Black Cross Takes Aim by Chris Warner!
Just about any time I find a Black Cross sketch by Chris Warner, I’m going to share it. Then I have a reason to call for a trade compilation of all his Black Cross tales. I’m talking to you, Dark Horse Comics!
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Black Cross with Crowbar by Chris Warner!
Black Cross by Chris Warner is a great character. I wish Dark Horse (or someone) would give us a compilation of all of his appearances. And I wouldn’t complain if Warner would do a new story or two to go with it.
Chris Warner’s “Predator” and Craig Asks for “Black Cross” Compilation
How about that “Predator” drawing by Chris Warner?
And while we’re talking about Chris Warner, it is time for me to once again say Dark Horse Comics should issue a compilation of Chris Warner’s Black Cross stories in a nice hardback or trade paperback!
Black Cross by Chris Warner – Comics That Deserve a Second (Or First) Look
Black Cross by Chris Warner
Black Cross took place in a violent future where the United States had become a battle ground and areas outside of safe zones were similar to the wild west. The series was created, written and drawn by Chris Warner.
Black Cross was popular enough to spin-off into a mini-series, a couple of stand alone short comic stories and a one-shot. At one point, Black Cross was close to becoming a big screen feature with Howie Long in the title role. At about the same time another Black Cross mini-series was in the works called “My War.” Neither it nor the movie ever happened.
Sadly, there’s never been a Black Cross omnibus. Fans deserve a nice hardcover compilation of all the Black Cross material that Dark Horse published over the years. Hopefully one day we’ll get one. Until then Chris Warner’s Black Cross deserves a second (or first) look.
“Black Cross” Should be a TV Series
That’s Chris Warner’s character Black Cross who appeared in Dark Horse Presents #1 (the very first comic published by Dark Horse).
Black Cross took place in a violent future where the United States had become a battle ground and areas outside of safe zones were similar to the wild west.
Black Cross was popular enough to spin-off into a mini-series, a couple of stand alone short comic stories and a one-shot. At one point, Black Cross was close to becoming a big screen feature with Howie Long in the title role. At about the same time another Black Cross mini-series was in the works called “My War.” Neither it or the movie ever happened.
Dark Horse should create a nice hardcover compilation of all the Black Cross material that they’ve published over the years. In the mean time, someone should option the character for a tv series. That might inspire Chris Warner to come back and create more Black Cross comics.
Bring Back Black Cross
The drawing above is of a character created by Chris Warner called Black Cross. He made his first appearance [Black Cross, not Chris Warner] in Dark Horse Presents #1. DHP #1 was an anthology and the first comic published by the folks who would go on to give us Frank Miller’s Sin City, Eric Powell’s The Goon, Hellboy by Mike Mignola, and on and on and on.
Black Cross was popular enough to spin off into a mini-series, a couple of stand alone short comic stories and a one-shot. At one point, Black Cross was close to becoming a big screen feature with Howie Long in the title role. At about the same time another Black Cross mini-series was in the works called “My War.” Neither it or the movie ever happened.
I always hold out hope that one day Chris Warner will bring back Black Cross.
1st Black Cross Cover
The cover above features the first appearance of a character created by Chris Warner called Black Cross. Dark Horse Presents #1 was an anthology and Black Cross got the cover. The character was also popular enough to spin off into a mini-series, a couple of stand alone short comic stories and a one-shot. At one point, Black Cross was even close to becoming a big screen feature with Howie Long in the title role. At about the same time another Black Cross mini-series was in the works called “My War”. Neither it or the movie ever happened.
Maybe one day Chris Warner will bring back Black Cross.
Bring Back Black Cross
The drawing above is of a character created by Chris Warner called Black Cross. He made his first appearance [Black Cross, not Chris Warner] in Dark Horse Presents #1. DHP #1 was an anthology and the first comic published by the folks who would go on to give us Frank Miller’s Sin City, Eric Powell’s The Goon, Hellboy by Mike Mignola, and on and on and on.
Black Cross was popular enough to spin off into a mini-series, a couple of stand alone short comic stories and a one-shot. At one point, Black Cross was close to becoming a big screen feature with Howie Long in the title role. At about the same time another Black Cross mini-series was in the works called “My War.” Neither it or the movie ever happened.
I always hold out hope that one day Chris Warner will bring back Black Cross.
“Creature from the Black Lagoon” Reboot Designs by Miles Teves!
There have been several attempts to revive The Creature from the Black Lagoon. (And I wish someone would get it done!) John Carpenter was involved with a reboot for a while, but that project never crossed the finish line.
What we see here today is concept art created by Miles Teves. Teves has worked in film/television as a concept artist, illustrator, and makeup FX sculptor since 1984. The illustrations here were created for a possible Creature from the Black Lagoon reboot around 1997. At that time Carpenter had moved on and Ivan Reitman was leading the charge. Sadly, Reitman’s movie never made it to filming.
It’s interesting to note the changes Teves made from the original CFTBL design. Note the tail and a more lizard-like appearance.
Source: Body Snatchers.
“Outlaw Johnny Black” starring Michael Jai White / Z-View
Outlaw Johnny Black (2023)
Director: Michael Jai White
Screenplay: Michael Jai White, Byron Keith Minns
Stars: Michael Jai White, Anika Noni Rose, Erica Ash, Byron Minns, Chris Browning, Barry Bostwick, Randy Couture, Tommy Davidson, Gary Anthony Williams, Eme Ikwuakor, Jalyn Hall, Roger Yuan, Michael Madsen, Josh Barnett, Glynn Turman, Paul Sloan and Donald Cerrone.
Tagline: From the Brothers Who Brought You Black Dynamite
The Plot…
Johnny Black (White) is a wanted man. Quick with a gun or his fists (or his feet – a martial artist in the old west!), Black is going to find and kill Brett Clayton (Browning). Clayton killed Johnny Black’s father. An eye for an eye and all that.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Outlaw Johnny Black wants to be for westerns what Black Dynamite was for blaxploitation films. Sadly, at least for met the jokes weren’t landing and it felt like a poor tv version of Blazing Saddles (which I loved) crossed with Mario Van Peebles’ Posse (which I liked a lot).
I tapped out at 37 minutes. Of course your mileage may vary.
Outlaw Johnny Black (2023) rates 1 of 5 stars.
“Cross”: Season 1 starring Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa, Ryan Eggold and Johnny Ray Gill / Z-View
Cross: Season 1 (2024)
Created by: Ben Watkins; based on the ALEX CROSS novels by James Patterson
Director: Nzingha Stewart (Eps. 1-2); Craig Siebels (Eps. 3-4); Stacey Muhammad (Eps. 5-6); Director X (Ep. 7); Carl Seaton (Ep. 8)
Teleplay: Ben Watkins (Ep. 1); Aiyana White (Ep. 2); Ron McCants & Sam Ernst (Ep. 3); Blaize Ali-Watkins & Jim Dunn (Ep. 4); Gary Lundy (Ep. 5); Ali Salerno; story by Ali Salerno & Sonja Perryman (Ep. 6); Sam Ernst & Jim Dunn (Ep. 7);Ben Watkins & Aiyana White (Ep. 8)
Stars: Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa, Juanita Jennings, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Caleb Elijah, Melody Hurd, Jennifer Wigmore, Eloise Mumford, Ryan Eggold, Stacie Greenwell, Sharon Taylor, Karen Robinson, Mercedes de la Zerda, Siobhan Murphy and Johnny Ray Gill.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
D.C. Detective Alex Cross (Hodge) and (his best friend since childhood) Detective John Sampson (Mustafa) are assigned the case of a well known Black Lives Matter activist, Emir Goodspeed, found dead in his car. Initial reports indicate an accidental drug overdose. Cross examines the evidence and believes it was murder. The powers that be want the case quickly wrapped up.
Chief Anderson orders Cross to quit making waves. Cross digs deeper. He finds evidence that Goodspeed was the victim of a serial killer. Chief Anderson, not convinced, orders Cross to stand down. Only Cross’ partner, John Sampson and one other person believe Cross is right. The other person is the serial killer.
Cross doesn’t know how connected and powerful the serial killer is. He’s about to find out.
Cross also doesn’t realize the killer who murdered Cross’ wife (and was never caught) is coming back for more revenge.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
I absolutely loved this season. Alex Cross isn’t a perfect hero by any stretch. He’s suffering from the unresolved murder of his wife. Often deaths in movies/television shows have little ramifications for the heroes. That isn’t the case here.
Cross is populated with characters and a great cast. Standouts are Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa (who plays my favorite character), Ryan Eggold and Johnny Ray Gill.
The story feels grounded in reality which makes us more willing to accept the connections of the serial killer. I loved the twists and the secondary story that doesn’t immediately become clear that it’s not part of the main crime.
I am looking forward to season 2.
Cross: Season 1 (2024) rates 5 of 5 stars.
Howard Chaykin’s BLACK KISS Omnibus!
Howard Chaykin’s BLACK KISS is getting an omnibus. It will be a 7.25″ X 10.875″ hard cover that clocks in at 400 pages. BLACK KISS was a groundbreaking hardboiled crime/horror series featuring vampires, violence and graphic sexual content. Here’s the synopsis…
“Poisonous and bitter, an absurdly funny sucker punch demanding to be spat out.” — Matt Fraction (Sex Criminals)
The infamous, hardboiled-erotica series is collected for the first time in a deluxe hardcover omnibus featuring new material.
It’s been a long, long time…one last time.
Collecting for the first time every stop along the way on Howard Chaykin’s transgressively groundbreaking trail, the BLACK KISS OMNIBUS collects the legendary 1988 series, its 2012 sequel BLACK KISS 2, plus the BLACK KISS XXXMAS SPECIAL and, created just for this volume, the all-new 28-page BLACK KISS HALLOWEEN, which will mark Chaykin’s final excursion into this world’s hardboiled erotic noir.
Throw in a look back at the project’s long history of sensationalism and censorship, plus a large assortment of extras from across nearly four decades, and this 400-page collection will be the definitive shelf-filler that once again makes readers ask that vital question…does it have to be so dirty?
Collects Black Kiss #1-12, Black Kiss 2 #1-6, and the Black Kiss XXXMas in July Special
Deal me in.
“Black Crab” (2022) / Z-View
Black Crab (2022)
Director: Adam Berg
Screenplay: Adam Berg, Pelle Rådström based on the novel by Jerker Virdborg
Starring: Noomi Rapace and Jakob Oftebro
Tagline: Hope Burns Brightest in The Cold
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
In a world at war, Caroline Edh (Rapace) is one of six soldiers selected for a secret mission. The team is to skate across frozen waters where the ice is too thin for vehicles (and often people) to deliver a mysterious package to an island research base. If Edh survives the mission she has been told she will be reunited with her missing daughter.
Black Crab has an interesting plot and the set-up looks like we’re in for a good (maybe even very good) movie. I kept thinking, “This film is about to take off.” We’d get cool scenes like retrieving the backpack from the woman under the ice or all the bodies frozen in the ice, but between the cool scenes were lots of shots of soldiers skating or hiding from a helicopter that could almost find them. Bah! The movie’s tagline is Hope Burns Brightest in the Cold. My hope that the movie would get better was left out in the cold.
Black Crab rates 2 of 5 stars.
“Blacklight” starring Liam Neeson – The Poster and Trailer are Here! – “They’re Gonna Need More Men”
I like the poster, the tagline and the trailer for Blacklight starring Liam Neeson. Deal me in.
In the tense action thriller BLACKLIGHT, LIAM NEESON stars as Travis Block, a freelance government operative living on the fringes and coming to terms with his shadowy past. When he discovers an undercover team that’s targeting U.S. citizens, Block finds himself in the crosshairs of the FBI director (AIDAN QUINN) he once helped protect. But as Block attempts redemption by enlisting a journalist (EMMY RAVER-LAMPMAN) to get the truth out, his daughter and granddaughter are threatened — and a danger that has existed on the margins.
THE Horror Movie Crossover Fans Want!
Martin Samoylov at ComingSoon.net posted 5 Horror Crossover Movies We Want to See. Samoylov’s list was an interesting one. I particularly liked the idea of A Quiet Place / Cloverfield crossover, but my favorite was Samoylov’s as well… that the big three… Universal’s classic Wolfman, Dracula and Frankenstein appear in a crossover movie. I 100% agree with Samoylov when he says…
Admittedly, Dark Universe didn’t get off on a great start with last year’s The Mummy, but that doesn’t mean Universal can’t explore its other classic monster properties. Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolfman are some of the most iconic movie characters of all time. And currently Universal owns rights to all three. None of the three icons have faced off with one another in decades. If Universal gets these characters right, they could have some exciting stories to tell with them.
Amen, brother. And since its now my two cents, I’d throw The Creature from the Black Lagoon into the mix. Well, Universal, what are you waiting for?
