Category: Crime

Dick Tracy Forever / Z-View

Posted on by

Dick Tracy Forever is a four-issue mini-series and paperback published by IDW. .

Writer: Michael Avon Oeming
Artist: Michael Avon Oeming
Colorist: Taki Soma
Letterer: Shawn Lee
Cover Artist: Michael Avon Oeming 

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

I was never a huge fan of Dick Tracy.  I’d read some of the comic strips and had seen the Warren Beatty movie.  I knew that Dick Tracy was a straightlaced cop who had an interesting gallery of weird-looking villains. Oh, and he had this really cool video watch!  That was about the extent of it.

When I saw the preview cover of Dick Tracy Forever by Michael Oeming, I knew I had to give the series a go.  I’m a fan of Oeming’s art and thought his take on Tracy would be interesting.  Thankfully, I wasn’t wrong.

Oeming created interconnected stories featuring Dick Tracy through the years taking Tracy from the 1930’s to the future.  The tales are fun and show Tracy as being more than just a straight-laced cop (although at the core, he is a law and order guy).  I liked that his girlfriend/wife was more than just a damsel in distress.  Oeming introduces a couple of new characters that deserve to stick around. Oh, and let’s not forget that cool video watch!  I was already a fan of Oeming’s art, now we can add his writing as well.

Taki Soma’s coloring perfectly supports the story.  Dick Tracy newspaper strips and comics were known for the coloring limitations of their time. Soma gives Dick Tracy Forever the feel of the old stories but adds shading and subtlety when needed (at times leaving the art black and white in support of the story).

I really liked Dick Tracy Forever but wondered if true Dick Tracy fans felt the same way.  They do!  Amazon and Comixology reviewers gave it nothing less than 4 of 5 stars.  So if you don’t take my word, you can take theirs.  🙂


Rating:

Dead Body Road: Bad Blood #1 / Z-View

Posted on by

Dead Body Road: Bad Blood #1 is part of a six-issue mini-series published by Image Comics.

Writer: Justin Jordan
Artist: Benjamin Tiesma
Colorist: Matt Lopes
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Cover Artist: Matteo Scalera and Moreno Dinisio

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

Bree Hale has left a lot behind in her life. Crime. The military. But she can’t leave behind her own family, and when the local crime boss puts a hit out on her brother, there’s nothing she won’t do to save him. Absolutely nothing. Skybound’s pulse-pounding action series returns, with writer JUSTIN JORDAN (REAVER, LUTHER STRODE) and artist BENJAMIN TIESMA delivering an explosive tale of revenge like you’ve never seen before!

I am huge fan of Dead Body Road.  If you haven’t read it you should.  Dead Body Road: Bad Blood isn’t a sequel (but could be set in the same universe) and is on track to be just as good.

Writer, Justin Jordan, has returned and this time he’s brought with him artist Benjamin Tiesma. Tiesma is an excellent choice.  Jordan and Tiesma are joined by colorist Matt Lopes and letterer Pat Brosseau who create a solid team.

Bree Hale is a woman with a mysterious past that involved both military and criminal experience.  Bree has left that all behind (she hopes) and now runs a bar where the biggest problem is dealing with folks who drink to much.

When a detective comes in asking questions about her brother, she can honestly say she hasn’t seen or heard from him.  The detective isn’t convinced, but what can he do?  At closing time a hardcase Bree’s never seen before comes in looking for her brother.  She tells him the same thing she told the detective.  He leaves but Bree knows it isn’t over. She’s being dragged into whatever mess her brother has made and it could get them both killed.

Dead Body Road: Bad Blood is everything a good crime comic should be.  I cannot wait for issue two.


Rating:

Walter Mosley’s Easy Rawlins Returns in BLOOD GROVE!

Posted on by

What’s that you say? Walter Mosley has a new Easy Rawlins novel coming out in February!

Please, tell me more.  Well, it’s called Blood Grove.  And..

Ezekiel “Easy” Porterhouse Rawlins is an unlicensed private investigator turned hard-boiled detective always willing to do what it takes to get things done in the racially charged, dark underbelly of Los Angeles.

But when Easy is approached by a shell-shocked Vietnam War veteran- a young white man who claims to have gotten into a fight protecting a white woman from a black man – he knows he shouldn’t take the case.

Though he sees nothing but trouble in the brooding ex-soldier’s eyes, Easy, a vet himself, feels a kinship form between them. Easy embarks on an investigation that takes him from mountaintops to the desert, through South Central and into sex clubs and the homes of the fabulously wealthy, facing hippies, the mob, and old friends perhaps more dangerous than anyone else.

Set against the social and political upheaval of the late 1960s, BLOOD GROVE is ultimately a story about survival, not only of the body but also the soul.

Widely hailed as “incomparable” (Chicago Tribune) and “dazzling” (Tampa Bay Times), Walter Mosley proves that he’s at the top of his game in this bold return to the endlessly entertaining series that has kept fans on their toes for years.

Ok, I’m in for the hardcover. (Some folks prefer the Kindle.)  Either way, Walter Mosley’s Easy Rawlins novels never disappoint.

David Ayer’s “Tax Collector” Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

Here’s the poster and trailer for David Ayer’s Tax Collector.  I’m an Ayer fan and will check out anything he does.  Tax Collector looks to add to the reasons why I follow Ayer’s films.

In Theaters, VOD and Digital HD August 7th

Written and Directed by David Ayer
Starring Bobby Soto, Cinthya Carmona, George Lopez and Shia LeBeouf

Synopsis: David (Bobby Soto) and Creeper (Shia LaBeouf), are “tax collectors” for the crime lord Wizard, collecting his cut from the profits of local gangs’ illicit dealings. But when Wizard’s old rival returns to Los Angeles from Mexico, the business is upended, and David finds himself desperate to protect what matters more to him than anything else: his family.

“The Silencing” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

Here are the poster and trailer for The Silencing.

A reformed hunter (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and a sheriff (Annabelle Wallis) are caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse when they set out to track a killer who may have kidnapped the hunter’s daughter five years ago. Also starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin. On DirecTV July 16, 2020. In theaters, On Demand and on digital August 14, 2020.

“Browse” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

How about the poster and trailer to Browse?

What Richard wanted was a fresh start, what he got was a nightmare. “BROWSE” tells the story of Richard Coleman (Lukas Haas), an introverted man who becomes convinced that his identity has been hacked after dabbling in online dating. Desperate for clarity, Richard seeks to uncover the truth of who is trying to manipulate him and why, but the more he struggles with his futile investigation, the further he’s cast into an insurmountable web of paranoia that threatens to destroy his thinning hold on reality.

“The Big Ugly” – Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

It’s movie poster and trailer day.  Here’s The Big Ugly.

Neeyln (Vinnie Jones) has always been the loyal enforcer for crime boss Harris (Malcolm McDowell) back in London, taking care of problems and people that disrupt his illicit business. When Harris strikes a deal with an old friend – American oilman Preston (Ron Perlman) – they find themselves in the wild hills of West Virginia. Contracts are signed and the whiskey flows in celebration, but overnight Neelyn’s girlfriend disappears, last seen with Preston’s wayward son Junior. Lines are drawn between family and friends, but nothing will stop Neelyn from getting answers — and retribution.

Starring: Ron Perlman, Malcolm McDowell, Vinnie Jones
Directed by: Scott Wiper

Monopoly: “Breaking Bad” Edition

Posted on by

Have you seen the Monopoly: Breaking Bad edition?

MONOPOLY: Breaking Bad
Players will want to “tread lightly” to buy, sell, and trade properties to be the last one standing in this risky version of Monopoly: Breaking Bad – based on AMC’s hit series! Familiar locations and tokens based on iconic items from the show such as Heisenberg Hat, RV, Tio’s Bell and more will take fans back through the sordid evolution of Walter White and his own capitalistic plan.

  • Relive the iconic series of AMC’s Breaking Bad featuring the sordid journey of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman
  • Buy, sell, and trade your way to infamy and be the last one standing in this collectible version of Monopoly
  • Includes 6 custom sculpted tokens: Heisenberg Hat, Tio’s Bell, Money Barrel, Gas Mask, Pink Teddy Bear, RV
  • Houses renamed Tented Houses, Hotels renamed SuperLabs, Community Chest Cards renamed Heisenberg Cards, and Chance Cards renamed Walter White Cards
  • 2-6 Players | Ages 17+ | 60+ Min Play Time

If you ever ask me to play Monopoly please remember I approach it like Walter White when he said,

“Jesse, you asked me if I was in the meth business, or the money business… Neither. I’m in the empire business.”

Bruce Lee Trivia!

Posted on by

Jay Serafino at Mental Floss presents 10 Amazing Facts About Bruce Lee.  Here are my thoughts about three of the best…

BRUCE LEE REFUSED TO LOSE A FIGHT TO ROBIN.
(It’s pretty impressive that Lee took this stand since Batman was one of the most popular shows on tv, and Lee wasn’t the star of Batman or The Green Hornet. – Craig)

ROMAN POLANSKI MAY HAVE (BRIEFLY) THOUGHT BRUCE LEE MURDERED SHARON TATE.
(I was surprised when I first learned of this fact.  What are the odds Lee would lose his glasses around the same time of the murder and that a pair would be found at the scene of the crime?  Coincidences do happen and can get people locked up or worse. – Craig)

BRUCE LEE WAS DEEMED PHYSICALLY UNFIT FOR THE U.S. ARMY.
(This is probably the most surprising fact.  Who’d have guessed that Bruce Lee would be deemed unfit for anything? – Craig)

For more on Bruce Lee please consider checking out…

The All-Time Best Heist Movies!

Posted on by

Matthew Jackson at Mental Floss presents The 25 Greatest Heist Movies of All Time.  Jackson’s list is a good one.  I’ve seen 18 of the 25 films listed.  Here are my thoughts on each of the movies Jackson selected.

1. THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950) – An excellent choice for number one.  John Huston directs a great cast in a classic film.

2. RIFIFI (1955) – The heist itself is an extended classic scene without dialogue.  Another excellent choice.

3. THE LADYKILLERS (1955) – I haven’t seen this one.

4. THE KILLING (1956) – I love this film and it gets better with each viewing. I wouldn’t have argued if it had placed higher.

5. BOB LE FLAMBEUR (1956) – I haven’t seen this one, but would like to.

6. THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1968) – The first film on the list that I’ve seen and didn’t love.  In fact I would have chosen McQueen in The Getaway instead.

7. THE ITALIAN JOB (1969) – I haven’t seen it.

8. THE STING (1973) – Newman and Redford re-teamed for an excellent follow-up to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

9. DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975) – A unique story told from a perspective most wouldn’t expect.

10. BLUE COLLAR (1978) – I’ve never seen this one and until this list didn’t realize it was a heist film.

11. THIEF (1981) – Thief takes us into a world alien to us civilians.  You can see the groundwork for Heat being developed by Mann.

12. DIE HARD (1988) – A classic.  Until this list, I had never considered Die Hard to be a heist movie but it is.

13. RESERVOIR DOGS (1992) – My favorite Tarantino movie.  

14. HEAT (1995) – Love this one.  I wonder why it didn’t rate higher.

15. BOTTLE ROCKET (1996) – I haven’t see this one.

16. OUT OF SIGHT (1998) – I was surprised by how much I liked this one.  I need to see it again.

17. SEXY BEAST (2000) – I haven’t seen this one.

18. OCEAN’S ELEVEN (2001) – Saw it when it was first released and thought it was ok.

19. INSIDE MAN (2006) – Another movie that I thought was just ok.

20. THE TOWN (2010) – I love The Town and would have rated it much higher.

21. FAST FIVE (2011) – I like the Fast & Furious series but truthfully they all start to run together as they get more and more outlandish.  I still dig ’em though.

22. HELL OR HIGH WATER (2016) – Surprisingly good and doesn’t follow the typical Hollywood format.

23. BABY DRIVER (2017) – What a stylishly unique film.  I can’t wait to see it again… 

24. LOGAN LUCKY (2017) – This was a much better and funnier movie than I expected.

25. WIDOWS (2018) – I haven’t seen it, but wouldn’t mind doing so.

Click over to Matthew Jackson’s The 25 Greatest Heist Movies of All Time to see trailers and learn more about each film.

“Run with the Hunted” Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

Here are the poster and trailer for Run with the Hunted.  The trailer has left me wanting more!

Oscar, a young boy, commits a noble murder and is forced to run away from his rural hometown, leaving behind his best friend, Loux. Fifteen years later, he has forgotten his past and become the leader of a band of lost children. Loux takes it upon herself to find the boy who saved her life. Directed by John Swab.

Trailer provided by Vertical Entertainment for promotional use only.