DIAL P FOR PULP!HERE'S ANOTHER COOL SITE FEATURING PULP STYLE STORIES AND PODCASTS!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
TALES OF THE RED PANDA!
TALES OF THE RED PANDA!For almost a year now, fans of Decoder Ring Theatre's podcast radio series The Red Panda Adventures have been waiting for news... and the wait is almost over!
Last fall, the first chapter of an all-new adventure novel featuring the masked protectors of 1930's Toronto appeared in the debut issue of Astonishing Adventures! Magazine. At last the full story can be told!
Titled Tales of The Red Panda: The Crime Cabal, the novel is written in the tradition of the great adventure pulp magazines of the 1930s and '40s. Set within the existing continuity of the radio series, The Crime Cabal makes a fine introduction to our heroes and their world for new readers, and has many surprises in store sure to delight those who are already fans!
The Crime Cabal will first appear in a Direct Market edition from Age of Adventure Publishing - Decoder Ring Theatre has a special Audiobook Teaser episode of their podcast, available at http://www.decoderringtheatre.com
or via the feed
http://decoderring.libsyn.com/rss
Visit Decoder Ring Theatre to catch up on the thrilling audio adventures of.... The Red Panda!
Last fall, the first chapter of an all-new adventure novel featuring the masked protectors of 1930's Toronto appeared in the debut issue of Astonishing Adventures! Magazine. At last the full story can be told!
Titled Tales of The Red Panda: The Crime Cabal, the novel is written in the tradition of the great adventure pulp magazines of the 1930s and '40s. Set within the existing continuity of the radio series, The Crime Cabal makes a fine introduction to our heroes and their world for new readers, and has many surprises in store sure to delight those who are already fans!
The Crime Cabal will first appear in a Direct Market edition from Age of Adventure Publishing - Decoder Ring Theatre has a special Audiobook Teaser episode of their podcast, available at http://www.decoderringtheatre.com
or via the feed
http://decoderring.libsyn.com/rss
Visit Decoder Ring Theatre to catch up on the thrilling audio adventures of.... The Red Panda!
DECODER RING THEATRE ~ A MIDSUMMERS NIGHT’S NOIR!
DECODER RING THEATRE ~ A MIDSUMMERS NIGHT’S NOIR! With the city in the grips of a heat wave, things are bound to get a little screwy. But no matter what air-conditioned hidey-hole a gumshoe ducks into, the place is lousy with crouching jade kittens and raincoated would-be girl detectives. It's bound to end badly for someone when Jack and Trixie start A Midsummer Night's Noir! - With special guest star Mary Jo Pehl!
ANOTHER COOL PULP PODCAST WITH THE ADVENTURES OF THE RED PANDA AND BLACK JACK JUSTICE!
DOWNLOAD: Black_Jack_Justice_25_-_A_Midsummer_Nights_Noir.mp3
TO GET MORE ADVENTURES CLICK HERE
GEOGRAPHY LESSON!
GEOGRAPHY LESSON!THE GEOGRAPHY OF A WOMAN
Between 18 and 22, a woman is like Africa, half Discovered, half wild, fertile and naturally beautiful!
Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe, well developed and open totrade, especially for someone with cash.
Between 31 and 35, a woman is like Spain, very hot, relaxed and convinced of her own beauty.
Between 36 and 40, a woman is like Greece, gently aging but still a warm and desirable place to visit.
Between 41 and 50, a woman is like Great Britain, With a glorious and all conquering past.
Between 51 and 60, a woman is like Israel, has been through war and doesn't make the same mistakes twice, Takes care of business.
Between 61 and 70, a woman is like Canada, self-preserving, but open to meeting new people.
After 70, she becomes Tibet, wildly beautiful, with a mysterious past and the wisdom of the ages...only those with an adventurous spirit and a thirst for spiritual knowledge visit there.
THE GEOGRAPHY OF A MAN
Between 1 and 70, a man is like Iran, ruled by nuts.
Friday, December 12, 2008
DOWNLOADABLE PULP E-STORIES!
DOWNLOADABLE PULP E-STORIES!OKAY, HERE'S A COOL SITE WITH A BUNCH OF DOWNLOADABLE PULP E-STORIES IN PDF FORMAT . . .
I FOUND A BUNCH OF ROBERT LESLIE BELLEM'S DAN TURNER, HOLLYWOOD DETECTIVE STORIES!
CHECK IT OUT HERE
THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL!
THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL!VOLUME 9: "FORESHADOWING THE BATMAN" VARIANT SPECIAL
The book that rewrote the history of Batman is reissued in the first Shadow variant edition as "The Knight of Darkness" returns in two historic novels that gave birth to "The Dark Knight." First, a powerful new underworld kingpin crosses swords with The Shadow in "Lingo," one of Walter Gibson's all-time masterpieces which inspired the 'Batarang.' In "Partners of Peril" by Theodore Tinsley, Lamont Cranston investigates chemical syndicate murders in the crime thriller that was adapted by Bill Finger and Bob Kane as Batman's debut adventure in Detective Comics #27. This extra-length volume also reprints Tinsley's "The Grim Joker," a 1936 tale introducing a clown-faced crime boss called 'The Joker'.
PLUS: Will Murray documents the "Shadowy" origins of The Batman, and Anthony Tollin chronicles how "Partners in Peril" was adapted as the first Batman story. This special variant edition leads off with the classic George Rozen cover painting that many consider the definitive portrait of The Shadow, and also reprints all the original interior illustrations by Tom Lovell including a dynamite two-page spread dropped from the original Street & Smith pulp.
Softcover, 144 pages, 7x10, B&W, $12.95
"With this astonishing discovery, Anthony Tollin and Will Murray have rewritten the history of Batman. We always knew that Batman was inspired by The Shadow‹we just didn’t know how much he was inspired by The Shadow!" - ROY THOMAS
FOR MORE CLICK HERE
"With this astonishing discovery, Anthony Tollin and Will Murray have rewritten the history of Batman. We always knew that Batman was inspired by The Shadow‹we just didn’t know how much he was inspired by The Shadow!" - ROY THOMAS
FOR MORE CLICK HERE
BATTLEFIELDS: NIGHT WITCHES #1 (OF 3)!
BATTLEFIELDS: NIGHT WITCHES #1 (OF 3)!DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT is proud to be the new home for the next series of Garth Ennis' "war" books, all under the "Battlfields" header!
Late summer, 1942. As the German army smashes deep into Soviet Russia and the defenders of the Motherland retreat in disarray, a new bomber squadron arrives at a Russian forward airbase. Its crews will fly flimsy wooden biplanes on lethal night missions over German lines, risking fiery death as they fling themselves against the invader- but for these pilots, the consequences of capture will be even worse. For the pilots of the 599th Night Bomber Regiment are women. In the deadly skies of the Eastern front, they will become a legend- known, to friend and foe alike, as the Night Witches. Based on a true story.
Featuring two covers, one by John Cassaday and the other by Garry (Dan Dare) Leach!
TO SEE MORE CLICK HERE
BLACK MASK AUDIO MAGAZINE, VOLUME 1!
BLACK MASK AUDIO MAGAZINE, VOLUME 1!In the 1930s and '40s, Black Mask was the single most important magazine for the modern mystery field. In its pages writers such as Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Earl Stanley Gardner reshaped the established view of mystery fiction, creating the "hard-boiled" private eye. Now comes this series in which the toughest of tough detectives are resurrected from its pages in sonic dramatization from the award-winning Hollywood Theater of the Ear.
Stories included in this volume are “Lost and Found” by Hugh B. Cave, “Pigeon Blood” by Paul Cain, “Rough Justice” by Frederick Nebel, “Black” by Paul Cain, “The Missing Mr. Lee” by Hugh B. Cave, “Taking His Time” by Rueben J. Shay, “Trouble Chaser” by Paul Cain, "Waiting for Rusty" by William Cole, and “Too Many Have Lived” by Dashiell Hammett.
Read by a full cast
Mystery & Suspense - Unabridged
Subtitle: Classic Hard-Boiled Tales from the Original Black Mask
Tough gumshoes, rotten yeggs, and dangerous dames
Featuring Richard Ferrone • Grover Gardner • Anthony Heald • Malcolm Hillgartner • William Hughes • Lorna Raver • Burt Ross • Rochelle Savitt • Christine Williams • Tom Weiner • Kaitlin Hopkins • George Guidall • Jeff Woodman
Executive Producer: Josh Stanton
Producer-director: Yuri Rasovsky
Dramatizations: Tanya A. Perez, Griffith Chase
Editorial Director: Keith Alan Deutsch
Sound: John Baker, Andrew Barnes, and Aura Johnson
Formats:
4 Tapes - $34.95
1 MP3CD - $19.95
4 CDs - $40.00
Visit the Blackstone Audio website at:
http://www.blackstoneaudio.com/
AIRSHIP 27:SECRET AGENT X- VOLUME III - NOW AVAILABLE!
AIRSHIP 27:SECRET AGENT X- VOLUME III - NOW AVAILABLE!Airship 27 Productions and Cornerstone Book Publishers are pleased to announce the publication of the third volume in their anthology series of brand new Secret Agent X adventures. Pulpdom’s greatest super-spy returns in four never before published tales of breath-taking thrills and daring do. In this collection, The Man of a Thousand Faces finds himself pitted against a new Nazi super rifle that can kill from miles away; a mythological monster from ancient history, a mysterious horror hidden in the jungles of Cambodia and a new technological marvel capable of enslaving America.
These new exploits are provided by writers John Bear Ross, Frank Schildiner, Jarrod Courtemanche and Andrew Salmon. “There’s something about this character that inspires all our writers,” said Art Director Rob Davis upon completing the interior illustrations for this new book. “Every one of these is an original gem pulp fans are going to eat up.”
The series was begun two years ago and with SECRET AGENT X – Vol III, continues the fun begun in the first two volumes. “This is a pulp hero our readers just can’t get enough,” declared Airship 27 Editor, Ron Fortier. “And we’re only too happy to give them more.” Airship 27 Prod. began by Fortier especially to produce new stories of classic pulp heroes from the 1930s. In 2007, Airship 27 Productions joined forces with Michael Poll and Cornerstone Book Publishers of New Orleans. This is their tenth pulp release since their partnership was launched.
This new volume contains:
The Wrath of the Valkyrie
The Mask of Medusa
Ruins of Lost Souls
The Watchmen of Doom
Designed by Rob Davis with a cover by Davis and Shane Evans.
ISBN: 1-934935-32-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-934935-32-3
Produced by Airship 27 Productions
Published by Cornerstone Book Publishers
Release date: 12/13/2008
Retail Price: $24.95
FOR MORE CLICK HERE
ADVENTURE HOUSE - THE THRILL BOOK VOLUME 1 (OF 2)!
ADVENTURE HOUSE - THE THRILL BOOK VOLUME 1 (OF 2)!The first seven issues from 1919 (all edited by Harold Hersey) of this classic Street & Smith pulp magazine that ran for a total of sixteen twice-monthly issues.
An Adventure House exclusive!
THE THRILL BOOK has always had mythical status among pulp and science fiction fans. Introduced during the early days of pulp magazines, THE THRILL BOOK's first seven issues were published using the same dimensions and page counts as the dying genre of magazines known as "Dime Novels." Saddle stitched, with only 48 pages, THE THRILL BOOK broke the mold for "Dime Novels." Its stories had nothing in commong with any other "Dime Novel", even its price was twice the norm for the so-called "Dime Novels" which actually cost only a nickel.
Yet, its impact on "Fantastic" fiction to come isn't denied. Published on a bi-monthly basis, THE THRILL BOOK lasted a scant sixteen issues, and continues to stif the imagination of collectors and readers alike.
Adventure House brings you in multiple volumes, the entire THRILL BOOK saga. Complete with all illustrations, filler and poetry, THE THRILL BOOK COMPLETE is well...just that...complete for the first time since its cancellation in 1919!
BOOKS ARE BEING PRINTED AND BOUND NOW.
Pre-orders are now being accepted
by Mike Chomko for Volume 1
$70 (hardbound)
Hardbound Book, 8.5x11, 402 pages
First 7 Issues: March 1, 1919 - June 1, 1919
Volume 2 will be available at a later date.
FOR MORE CLICK HERE
GHOST SQUAD ~ RON FORTIER!
GHOST SQUAD ~ RON FORTIER!GHOST SQUAD # 1 Rise of the Black Legion, is the first in a brand new pulp series from Airship 27 Prod. & Cornerstone Book Publishers. Set in the 1930s, this fast paced thriller is pure purple prose from start to finish.
A United States Senator is murdered on the floor of the Senate by an invisible assassin; a French nobleman in Jerusalem during the First Crusades gives rise to a new order, the Knights Templar, and a creature of dark mythology becomes the power behind the Third Reich. Three supposedly unrelated events weaving their way through the corridors of time as if by no rhyme or reason. But what if all of these moments were connected through the incredible exploits of one man? An immortal man destined to battle evil throughout the ages!
From Munich to the hills of San Francisco and a speeding midnight train across the badlands of Utah, pulpsmiths Ron Fortier and Andrew Salmon unleash an incredible adventure pitting America’s secret defenders, the GHOST SQUAD, on their first thrill-a-minute mission. Led by the man who cannot die, they must battle the most sophisticated spy network ever conceived, the BLACK LEGION! At stake the life of one of the country’s most beloved heroes and the fighting spirit of an entire nation.
Fortier, a pulp historian, is known for his work on the new Captain Hazzard pulp series also from Airship 27 Prod. Andrew Salmon has contributed to the new Secret Agent X anthology and is the author of the critically acclaimed sci-fi novel, The Light of Men. The book was designed and features interior illustrations by Rob Davis, former DC Star Trek artist with a fantastic cover by DC’s latest super star, Chad Hardin.
All brought to you by Airship 27 Productions, Pulp Fiction for a new generation!
GHOST SQUAD # 1: Rise of the Black Legion
by Ron Fortier and Andrew Salmon
Cover by Chad Hardin.
Illustrations by Rob Davis.
ISBN: 1-934935-14-X
Produced by Airship 27
Published by Cornerstone Book Publishers
Release date: 9/19/2008
Retail Price: $24.95
TO SEE MORE CLICK HERE
BETTY PAGE, R.I.P.
BETTY PAGE, R.I.P.Bettie Page, the brunet pinup queen with a shoulder-length pageboy hairdo and kitschy bangs whose saucy photos helped usher in the sexual revolution of the 1960s, has died. She was 85.
Page, whose later life was marked by depression, violent mood swings and several years in a state mental institution, died at a Los Angeles hospital where she had been on life support since she had a heart attack on Dec. 2, according to her agent, Mark Roesler. A cult-culture figure, Page was most famous for the estimated 20,000 4-by-5-inch black-and-white glossy photographs taken by amateur shutterbugs from 1949 to 1957.
"Exactly what captures the imagination of people in terms of popular culture is something hard to define," Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner once said of Page. "But in Bettie's case, I'd say it's a combination of wholesome innocence and fetish-oriented poses that is at once retro and very modern."
Thursday, December 11, 2008
FORGOTTEN BOOKS: CRIMSON SKIES BY ERIC NYLUND!
FORGOTTEN BOOKS: CRIMSON SKIES BY ERIC NYLUND! Welcome to the unfriendly skies of 1930’s alternate reality America of Crimson Skies. The United States is a land torn apart by epidemic and war. With chaos on the ground, America’s highways have been forced into the skies, a lawless new frontier where the flying ace – hero, pirate, villain – is king.
In this alternate history, the year is 1937 and the United States is fractured into squabbling nation-states, brought about by the weight of the Great Depression, regional prohibition and mounting isolationism. Giant Zeppelins crisscross the skies carrying both passengers and cargo, and airborne bandits are a constant threat.
Crimson Skies was an official tie-in novel to the thrilling Xbox game of the same name – a game that also spawned miniatures collections, board games, strategy manuals, and anything else that could possibly make money.
These types of books are often overlooked because of their video game incarnations as if they are somehow inferior – and some of them are. But good writing can be found in any genre and video game novelizations is not an exception. Currently, I’m really enjoying Matt Forbeck’s inventive Blood Bowl novels (sword and sorcery on the football field with big dollups of humor) based on the fantasy game of the same name. Eric Nylund, who contributed the first of the three novellas in this collection, is also very capable of turning out fresh and intriguing pulp stories in this sub-sub-genre.
Over the years I’ve developed a strong affinity for the air combat pulps of the ‘30’s and ‘40s. G-8 and his Battle Aces is a particular favorite. As a result, I was easily drawn to the Crimson Skies novelization even though I didn’t have an awareness of the video game for which the concept is best known (Crimson Skies was actually spawn as a board game, but that’s a story for elsewhere).
Like many of the pulps before it, the cover and advertising copy for Crimson Skies promise maximum thrills and adventure. Often this type of hype is far more than what the interior prose delivers. Still, I was willing to forgive much in order to sit back an enjoy the effort the authors made to recreate the pulp feel – and overall, Crimson Skies is quite successful in creating a believable alternate history universe and developing all the traits that made the air combat pulps so popular.
Crimson Skies features three novellas (the exciting, danger-packed adventures of three air daredevils), two originally published on the Crimson Skies website, one previously unpublished. Each story is preceded by a brief history lesson about the Crimson Skies universe, which acts as the prelude to the following story.
THE CASE OF THE PHANTOM PROTOTYPE – Eric Nylund
A hefty payday convinced dogfight genius Paladin Blake to fly a top-secret aircraft into the Mojave Desert. But on this job, Blake must not only save himself, but thousands of others slated for death by an unseen foe.
‘GENGHIS’ KAHN & THE MANCHURIAN GAMBIT – Michael B. Lee
Why is the notorious leader of the Red Skull Legion pirate gang rescuing a lady in distress, returning gold, and duking it out in blazing air battles from Manhattan to Manchuria with no plunder in sight? Wonders never cease.
BAYOU BLUES – Nancy Berman and Eric S. Trautmann
Ever since flying ace Nathan Zachary made a pirate ship out of a stolen zeppelin, the gentleman air-pirate and his Fortune Hunters gang have roamed the globe in search of money, fame, and adventure. But a double-dealing Cajun sky-thief, a crooked businessman, and a pair of star-crossed lovers may just trump this ace in a high stakes, high altitude con game.
Swashbuckling adventures of your favorite flying aces, in all their guts and glory, against a backdrop of blazing Crimson Skies.
Aside from this collection of short stories, the Crimson Skies franchise also led to several other tie-in novels and story collections:
SPICY AIR TALES
This two volume series featured short stories that originally appeared on the Crimson Skies website and supplemental material for using characters and planes from the stories with the boardgame.
VOLUME I: FORTUNE'S HUNT – Michael A. Stackpole
VOLUME II: THE GREAT HELIUM WAR – Robert E. Vardeman
&
MANHATTAN MAYHEM – Loren L. Coleman
WINGS OF FORTUNE: PIRATE'S GOLD – Stephen Kenson
Introduces Nathan Zachary and his famous band of air pirates, the Fortune Hunters. It follows Zachary's air exploits and daring escapes during his early days as a war pilot, and recounts a climatic confrontation with his nemesis.
WINGS OF JUSTICE: ROGUE FLYER – LOREN L. COLEMAN
Follows the transformation of Trevor Girard from law-abiding security agent to pirate with a heart of gold.
FORGOTTEN CARTOONS: RING RAIDERS!
FORGOTTEN CARTOONS: RING RAIDERS!Every Friday a number of bloggers, including me, post about forgotten books. As a change of pace today, I wanted to also blog about a forgotten cartoon, which my choice for today’s forgotten book, Crimson Skies, brought to mind.
Ring Raiders, from DiC Entertainment and Matchbox, was very much like other toy-license-based cartoons of its time. It shares the same production staff of COPS/CyberCOPS and Phantom:2040, and doesn't fall too far concept wise from the premises of COPS, G. I. Joe, and the like.
Created in 1989, Ring Raiders was set in the year 1998. The world is on the brink of a cataclysmic war. An organization dedicated to taking over the world, through the brutal use of air power, is about to realize its goal.
Known as the Skull Squadron, it was founded by a band of renegades whose planes are capable of time travel. These pilots become obsessed with the power they hold and believe they can use their planes to take control of the world.
There are always pilots who, twisted by war’s cruelties, are willing to join the Skull Squadron, causing it to grow bigger and more dangerous. By 1998, the Skull Squadron is finally powerful enough to scramble for the master mission in its bid for world domination.
By now, almost too late, the great nations of the world are aware of the Skull Squadron's plot. They band together to produce an aircraft that gives them a fighting chance against the onslaught – the air carrier Justice, which can travel through time in the same manner as the Skull Squadron. The carrier is outfitted with a small crew, then sent back in time. The Justice crew beams the best planes and pilots right out of history's greatest air battles to train them to hunt down the Skull Squadron.
A handful of pilots are selected as Ring Commanders to train and supervise the hundreds who remain. Ring Commanders are identified by their special cyber ring, through which they can summon (or be summoned by) fellow Ring Raiders in times of need.
One such pilot is Cub Jones, a novice American Navy pilot from World War Two. He is recruited by the Ring Raiders when the Skull Squadron, led by the evil Scorch, emerges in his era.
The plot of the first episode of the series involves Cub's rescue from peril at the hands of the Skulls and initiation into the Raiders – and the subsequent mission as the Skulls' delayed-reaction weapon sets off volcanoes all around the world.
Good and evil are sharply defined by Peter Chung's character designs. There is no doubt that Wraither, Hubbub, Mako, Syren and Chiller are through and through villainy, willing to accomplish Scorch's nasty plans with the utmost ruthlessness.
As well, Vector, Yakamura, Miles, Jenny Gale, Kirkov, Thundercloud, Cub and Von Klaudeitz would not look out of place among the heroic G. I. Joe team characters.
If the show had been more successful in getting syndication there would be no doubt these characters would have appeared in action-figure form. However, despite the minimal video exposure there were a ton of tie-in toys – mostly cool tiny planes connected to a finger ring by a long plastic pin. There was also a ton of other tie-in items from lunchboxes to linens.
While I enjoyed the concept of the series and the very cool planes, viewing the initial episode of the series, Ring of Fire, shows much that was wrong with American-concept cartoons of the era – in particular the commercialism and black-and-white moralizing.
But never before and never again in American cartoons was the theme of aviation covered in so much visual detail. The planes, which in many other cartoons would just be rendered in generic designs, would be easily recognizable to airplane fans: the Grumman Wildcat, Mikoyan Foxbat, SAAB Viggen, Northrop Tiger II, and Fokker Triplane are among the featured machines. The Japanese cartoon Area 88 appeared at about the same time and shares the same subject matter, making it a good counterpoint to Ring Raiders.
There were at least five episodes, Ring Of Fire, The Best Man For The Job is Woman, Scorch's Revenge, All The Right Stuff, and A Pilot's Faith. These were all parts of one over arching pilot (no pun intended) episode, but the series was never taken up as a full season show. Only the first episode, Ring Of Fire, appears to have made it to VHS.
Voices for the show included Jack Angel, Chris Anthony, Roscoe Lee Browne, Rodger Bumpass, and Townsend Coleman. The art design was done by Peter Chung.
The show used the catchphrase The command is in my hand when characters wished to transform their planes, using their magical rings to make them more powerful – this led to a cool toy kids could strap on their forearm, while wearing a Ring Raider plane on a finger, which emmitted battle sounds.
I actually remember this series best because it debuted shortly after I was married in 1989, and I bonded with my (then) seven year old step-son watching the episodes and collecting the toys.
He’s twenty-six now and about to graduate with his masters in Mechanical Engineering. Between the planes on Ring Raiders and uncountable sets of Legos, it appears I scarred him for life.
POPULAR SCIENCE MAGAZINE (1872 ~ NOW) ON GOOGLE BOOKS!
POPULAR SCIENCE MAGAZINE (1872 ~ NOW) ON GOOGLE BOOKS! This is fantastic: Google Book Search has full copies of Popular Science magazine, dating back to 1872, available for you to read online.
The very first issue, May to October 1872, covers such topics as The Study of Sociology (by Herbert Spencer, no less - he coined the term "survival of the fittest"), The Recent Eclipse of the Sun, Science and Immortality, and so on.
TO VIEW THE ISSUES CLICK HERE
BURN NOTICE ~ THE END GAME!
BURN NOTICE ~ THE END GAME!TOD GOLDBERG'S SECOND BURN NOTICE NOVEL, THE END GAME, IS SET FOR PUBLICATION IN MAY (ASSUMING THERE ARE ANY BOOKSTORES LEFT TO CARRY IT) AND THE JUST RELEASED COVER IS LOOKING AS COOL AS THE SHOW IS HOT!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
THE BULLET!
THE BULLET!LA longest running 60’s shindig! The Bullet soul garage club held at The Vine Bar in Hollwood (Every 3rd Saturday) with DJs spinning 60’s soul, motown and garage vinyl all night! Bring a friend, make a friend?
Get in FREE from 9-10pm and watch cool 60's videos from Martha and The Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, Shirley Ellis, Smokey Robinson, The Marvelettes, The Ronettes, The Supremes, The Troggs, Four Tops, James Brown, Isley Brothers, Jr. Walker and The Allstars amd many more!
THE PULP READER!
THE PULP READER!THIS IS AN INTERESTING BLOG IN THAT THERE ARE AUDIO DOWNLOADS OF MANY DIFFERENT PULPS YOU CAN'T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE. THE DRAWBACK IS THE SOFTWARE USED TO DIGITALLY AUDIOTIZE THE BOOKS SOUNDS AS IF IT IS BEING READ BY A ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE ROBOT. STILL, IF YOU CAN GET USED TO IT THERE ARE SOME GOOD STORIES AVAILABLE ~ I'M LISTENING TO THE ORIGINAL ZORRO STORY, THE CURSE OF CAPISTRANO, AS I WRITE THIS.
HERE'S WHAT THE WEBSITE CREATOR HAS TO SAY ABOUT THE BLOG . . .
About The Digital Pulp Reader Project:
I read a lot. I also drive a lot, stuck in long commutes every day. There's a way for a reader and a commuter to do both at the same time. And for me that is through audiobooks. But alas, most of the books I'd like to listen to are not available anywhere, so what to do? Make my own and that's mostly what this is about. I create Text To Speech (TTS) audiobooks for my daily commute. Since I make them, I might as well share them. So here we are! My intent is not to infringe on any copywritten materials, so if there are any complaints, please email me at shonokin@yahoo.com
DARK STREETS ~ IT'S ABOUT THE BLUES!
DARK STREETS ~ IT'S ABOUT THE BLUES!
THIS LOOKS TO BE AN INTRIQUING NEW FILM WITH A GREAT SOUNDTRACK FEATURING B.B. KING, NATALIE COLE, ETTA JAMES, AARON NEVILLE, RICHIE SAMBORA AND THE GREAT, THE ONE, THE ONLY CHAKA KAHN!
DEFIANCE!
DEFIANCE!BLOG BUDDY TANNER OVER AT DOUBLE O SECTION HAS A GREAT REVIEW OF THE UPCOMING DANIEL CRAIG FEATURE DEFIANCE ALONG WITH SOME INTERESTING TAKES ON THE TYPE OF FILMS THE ALL THE BOND STARS HAVE GONE ON TO DO . . .
One interesting thing about the six actors who have officially portrayed James Bond is that there are few other roles that these guys would ever compete for. Roger Moore couldn’t have been Indiana Jones’ father–or broken into The Rock. Sean Connery would never send himself up in a Cannonball Run. Even the great Daniel Craig couldn’t have pulled off The Matador, and likewise it’s impossible to picture Pierce Brosnan as a rugged Jewish rebel hiding out in the woods and leading a band of partisans to stand up against the Nazis in a gritty Holocaust drama like Defiance.* Why is that? Does the public perception of Bond change so much every decade that the role calls for a completely different type, or do each of these men embody a different facet of 007? I suspect it’s a little bit of both, and thus every new actor to take on the role enhances it, each leaving his own indelible mark on the public’s perception of Her Majesty’s top agent.
TO READ THE FULL REVIEW CLICK HERE
SWINGERHEAD CHRISTMAS SHOW!
SWINGERHEAD CHRISTMAS SHOW! TICKETS ARE GOING FAST!
DECEMBER 19 & 20 (MATINEE AND EVENING SHOWS)
HOLIDAY MUSIC • VARIETY • THE PARK AVENUE DANCERS • ZANY COMEDY
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE SENSATIONAL A CAPPELLA VOCAL GROUP 4:2:FIVE,
POWERHOUSE SINGER-INDY DIXON, HILARIOUS COMEDIAN/GUITARIST/SINGER - JOHN CHARLES!
A SWINGERHEAD CHRISTMAS CD!
A SWINGERHEAD CHRISTMAS CD!DUE TO OVERWHELMING POPULARITY,
We've just sent another case of our popular holiday CD's,
A SWINGERHEAD CHRISTMAS to CD Baby!
MISTLETOE MAMBO • TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS •
WINTER WONDERLAND plus many, many more Chrstmas classics performed by Michael Andrew & Swingerhead
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
THE PARADISE LUAU, POMONA, CA!
THE PARADISE LUAU, POMONA, CA!THE POLYNESIAN PARADISE DANCERS ANNUAL CONCERT FOR 2008 TAKES PLACE SAT. DEC. 13, 2008 AT 7 P.M. IN POMONA, CALIFORNIA. ENJOY FIRE KNIFE AND FIRE POI PERFORMANCES AS WELL AS DYNAMIC HULA AND TAHITIAN SWINGS TO LIVE MUSIC BY KING KUKULELE AND THE FRIKI TIKI’S. IT’S SURE TO MAKE YOUR CHEEKY TIKI SMILE!
SAT. DEC. 13, 2008 AT 7 P.M. CAL POLY POMONA UNIVERSITY THEATER 2801 NW. TEMPLE AVE., BUILDING 25, POMONA, CA 91768 TICKETS ARE $20
FOR MORE TICKET INFORMATION, CALL (562) 945 2599 OR E-MAIL info@polynesianparadise.net
A TIP OF THE TIKI TORCH TO TIKI TALK
FRANKIE’S TIKI ROOM, LAS VEGAS, NV!
FRANKIE’S TIKI ROOM, LAS VEGAS, NV!FRANKIE’S TIKI ROOM, LAS VEGAS’ ONLY AUTHENTIC TIKI BAR, IS NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN TO THIRSTY PATRONS 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK . . .
1712 W. CHARLESTON BLVD., LAS VEGAS, NV
FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:
Frankie’s offers a unique drink menu that features fifteen original exotic drinks including: the Bearded Clam, a tiki twist on the classic mojito; Bombora Blast, loaded with 151 proof rum and infused with a guava-based energy drink; Bender Ender, a blend of rums, pineapple juice, papaya nectar and 160 proof rum; the Mutiny, the perfect storm of vodka, melon liqueur, Amaretto, Everclear and cranberry juice and much more. Frankie’s also offers five traditional tiki drinks: the Mai Tai, Lapu Lapu, Navy Grog, Pikake and the Zombie. All tiki drinks are priced at $8, along with a conventional full service bar at competitive local prices. For the collector at heart, Frankie’s offers eight original souvenir tiki mugs. Each mug is unique and corresponds with an original tiki drink on the menu. Tiki mugs can be purchased for $15 each, or the drink served in the mug for only $20.
Many of the world’s top tiki carvers had a hand in creating Frankie’s unique vibe. The interior was designed and built by Bamboo Ben, the world’s foremost tiki room designer. Other carvers who contributed their masterpieces to Frankie’s include Tiki Bosko, best known locally for carving the large tikis and Polynesian statues for the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in the 1990s; Crazy Al Evans, credited for his sculpture known as “Polynesian Pop” and for creating Frankie’s signature tiki, a monstrous island warrior; and Leroy Schmaltz, the godfather of all tiki carvers and recognized for creating the biggest existing tiki statue in Tahiti.
YOU GOTTA LOVE THE SLOT MACHINE TIKI MUG (SEE PHOTO).
TO VISIT FRANKIE’S TIKI ROOM WEBSITE CLICK HERE
THE LADIES OF NOIR: A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION!
THE LADIES OF NOIR: A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION!THREE FEMALE NOIR WRITERS, CHRISTA FAUST, CATHI UNSWORTH, AND MEGAN ABBOT SIT DOWN AND DISH ABOUT NOIR WITH THE BOOKSLUT . . .
In the catalogue of noir literature, female crime writers are the proverbial needle in the haystack. I’ve always had an affinity for hardboiled fiction, a genre of writing I found very appealing and engrossing because it engages with violence, eroticism and human despair (often told in, it would seem, wonderfully garish Technicolor). It would be folly to say that there was "something of the night" about heavyweights such as Derek Raymond, Raymond Chandler, et al. Their vivid characters are people you may never want to meet but are captivating nonetheless. The worlds they move through are places where bodies lie rotting at the bottom of rivers. Places of cut-throat razors on skin, dead-eyed women walking cobbled streets in petrol blue shadows, cynical moonlight and the unrelenting amorous, often violent advances of Everyman. Bitter worlds of restless wantonness, fragile impulse and shattered ideals.
Some of the most staggering noir fiction I’ve raced through in recent years was by prolific female authors: Cathi Unsworth, Megan Abbot and Christa Faust are three of the writers whose work I’ve devoured quicker than a bullet fired from a Glock pistol and returned to again eagerly. Cathi Unsworth has had two excellent books published by the extravagant imprint Serpents Tail (The Not Knowing, inspired by Derek Raymond which was followed by the superior punk-noir novel The Singer) while Christa Faust had the ultra-violent, pacey Money Shot picked up by Hard Case Crime (she is their first lady) and Simon & Shuster’s award winning lady Megan Abbott is perhaps the most prolific of all and her new novel Bury Me Deep will be published in 2009. I had the opportunity of picking their brains about their thoughts on noir writing and was privy to some exceptional perspectives.
TO READ THE COMPLETE DISCUSSION CLICK HERE
TOP 10 HEISTS!
TOP TEN HEISTS! TIME'S ONLINE WEBSITE HAS A COOL POST TODAY FEATURING THE TOP 10 HEISTS IN HISTORY . . .
Mona Lisa - 1911
How many disgruntled ex-employees does it take to rob the Louvre? Apparently just one. On Aug. 21, 1911, former workman Vincenzo Peruggia waltzed into the museum and stole the tiny painting, then valued at $1 million, by ripping it from the wall while no one was looking, stuffing it under his shirt, and waltzing right back out. Two years later police captured Peruggia and recovered the painting thanks to an honest art dealer in Florence who reported Peruggia to police after he unsuccessfully tried to pawn it. Even so, the Mona Lisa exhibit remained popular during its disappearance; thousands of museum visitors lined up just to see the empty space where it should have been hanging. Today, the painting has a high-security room all to itself.
Brinks Inc. Headquarters - 1950
At the time, it was the largest cash haul in U.S. history — more than $2 million stolen from the Boston headquarters of the world's foremost security company. Talk about embarrassing. Pulled off by 11 Boston natives on Jan. 17, 1950, the crime even shocked J. Edgar Hoover, then head of the FBI, who assured reporters that the heist could only have been pulled off by the mob or Communists, maybe both. Police finally cracked the case six years later, mostly thanks to a broken code of honor among the bandits. When one of them landed in jail on weapons and parole violations, he decided to sing. And sing he did, dishing out the details of the gang's 18 months of meticulous planning, specially made keys, and costumes (including a Halloween mask). A grand jury indicted the men just four days before the Massachusetts statute of limitations expired. All the men were convicted, though nearly half of the loot remains at large.
TO CHECK OUT THE REST CLICK HERE
A TIP OF THE FEDORA TO BILL CRIEDER FROM WHOM THIS WAS HEISTED!
Monday, December 8, 2008
NEW MERIDIAN ARTICLE!
NEW MERIDIAN ARTICLE! MY NEW ARTICLE ABOUT CONSTANT COMPLAINERS (THUS THE ABOVE TITLE) WAS PUBLISHED AS TODAY'S COVER STORY IN THE LDS FAITH BASED MERIDIAN MAGAZINE.
THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED TO READ IT CLICK HERE
LEE MARVIN IN M-SQUAD ON DVD!
LEE MARVIN IN M-SQUAD ON DVD! One of the most memorable of the early television police dramas, M Squad debuted in 1957 running for three seasons on NBC.
There were many black and white crime dramas competing for viewers in the late fifties, notably Dragnet, Arrest and Trial, and Checkmate. M Squad stands apart because of its unique combination of story, production values, musical score and a great cast portraying crime fighters getting down and dirty on the mean streets.
Lee Marvin, a decorated WW II Marine veteran of the South Pacific, where he received the Purple Heart in the Battle of Saipan, stars as Lt. Frank Ballinger, a no-nonsense Chicago plainclothes cop in the elite M Squad Division. The Squad's (M-for Murder) task is to root out organized crime and corruption in Americas Second City. Marvin's portrayal of a tough undercover officer, whose perseverance and potential for violence, but with utter cool, permeates each gritty episode, gave Marvin name recognition with the public, and did much to make him a star. He would go on to many starring roles (The Dirty Dozen, Cat Ballou) and to win a coveted Oscar for Best Actor.
Frank Ballinger's boss, Captain Grey, is played by Paul Newlan, a fine actor who brings weight and substance to the role of running the M-Squad. It is perhaps his most memorable role.
In addition to the regular cast, a who's who of television luminaries and stars-to-be made guest appearances on the show. Among the guest stars were Angie Dickinson, Charles Bronson, Janice Rule, Leonard Nimoy, Ed Nelson, DeForest Kelley, H.M. Wynant and a young Burt Reynolds.
But it wasn't just the crisp, taut story lines and great cast that made M Squad memorable.
First, it was shot in gritty, film-noire style black and white. The excellent high contrast cinematography brings Chicago to life, with all of its easily recognizable landmarks, swanky penthouses on Lake Michigan, and the seedy darker side of the city. In fact, M Squad did for Chicago what the Naked City did for New York.
Second was the musical score.
In keeping with the film noir look of the series, the producers enlisted conductor Stanley Wilson to lead the orchestra in arrangements by legendary jazz men Benny Carter, and a young John Williams, (Star Wars). For the second season, the great jazz artist Count Basie wrote the enduring "M Squad Theme".
It was a perfect marriage of image and sound. Lee Marvin, who wrote the liner notes for the RCA Victor release of the 'Music From M Squad 'album in 1959, put it this way:
"I am…constantly amazed at the manner in which our characterizations and situations are supported, highlighted and intensified by the fine musical score…I love the great beat, the exciting solos and the clean, crisp section work of the trumpets and trombones. As I listen, my imagination paints thumbnail sketches of the Loop, Bayshore Drive, the South Side, and the other localities which set Chicago apart from other cities. It's sort of like an armchair tour of America's second largest city." Lee Marvin
The resulting television series is hard to match for its intensity and its humanity. Marvin's hard-nosed Frank Ballinger is the archetype of all the tough guy-big hearted crime fighters, from Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe and Hammett's Sam Spade, to later incarnations portrayed by Jack Nicholson and Harvey Keitel.
In sum, M Squad is that rare television series that has it all. It is about time long time fans and newcomers have a chance to experience high quality DVD's of this great show.
TO CHECK OUT THE FULL STORY CLICK HERE
THE PUNISHER ~ RAP SHEET REVIEW!
THE PUNISHER ~ RAP SHEET REVIEW!J. KINGSTON PIERCE HAS POSTED A FUN REVIEW OF THE NEW PUNISHER FILM TODAY OVER AT THE RAP SHEET . . .
Man, I haven’t enjoyed myself this much since Crank and Rambo. If you’re not laughing your ass off while watching large parts of the new film Punisher: War Zone, you’re seeing a different movie than I did.It was completely gory and outrageous and awesome. While not technically a good movie, it wants you to have fun, so in that way, it’s totally successful.
British actor Ray Stevenson is absolutely perfect in the title role. Nailed it. He’s given some scenes in which he gets to act, and if you saw him in the HBO-TV series Rome, you know he can deliver the goods. He understands that Frank Castle, aka the Punisher, is a broken man whose only option in an insane world is to punish the corrupt. He gets the movie and plays the character like a shark--never stopping, barely saying a word, and completely without mercy. In a more serious film, he would be terrifying, but the folks he’s going after here are all really terrible people who escaped the law. So go ahead and cheer him on as he slaughters them in really inventive but efficient ways.
TO READ THE FULL REVIEW CLICK HERE
Sunday, December 7, 2008
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