It took 100 years to bring Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars to the big screen. It took Disney Studios just ten days to declare the film a flop and lock it away in the Disney vaults. How did this project, despite its quarter-billion dollar budget, the brilliance of director Andrew Stanton, and the creative talents of legendary Pixar Studios, become a calamity of historic proportions? Michael Sellers, a filmmaker and Hollywood insider himself, saw the disaster approaching and fought to save the project – but without success. In John Carter and the Gods of Hollywood, Sellers details every blunder and betrayal that led to the doom of the motion picture – and that left countless Hollywood careers in the wreckage. JOHN CARTER AND THE GODS OF HOLLYWOOD examines every aspect of Andrew Stanton’s adaptation and Disney’s marketing campaign and seeks to answer the question: What went wrong? it includes a history of Hollywood’s 100 year effort to bring the film to the screen, and examines the global fan movement spawned by the film.
John Carter and the Gods of Hollywood is now available at Amazon.
Meet Modesty Blaise (aka the female James Bond) Modesty Blaise is glamorous, intelligent, rich and very, very cool. She’s been called the female James Bond but she’s much more interesting than that.
Modesty started life in 1963 as a strip cartoon in the London Evening Standard. The first of the novels followed three years later.
Daphne Alexander plays Modesty in Radio 4’s adaptation of A Taste for Death.
Modesty Blaise – A Taste for Death Episode 1 of 5 Duration: 15 minutes First broadcast: Monday 17 December 2012 She’s glamorous, intelligent, rich and very, very cool. Modesty Blaise has been called the female James Bond but she’s much more interesting than that. With her expertise in martial arts and unusual weapons, the ability to speak several languages and her liking for fast cars, twenty-something Modesty became a female icon long before the likes of Emma Peel, Lara Croft, or Buffy.
In Stef Penney’s brand new radio adaptation of Peter O’Donnell’s novel, Sir Gerald Tarrant, Head of a secret British agency, tempts Modesty out of retirement and into a job involving a young woman with extra sensory powers, an exotic desert location, and a larger than life public school villain, intent on murdering his way to a vast fortune. With its perfect cocktail of glamorous settings, hidden treasure, a twisting turning plot, and characters to root for, A Taste for Death is an action packed treat – and a guilty pleasure.
With an original score by Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory, arranged by Ian Gardiner, and performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Ben Foster.
Produced and Directed by Kate McAll
Interesting Modesty Facts: Modesty first started life in 1963 as a strip cartoon in the London Evening Standard – the first of the novels followed three years later.
Vincent Vega, played by John Travolta, is seen reading a Modesty Blaise book in Pulp Fiction.
Learn more about Modesty Blaise – A Taste for Death Episode 1 of 5 here.
Tom and Ginger Johnson return to chat with The Book Cave’s Art Sippo, Bruce Rosenberger, and Ric Croxtin about their newest ebook creations. Try and guess which of the three stories is the Book Cave crew’s favorite.
Atlanta, GA—James Palmer, editor and publisher of Mechanoid Press, an independent publishing imprint specializing in New Pulp, science fiction, and more, is proud to announce the upcoming release of its first anthology MONSTER EARTH.
MONSTER EARTH harkens back to the classic giant monsters of yesteryear like Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera, and King Kong, while focusing on the human element and what it would be like to live in such a world where giant monsters terrorize the Earth.
“There have been a few other giant monster anthologies over the years,” says Palmer. “But our book is going to be a bit different. It has a unifying concept, as well as a solid pulp style of storytelling.”
Developed by MONSTER EARTH co-editor Jim Beard (writer, Captain Action and the Riddle of the Glowing Men), each story in the book takes place in a different decade of the 20th century, which leads to a Cold War fought with giant monsters rather than the threat of nuclear weapons.
“I really wanted all the stories to have an underlying thread that weaves between them all the stories, and Jim really came up with a winner.”
The stories in MONSTER EARTH have a strong human angle as well.
“Focusing in on the human beings living in this world is important to me,” says Palmer. “The monsters are like forces of nature, with the humans trying to control them. But don’t worry, these aren’t just regular human interest stories with a monster thrown in for window dressing. There are plenty of great monster battles and more than enough citywide destruction to please the most discerning kaiju fan – and anyone who loves a good tale.
Palmer and Beard have assembled a great line-up of New Pulp all-stars to give us their visions of a world ruled by giant monsters. MONSTER EARTH will include stories by I.A. Watson (Sherlock Holmes, Blackthorn: Dynasty of Mars), Ed Erdelac (The Merkabah Rider), Nancy Hansen, and newcomer Jeff McGinnis. Beard and Palmer will also provide stories, and there will be a free online bonus tale by Jeff McGinnis coming out shortly before the book’s release.
MONSTER EARTH is slated for a Christmas release, and will be available in print and ebook formats.
For more information and updates, including a preview of the cover and table of contents when they are finalized, go to http://www.mechanoidpress.com/ and sign up for our FREE newsletter.
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About Mechanoid Press: Mechanoid Press is a new imprint specializing in science fiction, New Pulp, and steampunk ebooks and anthologies. For more, visit http://www.mechanoidpress.com/ or follow the robot revolution on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mechanoidpress. You can also like Mechanoid Press on Facebook.
Agent Pendergast, the creation of Authors Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child returns in a brand new novel, TWO GRAVES, arriving in bookstores today, December 11.
About Two Graves: After his wife, Helen, is brazenly abducted before his eyes, Special Agent Pendergast furiously pursues the kidnappers, chasing them across the country and into Mexico. But then, things go terribly, tragically wrong; the kidnappers escape; and a shattered Pendergast retreats to his New York apartment and shuts out the world.
But when a string of bizarre murders erupts across several Manhattan hotels–perpetrated by a boy who seems to have an almost psychic ability to elude capture–NYPD Lieutenant D’Agosta asks his friend Pendergast for help. Reluctant at first, Pendergast soon discovers that the killings are a message from his wife’s kidnappers. But why a message? And what does it mean?
When the kidnappers strike again at those closest to Pendergast, the FBI agent, filled anew with vengeful fury, sets out to track down and destroy those responsible. His journey takes him deep into the trackless forests of South America, where he ultimately finds himself face to face with an old evil that-rather than having been eradicated-is stirring anew… and with potentially world-altering consequences.
Confucius once said: “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, first dig two graves.” Pendergast is about to learn the hard way just how true those words still ring..
Now available at Amazon and wherever your favorite books are sold. Learn more about Two Graves here.
About the authors: Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are the coauthors of the famed Pendergast series, including the first two books in the Helen Trilogy, Fever Dream and Cold Vengeance. Preston and Child are also the authors of the Gideon Crew series. Preston and Child’s Relic and The Cabinet of Curiosities were chosen by readers in a National Public Radio poll as being among the one hundred greatest thrillers ever written, and Relic was made into a number-one box office hit movie. Doug Preston’s acclaimed nonfiction book, The Monster of Florence, is being made into a movie starring George Clooney. Lincoln Child is a former book editor who has published five novels of his own, including the huge bestsellers Deep Storm and The Third Gate. Readers can sign up for The Pendergast File, a monthly “strangely entertaining note” from the authors, at their website, www.PrestonChild.com. The authors also welcome visitors to their alarmingly active Facebook page, where they post regularly.
Pro Se Productions has released the cover art by George Sellas for their upcoming release, Gravedigger. Written by New Pulp Author, Barry Reese, look for Gravedigger from Pro Se in 2013!
Plus, take a peek at this illustration of Gravedigger villain, Thanatos by artist Will Meugniot.
This week on the White Rocket Podcast, a part of the Earth Station One Network, New Pulp Author Van Allen Plexico is joined by writer/publisher/director Jim Yelton for part 2 of their exploration of Marvel’s movies, past-present-future. Van and Jim also look at what DC is doing (and should be doing). It’s a fun show.
Next week, Van is joined by Mark Finn (author of BLOOD AND THUNDER: THE LIFE AND ART OF ROBERT E HOWARD) to talk about Richard Stark’s violent world of PARKER!
Episode 7 of The White Rocket Podcast is now available on Podbean, iTunes, via the Podcast app on iPhone/iPad, or you can use the mini-player at the White Rocket site.
Earth Station 007 includes some of New Pulp’s finest as they celebrate 50 years of James Bond movies with a special episode devoted to the world’s best-known secret agent. ESO hosts Mike Faber, Mike Gordon, and Bobby Nash are joined on this mission by writer Anthony Taylor, award-winning artist Mark Maddox, Raging Bullets podcaster Sean Whelan, and Alan J. Porter, author of “James Bond: The History of the Illustrated 007.” We also chat with Rich Morris and Richie Brackin about “A Time to Live, A Time to Kill,” a webcomic bringing two British icons together. Last, but certainly not least, we are honored to be joined by Virginia Hey, a Bond Girl who kisses and tells about her time on “The Living Daylights.”
“She was quite the most superior person I had ever met–with the most convincing way of letting you know she was superior.“ — Author Edgar Rice Burroughs’ description of Dian the Beautiful in AT THE EARTH’S CORE.
Black Dog Books has announced that Dusty Ayres– Invasion of the Black Lightning by Robert Sidney Bowen is now available in paperback and ebook formats. Invasion of the Black Lightning contains three exciting novels of America’s Battle Ace!
PRESS RELEASE:
A steel fist pounded against the gates of Paris, battering to ruin the last stronghold of freedom on the continent. For three long years all Asia and Europe has been a seething inferno of war.
The great wave of destruction makes its sweep westward. Rising up from Central Asia, the Black Lightning invaders, under the command of the mysterious Fire-Eyes, seek to annihilate the civilized world.
Now the path across the Atlantic is open. The United States will be the next to fall unless its troops can rally behind Dusty Ayres, America’s Battle Ace, and stop—the Invasion of the Black Lightning!
For the first time, the initial three novel-length adventures of Dusty Ayres are brought together in one unparalleled volume. Packed with thrills and excitement, this is sure to be the “don’t miss” item of the season!
Included are: • Black Lightning • Crimson Doom • Purple Tornado With an introduction by Tom Roberts. Cover art by Frederick Blakeslee.
Dusty Ayres– Invasion of the Black Lightning is now available in paperback and ebook formats. E-Book / 266 pages / Price: $4.99 US Trade paperback / 266 pages / Price: $24.95 US
“Dusty Ayres and His Battle Birds” is a trademark and is the property of Argosy Communications, Inc. Used with permission.
