Tagged: Pulp Fiction

HANCOCK TIPS HIS HAT TO HARD-BOILED SURF PULP FICTION!

TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews of All Things Pulp by Tommy Hancock

HARD-BOILED SURF PULP FICTION #1

By Various Authors

Pacific-Noir Pulp Press

2011

Pulp is known for being full of various genres and especially for mixing and mingling them, even before the now popular term ‘mash-up’ was in use.  If you’re a fan of Pulp, Classic, New, or both, even a little bit, then you of course know what I’m referring to.  Western, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Crime, and so forth and yadda to the fourth power.   And the lines between all of those and other genres have been blurred multiple times by various Pulp types and to varying degrees of success. 

Now there is Surf Pulp.  And Hard Boiled Surf Pulp at that.

This first issue magazine from Pacific-Noir Pulp Press features six stories that blend surfing, a sport and pastime that has just as avid, if not more so, adherents and followers as Pulp does, and Pulp style storytelling.  Now, wait. I know what you’re thinking, that is, if you’ve had the exposure to surfing I have.   But don’t worry, this is not a collection of tales featuring Beach Boys type bands solving mysteries or Frankie and Annette finding lost treasures on Party Beach.  As a matter of fact, the mixing of Pulp and Surf is not fifty/fifty in every story, sometimes one outweighs the other more and I find that a good thing in mixed genre collections.  

Having said that though, something else that is mixed about HARD-BOILED SURF PULP FICTION #1 is my reaction.   As a whole, it’s a fun little read, running about 97 pages.  The book design is done well and the interior art is eye catching and overall does what art should do, effectively accompanies the story and adds to the reading experience.  So, presentation wise, this book is definitely a winner.

As far as the stories go, that’s where I get a little divided.  Six tales in the book and three of them I really liked and three of them left me wanting.  The lead story, THE BIG DEEP, is a private eye tale, my personal favorite type of tale, featuring PI Sam Sand, a surfer himself, on the trail of missing waves.  Interesting concept and the mystery starts out fairly solid, but then sort of gets very muddled in the middle and by the time we get to the resolution, it’s solved and everything works out, but it’s unclear how it got that way.  I really like the characterization in this story, especially Sam Sand himself, so would like to see more, but for an initial run, this one, though with good points, didn’t really ring my bell.

SORCEROR OF SIARGAO and CHIMERA are the other two that fall on the lesser side of mixed feelings.  Both are sort of quest tales, people seeking things, some abstract, some concrete, in their lives and in one way or another using the waves and surfing to do so.  And although they are different reads in a variety of ways, they both suffer from the same thing with me-murky storytelling and not a clear definition soon enough in the tales of where they’re heading to keep me hooked and interested.

Now, the other three tales in this thin tome definitely get my hopes up about future volumes.  SURFING ‘ROOTS’ is a futuristic tale of space pilots who surf strange landscapes when they get the chance, but it’s more than that.  It’s a cool other worldly tale of buddies who get into fun and out of trouble together and definitely shows the camaraderie that is so apparent in the popular culture notion of what surfing is.  Plus, the action is well paced and the setting is definitely a star in the tale.

TIGALAND is as far on the other side of the spectrum from ‘ROOTS’ as one can get, but is an A-1 Pulp tale.  Gritty, hard hitting, no holds barred Crime Pulp, this story delivers on a whole lot of levels, including engaging characters, from the two leads through the supporting cast, and a jerky sort of riding along with the story sort of pacing that works really well.

My favorite story in this book was a surprise as I expected it to be the PI tale.  RECKLESS SURFING looks at a period in the not so far future where the surf waves are patrolled by surf cops and the laws are very strict and almost basically too strict for real surfing to go on.  A really interesting character is introduced and carries this story well, that being a former surfer turned water cop, Sergeant Nelson of the Surf Enforcement Patrol.  The story is about a young surfer who gets himself in a spot with other surfers that draws the attention of Nelson.  Nelson identifies the young surfer as a good kid and basically points out what is the beginning of a relationship that will lead to adventure, crime, and hopefully good waves.   This is a very promising start to a great tale and is only the first part.  I really enjoyed the intensity that seemed to ripple throughout this particular tale, enough to tease and keep you interested, but not too much.  Yet.

So three out of six top tales, three out of six that needed a little something more.  Will I be back for future volumes and other works from Pacific-Noir Pulp Press? Sure, if they’ll have me.   This is definitely the start of something that I think has a lot of potential.

THREE OUT OF FIVE TIPS OF THE HAT-Enough to bring me back for a second round.

Bad Girls, Good Guys, and Two-Fisted Action: Genre-Bending: How Pure Should Pulp Fiction Be? New Pulp authors respond.

Bad Girls, Good Guys, and Two-Fisted Action: Genre-Bending: How Pure Should Pulp Fiction Be? New Pulp authors respond.

Sean Taylor posted an interesting query on his blog http://seanhtaylor.blogspot.com/. Sean asked ‘How Pure Should Pulp Fiction Be?’ Some of New Pulp’s finiest responded.

When you think of pulp fiction, what springs to mind? The hard-boiled P.I.? The lost Earthman winning and wooing on Mars? The jungle lord? The aviator adventurer? The masked vigilante precursor to the comic book super hero? Weird horror tales with skeletons and damsels in distress? (For the sake of argument, let’s all assume you didn’t immediately go to the movie with John Travolta and Samuel Jackson, even as good as it is.)

Pulp has covered many genres, and was originally so named because of the cheap paper on which it was published. Pretty much everybody who loves the style knows that.

But, over time, some genres tended to become more synonymous with the definition of pulp than others.

And some would argue that pulp itself is a genre. (For the sake of this article, we’re going to treat pulp as a style of telling a story and not a genre unto itself, since so many genres were represented within its ranks.)

To explore this idea further, we went straight to several of new pulp’s top creators. You can see their responses at http://seanhtaylor.blogspot.com/2011/12/genre-bending-how-pure-should-pulp.html?spref=tw

THE LATEST FROM PULP EMPIRE AVAILABLE DIGITALLY TODAY!

Heroes & Heretics now available for e-reader devices
December 20, 2011

Pulp Empire (http://www.pulpempire.com) is proud to announce that our next print anthology Heroes & Heretics is now available for purchase on all digital devices. The new book features 19 stories by a bevy of new and returning Pulp Empire authors. Almost every pulp genre is covered from Milo James Fowler’s western “Fool’s Gold” to Jack Mulcahy’s sword & sorcery saga “Into the Demesne of Dhuada”.

While a print edition will be available within the next few weeks, this is a great chance to get over 300 pages of new pulp storytelling just before Christmas. For the low, low price of $2.99, readers can experience Dixon Hill’s “Blazing Troubles” or Timothy Miller’s dark “The Devil Within”. With Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s gift services, it makes a great last minute gift for any e-reader owner.
Pick up your copy at the link’s below:
Pulp Empire is a subsidiary of Metahuman Press, a publisher of new super powered and pulp fiction. For more details on Metahuman Press and its line of print and electronic books, please visit http://www.metahumanpress.com.

Pulp Modern Issue Two Delivers Christmas Cheer

Leaner, meaner, and two bucks cheaper! Just in time for the holidays, Pulp Modern #2 is now available at Createspace.

Publication Date: Dec 01 2011
ISBN/EAN13: 1467974072 / 9781467974073
Page Count: 144
Binding Type: US Trade Paper
Trim Size: 6″ x 9″
Language: English
Color: Black and White
Related Categories: Fiction / Short Stories
Price: $7.99

Pulp Modern issue 2 can be found at https://www.createspace.com/3730618.

Pulp Modern issue 1 is still available as well.

The inaugural issue of Pulp Modern, a quarterly dedicated to crime, fantasy, and western fiction. Includes new stories by Jimmy Callaway, James Duncan, C.J. Edwards, Garnett Elliott, Melissa Embry, Edward A. Grainger, Glenn Gray, David James Keaton, John Kenyon, Chris La Tray, Yarrow Paisley, Matthew Pizzolato, Thomas Pluck, Stephen D. Rogers, Sandra Seamans, Copper Smith and a classic tale by pulp fiction pioneer Lawrence Block. (Edited by Alec Cizak)

Publication Date: Sep 27 2011
ISBN/EAN13: 1466300655 / 9781466300651
Page Count: 170
Binding Type: US Trade Paper
Trim Size: 6″ x 9″
Language: English
Color: Black and White
Related Categories: Fiction / Short Stories
Price: $9.99

Pulp Modern issue 1 can be found at https://www.createspace.com/3683805 or at http://www.amazon.com/Pulp-Modern-Autumn-2011-1/dp/1466300655/ref=zg_bsnr_227890011_8
 
You can learn more about Pulp Modern at http://pulp-modern.blogspot.com/.
Issue two of the critically acclaimed pulp fiction journal, Pulp Modern is now avaialable. This issue includes stories by Patti Abbott, Steven Axelrod, Stephen G. Eonnau, Matthew C. Funk, Jc Hemphill, Jerome K. Jerome, David James Keaton, John Kenyon, Chris La Tray, Michael Moreci, Leland Neville, William Dylan Powell, Jeremy Shane, And Jack Webster. Once again, the journal is edited by Alec Cizak and features stunning cover art by Jeremy Selzer.

Pulp Modern issue 2 can be found at https://www.createspace.com/3730618.

In Stores Today – Moonstone Books Return of the Monsters!

Moonstone Books’ Return of the Monsters titles are available in better comic shops everywhere today. If for some reason your local comic shop doesn’t have them on hand, they can still order them through Diamond or you can order direct through http://www.moonstonebooks.com/ or wherever you buy your favorite comic books on-line.

Titles include Domino Lady vs. The Mummy, Black Bat vs. Dracula, and The Spider vs. Werewolf.

Domino Lady vs. The Mummy

The Egyptian sorceress Nephthys has promised to build her mummified mistress the perfect mate. Together, they cut a bloody swath across 1930’s Hollywood in search of the last few perfect bodies to harvest to complete the process. The last thing Nepthys or the mummy expected to run across was The Domino Lady, a perfect body that fights back.

Story: Nancy Holder, Bobby Nash
Art: Rock Baker, Jeff Austin
Cover: Dan Brereton
40 pages, grayscale, $3.99
Direct Link: http://moonstonebooks.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=917

Black Bat vs. Dracula

For the first time in history three eras collide in one place as Pulp Fiction’s newest heroine, Death Angel joins forces with Pulp’s enduring vigilante The Black Bat to battle the eternal face of horror, Dracula. Mike (The Phantom) Bullock and rising star Eric Johns bring this spine-tingling tale of darkness, lust and fear to you, wrapped in a visceral cover crafted by horror comic legend Dan Brereton.

Story: Mike Bullock
Art: Eric Johns
Cover: Dan Brereton
40 pages, grayscale, $3.99
Direct Link: http://moonstonebooks.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=918

The Spider vs. Werewolf

A seething, ferocious nightmare from the Spider’s dark past invades New York City, preying upon the innocent and the helpless. Mutilated victims are strewn in the blood-slick streets, and once normal men have become murderous monsters. The Master of Men must face the deadly demons alone. Not even his beloved Nita Van Sloan can be trusted when everyone—including the Spider himself—may not be what they seem.

Story: Martin Powell
Art: Jay Piscopo
Cover: Dan Brereton
40 pages, grayscale, $3.99
Direct Link: http://moonstonebooks.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=916

For more information on Moonstoen Books, please visit them at http://www.moonstonebooks.com/.

Moonstone Books Return of the Monsters in stores November 9th.

Moonstone Books Return of the Monsters titles will be available in comic shops on November 9th. Titles include Domino Lady vs. The Mummy, Black Bat vs. Dracula, and The Spider vs. Werewolf.

Domino Lady vs. The Mummy
The Egyptian sorceress Nephthys has promised to build her mummified mistress the perfect mate. Together, they cut a bloody swath across 1930’s Hollywood in search of the last few perfect bodies to harvest to complete the process. The last thing Nepthys or the mummy expected to run across was The Domino Lady, a perfect body that fights back.

Story: Nancy Holder, Bobby Nash
Art: Rock Baker, Jeff Austin
Cover: Dan Brereton
40 pages, grayscale, $3.99

Black Bat vs. Dracula
For the first time in history three eras collide in one place as Pulp Fiction’s newest heroine, Death Angel joins forces with Pulp’s enduring vigilante The Black Bat to battle the eternal face of horror, Dracula. Mike (The Phantom) Bullock and rising star Eric Johns bring this spine-tingling tale of darkness, lust and fear to you, wrapped in a visceral cover crafted by horror comic legend Dan Brereton.

Story: Mike Bullock
Art: Eric Johns
Cover: Dan Brereton
40 pages, grayscale, $3.99

The Spider vs. Werewolf.
A seething, ferocious nightmare from the Spider’s dark past invades New York City, preying upon the innocent and the helpless. Mutilated victims are strewn in the blood-slick streets, and once normal men have become murderous monsters. The Master of Men must face the deadly demons alone. Not even his beloved Nita Van Sloan can be trusted when everyone—including the Spider himself—may not be what they seem.

Story: Martin Powell
Art: Jay Piscopo
Cover: Dan Brereton
40 pages, grayscale, $3.99

For more information on Moonstoen Books, please visit them at http://www.moonstonebooks.com/.

DEATH ANGEL SEEKS VENGEANCE IN NEW TALE ON IPULP!

iPulpfiction.com, the internet’s leading provider of pulp fiction, new and old, has just released the third DEATH ANGEL story, authored by Mike Bullock.

In My Dominion II is the second part of serialized short prose tales starring the New Pulp heroine Death Angel as she unravels a mystery of violence and ancient gods. The story logline is as follows:

Ellen Fromme hopes to come to grips with the macabre events that led to her hus­band’s death and put her past be­hind her. But, she soon finds that her safe pent­house apart­ment and in­su­lat­ed lifestyle are no pro­tec­tion from… Do­min­ion.


Future Death Angel stories are scheduled to appear monthly on iPulp, a cloud-based reading service that publishes classic and contemporary short stories accessible from any device with an up-to-date browser and Internet connection.

The first two Death Angel tales to appear on iPulp can be found here:

Death Angel: Hung Jury
Death Angel: In My Dominion

NYCC PULP PANEL TAKES CENTER STAGE!
0

NYCC PULP PANEL TAKES CENTER STAGE!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pulp Panel at New York Comic Con
Leading voices of Pulp Fiction Gather

New York, NY (October 4, 2011) The leading voices of Pulp Fiction will gather at New York Comic Con for an examination of a unique American genre; Pulp Fiction. This Panel will explore the roots of pulp and look forward to the exciting efforts of today and tomorrow in comics, prose, e-books, audiobooks and recorded drama.

Panelists include: Nick Barrucci, Publisher of Dynamite Comics (The Shadow, The Spider), Greg Goldstein, COO of IDW (The Rocketeer), author and historian Will Murray (Doc Savage’s Wild Adventures), historian Anthony Tollin (Reprinting classics via Nostalgia Ventures), Mark Tepper (CEO Radio Spirits), Wade Hosth (Pulp Historian) Mark Halegua (Pulp1st), author Jim Beard (Fourteen Miles to Gotham City) and author Adam Garcia (Green Lama).

Bonfire Agency’s Ed Catto will moderate the panel.

“We’re expecting a robust discussion celebrating everything new and fresh about this unique genre. And we’re also planning on giving away a plethora of free prizes to panel attendees,” said Ed Catto.

The Panel is scheduled for Sunday, October 16, 2011 from 1:30 to 2:30 in Room 1A02 of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center at 655 West 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan.

The event is open to all registered attendees of the New York Comic Con, space permitting, and has been made possible by special arrangement with Ghost Light Films, Inc., Reed POP and Bonfire Agency, LLC.

# # #

About Bonfire Agency LLC
Bonfire Agency LLC is the marketing community’s first advertising and promotional agency specializing in helping brands reach and deepen connections with highly influential, but difficult to engage, pop culture consumers. This demo, labeled by some as geek or comic culture, is comprised of incredibly passionate, tribe-wired fans of everything from comic books, video games and action films to underground music, sci-fi inspired television and cutting edge adult comedy. Bonfire’s mission is to find ways to build relevant bridges between brands and a diverse audience of consumers that just might become their most effective advocates. The agency was founded in January 2011 by marketing veterans and pop culture specialists Steve Rotterdam (former Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at TimeWarner’s DC Comics) and Ed Catto (former Senior Vice President at Ogilvy and Reed Exhibitions). For more information, visit www.BonfireAgency.com.

About ReedPop
ReedPOP is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions that is exclusively devoted to organizing events, launching and acquiring new shows, and partnering with premium brands in the pop culture arena. ReedPOP is dedicated to producing celebrations of popular culture throughout the world that transcend ordinary events by providing unique access and dynamic personal experiences for consumers and fans. The ReedPOP portfolio includes: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) East & West, Star Wars Celebration V, New York Anime Festival (NYAF), and UFC Fan Expo. The staff at ReedPOP is a fan based group of professionals producing shows for other fans, thus making them uniquely qualified to service those with whom they share a common passion. ReedPOP is focused on bringing its expertise and knowledge to world communities in North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

AND AS A PARTING PIRATEY SHOT, PULP EMPIRE AND ANOTHER INTERVIEW!

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 Viktor Kowalski, author of “The Treasure of the Lost Race”.


When did you first realize you were a writer?
When I wrote my first yarn. I was like: “Wow! I’m a writer! Awesome!”


What authors influence or inspire you?
Robert E. Howard.


What book(s) have you read more than once? What drew you back?
The “Complete Chronicles of Conan” by Robert E. Howard because it contains the best fantasy yarns ever written; “Prometheus Rising” by Robert A. Wilson because it is the absolutely best book about the workings of the human mind, and what you can do to make the most of yours.


Do you consider yourself a “pulp” writer? Why? Is there another genre you like to write?
But of course. I like to write pulps because that’s what I like to read.

I also write genre fiction like fantasy, historical fiction, adventure, horror and sci-fi, sometimes in pulp style, other times not. I’ve tried writing those contemporary dramas, steeped in emotional wallowing and whining, seasoned with quasi-intellectual and philosophical self-indulgence. It didn’t work.



In 25 words or less, how would you define “pulp” as a genre?
Robert E. Howard.




What made you decide to submit a story for the Pirates & Swashbucklers anthology?
It seemed like an excellent opportunity to showcase my exquisite writing ability. Seriously.




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!

IT’S A TWO PIRATE THURSDAY FROM PULP EMPIRE!

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 Ken Lizzi, author of “Bravo” and Alva J. Roberts, author of “Stephen the Swift.”


First, Ken Lizzi-
When did you first realize you were a writer?
I realized I was a writer upon receiving the check for my first story; I was paid for writing so I must be a writer.


What authors influence or inspire you?
Glen Cook, Bernard Cornwell, Lindsey Davis, Jack Vance, George MacDonald Fraser, Roger Zelazny. Frankly, I’m influenced by whatever I happen to be reading at the moment. And I read constantly and widely.


What book(s) have you read more than once? What drew you back?
We can just take Tolkien as a given, right? I’ve gone back to “Silverlock” by John Myers Myers (not a typographical error, that was his name) again and again. The flawed, cynical, self-centered character always resonates with me. Take that as you like. The scope and depth of Myers world, the allusions piled upon allusions, reward each revisit.


Do you consider yourself a “pulp” writer? Why? Is there another genre you like to write?
I don’t consider myself attached to, or beholden to, any particular genre. I suppose my fledgling list of credits does tilt pulp – crime fiction and comic book science fiction (or science fantasy: I don’t intend to rehash the argument as to what genre precisely “Star Wars” fits into.)


In 25 words or less, how would you define “pulp” as a genre?
Pulp is a sensibility, an expectation of entertainment indulged at, or beyond, the borders of contemporary respectability.


What made you decide to submit a story for the Pirates & Swashbucklers anthology?
As an exercise/challenge undertaken by my writing group.

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!

 Now, Alva J. Roberts


When did you first realize you were a writer?
Just a few years ago, right around when my favorite author, Robert Jordan, passed away. I had tried to write a novel a few times before that but never made it past the first chapter. I always told myself I would finish one someday. Mr. Jordan’s tragic passing helped me realize that someday might never come and if I wanted to write I needed to do it now. Six months later I finished my first novel, it was a horrible, unpublishable, mess but it was done and I had the writing “bug”. Now it is something I do nearly every day.


What authors influence or inspire you?
Robert Jordan, JRR Tolkien, Patrick Rothfuss, George RR Martin, Raymond Feist, Anne McCaffrey, David Eddings, Fred Saberhagen, RA Salvatore, Stephen R Donaldson, Brandon Sanderson, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Terry Pratchett and probably a few dozen more I can’t remember right now, I’ve always been a voracious reader.


What book(s) have you read more than once? What drew you back?
I try to read the Lord of the Rings every year or so. The series was the first thing I ever read without pictures, in the fourth or fifth grade. Whenever I read the books I get that same magical feeling I got back then. It was my introduction to the fantasy genre, and was the beginning of my long and wonderful love 

affair with reading.



Do you consider yourself a “pulp” writer? Why? Is there another genre you like to write?
For novels, I am a fantasy author. I usually use short fiction as a way to practice things I need to work on, and as a way to relax. When I write short fiction, I just write something that sounds fun. A lot of the time that means fantasy or sci-fi in the “pulp” genre, but other times it means something a little darker or a humorous piece. My short fiction really depends on my moods.


In 25 words or less, how would you define “pulp” as a genre?
Pulp is action-packed fun. Pulp is larger than life heroes, exotic places, and over the top villains. It is something read purely for entertainment.



What made you decide to submit a story for the Pirates & Swashbucklers anthology?
I wrote a story and was looking for some place to send it. I saw the call for submissions and decided my story might be a good fit. I had already read some of Pulp Empire’s online content so I pretty confident that it was going to be a high quality publication.




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!