Max Allan Collins, Mickey Spillane and More
That’s a candid of Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins. If you’re a fan of either you’ll want to check out Crimespree’s recent interview with Max Allan Collins.
New “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” Trailer
Here’s a look at the new trailer for Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.
The Legend of Bonnie & Clyde
Today marks the 80th anniversary of the ambush of Bonnie and Clyde…
… [the] Depression era Romeo and Juliet. Brandishing high-powered machine guns and driving the newly invented Ford V-8s, Bonnie and Clyde are mythologized as Robin Hoods for the poor and destitute who had been failed by the American political and financial institutions…
If you’d like to know more about Bonnie and Clyde here are a couple of excellent sources:
- AtlasObscura: 80 Years Later Retracing The Real Life of Bonnie & Clyde
10 All Time Most Baffling Unsolved Mysteries
Distractify recently posted 10 of the Most Baffling Unsolved Mysteries of All Time. Here’s are the four that I would love to see solved …
The Disappearance of Amy Lynn Bradley: Amy (in the red striped shirt) disappeared on March 24, 1998 at the age of 23 from Royal Caribbean International cruise ship Rhapsody of the Seas. She was last seen with a member of the ship’s band, Blue Orchid, known by the alias “Yellow…”
Craig: No family should face the uncertainty of a missing child. You would think this would be the most solvable of the mysteries listed.
The Roanoke Colony: One of the first settlements in America completely vanished. All evidence of 150 colonists vanished at some point during the Anglo-Spanish war while their mayor was detoured in England retrieving supplies To this day there has been no conclusive evidence as to what happened to the colonists…
Craig: I remember hearing about this colony in elementary school and wondering what happened. I still wonder.
The Dyatlov Pass Incident: They set out to go on a ski hike, but days later the mysteriously orange-tanned, half-naked bodies of 9 hikers were found near their demolished tent and a note that read: “From now on we know there are snowmen.” Many of the poor souls also had crushing wounds, and it’s been reported that the bodies were slightly radioactive. And, strangely, one woman was missing her tongue…
Craig: The note “From now on we know there are snowmen” is creepy enough, add in the “crushing wounds” and slightly radioactive corpses and we have a real mystery. I want to know what happened!
The WOW Signal: On August 15, 1977 Jerry R. Ehman on August 15, 1977 quite possibly detected a sign of intelligent life in the universe. The signal came from deep space almost 120 light years away. It lasted for the full 72-second window that Big Ear was able to observe it, but has never been detected again. Scientists say that if the signal came from extraterrestrials, they are likely to be an very advanced civilization because their transmitter would have to be much stronger than any we currently have on earth.
Craig: Discovering intelligent life on another planet [I’ve given up looking on this one] would be THE story of the century. CNN would probably even stop their round-the-clock coverage of the missing flight to cover it.
New “Edge of Tomorrow” Poster
I like the latest poster for Edge of Tomorrow which opens on June 6th and stars Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, and Jeremy Piven.
I’m still not sold on the movie, but this poster is a step in the right direction.
Z-View: Undertow #2
Undertow is an on-going series created by Steve Orlando & Artyom Trakhanov published by Image.
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Artyom Trakhanov
Cover Artist Shown: Artyom Trakhanov
A Sea Locust: thirty feet of armored spines, claws that strike at the speed of sound. And it’s devastating Ukinnu Alal’s team by the second. They’re talking mutiny on the Deliverer, and Bau Zikia’s the only one standing between them and Uruku’s sword.
*** Beware – minor spoilers are found below ***
The Good
- Trakhanov‘s art continues to impress.
- Orlando‘s story expands to bring in more characters. We learn more about their motivations and it becomes clear that not everyone is totally on board with Redum Anshargal.
The Bad:
- This isn’t a comic one can read in five minutes. Some readers won’t like working for their story.
- The coloring is better this issue, but some panels are still a bit dark.
The Ugly:
- I am not a fan of the cover at all.
I liked Undertow #2 even better than the first issue. Bring on issue 3! Rating: 4 out of 5
Shang-Chi Returns: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu
Despite the Dave Johnson cover, I’m probably going to pass on the return of Shang-Chi when Deadly Hands of Kung Fu premieres in May.
If Marvel ever decides to reprint Moench and Gulacy’s run on Master of Kung Fu though I’ll be all over it.
Z-View: The White Suits #2
The White Suits is a four issue mini-series created by Frank Barbiere & Toby Cypress published by Dark Horse Comics.
Writer: Frank Barbiere
Artist / Colorist: Toby Cypress
The White Suits, scourges of Russia’s underworld, have declared war on New York’s organized crime. But NYC’s crime overlords have their own army of Russian mercenaries hunting the Suits, with FBI agent Sarah Anderson and the former Suit known as Prizrak certain to be caught in the crossfire!
*** Beware – minor spoilers are found below ***
The Good
- Frank Barbiere’s story requires you to think and Toby Cypress’ art makes you pay attention.
- The White Suits is a crime comic that encompasses a mystery or two or three but never at the sake of action.
- Cypress’ art this issue is not quite as loose but still unique.
- The black and white art with a splash of color works!
- The huge Russian merc is a woman!
The Bad:
- The jumps in time aren’t spelled out. To those who complain, pay attention to the art, colors, word balloons, etc.].
- Cypress’ art is loose… and won’t be to everyone’s taste.
- The position Anderson and Pizrak are in on the last page of the issue.
The Ugly:
- The big Russian female merc when you insult her… and even when you don’t.
The White Suits is not for all audiences since it contains adult language and violence.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Scott Quick Draw Jack Carter
One of the things I love about going to comic book conventions is meeting new artists… or at least artists that are new to me. When I was at MegaCon this year, I met Scott Quick.
Scott does the web strip Camden Bottoms. I took a look at Scott’s sketchbook and decided to see if he’d be interested in doing a Stallone sketch. He was. I ended up getting two. This is the second. I’ll post the first next week. In the mean time check out Scott’s Camden Bottoms!
Adventures in Pulp: 3 Free Webcomics
Adventures in Pulp is a cool site where you can find three free web comics:
Dick Ruby and the Little Green Men: DETECTIVE NOIR MEETS INVASION SCI-FI in “Dick Ruby and the Case of the Little Green Men. It’s New York in the 1940s and private investigator Dick Ruby is on the trail of a missing person. A trail that leads to little green men from outer space.
The Four Horsemen: THE KING IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE KING! A power-hungry Prince kills his father to steal the crown and kingdom. The only thing that can stop him, the Good Witch of the Dead Lands. Hiding in her place of power, she summons four warriors from across time and space.
Hawk and a Handsaw: ENTER A SUPERHERO INSANE ASYLUM in “Hawk and a Handsaw!” You’d have to be a little crazy to put on a brightly colored costume and fight crime, but how exactly would you know who is the real deal and who has simply latched onto the delusion of being a super powered being?
Brett Harris [writer] and Matthew Childers [artist] are the creative team behind all three strips. I’ve read [and enjoyed] the first chapter of Dick Ruby and the Little Green Men. I look forward to future chapters and their other creations. If you like comics, give ’em a look.
Z-View: Dead Letters #1
Dead Letters #1 is published by BoomStudios.
Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artist: Chris Visions
Colorist: Ruth Redmond
Cover Shown: Chris Visions
Waking up in a fleabag motel with bandaged arms and a revolver on his desk, Sam doesn’t remember a thing – not how he got here, where here is, or who he is. But the armed men knocking on his door do and Sam will have to use every trick from his forgotten repertoire to outrun and outsmart his way through a hardboiled wonderland of gang wars, femme fatales and big secrets.
.
The Good
- Chris Visions’ art and Ruth Redmond’s colors.
- The set-up: Sam wakes up to a ringing phone in a “sketchy hotel room” not knowing who he is or how he got there. The voice on the phone says, “They’re coming Sam. You’d better start running” and hangs up. Page one and I’m hooked.
- The big reveal [for this issue] is saved for the last page. Well played, Chris Sebela. I also like the hints dropped throughout the issue. [Pay attention to backgrounds.]
The Bad:
- The position Sam is in. Amnesia. Killers chasing him. Yeah, that’s bad.
The Ugly:
- Page 15 panel 3.
Dead Letters #1 is a comic for mature audiences due to violence. I’m looking forward to issue #2.
Rating: 4 out of 5
The Crow Pestilence # 1 / Z-View
The Crow: Pestilence #1 is published by IDW.
Writer: Frank Bill
Artist: Drew Moss
Colorist: Oliver Lee Arce
Cover Shown: James O’Barr
Juarez, Mexico. A young boxer, Salvador, refuses to take a fall, but has no problem taking a vicious drug gang’s pay-off. When they take their lethal revenge on the Salvador and his family, he returns as THE CROW, in search of vengeance…and forgiveness.
.
The Good
- J. O’Barr‘s cover.
- This is Frank [Donneybrook] Bill‘s first job as a comic book writer!
- I’m a Drew Moss fan and am happy to see his art on this series.
- This incarnation of The Crow has an iconic back story and cool look.
The Bad:
- Some people will be put off by the violence and profanity.
- The story jumps between the present and the past and sometimes it wasn’t quickly clear where we were in the timeline.
- Because of the [many] Crow incarnations some may find the story too formulaic. I have faith that Bill Frank is going to put a unique spin on things as we progress through the tale.
- Naming all the bad guys with “dog names” – Raw Dog, Flash Dog, Mange Hound and War Hound.
The Ugly:
- What happens to Salvador when he crosses the guys who paid him to take a dive.
- What happens to the guys who paid Salvador to take a dive when he comes back as the Crow.
The Crow: Pestilence #1 is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.
Rating: 3 out of 5
The Drawings of Steranko
This morning’s post is for all the Steranko fans out there. (Of course that should be everyone.)
There’s a very cool fan site dedicated to the art of Steranko. It’s called The Drawings of Steranko. Click over and get happy.
Z-View: “Soylent Green”
The Pitch: ”Hey, what about Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson in a big screen scifi film?”
“Let’s do it!”
The Tagline: “What is the secret of Soylent Green?”
The Overview: *** Beware – spoilers are found below ***
The year is 2022. The world is overpopulated and (thanks to climate change and pollution) without resources to house or feed most of the population. The divide between the haves and have-nots has never been worse. Most of the poor survive on rations provided by the Soylent corporation.
Charlton Heston plays a cop assigned the murder of a wealthy man with connections to the Soylent corporation and important politicians. When Heston refuses to stop his investigation he becomes marked for death.
The Good
- The state of the world without food, water, shelter and resources for any but the wealthiest is well done.
- Leigh Taylor-Young as Shirl. Chuck Conners vs Charlton Heston!
- Edward G, Robinson in his final role.
- The scene of Robinson and Heston enjoying a real meal of food Heston had confiscated.
- Heston going to save Robinson and becoming mesmerized at the video playing.
- The last line of the movie is a classic.
The Bad:
- The state of the world.
- The cops are crooked… including Heston.
- How much people like Soylent Green.
- The movie has a bit of a 1970’s futuristic vibe to it, but overall still holds up well.
The Ugly:
- When your best choice is to check out.
Rating: 4 out of 5
