Marv and “The Bad Old Days Are Back” by George Schizas!
Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City is one of my all-time favorite characters. I love seeing artists do their “take” on the big lug. Today we have a Marv by George Schizas.
WISDOM CORNER by David Heska Wanbli Weiden
WISDOM CORNER by David Heska Wanbli Weiden is set to premiere on July 7, 2026. The novel is Weiden’s follow-up to WINTER COUNTS, which I loved. Here’s the lowdown…
From the award-winning author of WINTER COUNTS comes a new thriller about life — and death—on the Rosebud Indian Reservation.
Virgil Wounded Horse is desperately trying to escape his past as a hired vigilante on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. But when a legendary figure from the reservation is murdered, he’s forced to return to the job. Making matters more complicated, threats are coming from the Pine Ridge 705 — a street gang from a neighboring reservation who want to expand their reach into Rosebud — and Mitch Gagnon, a shady politician who will stop at nothing to gain more power.
With a heated tribal council election looming, as well as new revelations regarding past injustices at the local Native boarding school, the stakes grow even higher. Will Virgil find the justice he’s seeking before it’s too late?
David Heska Wanbli Weiden, whose writing “melds the gritty realism of Dashiell Hammett with the lyricism of Tommy Orange” (O, The Oprah Magazine),once again brings us a tour de force of crime fiction—and an expansive look at Native American life in a shifting world.
Syfy’s Twilight Zone 2025/2026 New Year’s Marathon Schedule is Up!
Twilight Zone fans are in for a treat. This year the Syfy Channel is running a Twilight Zone Christmas Marathon and then less than a week later, an even longer Twilight Zone New Year’s Marathon!
The New Year’s Marathon starts at 5am on December 31st with the last episode starting at 6:30am on December 2nd.
The Twilight Zone Marathons have been one of our family traditions for decades. Sometimes we binge watch. Other times we just check in on favorite episodes. Please allow me to suggest some favorite Twilight Zone episodes…
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
5:ooam – Come Wander with Me (Kicks off the marathon)
7:30pm – It’s a Good Life
9:30pm – Nick of Time
11:00pm – The Midnight Sun
Thursday, January 1, 2026
3:30am – The Howling Man
6:30pm – Time Enough At Last
7:o0pm – The Monsters are Due on Maple Street
7:30pm – To Serve Man
8:00pm – The Invaders
8:30pm – Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?
9:00pm – Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
9:30pm – The Eye of the Beholder
Friday, January 2, 2026
3:00am – The Shelter
3:30am – The Grave
Santa Stallone Demands a Certain Level of Christmas Cheer by Rob Smith, Jr.!
Santa Stallone expects demands a certain level of Christmas cheer by Rob Smith, Jr.
“The Strip” (1951) starring Mickey Rooney and Sally Forrest / Z-View
The Strip (1951)
Director: László Kardos
Screenplay: Allen Rivkin
Stars: Mickey Rooney, Sally Forrest, William Demarest, James Craig, Louis Armstrong, Tom Powers, Vic Damone, Monica Lewis, Don Anderson and Tommy Rettig.
Tagline: Torchy romance tingling with mystery and throbbing with the rhythm of Dixieland along the glamorous avenue of night clubs!
The Plot…
When Stanley Maxton is released from a long hospital stay due to injuries sustained in the Korean War, he heads for LA.. He dreams of becoming a successful drummer and owning his own club some day.
A chance encounter earns Stanley a high-paying job working for mobster Sonny Johnston. In no time Stanley has money, a fine car and flashy clothes. Then he meets Jane Tafford. She’s a nightclub dancer who dreams of becoming a movie star. Stanley falls hard.
So hard, he quits working for Sonny and takes a lower paying job as a drummer at the club where Jane is a dancer. But it’s no go. Jane is only interested in becoming a star and a nightclub drummer can’t help her with that.
Stanley takes Jane to meet Sonny. Stanley figures Sonny’s mob connections can get Jane an audition. Problem is, even though he’s married, Sonny falls for Jane. This puts Stanley and Sonny at odds.
So when a woman is murdered, and evidence points to Stanley, he knows who set him up. Time is running out to prove his innocence.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Strip earned one 1952 Academy Award nomination…
- Nominee for Best Music, Original Song – For “A Kiss to Build a Dream On” – Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, Oscar Hammerstein II
The Strip is as much (if not more) a musical than a crime noir. The film features songs performed by Vic Damone, Monica Lewis, Jack Teagarden, and Louis Armstrong, floor show routines by Sally Forrest as well as drum solos by Mickey Rooney.
The film features an unexpected dark (for a musical featuring Mickey Rooney) twist.
Louie Armstrong, Vic Damone and Monica Lewis play themselves.
The Strip (1951) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Happy Holidays from the Torrance family, and Nikos Bogris!
Happy Holidays from the Torrance family, and Nikos Bogris!
Dracula by Marshall Rogers!
This rarely seen Dracula pin-up appeared in Planet of the Apes #89 (June 30, 1976). Pencils and inks by Marshall Rogers dated March 1976.
Source: Jason Schachter.
ORPHAN X by Gregg Hurwitz / Z-View
ORPHAN X by Gregg Hurwitz
First sentence…
1
After picking up a set of pistol suppressors froma nine-fingered armorer in Las Vegas, Evan Smoak headed for home in his Ford pickup, doing his best to not let the knife wound distract him.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Evan Smoak was chosen as a child. He was a perfect candidate. A child with no family. Raised in a secret government off-the-books program, Evan and other children like him became known as Orphans. Evan was Orphan X.
The Orphans were trained to become the ultimate assassins. As adults, these killers were perfect for black box assignments. Able to kill with their hands, or any weapon, the Orphans possessed every strategy to covertly and alone complete a mission. The added bonus was if caught or killed, because they had no family, the government had plausible deniability.
Orphan X excelled in all aspects of his training. His abilities and mission success became legendary among the Orphans and their handlers. Outside of the program, Orphan X was someone spoken about in whispers.
Finally, Evan Smoak had enough of the killing. He used his training to escape the program and disappear. Smoak set up a new life. One that he controlled. He still lived by stict rules – but these rules were self-imposed. And now instead of taking lives, he was saving them. Smoak found people in desperate situations, with nowhere to turn and rescued them. Smoak was careful. Often the beneficiary didn’t know how they were selected or who helped them.
But now, someone with the same skills as Smoak is trying to find and kill him. You can’t just walk away from the Orphan Program.
+++
ORPHAN X was published in 2016. Its popularity led to a series of Orphan X novels. There are currently 10 novels (with an 11th due in February 2026) and several short stories in the series.
ORPHAN X was a page turner. I loved the characters, and world Hurwitz created. This is a series that sho to the top of my t0-be-read list. If you’re a fan of intelligent action, this series is for you.
Rating:
Sly Stallone from “Bullet to the Head” by Dave Wachter!
While digging through the Zablo Vault, I came across a Dave Wachter sketch of Sly Stallone as Jimmy “Bobo” from Bullet to the Head that I somehow never posted. Well, it’s time to fix that!
You can see more of Dave’s art at his site. – Craig
“Crime 101” starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, and Halle Berry – A New Poster and Trailer are Here!
Crime 101 starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, and Halle Berry – A New Poster and Trailer are Here!
Get an inside look at the making of #Crime101 starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, and Halle Berry. Experience it in theaters and IMAX on February 13.
Set against the sun-bleached grit of Los Angeles, Crime 101 weaves the tale of an elusive jewel thief (Chris Hemsworth) whose string of heists along the 101 freeway have mystified police. When he eyes the score of a lifetime, his path crosses that of a disillusioned insurance broker (Halle Berry) who is facing her own crossroads. Convinced he has found a pattern, a relentless detective (Mark Ruffalo) is closing in, raising the stakes even higher. As the heist approaches, the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, and all three are faced with life-defining choices–and the realization that there can be no turning back.
Adapted from Don Winslow’s acclaimed novella of the same name, the film is written and directed by Bart Layton (American Animals, The Imposter). Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Nick Nolte round out the cast.
Rocky by Rich Conley!
Rocky by Rich Conley!
The Syfy Channel’s 2025 “Twilight Zone” Christmas Marathon Schedule is Up!
The Syfy Channel is running a Twilight Zone Marathon that starts at 5am on Christmas Day ending at 7am on December 26th.
What a great way to spend down-time between presents, get-togethers with family and friends, eating too much and napping. Set your DVRs for the entire marathon or just to get favorites or episodes you’ve never seen. You can see the entire Twilight Zone Marathon schedule here.
There’s a sweet spot that starts at 8pm on the 25th. Seven of my favorite episodes will run back-to-back.
- 8pm: To Serve Man
- 8:30pm: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
- 9pm: Eye of the Beholder
- 9:30: The Invaders
- 10pm: Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up
- 10:30pm: Time Enough At Last
- 11pm: The Monsters are Due on Maple Street
Enjoy!
Wolverine by Ito!
Ito gets Wolverine. I love everything about this piece. Wolverine is short but thick. He looks feral. His mask is right. Yeah, Ito gets Wolverine.
“I’m the best there is at what I do, and what I do best isn’t very nice.”
“Troll 2″(2025) / Z-View
Troll 2 (2025)
Director: Roar Uthaug
Screenplay: Espen Aukan
Stars: Ine Marie Wilmann, Kim Falck, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Three years have passed since the battle with the Troll King. Nora Tidemann now lives in a remote cabin having resigned from her government position after the troll “incident”. When her friend, Andreas Isaksen, asks Nora to assist on a secret government project, she is intrigued.
Nora travels with Andreas to a hidden underground installation. She is shocked to discover the government has captured a hibernating troll. When the creature wakes up it breaks free. During the troll’s escape it eats and kills government workers.
Now the troll is headed for a major city intent on killing all who live there.
Nora, Andreas and Major Kristoffer Holm reteam to stop the troll before it reaches civilization. It’ll be difficult and lives will be lost, but they should prevail. That’s what they are thinking… until a second troll comes into play.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
I was glad to see original cast members return. Troll 2 is fun… but a step down from the original.
Troll 2 (2025) earns 3 of 5 stars.
Orson Welles’ “Touch of Evil” Alt Poster by Angora!
Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil is a movie that has grown on me over the years. Now it is one of my favorites. Angora has come up with an alt poster that I hope brings more eyes to the film.
