Category: Crime

“The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit” Week: Day 4

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It’s Day 4 of “The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit” Week @ the ZONE.  You may be getting tired of hearing that “The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit” written by Beau Smith & Chuck Dixon with art by Dan Brereton is one of the best comic stories ever.  But it’s true.

Today’s post is a very loose, and rarely seen sketch of The Black Terror drawn by the series award-winning artist, Dan Brereton.  Today’s quote by Beau Smith [who came up with the concept for the series and co-wrote it] talks about the psychological terror that runs throughout “The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit”:

“Books like Batman, Punisher, and Moon Knight bring you the hostile side of violence.  The Black Terror brings you one step further – into the brutality of the mind.”

If The Black Terror sounds like something you’d like, then track down some issues and give it a go. If you’re already a fan, then why not drop Beau Smith, Chuck Dixon and Dan Brereton a line and let them know. Better yet, why not e-mail Todd McFarlane [who holds the rights to the comic] at Spawn.com Publishing and suggest they give the series the reprint it deserves!

“The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit” Week: Day 3

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Day 3 of “The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit” Week @ the ZONE brings us a very rough sketch by Dan Brereton that appeared in Comics Scene #5.  For those coming in late, “The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit”  was written by Beau Smith & Chuck Dixon with art by Dan Brereton.  Smith & Dixon’s writing combined with Brereton’s art to produce one of the best comic stories ever.  [Please note I didn’t limit my praise to just crime comics.]

Here’s how Beau Smith described The Black Terror in the Comics Scene piece:

“He’s going to be what characters like Wolverine or Batman could never be due to licensing and being on every kid’s lunchbox.  He is going to be the scariest thing – the boogeyman to crime… All they know about him is he gets the job done, he doesn’t get caught, and their people usually get hurt along the way.”

If The Black Terror sounds like something you’d like, then track down the three issue mini-series and give it a go.  If you’re already a fan, then why not drop Beau Smith, Chuck Dixon and Dan Brereton a line and let them know.  Better yet, why not e-mail Todd McFarlane [who holds the rights to the comic] at Spawn.com Publishing and suggest they give the series the reprint it deserves!

The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit: Day 2

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This week we’re taking a look at “The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit” written by Beau Smith & Chuck Dixon with art by Dan Brereton.  Today’s art is a drawing that Brereton did and Eclipse used in an ad to congratulate Dan on winning the Russ Manning Award as Best New Artist for his work on the series.

The Black Terror series took place in an alternate universe where organized crime had become a legitimate enterpise.  In this hard-boiled setting, the Black Terror waged a one man war against crime.  Despite his best efforts, the Black Terror realized that he wasn’t making a dent in the criminal underworld.  So he decided that the only way to take down the organization is from within.  

To this end, he “did in” a couple of low level hoods and began to work his way up into the organization.  The mobsters only knew him as Ryan Delvecchio, a tough, on-the-rise thug; not his alter-ego, the criminal killer known as The Black Terror.  When Delvecchio is hand-picked to become part of an elite Mafia hit squad, he’s in the perfect position to take out the major players in organized crime… that is if the Feds don’t kill him first.

Man, I wish that someone would reprint this series in a hardcover edition.  More tomorrow when we hit Day 3.

The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit Week: Day 1

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One of my all time favorite comics is “The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit” written by Beau Smith & Chuck Dixon with art by Dan Brereton.  “The Black Terror: Seduction of Deceit” was a three issue mini-series published by Eclipse Comics in 1989/1990.  Beau Smith described the story as “hardboiled, psychological and pulp-like” and Brereton’s painted art as “moody” and “cinematic”.  He was right.

Today’s art is a preview piece that Brereton did to help promote the series.  It sure worked for me.  I loved Beau Smith’s concept, the look of the character and Brereton’s art.  I was in and hoped that the series would live up to it’s promise… and boy, did it!

“Last Days of American Crime” Preview

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I’ve been a fan of Rick Remender’s work for years.  It seems like I’ve been looking forward to his “Last Days of American Crime” for almost as long.   You can imagine how satisfied I am that it’s finally seeing print.  After looking at this preview, presented by the good folks at CBR.com, you’ll also know how excited I am that Greg Tocchini is on board for the art.  My guess is you’ll be excited as well.

“Last Days of American Crime” Preview

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CBR.com has a great preview of Rick Remender’s “Last Days of American Crime” mini-series. I’ve been a fan of Rick’s work for years and have been hoping to see this mini-series for almost as long.  The 17 page preview showcases some really great art by Greg Tocchini, but before you click over on the link be aware that some of the images are pretty violent and the language raw.  If you’re okay with that then click on, Leon.

Gravedigger: Hot Women, Cold Cash

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One of my favorite crime comics is Gravdigger: The Scavengers by Chris Mills and Rick Burchett. Long time ZONErs have heard me sing its praises many times.  I’m happy to report that the long awaited sequel, a graphic novel titled Gravedigger: Hot Women, Cold Cash is coming out in early 2010. 

Chris has posted six pages of preview art on his blog.  Check it out,  and you might notice that one of the characters looks a bit like someone you may recognize… and I ain’t talkin’ about Lee Marvin.  If you like what you see [with a story by Chris Mills, and art by Rick Burchett and Fred Harper is there any way you couldn’t?], then let your local comic shop manager know you’ll be ordering one.  I know I will.

Wayne D. Dundee Checks In

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There’s a funny scene in Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall” when Woody is standing in line at a movie and gets into an argument with a stranger about an author.  Woody ends the scene by saying, “If life were only like this.”

Not too long ago, I posted a comment at Chris Mill’s Atomic Pulp site asking whatever happened to a hardboiled writer named Wayne D. Dundee.  I figued Chris or one of his readers might know.  Today I received an e-mail from a guy who definitely has the scoop.  Yep, Wayne Dundee e-mailed to let me in what he’s been up to.  How cool is that?

Dundee is best known for his Joe Hannibal private eye novels which first started appearing in 1988.  Not only has his writing won critical acclaim, but authors such as Andrew Vachss, Max Allan Collins, Joe Lansdale and Bill Crider sing his praises.  So if you don’t take my word, you can take theirs.  Dundee is an author worth checking out.  Here’s a link to his site with more updates coming soon.

I guess Woody was wrong, sometimes life is like “this”.

Chris Mills Made Me a Winner!

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Hey! Chris Mills recently held a contest in honor of his birthday. How about that? Chris gives presents to readers to celebrate another year on this planet. So… he had a drawing for a two issue mini-series that he wrote back in the day called “Bloodthirst: The Nightfall Conspiracy” and I was the lucky winner.

Chris runs a lot of cool sites including: Atomic Pulp, Femme Noir,  Perils on Planet X,  Guns in the Gutters, and many others.  Chris also wrote one of my all-time favorite crime comics, Gravedigger: The Scavengers and is currently working on a Gravedigger sequel in between running all of his websites and working on other writing projects.   Check out his sites.  My guess is you’ll find several that will appeal to you.

“Give ‘Em Hell Malone”

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I first heard about “Give ‘Em Hell Malone” back in January.  I was surprised then that more people weren’t talking it up since it stars Thomas Jane and Ving Rhames in what looks to be a very hip, on-point genre movie.

I’m diggin’ everyrhing about “Give ‘Em Hell Malone” – from the way cool styized poster above [as well as these others] to the latest trailer which premiered at Cannes.  I am ready to see this bad boy in a theater NOW.