Impending Geekgasm on Netflix Instant Watch- Dec. edition

Posted on November 30, 2011 by

Very light month of new titles. Highlights include the classics The Ghost and Mrs. Muir and Jaws, the underrated Matinee, the finale of Rescue Me, and the acclaimed Portlandia. Beginning with this month’s Geekgasm, I’m including a list of soon to be expiring titles. Sadly, I can only get titles scheduled to end two weeks out. Still better than nothing.

* streaming for the first time via Netflix.
* streaming in HD
* close captioning is available

Premiering December 1:
Death Rides a Horse
Friday the 13th: Part 7: The New Blood
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Jaws
*Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Matinee A must see for fans of 1950s monster movies!
*Samourais

Premiering December 3:
*Peter Pan (2003)

Premiering December 10:
*Bones: Season 6

Premiering December 12:
*Rescue Me: Season 6

Premiering December 15:
*Death Race 2

Premiering December 20:
*Best Worst Movie Documentary about Troll 2

Premiering December 23:
*Portlandia

Premiering December 30:
**Spartacus (2010)

Titles expiring soon

Expiring December 1:
Best of the Best
Casino Royale (1954) This BBC TV movie was the first screen adaptation of James Bond
*Ever After: A Cinderella Story
Freak Out (2004)
Gods and Monsters This superior adaptation of the Christopehr Bram novel The Father of Frankenstein chronicles the life of openly gay Frankenstein director James Whale. Highly reccomended!
Gothic Vampires from Hell
Harry Knuckles and the Pearl Necklace
The Haunted World of El Superbeasto
Highway to Hell (1991)
*The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1981)
Holiday Classics: A Christmas Carol/A Picture of the Magi Wouldn’t want people to see a Christmas film during the Christmas season, would you? The Christmas Carol is narrated by Vincent Price
**The House of the Devil (2009)
The House on Skull Mountain
Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter
*King Kong (1976) Good riddance!
*Leviathan (1989)
*The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
MST3K: Horrors of Spider Island
MST3K: The Indestructible Man
MST3K: Ring of Terror
MST3K: Swamp Women/Swamp Diamonds
MST3K: Tormented
Nosferatu: The Gothic Industrial Mix
Not Forgotten (2009)
**Orgazmo
Paranormal: Haunts and Horrors
*Red Dragon (2002)
**Santa’s Slay
*Smokey and the Bandit II
Supernova
Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms
Universal Soldier III: Unfinished Business
*Volcano (1997)
*Walled In
*Warlock (1989)

Expiring December 2:
*The Return of the Living Dead

Expiring December 3:
Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings Season 1

Expiring December 7:
Cronos Make sure you catch this brilliant debut film from Guillermo del Toro before it’s gone. A must see for all horror fans.

Expiring December 8:
*Crank 2: High Voltage
Ichi the Killer

Expiring December 12:
*Avalon High

Expiring December 13:
*Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare

Info courtesy of

Impending Geekgasm on Netflix Instant Watch- Dec. edition was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

The Raven: Nameless Here For Evermore Part 3

Posted on November 29, 2011 by

As part of his ongoing column at New Pulp, Alan J. Porter is serializing our story “The Raven: Nameless Here For Evermore,” scheduled to appear in the not yet published Protectors anthology. The third segment appeared today.

Here’s an excerpt:

As he entered this third room, a loud click announced the bright light that suddenly shown straight into The Raven’s eyes. His sensitive red eyes contracted at the sudden light. Temporarily blinded, he inwardly cursed at his own stupidity, reflexively dropped into a defensive posture, and prepared for the inevitable attack.

“There’s no need for that old chap,” came a masculine voice, British, from the darkness, “I’m sorry if the old lamp trick disoriented you, I just wanted to make sure that it was, in fact, you.”

The Raven remained silent, squinting as his eyes adjusted. A man, his features hidden in deep shadow behind the lamp, sat at a large desk that filled the room. The slight glow from the bowl of a pipe was just visible and a plume of smoke swirled in the lamp light. The man’s right hand rested on a manila folder lying on the desktop.

The mystery man pushed the folder forward into the pool of light. “This will give you the answers you need. Well some of them at least. I hope it helps.” With that he turned the lamp off, returning the room to darkness. “Please excuse the charade, we may not be as flamboyant as you colonials, but we still enjoy our theatricals. Oh and please relock the door on your way out, there’s a good chap.”

Read the rest of the third part and find links to the previous installments at New Pulp.

The Raven: Nameless Here For Evermore Part 3 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Ursula (2004)

Posted on November 29, 2011 by theculture

Quote:

“And how does a love story end?”

“It doesn’t.”

This one was written and drawn by Brazilian brothers Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá. They created the hit mini-series Daytripper for Vertigo recently and Bá is also known for The Umbrella Academy on Dark Horse and they have both worked on the Image comic Casanova with writer Matt Fraction.

Ursula is a beautiful, short meditation on love, the power of a child’s imagination and the fulfilment of dreams come true coupled with some great black and white artwork.

Catwoman: When in Rome (2005)

Posted on November 28, 2011 by theculture

Quote:

You can keep asking questions. As long as you understand you may not like the answers.

This book collects the six issue mini-series of the same name and tells the story of the investigations of Catwoman when she disappeared from Gotham as mentioned in The Long Halloween. The book is by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale the creative team behind DC’s The Long Halloween, Dark Victory, Superman for all Seasons and Marvel’s colour series: Daredevil: Yellow, Spider-man: Blue, Hulk: Gray and a book that sadly looks like it won’t be coming out now Captain America: White.

The story finds Catwoman in Rome looking for evidence to prove whether or not her father is Gotham crime boss Carmine Falcone. Accompanied by Edward Nigma and a mafia hitman minder, Christopher “The Blond” Castillo, she soon finds herself having to steal the Mafia equivalent of the one ring from the Vatican. In her travels echoes of Gotham travel with her as a mafia boss is murdered with the Joker’s poison; she finds herself under attack from Mr Freeze’s gun and the villainess Cheetah who seems to have followed her from Gotham. And what is the meaning of the strange dreams she has of Batman that haunt her throughout the trip.

The partnership of Loeb and Sale has produced some great series, as listed above. This one is a reasonable effort but I think it suffers from being an afterthought to a subplot in The Long Halloween. If I had re-read The Long Halloween before reading this one then I might have felt differently but I don’t think there is enough plot of substance here for a casual reader, or even a fan of Catwoman herself, who had not read the previous series. If you are a fan of Sale’s art then it is worth having a look for that reason – there are some very nice examples including the wonderful covers (based on the work of René Gruau) to the original mini-series.

Vampire Boy (2010)

Posted on November 23, 2011 by theculture

Quote:

Sure, I can’t die but I don’t have a life either.

This book collects the four volumes of Vampire Boy into English for the first time. It is one of a number of collaborations between the Argentinean creators – writer Carlos Trillo, who died earlier this year, and artist Eduardo Risso. This is a fairly early work for Risso from the early nineties and features some wonderful black & white art.

The nameless vampire boy of the book’s title is one of two survivors of a mysterious disease that swept through a company of travellers in ancient Egypt that left his father, the pharaoh Khufu, and the remainder of his party dead in the desert. The other survivor is a priestess named Ahmasi, a favourite consort of Khufu until the boy points out her indiscretions with others in the court. So starts a cycle of hatred and violence between the pair that endures throughout the centuries. Though they try neither can kill the other by conventional means as the sun restores them to health and vitality. The story opens with the boy being revived when a construction site opens a shaft of light to his hidden body. Ahmasi soon discovers that the boy is back in circulation and begins a blood soaked quest to track him down and kill him once and for all.

The book comes in at nearly 500 pages and while that gives us lots of lovely Risso art work to look at, it does mean that the story does drag slightly at times. But mostly it is great as we come to sympathise with the nameless boy and his heartbreaking existence. Unusually for a vampire tale, the sun, as previously mentioned, regenerates the vampires and while they can feed on blood the boy tends not to and can survive on normal food – but has to eat an awful lot of it. The book has a wide ranging canvas taking us from modern New York to New Orleans and London as well as flashbacks throughout history as the nature of the relationship between the boy and Ahmasi is explored. The boy comes across as a tired gentle soul who makes friends easily but not usually for long as Ahmasi will stop at nothing to reach him.

As I said previously, Risso’s art is great and the use of shade and silhouette reminds me of the work of Frank Miller on Sin City round about the same time. There is a noirish element to the story too as Ahmasi works as a prostitute, is followed around by a lovestruck detective who she uses to track down the boy and generally seems to attract the seedier side of life. A welcome change of pace from the costumed antics of the American superheroes.

Books received 11/20/11

Posted on November 20, 2011 by

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Lightbringer
by K. D. McEntire
Cover by Sam Weber

Promo copy:

Wendy has the ability to see souls that have not moved on—but she does not seek them out. They seek her. They yearn for her… or what she can do for them. Without Wendy’s powers, the Lost, the souls that have died unnaturally young, are doomed to wander in the never forever, and Wendy knows she is the only one who can set them free by sending them into the light.

Each soul costs Wendy, delivering too many souls would be deadly, and yet she is driven to patrol, dropping everyone in her life but her best friend, Eddie—who wants to be more than friends—until she meets Piotr.

Piotr, the first Rider and guardian of the Lost, whose memory of his decades in the never, a world that the living never see, has faded away. With his old-fashioned charms, and haunted kindness, he understands Wendy in ways no one living ever could, yet Wendy is hiding that she can do more than exist in the never. Wendy is falling for a boy who she may have to send into the light.

But there are darker forces looking for the Lost. Trying to regain the youth and power that the Lost possess, the dark ones feed on the Lost and only Wendy and Piotr can save them—but at what cost?

Lightbringer is a YA urban fantasy/romance set in a world a breath away from our own. Similar in tone to Tithe and Unleashed, Lightbringer tiptoes down the line between love and horror as Wendy discovers herself and the darkest parts of the afterlife.

Care To Make Love In That Gross Little Space Between Cars?: A Believer Book of Advice
Edited by Mike Sachs and Eric Spitznagel
Introductions by Judd Apatow and Patton Oswalt

Promo copy:

In the spirit of You’re A Horrible Person But I Like You, Care To Make Love In That Gross Little Space Between Cars? is a series of twisted, belligerent advice columns from The Believer and an all-star cast of writers and comedians, including Bob Saget, Louis C. K., Amy Sedaris, Zach Galifianaks, Roz Chast, and Nick Hornby.

Care To Make Love In That Gross Little Space Between Cars? was originally conceived of as an advice column for The Believer. In these pages learn how to remove a wine stain from granite (witchcraft), how to avoid being found dead in an embarrassing manner, specifically being found by fireman in your underwear (wear long johns), and what book to read in a subway to make friends (“Common Problems of the Very Wealthy, Well-Endowed, and Omniscient”).

This looks to be an excellent bathroom read.

Inheritance
by Christopher Paolini
Cover by John Jude Palencar

Promo copy:

Not so very long ago, Eragon—Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider—was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

This is the much-anticipated, astonishing conclusion to the worldwide bestselling Inheritance cycle.

Books received 11/20/11 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Austin Comic Con coverage

Posted on November 18, 2011 by

In my most recent Nexus Graphica column, I chronicled my Austin Comic Con experience.

Quote:

The hall itself was smaller than last year which was actually a good thing. Not as much open space and easier to look around. Sadly, one of the other missing things was the lack of any gaming. Last year’s event devoted a significant amount of space to board gaming (more on that later).

Quote:

Sitting with Lucas but not hawking any of his own wares, writer, self-styled raconteur, and fellow simian fan Mark Finn talked about our wilder comic convention days of the 90s, when we were both frequent attendees at similar events. Finn much like myself participated more directly in the comics publishing world in those days. He’s better know now as a world renowned Robert E. Howard scholar, old time radio show playwright and movie theater owner, though Finn does have some hush-hush comics projects on the horizon.

Quote:

As frequent readers of my essays know, I am the custodian of my nephews’ geek upbringing. As part of their ongoing indoctrination, I brought Stan (12) and Alex (15) to their first comic convention on Saturday. Though initially overwhelmed by the incredible amount of geeky coolness and throngs of people, both boys adjusted and discovered many cool things.

Quote:

Tired, I returned on Sunday for half a day. After checking in with some of my friends, I made a final walk through of the artist’s alley where I discovered Pirates of Mars Vol. 1. Beautifully rendered by Veronica Fish, the online strip-cum-graphic novel hearkens back to the adventure strips of Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon.

Check out the column for my complete report.

Austin Comic Con coverage was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Stuff received 11/16/11- Austin Comic Con edition

Posted on November 17, 2011 by

Let’s take a quick look to see what I picked up at the 2011 Austin Comic Con.

Buffalo Speedway vol. 3
by Yehudi Mercado

One of the highlights of the show was picking up the climatic volume to Mercado’s epic series. I reviewed each of the previous volumes in past Nexus Graphica columns.

Quote:

Buffalo Speedway Volume 1 by Yehudi Mercado (SuperMercado)

On June 17th 1994, the Rockets battle the Knicks in the NBA Finals, America hosts the World Cup, and OJ Simpson leads the LAPD on a slow speed chase. These events combine to create the perfect storm for Houston pizza delivery. That one day in a city of over 3 million people, everyone stays home, watches the TV, and orders pizza. Accurately compared to Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Clerks, and Do the Right Thing, Buffalo Speedway chronicles the unusual tribulations of the delivery drivers from Turbo Pizza, Houston’s last independent pizza place. The talented Mercado’s humorous observations and insights are only marred by the fact that this volume ends mid-story.

Quote:

Buffalo Speedway Volume 2 by Yehudi Mercado (SuperMercado)

Mercado continues his humorous chronicle into one day of the Turbo Pizza delivery drivers. On June 17th, 1994, the Rockets battle the Knicks in the NBA Finals, America hosts the World Cup, and O.J. Simpson leads the LAPD on a slow speed chase, combining to spawn a near perfect storm of pizza delivery as all 3 million people in Houston stay home to watch the events unfold on TV. Following the bizarre happenings of the initial volume, things get even stranger as sex, violence, explosions, and jail enter into the mix. Amidst all the chaos, oddity, and laughs, Mercado delivers a surprisingly realistic portrait of the relationships between the drivers. (I know. In the 80s, I spent a Houston summer as a pizza delivery driver. My experience sans the sex, violence, explosions, and jail mirrors Mercado’s account.) The excellent cartoony art combined with effective storytelling and a comprehensive understanding of 90s pop culture further propel the enjoyable Buffalo Speedway. While accurately compared to Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Clerks, and Do the Right Thing, Mercado’s unique creation bears only a superficial resemblance to the latter grouping, offering a superior product in terms of quality and content. As with Volume 1, the tale ends midstream with a cliffhanger, but Volume 3 promises an epic conclusion.

As a bonus, Mercado included a set of his 9 Game of Thrones of Muppets cards and since I had already purchased the previous two volumes (he was including when buying all three books), he added the Buffalo Speedway pizza box.

Pirates of Mars Volume 1
Written by JJ Kahrs
Art by Veronica Fish

The first collection of the fun bi-weekly adventure strip. Fish is a talented newcomer worthy of keeping an eye on.

JESUS CHRIST WAS A CARPENTER… t-shirt
by John Lucas

’nuff said!

Happily after nearly 15 years, I reconnected with artist Mark A. Nelson and picked up three of his books. I first met him in the 90s shortly after he completed illustrating the Joe R. Lansdale God of the Razor comic series Blood & Shadows. While with Mojo, I commissioned him to produce the cover to my anthology The Big Bigfoot Book. Apparently, he relocated to Houston (from Chicago) sometime in the previous decade, where he continues to produce covers, comics, illustrations, and other artsy stuff.

Tales of the Dinosaur No. 1
by Robert A. Nelson, Mark A. Nelson, and Michael Russick

One of Nelson’s earliest published works, this 1983 publication also featured a contribution from Mark’s father Robert.

Silverwing Special
Written by Michael Dimpsey
Art by Mark A. Nelson

Collects the stories from Eb’nn #2 & 3. The 1987 issue promotes a full length Silverwing graphic novel. Sadly the book never appeared.

From Pencils To Inks: The Art of Mark A. Nelson

A magnificent collection of Nelson’s b&w illustration and comics work.

Stuff received 11/16/11- Austin Comic Con edition was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Graphic novels/comics received 11/13/11 Dark Horse edition

Posted on November 13, 2011 by

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Dagar the Invincible Archives Volume 1
Written by Donald F. Glut
Art by Jesse Santos

Promo copy:

In a time when gods and demons walked the earth as men, a young warrior raises his sword to the skies and declares defiance! Dagar the Invincible is a hero of blade and sandal, and Dark Horse Books uncovers the exciting legend of his journey through the ancient, mystical world! The first of two volumes in this archival series introduces Dagar and tales of his quest, originally published by Gold Key Comics in the 1970s. Collects Tales of Sword and Sorcery: Dagar the Invincible #1-#9.

Abe Sapien: The Devil Does Not Jest #1
Story by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Art by James Harren
Cover by Francesco Francavilla

Promo copy:

Buried in a demonologist’s basement is a deep, dark family secret, where horrific occult practices prove to be life threatening for Abe Sapien.

* An early Abe adventure

* Abe is pitted against demonic family curse!

* From the pages of Hellboy!

The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde #4
Story by Cole Haddon
Art by M. S. Corley

Promo copy:

Jack the Ripper’s reign of terror is coming to an end. His true identity has been discovered and Inspector Thomas Adye of Scotland Yard and his fiendish partner, Dr. Henry Jekyll–who has a few revelations of his own to share–are hot on his trail. In the fourth and final part of Hyde, written by Cole Haddon and illustrated by M. S. Corley, our monsters collide in a sewage-pumping station for an epic showdown that’s not to be missed. When the dust–and sewage–settles, will Adye still be the good man he was when our story began?

Conan: Road of Kings #8
Written by Roy Thomas
Pencils by Mike Hawthorne
Inks by John Lucas
Cover by Aleksi Briclot

Promo copy:

In underground catacombs beneath Aquilonia’s capital, a desperate Conan fights to protect himself–and a young child–from creatures more hideous and deadly than anything he’s ever encountered on the surface. The Road of Kings is no place for weaklings!

Star Wars: Dark Times—Out of the Wilderness #1
Written by Randy Stradley as “Mick Harrison”
Art by Douglas Wheatley
Cover by Pablo Correa

Promo copy:

Darth Vader confronts a deadly assassin…

…The outlaw crew of the Uhumele arrives at the scene of Jedi Dass Jennir’s last adventure–but Jennir is already gone…

… And half a galaxy away, Imperial fighters are shot out of the sky by an “unarmed” pleasure craft…

Return to the dark times, that uncharted era of Star Wars history when the Empire was new and the Jedi were hunted by Darth Vader!

Turok, Son of Stone #4
Written by Jim Shooter
Art by James Harren
Cover by Raymond Swanland

Promo copy:

In a lost land where anything and anyone from anywhen might be, Native Americans Turok and Andar face perils beyond imagining. Swooping down from the clouds astride the awesome Sky-Terror, Turok fights to save Andar and his own beloved Aasta from cruel death at the hands of the Aztec god–king, Maxtla. Turok’s unlikely ally is a fighter pilot from an age yet to come. But can even the firepower of the future stand against thousands of fearless warriors and swarms of trained dinosaurs?

Graphic novels/comics received 11/13/11 Dark Horse edition was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

12 disastrous movie sequels – Streaming edition

Posted on November 13, 2011 by

If for some reason you wanted to (re)watch the stinkers listed in my Blastr piece “12 disastrous movie sequels we wish didn’t exist to spoil series we love,” I’ve done the work for you and found which ones are available via streaming. Lord knows, you wouldn’t want to be caught actually renting one of these.

I checked Netflix, Hulu, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, and Crackle.

King Kong (1976)

Netflix