The Punisher in “The Dead Can’t Be Distracted”
The Dead Can’t Be Distracted is a fan film created by Mike Pecci based on Greg Rucka and Mike Checchetto’s run on the Punisher. To learn more about it, click over to CBR’s Exclusive Filmakers Tease.
Category: Crime
10 Entertainment Careers Cut Short by Unsolved Mysteries
10 Entertainment Careers Cut Short by Unsolved Mysteries is an interesting piece by Robin Warder that was recently posted over at Listverse. While the article doesn’t discuss the deaths of George Reeves, Tupac Shakur or the Black Dahlia, the entertainers that it does cover definitely died/disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
Thanks to Bill Crider for pointing me in the right direction.
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints slipped under my radar until I saw the trailer below. You can be sure it is in my sights now.
Brother Lono – Don’t Call It a Sequel
The fact that Brian Azzarello [wrriter] and Eduardo Risso [artist] have reteamed for a new eight-issue miniseries that spins-off Lono from 100 Bullets into his own series delights me to no end. (It makes me so happy that I write sentences that I would never say in public — “…delights me to no end” indeed.) That Dave Johnson is back to provide covers for Brother Lono makes the deal even sweeter.
I can’t wait for the book to drop next month. Thankfully there’s a short interview with Brian Azzarello at CBR.com that features more of Reverand Dave’s art to hold me over.
Kyle Holtz Gets Carter, Too!
When I learned that Kyle Holtz was taking on some mail order commissions, I just knew I had to try to get on his list. I was able to and Kyle agreed to give me his take on Sly as Jack Carter.
The first piece that Kyle created can be seen here. I think Kyle did an amazing job on it. Unfortunately, it was lost in the mail. I have hope that it will eventually turn up. Thankfully, Kyle sent a scan before mailing the art. When Kyle learned that the piece never arrived, he agreed to redo it.
Knowing how much artists hate to redraw something, and because I thought Kyle totally nailed it, I asked if I could upgrade to a larger piece. Kyle agreed. So Kyle created the Jack Carter drawing posted today. I absolutely love it.
If you’d like to see more of Kyle’s art, click on over to his Facebook page. I give Kyle the highest recommendation to folks that collect commissions.
Steven Grant’s Two Guns Leads to Three Guns
Just the other day we were talking about Steven Grant and Mike Zeck’s collaborations on Circle of Blood, Return to Big Nothing and Damned. Those are the most popular Grant/Zeck graphic stories.
Another very popular crime graphic novel written by Steven Grant (but this time with art by Mat Santolouco) is Two Guns.
- From the Boom! Studios book description: A pulp story about cops and thieves and the men that are something in between. Trench has targeted a local bank to rob, and asked Steadman in on the job. Trench figures it’s a great way to score — considering it’s a cover for mob money. They’ll be thieves ripping off thieves. But what Steadman doesn’t know is that Trench is a DEA agent. And what Trench doesn’t know is that Steadman’s a Naval Intelligence officer. They’re both cops! And neither one knows that they’re not robbing the mob, they’ve been set up to steal $50 million from the CIA!
If Two Guns sounds familiar, it could be because you’ve seen the trailer for the movie adaptation starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. The movie premieres on August 2nd.
The first issue of a six issue comics sequel, titled appropriately enough, Three Guns (again by Grant, but this time with art by Emilio Laiso) is set to drop around the same time. You can learn more about Three Guns from this piece over at the Hollywood Reporter.
Grant & Zeck – Get Another “Damned” Shot
Circle of Blood. Return to Big Nothing.
These are the two graphic novels that fans refer to most when talking about Steven Grant and Mike Zeck’s best collaborations.
While I agree that Grant and Zeck’s Punisher stories should be the Bible for others wanting to chronicle the Punisher, I’ve always felt that their crime graphic novel Damned was on equal footing with Circle of Blood and Return to Big Nothing.
Unfortunately, many fans missed out on Damned when it was originally published. If you fall into the group, it’s still not to late to get on board.
Grave Digger Should be a TV Series
It’s hard to believe that I’ve been plugging Grave Digger by Chris Mills and Rick Burchett since 2004! That’s when the first issue of what could have been a one-shot comic was released.
So who is the professional thief known as “DIgger” McCrae? Here’s how Chris Mills describes him…
- Hard, brutal and ruthless – with a weakness for hot women and cold cash – McCrae is the consummate criminal. Whether it’s an armored car hijacking, bank robbery, art heist or a kidnapping, you can depend on “Digger” to handle every obstacle and double-cross with professional cool and a complete lack of conscience. And that “Gravedigger” nickname? Well – don’t ever call him that to his face, or you’ll find out where that moniker came from… the hard way.
If you missed out, you’re in luck, because Mills and Burchett are running the original comic in the form of a free weekly web comic. Before you click over, keep in mind that there is occasionally adult language and violence.
After the original comic runs, Mills and Burchett plan to run a new adventure and then hopefully put out a print edition. I am hoping that they will kickstart a hardcover edition with extras. That’d make me very happy.
Of course a Grave Digger tv series would also be nice.
100 Bullets Should be a TV Series
Yesterday, we took a look at Carl Jansson’s choices for 10 Non-Superhero Comic Series That Would Make Great TV Shows. This inspired me to think about which non-superhero comics I would want to see turned into a tv series.
First up…
100 Bullets by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso. Designed to run 100 issues (and it did), 100 Bullets started with a simple concept…
- “…the mysterious Agent Graves approaches ordinary citizens and gives them an opportunity to exact revenge on a person that has wronged them. Offering his clients an attaché case containing proof of the deed and a gun, he guarantees his “clients” full immunity for all of their actions, including murder…”
… and as the cast grew larger, so did the weight of the story. As we learn more we come to realize that Agent Graves, his offer of a gun and immunity are just part of a much bigger, more complex plot that plays out in the best noir/crime fiction traditions.
I can’t believe that some forward thinking tv execs haven’t jumped all over this series. There have been rumors over the years, but nothing has come of them.
If you haven’t read 100 Bullets, you should. It’s that good.
100 Bullets: Deluxe Edition Book One
100 Bullets: Deluxe Edition Book Two
100 Bullets: Deluxe Edition Book Three
100 Bullets: Deluxe Edition Book Four
100 Bullets: Deluxe Edition Book Five
Z-View: “Sharkey’s Machine”
The Movie: Sharkey’s Machine
The Pitch: “Dirty Harry goes to Atlanta.”
The Tagline: “Burt is Sharky. Nobody leans on Sharky’s Machine!”
The Story: Tom Sharky is a narcotics cop demoted to vice after a botched drug bust results in a citizen being shot. Sharkey discovers a plot involving murders and a high level politician being manipulated by a crime boss. Sharkey pulls together a team of quirky cops, but as the bodies pile up find they are in over their heads.
The Screenplay: Gerald DiPego from the novel by William Diehl
The Director: Burt Reynolds
The Cast: Burt Reynolds, Vittorio Gassman, Brian Keith, Charles Durning, Earl Holliman, Bernie Casey, Henry Silva, Richard Libertini, Rachael Ward,Suzee Pai, Dan Inosanto .
The Good: The cast. The action. The soundtrack is awesome. Rachael Ward in her breakout role. Reynolds has the right balance of action/violence/humor. The shootout at the start and end of the movie.
The Bad: Henry Silva is a coked-up psycho hitman and that’s good. What happens to Reynolds when he crosses some Yakuza.
The Ugly: The torture scene on the boat.
The Rating: B
Honey West & T.H.E. Cat Team for the 1st Time
As I was going through the latest issue of Previews, I came across this solicitation:
- Honey West & T.H.E. CAT #1 (of 2)
- story: Trina Robbins
- art: Silvestre Szilagyi
- colors: Patrick J. Williams
- cover: Valarie Jones
- 32pgs, color, $3.99
- Two cult TV icons heat it up together for the first time!
- Ex-cat burglar and aerialist Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat is back for the first time in 45 years!
- He puts his skills to good use as a professional bodyguard…primitive…and in love with danger!
- Now he teams up with TV’s first lead-female private eye.
- In “Death in the Desert”, 1960’s mob infested Las Vegas, they investigate a series of accidents…but will the attraction between the two cause the case to overheat?
Honey West was a female private eye that first appeared in a series of novels in the 1950’s. In 1965, Anne Francis played Honey West in an ABC tv series that lasted just one season. Although the show only lasted 30 episodes it became a cult classic.
Created by Harry Julian Fink (who also created Dirty Harry), T.H.E. Cat appeared in a 1966 tv series that ran for just one season on NBC. Although T.H.E. Cat only lasted for 26 episodes, it also became a cult classic.
Now nearly 50 years later they are teamed for a 2 issue comic mini-series? How cool is that? The eight year old kid in me says, “Pretty dang-gone cool.”
I’ll be pre-ordering the series. If it appeals to the kid (or adult) in you, then you know what to do.
Two Guns… So…
Two Guns is based on a graphic novel (of the same name) written by Steven Grant and drawn by Mat Santolouco.
So it has a good foundation.
Two Guns opens on August 2nd. It looks like it’s competition will be 300: Rise of an Empire and Red 2.
So it should/could open at #1.
Two Guns has a new trailer that you can see below.
So what do you think?
Mike Torrance and Jimmy Bobo
Mike Torrance aka The Krayola Kidd is back! Mike returns with Sly as Jimmy Bobo from Bullet to the Head.
You can see more of Mike’s art at The Daily Sketch with The Krayola Kidd (and if you’ve never checked out Mike’s site, you ought to if only to see his Walking Dead cards!) and his Deviant Art site. Mike is available for commissions and his prices are very reasonable.
New “Bullet to the Head” Overseas Poster
This overseas poster for Bullet to the Head may be the best one yet.
Thanks and a nod of the dome, rather than a Bullet to the Head to IMPAwards.
100 Bullets’ Lono is Back!
100 Bullets by writer Brian Azzarello, artist Eduardo Risso, colorist Trish Mulvihill, letterer Clem Robbins and cover artist Dave Johnson ran for 100 issues and was one of the best crime comics ever. When it ended, most fans appreciated that the story was done, but hated the loss of their monthly crime fix.
Now, nearly three years later, the entire creative team is returning to bring us a limited series which not only takes place in the same universe as 100 Bullets, but features one of the series most popular characters, Lono.
It’s like Christmas came early.
If you want to learn more about Brother Lono, you can thanks to this interview at Newsarama.
