Tagged: noir

HANCOCK TIPS HIS HAT TO ‘WHAT IT WAS’!

  • News
  • February 14, 2012

TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT- Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock
WHAT IT WAS
George Pelecanos
Little, Brown and Company
There are a few tricks to building a character that can maintain and entertain the full length of a novel.  Those and a few other skills come into play when developing a lead that will headline a series of books.   That sort of character requires layers, history, motivation, and secrets.   And best of all, handling by an author who knows when to show what cards and plays them with at just the right pace.
“What It Was” is the latest novel by George Pelecanos featuring Derek Strange, his well known former Washington DC cop turned Private Investigator.  With Strange today framing nearly the whole novel as if telling a story, Pelecanos takes the reader back to DC in 1972.  Strange has left the Police department and has recently started his private career.  He takes on a case that on the surface involves retrieving a ring stolen during the murder of a drug addict.   At the same time, Frank Vaughn, Strange’s mentor and former partner in the Department, draws the case of pursuing the murderer of the junkie, a favorite informant of Vaughn’s.  All of this is stirred by Red Fury, a mad villain who essentially starts a killing spree with the addict and has no fear of being killed, no respect for anything except his own needs, and every intent to add buckets to his growing bloody legend.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this book if you came to it looking for Pelecanos at the top of his game.  This is a fantastic noir pulpy type crime tale, giving equal focus to the work of the men both committing crimes and those tracking them down.  The action unfolds believably and almost cinematically on a canvas that is 1972.  The attention paid to the music, the cars, the clothes, and the way people in that era paid the utmost attention to all the above, weaving them into their lives as much as the food they ate, the hearts they broke, and the people they killed.
Pelecanos wastes no time with cardboard cutouts.  From the three leads of Strange, Fury, and Vaughn, all the way down to bit parts, he fleshes out every single character, bringing flesh and blood to them with wonderfully chosen words and excellently executed turns of phrase.  Also, he stamps this story with real life.  No one gets out unscathed.  The heroes are tarnished, the villains aren’t vanquished at every turn, and yet people go on, live, and grow, wounds, scars and all.
FIVE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT- ‘What IT Was’ is raw, real, and unforgiving.  A fantastic piece of crime fiction.  Down, dirty, and determined.

Dynamite To Reprint Howard Chaykin’s The Shadow

  • News
  • January 13, 2012

The Shadow: Blood And Judgement by Howard Chaykin was originally published by DC Comics in the eighties around the same time as other gritty takes on characters in comics such as Watchmen and The Dark Knight. This story was last collected in 1991.

Now, twenty-one years later, Dynamite – the current license holders of The Shadow – is bringing Howard Chaykin’s The Shadow: Blood and Judgement back into print.

Dynamite has gathered a bunch of quotes regarding the series from some comic book professionals…

“Not since Walter Gibson has anyone been better suited to The Shadow than Howard Chaykin” – Mark Waid

“This is my all-time favorite Howard Chaykin comic book. This is him at the tip-tip-top of his game and, yeah I’ll say it, the best Shadow story ever published!” – Brian Michael Bendis

“IT’S TIME TO GET OFFENDED AGAIN. Welcome back, Mr. Cranston. Welcome back, Mr. Chaykin… we need you both now more than ever. Who knew that underneath all the cocaine, black marble, and rayon that the Eighties had a heart of pulp? As always, Chaykin — and the Shadow — knows…” -Matt Fraction

“Chaykin at his ballsiest and most dynamic. This is how the Shadow should be done.” – Jason Aaron

“Chaykin’s Shadow is a modern legend at his best.” – Rick Remender

“Sharply written, uber-stylish and dead sexy. Yes, Chaykin made The Shadow sexy!” – John Cassaday

“Howard Chaykin was one of the few who dared to make mainstream comics different back in the eighties; it was guys like him, Alan Moore and Frank Miller who made sure there’d be no going back. Howard’s work on The Shadow is amongst his very best: razor-sharp character work, sizzling dialogue and an unsurpassed sense of layout and design.” – Garth Ennis

“The reintroduction of The Shadow in the 1980s in Howard Chaykin’s mini-series was one of the most striking comics of the era. A bold, violent, and modern vision combined with the original caped hero archetype captivated me as a reader.” – Alex Ross

“A comically insolent and graphically innovative re-invention of the grandfather of the superhero.” -Warren Ellis

“There are many reasons to consider Howard Chaykin a comic visionary. This is one of them.” – Brian Azzarello

“The iconic 80s miniseries is back. Some creators use noir themes and images as though they’re throwing them into a shopping basket. Chaykin makes them look as though they didn’t even exist until he came along.” – Mike Carey

“Who knows how to write and draw great suspense, action, and characters that literally pop off the page? THE CHAYKIN KNOWS — HAHAHAHAHA!!!” – Peter J. Tomasi

“Sex, money, intrigue, betrayal, revenge. This is Chaykin. Try to keep up.” – Andy Diggle

“Bloody, brutal, vital and violent, with a striking sense of energy and a huge amount of style on every kinetic page. Howard Chaykin transference of The Shadow from its pulp roots to the comic book gold rush era of 1987 is a gem. It’s good to see it back in print.” – Rob Williams

“My favorite comic growing up in the eighties was THE SHADOW. Howard Chaykin’s Shadow was a breath of fresh air to me and I gobbled up every frame of that miniseries. Chaykin didn’t go onto the regular series when it launched, leaving me to look around for other comics Chaykin had done.” – Aintitcoolnews.com

You can learn more about Dynamite Entertinament at http://www.dynamite.net/.

Thanks to Bleeding Cool for the scans of the original comics below. Click on images for a larger view.

NEW PULP GETS IN THE RING WITH ‘FIGHT CARD’ FROM BISHOP AND ODOM!

  • News
  • November 16, 2011
ON THE FIGHT CARD!
A Special All Pulp Report and Release from Paul Bishop (www.bishsbeat.blogspot.com)
I’ve been a pulp fanatic for as long as I can remember, but not just for the hero pulps.  The aviation pulps and the western pulps also caught my imagination along with the sports pulps . . . Wait? Sports pulps?
Yes!  Sports pulps!  While hero, adventure, weird menace, western, and aviation pulps are still hot collecting commodities, the sports pulps, like the romance pulps are mostly forgotten.
In my typical walking to the beat of a different drummer way, the sports pulps have become my passion.  Street and Smiths Sport Story Magazine, Sports Novels, Fifteen Sports Stories, Dime Sports, and Thrilling Sports were among the best of the many sports pulps that proliferated between the late ‘20s and the mid ‘50s.
Baseball, track, and basketball strories dominated the early years of sports pulps.  As football caught the American imagination, it too became a fertile source for the sports pulps. Horseracing, hockey, car racing also had their popular place in the sports pulps. Eventually, as the sports pulps proliferated, stories of almost any sporting contest – from log rolling to canoeing to powerboat racing – found their way between the pages.  Even stories of soccer, rugby, and cricket can be found if one looks hard enough.
Pride of place in my collection of sports pulps, however, goes to Fight Stories Magazine.  During the pulp era, boxing was even more popular than baseball both in the actual arena of sports and in the fictional creation of endless fisticuff dust-ups.  There remains something elemental about one man pitted against another that continues to capture the imagination. 
The history of fight fiction both on the page and on film is crowded with tales both filled with the desperation of noir and the triumph of the underdog.  Even today, as mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting becomes popular, fight films and fiction have accepted the transition and continue to tell stories of fighters.
Started in 1928, Fight Stories Magazine – subtitled, Fact And Fiction Of The Ring – was the first of the sports pulps dedicated to a single athletic endeavor.  While most of it’s fiction took place in the pro ring, there was also room for tales set in military outposts, carnivals, and anywhere else two men could find room to square off.
Reading Fight Stories Magazine today is still a joy.  Both the fiction and non-fiction pieces were a cut above the rest of the pack and hold up better than most pulp tales.  In particular, the retro-fight examinations and fighter profiles by Jack Kofeod could be reprinted word for word today in any fight interest zine; and fisticuff tales from the likes of Robert E. Howard (most often featuring his slugger Sailor Steve Costigan) remain brilliant storytelling.
So, imagine my delight last year when I came across a gem of a new novella, Smoker, by Mel Odom when cruising the virtual boxing fiction titles for my Kindle.  Smoker was a cool fight tale, set in the ‘50s, with a supernatural twist – but it read like it could have been the lead tale in Fight Stories Magazine or Knockout Magazine – the other all boxing stories pulp.
Mel Odom is a prolific writer, but while I was familiar with his work, our paths had somehow not crossed over the years on the conference / organization / convention circuits.  Undaunted by this, I tracked Mel down by email.  Before long we were yacking on the phone like we’d known each other for years.
We had tons of stuff in common from comic books to favorite authors to television shows, but we we’re in total sync with our love of the tough guys who populated the pages of Fight Stories Magazine and the many other boxing stories from the sports pulps.
While we agreed we liked modern bozxing tales, we lamented the fact nobody was writing fight stories anymore like those from the pulps: two-fisted tales zipping along with lots of ring action and heroes fighting for more than just a championship or a monetary purse.
One thing led to another, as things do when writers talk, and we decided we were the perfect guys to write those tales.  We also believed we could reach our niche audience by through using the new e-publishing platforms, which have reinvented the publishing market and have made the 25,000 word pulp style novellete, an endangered speicies, viable again.
Thus our Fight Card series was born – two-fisted pulp-style tales to thrill and chill . . .
We decided to set the tales in the ‘50s because it was an era we both loved and felt comfortable writing about.  We wanted to emulate the tales from back in the day by striking the same tone and atmosphere existing then.
While Mel’s writing style and mine are different, we embraced this as a way to distiguish each of the novels. We decided to make the main characters from each of our efforts brothers.  Mel’s character, Mickey Flynn, is a merchant marine sailor who’s tough as nails. My character is Mickey’s younger brother Patrick Flynn, an LAPD detective on Chief Parker’s infamous Hat Squad. The brothers grew up in an orphanage in Chicago where they were taught the “sweet science” by Father Tim, a tough ex-cop turned fighting priest.
We were surprised, when we talked about the project with other writers, by their response – they wanted in on the action.  They remembered and loved these stories as much as we did and couldn’t wait to put on their virtual gloves and get in the ring with us – apparently there are going to be a lot of orphans trained by Father Tim at Our Lady Of the Glass Jaw, the nickname of the orphange.  As a result, we have some top notch tales from top notch writers scheduled to appear over the coming months.
        
Fight Card debuted this past weekend with the publication of Felony Fists from me and The Cutman from Mel.  In an effort to unify the series on the various e-platforms, we have published the novels under the pseudonym Jack Tunney as an homage to Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney – two of the great heavyweight champions.
Next up in December is Eric Beetner’s Split Decision, a gem of a noir tale that would have been snapped up as a Gold Medal original back in the day.
Mel and I had a blast with our first entries in the series, and we’re already planning the next round for our characters.
If you like tough guys, boxing, noir, crime stories, and pulps, we know you’ll find something to enjoy in these tales.

The Skinvestigator Unleashes The Sunshine State Trilogy!

  • Uncategorized
  • September 22, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

(Melbourne, Florida – September 22): Dermatologist detective series: The Skinvestigator now available on Kindle

The first novel in a new Florida noir trilogy, The Skinvestigator: Tramp Stamp has just become available for download on the Kindle, Amazon.com’s handy digital reader. The novel follows the adventures of Florida dermatologist turned detective, Dr. Harry Poe. Author Terry Cronin describes the story as both “an inside look at the world of dermatology” and “a mystery novel that quickly escalates into a medical/political thriller involving tattoos, illicit cosmetic surgery, and murder”.

Ripped from today’s headlines about “scalpel tourism” where Americans travel to foreign nations to get cheaper cosmetic surgery, Cronin’s book has been described as “razor sharp”and “skincredible”. Reviewers have said the drama is tense, and the humor snaps like a whip crack and that Dr. Harry Poe vibes authentic throughout. The print version of the novel is distributed by Atlas Books and is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Tower Books.

The next novel in the series is called The Skinvestigator: Rash Guard and will be released at the end of September. Cronin, who is known for creating the critically-acclaimed horror-adventure comic series, Students of the Unusual and writing for Indie Comics Magazine, took advance copies of this new novel with him to the San Diego Comic-Con this year. “I’m known as a comic book writer but I found that comic readers and genre fans also enjoy reading hard-boiled detective novels and pulp fiction.” The new novel follows Doctor Poe as he tries to help the Miami Police with a new murder investigation involving surfers, syphilis, and the State department.

Cronin plans to complete The Sunshine State trilogy next year with the final novel entitled The Skinvestigator: Sunburn.

The Kindle version of The Skinvestigator: Tramp Stamp can be downloaded here:
http://www.amazon.com/Skinvestigator-Tramp-Sunshine-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B005OCTWVM/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316727792&sr=1-2

PULP EMPIRE BRINGS ALL PULP PIRATE PULP FICTION AND INTERVIEWS!

PULP EMPIRE BRINGS ALL PULP PIRATE PULP FICTION AND INTERVIEWS!

  • News
  • September 19, 2011

To celebrate “Talk Like a Pirate Day”, PulpEmpire.com is proud to offer our newest anthology Pirates & Swashbucklers, a seventeen story collection of great pirate pulp fiction! Pirates & Swashbucklers author Kameron W. Franklin interviewed his fellow writers of the new Pulp Empire anthology out now!


Today he sits down with Jason Kahn, author of “Voyage of the Hangman”.


When did you first realize you were a writer?
It changes depending on my mood. Sometimes I think it was when I sold my first short story. Sometimes I think it was my first (and thus far only) professional short story sale. Sometimes I don’t really consider myself a writer at all because I don’t write fiction for a living. Sometimes I think that’s ridiculous because I do make a living writing and editing, just not fiction. Then there are other times when I think that if and when I have an actual novel published, like I hopefully will with the one I just finished writing, I can then honestly look in the mirror and say, Chum, you’re a writer, you are.


What authors influence or inspire you?
Early on, I would say authors like Raymond Feist and David Eddings influenced me the most as I tried to write fantasy-adventures, but lately, much more James Ellroy, Elmore Leonard, Joseph Wambaugh, and Donald Westlake as I’ve been writing more noir crime fiction. I read several detective fiction authors as I worked on some of my recent pieces. Raymond Chandler, Peter Lovesey, and then I read Ellroy. The Black Dahlia, L.A. Confidential, and many more. I wasn’t prepared, my mind exploded. I could not put them down.


Do you consider yourself a “pulp” writer? Why? Is there another genre you like to write?
Some of the writing projects I’m involved with currently are very pulp-ish, noir detective type stuff, so at the moment I definitely feel that way. But I also write fantasy and hard scifi, so it varies. Basically I just like to write a good story. Whatever style fits is okay with me.


What book(s) have you read more than once? What drew you back?
The first book I remember reading more than once was A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. I read it when I was a boy, and it was my first real introduction to fantasy literature. Quite a primer, right? I re-read it constantly, the language, the world-building, the characters. It was all there.


In 25 words or less, how would you define “pulp” as a genre?
Pulp as a genre takes me back to the old serials: over the top heroes and villains, nonstop thrill-ride action. That’s only 20!


What made you decide to submit a story for the Pirates & Swashbucklers anthology?
I always wanted to write a sword-and-sorcery adventure on the high seas with people who go “argh!” This was the perfect opportunity.



Read more of Kameron’s interviews at PensAndSwords.com.




Pulp Empire Presents: Pirates & Swashbucklers is now available at Pulp Empire.com. Until October 10th, use the code “62QUSQGC” at our CreateSpace bookstore to receive 15% off on the book!

GUEST REVIEW-DAMBALLA MAKES HISTORY AGAIN!

  • News
  • August 4, 2011
Charles Saunders Makes History—Again!

A review of Damballa, by Charles Saunders.

Guest reviewer Joe Bonadonna
Charles Saunders created Imaro, the first black sword and sorcery hero, over 30 years ago. He made history with that one, folks. Now, with his new novel, Damballa, Saunders has once again made history—giving us the first black crime-fighting superhero in pulp fiction. But this novel is a lot more than an action-adventure story. This one is set in the world of boxing, in 1938 Harlem. It’s film noir and hard-boiled detective, with a wonderful cast of characters. Filled with Nazis, gangsters and jazz, cultural insight, plenty of atmosphere, and a serious subtext dealing with bigotry and racism, this action-packed novel climaxes in one blistering boxing match, and an ending that is both justice served, as well as emotionally satisfying. Saunders knows how to write, how to tell a story and fill it with twists and surprises, and he is an authority on boxing. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes a great story with characters who live and breathe. You won’t be disappointed. I guarantee it.

—Joe Bonadonna, author of Mad Shadows: The Weird Tales of Dorgo the Dowser

DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES SEQUENTIAL PULP IMPRINT!

  • News
  • August 3, 2011

Sequential Pulp Comics Launch in September

           
Sequential Pulp Comics, a highly anticipated new graphic-novel line distributed by Dark Horse, will launch in September!
This new line will bring to life works of classic literature, 1950s paperbacks, and other stories. The series comes out of the gates with Victor Hugo’s classic literary work The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a forty-four-page graphic novella that marks Tim Conrad’s first new work in twenty years!
“Michael and I share a love for great stories, no matter where they come from. I grew up with these great works of science fiction, adventure, the supernatural, and crime noir,” said Dark Horse president Mike Richardson. “I can’t wait to see how Michael and his talented teams of artists and writers will breathe new life into them in this exciting new series of graphic novels.”
“We intend to simplify matters by foregoing single-issue comics, at least at first, and going straight to the graphic novel. In doing this we reach all markets including digital at the same time, and I believe the modern comics audience is hungry for complete stories,” said Sequential Pulp president Michael Hudson. “Our goal is to tell great stories and accentuate them with excellent art.” He concluded by saying, “Mike Richardson is a personal mentor and his vision has been one of greatness for Dark Horse for twenty-five years. I like surrounding myself with successful people, and with his help I know this can be a success.”
With titles scheduled into 2013, this new line is sure to please modern comics fans, as well as others who remember these classic works of fiction. Other upcoming titles include Dick Briefer and Mary Shelley’s The Monster of Frankenstein, Harry Whittington’s noir masterpiece A Night for Screaming, and many others.

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