52 WEEKS • 52 WESTERNS SERIES

52 WEEKS • 52 WESTERNS

SERIES

Over the past three years, I've been immersed in Western novels, movies, and TV shows while compiling the three related books in the 52 Weeks • 52 Westerns series (novels, movies, and TV shows), which I complied with my compadre Scott Harris.

Because of the variety of individual reminiscences about what the included Western novels, movies, and TV shows meant personally to the wide range of owlhoots who rode the trail with us, we believe these compilations are unique and stand out from other Western reference works.

52 WEEKS • 52 WESTERN NOVELS

The Wild West is uniquely American. It is a legend brought to life in sagas of blazing six-gun justice in wide-open towns and across vast ranges. 52 Weeks • 52 Western Novels is a fun guide to some of the best of these Western tales. Step into the Wild West, ride dusty trails, slap leather with outlaws, and get ready to battle Indians and the elements--all from the comfort of your favorite reading spot.

52 WEEKS • 52 WESTERN MOVIES

The Wild West of the silver screen is indelibly embedded in the soul of America. From silent movies to singing cowboys, from Saturday morning matinee serials to the tension of High Noon and 3:10 to Yuma, from John Wayne to Joel McCrea to Audie Murphy to Randolph Scott to Glenn Ford and so many others, from The Searchers to The Professionals to The Magnificent Sevens to the True Grits to The Good, The Bad and the Ugly to The Unforgiven to Dances With Wolves and other horse opera Oscar winners-- the Western has done it all. 52 Weeks • 52 Western Movies is a fun guide to classics of the genre and overlooked gems deserving of wider recognition. So grab your boots and saddles, and posse up with us to ride across celluloid landscapes and open ranges West of the imagination...

52 WEEKS • 52 TV WESTERNS

For three decades Westerns dominated American television, so much so it was sometimes tough to find any non-Western programming on the three major networks—ABC, CBS, and NBC. There were breakout shows such as Gunsmoke, Wagon Train, Bonanza, the Virginian, and others we remember fondly. Dad, mom, and kids alike, gathered together around televisions across the country and welcomed lawmen, drifting cowboys, fictionalized versions of Wild West icons into our homes as if they were family. There were also breakout stars like Steve McQueen, Richard Boone, Chuck Conners, James Garner, and James Arness who wore their six-guns and cowboy hats, and rode their horses down dusty trails to superstardom. 52 Weeks • 52 TV Westerns is a fun guide designed to renew our acquaintance with the classics Western shows we loved. The spotlight also falls on Western series gems we might have missed, but can now track down on cable channels devoted to classic Westerns, or binge watch on DVD. So saddle up, and as Steve McQueen in his role of bounty hunter Josh Randall in Wanted: Dead or Alive repeatedly said, “Let's go...”

HOT LEAD

My love of vintage Westerns also drew me to contribute and act in an advisory capacity to the full color fanzine Hot Lead, edited and published by my wordslinging amigo, Justin Marriott.

HOT LEAD ISSUE #1

The fanzine of vintage western paperbacks. 60 pages full color. Debut issue traces the Piccadilly Cowboys phenomenon, with reviews, articles and interviews on the controversial western paperbacks perhaps best typified by the George Gilman Edge series.

 

HOT LEAD ISSUE #2

The western in vintage paperback. 68 pages, full colour. "Art of the Western" special. Includes an interview with Tony Masero accompanied by original art, articles on western comic books, Charro! the movie tie-in, Euro Western series Ronco and the comic art of Frank Bellamy.

 

HOT LEAD ISSUE #3

The fanzine devoted to vintage western paperbacks. 52 pages, full color throughout. A special devoted to the 'adult western; typified by series such as Slocum, Longarm and The Gunsmith. Includes a history of the genre plus articles on key series. Packed with reproductions of the paperback covers. A must for the western reader!

HEAD WEST

A couple of other trail pard's Ben Bridges and Mike Stoddard. Have also publish two issues of another Western fanzine to which I have contributed, which are also worth tracking down for fans of the genre.

HEAD WEST ISSUE #1

The first issue of Piccadilly Publishing's new western-themed magazine, Head West! contains something for all lovers of the genre! Edited by Ben Bridges, there are interviews by David Whitehead, a feature on creating Piccadilly Publishing covers by artist supreme Tony Masero, a personal take on the western by Linda Pendleton, a behind-the-scenes look at Piccadilly Publishing's first western movie, Vermijo, by director Paul Vernon, and fiction from the likes of Jake Henry, D. M. McGowan and M. James Earl. Fully illustrated throughout, this is sure to become a collector's item!

HEAD WEST ISSUE#2

Issue Two of Piccadilly Publishing's Head West! magazine contains a variety of articles, features and stories devoted to the western genre. We have fiction from J T Edson, Ray Hogan, Neil Hunter and Tony Masero, a look at the western genre in Germany, courtesy of Alfred Wallon, Linda Pendleton's intriguing history of the California Gold Rush, plus author profiles of Laurence James, Peter McCurtin and Marshall Grover. Over 100 pages, fully illustrated throughout. It's a magazine no serious western fan can be without!