For the latest Nexus Graphica, Mark London Williams and I revealed our bottom half (10-6) selections of the best graphic novels of the year.
Swing over to SF Site to read the reasons behind our selections.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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)
Superman III
No streaming available.
Conan the Destroyer
Ghostbusters II
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
No streaming available.
Highlander II: The Quickening
No streaming available.
Batman & Robin
No streaming available.
Planet of the Apes (2001)
No streaming available.
Matrix: Reloaded
No streaming available.
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
No streaming available.
X-Men: Last Stand
No streaming available.
Spider-Man 3
No streaming available.
With all the other crap available via streaming, I’m a little surprised by the meager selections available from this list.
This streaming info is accurate as of 11/13/11. As with most things online, streaming availability is always in flux.
***YMMV***
Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.
Conan The Adventurer: Season Two, Part One
Promo copy:
The battle between good and evil continues as the brave barbarian adventurer Conan, his trusty steed Thunder, lovable phoenix Needle and his many warrior friends (including Zula, Jezmine, Greywolf and Snagg) take on the sinister Snake Cult, led by the dark sorcerer Wrath-Amon! But are Conan’s might and his sword, forged from the mysterious and very powerful Star Metal, enough to fight off the Set worshipping horde? Prepare to find out!
Enjoy the first 13 episodes of the animated series’ glorious second season on two action packed discs!
Promo copy:
Inspired by the real events of the swift–but devastating–five-day war between Russia and Georgia in 2008, this action-packed international thriller centers around an American journalist (Rupert Friend) and his cameraman (Richard Coyle) caught in the combat zone during the first Russian airstrikes against Georgia. Rescuing Tatia (Emmanuelle Chriqui), a young Georgian schoolteacher from the attack, the two reporters agree to help reunite her with her family when she loses them in the chaos in exchange for serving as their interpreter. As the three attempt to escape to safety, they witness–and document–the devastation from the full-scale crossfire and cold-blooded murder of innocent civilians.
They desperately attempt to broadcast the footage they’ve captured while under attack from the Russian soldiers and local mercenaries, but are met with resistance from American and international networks either shorthanded from covering the Beijing Olympics or simply fatigued by war news. The trio realizes their survival is paramount, so they can live to broadcast the truth.
This vivid, heart-pounding film directed by acclaimed director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Cliffhanger), 5 Days of War sheds light on the complicated politics and dangers involved with exposing the truth during times of war. 5 Days of War also features an international ensemble cast, including Heather Graham, Johnathon Schaech, Rade Sherbedgia, Mikko Nousiainen, Dean Cain with Andy Garcia and Val Kilmer.
My new article "12 disastrous movie sequels we wish didn’t exist to spoil series we love" is now up at Blastr.
| Quote: |
| After watching the first two Terminator movies for the first time, my excited nephew told me, "There’s a Terminator 3." I contradicted him, "No there’s not." In response to his confusion, I explained how there are movies so disappointing that they can ruin the enjoyment of their predecessors.
Best to forget they ever existed. I then shared my pain with him. |
I listed 12 examples including Terminator 3.
| Quote: |
| The second unfortunate sequel from 2003 and the third Schwarzenegger film on this list, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines returned to the popular series 12 years after the previous installment, sans creator James Cameron and star Linda Hamilton. This time, a female Terminator travels from the future to kill a now-adult John Connor. Because there are truly no new ideas in Hollywood, a T-101 also journeys back to save John.
Director Jonathan Mostow lacks Cameron’s vision and originality. Who’d have thunk that a beautiful, gun-toting android could be so boring? As evident further by the follow-ups Terminator: Salvation (2009) and the short-lived TV series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-09), a non-Cameron outing only promises a dud. |
Check it all out at Blastr.