Category: Books

Jason Copland’s FULL TILT is Live on ZOOP!

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Jason Copland’s FULL TILT is finally ready for pre-orders on ZOOP!  My order is in. Here’s a preview…

After five years of hard work, passion and sacrifice, the epic indie crime-scifi-noir comic by Jason Copland is FINALLY being collected here for the first time!

FULL TILT is a perfect book for those that love gritty noir tales, dystopian future realities and kinetic black and white art. Think Sin City meets The Godfather in the setting of Blade Runner.

This soon-to-be modern day classic is presented in a slick 320-page oversized 7.8″ x 12″ hardcover.

Here’s the synopsis…

New Manhattan, once the gleaming, state-of-the-art city of the 23rd-century, is now in the throes of social and moral decay. Its despondent citizens lose themselves in narcotics and hi-tech toys. Corrupt law enforcement agencies terrorize the populace. Bloodthirsty fans cheer as indentured gladiators fight deathmatches to gain their freedom. It’s the end of civilization… and the five crime families control it all.

Massimo Miller, the fiercely loyal consigliere of the Chessa family, narrowly survives an attack that wipes out all five of New Manhattan’s crime-syndicate bosses. As the massacre’s lone survivor, the new bosses accuse him of the assassinations and gather their armies to hunt him down.

Injured and alone, Miller must battle his way homeward through enemy territory to discover the party responsible for the death of his mentor… and make them pay.

The choice between love and loyalty brought Massimo Miller to this moment. To make it right, he’ll have to go FULL TILT.

THE WIND BEGAN TO HOWL by Laird Barron is Coming!

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Regular readers have heard me sing the praises of Laird Barron’s Isaiah Coleridge tales.  Barron has a new one coming soon.  THE WIND BEGAN TO HOWL premieres on Kindle on May 16th and paperback on June 16th.  My preorder is in.  Here’s the synopsis…

Laird Barron’s acclaimed crime saga makes a triumphant return in THE WIND BEGAN TO HOWL, an all-new story set after the events of Worse Angels. A seemingly benign case gradually pulls mob enforcer-turned-P.I. Isaiah Coleridge into a chilling mix of music, movie magic, mayhem, and madness.

This time, Coleridge’s dark journey forces him to confront a brutal truth: For some who try to escape the past, there is no way out.

“Hardboiled and trippy at the same time, THE WIND BEGAN TO HOWL by Laird Barron is a twisted ride through the darker recesses of the mind complete with conspiracy theories, ex-government operatives, movie madness, and possibly a portal into another dimension. Read at your own risk.” – Alma Katsu, author of THE FERVOR

“Isaiah Coleridge hits back hard in this bare-knuckle novella that’s equal parts Hollyweird fiction and conspiracy-laden Catskills noir.” – Clay McLeod Chapman, author of GHOST EATERS

FIXIT by Joe Ide is Coming!

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If you’re a fan of Joe Ide’s IQ novels, you probably know that there’s a new one dropping on May 9th.  Here’s the lowdown…

In the latest installment in Joe Ide’s “superb” series (Washington Post), the relentless, hard-bitten PI, Isaiah Quintabe, is faced with a nightmarish scenario when the love of his life is kidnapped by a maniacal hitman who bears a grudge against him.

Danger has always followed IQ, a reality he’s keenly aware of as he’s laid up in a hospital bed, recovering from injuries sustained in his last case. Isaiah cannot help himself from being the hero, and any misery he’s suffered as a result—wounds from a knife fight, gnawing paranoia—he’s suffered alone. Yet as IQ recovers, five hundred miles from East Long Beach, he’s unaware that Grace has been abducted by his sworn enemy, the professional hitman Skip Hanson. Skip is savage and psychotic, determined to punish Isaiah for sending him to prison and destroying his life. Now, Isaiah and his sometimes partner, ex-hustler Juanell Dodson, must track scant clues through L.A.’s perilous landscape as Grace’s predicament grows more uncertain.

A complication arises in the form of Winnie Hando, a homicide detective with something to prove. Stubborn and effective, Winnie sees Isaiah’s efforts as an obstruction to the investigation and a possible embarrassment: an unlicensed PI can’t be seen doing the department’s job better than the department. Winnie tries to stop Isaiah while pursuing the case herself, their struggles clashing and slowing their progress. As the desperate hunt winds on, Isaiah fears that even if he can bring Grace home alive, things between them will never be the same. This latest series installment is an explosive collision of drug dealers, thieves, maniacs, shotguns, vicious dogs, stampeding horses, and Ide’s signature energy, grit, and profundity.

Rambo by Tim Shinn!

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Tim Shinn is a freelance artist. He’s known for his storyboarding, advertising and comic work. Tim’s done art for Hasbro, Disney, Dark Horse and Fun Publications. Tim takes commissions and regularly posts art for sale. When I saw this sketch of Sly Stallone as Rambo,  I didn’t hesitate. Hopefully there will be more Tim Shinn art in my future.  You can see more of Tim Shinn’s art on his Instagram page and his Twitter feed.

Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe & Archie Goodwin: An Overview by David Bordwell!

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David Bordwell at CrimeReads has written an excellent overview of Rex Stout and his long-running detective/mystery series featuring Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.

Wolfe was a 285 pound genius who leaves his brownstone home only in the most extreme emergencies.  He “breeds orchids, reads, drinks vast quantities of beer, and dines on meals of rare delicacy.”  To support his life’s luxuries, Wolfe works as a private detective.  Since he detests venturing away from his sanctum, Archie Goodwin serves as Wolfe’s assistant. “Slender and strong, reasonably handsome, Archie is attractive to and attracted by women of many ages… Archie fetches clients, witnesses, and suspects to meetings.”

I am a, pardon the pun, huge fan of Nero Wolfe mysteries. If you are as well, check out David Bordwell’s “HOLMES AND WATSON IN MANHATTAN”: MUSINGS ON THE CREATION OF NERO WOLFE AND ARCHIE GOODWIN.  If you’re not a fan, give the piece a look as well.  You might become one.

Nick Kolakowski’s UNTIL THE END: 11 Stories of Terror and Wonder (Tales from the Underside)!

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Nick Kolakowski’s Until the End features eleven stories of terror and wonder.  Here’s the synopsis…

A woman moves her family into a house full of spirits… but who’s really haunting who? In the depths of an icy planet, a bored A.I. plots its escape… and it’s willing to kill anyone who stands in its way. The dead return for one big evening, all with their own secret missions.

These are just a few of the 11 tales in Until the End, an anthology of terror and wonder designed to keep you awake well into the night.

If this sounds like your jam, you know what to do.

Frank Frazetta’s Werewolf!

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Frank Frazetta created the art above.  It’s for a panel from his last comic book story. Werewolf tells the tale of a great hunter hired to track and kill a creature believed to be a demon.  Werewolf appeared in Creepy #1 published in 1964 by Warren Publications.

While individual back issues of Creepy are hard to find and expensive, reprints are coming.  Creepy Archives Volume 1 reprints Creepy magazine issues #1–#5 and includes original letters pages, text features, and ads.  Frazetta’s Werewolf is worth the price of admission.  My order is in.  Click on the link if you want on board as well.

“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Love the poster and trailer.  Deal me in.

The legend of Dracula is born. Watch the trailer for The Last Voyage of the Demeter now.

Based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula, The Last Voyage of the Demeter tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo—fifty unmarked wooden crates—from Carpathia to London.

Strange events befall the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship. When the Demeter finally arrives off the shores of England, it is a charred, derelict wreck. There is no trace of the crew.

The film stars Corey Hawkins (In the Heights, Straight Outta Compton) as Clemens, a doctor who joins the Demeter crew, Aisling Franciosi (Game of Thrones, The Nightingale) as an unwitting stowaway, Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones, Clash of the Titans) as the ship’s captain and David Dastmalchian (Dune, the Ant-Man franchise) as the Demeter’s first mate.

The film also features Jon Jon Briones (Ratched, American Horror Story), Stefan Kapicic (Deadpool films, Better Call Saul), Nikolai Nikolaeff (Stranger Things, Bruised) and Javier Botet (It films, Mama).

From DreamWorks Pictures and the producers of Zodiac and Black Swan, The Last Voyage of the Demeter is directed by Norwegian horror virtuoso André Øvredal (Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, Trollhunter), from a script by Bragi F. Schut (Escape Room), Stefan Ruzowitzky (The Counterfeiters) and Zak Olkewicz (the upcoming Bullet Train), based on the chapter “The Captain’s Log” of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

The film is produced by Brad Fischer and by Oscar®-nominated producer Mike Medavoy and Arnold Messer for Phoenix Pictures and is executive produced by Matthew Hirsch.

RIP: Al Jaffee

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Al Jaffee, the award-winning cartoonist best known for his work with MAD magazine died yesterday from organ failure.  He was 102.

Al Jaffee attended the High School of Music & Art in New York City.  There he met Will Elder, Harvey Kurtzman, John Severin, and Al Feldstein all of whom would go on to work for MAD magazine and become noted cartoonists.

Mr. Jaffee’s career began in 1942 when he began getting work from Joker Comics, Timely Comics, Atlas Comics and other publishers.  During World War II, Al Jaffee worked as an artist in the military.  After his service, Mr. Jaffee became editor for Timely Comics humor and teenage comics.  In 1957, Mr. Jaffee created the Tall Tales syndicated strip.  It ran for six years.

Al Jaffee’s art first appeared in MAD Magazine in 1955.  In 1964 Al Jaffee created MAD Magazine’s longest-running feature, the fold-in. Jaffee would create a full page illustration with text that when folded vertically in half would present a new illustration with text that served as a punchline to the original drawing.  The fold-in appeared in every issue of the magazine from 1964–2020 except for two.  One issue in 1977 lacked a fold-in although Mr. Jaffee provided a back cover illustration.  One issue in 1980 had a unique Jaffee presentation: the inside back cover and back cover illustrations when held up to a light source merged to create a third image.  Al Jaffee also created MAD’s popular and long-running series “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions.”

In 1971 and again in 1975, Mr. Jaffee won the National Cartoonists Society Special Features Award.
In 1973, Al Jaffee won the National Cartoonists Society Advertising and Illustration Award.
In 1979, Mr. Jaffee won the National Cartoonists Humor Comic Book Award.
In 2008, Jaffee was honored by the Reuben Awards as the Cartoonist of the Year.
In October 2011, Al Jaffee won the Comic Art Professional Society’s Sergio Award.
In July 2013, Mr. Jaffee was inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame.
In April 2014, Al Jaffee was elected to the Society of Illustrators’ Hall of Fame.
On March 30, 2016, Mr. Jaffee was awarded the Guinness World Record for the longest career as a comic artist.
In June 2020, Al Jaffee announced his retirement. MAD Magazine published a tribute issue that same month.

Al Jaffee’s sense of humor and artistic talent translated into decades of smiles for countless children and adults.  What better legacy could one hope for?

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Al Jaffee’s family, friends and fans.

QUENTIN BY TARANTINO by Ameziane Amazing!

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Quentin Tarantino fans are gonna love this!

TAKE A DIVE INTO THE BRAIN OF MASTER AUTEUR QUENTIN TARANTINO, AS AMÉZIANE AMAZING TAKES US ON A JOURNEY THROUGH HIS RISE TO INDIE BLOCKBUSTER FAME THROUGH ICONIC DIALOGUE, MARTIAL ARTS, AND STYLISH VIOLENCE.

“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.”

Just like that, fans of Quentin Tarantino are transported into his iconic films, but here is a deeper dive into the man himself, the story of Quentin by Tarantino!

In a first-person account, Améziane Amazing, leads us through the life story of this iconic auteur, from his humble beginnings as a video shop clerk, to his rise through iconic indie blockbusters, all the way to global superstar.

Discover the influences, opinions, and history of one of the world’s most iconic filmmakers, unmistakable in his style and talent.

This looks interesting.  Pre-orders are available now.

BECOMING THE BOOGEYMAN by Richard Chizmar is Coming!

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Becoming the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar is the sequel to his best-seller Chasing the Boogeyman.  Here’s the lowdown…

The terrifying sequel to the acclaimed New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling novel Chasing the Boogeyman, which was hailed as “genuinely chilling and something brand-new and exciting” (Stephen King) and “unforgettable” (Harlan Coben).

A riveting, haunting sequel to the New York Times bestselling thriller Chasing the Boogeyman—a tale of obsession and the adulation of evil, exploring modern society’s true-crime obsession with unflinching honesty, sparing no one from the glare of the spotlight. Will those involved walk away from the story of a lifetime in order to keep their loved ones safe? Or will they once again be drawn into a killer’s web? As the story draws to its shattering conclusion, only one person holds all the answers—and he just may be the most terrifying monster of them all.

It drops on October 11, 2023.  Pre-orders are available now.

BRYNMORE from Steve Niles & Daniel Worm is Coming!

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Steve (30 Days of Night) Niles is reuniting with Daniel Worm for Brynmore.  The two had previously collaborated on October Faction.  This is one to keep an eye on.  Here’s the lowdown…

In Brynmore, the recently divorced and newly sober Mark Turner returns to his hometown of Turner Island hoping to rebuild his shattered life and rekindle a relationship with his estranged daughter, Sophie. Planning to renovate the town’s dilapidated church into a home for himself, Mark’s dreams of a second chance soon begin to crumble as he encounters hostility from the locals and finds himself enmeshed in a dark and sinister legacy of intrigue dating back to when the island was first named after his ancestors. Locked in battle with malefic forces beyond his control, Mark must work to uncover the island’s dark history while keeping himself and Sophie safe from harm—and staying away from the bottle in the process.

Source: Flickering Myth.

“The Last Lullaby” (2008) starring Tom Sizemore / Z-View

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The Last Lullaby (2008)

Director:  Jeffrey Goodman

Writer:  Peter Biegen, Max Allan Collins

Stars: Tom Sizemore, Sasha Alexander, Sprague Grayden, Bill Smitrovich, Ray McKinnon and Jerry Hardin

Tagline: There comes a time in your life when you want to be exactly who you are.

The Plot…

Price (Sizemore) is a retired hitman bored with his new life.  When a high-priced contract with a tight completion date falls into his lap, Price takes it.  The target is pretty, small-town librarian named Sarah (Alexander).  One night as Price is watching her, Sarah is attacked.  Price saves her.  One thing leads to another, and soon Price is falling for his mark.  As the deadline approaches Price will need to make a decision.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Price is based on Max Allan Collins’ hitman Quarry.  Collins has written several novels featuring this character.

Tom Sizemore was such a talented actor.

Ray McKinnon is billed as Ominous Figure and he is!  I wish that they had done more with him.  McKinnon is so good at being creepy.

Sprague Grayden has a small role.  I always like her film/tv appearances and this is no exception.

The Last Lullaby (2008) rates 3 of 5 stars.