Honey West | ComicMix

Mike Gold: Comics Without Pictures

Columns / Reviews
July 23, 2014

Honey West and T.H.E. Cat: A Girl and Her Cat, by Win Scott Eckert and Matthew Baugh • Moonstone Books, 180 pages • $6.99 paperback, $5.99 digital

Way, way back in the early-1960s, the Chicago Sunday Tribune had a separate section devoted entirely to books. Books, as Craig Ferguson explains frequently, are bound collections of sequentially numbered pieces of paper called “pages” that are, in fact, extremely long tweets. In that book section of yore, there was a “paperback books” columnist. Paperback books were collections of sequentially numbered pages, each in a size smaller than the original, bound in soft cardboard. At the time, most of these paperbacks cost thirty-five or fifty cents.

Stop shaking your heads, Boomers, and go back to finding nibs for your fountain pens so you can sharpen up your cursive. Yes, we are old. Just deal with it. Being a ComicMix columnist, I am honor bound to digress. Ahem.

As I was saying, the Tribune’s paperback columnist was a fine writer and a sincere gentleman named Clarence Peterson. He passed away three years ago after living long enough to see his hallowed newspaper turn to shit. He devoted one column to explaining why the heroic action paperback series of the time – he cited as examples Matt Helm and Travis McGee (and maybe Shell Scott) – were the comic books of the day. We’ll forget the fact that, in that day, there were real comic books: they were few and, in those days before the Marvel expansion, it seemed as though their numbers were dwindling. Compared with one decade before, they most certainly were.

That was cool. I was about 12 at the time, a voracious reader who had already read most of Edgar Rice Burroughs and James Bond novels and was looking for more… and better. So I picked up a Matt Helm book and a Travis McGee book, and I was not disappointed in the least.

Now I am a full-fledged adult (according to my driver’s license) staring at a near-future social security check, but I am doing so from underneath a pile of comic books so high the Empire State Building would cross its legs. I’ve been checking out some of the “new pulp” stuff that is being published these days, mostly due to affordable print-on-demand and electronic publishing. And I’ve liked a lot of what I’ve been reading.

Case in point: Moonstone Books’ Honey West and T.H.E. Cat: A Girl and Her Cat, by Win Scott Eckert and Matthew Baugh. Moonstone is the comics publisher that handles a lot of licensed properties as well as a smattering of original material and has branched out to paperback originals and anthologies: The Avenger, Kolchak, The Green Hornet, The Spider and many, many others. But when I saw the character names Honey West and T.H.E. Cat, I hit my Amazon account with curiosity and enthusiasm. Once again, I was not disappointed.

This is not Moby Dick, and if you thought it might be, what the hell’s wrong with you? This is Honey West, the (allegedly) first female private eye, teaming up with a teevee original, T. Hewett Edward Cat. His show only lasted a year and, for some stupid reason, NBC Universal has yet to release it on DVD, Blu-Ray, or digital download… the last time I checked. The digital streaming and download field is expanding like spring snakes out of a peanut brittle can. It gave the world a regular home to Robert Loggia, as well as to a slew of fine writers and directors. I loved it, and I’ve resented NBC for its cancellation for over four decades. Those bastards!

A Girl and Her Cat is a fast-moving action thriller at the top of the form, complete with foreign agent bad guys and a buxom Asian villainess with… wait for it… jade eyes. Ah, tradition! Honey is hired to find a serum that could cause a plague that would wipe out two-thirds of humanity, and some of the bad guys (there are several different groups) bring T.H.E. Cat in to help Honey out… as well as other stuff that would fall under the heading of “spoiler.”

A chunk of the action comes from the guest appearances from a whole slew of mystery, movie and television characters – each quite recognizable, but never fully named lest they invoke the fury of the Intellectual Property Police. Hey, it’s an homage, guys!!! This folderall funfest never gets in the way of the story. If you get it, it’s a value-added experience. And if you get a certain couple of them, then we want you to write for ComicMix.

This may be the most unpretentious, straight-forward heroic action piece I’ve read in any medium in a long time. Kudos to all, and I’m looking forward to the sequel.

A Girl and Her Cat– Honey West Returns!

News
August 17, 2013

Cover Art: Douglas Klauba

Win Scott Eckert has shared the final cover to the upcoming Honey West/T.H.E. Cat novel: A Girl and Her Cat by artist Douglas Klauba. A Girl and Her Cat is the first new Honey West novel in over 40 years.

Available for order soon via Diamond and direct from Moonstone!

Following on the heels of the first ever Honey West & T.H.E Cat crossover comic, Moonstone’s “Death in the Desert,” comes the Honey West & T.H.E Cat novel, A Girl and Her Cat…

When an exotic green-eyed Asian doctor hires Honey to recover a stolen sample of a new Rubella vaccine from a rival scientist, the blonde bombshell private eye—suspicious but bored—takes the case. But after she’s attacked not once, but twice, on her way from Long Beach to San Francisco to track down her quarry, she knows there’s more—much more—to her femme fatale client than meets the eye.

Along the way, Honey’s one-time paramour Johnny Doom—ex-bounty hunter and current Company agent—reenters the picture, and the gorgeous doctor’s insidious—and deadly—grandfather deals himself in. But when Honey questions whether Johnny’s playing her game, or just playing her for a patsy, she joins forces—as only Honey can—with the one man in Frisco who can help her recover the stolen vaccine-cum-bioweapon and prevent worldwide genocide by germ-warfare—former cat burglar-turned-bodyguard Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat: T.H.E Cat!

Join writers Win Scott Eckert and Matthew Baugh, and cover artist Douglas Klauba, for A Girl and Her Cat, a groovy, racy 1960s romp coming soon from Moonstone!

Win Scott Eckert (The Green Hornet, The Avenger, Pat Wildman, The Domino Lady, Zorro, The Phantom, Sherlock Holmes, Wold Newton Origins, etc.)
Matthew Baugh (Zorro, The Avenger, The Green Hornet, Sherlock Holmes, Six-Guns Straight from Hell, The Phantom, the Cthulhu Mythos, etc.)
Douglas Klauba (The Phantom, Zorro, The Green Hornet, The Spider, Kolchak, The Black Terror, The Green Lama, Philip Marlowe, Doc Savage, etc.)
Moonstone: Classic & new heroes in thrilling tales of adventure, mystery, & horror!

Nocturne Travel Agency Interviews New Pulp Author Bobby Nash

Interviews / Podcasts
August 6, 2013

New Pulp Author Bobby Nash sits down with Nocturne Travel Agency host, Tom Deja for a rousing discussion of…well, all things Bobby Nash [his favorite topic, naturally ;)]. Bobby explains how he got into writing and the process he went through to get Evil Ways published. He blames Sean Taylor for the creation of Rick Ruby and The Ruby Files and Bobby and Tom talk at length about the Domino Lady and Honey West! 50 minutes of pure writer-y goodness, don’t delay, press play!

You can listen to the second episode of the Nocturne Travel Agency podcast here.

Cover Sneak Peek – Honey West/T.H.E. Cat

News
August 3, 2013

Final Cover Art: Douglas Klauba

New Pulp Artist Douglas Klauba has shared the cover painting for the upcoming Honey West/T.H.E. Cat paperback for Moonstone Books.

It’s Honey West and T.H.E Cat, in the first new Honey West novel in over 40 years, A Girl and Her Cat!

Following on the heels of the first ever Honey West & T.H.E Cat crossover comic, Moonstone’s “Death in the Desert,” comes the Honey West & T.H.E Cat novel, A Girl and Her Cat.

Art: Douglas Klauba

About A Girl and Her Cat:
When an exotic green-eyed Asian doctor hires Honey to recover a stolen sample of a new Rubella vaccine from a rival scientist, the blonde bombshell private eye—suspicious but bored—takes the case. But after she’s attacked not once, but twice, on her way from Long Beach to San Francisco to track down her quarry, she knows there’s more—much more—to her femme fatale client than meets the eye.

Along the way, Honey’s one-time paramour Johnny Doom—ex-bounty hunter and current Company agent—reenters the picture, and the gorgeous doctor’s insidious—and deadly—grandfather deals himself in. But when Honey questions whether Johnny’s playing her game, or just playing her for a patsy, she joins forces—as only Honey can—with the one man in Frisco who can help her recover the stolen vaccine-cum-bioweapon and prevent worldwide genocide by germ-warfare—former cat burglar-turned-bodyguard Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat: T.H.E Cat!

Join writers Win Scott Eckert and Matthew Baugh, and cover artist Douglas Klauba, for A Girl and Her Cat, a groovy, racy 1960s romp coming soon from Moonstone Books.

Honey West and T.H.E Cat: A Girl and Her Cat- Cover Sketch Reveal!

News
July 22, 2013

Art: Douglas Klauba

It’s Honey West and T.H.E Cat, in the first new Honey West novel in over 40 years, A Girl and Her Cat!

Following on the heels of the first ever Honey West & T.H.E Cat crossover comic, Moonstone’s “Death in the Desert,” comes the Honey West & T.H.E Cat novel, A Girl and Her Cat…

Cover art teaser! Initial concept sketch by the mighty Douglas Klauba!

When an exotic green-eyed Asian doctor hires Honey to recover a stolen sample of a new Rubella vaccine from a rival scientist, the blonde bombshell private eye—suspicious but bored—takes the case. But after she’s attacked not once, but twice, on her way from Long Beach to San Francisco to track down her quarry, she knows there’s more—much more—to her femme fatale client than meets the eye.

Along the way, Honey’s one-time paramour Johnny Doom—ex-bounty hunter and current Company agent—reenters the picture, and the gorgeous doctor’s insidious—and deadly—grandfather deals himself in. But when Honey questions whether Johnny’s playing her game, or just playing her for a patsy, she joins forces—as only Honey can—with the one man in Frisco who can help her recover the stolen vaccine-cum-bioweapon and prevent worldwide genocide by germ-warfare—former cat burglar-turned-bodyguard Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat: T.H.E Cat!

Join writers Win Scott Eckert and Matthew Baugh, and cover artist Douglas Klauba Artworks, for A Girl and Her Cat, a groovy, racy 1960s romp coming soon from Moonstone! (Stay tuned for ordering information!)

– Win Scott Eckert (The Green Hornet, The Avenger, Pat Wildman, The Domino Lady, Zorro, The Phantom, Sherlock Holmes, Wold Newton Origins, etc.)
– Matthew Baugh (Zorro, The Avenger, The Green Hornet, Sherlock Holmes, Six-Guns Straight from Hell, The Phantom, the Cthulhu Mythos, etc.)
– Douglas Klauba (The Phantom, Zorro, The Green Hornet, The Spider, Kolchak, The Black Terror, The Green Lama, Philip Marlowe, Doc Savage, etc.)
– Moonstone: Classic & new heroes in thrilling tales of adventure, mystery, & horror!

Learn more here.

A GIRL AND HER CAT!

News
February 13, 2013

(Promotional art – not actual cover)

New Pulp Author Win Scott Eckert announced on his blog that he is writing a new novel for Moonstone Books, Honey West and T.H.E Cat: A GIRL AND HER CAT!

It’s Honey West and T.H.E Cat, in the first new Honey West novel in over 40 years, A Girl and Her Cat!

Following on the heels of the first ever Honey West & T.H.E Cat crossover comic, Moonstone’s “Death in the Desert,” comes the Honey West & T.H.E Cat novel, A Girl and Her Cat…..

When an exotic green-eyed Asian doctor hires Honey to recover a stolen sample of a new influenza vaccine from a rival scientist, the blonde bombshell private eye—suspicious but bored—takes the case. But after she’s attacked not once, but twice, on her way from Long Beach to San Francisco to track down her quarry, she knows there’s more—much more—to her femme fatale client than meets the eye.

Along the way, Honey’s one-time paramour Johnny Doom—ex-bounty hunter and current Company agent—reenters the picture, and the gorgeous doctor’s insidious—and deadly—grandfather deals himself in. But when Honey questions whether Johnny’s playing her game, or just playing her for a patsy, she joins forces—as only Honey can—with the one man in Frisco who can help her recover the stolen vaccine-cum-bioweapon and prevent a worldwide epidemic—former cat burglar-turned-bodyguard Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat: T.H.E Cat!

Join writers Win Scott Eckert and Matthew Baugh, and cover artist Douglas Klauba, for A Girl and Her Cat, a groovy, racy 1960s romp coming in 2013 from Moonstone!

NEW PULP AUTHOR ANNOUNCES NEW PROJECTS

News
February 10, 2013

New Pulp Author Bobby Nash announced three upcoming New Pulp projects on his website, www.bobbynash.com. The author will be penning a Domino lady novel and a Honey West/Domino Lady novel for Moonstone Books and a Fight Card novel for Fight Card Books.

From the author’s website:

Domino Lady “Strange Bedfellows”
A novel by Bobby Nash
Coming soon from Moonstone Books

Rob Wyatt is making a run for the Governor’s Mansion and Ellen Patrick , The Domino Lady, is doing everything in her power to keep him out of it. She knows that he is involved with organized crime, but finding proof of it has proven difficult.

Wyatt’s opponent is Douglas Hart. For all intents and purposes, he seems like the perfect candidate, if not a tad bit young for the job. Ellen throws her support behind Hart’s campaign, among other things. She finds Hart very attractive and starts up a hot and steamy romance. Could the Domino Lady finally have found a man to tame her?

Probably not. By night she continues her efforts to thwart Wyatt’s run for the Governor’s Mansion, which has brought he to the attention of the politician’s backers, the mob. They call in The Cleaner to put out a hit on both the Domino Lady and Douglas Hart.

Can Domino Lady stop Rob Wyatt and those backing him before it’s too late?

Honey West/Domino Lady
A novel by Bobby Nash
Coming soon from Moonstone Books

I will be writing a new novel that teams up famed private detective from TV and novels, HONEY WEST with the DOMINO LADY in a brand new thriller. The novel is still in the early plotting stages, but I’m having a blast looking ahead to Ellen Patrick’s future as an older Domino Lady continues her mission against corruption in the 1960s. As much fun as writing Domino Lady again has been, I’m over the Moon at the chance to write Honey West, a character I enjoyed in the short-lived television series starring the late Anne Francis.

Honey West will be the second character from television I’ve had the opportunity to write after two turns writing the adventures of the Green Hornet and Kato. It’s going to be fun.

Fight Card: Barefoot Bones
A novel by Bobby Nash
Coming soon from Fight Card Books

Coming later in the year will be my novel, Fight Card: “Barefoot Bones.” Although still in the early stages, the novel will tell the story of the man known as “Barefoot Bones” from his less than stellar beginnings in the deep south where he learned to fight out of necessity. Then came a fateful encounter with Father Tim at St. Vincent’s in Chicago taught him the sweet science of boxing. And from there to a battlefield in Korea where the stakes had never been higher. The one constant in Bones’ life has been fighting. Lucky for him, he’s good at it.

Keep watching www.bobbynash.com and All Pulp for more details on these projects as they become available.

IT’S A HONEY OF A PODCAST ON THE BOOK CAVE

Podcasts
February 5, 2013

Writer Janet Hetherington and artist Ronn Sutton, the creative team on the Moonstone comic book Kolchak and Honey West, visit the Book Cave to talk about their new comic, as well as others, and creating comics.

Listen to The Book Cave Episode 216: Janet Hetherington and Ronn Sutton – Kolchak and Honey West now at http://thebookcave.libsyn.com/the-book-cave-episode-216-janet-hetherington-and-ronn-sutton-kolchak-and-honey-west

HONEY WEST AND KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER TEAM UP

News
January 5, 2013

Moonstone Books‘ Kolchak: The Night Stalker and Honey West One Shot will ship to comic shops on January 11, 2013. Written by Janet L. Hetherington, the Kolchak/Honey West One Shot features art by Ronn Sutton with cover art by Malcolm Mclinton & Various.

About Kolchak/Honey West:
Two top-tier investigators in one titanic team up! High heels and Hedonism! Young cub reporter Carl Kolchak falls into an ongoing investigation with Honey West, who is undercover at a gentlemen’s club! Disappearing women are the main course, and as the violence escalates and the case gets out of control, both our heroes must fight to stay alive!

Learn more about Kolchak: The Night Stalker here.
Learn more about Honey West here.