Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.
Flaming Zeppelins: The Adventures of Ned the Seal
by Joe. Lansdale
Promo copy:
Cross-pollinating famous 19th-century fictional characters and historical figures from disparate sources, this wild, steampunk fantasy presents two consecutive tales of madcap adventure. Hilarious and unpredictable, the first section follows Wild Bill Hickock, Annie Oakley, George Custer, Sitting Bull, and Buffalo Bill Cody’s head—which is affixed to the top of a mechanical body—as they take the Wild West Show to Japan by zeppelin. Further exploits involve Frankenstein as an aphrodisiac for a local shogun, encounters with Captain “Bemo” and his submersible, and a trip to the “island of Dr. Momo.” The second phase of this nonstop romp—partly inscribed by a courageous young seal on his trusty notepad—accompanies Mark Twain and Jules Verne against the backdrop of a Martian invasion. Escaping the carnage on a speedboat converted into a touring balloon, the boisterous group encounters more perilous experiences in the form of an island of pirates, a steam-powered robot, a Kong-sized ape, and multiple tears in the space-time continuum. Raucous and inventive, this dime-store pulp parody is rife with absurdist comedy while maintaining a literary scope.
Collects the first two Ned the Seal books: Zeppelins West and Flaming London. Lansdale & steampunk… need I say more?
Double Cross (The Disillusionists Trilogy: Book 2)
by Carolyn Crane
Promo copy:
SOME SECRETS COME BACK TO HAUNT. OTHERS COME TO KILL.
Justine Jones lived her life as a fearful hypochondriac until she was lured into the web of a mysterious mastermind named Packard, who gifts her with extraordinary mental powers—dooming her to fight Midcity’s shadowy war on paranormal crime in order to find the peace she so desperately craves.
But now serial killers with unheard-of skills are terrorizing the most powerful beings in Midcity, including mastermind Packard and his oldest friend and worst enemy, Midcity’s new mayor, who has the ability to bend matter itself to his will.
As the body count grows, Justine faces a crisis of conscience as she tests the limits of her new powers and faces an impossible choice between two flawed but brilliant men—one on a journey of redemption, the other descending into a pit of moral depravity.
Driver for the Dead #2
Created and Written by John Heffernan
Pencils and Inks by Leonardo Manco
Paints by Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo
Promo copy:
In the heart of New Orleans, there is only one man trusted with moving the most dangerous corpses to their final resting place. Behind the wheel of his custom-made hearse “Black Betty”, Alabaster Graves is the Driver for the Dead. Whether it’s getting rid of pesky witches or safely destroying the remains of a vampire, Graves is the best man for the job.
When legendary voodoo priest Mose Freeman dies during an exorcism, Graves is the only man who can safely transport his body to the family crypt for his final rest. With Mose’s daughter Marissa riding shotgun, Graves begins the long drive to pick up the witch doctor’s body. But unbeknownst to Graves, an evil necromancer named Fallow has arrived in New Orleans, and he’d like nothing better than to get his hands on Mose Freeman…
I reviewed issue one a few months back in a "Nexus Graphica" column:
| Quote: |
| Not your typical hearse driver, Alabaster Graves challenges vampires, witches and other nasties. Snakes On A Plane screenwriter Hefferman borrows heavily from Constantine, both the comics and movie, and a variety occult mythologies for his first comics script. While the story moves at a nice clip and the stereotypical characters are interesting enough, artist Manco steals the show, elevating the tale beyond its fairly typical foundation. While always producing superior work, Drive For the Dead represents the finest work to date of Manco’s career. |
More in Part I