Tagged: Avengers

MIKE GOLD: Marvel Comics – Anybody Remember These Guys?

Fickle little bastards that we are, most of the hubbub around the American comics world has been revolving around DC’s New 52. Is it any good? Are any any good? Which ones really suck? Which title has the most breasts? It’s all great publicity in the short term; nobody’s talking about Marvel Comics.

Marvel movies are another matter. But, this week, that would be a digression, even though the first Avengers trailer was just released.

The House of Ideas (anybody remember that catch phrase?) is in the middle of two Big Events – three, if you count whatever the hell is going on with the X-Men titles. They seem to be going through their own new 52. Or perhaps new 104. There’s so many of these books I couldn’t read them all even if I were Pietro Maximov. So, this week, the X-titles are a digression.

I’ll admit I started off liking both the Fear Itself and Spider-Island Big Events. Neither were spectacular, awesome, incredible, nor uncanny, but both were good solid superhero dramas in the Marvel motif. Not everything has to be better than ever and “good solid” is just fine most of the time. I’d say I recall saying that about the second Hulk and second Iron Man movies but I’d be indulging in digression.

But after the passing of a couple months both became a burden. No, I haven’t been reading all of the tie-ins and mini-series and such – Marvel’s been great about maintaining the sidebar nature of these subordinate series. But the cumulative nature of both Events happening simultaneously has worn me down. I’m having a hard time giving a damn, and these books have been sinking down in my reading pile buried under the weight of comics that show more spontaneity and innovation. Few are published by DC or Marvel these days.

Here’s the rub. I still proudly think of myself as a fanboy. I also proudly think of myself as a pain in the ass, but that’s still another digression. Two of my favorite characters are and damn-near have always been Doctor Strange and the Sub-Mariner. I’ve liked the Red She-Hulk stories I’ve read. Now all three of them will be in the new, new Defenders, along with that one-man Greek chorus, the Silver Surfer.

It appears that the new, new Defenders will be an outgrowth from Fear Itself; writer Matt Fraction is a major force behind both. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it’s a new event all onto itself. Damn, would that suck. Anyway, I’m reluctant to abandon all this current Marvel Event stuff because these specific characters continue to warm the cockles of my fanboy heart.

What to do, what to do?

I think I’ll read Dick Tracy.

THURSDAY: Dennis O’Neil

“Avengers” Trailer released

And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth’s mightiest heroes were united against a common threat — to fight foes no single hero could withstand.

On that day… The Avengers trailer was released.

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012. In “Marvel’s The Avengers,” superheroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

AIRSHIP AND CORNERSTONE’S 8TH BOOK THIS YEAR-MYSTERY MEN (AND WOMEN) VOLUME TWO

RETURN OF THE MYSTERY MEN

Airship 27 Productions and Cornerstone Book Publishers are thrilled to announce the release of the new MYSTERY MEN (& Women) Vol II.

In 2010, after five years of bring pulp fans the best new adventures of classic pulp characters, Airship 27 Productions launched this particular title to allow their talented creators to have fun inventing brand new pulp heroes. In Volume One we introduced pulp fans to four original characters, two of whom were female avengers.  Now we proudly present the second installment and another brand new quartet of fresh and exciting heroes cast in the mold of the classic adventurers of the past.

RED BADGE –Operating on the streets of New York, he is a mysterious vigilante daring to confront the mobs and protect the innocent.  But who is he really?  The cop, the famous radio announcer, the brother to a victimized young woman?  Created by Mark Halegua with writing partner Andrew Salmon.

JACK MINCH, ACE REPORTER –Writer, editor, Jack Minch thought he knew New York City like the back of his hand until one of his star reporters suddenly vanishes within the deep, maze like sewer tunnels beneath the concrete Gotham. Now Minch and a detective ally must travel into this unknown domain where death lurks at every turn.  Created by Greg Bastianelli.

DOCK DOYLE – Dock Doyle was a movie matinee hero of the cliffhanger serials known around the world.  But when things go horribly awry on location of his latest jungle adventure, the actor must come to grips with becoming a true hero, or dying in the process.  Created by Adam Garcia.

A MAN CALLED MONGREL – In today’s world of high tech communications, private companies wield power like governments, some for the public good, and others for their own evil agendas.  Now a modern day warrior will champion his family’s technological empire and defend it against all who would destroy them.  His name is Mongrel. Created by Derrick Ferguson.

Here are four brand new, action packed pulp tales starring four original heroes to thrill and entertain today’s diehard pulp enthusiasts.  The book features a stunning cover by Pulp Factory Award winning artist, Mike Fyles with interior illos and book design by Airship 27 Art Director, Rob Davis, himself a former PF Award winner; all edited by Ron Fortier and happily delivered to pulp fans around the world by …

Airship 27 Prodcutions – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!

ISBN 1-613420-21-8
ISBN-13 978-1-613420-21-8
Produced by Airship 27
Published by Cornerstone Book Publishers
Release date: 10/26/2011
Retail Price: $16.95
Now available for $3 at Digital Hangar 27
(http://homepage.mac.com/robmdavis/Airship27Hangar/index.html#mysterymen2)
Also from (www.IndyPlanet.com) 10/31/2011
P.O.D. Price: $15

PULP! PULP!! AND MORE PULP!!! plus so much more from Radio Archives!

RadioArchives.com Newsletter

October 7, 2011

NEW Radio Set: Claudia, Volume 6

Since the inception of the soap opera on radio, various things have been part and parcel of that genre; melodrama, tear jerking storylines, scandal and rumor, and enough deceit to fill a bathtub. In 1947, however, a new twist on that formula hit the airwaves thanks to the sponsorship of Coca Cola. And this new take on soap operas had a name. Claudia.
 
“Claudia” told the tale of Claudia and David Naughton, newlyweds, just beginning their married life. Young, enthusiastic, and very much in love, they weren’t suffering from any medical problems, suspicions, or ungrateful children. Instead, they were simply facing the many challenges of any new marriage in the years following World War II – finding an apartment, getting used to each other’s quirks, and learning to live together as husband and wife.
 
The very elements that made Claudia different from other soap operas quickly became its strengths. There were very few “tune in tomorrow” hooks that most soaps used to lure listeners back. People came back to “Claudia” for the interesting, fully developed characters, the lighthearted banter, and the familiarity of their day-to-day situations.
 
Based on the literary works of Rose Franken, “Claudia” began as short stories. Immensely popular, those grew into a series of best selling novels and then in 1941, were adapted into a Broadway play, with a young actress named Dorothy McGuire in the title role. Claudia was a breakout role for McGuire; one that brought her to Hollywood to reprise the role in the 20th Century Fox film version, released in 1943 and co-starring Robert Young as David. Based on that film’s success, 1946 found them together again in “Claudia and David,” a sequel to the earlier film. Due in large part to the success of the two “Claudia” movies, in 1947, the D’Arcy advertising agency decided to bring the characters to radio in a five-a-week quarter-hour serial on behalf of its client, Coca-Cola. This was the third attempt to bring the story of Claudia to radio and would be followed by a try as a TV series as well.
 
Due to the diligent work of Radio Archives, all 390 episodes of the series, which had an eighteen-month run, have been located and preserved to the highest standard. This sixth volume of 24 episodes continues on where the others left off, marching through Spring and toward the start of Summer 1948. Heard today, “Claudia” remains wonderful entertainment, notable for both its lighthearted tone and the believable interplay between its characters and will make a fine addition to any Old Time Radio Fan’s collection! Order your 6 Hour CD set today for only 17.98 or Download the entire volume for $11.98! Only from Radio Archives!
 
 
 
Radio Archives, well known for high quality audio collections, introduces a new category of Old Time Radio! Are you a fan of fast paced, action packed adventures? Do you enjoy larger than life heroes, over the top villains, and impossible plots and schemes? Whether or not you’re a Mystery, Western, Science Fiction,or simply a fan of Adventure and Suspense, Radio Archives has what you’re looking for in its new category, Pulp Radio!

Pulp means many things to many people. Historically, Pulp refers to fiction magazines that were printed on cheap wood pulp paper. The paper was coarse with rough edges. Publishers found this cheaper to produce and began turning out magazines that ran around 128 or so pages and only cost a dime. For ten cents, readers could encounter far away lands, lost civilizations, thugs with guns, cowboys and Indians, and anything else fiction writers of the day came up with.

Although first introduced in the 1890s, Pulp magazines really came into their own in the 1930s and 40s. This was due in large part to the popularity of what have come to be known as the Hero Pulps. Take a poll today on what Pulp heroes the public remembers, any that have a clue what Pulp is will likely say, “Doc Savage” or “The Shadow” or “The Spider.” Well-versed armchair fans might even rattle off “The Black Bat” or “The Avenger.” Hero Pulps provided readers with stories about ideal men fighting for right and justice against insurmountable odds.

Although Hero Pulps are the most fondly remembered by some, Pulp magazines provided the stage for so many other genres. Nearly regardless of a reader’s taste in fiction, it could be found in a Pulp magazine. Western, Action Adventure, Sports, Mystery, Crime, Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction, even Romance Pulps dominated newsstands and kiosks all over America. That is, until the early 1950s when for various reasons, Pulp magazines faded from view.

In an effort to explain why Pulp has had the impact it has, many have come up with definitions of what Pulp is. Most include Pulp being fast paced and plot oriented with clearly defined, larger than life protagonists and antagonists and creative descriptions, clever use of turns of phrase and other aspects of writing that add to the intensity and pacing of the story. Any of that sound familiar, radio Detective fans? Or how about those of you who enjoy a good frontier shootout on your favorite western show? Looking at that definition, it is clear that Pulp had not only an impact on later mediums, but definitely shared characteristics with a source of entertainment that experienced its golden age simultaneously with the Pulps. That entertainment that we now call Old Time Radio.

Like Pulp, Old Time Radio covers many genres and many styles of storytelling. There are shows, though, that fit squarely into what many would consider to be Pulp. Detective programs, particularly, fit the model extremely well. In the space of a little over twenty minutes, radio writers had to introduce the detective, establish the cast of characters, set up the mystery to be solved, throw in one or two red herrings or a fight scene, and then resolve everything. These detectives were tough, heroic men and stood out in one way or another, like Richard Diamond and his singing, Johnny Dollar and his expense account, or Nero Wolfe and his eccentricities. And the bad guys, always some grand plan to dupe money out of someone or even larger schemes. Some would call stories like that plot oriented, fast paced fiction with larger than life heroes and villains. Here at Radio Archives, we call it Pulp Radio.

And Pulp Radio doesn’t stop at hard-boiled gumshoes, either! Western lawmen and the desperadoes they tangled with week in and week out on the radio rode the same trails as their Pulp cowboy counterparts. Astronauts and aliens on the airwaves fit the bill for larger than life and fast paced! And even characters that first found life in the Pulps lived even longer thanks to Radio. Pulp Radio is full of mayhem and monsters, good and evil, and stories that still today ring true with Fans of great Heroic Fiction of any medium.

Titles that you’ll find in Radio Archives’ Pulp Radio section include:

The New Adventures of Michael Shayne – Jeff Chandler’s rugged voice adds to the pace and intensity of this Pulp type detective program from beginning to end, bringing Brett Halliday’s fictional detective to explosive life!

The Shadow of Fu Manchu – Sax Rohmer’s Villain of All Villains continues his life of Tyranny and Evil in this relentlessly fast paced radio show!

The Planet Man – This Sci-Fi show definitely walks the line between Camp and Pulp, but has all the ear markings of excitement, over the top characters, and life and death situations it needs to be Pure Pulp!

Luke Slaughter of Tombstone – Westerns, prime Pulp territory, shined just as brightly in Radio’s Golden Age. The adventures of Luke Slaughter have all the toughness, six guns, horses and outlaws that it takes to make a Western tale great Radio Pulp!

If you’re a Pulp fan looking for something that sounds like what you love to read, then the shows in Radio Archive’s Pulp Section are just what you’ve been after. The fact that aspects of Pulp can be found in Old Time Radio adds a whole other level of enjoyment for Pulp Fiction readers. Not only can you get the visceral excitement of following adventure on the written page, but you can hear stories in the same vein, tales that make your heart beat faster and even sometimes make your blood run cold. Rapid fire dialogue and matching action, characters that fire the imagination, and everything else you love about Pulp can be found in the shows in Radio Archive’s Pulp Radio!
 
And if you’re an Old Time Radio enthusiast intrigued by fast paced, exciting adventures, then you’ve come to the right place! Detective fans that peruse this new section may find that the same elements that appeal to them in their whodunits also are part and parcel to frontier tales and space operas. Likewise, cowboy aficionados might find just as much pistol shootin’ and desperadoes in a mystery or crime show! Not convinced yet? Then hear for yourself by picking up one of the collections in Radio Archives’ Pulp Radio section today!
 
‘Pulp Radio’ is a registered trademark of Roger Rittner Productions, Inc., used with permission.
 
 
 

The Spider Strikes! In First Audiobook

One of pulp fiction’s most popular vigilante avengers comes to audiobooks for the first time in Prince of the Red Looters, the first Spider audiobook from RadioArchives.com. Prince of the Red Looters is available now in both a deluxe six-CD set and MP3 digital download.

Producer/Director Roger Rittner says, “Prince of the Red Looters is an astounding accomplishment, wedding dynamic narration from two unique stars of stage and screen, specially selected sound effects, and a complete period music score.”

This action-packed story features Nick Santa Maria and Robin Riker narrating and voicing the character parts. “They’ve done outstanding work in this exciting novel-length adventure of the classic pulp hero, The Spider,” Roger says.

In Prince of the Red Looters, The Spider faces one of his most cunning criminal enemies — The Fly! The Fly’s ruthlessly efficient crime organization commits a chain of bold and deadly atrocities on New York City, while The Fly taunts The Spider in a series of ever more dangerous duels.

“The sword fights will have listeners sitting on the edge of their seats,” Roger says. “Prince of the Red Looters will be a stunning addition to RadioArchives.com’s audiobook line.”

Prince of the Red Looters inaugurates Will Murray’s Pulp Classics, a new series of pulp-related audiobooks from RadioArchives.com. Each entry in the series is a classic pulp adventures personally chosen by Will Murray, one of the country’s foremost experts on all things pulp.

“I’m very excited to present to listeners some of my favorite pulp stories in this engaging format,” Will says. “This first Spider audiobook is a grand launch to the series.”

Listeners who have previewed Prince of the Red Looters are enthused:

  • “It’s excellent. Really held my attention. I think it works wonderfully.”
  • “An exceptional job.”
  • “The results are amazing.”



Prince of the Red Looters is available now in a six-CD set, priced at $19.98, with original cover art and a special bonus audio feature of Will Murray explaining the genesis of The Spider. The audiobook is also available as an MP3 Digital Download, including the special bonus feature, at just $13.98.

Prince of the Red Looters is a listening experience that will thrill every fan of audiobooks and pulp fiction,” Roger says.

Doc Savage Audiobooks Continue to Delight Fans

2011’s ‘Summer of Doc Savage’ continues into the Fall, as RadioArchives.com’s first two Doc Savage audiobooks, Will Murray’s Python Isle and White Eyes continue to attract and delight Doc fans as well as those just discovering the greatest adventure hero of the 1930s.

RadioArchives.com customer Eugene Dungan says,

“I just wanted to let you know that I have really enjoyed your two Doc Savage audiobooks, Python Isle and White Eyes. Please tell all your people to keep up the great work. I am looking forward to buying all of the audiobooks that you come out with.”

Python Isle, narrated by Michael McConnohie, and White Eyes, narrated by Richard Epcar, are available in impressive CD sets, as digital downloads, and also in special Signed Director’s Editions.

 
The legendary Master of Men returns in two classic stories from the 1930s. First, a spider should be able to catch a fly, but this particular Fly has other plans in mind! In “Prince of the Red Looters” (1934), you’ll join Richard Wentworth as he battles a criminal mastermind more lethal, more ruthless than any he has encountered before. So confident is the Fly of his own abilities that he dares challenge The Spider himself to a duel – to the death! Then, in “The City That Dared Not Eat” (1937), New York City staggers under a vicious crime wave aimed at controlling the very food supply! Mass murder, wholesale poisoning — nothing is beyond the maniac leading a gang of ruthless killers in their battle for supremacy. While The Spider matches guns and wits against an army of crime, the city starves! These two exciting pulp adventures have been beautifully reformatted for easy reading and feature both of the original full color covers as well as interior illustrations that accompany each story. Available from RadioArchives.com for only $14.95.
 
NEW Pulp Fiction Reprints

In a world where evil and danger loomed at every corner, a time when no one knew what might be waiting for them in the dark, a place where the future was in no way certain, a trembling populace reached out for an escape and found it in Pulp Magazines! That same doorway to Adventure, those tales of Heroes tried and true are available still today as classic pulp novel reprints from Radio Archives! Need a break from your reality? Find it in Pulp Fiction here at Radio Archives!

Spider Pulp Doubles #21

The Spider fights his way through two classic tales! First, The Spider squares off with The Corpse Broker! For a ten percent commission on murder, the Master of the Green Death guarantees immunity from the police! The Spider sets out to stop wholesale slaughter that turns the dead green! Next, The Spider marches against the Volunteer Corpse Brigade! Deadly plague-germs are used against the nation as Smiler Miordan crushes all who oppose him. The Spider, himself stricken with the virus, takes on the criminal Underworld Union! All of this available for $14.95 from Radio Archives!

Doc Savage, Volume 51: Halloween Special

The Pulp Era’s legendary superhero follows terror trails in two classic thrillers. First, the Man of Bronze journeys to “The Land of Fear” to discover the deadly secret behind the “skeleton death” that dissolves human flesh to the bone. Then, a grisly vampire murder in the lobby of his own headquarters building leads Doc Savage and his beautiful cousin Patricia in pursuit of “The Fiery Menace.” Enjoy these tales and extra features for only $14.95 at RadioArchives.com
 
The Knight of Darkness investigates deadly vampire attacks in two heart-stopping chillers and a classic radio mystery! First, the Shadow must battle a giant vampire bat and enter the dangerous “Garden of Death” to discover the secret behind a deadly drug monopoly. Then, The Shadow enters haunted Haldrew Hall to investigate “The Vampire Murders” in a sequel to the legendary Victorian thriller, “Varney the Vampire.” BONUS: “Vampires Prowl by Night,” a lost thriller from the Golden Age of Radio! All of this and more available now for $14.95 from RadioArchives.com.
 

Review of “The Land of Terror” from Doc Savage, Volume 14

By Dr. Art Sippo
 

Doc Savage’s old chemistry tutor, Jerome Coffern, asked him to dinner to seek his help. While waiting for Doc to arrive, Dr. Coffern is assaulted and struck dead by a heavy led pipe. His attackers use an air pistol to fire a hollow metal capsule onto the body and a strange reaction ensues. The body along with the lead pipe and part of the sidewalk disintegrate into a vile cloud of gray ash. All that is left is Coffern’s left hand and the wrist watch that Doc Savage gave him. When Doc arrives mere moments later, he finds this and he immediately sets out to avenge his teacher.

The evil mastermind Kar discovered an irresistible weapon: the Smoke of Eternity. It is a universal solvent that can destroy flesh, metal, even stone. Jerome Coffern knew the secret of this new weapon and was going to reveal it to Doc but he was brutally assassinated before he could. Now Doc and Kar begin a life and death struggle. They will battle to a standstill in New York and the body count rises as the stakes get higher.

Doc traces the secret of the Smoke of Eternity to a recent expedition to the Indian Ocean in which Jerome Coffern and another chemist, Gabe Yuder, were joined by adventurer Oliver Wording Bittman. Bittman was a friend of Doc’s father who saved Clark Sr.’s life by killing an African lion on safari. The three men found a strange volcanic land they called Thunder Island studded with minerals unknown elsewhere on earth and harboring all manner of extinct monsters including dinosaurs, flying reptiles, and enormous mammals. This is the most foreboding place on Earth. Doc saved Bittman from Kar’s henchmen and allowed him to join in the expedition back to Thunder Island. Gabe Yuder is the only one of the three that is unaccounted for and it seems that he is the villain Kar. Doc and his men travel to Thunder Island and confront danger on all sides, including a battle with a Tyrannosaurus Rex!

This is the second Doc Savage story in the original print order and it hit the newsstands in March 1933. It remains one of the best. Doc has not developed his code against killing at this point and he takes out several villains spectacularly. It should be noted that this story was on the newsstands the month before the movie King Kong which opened on 7 April 1933.

Own Land Of Terror today in Doc Savage Volume 14 for only $12.95 here at RadioArchives.com!


 

Deal of the DayHigh quality Audio, Pulp, and Classic DVDs! And at a fantastic price! Why, that’s the Radio Archives Deal of the Day!

The Deal of the Day is actually Three Deals at All Times! No limits! No minimum amount! Simply Great Products at Unbelievable Prices!

Every Day a Different Item is available at 10% Off.

If you’re into Pulp, Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days to pick up a great Pulp deal at a 10% discount!

For The Next Two Weeks Only – 10 Hours of Radio’s Greatest Shows for 25% off!

Discover the magic of radio’s Golden Age with this handpicked selection of shows. Your mind’s eye will come alive with timeless mystery, comedy, science fiction and detective shows. Experience the greatness of the Nelson Family, Don Ameche and Francis Langford, as well as the genius of Ray Bradbury, Willis Cooper, Orson Welles, Jack Webb, and many more in this ten hour collection.

The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, The Aldrich Family, Baby Snooks, Beulah, The Bickersons, Big Town, The Bill Stern Colgate Sports Reel, Boston Blackie, Night Beat, Casey, Crime Photographer, Dimension X, X-Minus One, The Fred Allen Show, The Great Gildersleeve, Inner Sanctum Mysteries, Lights Out, The Lux Radio Theatre, Orson Welles Meets H.G. Wells, Pat Novak, For Hire, The Saint, The Unexpected, Lights Out. And it can be yours for $22.49, 25% off the regular price until October 20th at RadioArchives.com!

October Deal Of The Month – Bing Crosby: Screen Legends Collection for 50% off

Actor and crooner Bing Crosby had a rich, long film career and this collection features some of the best of his lesser-known films. Crosby is joined by costars such as Anthony Quinn, Joan Blondell, Gloria Jean, Betty Hutton, and more! And Bing lends his voice to such classics as “Sweet Leilani,” That Old Black Magic,” “Ac-cent-u-ate the Positive,” and many others! The collection is a great cross-section of Crosby’s career and shouldn’t be missed by fans of him or of American films of the 1930s and 1940s. The movies included are:

Waikiki Wedding (1937, directed by Frank Tuttle)

Double or Nothing (1937, directed by Theodore Reed)

East Side of Heaven (1939, directed by David Butler)

If I Had My Way (1940, directed by David Butler)

For the month of October this classic collection of Crosby films is half price at $13.49 from Radio Archives! Look for the yellow ‘Deal Of The Day’ price tag in the upper right hand corner of the home page and click it for a great deal Every Single Day from RadioArchives.com!

 
Comments From Our Customers!
 
D. Ernie Frick:
Your news letter is awesome.
 
Charles T. St. George:

I was just thinking how far Radio Archives has come since the days of snail mail. You deserve all the credit for making the right changes.

 
If you’d like to share a comment with us or if you have a question or a suggestion send an email to Service@RadioArchives.com. We’d love to hear from you!
 

The products you’ve read about in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you’ll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it’s the sparkling audio fidelity of our classic radio collections, the excitement of our new line of audiobooks, or the timeless novels of the pulp heroes, you’ll find hundreds of intriguing items at RadioArchives.com.
 
If you no longer wish to receive our newsletter, or if this newsletter has been sent to you in error, please reply to this e-mail with the subject line UNSUBSCRIBE and your name will immediately be removed from our mailing list.

NEW KUTTNER COLLECTION FROM HAFNER PRESS!

THUNDER IN THE VOID by Henry Kuttner is a massive collection of 16 vintage Space Opera stories selected from classic pulp magazines such as Weird Tales, Marvel Science Stories, Astonishing Stories, Super Science Stories, Super-Detective, and of course, Planet Stories. Most of the these are appearing in book form for the first time. An added bonus, Haffner Press is pleased to include an unpublished story by Kuttner, “The Interplanetary Limited.”

Prior to his marriage to fellow science-fantasy writer Catherine L. Moore in 1940, Henry Kuttner wrote stories of Lovecraftian horror, weird-menace “shudder” tales, and thrilling adventure stories. But he also wrote blood-n-thunder Space Opera stories in the vein of Edmond Hamilton (one of young Kuttner’s favorite authors) told with a rough-edge style similar to Kuttner’s protege Leigh Brackett.

Award-winning author (and the only writer to stage a live performance of a Kuttner Space Opera story) Mike Resnick contributes an introduction reflecting on his admiration for stories by Kuttner (and Moore).

THUNDER IN THE VOID is scheduled for a mid-November 2011 release.

Table of Contents
Introduction by Mike Resnick
*Raider of the Spaceways  (Weird Tales, Jul ’37)
Avengers of Space  (Marvel Science Stories, Aug ’38)
The Time-Trap  (Marvel Science Stories, Nov ’38)
*The Lifestone  (Astonishing Stories, Feb ’40)
*Monsters of the Atom  (Super-Detective, Apr ’41)
*Red Gem of Mercury  (Super Science Stories, Nov ’41)
*The Crystal Circe  (Astonishing Stories, Jun ’42)
*War-Gods of the Void  (Planet Stories, Fll ’42)
*Thunder in the Void  (Astonishing Stories, Oct ’42)
We Guard the Black Planet  (Super Science Stories, Nov ’42)
*Soldiers of Space  (Astonishing Stories, Feb ’43)
*Crypt-City of the Deathless One  (Planet Stories, Win ’43)
The Eyes of Thar  (Planet Stories, Fll ”43)
What Hath Me  (Planet Stories, Spr ’46)
*Carry Me Home  (Planet Stories,  ’50)
The Interplanetary Limited (first time in print)

*First reprint appearance

1) Single-copy preorders for THUNDER IN THE VOID may be placed on this page:
http://haffnerpress.com/Thunder.html

2) or a copy may be preordered as part of a limited-time combo offer:
Visit www.haffnerpress.com to order THUNDER IN THE VOID by Kuttner with AT THE HUMAN LIMIT, THE COLLECTED STORIES OF JACK WILLIAMSON, VOLUME EIGHT and TALES FROM SUPER-SCIENCE FICTION and receive an exclusive bonus chapbook featuring rare texts and associated ephemera from several contributors to the these three titles.  Shipping is FREE to the Continental USA and we will ship the books as they are published with the chapbook accompanying the release of TALES OF SUPER-SCIENCE FICTION.

AT THE HUMAN LIMIT is already available and selling fast.  We will withdraw this offer when either AT THE HUMAN LIMIT is out of print or we take possession from the bindery of THUNDER IN THE VOID (which is due in November). Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get this exclusive chapbook.

Keep Watching the Skies!

Stephen Haffner
Big Poobah
HAFFNER PRESS

All Pulp Interviews – Will Meugniot

Prolific artist Will Meugniot has worked in comic book, animation, picture books, and more. All Pulp recently sat down with Will to talk about his career, his artistic influences, the differences between working in animation and comics, plus his pulp interests.

Click on the art for a larger view.

AP: Tell us a little about yourself and your pulp interests.

WM: I grew up in the 60s. It was a great time to be a kid interested in adventure fiction. Marvel and DC’s superhero revivals spurred many other publishers to enter the field, so you never knew what great comics you’d find when they finally opened the bales at the grocery store.

N.E.D.O.R. Agents

A similar thing happened in paperback books. Ace discovered that some editions of certain Edgar Rice Burroughs books had fallen out of copyright, published them, and triggered a pulp revival, which brought everything from Otis Adelbert Kline to Doc Savage back into print.

Doc was my favorite of the pulp heroes, though I bought as many reprints of The Shadow, The Spider, Phantom Detective and Dusty Ayres as I could find and afford. Related to this, I’m also a big fan of the sound serials and have a collection of most of the non-westerns on DVD.

AP: What does pulp mean to you?

Spider-Man Unlimited Vulture

WM: It means stories which focus on fast paced action in exotic locales and feature larger than life heroes and villains. On a personal note, I grew up in a small farming town and yearned for a larger life full of adventure. The pulp heroes pointed the way, and while I’ve never taken down a globe conquering miscreant, I have had a few interesting overseas experiences in my travels as a producer/director.
AP: When I think of Will Meugniot comics, I think of DNAgents (I’m proud to say I have the entire run) and FemForce. How did you get your start in comics and what is it that excites you about working in comics?
WM: First, thanks for thinking of my comics! So much of my time has been tied up doing animation that I really haven’t done as many comics as I intended.

Tarzan. Dave Stevens inks

I first broke into the comics in the 1970s doing strips for undergrounds like The OK Comics tabloid and ‘ground level’ early direct sales books like Faeiry Star. My big break came when I sent Marvel a batch of sample pages featuring characters which didn’t have their own strips at the time: Guardians of the Galaxy, Ka-Zar, Nick Fury, and the one that paid off, Tigra. I did a couple of issues of that, then Marvel imploded and I was out, but fortunately, Tony Isabella showed Mark Evanier some of my uninked pencils. Based on them, Mark gave me work on the Tarzan and Korak comics he was editing for Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. That lasted for almost a year, but Marvel took the Tarzan license and the ERB line was cancelled, which was what sent me into animation.

DNAgents

A few years later, my friend Dave Stevens came by the Marvel animation offices to score some free Xeroxes of his as yet unpublished Rocketeer. (Which was OK with the company, BTW – it was very ‘family’ oriented and Dave had worked for its previous incarnation, DePatie Freleng.) Dave told Rick Hoberg, Russ Heath and me about the new creator-owned comics movement, and got us excited by it. I phoned up Mark to see if he was interested, and that’s how DNAgents and the second phase of my comics career began.
The things I love most about comics are the creative freedom, and the ability to do a piece of art which is identifiably your own. Animation requires you to blend into the style of the series, and by its nature results in work which is largely anonymous by design. I’m thankful and surprised that so many people recognize my work in that field.

Golden Girl

AP: I assume you get this question from time to time, but has there been any consideration of you and Mark Evanier doing more DNAgents stories?

WM: We’ve come close a few times, and I suspect we’ll do something with them in the next few years. Mark and I have stayed friends, but our careers have gone down different paths and it’s rare for us to have a big block of time free simultaneously.

I’m tightly booked for the next year or so with the N.E.D.O.R. Agents, a graphic novel of The Land That Time Forgot, Caspak (written by the great Martin Powell), and it looks like the pilot for an animated series I directed this summer clicked and the show will be in production as well.

The Land That Time Forgot: Caspak. The Step-By-Step Process
Zombie Monkey Monster Jamboree

AP: The Zombie Monkey Monster Jamboree book by you and J. J. Hart looks to be a pulpy fun ride. Tell us a bit about the book and what inspired it.

WM: My friends Shannon Denton and Patrick Coyle started a line of picture books under their Actionopolis imprint and invited me to do one. Zombie Monkey was already written, and I loved the subject matter of boy scouts versus zombified monkies, so of course I said yes! I’ve also illustrated a couple of other children’s books for Actionopolis, Pandora, and my favorite, The Boy Who Cried Wolf. I think you can still get all of them on Amazon.

AP: Where do you, or would you like to, see the comic book industry in 5 or 10 years?

Zombie Monkey Monster Jamboree

WM: I’d like to see it alive! This is a moment of incredible danger and opportunity for the industry. There is a clear shift in the way the medium will be distributed and that is going to ultimately affect its form. I don’t think print is going away, but I suspect we’re going to see a lot more print on demand and print to preorder books with the bulk of the distribution going electronic. Luddite that I am, I’m focusing on print at the moment, just because I love the feel of the physical product.

AP: With the advent of digital comics, the way many read comics has changed. What are your thoughts on digital comics and their impact on the industry and readers?

Pyro-Girl Animation Promo Art

WM: There is a need to adapt to the market, and it’s clear many younger readers prefer reading on a screen. The upside is that distribution costs should be less in the long run. The downside is that many publishers seem to be ignoring their responsibility and need to help the current and very important to the industry’s long term health distribution system with the shift.



Ultimate Avengers 2

AP: You’ve produced and directed several animation projects from The Real Ghostbusters, G.I. Joe, X-Men, EXOsquad, Jem and the Holograms, Conan, Captain Planet, Spider-man, Stargate, and more. How did you make the transition from comics to animation and what are the similarities and differences between them?

WM: The shift was an economic necessity for me at the time, and was achieved by dumb luck.
It started when Mark Evanier ran into Don Jurwich, producer of the Super-Friends cartoons. Don knew Mark had done comics and mentioned that Hanna Barbera was looking for artists with comics experience to help on the new action shows they’d sold for the 1978 TV season. Mark suggested I cold call HB and ask about it, so I did. The girl at the switchboard asked me whom I’d like to talk to and I said, “The producer doing the action shows.”

FemForce 158

She hooked me up with Doug Wildey (creator of Jonny Quest), which resulted in my being hired as a layout artist on his Godzilla series. Doug was a huge influence and a great teacher. I started drawing storyboards on the side for him, and we both realized that doing boards came naturally to me, so Doug brought me in house as his assistant, handing out and editing boards on Godzilla and Jana of the Jungle. He even let me do the retakes and meet with the clients on some episodes, which was a rare and generous thing. My next boss after Doug was Tex Avery who was the storyboard supervisor on The Thing, a comedy cartoon about Marvel’s Thing. I had great basic training.

Zombie Monkey Monster Jamboree

While they are similar in some respects, film and comics are two different beasts. One of the things I’m really enjoying about my current strips is going back to form with them and using all of the classic devices which are unique to the comic book: varying panel sizes (the aspect ratio is constant in film, but it doesn’t have to be in comics), internalized dialogue via thought balloons (much more fluid that doing a voiceover to convey thought in a film), and even visualized sound effects via display lettering.

AP: Who are some of your artistic/creative influences?

WM: Kirby, Wood, Ditko, Williamson, Colan and Frazetta are the main ones. I particularly admire Wood as an artist/writer.

X-Men Storyboards

AP: What does Will Meugniot do when not making comic books?

WM: Professionally a lot of cartoons, either storyboarding or directing. Privately, I love old movies and non-fiction books about comics, movie serials and biographies. I also like just hanging out with my wife of 40 years, Jo.

AP: Where can readers find learn more about you and your work?

WM: I have a website: http://www.storyboardpro.com of which I’ve been very negligent, but features a lot of my art. My blog is www.maskedmayhem.blogspot.com I write about my interests there.

AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to mention?

Zombie Monkey Monster Jamboree

WM: N.E.D.O.R. Agents is the big one at the moment. It has a 3 page preview in FemForce 156, a 26 page story in FemForce 157, and its own cover and 20 pages of story in FemForce 158. PREVIEWSworld is doing a Facebook promotion with me for the strip. If you ‘like’ their page, you’ll be able to follow the strip there and enter some contests to win original art, too.

AP: Are there any upcoming convention appearances or signings coming up where fans can meet you?

WM: I’m sorting that out now as part of the PREVIEWSworld promotion. Follow them on Facebook for updates about my appearances.

AP: You have served as a writer, artist, producer, and director. Are there any creative areas you’ve not been worked in that you would like to try your hand at doing?

WM: At some point, I’m going to do some low budget live action work as a director. It’s been offered me in the past, but I’ve just been too busy to take it on.


Meet Vanity

AP: And finally, what advice would you give to anyone wanting to work in comics, animation, and/or art?
WM: The main thing is to DO IT. You’re not a writer unless you write. You’re not an artist if you don’t create art. Don’t let your fear of rejection stand in your way of doing.

AP: Thanks, Will.

MARC ALAN FISHMAN: “Super-heroines,” Get Back In The Kitchen!

So after a few weeks of daydreaming and being all cutesy-wootsie, I figure it’s about time I stir the pot a little. Let me get behind this wire mesh wall, force field, and don some protective gear. There. Safe and secure. Ahem…

Marvel’s female superheroes suck.

Don’t believe me? OK. Name the first few Marvel superheroes that come to mind. I’ll give you a minute. Who did you say…Spider-Man? Thor? Captain America? How about Iron Man? Hmm. No double X chromosomes there. The last big event to revolve around a woman? Oh yeah! House of M. The one where Marvel showed that a chick who ain’t barefoot and preggers goes crazy and resets the universe at will. Now there’s a feather in a feminists’ cap.

When I say “important women of Marvel,” aren’t they are always the yin to the yang of a more powerful man? Pepper Potts. Sorry Matt Fraction, you can put a repulsor in her chest, you can give her a code name, but she’s still just Tony’s secretary. Mary Jane Watson-Parker-Watson-by-way-of-a-retcon? Face it tiger, she’s just there to fall off buildings. Maria Hill? Nick Fury’s assprint hadn’t even cooled off before she was ousted back down to who-cares-ville. And when we open the discussion to those ladies who carry the hero badge? It doesn’t get any better.

Sue Storm, the matriarch of the Future Foundation. The soul of the Fantastic Four. Completely boring and useless without her husband. The best writers of Sue have always pegged her as a strong and independent woman. But take her away from Reed, Ben, or the children and the only bullet point left on her resume is part-time booty call for Namor.

Black Widow: slut with guns. How about Ms. Marvel? I’ll be completely honest. I don’t know a thing about her. Best I could tell? She was brought in because Marvel has no Wonder Woman, so they threw her on the Avengers. Beyond that I assume they keep her around because cute girls can show off their butts by cosplaying as her. What of the X-Men? Well, Jean Grey has died only 17 times, and has changed names to various permutations of “Phoenix,” all to what effect? She’s Cyclop’s gal. She maybe did Wolvie in a closet while Slim was waxing his car. And in the Ultimate Universe, maybe she did Charles too.

Let’s not forget Storm. She was married off to Black Panther so they could make super-black-babies that will invariably land on some future iteration of the X-Avengers. Not because they’ll be well written mind you… but they will add that “affirmative action” flavor John Stewart was used for back in the JLA.

I say this obviously not just to be cranky. I openly yell to the heavens for someone to come in and make the women matter again. Joss Whedon put Kitty Pride and the White Queen front and center in his amazing run on Astonishing X-Men. More than that, he made them more than worthless eye-candy in butt floss. He gave them dimension, and class. They weren’t in peril for perils’ sake.

Given Whedon’s pedigree for good female characterization, it didn’t come as a surprise. Whedon aside, other Marvel writers certainly have the know-how. Matt Fraction, Brian Michael Bendis and Jonathon Hickman are all amazing writers who know the ins and out of nuance. They’ve each made the females in their books (yes that includes Pepper in the aforementioned Iron Man series) very potent. But my gripe remains the same.

It’s not enough to write a woman as powerful, smart, and put-together. It’s the act of writing them as such that they are more than decoration. Throughout Marvel’s recent history, it’s been a literal boys-club. Civil War? Captain America and Iron Man fighting in the sandbox. Secret War? An excuse to make Norman Osbourn king of the playground – until sales dipped, and people stopped caring. And now we have Fear Itself, which as far as I can tell is only an excuse to half-kill Thor, and dress everyone up in Tron-stripes.

I yearn just once to have a female character in any of these situations stand up and set the world straight. Not to say it’s happened in the DC ever… but I actually believe Marvel has the smarts to actually do it. In this day and age where the DCnU turns Starfire and Catwoman into sultry sluts with no character trait beyond their cup size… I look to the House of Ideas to set the industry right.

When DC was making up Kryptonite and the color yellow the ultimate weapons against its heroes, Marvel figured out that debt, responsibility, and a guilty conscience was far better. Let us hope that in the coming times, they take the next step and realize that women are more than tits and tiny costumes. They are the fairer sex, the stronger characters, and perhaps the last untouched resource for superior fiction.

SUNDAY: John Ostrander

Dark Horse Comics October Pulpy Offerings

Coming in October from Dark Horse Comics.

FLASH GORDON COMIC BOOK ARCHIVES VOLUME 5 HC
John Warner (W), Bruce Jones (W), George Kashdan (W), Gene Fawcette (P/I), Al Williamson (P/I), Carlos Garzón (P), Al McWilliams (P/I), Frank Bolle (P), and Rick Veitch (C)
On sale Dec 28
FC, 280 pages
$49.99
HC, 6 5/8″ x 10 3/16″
Flash Gordon—hero of Mongo, gentleman scientist, two-fisted fighter, and now savior of the universe! Join Flash, the lovely Dale Arden, and Dr. Zarkov as they make a last desperate stand against alien monsters, corrupt kings, ravenous sharks, and the ultimate supervillain, Ming the Merciless! This volume collects Flash Gordon #28–#37, plus the three-issue adaptation of the cult favorite Flash Gordon movie!
• Introduction by Michael T. Gilbert.

TARZAN: THE JESSE MARSH YEARS VOLUME 10 HC
Gaylord DuBois (W) and Jesse Marsh (A)
On sale Jan 4
FC, 224 pages
$49.99
HC, 7″ x 10″
Tarzan faces his most harrowing adventure yet when his treehouse is targeted and destroyed by slavers, who kidnap Jane and Boy! This volume sees Tarzan battle lion-sized wasps, outwit ivory poachers, brave giant spiders to find desperately needed medicine, become stranded in the Valley of Monsters, and even track a murder cult for the British government. Reprinting Dell’s Tarzan #47–#51, from 1953, for the first time.
• Introduction by PictureBox’s Dan Nadel.

ABE SAPIEN: THE DEVIL DOES NOT JEST #2 (of 2)
From the pages of Hellboy!
Mike Mignola (W), John Arcudi (W), James Harren (A), Dave Stewart (C), and Dave Johnson (Cover)
On sale Oct 26
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries
Abe Sapien’s investigation of a demonologist gets gory when, at the mercy of a malformed beast, he stumbles upon the secret of a rotten family tree—the roots of which, he may never escape.
• Abe loses his mind in this early adventure!

B.P.R.D.: BEING HUMAN TP
Liz’s origin revealed!
Mike Mignola (W/Cover), John Arcudi (W), Scott Allie (W), Richard Corben (A), Ben Stenbeck (A), Karl Moline (P), Guy Davis (A), Andy Owens (I), and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale Dec 14
FC, 152 pages
$17.99
TP, 7″ x 10″
In these terrifying tales of witchcraft and the undead, Abe, Roger, Liz, and Johann learn the ropes as agents of the Bureau For Paranormal Research and Defense! Abe copes with survivor’s guilt, Roger goes on his first adventure with Hellboy, Liz tells the story of how she killed her family, and Johann Kraus dies!
• A standalone collection that’s perfect introduction to these bizarre heroes.

B.P.R.D. HELL ON EARTH: RUSSIA #2 (of 5)
The vault of horrors!
Mike Mignola (W), John Arcudi (W), Tyler Crook (A), Dave Stewart (C), Dave Johnson (Cover)
On sale Oct 19
32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries
In the vault of the Russian Occult Bureau’s headquarters is a man chained down and heavily monitored. When Kate and Johann are brought in for assistance, the zombie director of the Russian bureau pits them against the possessed prisoner!

BALTIMORE: THE CURSE BELLS #3 (of 5)
Vampire nuns, giant snake gods, and the occult!
Mike Mignola (W/Cover), Christopher Golden (W), Ben Stenbeck (A), and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale Oct 12
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries
A bloody ritual climaxes in a terrifying rebirth, as Lord Baltimore battles against the twisted “blessing” of vampiric nuns and an insane occultist.
• A horrifying new take on vampires!
• By Mike Mignola (Hellboy) and Christopher Golden (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

BALTIMORE VOLUME 1: THE PLAGUE SHIPS TP
Mike Mignola (W/Cover), Christopher Golden (W), Ben Stenbeck (A), and Dave Stewart (C)
On sale Dec 21
FC, 144 pages
$18.99
TP, 7″ x 10″
After a devastating plague ends, Europe is suddenly flooded with vampires. Lord Henry Baltimore, a soldier determined to wipe out the monsters, fights his way through bloody battlefields, ruined plague ships, exploding zeppelins, and submarine graveyards, on the hunt for the creature who’s become his obsession.
• First time in paperback!
• By Mike Mignola (Hellboy) and Christopher Golden (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

BRAIN BOY ARCHIVES HC
Herb Castle (W), Gil Kane (A), and Frank Springer (A)
On sale Dec 14
FC, 216 pages
$49.99
HC, 7″ x 10″
A freak accident with an electrical tower affected Matt Price’s brain while he was still in the womb. Ever since, he’s had mysterious powers—telepathy, levitation, and mind control. Naturally, the government recruited him straight out of high school, and now he battles mad dictators and thawed-out dinosaurs as Brain Boy!
• Introduction by Batton Lash.

CONAN: ROAD OF KINGS #9
Roy Thomas (W), Dan Panosian (A), Dan Jackson (C), and Aleksi Briclot (Cover)
On sale Oct 19
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Ongoing
Beneath the city of Tarantia, Conan, his allies, and the child in his care are at the mercy of a horde of zombie Hyborians, while above their heads an even greater menace reveals itself! If they survive the catacombs, can Conan and his charges withstand a siege of the city?

FEAR AGENT #32: OUT OF STEP part 5 (of 5)
Rick Remender (W), Mike Hawthorne (P), Tony Moore (P/Cover), and John Lucas (I)
On sale Nov 2
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries
THE END!
The creative team that came together on Fear Agent reunite for the stunning conclusion!
• From Uncanny X-Force and Venom scribe Rick Remender!

KULL: THE CAT AND THE SKULL #1 (of 4)
David Lapham (W), Gabriel Guzman (P), Dan Jackson (C), Jo Chen (Cover), and Stephanie Hans (Variant cover)
On sale Oct 12
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries
Few women in all the Seven Kingdoms can equal the beauty of Delcardes, but Kull is more interested in her traveling companion—the cat, Saremes. It is rumored that Saremes is of the old race and Kull is anxious to hear her counsel. The Hate Witch is dead but the serpent cult are rallying under a powerful wizard. In order to protect the people of Valusia, Kull must unravel the mysteries of this wise and ancient creature.
• Kull vs. his greatest foe: THULSA DOOM!

KULT #4 (of 4)
Jeremy Barlow (W), Iwan Nazif (A), Michael Atiyeh (C), and Jake Murray (Cover)
On sale Oct 5
FC, 32 pages
$3.50
Miniseries
The illusion is pierced! The hellish real world is revealed! The final battle for humanity has begun! But with the power to reshape the world and his allies helpless to stop him, has Tomas Zenk been the true danger all along?
• Inspired by the legendary RPG!
• For fans of The Matrix and Hellraiser!

MIGHTY SAMSON ARCHIVES VOLUME 4 HC
Arnold Drake (W), Paul S. Newman (W), John Warner (W), Jose Delbo (A), and Jack Abel (A)
On sale Dec 21
FC, 224 pages
$49.99
HC, 7″ x 10″
In a world of monsters and scavengers, Samson continues fighting his way across a wasted future America, searching for hope and dishing out justice. With his beautiful companion, her brilliant father, and a rogue’s gallery of foes, Samson and his team are constantly bombarded with danger! This volume collects Mighty Samson issues #25-#31 and Gold Key Champion #2 and features an introduction by Samson artist Jose Delbo.
• Collects material unavailable anywhere else!

ROBERT E. HOWARD’S SAVAGE SWORD #3
David Lapham (W), Paul Tobin (W), Jeremy Barlow (W), Wellinton Alves (A), Joshua Williamson (W), Patric Reynolds (A), Cobiaco (A), Tony Parker (A), Gerald Parel (Cover), and others
On sale Oct 26
FC, 80 pages
$7.99
Ongoing
Paul Tobin and Wellinton Alves conclude their Conan adventure, David Lapham and Fabio Cobiaco tell a high-seas adventure featuring King Kull’s right-hand man Brule, Jeremy Barlow and Tony Parker adapt a cowboy adventure by Howard, Joshua Williamson and Patric Reynolds them up to revive Howard’s gritty detective Steve Harrison, and we bring you part one of the classic graphic novel Kull: The Vale of Shadow!

TUROK, SON OF STONE: AZTLÁN VOLUME 1 TP
Jim Shooter (W), Eduardo Francisco (A), James Harren (C), and Raymond Swanland (Cover)
On sale Jan 4
FC, 96 pages
$15.99
TP, 7″ x 10″
The American Southwest, 1428. Turok, a wandering warrior, rescues young Andar from death at the hands of the ruthless Maxtla and his Aztec horde. Turok and Andar seek refuge in a vast cavern, where an otherworldly force sweeps them and their pursuers to a savage, timeless land of rampaging dinosaurs and unimagined wonders. Hunted in a world of danger and death, Turok and Andar fight to survive—and to find a way home.
• Collects issues #1-#4 of the new Turok series.

For a full listing of Dark Horse’s October Release, visit them at http://www.darkhorse.com/.

Marvel Comics October Pulpy Offerings

Coming in October from Marvel Comics.

JOHN CARTER: A PRINCESS OF MARS #2 (of 5)

Based on the Novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Adaptation by Roger Langridge
Art by Filipe Andrade
Cover by Skottie Young
The comic-book adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ tale continues! See John Carter meet the beautiful but deadly Princess Dejah Thoris! Watch him make a dangerous enemy! And discover the fate of those who dare to cross the Martians, when Carter takes the life of a Thark warrior! The world of Barsoom continues to unfold in this brand new interpretation of a great classic.
32 PGS./All Ages …$2.99

JOHN CARTER of Mars: world of mars #1 (of 5)Based on the Novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Written by PETER DAVID
Art by LUKE ROSS
Cover by ESAD RIBIC
If you thought all the action on Mars began with the arrival of John Carter—are you in for a shock! John Carter: World of Mars is the official prequel to the upcoming Walt Disney Pictures blockbuster film releasing March 2012 and reveals the shocking events that transpire before the hotly anticipated motion picture! Plus it features some of the greatest characters ever conceived by Edgar Rice Burroughs, including Princess Dejah Thoris, the valiant, four-armed Tars Tarkas, John Carter and Burroughs himself!
Dejah Thoris has yet to meet the love of her life, but she has her hands full with the malicious Sab Than, would-be ruler of Zodanga, who sees kidnapping the princess of Mars as a short-cut to winning the thousand year war between his people and her city of Helium. Meanwhile Tars Tarkas is not yet the leader of his people, but instead an unambitious warrior who is caught between the desires of the female he loves and his best friend who needs Tars’s help to become Jeddak of the Tharks…assuming that his ambitions don’t kill them all. It’s a compelling tale of romance, court intrigue and an unending war on a distant world. Take an unforgettable journey to Barsoom. It’s a trip you can’t afford to miss!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

DOROTHY & THE WIZARD IN OZ #2 (Of 8)Written by ERIC SHANOWER
Art & Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
The Wizard of Oz is back and the Mangaboos have him! These deadly vegetable people also have Dorothy, her cousin Zeb, their horse Jim and kitten Eureka. To save their lives, the humbug Wizard must win a contest of magic against a real Sorcerer—using only his wits and nine tiny piglets. The beloved Oz adaptation continues with the critically acclaimed and Eisner Award winning team-up of Eric Shanower and Skottie Young.
32 PGS./All Ages …$2.99

BLACK PANTHER: THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN ALIVE #524Written by DAVID LISS
Pencils & Cover by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
SPIDER-ISLAND TIE-IN!
First it was American Panther, now it’s…Six-Armed Panther? The arachnid infection griping Manhattan hits T’Challa, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stop trying to protect Hell’s Kitchen! And when Overdrive breaks into the quarantine zone, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Panther swings into a deadly race across the streets of New York City. What has the Spidey villain stolen that’s worth smashing through a hero-protected border, and why is the lethal Lady Bullseye trying to keep him from getting back out?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

AVENGERS 1959 #1 & #2 (Of 5)Written and Penciled by HOWARD CHAYKIN
Cover by HOWARD CHAYKIN
EXPLODING FROM THE PAGES OF NEW AVENGERS…
It’s the tail end of the fabulous fifties. NICK FURY and his AVENGERS roar into their secret mission, hunting down NAZI SUPER VILLAINS…men and women relentlessly preparing to unleash hell on a troubled world barely holding onto peace…only to find the Avengers have what appears to be serious competition in their manhunt for these escaped ubermenschen…when their mission is suddenly compromised by interference from an unlikely source.
32 PGS. (each)/Rated T+ …$2.99 (each)

CAPTAIN AMERICA #4Written by Ed Brubaker
Pencils & Cover by Steve McNiven
Fantastic Four Anniversary Variant by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Brubaker and McNiven continue their heart-stopping run on Cap with a nightmarish trip down memory lane – and that’s bad news when your memory lane goes right through World War 2!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

RED SKULL #4 (of 5)Written by GREG PAK
Art by MIRKO COLAK
Cover by DAVID AJA
The life of Johann Schmidt has been a tragic, tortuous road. As his destiny and doom drag the future Red Skull to his inevitable crossroads, Johann plots a shocking assassination…one that could change the course of history… By the acclaimed writer of MAGNETO: TESTAMENT, Greg Pak, and the breakout SECRET WARRIORS artist, Mirko Colak
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99

CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY #623Written by ED BRUBAKER & MARC ANDREYKO
Penciled by CHRIS SAMNEE
Cover by ED McGUINNESS
Behind enemy lines! Bucky and Cap have faced the horrors of war on many fronts, but this issue, they go further into the depths of evil than our young heroes realized possible. And what is the secret that connects the Cap and Bucky series to the modern day stories – the clues begin to add up this issue, as Brubaker, Andreyko, and Samnee keep the pedal to the medal.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

THE PUNISHER #4Written by GREG RUCKA
Penciled by MARCO CHECCHETTO
Cover by BRYAN HITCH
MORE PAIN. MORE GAIN.
Last month, the Punisher fell. Hard. Now Frank Castle is a man brutally and violently broken and barely grasping onto life. And for Frank Castle… it means he’s more dangerous than ever.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

KA-ZAR #5 (Of 5)Written by PAUL JENKINS
Pencils & Cover by PASCAL ALIXE
The Pangean people confront their utmost limits as the calamity in the Savage Lands hits its critical apex. Corporate oil has seeped throughout the jungle and children perish from foreign remedies. Now two battles erupt that will ultimately decide the fate of Pangea. One man stands alone in the austere chambers of the United Nations, while one nation must finally rise against the threat from within. Amidst the bloodshed, can Ka-Zar protect the integrity of the land and people he swore to? Or will exploitation and internal strife ensure the destruction of his beloved home?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

LEGION OF MONSTERS #1 (Of 4)Written by DENNIS HOPELESS
Art & Cover by JUAN DOE
A monster adventure to scream over!
Elsa Bloodstone hates monsters – and when the trail of a mysterious serial killer leads to their underground city, Elsa’s ready to kick some horrific butt. Morbius the Living Vampire, Werewolf by Night, the Living Mummy and the slithery Manphibian have news for her, though; the monsters are innocent, and the real killer is out there…a creature so terrifying and vicious that even monsters are scared to death! Elsa Bloodstone and the Legion of Monsters are on the case!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

PUNISHERMAX #18Written by JASON AARON
Penciled by STEVE DILLON
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
The Punisher is at his lowest point. Homeless, penniless, gun-less. But none of this changes the fact that he’s got his sights aimed squarely on the most powerful man in the country: the Kingpin of Crime. Fearing for his life and paranoid, the Kingpin brings in a new bodyguard, the best money can buy: a hard-as-nails woman going by the name of Elektra.
32 PGS./Explicit Content …$3.99

PUNISHERMAX: FRANK PREMIERE HCWritten by JASON AARON
Penciled by STEVE DILLON
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
His final confrontation with Bullseye left Frank Castle wounded and reeling in more ways than one. Now confined to a prison hospital bed, Frank must begin the long painful process of healing — not just his broken body, but also his horribly scarred soul. To do that, he’ll have to face the darkest secret of his past — one he’d hoped would stay buried forever. Collecting PUNISHERMAX (2010) #12-16.
120 PGS./Explicit Content …$19.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-5208-8
Trim size: standard

For a full listing of Marvel’s October Release, visit them at http://www.marvel.com/.

ComicMix’s Bob Greenberger Chronicles Career of Howard Chaykin

Legendary for what he has done on the page and infamous for what he has said off it, Howard Chaykin ranks among the superstars of modern comics. In [[[The Art of Howard Chaykin]]], written by Robert Greenberger, go behind the scenes with the creator whose pioneering works include American Flagg!, The Shadow, Batman, New Avengers, Dominic Fortune, Black Kiss and more. Experience the stories of Howard Chaykin’s life as only he can tell them. Filled with no-holds-barred perspective from his longtime friends and colleagues, and featuring an extensive selection of artwork from throughout his career, including many never-before-published pieces from Chaykin’s own archives, The Art of Howard Chaykin takes readers on an in-depth journey from the 1970s to today with one of the medium’s great storytellers.

“Big thanks to everybody at Dynamite for the incredibly flattering job they’ve done, making me look good in this volume,” stated Howard Chaykin.  “Since I’m always willing to mistake attention for affection, I’m basking in the love.”

“At a time when many fresh new art styles while gracing the pages of comics, there was a boldness to Howard Chaykin’s figures that set him apart,” states The Art of Howard Chaykin writer Robert Greenberger. “He carved his own path, first as an artist, then as a writer exploring the limits of what can be done in graphic arts, informed by the great illustrators that came before him. Like his work, the man is larger-than-life filled with provocative observations that are always informed and defensible. Getting to know him has never been less than fascinating and getting to write his story was an opportunity to learn more about what him tick.”

“Howard Chaykin is a good friend and is an unparalleled creator in the comics medium,” says Dynamite President and Publisher Nick Barrucci!  “We made sure to pull out all the stops to make this the definitive guide for Chaykin fanatics everywhere.  Also, having a Brian Michael Bendis forward and afterward by Walter Simonson is just icing on the cake!”