Tagged: Sci-Fi

INTERVIEW WITH RON FORTIER!!!!-Creator/Writer/Publisher/Reviewer




Ron Fortier (on left) and Rob Davis

 AP: Ron, ALL PULP really appreciates you putting all those irons you have in the fire down for a bit to answer some questions for us. First, tell us about yourself.

RF: I’ll be 64 born on Guy Fawkes Day, Nov.5th. A post war baby who grew up reading comics in the 50s and 60s and fell in love with them. Enough to want to pursue a career as a comics writer, while at the same time working for a local GE Plant in New Hampshire and raising a family of five (three boys and two girls) who in turn gave us six wonderful grand kids (four girls and two boys). Retired from the day job with a full pension almost eight years ago now and devote most of my time to the family and my writing. We recently sold the home in N.H. and moved to west to Fort Collins, Colorado where I am just now setting up my new office.

AP: Now, although this is an interview about your work in the pulp genre, you also have a background in writing in other fields, both past and present. Briefly, tell us what other mediums you’ve written and work in?

RF: Well, I mentioned the 30 yr. comics writing career which had me writing such diverse licensed characters as Popeye, Peter Pan and Rambo and my own inventions like the every popular Mr.Jigsaw Man of a Thousand Parts. I’m most known for my work on the Green Hornet for Now Comics and having written the first comic script ever illustrated by Alex Ross; Terminator – Burning Earth. About ten years ago I started writing pulp fiction and with Texas fantasy writer, Ardath Mayhar, wrote three paperback fantasy adventures. About the same time I wrote a play; a romantic comedy called Where Love Takes You that was performed by a local theater company. So I’ve dabbled in lots of various venues with this writing thing.

AP: How and when did your heavy involvement with pulp start? Were you a diehard fan like so many writers and artists in the genre now or did this interest and obsession come to you later in life?

RF: I’d always been aware of the pulps as having been genre of fantastic literature that spawned the comics. As my comics career grew, I kept learning more and more about those amazing magazines that entertained an entire generation during the Great Depression and that fascination led to my studying pulps and quickly becoming a devoted fan. So although I came to them late, my interest and passion for them has grown steadily over the years.

AP: You are one of the men behind Airship 27 Productions. What are the origins of Airship 27?

RF: Five years ago only a very few publishers were actively publishing new pulp adventures. Most outfits were content with reprinting the old originals over and over and over again. Wild Cat Books was one of these and I suggested to Ron Hanna the idea of publishing new material. He agreed to take a stab at it and I created Airship 27 Productions as a label for those all new books to be released under the Wild Cat book imprint. I wanted them set apart from his reprints. Hanna saw that these titles were selling extremely well and opted to do more of them himself. Whereas that would have meant we’d be competing against each other under one banner, we both agreed Airship 27 should divorce itself from Wild Cat Books and go it alone as an entirely new pulp publisher. Now along this journey, my old comic pal, artist Rob Davis, had joined me as Art Director and when we launched, he agreed to stay on as my partner in the venture wherever it took us.

AP: How would you define the mission and purpose of your publishing company. What are Airship 27’s plans and intentions?

RF: Airship 27 Productions’s mission is a simple one, to keep the pulp genre alive and healthy by publishing the best new pulp fiction and art available on the market today.
Over the past two years we’ve broadened our line up to include classic characters like Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson. We are bringing out brand new 30s pulp heroes created by our stable of talented writers and at the same time still shining the light on the classic heroes ala the Green Lama, Jim Anthony and Black Bat. In the coming years we hope to continue this diversity of books across an even wider spectrum of pulp titles.

AP: Airship 27 is partnered with Cornerstone Publishers. How did that come about and exactly what is the arrangement between the two companies?

RF: Initially Rob and I were going to self-publish our titles via print-on-demand like Wild Cat and all the others out there. Cornerstone Book Publishers is a traditional book publisher out of New Orleans run by Michael Poll. Michael learned what we had in mind with Airship 27 and offered to become our “real” publisher. Ergo, Rob and I produce the books and Cornerstone publishes them. Note they do so traditionally through their printer and get them out to all reputable book distributors while at the same time, they also offer print-on-demand edition on all our titles for those fans looking to save some pennies via an Airship 27 Lulu store. This is our way of thanking of pulp fans by allowing them to get our books through several different options.

AP: Airship 27 publishes pulp novels. What sort of properties are you currently working with, both of the public domain and original variety?

RF: Well I mentioned several of our classic public domain series such as Jim Anthony Super Detective and Green Lama. To date we’ve done books featuring these characters and have lots more on the way. At the same time we released B.C Bell’s Tales of the Bagman, a pulp hero he created in the classic mold of 30s adventures. Bell puts a nice spin on an old style of writing. At the moment we are gearing up to do another Secret Agent X, which will be our fourth in that series at the same time looking to debut several new heroes and a brand new anthology of such called Mystery Men now in production.

AP: What does it take to be a writer or artist at Airship 27? What are you looking for in staff members?

RF: There is no staff per se, just yours truly and Rob. As for how does one get to work for Airship 27, that’s an easy question to answer. All creators need do is send me a sample of their work. With writers I ask to see two pages of fiction focusing on high speed action, whereas artists have to impress me with their level of skill and understanding of what it means to illustrate a scene. It is not comic drawing and many artists really can’t do it. The same applies to those artists wanting to do our covers. They need to understand the differences between a comic cover and a fully painted pulp cover.

AP: Are there any long term plans for Airship 27 that go beyond publishing quality pulp collections and novels or are you and company just pleased to be doing what you’re doing?

RF: I don’t really see us expanding the books department. Being basically a two man operation, we’d like to continue releasing between 10 and 12 books a year. But at the same time we have also started putting together pulp themed comic books that will tie in with our prose books. We’ve a Captain Hazzard graphic novel in the works and another starring Secret Agent X. So in that regards, Airship 27 will expand to some degree.

AP: You are a publisher, but you came into this field a writer. What are some of your writing credits in the pulp field?

RF: Hmmm, okay. I created and wrote the Brother Bones character/anthology. Co-wrote the Hounds of Hell with Gordon Linzner wherein the Moon Man battles Doctor Satan and of course my four Captain Hazzard novels. I’ve also contributed shorts stories to many of Moonstone’s Chronicles series to include the Spider, the Phantom, Domino Lady, Green Hornet and the Avenger. I am also writing a comic strip pulp series for their Return of the Original lines starring I.V. Frost with art by Jake Minor.

AP: Captain Hazzard is one of your credits. You’ve written one novel and have another in the works. But Captain Hazzard’s original lifetime in the pulp lasted all of one issue of one magazine. What appeals to you about this character so much that you breathe life into him again in the modern era?

RF: I’ve actually written four Captain Hazzard novels, starting with my re-write of the one and only 1938 magazine adventure, Python Men of the Lost City. Then with Martin Powell, co-wrote Citadel of Fear, followed by Curse of the Red Maggot and finally Cavemen of New York. And yes, I am currently writing Captain Hazzard # 5 which I hope to have finished by the end of the year. Hazzard appealed to me because he very much a clean slate. Having only appeared in that one story, most of the potential inherent in the concept was never realized and I saw an opportunity to do that. To take the series in whatever direction I wanted to and make it mine. Something that would have been impossible doing pastiches of licenses stars like the Shadow and Doc Savage. Apparently the fans like what I’ve done with Captain Hazzard and want to seem more. I’m only happy to oblige them.

AP: Tell us a bit about your original characters you’ve created for pulp. Can you give us five or so sentences on any Fortier original pulp characters?

RF: Brother Bones is a former mob assassin who is sent back from the dead to atone for his sins by avenging the innocent victims of crime in the dark city of Cape Fear. He’s a zombie avenger and his stories deal with the supernatural. Whereas John Lazarus is the leader of the Ghost Squad that I created with a writer Andrew Salmon. He appeared in their debut novel, Rise of the Black Legion. He is the Lazarus from the bible and is immortal. He has led various teams throughout history in combating Satan’s legions and in this new pulp series, he puts together another team in the late 1930s to fight Hitler and the Nazis. Andrew and I hope to get a second book done in the near future.

AP: You’re also a reviewer of pulp fiction. Do you have a particular process you go through when doing a review? Do you just read the material, then write your opinion or do you have a checklist that you use when you read something, looking for certain things, or any other techniques you use in doing reviews?

RF: I have no set formula for writing my reviews. I merely read the book, allow my reactions to settle in and then write my honest thoughts about what I’ve read. Obviously for me to label anything pulp, be it a western, crime novel or sci-fi, it has to meet certain requirements ala fast pacing, exotic locales and heroic characters. If those are present, then I feel justified in reviewing the book as a pulp. Currently my Pulp Fiction Reviews are being posted on four different websites beside my original blog page. Guess you could say I’m net syndicated. Ha.

AP: You are founder and a member of the Pulp Factory? Just what is the Pulp Factory and what are the Pulp Factory awards?

RF: The Pulp Factory began as just another Yahoo Web Group for pulp fans. Thing is it just got bigger with more and more members. Two years ago, two of them suggested we create some kind of award to support and promote “new” pulp art and fiction. That year, at the Windy City Pulp Con, ten of us from the PF got together over breakfast one morning and hashed out the creation of the Pulp Factory Awards. Rob designed an actual statue and proceeded to find a sculpture to get them made. I, in turn, worked up the nomination and voting process and we created four categories to include Best Pulp Novel, Best Pulp Short Story, Best Pulp Cover and Best Pulp Interior Art. These to be awarded for material published the previous year. There were other parameters which we explained to the membership. Only members of the PF can nominate and vote on the final ballot awards. Then we contacted Doug Ellis, one of the promoters of Windy City and asked if we could make our first every presentation at their show this past Spring.

Thus we awarded the first ever Pulp Factory Awards for works done in 2009. They were a huge success and got us lots of great publicity and tons of new members, almost swelling our ranks to twice their size. Come Jan. 2011, nominations for the 2010 PFA will begin and by April, we will be giving out four more very cool statues at Windy City.

Note, any pulp fan reading this who would like to join the Pulp Factory and participate just needs to drop me a line. Membership is by invitation only.

AP: Any future projects you want to promote? Your own work? Anything on the horizon from Airship 27?

RF: Our most successful Airship 27 series to date has been our Sherlock Holmes – Consulting Detective which went to number 45 on the Amazon Mystery Anthology list. Bloody amazing. Volume Two sold just as well. I want to let all our SH fans know that we are indeed releasing a Volume Three in Jan. 2011 and the stories are as ever top notch, old fashion Holmes and Watson winners. Don Gates has created a new pulp hero called Challenger Storm and his first novel will soon be coming out and features interior art by one of the finest graphic artist in the history of American illustrations. His identity will surprise lots of people. And writer R.A. Jones has signed on to write a new series of adventure fantasy books for us that I can only describe as the exploits of a Native American Conan in a world where there were no Europeans to invade these shores. It has the potential to be something truly unique and pure pulp magic. Tentative title, Deathwalker. Look for that also in 2011. That and of course lots and lots of other cool pulp stuff.

AP: Ron, it’s been a genuine pleasure sitting down with you!

RF : Pleasure was all mine, thanks a million!

 

CALL ISSUED FOR WRITERS AND ARTISTS FOR ZOMBIE PULP MAG!

This call for creators is taken from http://www.thelibraryofthelivingdead.com/

“Greetings one and all,

I spoke to the good doctor about Deaf Mute Press and The Library putting out a joint venture. What made the most sense would be “These Terrible Times” an anthology featuring the dead.

For some history on what pulps are (or were), they were showcases for some of the greatest sci-fi and horror writers the world has ever known. Pulps were most prominent from the 1920’s through the early 1960’s as the medium died off. Not before Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, R.E. Howard, H.G. Wells and many others first printed original stories and characters that have become icons.

Well, I decided to bring it back. Pulps were developed to be a cheap alternative to books and in the early years, comics.

Guidelines are as follows:

This will be published Quarterly starting in Jan/Feb 2011

There will be 3 “feature” stories each issue. They will compromise about 3-10k words each. Depending on the quality of stories, SERIALIZED stories are strongly requested but not a requirement.
The featured stories will be handpicked from the best submissions, i would like to have at least 1 serialized story in each issue.

Flash is welcome too, about 7-8 flash stories could be included in each issue. Short stories between 500-2k will have space for 3 or 4.

Cover artists are welcome, painted or fully colored line art is requested.

Payment will be .01 per word or an equal # of contributor copies, whichever the writer or artist prefers. Payment of the cover artwork will be negotiated prior to acceptance.

I will have updates weekly to let everyone know what type of story is required to fill the issue. Projected to have between 40-52 pages each issue.

Dimensions will be 6.75″ x 9.75″

The stories? Wide open, there are no types of guidelines, just have zombies in the story.

I know i am missing something but i can’ t think of it, either pm me or post whatever questions you have.

SUBMIT stories to deafmutepress (at) gmail.com starting september 10th.”

The First Ever Pulp Themed Restaurant gets more press!!

Wayne Skiver’s RAYGUN CAF’ gets an awesome write up spotlighting the new eatery in the St. Louis area.  Check it out at http://www.stlmag.com/!

Also, RAYGUN CAFE is hosting a rather unique sci fi pulp centered exhibit. According to Wayne, “Raygun Cafe’  The ONLY Pulp/Comic/& Sci-Fi themed Restaurant in this dimension is playing host to the amazing Stained Glass work of St. Louis Artist William Mark Wallis.  “Robots Under Glass” features iconic imagery drawn from movies, magazines, and imagination.  On display now.  Illuminated Photographs of select pieces will be posted soon on this and other related sites!”

KICKING OFF THIS PULP ARTISTS’ WEEKEND (P.A.W.)-INTERVIEW WITH TOM FLOYD!!!

TOM FLOYD-Artist/Writer/Creator of CAPTAIN SPECTRE
AP:  Tom, pull up a chair here at the ALL PULP interview table.  It’s a pleasure to have you.  Can you give us a bit of background on who Tom Floyd is?

TF: First of all thanks for having me here at All Pulp. I do appreciate it a lot. 
Who is Tom Floyd, good question, as I still have trouble with that one. I have been a roustabout in the oil field, a soldier in the U.S. Army, a mechanic, an art teacher in public schools, a black line camera operator, a graphic designer…let’s just say I have worked at a lot of jobs. I am a father and grandfather, kind of a recluse, but always a kid at heart. Also always interested in comics, and storytelling. I grew up fairly isolated, but always had my imagination to rely upon. 


AP:  Okay, you have your hand in Pulp in a few different ways, but let’s focus first on your art.  Can you give us a rundown of what sort of projects you have done as an artist, pulp-wise?

TF: Well first and foremost is the current Captain Spectre comic, which is a cross between my love of pulps and movie serials. I have also illustrated an edition of Tarzan of the Apes for the Burroughs Bibliophiles, and several editions of Edgar Rice Burroughs books for Bison Press. I have worked on the Spider for Moonstone, doing the first Spider Christmas story with my good friend and great writer Martin Powell. I also got to illustrate a collection of Spider stories for Moonstone. I have illustrated some game art for various companies doing pulp style role-playing games. And currently working on the first short feature of KiGor the Jungle Lord for Moonstone. Also some covers for various small publishers that are doing pulp reprints and the so called ‘neo-pulp’ stuff. 


AP:  What appeals to you as an artist about creating pulp art?  What sets pulp art apart from other genres of art?

TF: Everything about pulp art is what draws me to it. I like the time period especially. I am a huge fan of the movies of the 30’s and 40’s and the serials, so all of that carries over into the pulp art. It is a heroic art form. And at the same time sensational and sexy. It was the original archetype for comic art. It’s like the adventure started with the pulps. I like to research the clothing, the cars, and guns, and especially like dreaming up my own science equipment. Nothing like designing your own death-ray. 
AP:  You’ve done quite a bit of art around the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs.  Are you an ERB Fan?  How did you get associated with ERB in terms of doing art for several published items?  What appeals about ERB to you as a fan and artist?

TF: Yes, I am a huge fan of ERB. He is one of the authors I read as a kid. I was able to lose myself in Burrough’s Africa especially. The Tarzan books are my favorites, but I enjoyed the Mar’s books, and all the others. 
My first job doing some Burroughs art other than for myself was with Bison Books. I did several covers and interiors for them. Everything from Pellucidar, to all the Moon books, then I was contacted by Jerry Schiender from the Burroughs Society to do an edition of Tarzan of the Apes. I did two covers, one for the dust jacket, one for the frontispiece, 8 black and white full page illustrations and 28 chapter headers for the text. It was my finest hour, to actually get to do a published Tarzan. This year I was contacted again by a section of the Burroughs Society to do the cover for a new edition of ‘the Mucker’. Also I was the artist guest of honor at the convention in Chicago and I was awarded the Golden Lion Award. I must say it was unexpected and of one the greatest honors of my life.  
I guess what appeals to me the most about the Burroughs works are mostly the visuals. On one hand he gives you enough details to imagine what things look like, but on the other it is like it is shrouded in a fog. So as an artist you can get in there and add or take away things and people still recognize it as a scene from a Burroughs story. You also can’t beat ray-guns and swords for posing people with. 

AP:  Burroughs is a very visual writer, very descriptive in many ways.  What kind of challenge does that present to you as an artist, other than the fact that it is ERB?

TF: Just the fact that it is ERB is a really daunting fact. Just getting over the shock that someone wants me to illustrate any of ERBs works is a hurtle. Then I have to think about making sure what I draw is true to the text and the visual language of the novel. I always read through the book I am working on. When I did the Tarzan of the Apes, it was the pulp text not the printed book, I read through it because honestly I had never read the pulp. Most people don’t realize it is different from the novel. When the book got printed some revisions were made. Most striking to me was the scene where the tiger is attacking the cabin where Jane is hiding. Burroughs went in and changed the tigers to female lions in the book version. So I got to show Tarzan fighting with a tiger. It was great fun. 
Also trying to pick a certain look for the characters. With Tarzan there are so many versions, and influences. My first vision of Tarzan was the Johnny Weissmuller movies. He, even though is vastly different than the book Tarzan, will always be my favorite on screen version of Tarzan and visual idea of the character. Again Burroughs descriptions of places and characters give you enough information to make them identifiable to fans, but leaves enough room for an artist to play around with. That way each artist can make his/her own version and fans still recognize the character. Also you have to overcome the fact that artists like Hal Foster, Frank Frazetta, Roy Krenkel, and so many great artists have drawn these characters. So you have to bring your best to the table each time. 

AP:  TARZAN and other Burroughs creations are not the only established characters you’ve rendered.  Can you talk about your work related to KI-GOR and THE SPIDER?

TF: With both the Spider and KiGor, I was already a bit fan of both. I always preferred the Spider’s adventures to the other crime-fighters of the era. I like the craziness of the stories and really wanted to do a Spider comic. I really enjoyed doing the illustrations for the Spider stories first. Then I really pushed for a Spider comic, and got the chance to do a story for the Moonstone Christmas anthology. Again with my favorite writer, Martin Powell. I wish I could have continued with the series as I was just getting comfortable with the character, and his look and feel. 
With KiGor again Martin Powell and I approached Joe Gentile at Moonstone for KiGor to be a small try out part of the new Originals series at Moonstone. KiGor is the best clone of Tarzan, and since I will probably never get to do a Tarzan strip, I really wanted to bring back good old jungle adventures. As with each product I produce, I try to do the best I can in the time allowed. I could spend lots more time getting it just right, but again with my day job and all I only really get to work on comics an hour or two a night, and on weekends. So I try to produce the best I can. There was some updating done with KiGor, as per the request of Moonstone. So I came up with several versions of the character. I guess the main thing was they wanted a bit more of a modern take. I came up with the idea of the scarification on his left arm. Since KiGor was taken in by a shaman, which also gives a mystic quality to the character, I thought that maybe one of the only things that Robert, KiGor, had with him was a coat of arms in a bible. His father was a missionary killed by a tribe. So his shaman father sees this coat of arms as a spirit guide, so he does the scarification on young Roberts arm. Hence the dragon, and the crenelated line from the Kilgore family crest. The other thing was KiGor was always shown on the pulp covers and in the books with a leopard skin loincloth. The fans can blame me for taking that away and using the standard doe skin type. I have never liked the look of the leopard skin loincloths. Also we sexed up Helene a bit more as she was always shown with a bathing suit type of leopard skin design. As any good woman will be she will have various outfits. I hope to change them for each story. 
So no more Spider stuff for me in the near future, but look for KiGor in a widevision story, and the eleven page back up story from Moonstone in the early part of next year. 

AP:  When working with someone else’s character, what sort of process do you go through to prepare to work on it?  Any techniques you use either in preparation or in production you would like to share?

TF: First off, I want to be faithful to the look and feel of the character. Or else why else do it. I have never understood why people take characters and change them so much that the original fans can’t even recognize them. I see so many modernizations of characters that fail, at least in my eyes. I understand companies do that because of the built in audiences, but I think you lose those readers when you destroy the characters. So I tried to remain faithful first and foremost. Of course you have to deal with people that are wanting things updated. 
Then I have to draw the character and get used to drawing him/her. So I start out sketching. I produce tons of drawings, how the character stands, moves, fights, etc. What they look like on bad days, good days, with costume, without costume, in various sets of clothes. Sometimes I even pick an actor or actress from the past I think would be a good fit, visually for the character, and try to cartoon that persons looks into the character. 

AP: When you’re working on a character that lived first in prose and now you’re drawing his/her comic adventures, is that different than just creating and drawing your own characters? Is there a certain pressure to meet a standard for fans of the original pulp adventures when you’re bringing their favorite heroes to life in a comic?

TF: Again, I try to remain faithful to the original version of the character whenever possible. The original version should be the template by which you work. Of course other influences come into play. The character has to flow with the artwork. You have to try to capture the better poses and visuals from the prose and translate them into the comic medium. There, again, is pressure from all sides in visualizing characters. From the fans, future fans, and the tradition of all the great illustrators that worked on the character before. I just always hope mine is a little different, and that someone somewhere likes it. 

AP: You have your own creation that you not only draw, but also write.  Who is Captain Spectre?

TF: Captain Spectre is my ultimate creation. He is everything I like about the kinds of stories I like to read. He is also a pawn of my imagination. I designed the strip and character to be able to plug him into every genre and he fits. Some characters from the moment of creation are a certain type of character. But the good Captain can take on all types of stories and genres. He could fit in a Universal horror movie type of story just as easy as he can fit into a space opera. He is a part of me, a very personal character. He is an outlet for my stories, personal and imaginary. 
But technically he is the son of a scientist who turned to evil late in his career. As a boy Chris, Captain Spectre, was left alone to his own devices. When World War 1 broke out he joined up against his father’s wishes, which caused a rift in their relationship. As a soldier Chris earns the nickname Captain Spectre for his behind the lines work he does during the war. When he learns of his fathers death, he takes some of his fathers fantastic inventions to wage a war on evil wherever he finds it. 

AP:  It’s obvious when one looks at www.captainspectre.com that he was born of several influences.  Would you list what some of those were and how they were a part of your development of Spectre?

TF: Well that is kind of a long list. Obviously when most people see it at first they think, depending on the age group, that it is a Rocketeer clone. That is what I usually get at comic conventions. Mostly since they only know that influence, and don’t even realize Rocketeer was a piece of the serial Commando Cody, Rocketman character. Commando Cody is my favorite serial character, so he was a major influence on Captain Spectre. The Captain is also part Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Captain America, Flash Gordon, TV’s Captain Midnight, a dash of Peter Pan, and a bit of the Spider thrown in. That is if you want separate it all out. Mainly the stalwart heroes influenced the basic character. But also Captain Spectre enjoys his adventures hence the dash of Peter Pan, and some characters like Errol Flynn’s Robin Hood. The Lightning Legion is directly influenced by the Secret Squadron from TV’s Captain Midnight – I still have my decoder badge and patch, and still drink my ovaltine. 
There are parts of me, my dad, and personal heroes in there too. 

AP:  Captain Spectre definitely has a special place in your work, that is evident in the sleek, streamlined way the site is set up and the level of content and items that are available. Is there a market in this modern era for a character steeped in old time radio shows, movie serials, and pulp magazines?

TF: Well again, I think a good story is a good story, so I would think that people don’t get turned off by the fact it takes place in the past, like a period Hollywood piece. Also I feel there is a history in comics that isn’t recognized sometimes. Where we came from, the beginnings of the industry, that should be preserved. About all I purchase anymore are older collections that are being published now. I am really glad those are around because I don’t buy anything new anymore. I have grown tired of the long stories that don’t seem to go anywhere and are totally character driven. 
So I do think there is an audience for good stories, if only I could tell a good story. But I do think there have been some successes in the field. The Rocketeer was popular, mainly just for Dave Stevens art. I also feel that the Spider would translate to modern times because his body count was more than the Punisher. I know of revisions of a couple of other characters in the works, but aren’t happy with the treatment. But I am an old school kind of guy. I don’t even like new movies, and I even prefer black and white ones. But there are a few people out there like me, so those are the people who will read things like Captain Spectre. 
Also you have to consider the digital comics route. I think this has the potential to reach more people. I have a few fans in other countries that I would have never reached if not for the internet. And I think it is all about the quality of the work. Good story and good art will get a few readers no matter what the genre. 

AP: How do you make Spectre relevant to modern readers? Or is that even a concern you have?

Well, I actually didn’t start out thinking about modern readers. I just thought about what I hoped was good stories. The strip actually started as a way for my art to get better. I want to be a better penciller, inker, visual storyteller, and visual designer. I wanted to fill a niche of comics that don’t seem to exist much anymore. Good adventure cliff-hangers. I was really tired of the big event comics from the big two publishers. Plus I don’t even recognize some of the characters I grew up with anymore. So Captain Spectre is a throw back to the old days. I knew going in it was a tough sell, and that modern readers probably won’t like it much. I don’t have page upon page of characters standing around talking, and I don’t center on the personal problems of the characters like most big comics now days. I would like new readers to enjoy it because it a fun adventure strip, but all I can do is pour my heart and soul into it and hope people find something in it they can like. I have such a slow production rate since I have a day job and find it hard to make time to do the fun Captain Spectre stuff. It is hard to produce enough work to get noticed. The planning and process of doing the strip is very time consuming. 
I think bottom line I want to tell good, solid, fun, and exciting stories and hope people find it. 
Even today a good story is a good story. I hope one of these days I am a good enough storytelling to tell one. I do hesitate to call myself a writer. I try to improve all the time. But, I get bogged down sometimes in all the ideas I have, so more than half of them get thrown out, or set aside to be used later on. So maybe one of these days I will write something that will be good. I find I have lots of ideas for stories, I just hope I can get them on paper some time where they actually read like real stories. 

AP:  Do you have other original creations?  If so, where might we point folks to check those out as well?

TF: I have tons of original characters. Some published, some hidden away for use later on. The Captain Spectre strip is a good clearing house, or place to introduce other characters I have created. Recently I introduced the Sam Justice, the Gun-Hawk, character I created. Sam is like all the B movie cowboys I grew up with, like Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Only no singing, I can’t write songs or play a musical instrument. 
In the past I ran a comics company during the 80’s. Elite comics was called ‘the best kept secret in comics history’ since it didn’t last too long and was a color comics company during the black and white explosion days. We published several titles. I wrote and provided the art for ‘the Epsilon Wave’ which started a character called ‘nightmare’. I also created other characters in the past such as ‘Mr. Fright – the haunted man’ which was a really demented generational hero in the horror genre. I plan on reviving him in a Captain Spectre chapter someday. The Epsilon Wave also had a character which was all Texas in it. I had big plans for him and still do, so someday you may even see ‘Lone Star’ in a Captain Spectre chapter. 
The Elite comics titles are still around in the quarter boxes at cons. Ever now and again someone will find an issue and pass it to me at a convention to sign. It is truly a blast from the past. 
I have created characters in every genre since I was a kid. From sci-fi to secret agents they all still live in my mind, and hopefully I can get them all down on paper again someday. 

AP:  Pulp, both fiction and art, historically has been looked down upon.  What would you say to someone who thinks pulp art is lesser than other types of art just because of its subject matter or the fact that it appeared on the cover of a fiction magazine?

TF: As an ex art teacher, I will try to keep this short since I could rant on it all day. First all illustration has been frowned on throughout the generations. There has always been a rift between the so called ‘fine artists’ and the illustrators. I have never understood the two camps, when bottom line it all comes down to one thing – making a living. Fine artists try to get exhibitions to sell their work, so they must get discovered. Illustrators have to get a paying job to sell their work. Just because one is cloaked in cosmic psycho-babble about creating the work and what they are doing, and the other in technical skill and style and publishing — they are both about getting work and getting paid so you can create more work. 
I mean honestly have you looked at modern art lately in a gallery, fine artists are doing the same thing that was done in the 40’s by people like Pollock and Stills. The fine artists go for the rich audience who can afford to own one of their paintings or whatever, and the illustrators go for the throat of the common man. The illustrators like telling stories and entertaining people not hiding away their work in rich guys dark hallway where only more rich people see it. 

AP:  What is in the near future for Tom Floyd?  What is coming for Captain Spectre, as well as any other work you are doing?

TF: Well I consider Captain Spectre my future. I hope to retire in a few years from my day job and devote all my time to Captain Spectre and other projects. But in the pipeline right now for the good Captain is his first printed comic adventure. It will be a stand alone issue that is a good old fashioned slobber-knocker. Or in other words an all out action pulp adventure. The second issue will be World War 2 adventure, followed by the third adventure which will be a sword and planet type story. 
Also I am about half way through that first KiGor short story, and have finished the KiGor widevision illustrations. I have other odds and ends in the pipeline but those are secret at the moment. 

AP:  Tom, its been a true honor to visit with you.  Thanks for your time.

___________________________________________

INTERVIEW-WAYNE SKIVER-PUBLISHER/AUTHOR/RESTAURANTEUR/CONVENTIONEER

AP: Wayne, thanks a ton for taking a break from your busy schedule, much of which we’ll discuss in a bit, to sit down with ALL PULP. Before we get into you and Pulp, can you give us a bit of background on yourself?

WS:  I’m tempted to quote Dr. Evil “The circumstances of my upbringing are quite inconsequential.”  but Sure:  I’m a lifelong fan and collector of comics and fantastic fiction.  My two first heroes were Batman and oddly enough Conan the Barbarian, the Marvel Comics version.  Those 1970’s Conan comics were the gateway to pulps for me and as a kid I devoured Robert E. Howard and quickly discovered and fell in love with Doc Savage.  My interests naturally led to me wanting to tell my own stories.

AP: You have your hands in several things pulpwise, so let’s tackle it in pieces. First, your writing. Can you give us an overview of your published works, both fiction and nonfiction, in the field of pulp?

WS: Yow…that list is getting away from me!  I was surprised myself when I started going over it recently.  From fan fiction and little no name local comic fanzines as a teen to my first “real” published story which featured my own pulp hero, Prof. Stone. about six years ago.  An overview:  I’ve written and am writing articles on Comics History for Jim Main’s “Comic Fan!” magazine, Several articles on the history of golden age heroes and classic comic creators, a well recieved article on the history of Doctor Who as well as a handful of Sci-Fi and Fantasy stories for Startling Stories and Lost Sanctum, I’ve had stories in various anthologies with classic characters such as Ki-Gor, The Black Bat, Doctor Satan and The Griffon.  I’ve done a good deal of costumed super hero prose, primarily in my own universe but I also contributed a story in that genre for Van Plexico’s Sentinels Widescreen edition.  The last couple of years I’ve been having some fun in the Western Genre.  I have a few original characters, most notably Prof. Stone.  I was (and still am) dumbfounded that I was recently asked to write an Avenger story for Moonstone.

AP: Now, you have a handful of original characters, but one stands out. Tell us about Prof. Stone.

WS:  Professor William Henry Stone is my homage to Doc Savage.  He’s not as simple as a pastiche though, he has very much become his own character.  One fan once described him as “A cross between Doc Savage and Remo Williams”.  I love that.  To date he has appeared in 2 novellas and half a dozen short stories.  He also guest stars in Barry Reese’s latest Rook volume.  Several new stories are in the works.

AP: You are also a publisher. Can you tell us about how you started Age of Adventure, what your company produces, and the mission and purpose of Age of Adventure?

WS:  Age of Adventure (AofA for short) started out putting together collected editions of Public Domain Comic book material.  Basically it was stuff I wanted on my shelf in a nice format that didn’t cost too much.  Others seemed to agree and sales were good.  It quickly grew into what it is now.  We publish 3 ongoing magazines as well as the odd Pulp anthology, collection or novel.  You can check out our storefront at:  http://stores.lulu.com/goldenage1
We try to keep costs as low as possible so that more people can afford to enjoy them.  Our goal is simply to put out material that the fans want to read!

AP: Age of Adventure covers several sub genres within pulp, but two in particular have been prominent from you in the last year or so. What appeals to you about the western story and about war stories?

WS:  I don’t know if War stories are big from us, but I love a story that embraces adventure combined with brotherhood and often thats the core element of a good War story.  Our Westerns have been selling gangbusters!  I grew up watching Western movies and TV shows and have always been a big fan of John Wayne, Chuck Connors, Clint Eastwood, etc.  I feel that Western stories are so appealing due to the fact that its an American take on the classic Knight Errant.  Wandering hero, codes of honor, tin stars in place of armor and six guns instead of swords.  Plenty of damsels in distress too.  Whats not to love?  Every story is like re-visiting a Saturday morning of my childhood.

AP: You also are the organizer/creator of your very own convention? Can you tell us about that, what it’s called, its history, that sort of thing?

WS:  I run “Savage Con” once a year in St. Louis.  This will be the second year under that name, there were 3 prior which were known as the “LaPlata Doc Con” due to the fact that they were held in LaPlata, Mo.  The hometown of Doc Savage scribe Lester Dent.  It started as a simple gathering of Doc Savage friends and while we’ve kept our original crew of attendees its blossomed into something a bit bigger than it originally was.

AP: Doc Savage is definitely a well known character and has influenced many fans, writers, and artists? What goes into building a convention around a single character? Is there enough about Doc to warrant that much attention over a two or three day period?

WS:  Our get together is a day and a half and there is definitely enough Doc to fill that.  He’s the archtype for so many heroes today and has such a rich history and catalog of stories.  Doc fandom is very much a brotherhood all its own.  From buying, selling, and trading, to fanmade original swag, discussions and trivia.  One of our brotherhood, Matt Hiebert, put together a really wonderful “DOC”umentary even.

AP: What about this year’s Con? What’s the agenda for those who attend?

WS:  The typical Trading, Buying, Selling, and comradarie.  A silent auction for some original Doc Art, Trivia contests with prizes, and various pulpy films to be shown.  We may even have a book signing or two.  One of our regulars is Dr. Art Sippo who wrote “Sun Koh: Heir of Atlantis” released through AofA.  Art is one of the nicest and most knowledgeable guys you could ever meet.

AP: What are your long term plans for Savage Con?

WS:  I’m hoping to start attracting comic fans as well as pulp fans, and possibly expand some content that is still high adventure, but not nec. Doc-specific.  Just to add to the fun.AP: All right, now on to for what is probably for some the most interesting aspect currently of your relationship to pulp. You are a chef by trade. And now you own a restaurant. Can you describe the Raygun Café’ for us?
WS:  Absolutely!  Raygun Cafe’ was born in part out of my attempts to get some kind of Pulp Museum going.  Things didn’t work out in LaPlata to that end, though I and some other fans did get a nice, permanent Dent/Doc display established at the Library in his hometown.  Raygun is basically the pulp and comic version of a Hard Rock cafe’.  Pulp, comic, and Sci-Fi art and memorabilia, Serials, OTR, etc.  Thats the atmosphere and the food is second to none!  Italian beef, Gourmet Hotdogs, Panini’s, fresh, seasonal soups and stews and local micro brews and artisan beers.  A lot of positive buzz locally so far!

AP: Pulp is definitely a genre that is on the upswing, experiencing a renaissance. Is there a market for a pulp themed restaurant and if so, what market are you targeting?

WS:  We’re targeting not only fans who know the genre, but fans of adventure and nostalgia buffs as well.  I think the market for such an endeavor is ready to be tapped.  Who doesn’t love action and heroic imagery?  Who doesn’t love to eat!?  Its got a big eye appeal factor, its family friendly, and I plan to try and sneak a little pulp history lesson in here and there to help create a new generation of fans.

AP: Now, this is much more than a restaurant for you. You’ve been quoted as describing it as an educational experience as well. Would you mind elaborating on that?

WS:  The artwork, pulps, and comics on display naturally lend themselves to discussion and people asking questions.  I’m working up info-cards with pulp and creator history tidbits to display as well as just being available and encouraging questions and discussion on the decor and exhibits.  “Who is that guy?” will be something a person asks once and winds up answering for others later.

AP: Can you tell us what patrons can expect to be on the menu at the Raygun Café? Also, what artifacts/displays they might expect to see from the world and history of pulp?

WS:  Well, as I said before on the menu, we’ll have Italian Beef (Art Sippo will vouch for how good that is!) French Dips, Deli style sandwiches and sides, Various gourmet Hotdogs, Panini’s, fresh soups, stews, and chowders, and when weather permits, we have a grill out back for BBQ specials. Just don’t touch the art!!
As for displays we have original pulps and vintage comics, Pulp and Sci-Fi artwork enlarged to gigantic size, Retro space toys, and original genre related artwork from local artists (including some amazing stained glass).  I’ll be constantly rotating the actual pulps and comics that are displayed and will likely have “Gallery Talk” sessions when I do so.

AP: What are the future plans for the Raygun? In ten years, will there be one in every major city in America, if you have your way?

WS:  …gah!  One is enough stress right now!  I’m certainly not against franchising, but we need to get this one going strong first.  Right now the goal is to excite the masses and provide an income for my family!

AP: Let’s back up and talk about your writing a bit more? What particular process do you go through to create a character and write a story? Do you just sit and let the words flow from your fingers or do you follow a particular pattern?

WS:  I’m very much comic book inspired, I tend to think very visually and i’ve been told I write that way as well.  Someone once told me “Your stories are too comic book!”  They meant that as an insult, I took it as a compliment. I never outline anything to be honest.  Usually I’ll get an idea for a scene or a story and let it evolve in my head for a few days, after that I sit down and hammer it out.  Once I get going with a character they pretty much write themselves, I just provide a situation they have to deal with and they act accordingly.  I don’t obsess with daily wordcounts and such, that simply builds frustration.  If I have a story to tell I tell it.  If it takes me a day or a month to write it then thats what it takes.  I basically write stories I myself would like to read.

AP: What sort of stories and writers is Age of Adventure interested in?

WS:  Right now we’re taking open submissions for our Western Magazine (short stories).  We also look for good, solid action and adventure in any setting, from pulp era to contemporary.  I like working with writers I’m familiar with, but if you have a good story to tell, I’m happy to give it a shot.  I’ll be honest, being a publisher, even a small press one, you get your fill of big egos pretty quick.  Politeness and humility go a long way towards getting anything you want in this world!

AP: What’s in the future for Age of Adventure?

WS:  We have our ongoing Western Mag issue 3 of which is due out later this month, and a really fantastic anthology which will be hitting the stands by the 20th titled “Vampires Vs. Werewolves”.  Great cover art by Rob Moran on that one.  Thrilling Adventures is gearing up to return along with Super Heroic Tales (our other two magazines).  We have a collection of Barry Reese’s stories in a variety of pulpy genres titled “Dangerous Worlds”, and Art Sippo is busy working on Sun Koh 2…

AP: What about Wayne Skiver, the writer? Anything coming down the pike you want the public to know about?

WS:  Actually i’ve been hard at work scripting a comic series with some original characters.  Can’t say too much about that right now, but its going to be a lot of fun and I’m working with some really amazing like-minded cohorts.  The next issue of Comic Fan! from Main Enterprises has an article on the history of the Charlton Action Heroes from me as well.

AP: Wayne, it’s been awesome to spend some time with you. Anytime you want to push Age of Adventure, the restaurant, the convention, or what you’re writing, let us know!

WS:  Thank you, it was good to talk with you.  The pulp community is a close niche, its good to have a site to get a glimpse of whats going on in various aspects of all things pulp, print and non!
                                                                  _____________________

INTERVIEW-Russ Anderson, Writer/Editor with Pulpwork Press!!!

RUSS ANDERSON, Editor of HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD, Pulpwork Press/Writer
AP: Who’s Russ Anderson?
RA: A writer/editor/father/husband/bicyclist/amateur bear-fighter living in the Baltimore-DC area of these United States. In regards to what the readers of All Pulp might care about, he’s also one of the dudes behind the late Frontier Publishing and the editor of HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD from Pulpwork Press. Furthermore, he enjoys talking about himself in the third person.
AP: What have you written and where can we find it?
RA: (Russ is disappointed to be abandoning third person already.)
I wrote “Mythworld”, a novel about Greek gods pressing for a comeback in the modern age, and the hijinks that ensue because of it. Mythworld appeared on the late Frontier Publishing website, but isn’t currently available. Maybe I should do something about that. Also, I wrote a short story called “The Origin of Flight” that appeared in a print superhero anthology that is no longer available called “Truth, Justice, And…”
So basically, you have to just take my word for it that I write. Oh! Except for my flash non-fiction story, Little Beagle Puppy, which is still available on Flashquake at http://www.flashquake.org/archive/vol2iss3/.
AP: How did you get hooked up with Pulpwork Press?
RA: I’ve known everybody at Pulpwork for about ten years, so the real question is why it took me so long to get involved over there. Fortunately, when I had a project I wanted to put together for them, our prior friendship greased the wheels of progress a bit.
AP: What’s the story behind HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD?
RA: I wanted to be part of the club over at Pulpwork Press for a while, but hadn’t been successful in carving out the time to write a long-form project in a long time. So I pitched How the West Was Weird as an anthology mainly as a way (a) to get a project going with those guys without having to spend a year writing a book, and (b) to reconnect with some of the writing buddies that I’d started to fall out of touch with since Frontier went under. To that end, the story submissions were invitation-only, and I only invited writers I’d worked with whose stuff I enjoyed.
I sometimes feel like I didn’t edit HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD so much as hosted it, since it really was just an excuse to get a bunch of my pals together. Fortunately, the book has transcended my selfish reasons for creating it and become something I’m really proud of.
As for why I went with a weird western, there’s no story to that. I enjoy the mash-up of those two genres quite a bit, and it was different from anything Pulpwork was doing. So here we are.
AP: What’s your definition of a weird western?
RA: The western isn’t defined by its location so much as it is by its tropes. There are certain plot elements (life on a frontier, the cycle of revenge) and certain character archetypes (the mysterious drifter, the lawman) that make a story a western, regardless of where it’s located. I don’t think anybody would argue that “Seven Samurai” and “Outland” aren’t westerns, even though one’s set in feudal Japan and one’s set on a moon of Jupiter.
The weird western basically takes those tropes and either presents them in an unusual setting, or adds elements from other genres into the western framework. The most popular seems to be the horror-western – those two just seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly – but I’m a big fan of the steampunk-western and the space-western myself.
AP: There are other weird western anthologies out there.  What makes HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD special?
RA: Can I say “because it’s good”? Is that snarky?
Well, how about the fact that it’s wrapped in an extremely pretty cover by Jim Rugg, artist/creator of “Street Angel” and “Afrodisiac”?
Also, it’s awesome.
Next question.
AP: Do you think that the weird western is a legitimate genre that will be around for awhile or is it just a phase that’s going to fade out as soon as the next bright & shiny thing comes along?
RA: Genres don’t really go away, do they? They may get put back on the shelf as they fall out of favor, but they always come back. I don’t think the weird western is ever going to fully disappear now that it’s out of the box.
I think the question is misleading, since it’s not like the genre is setting the world on fire right now. There’s a biiiiiiigg gap between it and, say, the vampire teen drama, and I think that’s primarily based on Hollywood’s inability to get the weird western right. Whenever they try, we get stuff like the Will Smith “Wild, Wild West”, or “Jonah Hex” starring Brandon from The Goonies. And that’s fine, I think. In a few years, everybody’s going to be sick of vampires stalking high school girls and the weird western will still be chugging along just fine.
All that said… you have to remember that the weird western is really only about 20 years old, so eventually the unique aspects of it will start to seem less and less unique. I think as time passes, the “weird” elements will begin to define the genre that the story falls into, and you’ll start seeing weird westerns in sci-fi, horror, and fantasy anthologies. It will be treated as a subset of other larger genres rather than being its own thing.
AP: There have been rumors of a HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD 2.  Any truth to those rumors?
RA: Absolutely. A bunch of the guys who contributed to the first one have already promised me stories for volume two, along with some new faces. What’s more, I had a chance to talk to Jim Rugg at this year’s Baltimore Comic Con, and he’s on board for the cover too. I’m shooting for it to be twice as awesome as the first one, though I’m concerned about whether the binder can possibly contain all that.
I have no idea when it will hit the streets. I expect to be done with it by next spring, so we’ll have to wait and see when we can fit it in to Pulpwork’s publishing schedule at that point. Also, keep in mind that the last time we did this, my wife got pregnant halfway through, which added – no kidding – exactly nine months to the process. It should be out sometime during 2011, though.
AP: What other projects have you got in mind?
RA: I’ve got a 10 month old daughter, who’s enough of a project all by herself, thanks.
AP: Here’s your chance for a shoutout or to plug/pimp something.  Go.
RA: Buy HOW THE WEST WAS WEIRD. If you haven’t gathered as much from the rest of this article… it’s awesome.
AP: Any final words of wisdom?
RA: Like Linda Hunt said in Silverado: “The world is what you make of it, friend. If it doesn’t fit, you make alterations.”
Sci-Fi Fan Favorite Summer Glau is Supergirl in ‘Superman/Batman: Apocalypse’

Sci-Fi Fan Favorite Summer Glau is Supergirl in ‘Superman/Batman: Apocalypse’

Summer Glau knows her audience.

Whether as River Tam in Joss Whedon’s cult classic series and follow-up film, Firefly and Serenity, or as the indestructible android-from-the-future Cameron in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Glau has cornered the market on playing attractive, demure young females with the controlled homicidal power to destroy an opposing legion of trained warriors.

So it was only natural that as her first-ever animated voiceover role, Glau would fit neatly into the role of an uber-powered Kryptonian who falls under the spell of one of Superman’s greatest foes. Glau finds the perfect mix of youthful curiosity, teen angst and alien-turned-Earth-girl aggression as the voice of Kara, cousin of Superman (and ultimately destined to become Supergirl) in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, the ninth entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies out this week from Warner Home Video.

Based on the DC Comics series/graphic novel Superman/Batman: Supergirl by Jeph Loeb, Michael Turner and Peter Steigerwald, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is produced by animation legend Bruce Timm and directed by Lauren Montgomery (Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths) from a script by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Tab Murphy (Gorillas in the Mist). Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is now available as a Blu-ray Combo Pack, Special Edition DVD, On Demand and for Download.

Glau’s career has been populated with frequent visits to the fanboy realm, adding regular roles on The 4400 and Dollhouse to her featured gigs on Firefly/Serenity and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. The professionally trained ballerina had a seven-episode run on The Unit, and will appear in the upcoming NBC series, The Cape, as well as in the film. Knights of Badassdom.

Following her recording session, Glau freely discussed a number of subjects – from the acting strengths of the Whedon alumni association to her consistent on-set nerves to a strong desire to land more adult roles. Here’s how that conversation went …

QUESTION: Was it easy to find a way to relate to Kara?

SUMMER GLAU:
Kara was a really comfortable fit for me because she’s sort of a girl coming into her own.  A girl becoming a woman and finding out who she is, and so I felt like there were moments when it reminded me of River because she is so powerful, but also young and naïve and a little bit lost. She has this underlying strength that comes from out of nowhere. (more…)

Fan Favorite Tim Daly returns as Man of Steel in ‘Superman/Batman: Apocalypse’

Fan Favorite Tim Daly returns as Man of Steel in ‘Superman/Batman: Apocalypse’

Tim Daly, the fan’s choice as the quintessential voice of the Man of Steel from his days portraying the title character for the landmark Superman: The Animated Series, once again supplies those All-American tones in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. The ninth entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies arrives Tuesday from Warner Home Video.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse will be available as a Blu-ray Combo Pack, Special Edition DVD, On Demand and for Download.

Daly was the voice behind the world’s ultimate super hero for 52 episodes of Superman: The Animated Series and several animated movies, all the while starring in one primetime television series after another – from eight seasons on Wings to memorable roles on HBO’s The Sopranos and From The Earth To The Moon to his current ABC hit, Private Practice. The Emmy nominated actor made his feature film debut in Barry Levinson’s 1982 classic Diner.

Daly joins forces with Batman voice Kevin Conway to lead a Superman/Batman: Apocalypse cast that boasts two-time Emmy Award winner Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age) as the evil lord Darkseid, sci-fi heroine Summer Glau (Serenity/Firefly; Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), and multi-Emmy winner Ed Asner (Up) as Granny Goodness. Based on the DC Comics series/graphic novel Superman/Batman: Supergirl by Jeph Loeb, Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is produced by animation guru Bruce Timm and directed by Lauren Montgomery (Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths) from a script by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Tab Murphy (Gorillas in the Mist).

Amongst the many activities surrounding the film’s upcoming release is “Destination Apocalypse,” an interactive online promotion that allows fans to get even deeper into the mythology of Superman/Batman: Apocalypse.  Fans can access “Destination Apocalypse” and explore the many sections including games, quizzes and information about film. Fans can even send Kryptonian messages to their Facebook friends.  In each section, participants virtually “check in” and earn badges to unlock an exclusive video clip from the movie.  In addition, earning badges for participating in the various activities in each section help to unlock exclusive movie poster downloads.

Daly joined the festivities at the World Premiere of http://DestinationApocalypse.com in Los Angeles on September 21 at The Paley Center for Media. The Metropolis, er, New York City-born actor offered his thoughts on a number of subjects – ranging from the Superman/Batman dynamic and the importance of a great villain to his love of farming – in a playful interview. And here’s what he had to say …

QUESTION: What did you find unique and/or fresh about this latest Superman-Batman vehicle?

TIM DALY: What’s interesting about the relationships in this film is that Superman and Batman are really on the same page. They are united and they only give each other a very modest amount of grief, whereas at other times they’ve been a little more at each other’s throats, and more dubious about the other one’s methods.  And Kara is, perhaps, Superman’s last surviving relative. So he feels very protective of her, and sort of glad to have someone who has had or is about to have a similar experience as he’s had coming to a different planet.  So it’s kind of touching, really. He’s very paternal towards her. He really wants her to do well and to stick around.

It’s nice to see his powers used in connection with something personal. He’s not saving the planet, he’s not saving Metropolis. He’s not saving Lois. He’s saving a blood relative. So it’s that kind of deeply personal feeling. I do enjoy that in the script.

(more…)

MOONSTONE TITLES COMIN’ IN JANUARY 2011!!!

The Spider: “Burning Lead for the Walking Dead” GN
Story & Art: Mark Wheatley
64pgs, 7” x 10”, b/w, squarebound, $7.99
ISBN 10: 1-933076-89-5
13: 978-1-933076-89-8

And now, representing…
Eisner winner Mark Wheatley brings us a plague of blood crazed zombies that are spreading across the city. Only the swift cold justice of THE SPIDER stands between the remnants of humanity and the hoards of the Cannibal Queen. Can even THE SPIDER have enough
BURNING LEAD FOR THE WALKING DEAD?

Expanded, up-dated and includes unseen art and information
from the vaults of THE SPIDER!
————————————————————

BLACK BAT #3
story: Mike Bullock
art: Michael Metcalf
cover: Shawn Van Briesen

32pgs, b/w, $3.50


A Moonstone “Return of the Originals” event!
Two heroes are on a collision course with a psychotic army of killers as the
lives of the city’s street population hangs in the balance. The criminal
mastermind is revealed but Black Bat and Death Angel may not live to tell
about it.

Don’t miss the thrilling conclusion of Black Death, same black time, same
death channel!
Before the caped crusader patrolled the streets, before horn head prowled
the back alleys, the original dark avenger hunted evil men. The Black Bat is
back and hell’s coming with him!

Secret Agent X #2
Story: Mel Odom, Mike W. Barr
Art: Robert Geronimo
Colors: Jason Jensen
Cover: Tom Grindberg
32pgs, color, $3.99

A Moonstone “Return of the Originals” event!
The man without a face, without a name, and without a home, is the USA’s ultimate spy machine.  He can do it all…fast, efficient, and without remorse.  He is a master disguise maker, and a master engineer of gadgets ahead of their time. He can be anybody, anywhere…you will never see him coming. Plus: The Green Lama!

HONEY WEST #4
Story: Elaine Lee
Art: Ronn Sutton
Colors: Ken Wolak
Cover: Malcolm McClinton
32pgs, color, $3.99

The ALL NEW adventures of the first female private eye continue!

Join Vertigo’s (“Vamps”) writer Elaine Lee as Honey goes undercover on the set of low-budget sci-fi film Amazons of Mars to investigate the mysterious death of Zu Zu Varga, queen of the B-movies. It looks like murder, but who had motive? Was it the scheming ingénue, the down-on-his luck director, the jealous agent, or the ageing teen heartthrob? Robots, aliens and murder in 1960s CA!
(covers: McClinton = 75%, photo = 25%)

Captain Action Winter Special
Story: Beau Smith, Tony Lee
Art: Eduardo Barreto, Giovanni Timpano
Covers: Mark Wheatley, Ruben Procopio
48pgs, color, $4.99

It may be winter, but the action’s blazing hot in this Winter Special featuring the spy-heroes of the A.C.T.I.O.N. Directorate!For the first time ever, the Green Hornet teams up with Captain Action in a sizzling sixties showdown! Get your buzz on as for this prose adventure featuring these two icons! 
 



PLUS: the Original Captain Action must confront a beautiful French Spy, a Communist Yeti and a 3,000 foot drop! And strap on your skis for another escapade with the world’s second favorite British Agent, Lady Action in this fun-filled, pun filled romp by Tony Lee. You know cats don’t like the water, but they really hate the snow! Find out why in another ferocious adventure starring Action Boy’s pet panther, Khem!
(covers split 50/50)
**Retailer incentive, if you order more than 4 copies, get one FREE alternate Ruben Procopio cover!
————————————————————————

The SPIDER #1
Story: Martin Powell, Gary Phillips
Art: Pablo Marcos, Roberto Castro
Cover: Dan Brereton, Doug Pagacz
32pgs, color, $2.99
A Moonstone “Return of the Originals” event!

The most relentless destroyer of the guilty the world has ever seen is back in all of his “bloody pulp” action! Even the Punisher can’t hold a candle to the body count The Spider racks up!

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SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRiCE!
For the first time ever…since his beginnings in 1933, pre-dating Superman and Batman, The Spider now has his own ongoing straight-up comic book series!

Review: ‘Forbidden Planet’

Review: ‘Forbidden Planet’

Last week, Warner Home Video released six of their science fiction films on Blu-ray for the first time. While all were greatly appreciated by genre fans to one degree or another, it can be safely said that the most eagerly awaited one is also the best one of the set. MGM’s Forbidden Planet is clearly a class act and the loving restoration is evident in just how fabulous the movie looks in high definition.

The 1956 was one of the studio’s last major releases before its decline in quality, and it was also their first real attempt at science fiction. All the resources that made their musicals shine brightly were brought to the feature production and as a result, this is the single best science fiction movie made that decade. Its influences go far beyond imagination considering the enduring popularity of Robby the Robot and how much the film’s look and feel influenced young producer Gene Roddenberry when he conceived Star Trek only eight years later.

Sure, some of the science remains implausible, but it was a terrific story inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Tempest transplanted to an alien world. The strong cast was anchored by Walter Pidgeon’s Morbius and Leslie Nielsen as Commander John Adams. Filling out the ensemble was Anne Francis as Morbius’ innocent daughter Altaira and familiar genre vets Richard Anderson and Warren Stevens.  The Bellerophon expedition had gone silent and Adams’ crew was sent to investigate, discovering two survivors and the remnants of an incredible alien civilization, the Krell. Morbius’ genius is evident in the robotic servant, Robby, he designed and built, but Adams is troubled by the man’s reluctance to leave the world and rejoin humanity. Menacing them, though, was an unseen horror that had to be stopped before anyone could leave the world.

The sets and costumes were unlike any science fiction film previously made and the scope and spectacle to the matte paintings and special effects also raised this film beyond so many of the low budget atomic horror films that categorized the genre that decade. Everyone took the film seriously, playing things straight, and making it a tale of humanity among the stars. Also helping us consider this something different was the electronic score, credited in the release as “electronic tonalities”, a dramatic departure from what had been used before.

Warner had previously released this in a nifty package designed for the now defunct HD-DVD format, so this has been an eagerly awaited release. The care that went into restoring it in 2007, especially boosting the fading Eastman Color stock, has been preserved here and the film has never looked better.

The disc is packed with plenty of special features, making this a true celebration of the film and its legacy. All are carried over from the HD release and none were prepared for Blu-ray so appear in standard format. Still, they are all worth your time and attention. Kicking things off is the TCM special, “Watch the Skies!” as you spend nearly an hour listening to Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, James Cameron, and Ridley Scott discuss what SF films were like prior to Forbidden Planet. Nice perspective, terrific clips and a solid Mark Hamill narration make this a strong entry.

There’s also “Amazing!” a well-produced 27 minute feature talking to the surviving cast and crew of the film, talking about its production. Great archival drawings are unearthed to illustrate this piece. Robby gets his due in the 14 minute “Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon”.

There are plenty of deleted scenes all of which comes with captioning to introduce each one and explain what was changed or why it was dropped from the final print. Some are missed, but most are interesting from a historic perspective only.

The robot’s popularity is demonstrated by the inclusion of the 1957 quickie, The Invisible Boy, a feature about a young boy and his robot. When the robot’s programming is altered, he becomes a threat to the Earth and Timmy, who can somehow turn invisible, is the only one who can stop it. Robby also guest starred on countless television series and The Thin Man episode from 1958 is included as an example.

Walter Pidgeon appears in two excerpts from the prime time MGM Parade series when he appeared to promote the film.

No fan of the genre can be without this wonderful film that has been well-preserved and endures the passage of time. If you haven’t seen it lately, now is the time to rediscover the marvels of intelligent science fiction at a time when paranoia ruled the day.