DNA May Have Revealed the Identity of Jack the Ripper!

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It’s hard to believe, but DNA evidence may have led to the discovery of Jack the Ripper’s actual identity!  Probably the most infamous of all serial killers, Jack the Ripper killed at least 5 women, mutilating their bodies and then writing letters taunting the police to catch him.  Of course they never did despite having several likely suspects.

DNA was found on a shawl believed to have belonged to Ripper victim, Catherine Eddowes.  Using DNA evidence found on the shawl and a sample from Eddowes great grand daughter, it was confirmed the shaw contained blood from Eddowes.

Additional DNA evidence was found on the shawl.  This additional DNA was tested against the DNA of a descendant of Aaron Kosminski and they got a match!  Kosminski was one of the prime suspects at the time of the murders, but police were unable to generate enough evidence to prosecute him.  Kosminski was committed to an insane asylum where he died in 1919.

Source: Bleeding Cool.

Robert B. Parker’s Angel Eyes (A Spenser Novel) by Ace Atkins is Coming!

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I read my first Spenser novel, The Godwulf Manuscript, sometime back in the mid-70’s.  My grandfather passed the paperback on to me.  From that point on I was a die hard Spenser / Robert B. Parker fan.  Every year a new Spenser novel came out and it was like catching up with an old friend.

When Robert B. Parker died in 2010 I was afraid that Spencer had died as well.  I was pleased to learn that novelist Ace Atkins had been selected to carry on Spenser’s adventures.  Spenser was in great hands and the series continued to be a favorite.

On November 19th, a new Spenser novel, Angel Eyes will be released.  Here’s the synopsis…

In the latest thriller featuring the legendary Boston PI, Spenser heads to the City of Angels to meet old friends and new enemies in a baffling missing person case that might shake Tinseltown to its core.

Ellie Sharp left her Boston family with big dreams of making it as an actress in Hollywood. But two years later, she disappears from her Silver Lake apartment without her friends or police knowing what happened. Soon after the Sharps hire Spenser to find her, another person goes missing–this time Spenser’s protege-turned-L.A. investigator, Zebulon Sixkill.

Spenser and Hawk must hit the ground running on the West Coast to follow a twisted trail into the world of drug cartels, casting couches, hedonistic parties, and a whisper network of industry players looking to take down a legendary producer. In a town where glitz and glamour are only a thin veneer over a dangerous underbelly, even Spenser will have his work cut out for him.

I can’t wait.  My pre-order is in!

‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ Trivia

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Film School Rejects presents 25 Things We Learned from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Commentary.  Here are three of my favorites…

2. We see the number 42 early on — and will see it in the film again — and it’s a reference to Miles Morales’ (Shameik Moore) origin story involving a lottery that landed him at his elite prep school. It was also Jackie Robinson’s jersey number, but “it has nothing to do with Douglas Adams.”

9. It was Ramsay’s idea to hold off on the visual comic language — word bubbles, panels, etc. — until Miles is bitten by the spider.

“If you hit pause anytime a train goes, because everybody wanted to animate Stan [Lee], he’s in almost every single train.”

The “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Trailer is Here with a bit of Controversy

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How about this trailer for Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?

It didn’t take long for some fans to start complaining about Brad Pitt’s character getting the best of Bruce Lee.  My thoughts: If it is rehearsal for a film, then, “Ok”.  Maybe Lee’s character is scripted to lose.  But if the scene is supposed to be a real fight, then, “No way.”

Then again, that’s not really Bruce Lee, so why the worry? Once Upon a Time in Hollywood isn’t a documentary, and with a title that begins with Once Upon a Time we shouldn’t expect one.

At any rate, here’s the trailer.

Frank Miller’s Daredevil Covers

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What we have today is a gallery of Frank Miller’s Daredevil covers courtesy of PencilInk.  Man, that was a glorious run of well-written, well drawn stories.  Miller of course did the writing and pencils and Klaus Janson provided the inks.

If you click over to PencilInk you can click on each cover to see a larger version as well as a summary of the issue.