The ESO podcast crew are not what they seem, but they do enjoy a damn good cup of coffee and a slice of cherry pie. Mike Faber, Mike Gordon, Jennifer Hartshorn, and the award-winning author Bobby Nash are joined by The Oncoming Storm’s Josh Wilson to discuss the ground breaking 90′s series, Twin Peaks. We wanted to put the Log Lady’s wooden friend in The Geek Seat, but it turns out its answers were not able to be recorded, so we settled for Gerald Welch, co-author of The Legacy Series with Warren Murphy, who found the experience only slightly less painful than a match with Chiun. We also make time for the usual Rants, Raves, Khan Report, and Shout Outs.
Join us for yet another episode of The Earth Station One Podcast we like to call: Who Killed Laura Palmer? ESO Visits Twin Peaks at www.esopodcast.com
The ESO podcast crew are not what they seem, but they do enjoy a damn good cup of coffee and a slice of cherry pie. Mike Faber, Mike Gordon, Jennifer Hartshorn, and the award-winning author Bobby Nash are joined by The Oncoming Storm’s Josh Wilson to discuss the ground breaking 90′s series, Twin Peaks. We wanted to put the Log Lady’s wooden friend in The Geek Seat, but it turns out its answers were not able to be recorded, so we settled for Gerald Welch, co-author of The Legacy Series with Warren Murphy, who found the experience only slightly less painful than a match with Chiun. We also make time for the usual Rants, Raves, Khan Report, and Shout Outs.
Join us for yet another episode of The Earth Station One Podcast we like to call: Who Killed Laura Palmer? ESO Visits Twin Peaks at www.esopodcast.com
Star Trek Into Darkness‘ digital release came out yesterday. The disc edition will be out in a few weeks but here’s something to whet your appetite, a clip from the iTunes Extras.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/gcSsn5f-w48[/youtube]
Additionally, Paramount Pictures launched their Defeat Khan website today, three months after Kirk did it on screen. The site uses some of the most advanced 3D technology to allow you to instantly create your own personalized Star Trek avatar with just an upload of your photo. You are then tasked to join the Starfleet Academy to train with a variety of simulations testing your IQ, Vision, Focus, Memory, and Speed as you move up the ranks to help defeat Khan. By connecting to Facebook, you can also compete with your friends to see who has the more superior genetics.
There are multiple exclusive concept art images debuting today from Xbox SmartGlass. The images have a code that users can enter on the Defeat Khan website for a chance to win a trip to see Star Trek Into Darkness live orchestrated in London by Michael Giacchino. Users can find out where these images are from the website.
Excuse me if this week’s profundity seems a bit more extemporaneous than usual. It’s been one of those weeks, and at 3:00 yesterday morning Roscoe The Cat literally saved my life and I’m still twitching over that one.
I listen to music all the time. Literally, all the time. I have a very wide range in taste, but most of what I listen to falls under the exceptionally broad category of “kick ass rock’n’blues.” It’s a phrase I use on Weird Sounds Inside The Gold Mind, my weekly radio indulgence on (ahem) www.getthepointradio.com. Right now, I’m listening to Sterling Koch’s 2010 effort, Steel Guitar Blues. Kick ass music energizes me and takes the pressures of the day and it puts them over there, wherever there is. Music is my drug of choice.
A lot of my friends in the comics racket have a similar relationship to rock’n’blues – it’s crack for those of us with short attention spans. Topping that list is my Team GrimJack mate and awesomely dear friend, Timothy Truman. He’s turned me onto more great music than anybody outside of the amazing disc jockey Terri Hemmert (WXRT; they stream live and are on most of the radio apps). The difference is, it’s Terri’s job to turn us on to music. Timbo’s job is to sit at his drawing board and his computer and knock out the greatest comics the world has ever known.
The energy and the ambiance of kick ass rock’n’blues is reflected in Tim’s work – every damn panel of it. He’d probably do more comics work if he weren’t the artist for The Grateful Dead, and his work as graced the cover of many a recent GD release. He’d probably do less comics work if he had decided to make his career commitment the guitar: he’s one of the finest guitar players I have ever heard. That’s a lot to say, as I spent more than three decades in Chicago and I lived near many of their classic blues clubs. Timothy has jammed with Carlos Santana and Bill Kirchen and sundry of the Dead and a million others and, let me tell you, from the tapes I’ve heard nobody ever had to carry him.
Having worked with him on a zillion projects in the past 30 years – that’s 30 years this year – I can now reveal a secret: I stole Timbo not from TSR, where he was employed prior to Starslayer and GrimJack, but from the world of rock and blues… and for this, I feel guilty.
There are others whose work reflects the energy and spirit of the sound. Lots of so-called underground guys like George Metzger and Rand Holmes and Greg Irons. Erik Larson has more than a bit of that going for him. Howard Chaykin, but not so much rock’n’blues as Hoagy Carmichael and Billie Holiday by way of David Bowie.
But no one ever captured the spirit and the energy of kick ass rock’n’blues the way Jack Kirby did. You could see the shift in his style around the time rock’n’roll hit the airwaves in the mid-50s (check out his Fighting American), and when it came time to co-create the Marvel Universe, well let me tell you, Galactus and Doctor Doom and the Silver Surfer and the negative zone and… well, you get the idea. Pure rock energy that carried over to his Fourth World stuff at DC.
Here’s the part that I find overwhelming: there is no recorded evidence that Jack Kirby was a fan of this music, or that he even liked it. He met a few rock’n’rollers; he met Frank Zappa, for crying out loud. But if this isn’t the creative coincidence of all time, then there was something in the air that only Jack Kirby and a couple thousand musicians could inhale.
It was intuitive, the way good comics should be. It was intuitive, the way good music should be.
By the way, I’m now listening to the new album by the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Made Up Mind. And yeah, Timothy Truman turned me on to them. Then, I think some rockabilly. Or maybe Bo Diddley.
(Poster artwork by Timothy Truman in promotion of a 2009 Grateful Dead tour, and the Simon and Kirby piece is from Fighting American. Both are probably copyright by somebody appropriate. Oh, yeah. All Rights Reserved. So watch yer ass.)
STEIN AND CANDLE Vol III By Michael Panush Curiosity Quills Press 232 pages
From the talented imagination of writer Michael Panush comes this third volume in the adventures of Mort Candle, a grizzled ex-Sergeant and his ward, the teenage occult expert Weatherby Stein. Panush continues to chronicle their post World War II exploits as paranormal investigators and within these pages you’ll find the duo’s newest exploits as they travel the globe encountering all manner of supernatural monsters. There are a total of six cases set forth here and each is a well presented pulp actioner, all worthy of the 1930s classics.
The book kicks off with our guys in Japan in “Trouble in Tokyo.” They are hired by a police detective discover who it is attacking rival Yakuza clans and in the process fomenting a gangland war that could severely hamper the city’s reconstruction efforts. Soon Candle and Stein aren’t only dealing with sword wielding crooks but a secret ninja clan controlling ancient Japanese creatures of mythology to wipe out their foes. This one is exotic wall to wall action without let up from beginning to end.
The X-Files meets Happy Days in “Teenage Wasteland” when Weatherby goes undercover in a suburban high school to investigate teenagers meddling with the occult. Along the way he encounters ethnic prejudices, an athletic bully and a Sandra Dee like blonde beauty that turns his head and melts his heart. Easily one of the weirder but most enjoyable stories in this series yet.
Then there is “Lounge Lizard” wherein our heroes head for Lake Tahoe to find a missing crooner who has run off with the his boss’ cash. This leads them into a deadly parallel world of dinosaurs and their lizard-men riders. Exactly the mishmash Panush excels at. Whereas in “Drac’s Back,” Castle, short on funds, accepts an assignment from a group of American vampires to help them travel to Transylvania and resurrect the greatest bloodsucker of them all, Count Dracula. Stein is opposed to the idea and has good reason to be. It doesn’t turn out well.
The fifth tale, “Stein Family Reunion,” has Mort and Weatherby in San Francisco encountering Adam, a monstrous individual created from parts of dead bodies by an earlier member of the Stein clan. Thus do our heroes come to the aid of one of the most iconic monsters in English fiction. After introducing Dracula to the series, we just knew “the monster” couldn’t be far behind.
The book wraps up with “Big City Showdown,” parts one and two and is the longest single Stein and Candle adventure yet. And it deserves that extra space as it has a sense of climatic finality to it. Dracula and the Stein’s twisted wizard ancestor, the Viscount Wagner Stein, team up in New York with an audacious plan to conquer America. The challenges these two powerful entities posed singularly proved to be difficult to our heroes in past encounters. Now combined, they are virtually unbeatable; unless that is, our two occult detectives can assemble their own team to battle them. And this is exactly what transpires until almost every major supporting character in the series reappears for this one cataclysmic confrontation between the forces of good and evil.
There is a definitive air of closure by the story’s end that had this reader both pleased and sad. If this is the end of the Stein and Candle Detective Agency, then they go out on a grand note that we applaud. But we truly hope this isn’t the last chapter in one of New Pulp’s most imaginative series ever created. Please, Michael Panush, we want more!
Burbank, CA, August 19, 2013 – The fate of mankind is in the hands of one man when Man of Steel arrives onto Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD 2-disc Special Edition, 3D Limited Collector’s Edition and Digital Download on November 12 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. In “Man of Steel,” Clark Kent is forced to confront his extraterrestrial past and embrace his hidden powers when Earth is threatened with destruction.
From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures comes Man of Steel, starring Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Kal-El under the direction of Zack Snyder.
The film also stars four-time Oscar® nominee Amy Adams (The Master, 2012), Oscar® nominee Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road, 2008), Academy Award® winner Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves, 1990), Oscar® nominee Diane Lane (Unfaithful, 2002), Oscar® nominee Laurence Fishburne (What’s Love Got to Do with It, 1993), Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Christopher Meloni, and Academy Award® winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator, 1992).
Man of Steel is produced by Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas and Deborah Snyder. The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer from a story by Goyer & Nolan, based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Entertainment. Thomas Tull, Lloyd Phillips and Jon Peters served as executive producers.
Man of Steel will be available on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack for $44.95, on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99, on DVD 2-disc Special Edition for $28.98, and as a 3D Limited Collector’s Edition for $59.99. The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in 3D hi-definition, hi-definition and standard definition; the Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition and standard definition; the DVD 2-disc Special Edition features the theatrical version in standard definition; and the 3D Limited Collector’s Edition features the theatrical version of the film in 3D hi-definition, hi-definition and standard definition, and also includes a limited release metal “S” glyph with lucite glass stand. The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD 2-disc Special Edition and 3D Limited Collector’s Edition include UltraViolet* which allows consumers to download and instantly stream the standard definition theatrical version of the film to a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.
SYNOPSIS
A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.
BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS
Man of Steel Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack and 3D Limited Collector’s Edition contain the following special features:
Journey of Discovery: Creating “Man of Steel” – This immersive feature-length experience allows you to watch the movie with director Zack Snyder and stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane and others as they share the incredible journey to re-imagine Superman.
Strong Characters, Legendary Roles – Explore the legendary characters of the Superman mythology and how they have evolved in this new iteration of the Superman story.
All-Out Action – Go inside the intense training regimen that sculpted Henry Cavill into the Man of Steel and Michael Shannon and Antje Traue into his Kyptonian nemeses. Includes interviews with cast and crew.
Krypton Decoded – Dylan Sprayberry (Clark Kent, age 13) gives the lowdown on all the amazing Krypton tech, weapons and spaceships featured in “Man of Steel.”
Planet Krypton – The world’s first exploration of Krypton and its lost society.
Man of Steel DVD 2-disc Special Edition contains the following special features:
Strong Characters, Legendary Roles
All-Out Action
Krypton Decoded
DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION ELEMENTS
On November 12, Man of Steel will be available for download in HD or standard definition from online retailers including but not limited to iTunes, Xbox, PlayStation, Amazon, Vudu, CinemaNow and more…
The film will also be available digitally in High Definition (HD) VOD and Standard Definition (SD) VOD from cable and satellite providers, and on select gaming consoles and broadband customers including Amazon, iTunes, etc.
ULTRAVIOLET
*UltraViolet allows you to collect, watch and share movies and TV shows in a whole new way. Available with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs, DVDs and Digital Downloads, UltraViolet lets you create a digital collection of movies and TV shows. Services such as Flixster and VUDU allow you to instantly stream and download UltraViolet content across a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players. Restrictions and limitations apply. Go to ultraviolet.flixster.com/info for details. For more information on compatible devices go to wb.com/ultravioletdevices. Restrictions and limitations apply. Go to ultraviolet.flixter.com/info for details.
BASICS
PRODUCT SRP
Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack $44.95
Blu-ray Combo Pack $35.99
2-disc Amaray (WS) $28.98
3D Limited Collector’s Edition $59.99
Standard Street Date: November 12, 2013
DVD Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Thai
BD Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Brazilian Portuguese, Mandarin
3D BD Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Brazilian Portuguese
DVD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Cantonese, Chinese (Traditional), Thai
BD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified)
3D BD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Brazilian Portuguese
Running Time: 143 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction and for some language
A young black kid recently asked my reaction to the graphic novel March: Book One. Before I could answer the young man who asked chimed in with this little gem of insight, “I can’t believe there are no creators of color on that book!”
I looked at that young motherfucker like he was a flying monkey.
I’m sincerely sorry about the above language as I was going to try and write this essay without resorting to my trademark swear words.
I tried, really I did, but I was so pissed at the lack of knowledge and history from this guy, hence, I looked at that young motherfucker like he was a flying monkey.
“No people of color? What do you call John Lewis?” I asked fighting the urge to ask if his wings hurt when tucked into his pants. I won’t bore you (or enrage myself more than I am now) with this simian’s stupid response.
From that asinine response it was clear he had no idea John Lewis was a real person and it was his life story being told. He had no clue John Lewis was more than a little responsible for his stupid ass being able to ask me such a stupid question in the first place.
What did I care that the co-writer and artist were both white? He wanted to know.
“Those are some bad ass white boys,” I told him. Translation: Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell are two very talented people.
I’m aware there is some in the black creator community who feel the entire book should have had a black creative team. I don’t share that opinion. John Lewis is a civil rights icon. His fight is what allowed those talented white boys to work with him in the first place.
If the year were 1964 all three creators would have faced real threats if they appeared with each other to promote the books at say a North Carolina comic book convention if they existed then. Jim Crow was still in full effect back in the day.
Hell, Jim Crow is in full effect now in North Carolina. Gov. Patrick McCrory just signed into law a sweeping voter reform bill that imposes Jim Crow like restrictions on guess whom?
Black and poor people.
Yep.
It’s 2013 and instead of John Lewis being able to sit back and look at his contributions as a shining accomplishment of the Civil Rights movement, instead of him being able to tell his story to a new generation of young brown and black brothers and sisters as a cautionary tale he instead has to continue to fight the same fight he’s been fighting since before that flying monkey was born.
So, my reaction to March: Book One? The book was wonderfully written, the art was incredible and I can’t wait until book two. While I do wait, I’ll pray the second part of the series will be a cautionary tale and not a primer of what’s happening today.
It seems like just yesterday I was getting back from San Diego Comic-Con…and now in less than two weeks, heeeeere comes Dragon Con! Another adventure!
Believe it or not, I still have some things to report from SDCC (yeah, I got a little behind, oops), but even though I’m still catching up from the last con, I’m super looking forward to Dragon Con! Why?
Well, for one thing, Dragon Con is my favorite con for costuming, outside of the Discworld cons. Not only do I get a kick out of costuming myself (as I’ve mentioned here before), but I also love looking at all of the amaaaaaazing costumes other people put together. From a Cylon with a real glowing spine, to an Archchancellor Ridcully with an actual flask in the tip of his pointy hat, to a pair of female “Spy vs. Spy” spies chasing each other around, any and every costume you can think of might make an appearance at the con, and the detail and creativity of many of the costumes just blows my mind.
The humor of a lot of them makes me happy, as well – from a group of gender-bent Disney princesses (complete with beards), to a couple of Spaceballs “combing” the bar-area floor with an actual giant comb, there are a lot of funny costumes to see. And then, of course, there’s one of the coolest costumes I ever saw at the con, which was done by my own roommate and friend Erica – a working Portal shirt with “portals” on the front and back, through which you could “see” to the other side. You never know what costume you’ll see next, and I love that.
I’m also super-excited, as always, about the awesome guests. Dragon Con is a great cross-section of the comics and genre TV and movie worlds, with guests from all over the spectrum. Also, of the cons I’ve been to, it’s the most comparable in its mix of guests to SDCC; but despite the huge crowds (57,000 people are expected to travel to Atlanta for Dragon Con this year), has a much more laid-back and less chaotic feel. Not to mention that with the Walk of Fame, you can often walk right up to your favorite celebrity to say hello (and buy a photo or an autograph, if that’s your thing). This year, I’m looking forward to seeing guests from Smallville, Once Upon a Time, Arrow, and Battlestar Galactica, among others. I’m also looking forward to seeing one of my favorite parts of any con, the animation and voice actor panels. Dragon Con has a lot of great voice actors coming this year, and those panels are always a blast. W00t!
Although this will be my third Dragon Con, there may be some folks out there for whom this is their first – and even for those who have been before, there are some new things to take note of this year. For that reason, I checked in with Dan Carroll of Dragon Con to see what he could tell me about this year’s con and how to enjoy it. Here’s what he said.
What are your top three tips to help new Dragon Con attendees get the most out of their experience?
1) Use the App! (Which you can get for Android or iPhone.)
2) Dad advice: Drink plenty of fluids! Eat your Meals! Sleep and Shower!
3) Have a plan for Dragon Con and find your way around as quickly as possible. Be flexible in your plan because you can’t see everything.
How does Dragon Con differ from other cons?
Dragon Cong brings together gaming, film, TV, comics, live music, a film festival, an art show, and the largest parade in Atlanta for a 24-hour-a-day event over four days in five four-star hotels and a great exhibition space.
What’s new and different this year, that veteran (and new) attendees should know about?
We have upgraded our vendor facilities by moving them to the AmericasMart showroom and convention space. This move allowed us to add nearly sixty new dealers or exhibitors. The space in the Marriott where vending was, is now home to the Walk of Fame where we have space for twenty additional signing tables.
Our big celebrations this year are about anniversaries. The 50th anniversary of Doctor Who has brought a great range of Doctor Who and Torchwood guests, the 30th Anniversary of Fraggle Rock is being celebrated with two Fraggle actors and puppets performing in our Puppetry Track. The 20th Anniversary of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is showcased with many of the original cast members and a lot of Star Trek luminaries including William Shatner and George Takei.
(Emily adds: It is also the 20th Anniversary of Animaniacs, as I’ve mentioned before, and Pinky and the Brain (Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche) will be on hand for that!)
What tools are available specifically for Dragon Con fun?
As I mentioned before, the App is a great place to start. Each hotel has an information desk that provides excellent advice and guidance to the Dragon Con member. Other great tools are the Daily Dragon for updated information and Dragon Con TV for some serious belly laughs.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s con? What do you recommend as a must-see activity?
I am looking forward to the new guests at Dragon Con such as Lee Majors and Lindsey Wagner. I am also looking forward to seeing my friends and reporters from around the country whom I only get to see at Dragon Con.
What’s the best costume you’ve ever seen at Dragon Con?
I think the most striking I have ever seen is a 12 foot tall Galactus. My favorite is probably when I see my favorite comic book character, Marvel Girl Jean Grey in her 1960s mini dress and white go-go boots.
Anything else you’d like to share about the con?
The easiest thing about talking about Dragon Con is that there is so much to talk about, which leaves me knowing that I am always leaving so much out. With 38 “tracks” of programming, each dedicated to an aspect of fandom, there is too much going to on to convey in a few sentences, so I invite everyone to come to Dragon Con and experience this amazing event for yourselves!
• • • • •
Well there you have it, folks! Some tips and info for new and veteran attendees, which will hopefully help everyone have as great a time at Dragon Con as I plan to have! And if you see me at the con, be sure to say hi!
Continuing its tradition of action packed two fisted books featuring the best in New Pulp and Genre Fiction, Pro Se Productions announces the first in a Crime/Noir Series from Author J. Walt Layne! A WEEK IN HELL will hit the hard bitten streets on August 15th and Pro Se wants established reviewers interested in an advance digital copy to get there first!
Welcome to Champion City. A megatropolis it isn’t. But you couldn’t arrive at that conclusion by looking at the police blotter. Most everyone in the city would tell you that a day in Champion is like… A WEEK IN HELL!
Pro Se Productions continues its tradition of providing the best in New Pulp and Genre Fiction with its latest release- A WEEK IN HELL, the First volume in the Champion City digest novel series by author J. Walt Layne!
It all starts with a girl and a bag of cash. Candi was the kind of gal who could give a guy indigestion. She was poison, with looks to kill, a reluctant moll looking for a way out. Thurman was a young flatfoot, not necessarily the knight in shining armor. He went to shake out a brawl and nearly fed her his gun, was it any wonder he got a date? They spend an evening on the run, but where does it lead? Just when it looks like its over, BOOM! Is it a dead girl, a bag of somebody else’s dough, or both?
“Writing A Week In Hell,” says Layne, “was a chance for me as a writer to try and give something back to the pulp novels and magazines of yesteryear that I enjoyed reading as a kid when no one was looking. Something about the honest, yet ornery sound of the language. The not so innocent victims, the uncompromising men. The story bigger than the hero can handle, yet coming out on top against all odds. Forty Miles of bad road for the big payoff or the big sleep.”
Written in the style of slang ridden, bullet riddled classic crime Pulp and mystery fiction, Layne’s A WEEK IN HELL drops the reader square into all the corruption and corrosion of human spirit that is Champion City. Dames, gats, gumshoes, and brass cupcakes die, shoot, run and glitter from every page. Edited by David White and David Brzeski, this book features a beautiful cover by Terry Pavlet with design, logo, and print formatting by Sean Ali and Ebook formatting by Russ Anderson. A WEEK IN HELL by J. Walt Layne courtesy of Pro Se Productions!
If you are an established reviewer of books either through a site or other venue or you have established yourself as a reviewer with a site of your own, contact Morgan Minor, Director of Corporate Operations at MorganMinorProSe@yahoo.com to request a digital copy for review. Also anyone interested in interviews with the author or other information concerning the book or Pro Se Productions may contact Morgan at the above address as well as going to the Pro Se website- www.prose-press.com
This week on PULPED!, Tommy Hancock welcomes Richard C. White. A creator of original characters as well as a media tie-in writer, Richard discusses his brush with two pretty significant fictional universes, the ins and outs of media tie in writing, his love for the Pulps, and how all that and more brought him to New Pulp in a big way! Listen in as Richard C. White Gets PULPED!
http://pulped.libsyn.com/pulped-the-official-new-pulp-podcast-author-richard-c-white-gets-pulped
