Tagged: King

KING OF THE OUTBACK COMES OUT SWINGING FROM FIGHT CARD!

KING OF THE OUTBACK COMES OUT SWINGING FROM FIGHT CARD!

FIGHT CARD: KING OF THE OUTBACK ~ AVAILABLE NOW!
From Fight Card-
We’re extremely excited about this month’s fight card entry, King Of The Outback from Australian author david foster (writing as Jack Tunney), as it is the first Fight Card novel with an international setting.  Containing the same great characters and fistic pulp action readers have come to expect from the Fight Card series, king of the outback, transports us to a harsh 1950’s Australian landscape – where the fists are as tough as the land and the times, yet humor and compassion can still be found.  If you are new to the Fight Card series, King Of The Outback is a great place to start before going back to catch up on all the other great Fight Card tales . . . In the months to come, look for more hard-punching Fight Card novels, set both back home in the USA and internationally … Fight Card: King Of The Outback delivers a knockout punch!
FIGHT CARD: KING OF THE OUTBACK
Outback Australia 1954
Two rival tent boxing troupes clash over a territorial dispute in the Outback town of Birdsville. In the sweltering heat, tensions simmer, tempers flare, and as things reach boiling point, a boxing tent is burned to the ground.
Fighting men know only one way to solve their disputes, and that’s in the ring. The solution, a show-down, smack-down, winner take all bout between the two rival outfits.
In the blue corner, representing ‘Walter Wheeler’s Boxing Sideshow’ is Tommy King, a young aboriginal boxer with a big heart and iron fists.
In the red corner, representing ‘Arnold Sanderson’s Boxing Show’, is ‘Jumpin’ Jack Douglas, a monstrous wrecking machine from the city – a man who’ll do anything to win.
The fight – brutal. In the world of Tent Boxing, in the harsh Australian Outback, weight divisions and rules don’t count for much. It’s a fight to decide, who is indeed, King of the Outback!

REVIEW: Shazzan The Complete Series

shazzan-300x300-6417446Growing up in the 1960s, I first heard “Shazam” from the lips of Gomer Pyle, USMC and only later learned it had something to do with a defunct character, Captain Marvel. When I then saw ads in the comics for a Saturday morning series called Shazzan, I was confused, thinking it was somehow connected. Nope, the CBS series created by the great Alex Toth and produced by Hanna-Barbera and had the following narration:

“Inside a cave off the coast of Maine, Chuck (Jerry Dexter) and Nancy (Janet Waldo) find a mysterious chest containing the halves of a strange ring. When joined, the ring forms the word “Shazzan!” and with this magical command, they are transported back to the fabled land of the Arabian Nights. Here they meet their Genie, Shazzan (Barney Phillips). Shazzan presents them with Kaboobie (Don Messick), a magical flying camel. Shazzan will serve them whenever they call, but he cannot return them home until they deliver the ring to its rightful owner. And thus begins their incredible journey.”

Adding an extra “ho” to the Jolly Green Giant’s “ho ho ho”, the 60-foot tall Shazzan was a jovial genie, calling the kids “little masters” and never tired at saving them with regularity. The series ran from September 9, 1967 and ended on Saturday, September 6, 1969 and featured two escapades per thirty minutes and achieved just enough popularity to be repeated as part of countless series in the 1970s and 1980s before finding a home on cable. The complete 36 episode series has been collected for the first time thanks to the tireless folk at Warner Archive.

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

Merlin Season Four Wraps Friday on Syfy

Thirteen episodes of sorcery and swordplay, dragons and demons, bewitchings and betrayals comes to a head this Friday when the fourth season of MERLIN culminates in an exhilarating season finale entitled “The Sword in the Stone, Part 2,” premiering March 30 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
only on Syfy.

For cast members Colin Morgan (merlin), Bradley James (Arthur) and Katie McGrath (Morgana), the fourth season has been filled with memorable moments for both the actors and viewers. (more…)

REVIEW: The Descendants

It used to be, Tom Hanks was the everyman who took us into one film after another, giving us a chance to experience the mundane to the fantastic. That role in many ways has been ceded to George Clooney, who displays in one film after another, a charismatic vulnerability that makes you root for him regardless of the circumstances. He brings that empathy to Matt King, the lead figure in The Descendants, out this week from 20th Century Home Entertainment.

Yeah, we all now he was nominated for Best Actor but if you haven’t seen the film; you can watch the video and see the actor lose himself in the character. King is married, with two teen children, and has his world rocked, first by the wife Elizabeth (Patricia Hastie) getting sick and then learning she has been having an affair. While she lingers in the hospital, he goes in search of Brian Speer (Matthew Lillard), his daughters — Alex (Shailene Woodley) and Scottie (Amara Miller) — in tow.  Kaui Hart Hemmings’ acclaimed novel is well adapted by director Alexander Payne. (more…)

A Dummy’s Guide to Greek Heroes

One brave warrior, touched by the gods, must overcome all odds to save mankind from a merciless and powerful tyrant when IMMORTALS comes to Blu-ray and DVD on March 6th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Directed by visionary filmmaker Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) and written by Charles Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides, the home entertainment release is chock-full of must-see bonus features including an alternate beginning, two alternate endings, deleted scenes and an amazing graphic novel, creating the ultimate viewing experience.

From the producers of 300, Mark Canton, Gianni Nunnari, and Relativity’s CEO Ryan Kavanaugh, IMMORTALS explodes off the screen with action-packed battles, mythological adventure and an all-star cast including: Henry Cavill (Superman: Man of Steel), Luke Evans (Robin Hood), Kellan Lutz (Twilight), Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), Stephen Dorff (Public Enemies), John Hurt (Hellboy) and Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2). In this epic tale of vengeance and destiny, power-mad King Hyperion (Rourke) threatens to destroy all of humanity on his maniacal quest to obtain the ultimate weapon – the legendary Epirus Bow that gives the power to unleash war on both Heaven and Earth.  But Theseus (Cavill), a heroic young villager chosen by the gods, rises up to stop Hyperion’s brutal rampage.  With supernatural help from the beautiful oracle Phaedra (Pinto), Theseus embraces his destiny and leads a fierce band of warriors in a desperate fight for the future of mankind.

The story for Immortals centers on the heroism of Theseus, a mortal man chosen by Zeus to lead the fight against the evil King Hyperion.  In celebration of the release of IMMORTALS on 3D Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray Triple Play and DVD on March 6, we will revisit other heroes in Greek mythology that you may (or may not) be familiar with, including Hercules and Odysseus, among others.

HERCULES

According to Greek mythology, Hercules is the son of the Zeus, the King of all the Gods, and Alcmene, a mortal woman, thereby making him a mortal God.  The goddess Hera, Zeus’ wife, hated Hercules because Hercules’ birth was out of Zeus’ infidelity to her.  Much of Hercules’ adventures have been written about but none as much as the Labors of Hercules, which vary in number depending on the source.  Hercules was sent on these labors by the Oracle of Delphi to make amends over killing his wife and children during a fit of madness sent by Hera.

ODYSSEUS

odysseus-300x405-3914375Odysseus is the Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey and Iliad.  Odysseus was best known for successfully leading the Greeks into victory against the Trojans with his idea of the Trojan Horse, which is depicted in the Iliad.  The Odyssey tells the story of his ten-year journey to get home to Ithaca post the Trojan War to reclaim his place as the rightful king.  The epic describes his adventures, including his encounters with Calypso, the Sirens and the six-headed monster Scylla, amongst others.

OEDIPUS

Oedipus was the Greek king of Thebes, best known for fulfilling a prophecy that said he would kill his father and marry his mother, bringing disaster to his family and his city.  The myth is the basis of neurologist Sigmund Freud’s theory, the Oedipus complex, which states the desire of a male child’s exclusive love for his mother, thereby stemming jealousy towards the father.

ACHILLES

achilles-300x400-1205173Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War and was a central character in Homer’s Iliad.  He was said to be a great warrior whose only vulnerability physically was his heel, which ultimately lead to his death when his heel was struck by an arrow during battle.  Because of that, the term Achille’s heel has come to mean a person’s primary weakness.

PERSEUS

perseus-300x400-6970584Perseus was a son of Zeus and was known in Greek mythology for the different monsters he defeated, including beheading Medusa, the snake-haired maiden who turned those who looked her in the eyes into stone.  He married Andromeda, a princess who had been punished by Poseidon for her mother’s bragging that her daughter was more beautiful than the Nereids.    Perseus saved her imminent death by rescuing her from a rock that she was chained to as a sacrifice to a sea monster.

HANCOCK TIPS HIS HAT TO LAURIE R. KING’S ‘BEEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS’

TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock
BEEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS
Laurie R. King
Bantam Books (Random House)
It seems every company, large and small, comic and print, audio and video, so on and so forth, has a Holmes product these days.  Most of them deal with Sherlock directly, but many also veer off into Watson’s life, Mycroft’s adventures, and Moriarty’s machinations.   And amongst those varied adventures of truly the World’s Greatest Detective, many are good, but very few stand out as works that both honor what came originally and bring a whole new life to the concept.
Laurie R. King is known for doing just that probably as well as anyone has.
‘Beekeeping for Beginners’ gives readers the first meeting between Mary Russell, King’s very own character inserted into the life of, at the opening of this story, an extremely despondent Holmes.     Both new readers and long time followers of King’s Russell/Holmes series will find this story to be a true delight.  Questioning his very place in the world with the War to End All Wars in swing and seemingly the time for one such as him past, Holmes comes to a decision at the opening of this tale that, had a young brash girl not happened along, would have made for an extremely short story. 
What ensues after this rather spirited trip away from the melancholy is both a great adventure that revives Holmes and a fantastic character study that adds flesh to Mary Russell.   The pacing is brisk and the characterization crisp and quick as well.   Russell makes a formidable partner for Holmes, able to verbally spar with him, but also willing to learn and play student to the master.   What comes after this opening segue in the series makes perfect sense with this glimpse into their first meeting.
FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT- Some people bemoan when people go back and give ‘origins’.  In this case, King did nothing but add another great piece of literature to her already wonderful collection of tales.

TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock
BEEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS
Laurie R. King
Bantam Books (Random House)
It seems every company, large and small, comic and print, audio and video, so on and so forth, has a Holmes product these days.  Most of them deal with Sherlock directly, but many also veer off into Watson’s life, Mycroft’s adventures, and Moriarty’s machinations.   And amongst those varied adventures of truly the World’s Greatest Detective, many are good, but very few stand out as works that both honor what came originally and bring a whole new life to the concept.
Laurie R. King is known for doing just that probably as well as anyone has.
‘Beekeeping for Beginners’ gives readers the first meeting between Mary Russell, King’s very own character inserted into the life of, at the opening of this story, an extremely despondent Holmes.     Both new readers and long time followers of King’s Russell/Holmes series will find this story to be a true delight.  Questioning his very place in the world with the War to End All Wars in swing and seemingly the time for one such as him past, Holmes comes to a decision at the opening of this tale that, had a young brash girl not happened along, would have made for an extremely short story. 
What ensues after this rather spirited trip away from the melancholy is both a great adventure that revives Holmes and a fantastic character study that adds flesh to Mary Russell.   The pacing is brisk and the characterization crisp and quick as well.   Russell makes a formidable partner for Holmes, able to verbally spar with him, but also willing to learn and play student to the master.   What comes after this opening segue in the series makes perfect sense with this glimpse into their first meeting.
FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT- Some people bemoan when people go back and give ‘origins’.  In this case, King did nothing but add another great piece of literature to her already wonderful collection of tales.

FORTIER TAKES ON FELONY FISTS!

ALL PULP REVIEWS by Ron Fortier
FIGHT CARD : FELONY FISTS
By Paul Bishop
(http://www.bishsbeat.blogspot.com/)
128 pages
Punch. Block. Counterpunch. Duck. Uppercut. Jab. Haymaker. Clinch. The staccato machine-gun lingo of boxing that taps across the brain like a dance choreographed by battling gladiators.  It is a ballet of flying fists, controlled mayhem performed by all manner of combatants with something to win, prove or defend.  Of the entire classic pulp sports genre, the boxing magazines were by far the most popular and prolific. Now a group of today’s finest new pulp scribes have come together to recreate the blood, seat and tears of those canvas arenas in a series of short novellas under the guiding hand of accomplished novelist, Paul Bishop.
Bishop has an extensive resume from his long career as a police officer then detective for the Los Angeles police department, television and movie scribe and finally mystery/crime novelist.  Recently he’s gotten into the new pulp movement and it’s clear by this tale just how much he loves the old school boxing tales.  This story has the atmosphere and feel of an old Warner Brothers black and white flick from the 40s & 50s and one can easily envision actors like Spencer Tracy and John Garfield in the roles of his characters.  It is that evocative of the time and setting; L.A. in 1954.
Patrick “Felony” Flynn is a young cop on the force who is also an amateur boxer, having been taught by a tough-minded Catholic priest in the Chicago orphanage he and his brother were raised in.  Coming out of WWII and the Navy, where he continued his pugilistic ways, he swaps one blue uniform for another in getting back to civilian life.  His goal is to eventually become a detective and member of the famous anti-mob unit led by Chief Parker and called “The Hat Squat.”  
Through a series of fateful events stemming from his boxing prowess, Flynn is recruited by Chief Parker to help stymie mobster Mickey Cohen’s plans to infiltrate the boxing world via his heavy-weight fighter, Solomon King.  If King can whip Archie Moore, the reigning champion, then Cohen will have established a foothold in the city as well as the sports community.  Something Parker obsessively vows to stop at any cost; including making Flynn a detective in his elite team providing he becomes a professional boxer and takes defeats King.  No small tasks any way you slice it up.
What follows is a thoroughly enjoyable, fast paced, knowledgeable yarn that was a pure joy to read start to finish.  Bishop never misses a beat; again, knowing his melody by heart and relishing every single sentence, paragraph and chapter like a superbly orchestrated fight strategy.  “Fight Card: Felony Fists” is a sensational opening to what this reviewer expects is going to be a truly amazing series that will revitalize a classic pulp genre in a bold new way readers are going to love.  Me, I’m in his corner all the way.

Nathaniel Parker Brings Agravaine to Camelot as Newest Member of MERLIN cast

Just as one mysterious character departs, another enters as MERLIN welcomes its newest addition – Agravaine, chief adviser to the King. Played by acclaimed actor Nathaniel Parker, the character provides yet another potential snake in Camelot’s grass for Arthur and Merlin as they fend off Morgana’s attack in the epic conclusion of the season-opening, two-part episode entitled “The Darkest Hour, Part 2.” The episode premieres this Friday, January 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Syfy.

The magic of MERLIN continues to cast a spell over audiences: Last Friday’s fourth-season premiere of MERLIN attracted the biggest-ever first-episode audience in its Syfy history, with viewership 29% higher for Season 4 than Season 3.  Episodes from all three previous seasons are available on iTunes, and Season 3 will be released January 17 on DVD.

In “The Darkest Hour, Part 2” the kingdom of Camelot is on the brink of collapse as Lancelot (Santiago Cabrera) races back to Camelot with the dying Merlin, the Dorocha continue their siege on the kingdom, Arthur considers an unthinkable sacrifice … and Morgana waits to strike. (more…)

Uwe Boll Talks In the Name of the King: Two Worlds

intotk2bd-300x376-9251619Director Uwe Boll is no stranger to video games or controversy but remains indefatigable and is back next week with In the Name of the King: Two Worlds, his sequel to the 2006 film he made based on the Dungeon Siege video games. The new film, his twenty-fifth, stars action hero Dolph Lundgren and is a direct-to-video release from Twentieth Century Home Entertainment.

The German –born Boll spoke exclusively with ComicMix to talk about the film and his approach, which ignores his critics, many of whom cite him as the worst director working today. In turn, Boll has challenged them to box, to see who is the better person but our conversation was far from combative.

ComicMix: This is your first sole directorial work. Any reason why?

Uwe Boll: In the past, I was more a producer, such as with Alone in the Dark. Normally I’m the director, producer,, and sometimes the writer. I think it came to an opportunity to get the financing completely through Canada; so I said, “Absolutely, let’s go for it.”

CMix: Why a sequel to a dormant video game?

Boll: I liked the Bloodrayne film series,  and I don’t always do sequels. I liked the first movie a lot, and while I didn’t have the financing to make a big sequel, I came up with a time traveling idea for a brand new story. It brings a little humor to the story and with a guy like Dolph, with his bone dry humor; he’s very intelligent, not a guy who can have long speeches. He’s more a character from the present, and I have all these kinds of things, sending him back to the medieval time, he can wander around asking, “Where is the toilet, can I drink this water?”

It’s an interesting new storyline, not just “let’s make a second part but only cheaper”. It’s better to be completely new, and I am actually happy with the movie. It has a lot of humor; it’s quick and entertaining. (more…)