Category: Books

Creepy Archives Volume Four

Posted on by

Creepy Archives Volume Four will drop on December 12, 2023..  It’ll be 232 pages of comic greatness topped by an awesome Frank Frazetta cover.

For over two decades Creepy magazine presented some of the most gripping tales of terror, mayhem, and the supernatural ever told in graphic fiction, and was a showcase of the stellar work of comics legends Archie Goodwin, Frank Frazetta, Reed Crandall, Steve Ditko, and many more.

Long available only as expensive collectibles, Creepy Archives Volume 4 collects Creepy issues #16–#20 in a value-priced paperback edition and includes original letters pages, text features, and ads.

  Deal me in.  Pre-Orders are available now.

“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins / Z-View

Posted on by

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Director: Jonathan Demme

Screenplay: Ted Tally based on The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

Stars: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald, Frankie Faison, Don Brockett, Stuart Rudin, Ted Levine, Roger Corman, Charles Napier and Chris Isaac.

Tagline: Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Brilliant. Cunning. Psychotic. In his mind lies the clue to a ruthless killer. – Clarice Starling, FBI. Brilliant. Vulnerable. Alone. She must trust him to stop the killer.

The Plot…

A serial killer the press calls Buffalo Bill is murdering women.  He then skins them and leaves their bodies in water without any clues. The FBI investigation is at a standstill.

Clarice Starling (Foster), an FBI agent still in training, is personally selected to interview Dr. Hannibal Lector (Hopkins).  Lector, known as Hannibal the Cannibal, is a serial killer with a genius IQ. He murdered and ate his victims.  Now held in a maximum security prison for the criminally insane, Lector may be the only one with insight on catching Buffalo Bill.

But can Lector be trusted?  The clock is ticking…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Silence of the Lambs is an excellent adaptation of Thomas Harris’ best-selling novel.  It is rightully considered one of the finest movies ever made.

The Silence of the Lambs collected Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodie Foster) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Tally).

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) rates 5 of 5 stars.

FADEAWAY JOE by Hugh Lessig

Posted on by

I’ve been reading a lot of good buzz on FADEAWAY JOE by Hugh Lessig.  Here’s the lowdown…

Perfect for fans of S. A. Cosby and Allen Eskens, Joe Pendergast must go all in one last time as he grapples with the ghosts of his past–and present–in this gritty, high-stakes thriller.

Sixty-four-year-old Joe has known violence his entire life. For forty years he’s worked as an enforcer for loan shark and close friend Maxie Smith, breaking more than a few bones along the way. When Maxie abruptly fires him, Joe isn’t sure where to lay the blame—on Maxie, the man he once considered his brother, or on the early-onset Alzheimer’s that made Maxie lose faith in him in the first place.

To keep his head above water, he begins to operate a food truck that’s barely getting by. Desperate to regain some purpose in his life, Joe makes a life-altering decision: he’s going to take down Maxie Smith by any means necessary, once and for all. However, his plan of revenge is sidelined when he meets twenty-two-year-old Paula Jessup, a wise-cracking amateur detective with a few scheming cards up her sleeve, who’s on the run from a trafficking ring she’s been investigating. The two form an unlikely bond: Paula needs some protection and Joe needs a purpose.

With the stakes running high and the clock ticking down—will this gamble pay off?

“The Friends of Eddie Coyle” (1973) starring Robert Mitchum / Z-View

Posted on by

The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)

Director: Peter Yates

Screenplay: Paul Monash based on The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V. Higgins

Stars: Robert Mitchum, Peter Boyle, Richard Jordan, Steven Keats, Alex Rocco, Joe Santos, Mitchell Ryan, Carolyn Pickman, James Tolkan and Jack Kehoe.

Tagline: It’s a grubby, violent, dangerous world. But it’s the only world they know. And they’re the only friends Eddie has.

The Plot…

Eddie Coyle (Mitchum) is a low-level criminal.  He was convicted of a truck hijacking and is waiting sentencing.  In an effort to get his conviction cleared, Coyle is secretly working as an informant for an ATF agent.  At the same time Coyle is dealing guns to a crew of robbers who have knocked off a couple of banks and look to take down more soon.  As the cops close in on the bank robbers, the time draws near for Coyle’s sentencing.  He’s going to have to make some moves to get out clean…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

This is such a great 1970s cast for a crime film.  Great source material as well.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) rates 3 of 5 stars.

REBEL MOON by V. Castro – Novelization of Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon” is Coming!

Posted on by

It’s been years (decades?) since I bought a movie novelization.  I may have to break that streak with REBEL MOON by V. Castro.  It drops December 26, 2023.  Here’s the downlow…

Embark on an interstellar adventure like no other in V. Castro’s thrilling official novelization of Zack Snyder’s epic new film.

Zack Snyder’s epic new science fiction blockbuster Rebel Moon novelized by V. Castro, two-time Bram Stoker Award-nominated author. Experience Rebel Moon on the page in this pulse-pounding novelization.

A TURKEY DANCED DEATH: Another Rock Cobbler Case by Whiskey Leavins is Coming!

Posted on by

Great news for Whiskey Leavins and Rock Cobbler fans – A Turkey Danced Death: Another Rock Cobbler Case — Coming in early August!

Usually I like my crime fiction to be hardboiled and serious. But there are times when a bigger helping of humor is a nice change of pace.  Last year Whiskey Leavins’  Murder in Grease Paint filled the bill.  Someone described it as “equal parts Chandler, Christopher Moore, Bozo, and Bourbon.”  I wouldn’t argue that.  I gave Murder in Grease Paint 5 of 5 stars (the same rating that Leavins’ The Devil’s Own Piss and Other Stories‘ earned!) So you can imagine that I’m psyched to have another Rock Cobbler Case in the pipeline.

“300” (2006) /Z-View

Posted on by

300 (2006)

Director: Zack Snyder

Screenplay: Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, Michael B. Gordon based on 300 by Frank Miller, Lynn Varley

Stars: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Dominic West, Vincent Regan, Michael Fassbender, Andrew Pleavin, Rodrigo Santoro  and Eli Snyder.

Tagline:  Spartans, tonight, we dine in hell!

The Plot…

Based on Frank Miller’s classic graphic novel, 300 tells the story of King Leonidas (Butler) who led an army of 300 Spartans against a Persian force of over 100,000.  Persian King Xerxes (Santoro) planned to rule the world. His army was decimating every country in his path.  King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans would meet the Persians in the mountain pass of Thermopylae known as “the Gates of Hell”.  There they would make their stand.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

There has never been a movie adaptation that follows the source material as well as 300.  Zack Snyder’s respect for Frank Miller’s graphic novel is evident in every scene.  That’s not to say that Snyder didn’t have an impact on what we see.  Using Miller’s panels as storyboards, Snyder has created a stylized film that is  a thing of beauty.

300 (2006) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Rebel Moon” Behind the Scenes Video & Poster!!

Posted on by

How about some behind the scenes footage from Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon?  I’ll be honest, initially I wanted more Army of the Dead.  I still do, but the more I hear and see of Rebel Moon, the more excited I am for it.  I love the cast which includes Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, Anthony Hopkins, Cary Elwes and Djimon Hounsou.  I’m fully on board for Rebel Moon.  Deal me in!

Only on Netflix December 22.

From Zack Snyder, the filmmaker behind 300, Man of Steel, and Army of the Dead, comes REBEL MOON, an epic science-fantasy event decades in the making.

When a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival. Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed.

“Dark Winds” – The Season 2 Trailer is Here!

Posted on by

I was a fan of the first season of Dark Winds.  From the looks of the trailer, season 2 will be even better.  Deal me in.

For Lieutenant Leaphorn, this is about more than just uncovering the truth. This is personal.

Follows Leephorn and Chee, two Navajo police officers in the 1970s Southwest that are forced to challenge their own spiritual beliefs when they search for clues in a double murder case.

Starring: Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon, Jessica Matten, Noah Emmerich

Dark Winds Season 2 Premieres July 30 | AMC+

WHERE THE BODY WAS by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips!

Posted on by

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips have announced WHERE THE BODY WAS, a new original graphic novel that drops December 12, 2023.  Here’s the lowdown…

A boarding house full of druggies. A neglected housewife. A young girl who thinks she’s a superhero. A cop who wants to be left alone. And a Private Detective looking for a runaway girl. These stories collide one fateful summer in WHERE THE BODY WAS, a tale of love and murder in the suburbs, told from a dozen different points of view. All the neighbors on the block have an opinion about the murder and how it happened, but which of them is telling the truth?

WHERE THE BODY WAS is a tour-de-force from grandmasters Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Starting with a map of the crime scene, this murder mystery follows the ripples of this killing as they echo through decades of love and loss and passion and violence. Like a true crime podcast crossed with a long-lost diary, WHERE THE BODY WAS is unlike anything Brubaker and Phillips have ever done, and a must-have for all their avid fans!

WHERE THE BODY WAS is available for pre-orders now.

LUSH AND OTHER TALES OF BOOZY MAYEHM by Duane Swierczynski!

Posted on by

Lush and other tales of Boozy Mayhem by Duane Swierczynski just came out.  It’s Swierczynski’s first book of short stories.  Here’s the lowdown…

Cimarron Street Books is pleased to bring you the first collection of short stories from Duane Swierczynski!

If you’re in the mood for mayhem, you’ve come to the right place, pal. Cozy up to the bar and let Duane Swierczynski spin you a yarn. I’ll warn ya, though; these eighteen tales aren’t for the faint of heart. You’ll find crime, science fiction and plenty of horror in these pages . . . and rest assured, he isn’t afraid to serve up the hard stuff.

As Duane notes in his introduction: “Stories have always been an escape for me, just like a couple of stiff drinks at the end of the day. Both are methods of altering your personal reality, even just for a little while.” We invite you to escape into Duane’s wild world of high-octane (and high-proof) short fiction, where you’ll experience . . .

A journalist landing an interview with Philadelphia’s last hardboiled P.I., the hunt for a pulp writer’s lost manuscript, the downside of finding out that death isn’t the end, the dangers of ignoring a Polish death curse, a new twist on serving time for crimes committed, a cross-country trek under the watchful eye of a killer, a particularly dangerous film print, lawbreakers in a future where technology has tamed the L.A. freeway system, and a whole lot more . . .

Gird your brain and your liver . . . it’s time for Lush and Other Tales of Boozy Mayhem.

If this sounds like something you’d like, you know what to do.

JOHN TIFFANY by Stephen Desberg and Dan Panosian!

Posted on by

On July 19th, John Tiffany Vol. 1 by writer, Stephen Desberg and artist, Dan Panosian becomes available.  Here’s the lowdown…

John Tiffany Vol. 1 collects and updates this raucous action-adventure. Filled with car chases, intrigue, and beautiful women, John Tiffany is exactly the sort of gut punch that fans of international spy stories love.

John Tiffany is one of the best bounty hunters in the world. Given his precarious line of work, he has found that he can only truly trust four people: Pastor Lovejoy, an unorthodox priest; Wan Chao, an underworld geek; Dorothy, his conservative teammate; and Magdalena, a sex worker he has foolishly fallen in love with. But it seems that one of them has turned against him and now he’s the one with a bounty on his head. It’s a race against time as he tries to survive being a high-priced target and find out which of his confidantes is the traitor.

If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, you know what to do.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro – The Trailer is here!

Posted on by

The trailer for Killers of the Flower Moon co-written and directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro is here!

Killers of the Flower Moon. In theaters October 6.

Based on David Grann’s broadly lauded best-selling book, Killers of the Flower Moon is set in 1920s Oklahoma and depicts the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation, a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror.

Directed by Martin Scorsese and Screenplay by Eric Roth and Scorsese, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, and Jillian Dion.

Hailing from Apple Studios, Killers of the Flower Moon was produced alongside Imperative Entertainment, Sikelia Productions and Appian Way. Producers are Scorsese, Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas and Daniel Lupi, with DiCaprio, Rick Yorn, Adam Somner, Marianne Bower, Lisa Frechette, John Atwood, Shea Kammer and Niels Juul serving as executive producers.

RIP: Doyle Brunson

Posted on by

Doyle Brunson, known as the Godfather of Poker died yesterday at the age of 89.

Mr. Brunson played professional poker for over 50 years.  He is in the Poker Hall of Fame after a career that included him being the first person to win $1 million in poker tournaments, back-to-back World Series of Poker tournament championships (1976 & 1977) and ten World Series of Poker tournament lifetime wins.  Doyle Brunson wrote two books on how to win at poker, Super/System and SuperSystem2.  These books are considered required reading for anyone who plays poker for money.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Doyle Brunson’s family, friends and fans.

“God is a Bullet” starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maika Monroe and Jamie Foxx – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

Here’s the poster and trailer for God is a Bullet starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maika Monroe and Jamie Foxx.  The poster looks old-school and the trailer does it’s job.  Not only do I want to see the movie, I’ve put the book on my list for future purchase.

Inspired by true events and based on the best-selling novel GOD IS A BULLET written by Boston Teran, the film follows detective Bob Hightower (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), who finds his ex-wife murdered and his daughter kidnapped by an insidious cult. Bob takes matters into his own hands and infiltrates the secretive cult to try to save his daughter. With the help of the cult’s only female victim escapee, Case Hardin (Maika Monroe), Bob and Case go down the rabbit hole with The Ferryman (Jamie Foxx) to save his daughter and find closure for Case from the cult – and its maniacal leader (Glusman) – that took so much away from her.

RELEASE DATE: July 11, 2023

CAST: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maika Monroe, Jamie Foxx