By Alan Cowsill, Alex Irvine, Matthew K. Manning, Michael McAvennie, Daniel Wallace
352 pages, DK Publishing, $50
This is a tough book to review given growing up reading the majority of titles covered here in addition to working on staff for twenty years plus continuing to contribute to the company today. It’s also a book I wish I had written. That said, this is a mighty undertaking that is strong and eminently readable. This is a worthwhile 75th anniversary collector’s item and a great way to encapsulate DC Comics’ rich history. By all means, this belongs on your bookshelf.
It is almost impossible to properly encapsulate the 75 years of DC Comics alone but this book also attempts to weave in the histories of the companies or properties now owned by DC, including Fawcett’s super-heroes, Charlton’s Action Heroes, and the Quality Comics library. Unfortunately, these all get lip-service rather than a proper meshing of titles therefore significant publications are absent.
DC Comics began as one title, New Comics, released in 1935 by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson. It added titles slowly and when there was a disagreement over the size of the company, Jack Liebowitz, who bought out Wheeler-Nicholson with Harry Donenfeld, decided to expand in partnership with Max Gaines, forming All-American Comics. It would be years before Gaines sold out and the two companies became National Comics.
When Quality went out of business in the 1950s, DC took over their titles, continuing several of them, notably [[[G.I. Combat]]] and [[[Blackhawk]]], without missing a beat. In the 1970s, DC acquired rights to their heroes, from Captain Marvel to Spy Smasher, fully coming to own them within a decade. And as a gift to their executive editor, Dick Giordano, DC also acquired the Charlton heroes that Giordano once edited, headed by Captain Atom. When Bill Gaines died, DC became the parent to Mad, but the EC line of titles from [[[Picture Stories from the Bible to Weird Science]]] are missing. The purchase by DC of WildStorm changed the company. You’ll see some of this throughout the year-by-year presentation.
We get anywhere from one to two spreads per year when many years were bursting and deserved twice the space. Unfortunately, as happens with these DK projects, entire spreads are devoted to cover or panel blow-ups that unnecessarily take up space. As a result, you may scratch your head at the emphasis given to some titles and the absence of others.
TOMMY HANCOCK – Pulp writer/editor/Con Organizer/Stage Actor/Director
AP: Thanks for agreeing to take the Hot Seat, Tommy. First up, please, give us a little background as to your age, education and where you hang your hat these days.
TH: I guess it’s only fair that I take my turn, but man, I do like it better where you’re sitting. Well, I’m 38, I have a Masters’ in History with a certification in Secondary Education, but most of my work experience has been in the area of mental health, juvenile law, and marketing. As for where I hang my often tipped fedora, it has its own nail in my home in Melbourne, Arkansas (smaller than a small town) where I live with my three children, Braeden, my miracle, Alex, my gift, and Kailee, my angel, and their mother who there isn’t enough purple prose to describe how wonderful she is, Lisa.
AP: Before jumping into Pulps, were you a comic book fan and if so, how much? Were you a big collector and con-attendee?
TH: Con attendee, no. I have hit a handful that were close to where I lived, the farthest away being Dallas. And I was a major comic book fan, focusing almost exclusively growing up on DC Comics, but not really the mainstream stuff. I’ve always had an interest in the Golden Age characters as well as obscure characters. Superman, Batman, etc. are great, but give me The Red Bee, Johnny Quick, and Brother Power, the Geek anytime. But your question was about me being a comic fan before jumping into Pulps…actually it was sort of the other way around.
AP: So how did you discover Pulps? And what was it about Pulps that made you want to get involved with the genre?
TH: The first two books I remember seeing areThe Bible and a Doc Savage paperback. I’m sure it was one of the Bantams, but I have no idea which one. I just remember the image on the front of this large bronze skinned man face forward, looking right at me. Comics came some time after that, but before them came the random Doc Savage novel, my tripping across a reference to The Shadow and other hints of Pulp, while also becoming completely enamored with black and white movies, old serials, and especially old time radio. I guess it’s no wonder that when I did get into comics, I was drawn to the obscure and the old.
What drew me into the Pulps is easy to answer. I grew up steeped in John Wayne, Sherlock Holmes, Steve McGarrett, Wyatt Earp, Hercules, Rick Blaine, Paul Bunyan, Han Solo, and Robert B. Parker’s Spenser among others. The story/myth/legend of the Hero has always been a part of my life and exploring that, adding to that, weaving my own tales of Heroic fiction…that’s one of only a few things I always knew I would do. AP: What was your first real entry into the world of Pulps?
TH: As a fan, that first book. As a writer, it’s actually been fairly recent. I am a partner in a company, Pro Se Productions (www.proseproductions.com). My partner, Fuller Bumpers (Writer/artist/actor) came to me with an idea to get into production of some sort, originally video and audio. We worked on audio as well as developing some stage stuff, but I brought the focus of print work with me. It turned out after our first set of audio productions (all three of which are available for free on our site) that print in a lot of ways would be easier, more profitable, and better overall. That was more the editing side initially, although I do write.
My first published work was in an Airship 27 anthology, THE MASKED RIDER: TALES OF THE WILD WEST. I wrote a story focusing on my favorite Earp brother, Virgil. Fortunately, it was well received enough that not only am I writing another Virgil story for Airship 27, but the state paper did a story on my first published work as well as Pulp in general.
AP: Tell us more about Pro Se Productions. Where did the idea come from and was it realized exactly as you had imagined or did you have to adjust certain concepts to make it real?
TH: Well, Pro Se Productions is a company that Fuller, my partner, started after he returned to Arkansas from spending a few years as an actor and writer in LA. He brought me on board a year and a half year ago. Pro Se is a print (for now) production company focused on the publishing of monthly Pulp. The idea to go into print was largely mine in one respect, but also came out of Pro Se wanting to throw its net as wide as it could initially and then narrow the concept appropriately. That narrowing happened fairly quickly and our focus for the foreseeable future is Pulp related, print and conventions primarily.
As far as adjusting concepts, you bet. As I said before, we started out producing audio and for a variety of reasons changed that direction to print. Our original plan was to produce three monthly magazines and although we had the material for it, time was a major factor as were the general issues with putting together one print project, much less three. We are extremely lucky in that we have a formatter, Ali, a good longtime friend and supporter of mine and an absolute genius at putting our books together. His work is art all by itself. Still, three issues a month is a load, so after we got the original debut issues of each title out, we readjusted our plan.
AP: How many different titles is Pro Se doing and what’s the schedule?
TH: OK, well, let’s start at the beginning. We debuted three number one issues two months ago. After those, we determined we would be better off putting out one magazine a month, so we created one title with three rotating ‘subtitles. Pro Se Productions puts out PRO SE PRESENTS monthly, around the middle of the month give or take. The three subtitles (PECULIAR ADVENTURES, MASKED GUN MYSTERY, AND FANTASY AND FEAR) rotate under that banner, retaining their original numbering. PRO SE PRESENTS PECULIAR ADVENTURES 2 came out in September. PRO SE PRESENTS FANTASY AND FEAR 2 will be out early next week. PRO SE PRESENTS MASKED GUN MYSTERY 2 will be out in November, then the rotation starts again. Also, starting next year, Pro Se will be producing collections, anthologies, original books, and comics.
AP: I alluded to your Theater experience. Before getting into the other Pulp stuff, how about some info about your work in community theater. Are you solely a producer, or do you direct and act as well?
TH: It’s funny being called a producer at all because I’ve never really seen myself as such, but I guess I am. I organized, started, and ended a community theater in my area in the past three years. We are still an acting troupe of sorts, held together in case Pro Se ever steps back toward the stage arena. I am also the Drama Director for our church drama ministry, ACTS OF FAITH. I direct, act, write, stage manage, costume design, pretty much I do it all as is the wont when you are in community theater. Now, if you are asking how well I do it all, I’m definitely the wrong guy to answer that.
AP: Okay, now for the real big topic. Where in the hell did you get the idea to launch a full blown weekend Pulp Convention? And did your friends and family think you were crazy when you first suggested it?
TH: They thought I was crazy before then for writing, jumping into a production company, starting my own theater, and all the other wild things I’ve somehow been associated with in my lifetime. As for where the idea came from, part of it has to do with that just being who I am. Anything I become involved in, I’m always looking at how to do it more, what the next level is, and how I can get there. A bigger contributor, though, to the genesis of Pulp Ark has to do with the local interest and support. Once the article about my first publication came out, people, both individuals and groups, came to me and congratulated me. Some suggested getting these ‘Pulp writers’ together and doing readings and such, then some others took that a step farther and suggested some writers workshops and the like. Well, all that stirring of ideas mixed together in my head and came out as Pulp Ark.
And let’s clarify, Pulp Ark is not simply a convention. It is that, most definitely, but it is also designed to be a conference for writers and artists of Pulp fiction. Even if a single fan does not walk through the door (God forbid), the action is so designed that this will be an opportunity for us as a community to learn, grow, and work together to improve the craft we call Pulp.
AP: Do you have a ballpark tally of just how many Pulp creators are going to be attending the first ever Pulp Ark? What kind of con events will be happening at this show?
TH: The show is May 13-15, 2011 in Batesville, AR, about 90 miles straight north of Little Rock, three hours from Memphis, five hours from St. Louis, six hours from Dallas. Right now, looking at the guest list that I know is confirmed, we have over 20 creators that will be present. I have sort of an informal goal of having 50 different creators minimum at this thing and I really think we can get to that. In hopes of doing that, we are offering free tables to Pulp writers, artists, and publishers. Vendors we are charging, but its a very small fee. And let me say, although we don’t have any vendors yet per se, this is an extremely vendor friendly conference/convention.
As for events, well, there’s quite a few and news will be forthcoming on even more…but there will of course be panels of all types from Pulp writers and artists. There will be writers’ and artists’ workshops as well because I don’t care how long you’ve done this, something can be learned by all of us all of the time. There will be evening events as well. And since this is being done on Main Street Batesville, there are events being planned for family members of attendees as well as for guests and vendors up and down the street.
Also, there will be an interactive drama that will take place the entire weekend. It utilizes my troupe of actors and it is a live action Pulp adventure that will take place without warning throughout Pulp Ark. Other things in the works include a gallery showing of Pulp Art as well as an art auction, and the First Annual Pulp Ark Awards will be presented. And yes, there will be more information on all of this hitting the newsstand in the coming days.
AP: You have a reputation for being the hardest working creator in Pulps today. After everything else you were doing, what was the inspiration behind starting All Pulp and what do you see as its primary mission?
TH: The idea for All Pulp has been with me for a long time. Having been a comic fan, I’ve frequented the website Comic Book Resources quite a bit and have thought for at least two or three years that Pulp needed a site to do for it what CBR does for comics. Now, don’t get me wrong. The definitive site for listing what is available for purchase in the Pulp field has existed for a long time and Bill Thom’s Coming Attractions is still a weekly stop for me and always will be. What All Pulp is designed to be is the step beyond Coming Attractions. All Pulp is the news venue for Pulp, the behind the scenes peek at the creators, the history, all of it, and delivered in a variety of styles. Its mission is pretty evident in its name and in the content the Spectacled Seven, that’s the crew, myself included, behind All Pulp, have been putting on the site. To deliver all the news and more that can be called Pulp.
AP: There’s been a little internet flak concerning the team you recruited for All Pulp. Would you like to explain your reasoning for choosing this particular group? This is simple, really. The six people who make up the Spectacled Seven with me were, at the time that All Pulp became a reality the six people I talked to within the Pulp genre more than anyone else. When I decided to do All Pulp, it was because discussions with these six people, all individually, never as a group initially, often went toward discussing the need for a one stop shop for news and such for Pulp. Did I discuss it more with some of them than others, yes, but it was a discussion I had with people I was talking to, most of them nightly, because they were my friends and the people I talked to.
And, in their own rights, these guys are no slouches. Each one brings a different set of skills and benefits to the table. Now, does that mean that they were the only people that could have been a part of this crew? No, and trust me, some people have not been shy about telling me and others that. Within the past five weeks, every member of the Spectacled Seven, myself included on multiple occasions, has been mentioned by someone as ‘not being qualified to be a part of a news site’ or that there is ‘someone more qualified to cover Pulp news than him.’ Well, as far as more qualified, I will guarantee you there are people in this field that have been at it longer, know more, and have given far more to it than I have at this point. There is absolutely no argument there. And the six people that helped me start this were not chosen for any reason other than they shared my interest in getting this done and we actively talked about it and they each brought talents with them. I am likely not the most qualified, although I don’t know of a list of ‘qualifications’ that exists anywhere, to front a Pulp news website. The fact of the matter is, though, that I have done just that.
The Spectacled Seven will remain the same seven people until one or more of them moves on. Having said that, though, All Pulp welcomes writers to present articles on history, events, etc. There will be guest writers in the future, guaranteed. I have discussed this with several notable names in the field and have been told by at least two that I will be receiving work from them soon. All Pulp, I hope, has done a good job of showing that it is fair and open for the entire Pulp community and I definitely welcome submission of articles from guest writers. But I’m also supportive and glad to be a part of the Spectacled Seven with the six men working with me.
AP: Back to personal focus now. Is there a particular classic Pulp hero you enjoy more than others and why?
Peculiar Oddfellow, drawn by Erik Burnham
TH: Not a particular hero, no…but a particular type of hero. I may be in the minority, but I am a major fan of obscure, little known and/or little used characters. Now, do not mistake me. I am a Doc Savage/Shadow/Spider/etc. fan and always will be. But as far as writing and creating, I am fascinated with taking a character that has a bit of history, that has the makings of something great, and trying to weave that something great out of what little is there. So, yes, the less known, the more appealing to me.
AP: Aside from your own Pro Se, you have worked for other Pulp outfits. What can we expect from your fantastic imagination in the near future fiction wise?
TH: Well, due to some medical issues I’ve struggled with for a while and am still dealing with-I’m basically fighting a battle with diabetes and who’s winning depends on the day- I have had to cut out some writing projects (And thank you by the way to all within the community who have been supportive and understanding and encouraging while I’ve been dealing with this). Basically what I had to do was trim my writing commitments down to what was already in progress, to the projects I had actually put words on the page for. Even with doing that, though, the list of what’s coming in the next year or so is pretty substantial.
Age of Adventure, Wayne Skiver’s company, has a ‘VAMPIRES VERSUS WEREWOLVES’ anthology due out around Halloween and I have a story, “Beastly and Bloody” in that collection. I also have two stories that have been done in the last few months centered around my concept THE MAN FROM SHADOW LIMB that have appeared in issues 1 and 2 of Age of Adventure’s SIX GUN WESTERN.
I have three projects in various levels of progress for Airship 27. Two short stories, the previously mentioned follow up to my Virgil Earp tale and one set in the South Seas for a collection entitled TALES FROM THE HANGING MONKEY. I also have my first full length novel in the works for Airship. It’s centered around an obscure Pulp character and is entitled FUNNY FACE: RICH MEN KILL EASY.
The Shipman from YESTERYEAR Art by Fuller Bumpers
I’m also working on adapting a whole universe of characters of my own creation, my take on golden age characters entitled YESTERYEAR, into audio scripts for Brokensea Audio Productions. Some of these characters have already appeared in prose form in magazines from Pro Se, including one in a story penned several years ago by Derrick Ferguson.
Speaking of my own magazine, I am writing the adventures of one of our flagship characters, Peculiar Oddfellow for each and every issue of PRO SE PRESENTS PECULIAR ADVENTURES. I am also working on one third of what is being called THE SOVEREIGN CITY PROJECT, the other two thirds being done by Barry Reese and Derrick Ferguson. My character is DOC DAYE, 24 HOUR HERO. I have a third series in the works as well that will debut next year in the Pro Se lineup. That series will focus on a character by the name of Jameson Journey…more on that later.
Ad for ‘Peculiar Oddfellow’ Comic due 2011 from Pro Se Art by Lou Manna Colors by John Palmer IV
Also from Pro Se, scheduled to debut early next year, will be a four issue comic mini series entitled THE VARIED ADVENTURES OF PECULIAR ODDFELLOW. I’m very excited about this as Pec is a character that I’ve had ready to go for almost ten years now. The artwork on this book is done and most masterfully so by comic veteran Lou Manna. This will be a pleasure to see, trust me.
I’m also working on the outline for ‘THE CASE OF THE BLOODY PULP’ which is the story at the center of the interactive drama at Pulp Ark next year. The story will be plotted by me and co written with Bobby Nash.
And then there’s a project, one of those ‘I’m not at liberty to discuss it yet, but when I am…’ things…Actually, there’s two of those…
AP: Tommy, thanks so much for taking time out from your always busy schedule to take the hot seat and best of luck with all your great endeavors.
TH: Thanks a ton for interviewing me. Now…uh…can I have my chair back on THAT side of the table please?
ELIZABETH BISSETTE, Writer/Performer/Relative of Pulp Icon
Elizabeth Bissette, wearing Norvell Page’s fedora and holding his .22
AP: Elizabeth, ALL PULP is really excited that you have time to sit down with us. Before we talk about your very special connection to Pulp, can you give us some background on yourself?
EB: I guess Southern Gothic Renaissance woman might sum it up best. I’m a music, art and culture writer and one day had the privilege of talking with Mike Seeger (http://mikeseeger.info/), a folk archivist and musician Bob Dylan credits with being the reason he wrote his own songs. It changed my life. I spent the past five years or so since then doing a Lonesome Liz (http://www.myspace.com/lonesomeliz) version of what he did; traveling and learning as much as I could from other artists and musicians I ran into; writing about them along the way.
Through the course of all this I’ve become an Outlaw Americana singer-songwriter and visual artist, with the official Outlaw nick-name Lonesome Liz. (Hellbilly Outlaw authority and filmmaker Cuzn Wildweed (
http://www.myspace.com/cousinwildweed)told me Outlaws had nicknames and that was bound to be mine; I figured he knew more about it than I did and have kept it ever since.) I also play a little banjo; had the good fortune of learning a little from a man in Appalachia named Bill Garvin, who played with Bill Monroe early on.
There’s more to it than that, but that’s the backbone of it. Mr. Seeger died last year and my interview was the last he did. I can’t thank him in person anymore for how our talks were so pivotal for me and how other artists have told me since they’ve in a way been important for them to0. He centered a lot of his work academically so I’m putting together a Masters Thesis of Thank You – I’m going to put all the research, some done with his feedback, into a Public Folk Studies thesis. I majored in Religious studies so there’s going to be a Folk Belief track too. I’m the only person I’ve heard of who’s getting an MA in Hoodoo.
AP: Now, let’s get to that special connection to the Pulp field. You are related to a key figure in Pulp fiction. Would you elaborate on that, please?
One of only two existing photos of Norvell Page
EB: Norvell Page was my Great-Uncle and the funny thing is my family never talked about him. I grew up hearing stories about this mysterious and intriguing figure who “wrote something to do with Spider-man” ,but that’s about it. Well, one day I was sitting at home; I was about 22 I guess, and I turned to my room-mate and said, “You know, my family always said my Great-Uncle wrote something to do with Spiderman and I really don’t think they would have made that up, but I’ve not heard anything else about it, I wonder what that was?” The response to that was, “Well, if it’s really true then you could just write Stan Lee and ask him.” I said, “Well, I guess you’re right.”
At the time, Mr. Lee was still with Marvel so I just looked at the website, found what appeared to be the right e-mail for him and wrote, “Dear Mr. Lee, I’m the Great-Niece of Norvell Page and I have heard that my Great-Uncle wrote something about Spiderman, but have no idea if it’s true or even what it was.”
Well, it may not surprise you but it sure surprised me to receive an e-mail back from Mr. Lee in I think maybe 10 minutes, saying “Great Gotham! We’ve been wondering what happened to Norvell Page since 1943!” Not in those exact words of course but it was rather overwhelming to discover that, not only had I been looking for the truth behind Norvell’s Spider but Spidey apparently had been looking for the truth behind Norvell. It was every bit as life changing as that phone call to Mike Seeger.
AP: Can you share a brief biography of Norvell Page with us?
EB: Norvell was a remarkable man. He seems to have really been like his characters in more ways than one. While writing Pulps he dressed like the Spider sometimes, drove a Dailmer, lived for a time on Riverside Drive, he was very Wentworth in day to day life. In 1943 he left Pulp writing for a government career that was pretty heavy, to say the least. He seemed, for example, to truly want to save the world and I think tried to. In some ways maybe he came close, hard to tell. Sounds incredible, but we are talking about the Spider.
He grew up in an old Southern family, the Pages arrived in Virginia very early on, 1652. Their first land grant became Williamsburg eventually and they had a lot to do with the founding of some of the major sites there, William and Mary, (which he briefly attended) and Bruton Parish Church are the main ones. A long line of revolutionaries, statesmen and writers as well. The popular Ante-Bellum novelist Thomas Nelson Page, for example, was a close relative.
Norvell started out as a journalist and wound up in New York after his writing had started taking off enough to make a move there make sense. He wrote for the Times and also the World Telegram, where Varian Fry, who spearheaded the International Rescue Committee, an operation that got a number of major artists and thinkers out of occupied Europe, was an editor at the time. Family rumor has it and considering his later government career it’s certainly plausible, that he got his start in intelligence work helping Mr. Fry. I’ve not yet been able to fully substantiate it but he was right there with Varian, was later an official intelligence worker as fellow writer Ian Fleming was and maintained a lifelong friendship with Max Ernst, the husband of Peggy Guggenheim, who funded the committee.
As you and your readers know, he became a tremendously influential and prolific Pulp writer; ‘the Batman’ first appeared in a Spider story (editor’s note-A character, different from the later, more famous one, named ‘Bat-Man’ appeared in the Spider Novel DEATH REIGN OF THE VAMPIRE KING, published approximately six years prior to the debut of DC Comics’ Batman) and he later also wrote two ‘Black Bat’ tales. He also wrote what’s considered a classic, ‘But Without Horns’, a story that explores the concept of a ‘superman’ but this time as a villain, and, of course, he created the Spider. It’s hard to imagine what comics would be like today without the vast imagination of Norvell Page playing such a heavy role in Pulp Fiction.
His career with the Government would probably be boring to read in an outline but he moved from Committee to Committee, clearly trying to make the world a better place as best he could; you can find an outline of that in his obituaries at my Norvell Page blog. He was one of the only members of these committee who remained in the Executive Offices of the President which I guess translates to real close to where all the action was. At the time of his death he was the Editor in Chief for the Atomic Energy Commission, and he was also one of the first six people appointed to that Commission. He died, unquestionably suspiciously, around the time of the Bay of Pigs invasion.
AP: What sort of family stories are there about Norvell Page? Can you share some insight into how he was as a man, a writer, a relative?
EB: Oh yes and the tales are as wonderful as his stories! The best one is that his parents had tickets for the Titanic and didn’t go at the last minute because, according to my Grandmother, Norvell, who I guess was 11 or so at the time, begged and insisted that they not. Good call.
Another tells of him rescuing all of them again from certain destruction. He was home for Christmas from college and it was back in the days when candles were still used for the trees. Well, I guess everyone had too much eggnog and someone forgot to put the candles out. The house caught on fire and Norvell somehow woke up. He didn’t panic but instead threw his mattress out his window, ran and grabbed my grandmother and my Great-Uncle Roger, then infants, shouted through the halls to wake everyone up and jumped with one of them under each arm out the window.
Last but not least, by the next Christmas he couldn’t bear to be away from Audrey, his high school sweetheart who the family didn’t approve of. He left William and Mary to elope with her. To keep his parents in the dark about what they’d done, he left letters with his room-mate describing how he was doing in college to be mailed, one a week, over the remainder of the semester. He then went to nearby Norfolk and told the editor of the paper there that he was 18 and had already been writing for the Times Dispatch in Richmond. They gave him, I believe, an editing job. And so his writing career began.
AP: Just how much was THE SPIDER a part of Page’s life?
EB: As far as I can tell he WAS the Spider.
AP: Was Page’s connection to THE SPIDER and to pulp in general an overall positive or were there any negative things as well?
EB: Positively positive! He seems to have made such wonderful friends and had such a fantastic time. It was probably also a huge outlet for all of the stress he must have been under, considering his probable role in the IRC and who knows what else; (he was, for example, on a German liner on its way to Austria when WWII broke out.)
The family, however, did not approve of Pulp Fiction or consider it a worthwhile use of his writing ability; that’s part of the reason no one ever talked about it. His father had wanted him to be the next Poe (who was also from Richmond and who had worked with my Great-Great Uncle, Lawrence Page on the Southern Literary Messenger), and seems to have been disappointed. He was too close to it to realize he actually sort of was the next Poe I suppose. So, in a way, that was probably a negative.
AP: How are you involved with THE SPIDER? How are you working to further the legacy of this character that you have a family tie to?
EB: I have a theater background as well as the aforementioned music and art and recently merged the three in a multi-media event I produced called Lonesome Liz’s Mojo Sideshow. The show was a tribute to and celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the death of Norvell Page and the 75th Anniversary of his ‘Spider’ Series.
Norvell’s Ken Carter stories were released at that time and they included my favorite tale of his, ‘Satan’s Sideshow’ and also one called ‘Hell’s Music’, which I thought touched in an odd way my connection with the Hellbillies, (and I had the good fortune of having Hellbilly artists Cuzn Wildweed and J.B. Beverley (
http://www.myspace.com/waywarddrifters) as performers). It wasn’t a play of his stories but inspired by the way both of our imaginations unwittingly went in the same direction. The play was a Southern folklore interpretation of ‘Faust’ at its core, with the ghosts of Sideshow workers and historic figures, including Norvell, playing a part in my (the ‘Faust’) damnation.
There was an accompanying visual art exhibit to the Sideshow, which featured artists from all over the world, everywhere from Hazard, Kentucky to London! I was fortunate to have some amazing people participate – including Molly Crabapple (
http://www.mollycrabapple.com), a visual artist and entrepreneur who founded Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School, (she’s also done some work with ‘Weird Tales’ and Marvel, the earth shattering ‘Scarlet Takes Manhattan’, for example), Katelan Foisy (http://www.katelanfoisy.com), another New York artist, painted me as ‘Faust’ for the exhibit, Wes Freed (http://www.wesfreed.com), who’s best known for his Drive by Truckers album and poster art was part of it; and many others. It was fantastic. A local sculptor contributed a giant black widow spider they hung from the ceiling with a banjo instead of a violin.
All of those remarkable creative minds, and many others, joined together in what was, I think a remarkable tribute to him. What’s so lasting about Norvell isn’t just his work but his influence on other artists and what I love most about the show is that it reflected that, albeit in perhaps an unexpected way.
I’d love to write Pulp stories or comics myself, maybe something that included 5 stories in 5 genres as a tribute to him. I’ve been turning ideas over for a while. The characters are there though. There’s a Lonesome Liz Hoodoo Detective, Katelan Foisy inspired a character named Penny Dreadful, a Western based on the Dodge City Gang; I’m sure it will happen in time.
AP: You are a writer yourself as well as a multimedia performer. Has The Spider influenced your own creative process at all, shown up in any of your work, etc.?
EB: He’s always there. I don’t quite know how to explain how he’s always there except we were raised with the same stories I suppose; have the same sort of brain. I think he probably shows up to some extent in all of the characters I’ve made up but some are more like him than others. The Goblin King, a central character in a fantasy series I’ve written, has elements of the Spider and the Batman that were deliberate, choosing Faust as the center of the Sideshow play was definitely because of his life and writing, he was very Faust in a way and making that production a Vaudeville style one was definitely due to Ken Carter, the idea of making Lonesome Liz a detective came from his detective stories, he’s all of it I think.
AP: Now, part of your background is in the paranormal field. Ever encountered anything that makes you think Page is looking in on things? Anything SPIDER related in your life or family you can’t really explain?
EB: Well, he was doing séances with a woman from the Dominican Republic, L. Ron Hubbard and Arthur Burks for years so I’m not surprised that there are odd things that occur from time to time. Family members and a few other people have seen a man in black standing by me a time or two, and they’re not family members who usually talk about or even believe in ghosts. One even described him as wearing a cape and I have to admit it did sound like the Spider. Funny thing was that was a relative who hadn’t read any of the stories and didn’t know what he looked like.
AP: Why do you think THE SPIDER has such appeal to the reading public?
EB: Because it was great writing. You care about the characters, they have depth, conflict, and they’re very alive. And it was so extreme! It was the bloodiest, most dire, most deadly Pulp fiction of all Pulp fiction! It was also the most bizzarre at times. Pulps were an escape, something to empower the powerless and what did that more, who did that more than the Spider?
AP: What about the rest of Page’s work? Can you discuss some of his other pulp work beyond THE SPIDER?
EB: It’s a wonderful tapestry of imagination. Whatever you’re into you’ll find it in Norvell’s stories. G-men, detectives, weird menaces, magicians, westerns, swords and sorcery, I have a hard time thinking of what sort of story he didn’t write! The Spider just happens to be what someone kept in print. There are other characters, other stories I think are a lot better or at least a lot more intriguing.
AP: Do you have anything past, current, or in the works, our audience might be interested in checking out? Any music, writing, work on Page’s life, anything at all?
Earth Station One Episode 27 – I Think I’m A Clone Now, There’s always two of me just a hangin’ around.
This week on ESO, Mike, Dan and Mike are joined by comic book writer Bobby Nash to talk about his new trade paperback Yin Yang, and then we dive back into the world of Star Wars and talk about Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Also this week we try again at our new crew rant section “Crew Kudos“.
Join us for another fun filled podcast that we like to call Episode 27: I Think I’m A Clone Now, There’s always two of me just a hangin’ around.
Table of Contents 0:00:00 Intro / Welcome 0:02:26 Crew Kudos – Batman: The Cult / The Akinator / Superman – Batman: Apocalypse / Comic Book Prices 0:28:48 Bobby Nash Interview 0:53:32 Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones 1:29:13 Show Close
Not happy with just being one of the funniest actors in the last few years, Will Ferrell wants to do more than make you laugh. He wants to set world records. But, just like Ricky Bobby needed Cal, and Ron Burgundy needed Brick, Champ, and the Bri-Man… Megamind needs you!
In his attempt to set the world record for the most superheros assembled in a single spot, Will Ferrell and DreamWorks Animation are asking all willing and able-bodied cosplayers in the L.A. area to come out. If Will can assemble 1,501 participants to show up in recognizable super-hero costumes (that means Batman, Superman, Spider-Man… not your indie character ‘Can’t-Get-A-Date-Man’ or his sidekick ‘Emo, the Kid Crier’) he will set a new world record. Will knows it takes time to assemble all those bits to your utility belt, and drop a few pounds to fit into your leotard… but you only have days. Saturday, October 2nd, at the L.A. Live Complex, at 10 AM is the call. Will you answer it?
Dust off your favorite codpiece and cape combo, and go party with (hopefully) 1,501 other costumed vigilantes. Sources close to ComicMix assure you this isn’t a plot by Megamind (of the upcoming DreamWorks movie) to capture heroes and remove potential threats. It’s just a friendly get together. There even might be punch and pie. But don’t quote us on that.
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…)
While the various animated series featuring the DC Universe heroes have had a loose connectivity, the feature films from Warner Premiere have been fiercely independent with variations in look, vocal cast and attitude. That is, until now. In Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, out today from Warner Home Entertainment, we have the first animated feature to immediately pick up on the events of a previous offering, in this case Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. Of course, it makes sense since they both are drawn from the Superman/Batman ongoing series and comprise the title’s first two story arcs.
The arc, from Jeph Loeb and the late Michael Turner, introduced Supergirl to New Earth. In [[[Public Enemies]]], President Luthor tried to blame a large kryptonite asteroid en route to Earth on Superman. After the World’s Finest team destroyed the threat and exposed Luthor’s criminal activity, all seemed safe. As the new feature opens, a voiceover recaps those events and sets up a chunk of the shattered rock splashing into Gotham Bay. As [[[Batman]]] investigates, he encounters a naked, confused teen girl who is speaking gibberish. Demonstrating super-powers, she is confused and causing havoc, requiring intervention from the Man of Steel, who comes to realize this is his cousin Kara Zor-El.
The personality differences between the Dark Knight and the Metropolis Marvel have never been better portrayed in a story, which was adapted for the film by Tab Murphy. Batman’s suspicious and cautious while Superman is delighted to find a blood relative after all these years of emotional isolation. How they react to her arrival informs their actions for the remainder of the story. Also, Murphy does a nice job of delineating a teen who has lost her parents and home, finding herself a stranger in a very strange land. She’s young and innocent, striving to find an identity and rebelling when the adults try to dictate her future without consulting her.
JEAN-MARC LOFFICIER, Writer and Publisher of BLACK COAT PRESS
AP: Jean-Marc, it’s fantastic of you to join ALL PULP for a few minutes. First, can you share some background on yourself before we jump into the ‘business’ side of things?
JML: My wife Randy and I worked for Starlog and several French and British genre film magazines prior to becoming publishers. We also worked in comics, writing scripts for both Marvel and DC (Dr. Strange, Arak, Firestorm, Blue Beetle, etc.) We had, in fact, been translating a number of award-winning French comics for Marvel (the Moebius series) and Dark Horse (works by Tardi, Andreas, Schuiten and others). So moving into translating books was a natural extension. We had already co-authored over a dozen books about movies and television series, such as The Doctor Who Programme Guide, Into The Twilight Zone, Science Fiction Filmmaking In The 1980s and The Dreamweavers, the latter two from McFarland.
AP: You are a publisher. Tell us about Black Coat Press, both what you publish and the mission of your company?
JML: Black Coat Press was born in 2003 as a logical development in our desire to bring out the best of French popular culture into the English language. First, there was our massive French Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror & Pulp Fiction encyclopedia published my McFarland in 2000; then there was our www.coolfrenchcomics.com website, and finally our two non-fiction Shadowmen books which, with our translation of Doctor Omega, were the first books published by Black Coat Press. It had always been a source of profound frustration to us that, because of the language barrier, the knowledge of many outstanding French works was denied to the American public. The purpose of Black Coat Press was to help remedy this sad state of affairs by providing a fairly comprehensive selection of the best and/or the most representative works, with proper introductions, bibliographies, etc. Because science fiction, fantasy, etc. are often regarded as minor genres by “serious” scholars (on both sides of the Atlantic!), we felt that publishing works of this nature would be more useful than publishing classic or mainstream novels, for which there are at least a few outlets available.
AP: How does the history of pulps outside of the United States compare to its American sibling? When did pulps start overseas and what was the lifespan of the genre in France and the U.K.?
JML: In France the type of stories that were later published in pulps were originally serialized in newspapers. The Count of Monte-Cristo, The Three Musketeers, the Black Coats series, Rocambole — all the great pulp heroes of the 19th century first appeared in newspapers. Think that there was a time when French novels and French films were widely imported in the United States. People were mobbing the New York harbor waiting for the latest installment of Alexandre Dumas’ novels. Yet in the age of the global village, this cross-cultural exchange has shrunk to next to nothing, and I think America is the poorer for it.The apparition of magazines or booklets devoted to a single character really started in the 1890s and the very early days of the 20th century. That lasted pretty much until World War II. Truth to tell, there was always a lot of back and forth between serialization in newspapers; magazine-sized booklets, and cheap paperbacks. The three formats were pretty much interchangeable and stories would often appear in several formats.
AP: There seems to be a wealth of characters to choose from. Can you just give us the highlights on some of the characters that Black Coat is handling?
JML: We have published translations of Paul Féval’s BLACK COATS saga, including JOHN DEVIL, a multi-volume series about a secret criminal empire that thrives in the 1840s and is the first, ground-breaking series in the history of crime / conspiracy thrillers. We have also published translations of Arsene Lupin’s famous clashes against Sherlock Holmes and Countess Cagliostro, the first Rouletabille novel, which is an acknowledged classic in the mystery genre, Doctor Omega (a Dr Who lookalike), new translations of Phantom of the Opera and Monsieur Lecoq (Lecoq was an inspiration for and is quoted by Holmes), a collection of Sar Dubnotal (a mystic superhero) and Harry Dickson (a Sexton Blake-type character) stories, several never published before Fantomas novels and several novels featuring the Nyctalope and Doc Ardan, two proto-Doc Savage heroes. We have also published a five-volume series of works by Maurice Renard and a six-volume series of works by J.-H. Rosny Aîné, best known to English-speaking audiences for The Hands of Orlac and Quest for Fire, respectively, and which are both founding fathers of French science fiction after Jules Verne.
AP: Black Coat publishes a ten story anthology yearly. What is the concept behind TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN?
JML: Since 2005 we have indeed released six volumes (so far, Vol 7 will be out in December of this year) of this annual anthology of tales paying homage to the greatest heroes and villains of popular literature. The concept is based on the notion of crossover — the more outlandish, the better — between various characters from pulp fiction, always treated with respect and in continuity. For example we have had Doc Savage meeting The Little Prince or Lecoq Dr. Loveless; this year we have an encounter between Jean Valjean and Zorro. We have had a number of talented and well-known authors participate, such as Robert Sheckley, Kim Newman, John Shirley, Paul DiFilippo and others and this year we’re proud to have a story by mystery author Sharan Newman. We’ve also published stories by new/aspiring writers, who have since gone on to sell stories into other markets. We are also the only truly international anthology who publishes stories from non-English writers: we’ve published tales translated from Belgian, Chilean, Italian, French and French-Canadian authors.
AP: What sort of weight do the concepts from international pulp carry, if any, with today’s audience? Why go through the effort of producing new stories for these characters, some of which are long forgotten or never even known beyond their own country?
JML: Obviously, the answer is — because we love it. But personally I think the popular media (literature, comics, film & TV) are far more reflective of their times than mainstream literature. One will learn more about what 19th century France was really like by reading the BLACK COATS than from history books. I think this is a tradition worth preserving, which is why we put so much effort in preserving those somewhat forgotten classics from long ago and making sure they’re still accessible today.
AP: What are the primary similarities between American pulp characters and international characters? And , of course, the follow up question to that, what are the major differences?
JML: One might argue that there’s nothing new under the sun, and the archetypes of heroic fiction remain the same and go all the way back to the Round Table, the Greek mythology (Hercules, the Argonauts etc) and ultimately Gilgamesh. Our French Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror & Pulp Fiction encyclopedia published my McFarland in 2000 starts in the Middle Ages — when French language became formalized — and you will find a bevvy of very modern concepts: werewolves, vampires, monsters, femmes fatales, evil masterminds, super-powered heroes, magical weapons, it’s all there already. Same in the 17th century where writers created hollow earths, journeys to other planets, lost worlds with prehistoric creature… Honestly, you’d been amazed to see how little new stuff we have invented. They could not conceive of computers and cyberspace — that’s a truly new notion — but you’d be amazed to see how truly ancient some of the notions we still use today are. The romantic vampires goes all the way back to Lord Ruthven (1819); Paul Féval wrote a virtual Buffy novel with Vampire City (1867), already predating Dracula by 30 years. Examples abound. If one wants to understand the roots or genesis of pulp fiction, you have to back much earlier in time. We specialize in French-language works, but obviously other cultures are just as interesting.
AP: Science Fiction seems to be a mainstay at Black Coat? Is this a significant genre overseas within the pulp field and how does it compare to American science fiction?
JML: We consider SF one branch of popular literature, just as interesting as pulp, mystery, crime, horror and fantasy, so I wouldn’t say we treat it with more favor, but we do endeavor to publish translations of genre classics unknown in the English language. I mentioned Rosny and Renard above but we have also released other ground breaking works such as Félix Bodin’s The Novel of the Future (1834), Didier de Chousy’s Ignis (1883), C.I. Defontenay’s Star-Psi Cassiopeia (1854), Charles Derennes’ The People of the Pole (1907), Georges Le Faure & Henri de Graffigny’s The Extraordinary Adventures of a Russian Scientist across the Solar System (1888-96), Gustave Le Rouge’s The Vampires of Mars (1908), Henri de Parville’s An Inhabitant of the Planet Mars (1865), Gaston de Pawlowski’s Journey to the Land of the 4th Dimension (1912) and Albert Robida’s The Adventures of Saturnin Farandoul (1879), all absolutely outstanding works essential to the history of the genre. We have also published a few modern works including two collections by Jean-Claude Dunyach, novels by Kurt Steiner, G.-J. Arnaud, Richard Bessière, André Caroff , Gérard Klein, Michel Jeury, Xavier Mauméjean and two horror thrillers by Philippe Ward, but to a large extent those already reflect and incorporate the influence of American science fiction which was translated and exported right after World War II — so almost any French works after that are already playing in the same ballpark. The modern works we select tend to be original concepts; I try to avoid publishing something which would read just like another American or English work. But still, you can’t get away from the influence. Whereas the works listed above all predate AMAZING STORIES, etc. and are truly unique.
AP: Is Black Coat’s focus solely on the pulp genre? If not, what other mediums are you involved in? Any blending of mediums, say having comic characters appear in pulp stories, etc.?
JML: We are unabashedly devoted to popular literature — as I said, that includes SF and pulp, but also mystery, crime thrillers, fantasy and horror. We do have a small line of comics, translation from French/Italian comics of the 1960s and 1970s, but there are not too different from, say, the DC Comics of the same period.
AP: We’ve established you are a publisher What about as a writer? Can you talk to us about your writing background, especially as it relates to the pulp field?
JML: As I mentioned above, Randy and I have written for comics, and also animation. We did a DUCK TALES and several REAL GHOSBUSTERS as well as a few more forgettable shows like BIONIC SIX etc. One of the GHOSTBUSTERS episodes makes use of the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane so to that extent it is part of the pulp universe, as it were. Quite a few of our comic book stories betray the same influences. We wrote a crossover between Superman and Asterix in ACTION COMICS (drawn by Keith Giffen) and had the Teen Titans’ characters cross into the Tintin universe. We’ve done a couple of novels in France which we translated into English and published at Black Coat Press, including one THE KATRINA PROTOCOL, in which the modern-day descendant of Van Helsing faces a zombie invasion in New Orleans during Katrina, and another novel, EDGAR ALLAN POE ON MARS which is a historical fantasy in which Poe meets Edwin Arnold’s Gullivar Jones. (When we do books in France we usually retain the rights to do our own English translations and publish them here.) We also have a collection of short stories, PACIFICA, which contains all our “Shadowmen” tales as well as some comics, TV fanfic crossovers, etc.
AP: Is Black Coat’s purpose simply to bring these awesome pulp characters from outside of the United States some much needed exposure? Or do you feel these characters have had or can have an impact on what pulp is now and what it will be in the future?
JML: Who knows what the future might bring? So far I’m happy that we are making a wealth of French material heretofore unknown to scholars and fans alike available in English. If that’s our only contribution to the field, I’ll be pleased.
AP: So, what projects are coming from Black Coat Press? Any from your pen specifically?
JML: Volume 7 of TAKES OF THE SHADOWMEN will be out in December. Next year, we expect to publish the last volume in the BLACK COATS saga as well as continue the translations of the MADAME ATOMOS series, a French pulp from the 1960s which was then a new and much harder edged reinterpretation of the old “yellow peril” archetype; the ATOMOS series was really ahead of its times in terms of foreseeing modern terrorism, etc. We expect to be publishing more classics of proto-science fiction from the 19th century as well as a truly visionary work of the 18th century, LAMEKIS, which already foreshadows PELLUCIDAR and other similar fantasy novels. If Bill Maynard finishes it in time, we’ll have a second fully authorized original FU MANCHU novel later in the year and Randy and I plan to translate the classic last Fantomas novel, THE DEATH OF FANTOMAS, never translated before into English. As far as our own work is concerned, we’re supposed to have a story in the next Moonstone’s AVENGER collection and one in the WORLDS OF PHILIP JOSE FARMER collection, plus some other works published in France that we mean to translate.
AP: Jean-Marc, thank you so much for this interview! ALL PULP wants the world to know all about Black Coat Press!!
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.
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!
There was no escape for Nita Van Sloan, abducted by a horde of inhuman monstrosities, doomed to become the victim of a diabolical experiment. The Spider, Master of Men, strikes back with a vengeance, fighting alone against the brutally brilliant creator of the Frankenstein Legion, in a desperate race against time to save the only woman who shares his darkest secrets!
And then, double-shot action with Operator 5 by (Vertigo’s) Gary Phillips
(Covers are 75% Brereton, 25% Pagacz) **Retailer incentive: for every TWO copies you buy, get one free! 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!
This is a tough book to review given growing up reading the majority of titles covered here in addition to working on staff for twenty years plus continuing to contribute to the company today. It’s also a book I wish I had written. That said, this is a mighty undertaking that is strong and eminently readable. This is a worthwhile 75th anniversary collector’s item and a great way to encapsulate DC Comics’ rich history. By all means, this belongs on your bookshelf.
Not happy with just being one of the funniest actors in the last few years, Will Ferrell wants to do more than make you laugh. He wants to set world records. But, just like Ricky Bobby needed Cal, and Ron Burgundy needed Brick, Champ, and the Bri-Man… Megamind needs you! 
Summer Glau knows her audience.
While the various animated series featuring the DC Universe heroes have had a loose connectivity, the feature films from Warner Premiere have been fiercely independent with variations in look, vocal cast and attitude. That is, until now. In 
, out today from Warner Home Entertainment, we have the first animated feature to immediately pick up on the events of a previous offering, in this case Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. Of course, it makes sense since they both are drawn from the Superman/Batman ongoing series and comprise the title’s first two story arcs.
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.
