern day gangster/urban crime thriller. Anything else you’d like to know about me, check out my Live Journal: http://dferguson.livejournal.com/. The Pulpwork Press website: http://www.freewebs.com/pulpworkpress/. or Better In The Dark: http://sites.google.com/site/betterinthedarkcentralsite/. Or hit me up on Facebook. I ain’t hard to find!

ron-9433017Ron Fortier had been writing professionally for thirty-five years. He is best known for his work on the Green Hornet comic series for Now Comics and writing Alex Ross’ first comic project, Terminator:Burning Earth for the same company. Four years ago Ron co-founded Airship 27 Productions with artist Rob Davis. The company produces brand new novels and anthologies featuring classic pulp heroes from the 1930s, to include Ron’s revival of Captain Hazzard. Their books are published by Cornerstone Book Publishers of New Orleans. Ron also maintains a weekly blog at his website (www.Airship27.com) and writes a review column, Pulp Fictions Reviews found at – (http://www.pulpfictionreviews.blogspot.com/) He is a frequent contributor to Moonstone Books pulp fiction anthologies and is currently writing and self-publishing a new comic series, Mr. Jigsaw, Man of a Thousand Parts from Rob Davis’ Redbud Studios plus working on three new weekly webstrip comics. Redbud recently published Ron’s pulp comic graphic novel, The Boston Bombers. Email Ron at Airship27@ comcast.net.
Writer, editor, publisher, and historian Van Allen Plexico stands at the forefront of the pulp revival movement and the new wave of prose superhero fiction, with popular works including his “Sentinels” novels, “Sherlock Holmes,” “Lucian,” and “Gideon Cain” (with Kurt Busiek). His big-selling “Assembled!” books garnered praise from the original Marvel creators themselves. He has been published by Airship 27, Swarm Press, White Rocket, Rittenhouse, Adamant Entertainment, RevolutionSF.com, and Pro Se Press, and is the publisher of White Rocket Books. He and his family live near St Louis. Visit him at http://www.plexico.net/ and/or at http://www.whiterocketbooks.com/ .

sarge-9573288Sarge Portera: As someone recently pointed out to me, I’m a 3rd generation pulp enthusiast whose dad & grandfather created an obscure pulp hero, Doc Diamond, that they self-published! Being nurtured on comicbooks, movies, science fiction & actioneers since childhood it would only be natural for me to help establish & maintain the following FB Groups with me darlin’ daughter’s able assist: Bronze Pastiches, Purple Prose Pulp Parade, Sergeant Preston of the Yukon Fan Club, Silhouette Pastiches & Worlds of Doc Diamond!

  • News
  • July 25, 2011


July 22, 2011

The Latest News from RadioArchives.com!
* New in Classic Radio: Claudia, Volume 5
* New in Digital Downloads
* New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 49 and The Shadow Volume 51
* Rave Reviews for “Python Isle” and “The Adventures of Doc Savage”
* Coming Soon: The Exciting Audio Adventure “White Eyes”
New in Classic Radio: Claudia, Volume 5ra215-250-5008466If you were a stay-at-home housewife in the 1930s and 1940s, you were most likely a fan of the soap operas. Ever-present on radio, and later on television, these daytime dramas of romance, heartbreak, mother love, sacrifice, and somewhat overdramatized family life became a staple in the lives of millions of avid listeners – many of whom planned their daytime chores around the five-times-a-week adventures of “Our Gal Sunday”, “Ma Perkins”, “Stella Dallas”, and the other dramas that dominated the airwaves between 10 AM and 5 PM.

But, in 1947, a new soap opera debuted that was far more quiet and gentle and down-to-earth than its strife-ridden neighbors on the radio dial. “Claudia”, based on the best-selling novel and play by author Rose Franken, told the tale of Claudia and David Naughton, two newlyweds just beginning their married life. Young, enthusiastic, and very much in love, they weren’t suffering from any of the crises or tragedies that were the common plot points of most daytime dramas. Instead, they were two people simply facing the many challenges of marriage and learning to live together as husband and wife. Thanks to insightful scripting, as well as charming performances by Kathryn Bard and Paul Crabtree in the leading roles, “Claudia” remains one of the unsung classics of radio’s golden age – as well as one of the most entertaining soap operas ever aired.

One of the sad things about radio show preservation is the fact that so many long-running series exist today only in fragments – a broadcast here and a broadcast there, rather than long continuous runs of a particular program. Happily, that’s not the case with “Claudia”; RadioArchives.com has been able to locate and preserve the entire eighteen-month run of the series – 390 episodes in all – allowing you to enjoy the complete series just as it was originally aired.

In “Claudia, Volume 5”, you’ll enjoy 24 more consecutive broadcasts that were first heard in April and May of 1948. Priced at Just $17.98 for the six audio CD set and Just $11.98 for the six hour digital download, this charming series is one you’ll want to share at home with your family – or keep it in the car and play one episode a day as you drive to or from work. Either way, we know you’ll be delighted by the endearing adventures of “Claudia”, now available from RadioArchives.com!

New in Digital Downloads ra067-200-2742848For well over a decade, RadioArchives.com has been known for the amazing audio quality of our classic radio compact disc collections – and it’s no wonder. We insist upon finding the absolute best quality masters, and then carefully restoring them so that they retain all of the audio luster of the original recordings with none of the crackle, pops, hiss, or muffling so often heard in radio shows from other sources.

So, when we decided to start offering digital downloads of these same collections, we knew that you’d accept nothing but the absolute best quality. That’s why every classic radio collection you download from RadioArchives.com comes to you as a zip file containing each individual show encoded as a mono 128 kpbs MP3 file with a sampling rate of 44,100.

ra102-200-4681737If you often enjoy audio entertainment on your computer, your cell phone, or a portable device, you’ll be glad to hear that we’re continuing to add selections to the Digital Downloads page at RadioArchives.com. The latest additions include such long-time customer favorites as “Amos ‘n’ Andy”, the star-studded variety series “The Big Show”, the understated police dramas of “Dragnet”, and the hilarious comedy series “Father Knows Best”.

Digital downloads from RadioArchives.com give you the best of everything. Top quality shows in sparkling audio fidelity, available to you for instant delivery around the clock – and, with digital downloads, you’ll pay no postage or delivery charges! No matter what continent or time zone you may live in, just place your order and, within minutes, you’ll be enjoying some great entertainment.

Stop by RadioArchives.com often and see what’s new in our digital downloads section. Great shows, great sound, and at great prices, too!
New in Pulp Fiction: Doc Savage Volume 49 and The Shadow Volume 51Anyone living in the world today knows that true heroes are very hard to come by. But, in the pulp fiction world of the 1930s and 1940s, heroes were always on watch to fight the criminals and evildoers that threatened our way of life. You’ll find proof of this in the two new double-novel pulp reprints now available from RadioArchives.com, featuring the top heroes from this Golden Age of literary entertainment:

First, in “Doc Savage Volume 49”, you’ll thrill as the Man of Bronze and his daredevil cousin Patricia Savage battle deadly menaces in two classic pulp novels by Lester Dent, writing as Kenneth Robeson. First, a fatal force is destroying America’s Naval fleet. Can Doc Savage end “The Terror in the Navy” before a weakened America falls victim to a foreign power? This novel has been restored with the addition of 3,500 never-before-published words from the author’s original manuscript. Then, Doc and Pat Savage investigate the mystery of bizarre fifteen-foot “Waves of Death” on Lake Michigan. This classic pulp reprint features the original color pulp covers by Robert G. Harris and Emery Clarke, Paul Orban’s classic interior illustrations, and historical commentary by Will Murray.

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? In “The Shadow Volume 51”, the Knight of Darkness battles strange supercrime in two pulp thrillers by Walter Gibson that foreshadowed classic Batman stories. First, The Shadow goes undercover in Chinatown to battle a legendary oriental demi-god in “The Living Joss”. Then, what can prevent “Judge Lawless” from making a mockery of the law? Only The Shadow knows! BONUS: “Djaruti, Goddess of Death”, a lost Orson Welles thriller from the Golden Age of Radio! This instant collectors’ item features both classic cover paintings by George Rozen, the original interior pulp illustrations by Tom Lovell and Paul Orban, and historical commentary by Anthony Tollin.

Also available: “The Spider Volume 19”, featuring two stories of pulp fiction’s Master of Men: “Slaves of the Dragon” and “The Spider and his Hobo Army”.

Escape the worries and troubles of today with the exciting adventures featured in these pulp fiction classics. Each beautifully formatted issue features impressive cover art, full-length stories reformatted for relaxed reading, and many special features to add to your enjoyment. Each of these issues is priced at Just $14.95 – a true bargain for such engrossing entertainment. Make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in pulp fiction classics!

Rave Reviews for “Python Isle” and “The Adventures of Doc Savage”“Python Isle”, the new Doc Savage audiobook from RadioArchives.com, has been generating a lot of buzz lately, with an impressive number of excited reviewers weighing in with their opinions. They’ve got us blushing…but that’s not going to stop us from sharing their thoughts with you!

On the Retroist website, Vic Sage writes:
“I began listening to Python Isle at my computer. It just didn’t feel right so I popped out the CD and placed it in my Emerson “old time radio” replica, laid back on the floor, and thrilled to the exploits of Doc Savage and his compatriots! I’m hard pressed to think of a better way to spend an evening as the sun starts to set, the room illuminated by the soft yellow glow of the radio dial as Michael McConnohie’s soothing voice reads Will Murray’s prose, both mingling flawlessly together to transport me to a pulp world that I sometimes wish I could do more than just visit. This is what all radio plays and audiobooks should strive to sound like!”

Meanwhile, at Audiobook Heaven, critic Steven Brandt writes:
“Radio Archives has taken the well-traveled hero, and brought him to life in this amazingly high-quality production. Michael McConnohie lends his voice talent to this adventure. His narration comes through the center channel as usual, but his character voices come from the left or right, putting the listener right in the middle of the action. I’ve heard this production method once before, and I like it a lot. McConnohie’s melodramatic voices are perfect for this recording as well, giving it kind of an old-time radio feel. Doc Savage is one more pulp fiction hero revived with modern technology. I’m liking this trend in audiobooks, and I hope Radio Archives will bring us many more Doc Savage stories.”

5000-200-7061684But it isn’t just “Python Isle” that’s drawing rave reviews. At Mystery Scene Magazine, Dick Lochte has written a review of “The Adventures of Doc Savage”:
“About 25 years ago, two tales featuring pulp-master Lester Dent’s 1930s adventure hero Doc Savage were adapted by producer Roger Rittner and author Will Murray for a rip-snorting 13-part series that aired on National Public Radio. The result, commercially unavailable until now, is an entertaining replication of radio’s golden age, when a muscled renaissance Man of Bronze and his gifted but eccentric crew could do battle with seemingly unconquerable foes, wind up in trouble at the end of each episode and just as easily escape in the next. In the seven-part adaptation of the 1934 adventure “Fear Cay” Doc and his gang fly to a dangerous Caribbean Isle where they fight a wily old bird who claims to be the 130-year-old discoverer of the Fountain of Youth. The other story, presented in six chapters, finds our heroes in Indo-China battling baddies and deadly serpents in the city of “The Thousand-Headed Man”. The stories and the performances by Daniel Chodos as Doc and the other cast members are properly a bit over the top. It’s good clean fun.”

“Python Isle”, written by Will Murray and directed and produced by Roger Rittner, is now available from RadioArchives.com as an 8 audio CD set priced at Just $25.98 and as an 8-hour digital download priced at Just $17.98. “The Adventures of Doc Savage”, featuring all thirteen episodes of the original series plus many special features, is available as an 8 audio CD set for Just $24.98 and as an 8-hour digital download priced at Just $17.98. Join the thousands of excited listeners who are thrilling to the audio exploits of the Man of Bronze. Order your copies of these two exciting sets right away!
Coming Soon: The Exciting Audio Adventure “White Eyes”
The place: New York City. During the depths of the Great Depression, in the shadow of streamlined skyscrapers, reporters scramble for clues about an insidious wave of bizarre deaths – everyday citizens struck dead, the eyes in their lifeless bodies turned a sightless and ghastly white. The Blind Death has the teeming city paralyzed with fear; in desperation, civic leaders turn to the one man who can discover who or what is behind this gruesome series of murders: Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze.

From his offices high above the city, Doc and his band of trusted colleagues soon uncover a terrifying scheme to gather together all of the city’s criminal elements as a single and seemingly undefeatable force. Their intent: to seize the wealth of the Man of Bronze and destroy him once and for all!

“White Eyes”, the second in a new line of audiobook adventures from RadioArchives.com, is an epic tale of crime from the pen of Will Murray, heir apparent to Lester Dent, creator of Doc Savage. Featuring dramatic narration by Richard Epcar, “White Eyes” is a roller coaster ride of action and excitement that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Produced and directed by Roger Rittner, who joined with Will Murray to bring you both “The Adventures of Doc Savage” radio series and the thrilling audiobook “Python Isle”, “White Eyes” will bring you ten hours of engrossing entertainment. Soon to be available as both a ten audio compact disc collection and a ten hour digital download, this new release from RadioArchives.com will also feature evocative cover art by Joe DeVito and two fascinating and exclusive audio interviews with the author.

Join the Man of Bronze for a suspenseful tale of action and adventure in “White Eyes”, the new Doc Savage audiobook coming soon from RadioArchives.com!

radioannouncer-5528866Listen to this Newsletter!

Sit back, relax, and enjoy this newsletter as an Audio Podcast! Click anywhere in the colorful banner at the top and you’ll automatically hear the Radio Archives Newsletter, enhanced with narration, music, and clips from our latest collections! This audio version of our regular newsletter is a pleasant and convenient way to hear all about our latest products, as well as the newest pulp fiction reprints, special offers, and much, much more!

The releases we’ve described in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s pulp fiction classics, our new line of audiobooks, colorful and exciting items from Moonstone, timeless movies and television shows on DVD, or the over 150 compact disc collections and digital downloads containing thousands of sparkling and fully restored classic radio shows, we hope you’ll make RadioArchives.com your source for the best in timeless entertainment.

MARC ALAN FISHMAN: Flash Fact – Barry Allen Sucks!

Hello all you crazy-awesome ComicMix fans. For those who don’t know me (and when you share a space with guys like Mike Gold, John Ostrander, Martha Thomases, Michael Davis, Denny O’Neil, and Mindy Newell? I don’t blame you!) allow me to introduce myself by way of witty, snarky banter. I figured if I am to come out of the gate anew with a comic focused op-ed piece, I might as well start by swinging for the fences. So, let me point to the rafters over center field, and take the biggest swing I can.

Simply put: DC’s Flashpoint is a ten-pound turd in a five gallon bowl.

I use this nasty language, mind you, because I “covered” the event for a podcast I do from time to time… and have spent my hard earned dollars on this bloated excuse to sell toys, and piss off fans.

In June, DC boldly told the world they are “star-wiping” their universe to engage the next era of fans, by removing that pesky continuity. So, while those new and shiny number ones are getting printed, why not release yet-another-epic-that-will-change-the-universe-as-we-know-it™ event? “Flashpoint” was to turn the DCU on its ears. It chortles in every issue with its logo emblazoned on the title card, that it gives us a world where “everything you know has changed in a flash…” My ass. What they’ve done instead, is created an unnecessary mega-crisis for no better reason than “going out with a bang”. So for all us fans who don’t mind a little history to go with our comics… we’re treated to DC choosing to end their current universe’s life on yet-another-Crisis.

In a nutshell, Flashpoint is DC’s attempt at taking an obvious Elseworlds story and shoehorning it into continuity. I honestly don’t care how many well-produced interviews they have Dan DiDio do celebrating the ‘ground breaking’ idea. I don’t care how many Newsarama, Comic Book Resources, or Bleeding Cool articles are written kissing the ass of all the creators involved (and yes, all three have since reviewed many of the series’ minis very poorly). To tell the fans that this event will matter, is akin to the DCU toking up a massive joint, and blowing the Funion fumes right in our face in hopes we’ll get the munchies. I’ve not seen better hype for a dumber product since The Phantom Menace.

On DCU’s “The Source” blog, they asked some hard hitting questions to this effect:

(more…)

GUEST REVIEW AND INTERVIEW-MYSTERY MEN FROM MARVEL COMICS!

  • News
  • July 12, 2011
ALL PULP thanks Peter Miller – docsavagetales.blogspot.com – very much for providing this Guest Review AND a Creator Interview to go with It!
Mystery Men #1 and #2 of 5
Written by David Liss
Art by Patrick Zircher
Published by Marvel Comics

 
 
DC comics made a big splash when the First Wave Universe premiered. They were making pulp comics in a new way. Not set in the past, not set in the DC Universe, but set in their own universe. They hyped it as cel phones and airships. What they created, combining pieces of the past—Doc Savage, the Avenger, The Spirit—with non-super-powered DC characters like Batman and the Blackhawks, was a failed mess. In most of the books the world seemed just like our own except for an extra airship or two. The best book was the Spirit, but even Spirit fans didn’t seem to love it.

Now Marvel has taken a stab at New Pulp and I think they are on to something great. Mystery Men takes place in New York in the regular Marvel Universe in 1932. As far as I know, this is the earliest a series has been set in the MU. The heroes (thus far) are not super-powered. The villain, however, is another story. He exudes occult mystical powers.

Mystery Men follows a millionaire playboy with a Robin Hood complex. He puts on a mask and calls himself the Operative. The Operative is trying to unravel a criminal conspiracy among the New York elite that is led by a frightening occult powered character called the General. The Operative is trying to find a killer.

Also involved in the case is another masked hero, the Revenant. He looks a bit like Moonknight and acts like the Shadow. He seems to have gotten the corrupt NYPD on his case and after crossing paths with the Operative, he decides they should work together.

The Operative doesn’t want the help and the fact that the Revenant is black doesn’t make it any easier, but we know they’re getting together. Issue #2 introduces the Rockettrix (not her real name, but the best description) with ties to the murder.

David Liss has nicely tied together a trio of pulp characters that I want to see more of. The story is good so far and the characters are charming, crude, tough, fascinating, and believable. I like the book a lot so far. Hopefully sales will be good enough to have the title continue.

I haven’t mentioned the art yet. The art is GREAT. Patrick Zircher’s style feels right for the period, but is modern at the same time. The entire first issue is done with horizontal panels, giving it a very cinematic style. The art is clear and direct and reminds me a little bit of Steve Bryant (Athena Voltaire). That is a compliment, by the way.

The second issue continues with the horizontal panels, but does break them up a bit. The colors by Andy Troy are also excellent, clean and subdued, but with color motifs to help define locations.

The final page of each issue so far has been an essay. Issue One’s article is by the writer, David Liss, and he discusses the thrill of adding to the beginning of the Marvel canon. He relates how he decided that the social issues of the 1930s would not be glossed over—that racism, sexism, poverty, and worker’s rights would play a part in the narrative. They do, and I think he has used them in his story well.

In the second issue, artist Patrick Zircher discusses the design path of the character’s looks.

I really hope these essays continue.

Go out and buy this great bit of New Pulp, you won’t be disappointed.

Interview with David Liss

mystery-men-2_1308796982-3390572
The first two issues of Mystery Men are out and they are terrific. The essay at the back of the first issue tells a bit about the genesis of the project, but I was wondering about your background with pulp and the history of the 1930s. Had you studied the era or was this an excuse to do just that?

It really was more of an excuse to learn about the 1930s. Over the years I’ve read various things from and about the period, and, of course, there are films. Like anyone who enjoys comics, I have always found a lot to love in the pulp era, but this was my first serious creative engagement with the period.

Have you read much original pulp of the era? If so, what titles or characters are you familiar with?

I’ve read a lot of pulp crime over the years, and I’ve read most of Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories. I have not actually read that much of the primary heroic pulp, though I have read the original stories of some characters like Doc Savage and the Spider. And then, of course, many of these characters have ongoing legacies in comics and other media that I’ve read.

Are you aware of the “New Pulp” movement – contemporary authors writing new stories set in the classic pulp era?

Yes, I have several friends who have contributed to some of these new pulp anthologies, and I have another new pulp project of my own in the works, though I can’t yet talk about it. I love the revival.

So far it seems that the 3 main characters – The Operative, The Revenant, and Sarah Starr have no innate super-powers. The villains do. Will we be seeing super-powered heroes in Mystery Men?

Hmm. Best to stay away from spoilers, but I will say that the amulet the General is after is packed with all kinds of surprises.

How did you go from writing historical mystery novels to comics?

I was asked! Marvel editor, and pulp-enthusiast, Bill Rosemann read one of my books and contacted me to ask if I liked comics and would I be interested in writing them. The answer was yes & yes. My first project for Marvel featured the pulp hero, the Phantom Reporter.

Are you a long time comics reader or are you new to the genre?

I was away from comics for the period of time I was in graduate school, when I lacked the time and money for comics — or just about any leisure activity — but otherwise I’m a lifelong fan.

What titles or characters are your favorites?

Some of my long-time faves include Daredevil, Spider-Man, Punisher, Captain America, Batman, Superman, Legion of Super-Heroes & Martian Manhunter, but I’ve always followed the story more than the character. My investment has always been less in titles and individual heroes than which creators are putting together good comics, so I’ll read just about anything with a cool story.

What writers or artists excite you?


On the writing side, these days my favorite creators are probably Robert Kirkman, Mark Millar, Brian Bendis and Ed Brubaker. I feel like I’ve been very lucky, because in my projects at Marvel I’ve been paired with some of the best artists out there. Francesco Francavilla and Jefte Palo, who have been doing the art for Black Panther, are both fantastic. And then, of course, there’s Patrick Zircher’s phenomenal work on Mystery Men. In terms of detail and beauty, as well as art that advances character and story, Patrick’s work on this book is about as good as it gets.

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks