Tagged: Indiana Jones

E.T. Comes to Blu-Ray in October

et-blu-ray-300x322-1894059Hard to believe it’s been thirty years since that magical summer when tons of great films were released including Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extraterrestrial. The film will celebrate the occasion with several events beginning with an exclusive airing Friday on The Hub on at 9 p.m.

It’s the season of Spielberg, it seems, as first Jaws, then E.T. and the Indiana Jones films finally make their Blu-ray debuts. The sea thriller will be out in August while the other two are scheduled for October releases.

Here are the E.T. release details from Universal Home Entertainment:

Universal City, California, May 30, 2012 – E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Academy Award®-winning director Steven Spielberg’s magical adventure, celebrates its 30th Anniversary with its first-ever release on Blu-ray™ this October. Featuring an all-new, digitally remastered picture that delivers six times the resolution of DVD, as well as all-new 7.1 surroundsound, the E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Anniversary Edition Blu-ray™ Combo Pack includes the 1982 theatrical movie, an all-new interview with director Steven Spielberg, and “The E.T. Journals” featuring never-before-seen footage from the set of the film. The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack also includes UltraViolet™, a DVD and a Digital Copy of the film, offering fans a chance to relive the mystery, laughter and wonder of the iconic movie anytime, anywhere on the platform of their choice.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWU42c1ku-o[/youtube] (more…)

Dennis O’Neil: So, Who Didn’t Like The Avengers?

Yeah, yeah. I know it’s early in the summer movie season – I do have a calendar, after all – and two of the three big superhero flicks won’t be on screens for weeks yet. But for now, let us proclaim; Joss Whedon is king of the superheroes!

A couple of days ago, Mari suggested we go to the movies and I said no, I had work to do, and then, about ten minutes later I said yes, let’s go to the movies, and we did.

Marvel’s The Avengers, of course.

I don’t attend the 21-plex to criticize – to pry faults out of what’s intended to entertain me and maybe convince myself that I’m really a smart guy. I used to do that for money – the fault-prying part – and though it was okay for me then, it wouldn’t be okay now. I don’t want to criticize, I want to get out from under it. Not to have to think for a little while.

And yet… I don’t want my intelligence insulted, either. When that happens, the magic is gone and there I am, right back under it. So, for example, I loved the Indiana Jones flicks because they delivered the escapism I sought and didn’t expect me to forgive plot glitches, which tend to get in the way of enjoying the escapism. Anything that pulls me out of the story, that makes me question did he director and writer intend what I just saw or is it a mistake? – anything that does that sabotages the experience.

The Avengers verdict: not guilty.

Mr. Whedon understands the appeal of the early Marvel comics, the ones he read as a kid, and what made them work: the broad, extravagant action, the rough edges on the heroes, the occasional flashes of humor, the juxtaposition of larger-than-life characters with realistic settings. (That sure looks like the real New York City the villains are trashing.) He’s translated these from the language of comic books to the language of movies, filled in some blanks, provided some motivations, hired good actors who didn’t condescend to the material any more than he did, gave them decent dialogue and then put the special effects wizards to work and…

Presto! Behold what I think is the best Marvel movie yet (though the first Iron Man might also be worthy of that title).

Did I mention that Joss Whedon, of teevee’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Dollhouse and Firefly wrote and directed The Avengers? No, I didn’t – my bad – but you figured that out, if you didn’t already know it before you started reading this. Well, that same Joss Whedon had this to say to a Time magazine journalist: “I love fantasy…I love it because of the scope and the chance to talk about humanity that is very close to the heart but not wearing the same skin.”

Go buy yourself a movie ticket and see what he’s talking about.

FRIDAY: Martha Thomases On Alien Sex

 

QUATERMAIN RETURNS!

Sequential Pulp Comics shared their latest press release for A Quatermain Adventure with All Pulp.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Michael Hudson

artist@reelarstudios.com

Allan Quatermain may not be as well known as Tarzan or Indiana Jones, but he adventured his way through lost civilizations long before those two characters’ adventures had been put into writing.  The FIRST Action-Adventure Hero Returns in a new series of Quatermain Adventures from Sequential Pulp Comics

Quatermain first appeared in Sir H. Rider Haggard’s 1886 novel, King Solomon’s Mines, and he set the standard for generations of adventure heroes. Haggard’s second most famous character, the iconic Ayesha followed a year later in the rousing “lost civilization” yarn, She. Both Quatermain and Ayesha proved to be so popular that Haggard wrote one of the earliest versions of a “crossover” with Allan and She. Both characters have proven to be remarkably durable over the decades in both print and film and continue to thrill audiences today.

With a resurgence in pulps and classic adventure at an all time high, Sequential Pulp’s Michael Hudson felt a graphic novel series built around the adventures of Allan Quatermain was due and thus was born the first two books A Quatermain Adventure: King Solomon’s Mines and A Quatermain Adventure: She. Michael Hudson says, “Our version of King Solomon’s Mines is the first in a series of wild adventures that take Quatermain and his companions all over the world…and even beneath it. The second graphic novel in the series is an adaptation of She, which blends elements from both the original novel and She and Allan. I’m thrilled to have two creators well versed in adventure comic storytelling in Mark Ellis and Pablo Marcos on King Solomon’s Mines. The work that has been coming in is stunning!”

When offered scripting reins on the project, veteran action-adventure novelist Mark (James Axler) Ellis saw it as an opportunity to “re-imagine” Quatermain and his milieu. Ellis says, “Quatermain is not just the template for all modern adventure heroes, but for the ‘Englishman who went native’ character archetype. I thought it would be interesting to examine that a bit in our series. So Pablo and I decided to present Allan as younger man, more dynamic, with a touch of the savage about him. And that extends to sexy female characters such as Princess Ignosa in King Solomon’s Mines.”

Quatermain remains popular with movie studios. Such actors as Stewart Granger, Richard Chamberlain and Sir Sean Connery have portrayed him. Recently Sonar Entertainment announced a 10 episode TV series entitled Quatermain, expected to go into production on location in Africa later this year. Sequential Pulp’s King Solomon’s Mines will solicit mid 2013 followed by She.

About Dark Horse Comics:
Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the third-largest comic-book publisher in the U.S., and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of licensed comics material.

About Sequential Pulp Comics:
Sequential Pulp is a new imprint and production house whose focus is on publishing graphic novels based on classic to neo pulp of all genres. Its books will include both licensed and creator-owned material.

Mark Ellis:
The author of 50 novels and the creator of the best-selling Outlanders SF novel series, Ellis is no stranger to action-adventure. He has written what is generally considered the best comics version of Doc Savage, as well series based on popular TV shows such as The Wild, Wild West and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. He has also created comic/graphic properties such as Death Hawk, HP Lovecraft’s The Miskatonic Project, Star Rangers, and The Justice Machine.

Pablo Marcos:
Pablo Marcos has worked in comics and commercial illustration for decades. A native Peruvian, Marcos is one of Peru’s leading cartoonists. His first U.S. work was in Warren Publishing’s Creepy #39 in 1971. Marcos has been associated with Batman, Dracula, Conan the Barbarian and his signature character, the Zombie for Marvel’s black-and-white horror comics magazine Tales of the Zombie (1973–1975). He has also illustrated many young adult adaptations of classic novels including King Solomon’s Mines for Great Illustrated Classics and Baronet Publishing.

You can learn more about Sequential Pulp Comics at http://www.sequentialpulpcomics.com/
You can learn more about Dark Horse Comics at http://www.darkhorse.com/

Click on images for a larger view.

Allan Quatermain may not be as well known as Tarzan or Indiana Jones, but he adventured his way through lost civilizations long before those two characters’ adventures had been put into writing.

REVIEW: The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

jonnyquest_s1v2-300x300-4130505To me, Jonny Quest was one of the best animated series a kid could grow up on in the 1960s. The prime time show had nice designs, great storytelling and you could imagine yourself getting mixed up into adventures with Race Bannon and Hadji. It was relatable and fun and exceedingly well done.

By the 1990s, though, Indiana Jones and his brethren raised the stakes for action/adventure in live action as well as animation. The Cartoon Network recognized this and commissioned an updated version known as The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest which aired from August 26, 1996 to April 16, 1997. To make the concept contemporary, they added Jessie Bannon as the duo became a trio while Dr. Benton Quest and Race Bannon went looking into the unexplained. Given the fondness for CGI at the time, some of the stories also meant visits to the three-dimensional QuestWorld (hoping to tap into the audience’s fascination with virtual reality)

The show never quite worked and still doesn’t hold up to repeated views, but for diehard fans, Warner Archive has released the first season in two volumes of thirteen episodes each, the latter set recently released. The show certainly suffered when showrunner Peter Lawrence was fired in 1996 and John Eng and Cosmo Anzilotti arrived to take over. You can tell where Lawrence left off after the first season’s initial 13 episodes (volume one) as his real world –based storylines were replaced with more traditional SF/supernatural stories. The goal, turning the beloved character, into a global icon and franchise fizzled given poor execution and despite a massive marketing campaign.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b-Y7Bjr9bQ[/youtube] (more…)

SONAR ENTERTAINMENT AND ECOSSE FILMS JOIN FORCES TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE NEW ACTION-ADVENTURE SERIES "QUATERMAIN"

SONAR ENTERTAINMENT AND ECOSSE FILMS JOIN FORCES TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE NEW ACTION-ADVENTURE SERIES "QUATERMAIN"

Reports indicate that a new 10 part series is based on H. Rider Haggard’s classic swashbuckling adventures is on the way from Sonar Entertainment and Ecosse Films.

PRESS RELEASE:

CANNES, APRIL 2 – Sonar Entertainment Inc. and Ecosse Films have joined forces to develop and produce Quatermain. The new 10×60 action-adventure series is based on the classic swashbuckling stories by iconic Victorian-era author H. Rider Haggard. The announcement of the project, which is being introduced at Cannes during MIPTV, 2012, was made today by Stewart Till, CEO, Sonar Entertainment and Douglas Rae, Founder, Managing Director and Executive Producer, Ecosse Films. Rae will serve as executive producer on the project. Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle (Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal) are the writers.

Allan Quatermain, a rugged expedition leader based in the busy, wild port of Durban, has recently turned his back on the lucrative but bloodthirsty practice of game hunts. He is approached by Baron Henry, a wealthy German noble, and Clarice Good, the beautiful but disgraced daughter of a US Governor, to help them find Baron Henry’s brother, who’s been missing since embarking on a dangerous attempt to locate the lost diamond mines of King Solomon.

Quatermain resolves to take on the mission to pay for his young son’s schooling in London – a boy he hopes to give a life very different from his own. Using a rough-sketched map left behind, Quatermain and his African tracker Umbopa lead Baron Henry and Clarice set off across the scorching desert, where they encounter constant dangers and incredible, non-stop adventures along the way.

“Allan Quatermain is one of the greatest adventure heroes in all of literature. In the years since his introduction, he has subsequently inspired many hugely successful characters and franchises, including the Indiana Jones series,” said Till. “We are extremely excited about this opportunity to partner with Ecosse as we introduce Quatermain to a new generation and bring his timeless exploits into the 21st Century.”

“We are delighted to be developing this ambitious new international series with such an experienced and inspiring company as Sonar Entertainment,” added Rae. “Quatermain has huge potential for an international audience.”

About Ecosse Films
Ecosse Films is a multi award-winning company, specialising in high-quality drama for film and television, producing 11 films and over 300 hours of network television for BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Showtime, Starz Channel and WGBH. Credits include the hugely successful film Mrs Brown, starring Judi Dench, Charlotte Gray starring Cate Blanchett, Becoming Jane starring Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy, Brideshead Revisited starring Emma Thompson and Michael Gambon, the global family hit The Water Horse and the BAFTA nominated film Nowhere Boy, the teenage biopic of John Lennon.
TV series include BBC1’s acclaimed long-running drama Monarch of the Glen and more recently the BBC 1 hit series Mistresses. Ecosse’s $50 million international drama, Camelot, a 10 part series for Starz Channel and Channel 4, stars Joseph Fiennes, Jamie Campbell Bower, Tamsin Egerton and Eva Green.

About Sonar Entertainment, Inc.
Sonar Entertainment, Inc. is a leading developer, producer and distributor of award-winning television series, mini-series and movies for the global television marketplace. Sonar owns rights to over 1,000 titles comprising more than 3,500 broadcast hours of programming. The company maintains strategic creative and licensing partnerships with producers and broadcasters throughout the world.

Indiana Jones Finally Arrives in Blu-ray This October

raidersofthelostark1981-300x199-1388423Not that long ago, Paramount Home Video gave us the four Indiana Jones films in a wonderful box set but even then we began anticipating the eventually release of the movies on Blu-ray. This seems to be the year for Steven Spielberg movies to make their high definition debuts as we get Jaws in August and the Indy movies in October.

These are already being made available for pre-order at Amazon, discounting the list price of $99.99.

Of course, there are some completists out there still waiting for the young Indiana Jones television episodes to be spruced up and released but I guess we still need to wait a bit.

Here’s the official press release:

The man with the hat is back – and looking better than ever! The world’s favorite globe-trotting archaeologist is, at long last, embarking on his greatest adventure – when The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Home Media Distribution. The Complete Indiana Jones Blu-ray Collection will be excavated in the fall of 2012 and will include all four of Indy’s thrilling adventures, using the highest possible high definition picture and audio presentation – along with a “best of” collection of documentaries, interviews, featurettes and a few new surprises.

The Secret World of Arrietty Opens Tomorrow

carol_amy_bridgit_007-r-300x200-4466388The Anime adaptation of Mary  Norton’s classic novel The Borrowers, known as The Secret World of Arrietty, opens tomorrow across the nation. Walt Disney continues its associate with Studio Ghibli with this release, featuring a stellar array of American vocal talent as seen in this picture with Amy Poehler, Bridgit Mendler, and the legendary Carol Burnett.

The G-rated film features the vocal talents of Mendler, Poehler, Burnett, Will Arnett, David Henrie, and Moises Arias. The movie was directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi from a screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa. Producers of the English translation, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, hired Karey Kirkpatrick to handle the screenplay.

Residing quietly beneath the floorboards are little people who live undetected in a secret world to be discovered, where the smallest may stand tallest of all.

Arrietty (voice of Bridgit Mendler), a tiny, but tenacious 14-year-old, lives with her parents (voices of Will Arnett and Amy Poehler) in the recesses of a suburban garden home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and her housekeeper (voice of Carol Burnett). Like all little people, Arrietty (AIR-ee-ett-ee) remains hidden from view, except during occasional covert ventures beyond the floorboards to “borrow” scrap supplies like sugar cubes from her human hosts. But when 12-year-old Shawn (voice of David Henrie), a human boy who comes to stay in the home, discovers his mysterious housemate one evening, a secret friendship blossoms. If discovered, their relationship could drive Arrietty’s family from the home and straight into danger.

Notes:

  • Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most influential and admired filmmakers working in animation today and is a major figure in the Japanese cinematic landscape. His films have inspired moviegoers and colleagues around the world, from Pixar’s John Lasseter to fantasist Guillermo del Toro to Chinese director Tsui Hark, and consistently top the box office in his native Japan.
  • Director Hiromasa Yonebayashi, a top animator at Studio Ghibli, was responsible for the animation in a signature scene in “Ponyo,” in which Ponyo runs atop ocean waves.
  • English language voice talent director Gary Rydstrom is a seven-time Academy AwardÒwinning sound designer/mixer (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”). He joined Pixar Animation Studios as an animation film director in 2003.  His directorial debut for the studio was the Academy Award®-nominated short film “Lifted,” and he directed the short film “Hawaiian Vacation,” which was released with “Cars 2” in June 2011.
  • Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall are highly successful producing partners whose films, separately and together, include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, E.T., Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, the Indiana Jones films and the Jurassic Park films. In total, Kennedy and Marshall have earned 11 Oscar® nominations.
  • English language screenplay writer Karey Kirkpatrick’s credits include Spiderwick Chronicles and Over the Hedge, which he also directed (with Tim Johnson).

First look at The Secret World of Arrietty

Walt Disney has released the first images for their forthcoming Japanese import The Secret World of Arrietty.

Residing quietly beneath the floorboards are little people who live undetected in a secret world to be discovered, where the smallest may stand tallest of all.  From the legendary Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Ponyo) comes The Secret World of Arrietty, an animated adventure based on Mary Norton’s acclaimed children’s book series The Borrowers.

Arrietty (voice of Bridgit Mendler), a tiny, but tenacious 14-year-old, lives with her parents (voices of Will Arnett and Amy Poehler) in the recesses of a suburban garden home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and her housekeeper (voice of Carol Burnett). Like all little people, Arrietty (AIR-ee-ett-ee) remains hidden from view, except during occasional covert ventures beyond the floorboards to “borrow” scrap supplies like sugar cubes from her human hosts. But when 12-year-old Shawn (voice of David Henrie), a human boy who comes to stay in the home, discovers his mysterious housemate one evening, a secret friendship blossoms. If discovered, their relationship could drive Arrietty’s family from the home and straight into danger. The English language version of The Secret World of Arrietty was executive produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, and directed by Gary Rydstrom. The film hits theaters Feb. 17, 2012. (more…)

All Pulp Interviews New Pulp Author David Wood

Writer David Wood’s novels are filled with action, adventure, and more pulpy goodness than you may be able to handle. All Pulp recently sat down with David to talk about his books and to find out just what pulp means to him.

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

David Wood: I write action-adventure with a strong pulp influence. I love the “old school” pulp stories with a heavy dose of lost cities and ancient mysteries.

AP: What does pulp and pulp fiction mean to you?

DW: To me, a good pulp story is a fast-paced adventure or mystery. The hero doesn’t rely on technology to save the day, but on his or her own wits and skills.

AP: Quest is your latest novel in the Dane Maddock adventure series. Tell us a bit about the book, the character, and the series. Where can readers find them?

DW: Readers have compared the series to “Dirk Pitt meets Indiana Jones.” Dane Maddock and his partner “Bones” Bonebrake are former Navy SEALs turned treasure hunters who keep stumbling into ancient mysteries, usually Biblical in origin. In Quest, they head off on the trail of Percy Fawcett’s final expedition, and we put a new twist on the Lost City of Z legend. The books are always a blend of mystery and action-adventure.

AP: Your bio says that you’re a fan of all things historical, archaeological, mythological, and cryptozoological. That’s quite an interesting mix of interests. How has your passion for these things inspired and worked their way into your writing?

DW: I like to imagine that there’s still some mystery left in the world, be it ancient mysteries or undiscovered creatures. I think these elements lend a sense of wonder to a story, and I try to put a little of each into my books. In Quest, in particular, you can clearly see all of these influences.

AP: You’ve written adventure, historical pieces, and stories about zombies. Do you have a favorite genre in which to work or do you like to play the field and work in as many different genres as possible?

DW: When I’m at the beginning or end of a story, the genre of the work-in-progress is always my favorite. When I’m in the middle third of a story, my favorite genre is whatever I’m not working on at the time. As a student I hated sophomore years, as a teacher I hated winter quarter, and as a writer I hate the middle of any book. I enjoy all the different genres I’ve tackled so far, though I found historical fiction to be the most daunting, and I’d love to write a baseball novel sometime. If I had to choose only one genre, though, it would be action-adventure. There are so many places I want my characters to go and so many ancient mysteries I want them to solve that I suspect I could write in the genre for the rest of my life and not run out of stories to tell.

AP: What, if any, existing characters would you like to try your hand at writing?

DW: The easy answer would be Indiana Jones, but that’s been done by better writers than me. I would like to see what I could do with Flynn Carson from the “Librarian” movie series. Some of his exploits are a silly, but I think his humor and adventurous spirit offers lots of possibilities.

AP: Who are some of your creative influences?

DW: Too many to count, but there are a few biggies. Clive Cussler’s early novels inspired me to experiment with action-adventure, and I learned a great deal about story structure from his work. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are inspiring in the way they manage to maintain a fast pace while slowly unfolding the mystery element of their story. Finally, the old Conan adventures by Robert E. Howard always fueled my sense of wonder.

AP: What does David Wood do when he’s not writing?

DW: Aside from annoying my wife and kids at every possible turn, I coach fast-pitch softball and suffer through the ups and downs of the Atlanta Braves. I also co-host the ThrillerCast podcast, which isn’t about Michael Jackson, but about the thriller genre. When I want to get really geeky, I play a miniature war game called HeroScape, but that’s a secret.

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

DW: Visit me at www.davidwoodweb.com. From there you can link to my blog, which is the best way to keep current with me, and to find links to my Facebook page and Twitter. Also, give ThrillerCast a listen. You can download it on iTunes or check it out at http://www.thrillerpodcast.com/.

AP: Any upcoming projects you would like to mention?

DW: Things have been busy. I’ve just co-authored a book in Jeremy Robinson’s ‘Jack Sigler/Chess Team’ universe called Callsign: Queen, and my short story “Dark Entry,” which features the main characters from the Dane Maddock adventures, was included in a recent anthology called The Game. Pulp fans will love it because all of the stories are re-interpretations of the classic story “The Most Dangerous Game.”

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

DW: I don’t have any personal appearances coming in the near future. I think it’s my coffee breath. I do have an upcoming appearance scheduled on Gail Z. Martin’s “Ghost in the Machine” podcast.

AP: And finally, what advice would you give to anyone wanting to be a writer?

DW: Patience and determination. It took seven years of slowly building my audience and improving my craft before I could make writing my full-time job. Don’t give up if your first book doesn’t take off; don’t get cocky if your first book goes crazy; and don’t invest so much time marketing your book(s) that it slows your progress on your work in-progress. Keep putting out books and building your audience.

AP: Thanks, David.

DW: Thank you very much for the interview. All Pulp is a great site and I’m honored to be included.
To learn more about David Wood and his books, visit him at http://www.davidwoodweb.com/.

GOING BEHIND THE VEIL WITH SEAN ELLIS

BEHIND THE VEIL by Joshua Pantalleresco





Sean Ellis is the talented author of multiple novels, including Heaven’s Shroud and The Chessmen series.  He is also the creator of his own New Pulp character, Dodge Dalton, which has currently two books out in his series.  Dodge Dalton In The Shadow of Falcons Wings and Dodge Dalton and the Outpost of Fate are as high adventure as they sound and after talking to Sean, Dodge’s origins come Ellis’ own sense of adventure .

Sean admits, “When I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark as a kid, I fell in love with adventure stories, and I really became fascinated with the pre-World War II time period. It was a turning point for the way we saw the world in terms of exploration and technology.  The world of the 1930’s was still pretty big and there were a lot of unexplored places.  If you wanted to find a lost city or something like that, you couldn’t just jump on Google Earth and do satellite reconnaissance and then fly directly there in a helicopter.

That fascination for the time period, and the fact that I was making a serious bid to write for the (now mostly defunct) Indiana Jones novel series, led me to the pulps, and particularly Doc Savage.  I had a passing familiarity with pulp fiction, but once I started doing some research, I realized that there was a lot of potential for a new pulp renaissance, not just in terms of content, but in the way books are published. 

I had the idea to launch a series where several authors would be working simultaneously to produce titles for a single series—much like Charles Ardai did with the Gabriel Hunt series a few years later—and so I enlisted some friends to help me draw up the characters and brainstorm some plots.  My original dream didn’t quite happen as planned, but the process got the ball rolling creatively.

The concept that came out of that mix was a passing of the torch story loosely based on Doc Savage.  The pitch went something like this: An evil force is rising and the world needs its greatest hero…but he’s been missing for years.  A young journalist tracks down the hero’s associates in an effort to find the missing hero, battling the villains every step of the way, and eventually becomes the world’s new champion.

As much as I was influenced by the Doc Savage concept, I didn’t want my hero to be larger-than-life.  Instead of being a war-hero, surgeon, inventor, etc. with unlimited resources, he would be young and inexperienced, but intelligent and resourceful enough to outwit the villains and earn the respect of the old champion’s team of seasoned veteran adventurers.”

The desire to be an adventurer and a writer perhaps is the biggest connection between Ellis and Dalton.

“One of my favorite tropes has always been the writer as protagonist.  I like the idea of the writer trying to imitate his literary creations, probably because my childhood dream was to be a writer/adventure hero.

In the story, Dodge is a sportswriter for a New York newspaper, who get tapped to ghostwrite stories about a war hero named Captain Falcon, as told by one of Falcon’s purported associates, “Hurricane” Hurley.  Dodge thinks that stories are fiction, or at the very least exaggerated from a factual account, so he writes them that way, and they become a runaway success.  The idea of becoming an adventurer is that last thing on Dodge’s mind…at least until the bad guys show up, demanding to square off with Captain Falcon.

I suppose in that respect, I’m quite a bit different than Dodge. One of my earliest sources of inspiration as a writer was Clive Cussler.  I still remember reading the bio in one of his early novels; it talked about how he spent his free time searching for shipwrecks and lost mines, just like his hero Dirk Pitt. When I read that, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up.  And while I haven’t found any lost cities, I have managed to have a few adventures along the way, and I’d like to think some of that comes through in my novels.”

While Sean didn’t divulge any details of his own adventures, his experiences definitely help color his action scenes.
“There are some scenes in the first Dodge Dalton novel where Dodge is underwater and trying to get back to the surface; when I write that, I try to tap in on my own memories of making some deep free dives and thinking: ‘Why is it taking so long to get to the surface? I really need to breathe…starting to panic a little.’ I like to get a little of that adrenaline rush onto the page. You don’t really get that from watching a movie, where the hero–Bond or Indy–can calmly react to whatever life-threatening situation comes along.”

Both books are available on amazon.com.