Negan Lives! / Z-View

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Negan Lives! is a one-shot published by Image Comics.

Writer:  Robert Kirkman
Artist:  Charlie Adlard
Gray Tones:  Cliff Rathburn
Letterer:  Russ Wooton
Cover Artist:  Charlie Adlard

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

Spurned by a slowly rebuilding society, Negan lives a life of desperate isolation… or does he? In the tradition of Here’s Negan, this all-new story in Negan Lives #1 gives readers a glimpse into what has happened to one The Walking Dead’s most popular characters in the time since his last appearance in The Walking Dead #174.

The Walking Dead is one of the few (and easily the longest-running) series that I bought from issue one and went on to buy every single issue published.  I’m a big fan.

When Negan Lives! was announced, I initially thought it was a bad idea.  The tale had been told.  Time to move on.  Then I read that Negan Lives! would be made available to comic shops for free to help store owners recover revenue lost during the Covid pandemic. My opinion changed: it was a cool idea for shops, but not so much for readers.

I was wrong.

Negan Lives! is a fun story that answers some questions from The Walking Dead and actually could pave the way for more Negan stories.

Kirkman creates a situation that is obvious to the reader but in most stories would be oblivious to the main character.  Not so, here.  Negan is right there with us wondering if he is being set up.  I won’t give anything away.  It’s a fun story.

I’ve always enjoyed the team of Adlard and Rathburn and Negan Lives! is a great example of their abilities.  Man, this one-shot reminded me of how much I missed that monthly Kirkman/Adlard/Rathburn fix.

Negan Lives! and we’re better off for it.


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Remembering Burger Chef, Star Wars, Mike Kott and Me!

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If you’re of a particular age, it is almost a certainty that you dined ate at a Burger Chef.  If you’re younger, then you may not have ever heard of the one-time fast food giant. 

Back in the 1970s, Burger Chef was second only to McDonalds as far as fast food franchises went.  Burger Chef was a hit and as a result their investors were earning returns where 50% wasn’t unheard of. 

Burger Chef’s popularity was because they served a comparable (some would say even better) meal than other fast food joints and Burger Chef was making innovative moves.  Burger Chef was the first with…

  • Funmeals: geared towards kids.  Each Funmeal came with a sandwhich, small fries, small drink and a toy!  Five years later McDonalds started serving Happy Meals using the same concept.
  • Works Bar:  Burger King said you could have it “your way”.  Burger Chef took things a step further with the Works Bar.  Each Works Bar contained everything you might want to doctor up your sandwhich!
  • Salad Bar:  Burger Chef offered a fully stocked salad bar and this was waay before the health craze hit.
  • Media Tie-Ins:  Burger Chef saw the importance of media tie-ins and so they made deals linking their food to kid popular franchises like Star Wars and The Brady Bunch.

I worked at a Burger Chef when I was in college.  I’ve shared this story before but if you missed it or would just like to revisit it, check out Star Wars, Burger Chef, Mike Kott and Me.

I have good memories of the folks I worked with and the food we served at Burger Chef.  It’s too bad the chain didn’t survive.  MeTV posted What ever happened to the Burger Chef chain? that explains their rise and fall.  Since you’ve read this far, you’d probably enjoy it.  

Lost Soldiers #1 / Z-View

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Lost Soldiers #1 is part of a five-issue mini-series published by Image Comics.

Writer: Alex Kot
Artist: Lucas Casalanguida
Colorist: Heather Marie Lawrence Moore
Letterer: Aditya Sidikar
Cover Artist: Lucas Casalanguida

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

Vietnam, 1969. Juarez, forty years later. Three men tied by the war they left behind—on collision course with a new one.

Lost Soldiers isn’t your typical war comic.  It’s more Sicario than Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos, more Platoon than Our Army At War.  Issue 1 lays the groundwork for the series, alternating between flashbacks of three young soldiers who first met in the jungles of Viet Nam and are now older career vets prepping for a mission into Juarez against a highly armed and motivated cartel.

When talking about Lost Soldiers, Alex Kot said, “The world needs bad men willing to do bad things so the world can stay good. Lost Soldiers is what happens when you buy into that idea so much that it becomes a curse… it is unflinching about the consequences of our actions. It spells them out in blood and pain and loss. And maybe, if you’re lucky, a sliver of hope.”  Kot in this first issue bridged the 40 year gap between Nam and now by choosing scenes that move the story forward and give insight into his characters.

Lucas Casalanguida’s art adds to the gravitas of the story.  Like the best comic artists Casalanguida hits the right blend of realism and exaggeration.  I love his bold art in this issue.  Check out that splash on page 12.

Heather Marie Lawrence Moore’s color choices enhance the mood of the story.  I applaud her choices.  She’s not afraid to back off color, use one bright color on a muted page or let her hues run like a watercolor.  Awesome.

Lost Soldiers #1 is a winner.


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“Measure for Measure” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The poster and trailer for Measure for Measure are here.  I’m always ready for a good crime story and this one mixes in a forbidden love as well.  I’m in.

A contemporary re-telling of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. An unlikely romance ignites between a young immigrant Muslim girl and a young musician, set against Melbourne’s notorious commission flats, where a world of crime, drugs, and racial disharmony reign….

That Texas Blood #2 / Z-View

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That Texas Blood #2 is part of an on-going series published by Image Comics.

Writer: Chris Condon
Artist: Jacob Phillips
Colorist: Jacob Phillips
Cover Artist: Duncan Fegredo  – Variant Cover (Sean Phillips’ cover not shown)

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

“A BROTHER’S CONSCIENCE,” Part One The first five-part story arc BEGINS HERE! Los Angeles-based writer Randy Terrill returns to his abandoned home of Ambrose County, Texas after the sudden and mysterious death of his brother Travis.

If you missed the sold out first issue of That Texas Blood you’re in luck.  Second printings should be available and issue 2 starts a new story arc.

Randy Terrill has bad memories of Ambrose County, Texas.  He and his brother, Travis, used to drink, party, and well, do other things that Randy wants to put behind him.  He moved to LA and gave up his wild ways.  It wasn’t easy and the bad memories linger.

When Randy receives word that Travis has died Randy knows, despite all misgivings, he has to return home.  Things can’t get any worse.

No one is happy to see Randy back in town or unhappy that his brother died.  And then Sheriff Joe Bob Coates tells Randy something that makes things a lot worse.

That Texas Blood maintains the quality from Condon and Phillips that earned issue 1 universal rave reviews.  That Texas Blood continues to earn my highest recommendation.


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Henry Winkler Credits Sly Stallone…

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Henry Winkler co-starred with Sly Stallone in Lords of Flatbush before he rocketed to fame as Fonzie on Happy Days.  Most fans know that Winkler credits Stallone with his take on the Fonz.  Winkler has a real admiration for Sly.  Check out this section of Winkler’s interview with the Archive of American Television and you’ll see,  but first a quote from the interview…

“I studied Sly, Sly Stallone.  He was big, beefy… what Sly really was inside was funny, witty, unbelievably articulate and a brilliant writer… the tenderness inside… just a fabulous human being…  The shame of Sly is you’ve never witnessed his wit.  You’ve never seen him play that kind of humor.  He is so fast and so funny!

Source: MeTV – Henry Winkler once explained how Sylvester Stallone inspired Fonzie’s voice.

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips Get “Reckless”

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This is the cover to Reckless, the first of three new graphic novels coming from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips through Image Comics.  Each of the graphic novels will be a complete separate standalone crime story.  Here’s how Brubaker describes Reckless…

Meet Ethan Reckless: Your trouble is his business, for a price.

A former student radical, with the scars to prove it, Ethan is one part repo man, one part private eye, and one part wrecking ball. But when a fugitive from his Weather Underground days reaches out for help, Ethan will have to face the only thing he really fears… his own past.

It’s sex, drugs, and murder in early ‘80s Los Angeles, as Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips launch their first graphic novel series with an electrifying new take on the paperback pulp hero.

Brubaker goes on to say that Reckless will be 144 pages, premiere in December with the second book scheduled for April 2021. Again, each of these books will be a completely standalone graphic novel.  Man, this hits a bunch of my crime fiction sweet spots.

If you subscribe to Brubaker’s free newsletter you are able to see three pages from Reckless and they look wicked.  If you don’t subscribe, you’ll definitely want to check out The Hollywood Reporter’s coverage: Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips to Launch Graphic Novel Series ‘Reckless‘.

Dead Body Road: Bad Blood #2 / Z-View

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Dead Body Road: Bad Blood #2 is part of a six-issue mini-series published by Image Comics.

Writer: Justin Jordan
Artist: Benjamin Tiesma
Colorist: Matt Lopes
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Cover Artist: Matteo Scalera and Moreno Dinisio

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

Hunter Hale is on the run from Monk Sinclair, boss of everything underground in their county…at least until Bree Hale declares war on him to defend her brother.

Dead Body Road: Bad Blood 2 picks up where issue one left off.  The chase is on.  Hunter Hale is scared and on the run with Monk Sinclair’s woman. Monk is following leads and growing more enraged with each passing moment.  Bree (Hunter’s sister) doesn’t know what Hunter has gotten himself into, but she knows if she doesn’t reach him first, Hunter won’t live to tell her.

Justin Jordan,  Benjamin Tiesma, Matt Lopes and Pat Brosseau are back with another great issue.  And let’s not forget the cover by Matteo Scalera and Moreno Dinisio.

Dead Body Road: Bad Blood continues with a story that should entertain all crime / action fans.


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Later Stephen King’s New Crime Thriller is Coming!

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Stephen King is coming back with another Hardcase crime story.  Later will drop on March 2, 2021.  Here’s the synopsis…

#1 bestselling author Stephen King returns with a brand-new novel about the secrets we keep buried and the cost of unearthing them.

SOMETIMES GROWING UP
MEANS FACING YOUR DEMONS

The son of a struggling single mother, Jamie Conklin just wants an ordinary childhood. But Jamie is no ordinary child. Born with an unnatural ability his mom urges him to keep secret, Jamie can see what no one else can see and learn what no one else can learn. But the cost of using this ability is higher than Jamie can imagine – as he discovers when an NYPD detective draws him into the pursuit of a killer who has threatened to strike from beyond the grave.

LATER is Stephen King at his finest, a terrifying and touching story of innocence lost and the trials that test our sense of right and wrong. With echoes of King’s classic novel It, LATER is a powerful, haunting, unforgettable exploration of what it takes to stand up to evil in all the faces it wears.

Pre-orders are available now!

RIP – Reni Santoni

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Reni Santoni, 81, died on August 1, 2020, at hospice after a long illness.  Sanotni appeared in over 100 film and television roles.  Most folks probably know Santoni best from his role as Poppie on Seinfeld.  My favorite Santoni performances were in Dirty Harry and Cobra but it was always a pleasure when Santoni appeared on any show or movie.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and fans.

Rocky Balboa & Apollo Creed by Jarrod Alberich & Mark Hatherley!

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Check out this sweet Rocky / Apollo poster created by Jarrod The Yardsale Artist Alberich and Mark Hatherley.  Jarrod took on Rocky and Mark brought his talents to Apollo.

What makes this even cooler is that the created the art during one of their weekly Livestream sessions.  They were joined by John Beatty (creating a commission for one of his fans).  I also provided some color commentary for the video.  I’ve embedded the video below, if you’re so inclined.

Also if you’re interested, Jarrod has made the Rocky / Apollo print available for fans!

“Seized” Starring Scott Adkins & Mario Peebles – Poster and Trailer!

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The poster and trailer for Seized are here.  Glad to see Mario Peebles in this Scott Adkins action movie.  Hopefully it will be a fun couple of hours.

Hiding out with his son Taylor on the Mexican coast, Nero (Scott Adkins, Doctor Strange) hopes to put his violent Special Forces career behind him. But after Nero’s home is attacked and Taylor is abducted, the mysterious Mzamo (Mario Van Peebles, Heartbreak Ridge) orders Nero to slaughter the members of three rival crime syndicates. If he fails, Taylor will die. With bullets flying and bodies dropping, Nero must now complete his mission ― and find Mzamoʼs hideout, to exact his revenge.

Director: Isaac Florentine