Fun and Games with Duane Swierczynski

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I’m a huge fan of Duane Swierczynski.  His novels are  fun, full of twists and never follow a familiar path.  Fun & Games is the first in his Charlie Hardie trilogy and although I just finished it a few days ago, I’m already chompin’ at the bit to read Hell and Gone.

Hardie makes his living as a house sitter.  There’s not a lot of dough in that line of work, but as an ex-cop with baggage, it’s been a good way to spend the last couple of years.  All that changes when Hardie finds a semi-famous actress hiding in the house he’s supposed to be sitting.  Is she crazy or could there really be a hit team coming to kill her and everyone in the house?

If my description makes Fun & Games sound like your typical ex-cop coming to the aid of a hot but endangered woman, let me assure you that it’s not.  Give  Fun & Games a read and if you don’t like it I’ll buy ya a Diet Coke or a Mocha Frappe.  If you do like it, you owe me nothing.   Deals don’t get much better than that, amigo.

So why do I have “A Texan’s Motto” post card along with my praise for Fun and Games?  Read on, friend.

In the interest of full disclosure [and the fact that I’m always happy to hear from people whose work I admire], I want it to be known that received a post card from Duane Swierczynski this summer.  He sent a personalized card to all of his fans who had pre-ordered Fun & Games.

How do I know it was personalized?  Well, do you think he wrote every fan of his calling them a fellow Stallone fanatic?  Yeah, I didn’t think so either.

How do I know Duane Swierczynski is a Stallone fan?  Well, Duane is from Philly and everybody there [or from there] loves Sly.  Oh, and Mr. Swierczynski used a couple of quotes from Sly as chapter headers.  Only a true fan would go THAT far.

Ryan Cody Faces Jack Carter

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This week Ryan Cody is back with Sly from Get Carter.

Ryan is running an unbelievable sale where you get a free sketch with every purchase.  That’s right.  Buy Volume 1 of his sketchbook for five bucks and get a free sketch.  Same if you buy Volume 2 or the Icarus Convention Issue.

I jumped on board for a sketchbook [accidentally ordered Volume 1 which I already had] and the Icarus convention issue [the sketch that came with it will be posted in the coming weeks].  Now I’m going back for Volume 2 and another Stallone sketch.    Until then check out Ryan’s blog and his DA site.

Thanks to Ryan!  – Craig

Traveling the World w/ Rocky

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I recently heard from Cynthia Shomberg…

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Hi Craig,

Hope all is well with you and that you had a great summer.
This link is about a story of a couple who sold everything to travel the world in one year.  The fun thing about all this is that they are taking their ROCKY sculpture with them to be photographed with them at their various destinations.  It’s a great story!  Hope you will be able to post it on your website.
Also, there is going to be a “ROCKY Event” at the Philadelphia Museum Steps this Saturday and Sunday.  The main event will be a race up the famous steps at 11:00AM on Sunday the 16th, as well as a “Rocky” Look Alike Contest following the run to celebrate “Rocky” movie 35th Anniversary.   Hopefully, your website can spread the word.
Thank you once again,
Cynthia
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It’s always nice to hear from Cynthia.   That is a cool story about the couple who sold everything they owned to travel the world with their Rocky statue.  We’ll have a report in the coming weeks about the Rocky events going on in Philly this weekend. – Craig

Working w/ Sly on Bullet to the Head

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On October 13, 2012, Collider.com posted an interview with Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje currently co-starring in The Thing and soon to be seen with Sylvester Stallone in Bullet to the Head.  Here are some tidbits from the interview about working with Sly…

  • How much fun was it to face off against Sylvester Stallone for Bullet to the Head?

AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE: It’s one of those parts that you just relish in your career. I grew up watching Rambo and Rocky, and all of those movies, so you have a surreal moment, even as an actor, when you’re in front of these guys, whether it’s DeNiro or Stallone. You have a moment like, “Geez, that’s Sylvester Stallone,” and then you have to snap out of it and get back in the pocket of the character. But, it was a real treat, not just because you’re working with somebody that you grew up watching, as a kid, but also because he’s a great guy. He’s just a professional. He’s a straight-shooter, and it was fun to work with him. You go to work and there’s no pretense, or anything else going on, on the set.

The experience was just made better because of (director) Walter Hill. They have a working relationship together, but he’s a legend in his own right, as well. I was sandwiched between these two old-school legends, and I learned a lot. You also realize why they got to where they’ve gotten to because they’re very driven, ambitious and fearless. I really enjoyed it, and I loved the character that we created. Walter and Sylvester really wanted something different, and you always get that, if I’m going to play the character.

The character was written as American, but we changed it slightly, to an African who came to America. Also, we made the guy a cripple. That just gave it an added, twisted dimension. It was just fun because to actually get to create a character in a big studio movie is rare, and they went for it. Christian Slater was in it, too. It was just a good cast and a good movie. With a title like Bullet to the Head, you know what to expect, and it will deliver, trust me.

“Expendables 2”: 10 Reasons Why…

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Flickering Myth posted 10 Reasons Why The Expendables 2 is Going to be Explosively Awesome.  Let me save you some time.  All you need to know is,,,

Reason #1…
1 – Sylvester Stallone: Sly is brilliant. He’s the baker, and only he could have brought together such a grouping that he did in the first film, and now for the sequel. That aside, it’s been a joy for action fans of late to see Stallone’s renaissance, starting with final outings for Rocky Balboa and John Rambo. Leaving behind his director’s chair this time will hopefully ensure that Sly can concentrate on making Barney Ross become a more memorable character, and more in line with his iconic turns as the boxer and the crazy Nam vet.

Hey Moe! Moe 3 Stooges Are Coming!

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I’m a fan of The Three Stooges.  [And since you’ve asked my favorites are Curly, Shemp, Moe and Larry, in that order.]  On April 4, 2012, the Farrelly brothers‘ movie which takes the Three Stooges characters into new adventures opens.

While it’s an interesting idea, I wonder if it’ll work.  Do I hope it’s a success?  Why, certainly.  Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck.

Casting 100 Bullets

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IFanBoy recently posted their choices for the perfect cast of an adaption of the classic crime comic series 100 Bullets. I think that their choices are excellent…

  • Agent Philip Graves – Terence Stamp / I wouldn’t complain with Terence Stamp as Graves, but I was thinking along the lines of Jonathon Banks [Breaking Bad] or Lance Henrikson [AVP].
  • Isabelle “Dizzy” Cordova – Michelle Rodriguez / Perfect casting.
  • Mr. Shepherd – James Caan / Although James Caan may be getting a bit old to play Shepard, I like the idea of his son playing him as a younger man.  Another good choice might be Ed Harris [Appaloosa].
  • Augustus Medici – Stacy Keach / Maybe… I like Keach, but think I’d like to see what Armand Assante [NICS] could do with the role.  I think he’d kill.
  • Lono – Jason Momoa / Yeah, that would work.