The Devil Doesn’t Want Me

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See the mug above.  That’s Eric Beetner.  

I first learned about him from his 60 Second Book Reviews blog.  Beetner’s reviews, for the books that I’ve read, are directly in line with my thoughts. So, if Beetner likes it, it’s a good bet that I will as well.

Then I learned Eric Beetner was a writer of crime fiction and his books were all getting 5 star reviews. Now I was intrigued.  So I bookmarked Beetner’s blog.

Next I discovered this trailer for Beetner’s The Devil Doesn’t Want Me. Nice.

So I broke down and ordered Beetner’s Dig Two Graves; One Too Many Blows to the Head and A Bouquet of Bullets.  I’ve read and enjoyed and highly recommend all of ’em.

Z-View: Kiss Me Satan #1

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Kiss Me Satan #1 of a five issue mini-series from Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Victor Gischler
Artist: Juan Ferreyra
Cover Shown: Dave Johnson

Barnabus Black is a fallen angel.. one of the many that followed Lucifer out of Heaven and the only one who decided to return.  Only going back isn’t that easy.  Black must earn his return.  In the best of worlds that wouldn’t be easy.

Now that Black has a retrieval team from Hell on his tail things just got a whole lot harder.  Especially since he’s been given the task of protecting an old woman with psychic powers from a criminal organization led by werewolves.

Victor Gischler has set up a story that could easily become silly.  Yet, if you’re willing to by into the supernatural elements, you’re in for an action-packed thrill ride.  Juan Ferreyra’s art is a joy and walks the line between serious and cartoony to perfectly fit the story.

Rating: B

Z-View: Hit #1

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Hit #1 of a four issue mini-series from Boom! Studios
Writer: Bryce Carlson
Artist: Vanesa R. Del Rey
Colors by Archie Van Buren
Cover Shown: Ryan Sook

Los Angeles.  1955.  Crime is rampant.  Corrupt cops and judges are making it easy for thugs like Karlo “The Shark” Infantino to beat the system.  As Detective Harvey Slater says, “Just because you’re proven not guilty doesn’t mean you’re innocent.”

Slater leads a squad of cops are unofficially sanctioned to take out the criminals that the courts can’t.  So where does that put Slater and his crew?  They’re killers working outside the law.  Doesn’t that make them as bad as those they’re putting down?  What happens when clean cops start investigating them?  And how is Slater going to explain a dead cop in his apartment?

Carlson has tapped into a story with a lot of potential.  Fans of crime fiction, James Elroy, LA Confidential and the upcoming Mob City are going to be all over this.  Del Ray’s art evokes the time period and is complimented by Van Buren’s colors.  I’m looking forward to the second issue!

Rating: B+

Jake (Hell on Church Street) Hinkson is an Author to Watch!

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With just two crime / noir novels (Hell on Chruch Street and The Posthumous Man) to his credit, Jake Hinson has made a name as a new author to watch.    Both novels were well received by fans and critics alike and get my highest recommendation.  (I liked Hell on Church Street a bit more than The Posthumous Man, but they are both excellent reads so why quibble?)

Cooke To Illustrate Parker Prose Novels

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Darwyn Cooke’s two graphic novel adaptations of (Donald Westlake aka) Richard Stark’s Parker novels have been resounding successes with fans and critics alike.  So it only made sense that a third adaption, Slayground would be coming at Christmas.  

Recently Cooke, the estate of Donald Westlake and publisher IDW  announced…

For the first time, the Parker novels will be published in a deluxe, hardcover format, and with Cooke designing the series, as well as providing stunning color illustrations to accompany Westlake’s (AKA, Richard Stark’s) crime classics! The first book, The Hunter, will arrive in the first half of 2014. Additional editions will be released in chronological order thereafter.

I can not wait!

Source: Sequential Highway

10 of the Most Dangerous Space Walks Ever

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In honor of the release of Gravity, Popular Mechanics posted 10 of the Most Dangerous Space Walks Ever Done.  Here are just a three of tidbits…

#10. Hubble Repair: …Had anything gone wrong, the astronauts would have had no refuge or hope of rescue…

#9.  Gonna Need a Bigger Door:  In the early days of the space race, no one knew for sure what was required for space walks beyond a spacesuit. One thing that’s nice to have: a hatch that’s big enough to accommodate a suit that expands when no longer being squeezed by outside air pressure. In 1965, Soviet cosmonaut Alexey Leonov almost paid for that oversight with his life when he couldn’t get back inside his Voskhod spacecraft after his historic first space walk…

#7: Sasha, I Don’t Think…: Decompression is a space station astronaut’s worst nightmare. The nightmare came true in 1997 when an out-of-control Progress cargo ship slammed into space station Mir, punching a hole in the module it struck. With alarms blaring, cosmonauts Michael Foale and Sasha Lazutkin had to use the only tool they had at hand—a kitchen knife…

Steranko Artist Editions Coming!

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The big news for Steranko fans (and fans of classic comics) is that two Artist Editions featuring the work of the legendary Jim Steranko are planned.  

The first Steranko Artist Edition will be Steranko Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. with the first twelve Steranko stories that appeared in Strange Tales (#151 – 162).  

The second Steranko Artist Edition will be Steranko Nick Fury and Captain America, and will package the remaining Steranko Nick Fury stories from Strange Tales (#163-168), Nick Fury: Agent of S..H.I.E.L.D. (#1, 3, and 5) and Steranko’s three issues of Captain America (#110, #111, and #113).

Thanks to Sequential Highway

10 of the Best Twilight Zone Episodes

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In honor of The Twilight Zone’s 54th anniversary, Flavorwire presents their choices for 10 of the Best “Twilight Zone” Episodes.

The Flavorwire list isn’t bad.  My top two favorite TZ episodes align with Flavorwire’s first two picks (Nightmare at 20,000 Feet and To Serve Man) and The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street and The Invaders would also make my top ten.

Well played, Flavorwire, well played.

Frank Bill & Drew Moss Have Something to Crow About

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There’s a new Crow mini-series coming in 2014 and it won’t be for the faint-of-heart.   

The Crow: Pestilence will be written by novelist Frank Bill, the author who exploded on the crime fiction scene with a brutal one-two punch: his short-story collection, Crimes in Southern Indiana followed by his debut novel, Donnybrook.  Bill will be joined by artist Drew Moss (interior art) and Crow creator, J. O’Barr (providing covers).

For the full story check out CBR.com’s The Crow Rises Again…

 

Matt Wagner Creates Grendel & Shadow Crossover!

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Matt Wagner fans are going to be excited to hear that Wagner is writing and drawing a three issue (48 pages per) prestige mini-series featuring a cross-over between The Shadow and Wagner’s creation, Grendel.  

As excited as his fans may be, Wagner may be even more excited…

“Ever since the smash success of my two previous crossover events (with Batman), I’ve had many offers over the years to see Grendel cross blades with a varied host of other characters,” comments Grendel creator, Matt Wagner. “But none of those opportunities ever excited me as much as this possibility.  I’ve been a huge fan ofThe Shadow for many, many years and my love of the character finally saw fruition when I got the chance to literally re-define his origins by writing The Shadow: Year One for Dynamite. To have the chance to both write and draw The Shadow facing my own creation is something of a dream come true! It’s also adds yet another instant classic to my long legacy of Grendel projects with Dark Horse Comics.”

Click over to Sequential Highway for the full report.