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

Crime Does Not Pay Archives Volume 1
by Charles Biro, Woody Hamilton, Harry Lucey, Carl Hubbell, Bob Montana, George Tuska, Dick Wood, Dick Briefer, Frank Giacoia, Bob Wood, Dan Barry, and others
Cover by Charles Biro

Promo copy:

Uncut and uncensored, the infamous precode Crime Does Not Pay comics are finally collected into a series of archival hardcovers! With brutal, realistic tales focusing on vile criminals, Crime Does Not Pay was one of the most popular comics of the 1940s. The series was a favorite target of Dr. Fredric Wertham and other censors and is partially responsible for the creation of the stifling Comics Code Authority. Now revered and mythic, this collection of the first four hard-to-find Crime Does Not Pay comics features a fine roster of Golden Age creators and a new introduction by Matt Fraction (Iron Man, Casanova)!

Angel & Faith #5
Written by Christos Gage
Art by Phil Noto
Cover by Rebekah Isaacs

Promo copy:

It’s a dark and foggy night in London, and Angel and Faith are about to encounter a most unexpected visitor. Superceleb vampire Harmony Kendall returns! When a stalker threatens to expose one of Harm’s misdeeds, she solicits the help of wayward heroes Angel and Faith. With her little pups, her friend Clem, and her Hollywood entourage by her side, Harmony is taking the UK by storm!
* Harmony Kendall comes to London!
* Guest artist Phil Noto!

The Strain #2
Story by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
Script by David Lapham
Art by Mike Huddleston

Promo copy:

As an eclipse covers New York City in midday darkness, Dr. Ephraim Goodweather and his team from the Centers for Disease Control struggle to find an explanation for what happened to Flight 753. But when the symptoms don’t add up to chemical warfare, and bizarre circumstances unexplained by modern medicine arise, Ephraim begins to entertain the ramblings of a Holocaust survivor who knows too much about this unknown threat.

Part II

Comics received 4/16/12 Dark Horse edition Part I was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

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

Crime Does Not Pay Archives Volume 1
by Charles Biro, Woody Hamilton, Harry Lucey, Carl Hubbell, Bob Montana, George Tuska, Dick Wood, Dick Briefer, Frank Giacoia, Bob Wood, Dan Barry, and others
Cover by Charles Biro

Promo copy:

Uncut and uncensored, the infamous precode Crime Does Not Pay comics are finally collected into a series of archival hardcovers! With brutal, realistic tales focusing on vile criminals, Crime Does Not Pay was one of the most popular comics of the 1940s. The series was a favorite target of Dr. Fredric Wertham and other censors and is partially responsible for the creation of the stifling Comics Code Authority. Now revered and mythic, this collection of the first four hard-to-find Crime Does Not Pay comics features a fine roster of Golden Age creators and a new introduction by Matt Fraction (Iron Man, Casanova)!

Angel & Faith #5
Written by Christos Gage
Art by Phil Noto
Cover by Rebekah Isaacs

Promo copy:

It’s a dark and foggy night in London, and Angel and Faith are about to encounter a most unexpected visitor. Superceleb vampire Harmony Kendall returns! When a stalker threatens to expose one of Harm’s misdeeds, she solicits the help of wayward heroes Angel and Faith. With her little pups, her friend Clem, and her Hollywood entourage by her side, Harmony is taking the UK by storm!
* Harmony Kendall comes to London!
* Guest artist Phil Noto!

The Strain #2
Story by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
Script by David Lapham
Art by Mike Huddleston

Promo copy:

As an eclipse covers New York City in midday darkness, Dr. Ephraim Goodweather and his team from the Centers for Disease Control struggle to find an explanation for what happened to Flight 753. But when the symptoms don’t add up to chemical warfare, and bizarre circumstances unexplained by modern medicine arise, Ephraim begins to entertain the ramblings of a Holocaust survivor who knows too much about this unknown threat.

Part II

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

Creepy #7
Written by Joe R. & Keith Lansdale, Dan Braun, Bill Morrison, Martin Salvador, and Archie Goodwin
Art by Guus Floor, Patrick Reynolds, Wilfredo Torres, Steve Skeates, and Steve Ditko
Cover by Sanjulián

Promo copy:

Hope your New Year’s resolution was to be terrified, because Creepy is back to start 2012 with a scream! Featuring the latest from bone-chilling scribes Joe and Keith Lansdale, Christopher Taylor, and Dan Braun, this installment of the abominable anthology is sure to leave you shivering in the corner until next year!

* 48 pages of the finest in illustrated horror!

* Featuring a classic reprint from the original Creepy!

Mass Effect: Invasion #4
Story by Mac Walters
Script by John Jackson Miller
Art by Omar Francia
Cover by Massimo Carnevale

Promo copy:

Everything is on the line in this shocking conclusion! The surprise attack on space station Omega and its ruthless leader Aria T’Loak was only the beginning, and now Aria has been shown a bigger picture that puts the entire galaxy at risk. With the battle for Omega continuing, can Aria save her empire-and what role will she play in the greater war to come?

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic—War #2
Written by John Jackson Miller
Penciled by Andrea Mutti
Inked by Gigi Baldassini
Cover by Benjamin Carré

Promo copy:

The Mandalorian Wars heat up as this new series about the Old Republic takes off!

Can a pacifist survive in a war zone? Jedi Zayne Carrick is having a hard time of it, first drafted and now caught in the crossfire between the Mandalorians, the Republic Navy–and even fellow Jedi!

Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #1
Written by Mike Mignola & John Arcudi
Art by Tonci Zonjic
Cover by Dave Johnson

Promo copy:

When a tribe of phantom Indians start scalping policemen, Hellboy’s crime-fighting hero Lobster Johnson and his allies arrive to take on these foes and their gangster cronies!

* From the pages of Hellboy.

* First Lobster Johnson story in four years!

Part I

Comics received 4/16/12 Dark Horse edition Part II was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

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

Creepy #7
Written by Joe R. & Keith Lansdale, Dan Braun, Bill Morrison, Martin Salvador, and Archie Goodwin
Art by Guus Floor, Patrick Reynolds, Wilfredo Torres, Steve Skeates, and Steve Ditko
Cover by Sanjulián

Promo copy:

Hope your New Year’s resolution was to be terrified, because Creepy is back to start 2012 with a scream! Featuring the latest from bone-chilling scribes Joe and Keith Lansdale, Christopher Taylor, and Dan Braun, this installment of the abominable anthology is sure to leave you shivering in the corner until next year!

* 48 pages of the finest in illustrated horror!

* Featuring a classic reprint from the original Creepy!

Mass Effect: Invasion #4
Story by Mac Walters
Script by John Jackson Miller
Art by Omar Francia
Cover by Massimo Carnevale

Promo copy:

Everything is on the line in this shocking conclusion! The surprise attack on space station Omega and its ruthless leader Aria T’Loak was only the beginning, and now Aria has been shown a bigger picture that puts the entire galaxy at risk. With the battle for Omega continuing, can Aria save her empire-and what role will she play in the greater war to come?

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic—War #2
Written by John Jackson Miller
Penciled by Andrea Mutti
Inked by Gigi Baldassini
Cover by Benjamin Carré

Promo copy:

The Mandalorian Wars heat up as this new series about the Old Republic takes off!

Can a pacifist survive in a war zone? Jedi Zayne Carrick is having a hard time of it, first drafted and now caught in the crossfire between the Mandalorians, the Republic Navy–and even fellow Jedi!

Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #1
Written by Mike Mignola & John Arcudi
Art by Tonci Zonjic
Cover by Dave Johnson

Promo copy:

When a tribe of phantom Indians start scalping policemen, Hellboy’s crime-fighting hero Lobster Johnson and his allies arrive to take on these foes and their gangster cronies!

* From the pages of Hellboy.

* First Lobster Johnson story in four years!

Part I

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

Fevre Dream
by George R. R. Martin
Cover by Stephen Youll

Promo copy:

A THRILLING REINVENTION OF THE VAMPIRE NOVEL BY THE MASTER OF MODERN FANTASY, GEORGE R. R. MARTIN

Abner Marsh, a struggling riverboat captain, suspects that something’s amiss when he is approached by a wealthy aristocrat with a lucrative offer. The hauntingly pale, steely-eyed Joshua York doesn’t care that the icy winter of 1857 has wiped out all but one of Marsh’s dilapidated fleet; nor does he care that he won’t earn back his investment in a decade. York’s reasons for traversing the powerful Mississippi are to be none of Marsh’s concern—no matter how bizarre, arbitrary, or capricious York’s actions may prove. Not until the maiden voyage of Fevre Dream does Marsh realize that he has joined a mission both more sinister, and perhaps more noble, than his most fantastic nightmare—and humankind’s most impossible dream.

Star Wars: Scourge
by Jeff Grubb
Cover by Larry Rostant

Promo copy:

In the heart of crime-ridden Hutt Space, a Jedi Scholar searches for justice.

While trying to obtain the coordinates of a secret, peril-packed, but potentially beneficial trade route, a novice Jedi is killed—and the motive for his murder remains shrouded in mystery. Now his former Master, Jedi archivist Mander Zuma, wants answers, even as he fights to erase doubts about his own abilities as a Jedi. What Mander gets is immersion into the perilous underworld of the Hutts as he struggles to stay one step ahead in a game of smugglers, killers, and crime lords bent on total control.

Battleship
by Peter David

Promo copy:

YOU SANK THE WRONG BATTLESHIP

During a routine naval drill at Pearl Harbor, American forces detect a ship of unknown origins that’s crashed in the Pacific Ocean. Lieutenant Alex Hopper, an officer aboard the USS John Paul Jones, is ordered to investigate the ominous-looking vessel—which turns out to be part of an armada of ships that are stronger and faster than any on Earth. And that’s when the Navy’s radar goes down. Ambushed by a ravenous enemy they cannot see, a small U.S. fleet makes their last stand on the open ocean, armed with little more than their instincts, to defend their lives—and the world as we know it.

The official novel of the blockbuster film!
Based on the screenplay by Erich Hoeber and Jon Hoeber

Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Four)
by Kevin Hearne
Cover by Gene Mollica

Promo copy:

Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.

But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he’s got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won’t be fooled again. Famous last words.

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

Fevre Dream
by George R. R. Martin
Cover by Stephen Youll

Promo copy:

A THRILLING REINVENTION OF THE VAMPIRE NOVEL BY THE MASTER OF MODERN FANTASY, GEORGE R. R. MARTIN

Abner Marsh, a struggling riverboat captain, suspects that something’s amiss when he is approached by a wealthy aristocrat with a lucrative offer. The hauntingly pale, steely-eyed Joshua York doesn’t care that the icy winter of 1857 has wiped out all but one of Marsh’s dilapidated fleet; nor does he care that he won’t earn back his investment in a decade. York’s reasons for traversing the powerful Mississippi are to be none of Marsh’s concern—no matter how bizarre, arbitrary, or capricious York’s actions may prove. Not until the maiden voyage of Fevre Dream does Marsh realize that he has joined a mission both more sinister, and perhaps more noble, than his most fantastic nightmare—and humankind’s most impossible dream.

Star Wars: Scourge
by Jeff Grubb
Cover by Larry Rostant

Promo copy:

In the heart of crime-ridden Hutt Space, a Jedi Scholar searches for justice.

While trying to obtain the coordinates of a secret, peril-packed, but potentially beneficial trade route, a novice Jedi is killed—and the motive for his murder remains shrouded in mystery. Now his former Master, Jedi archivist Mander Zuma, wants answers, even as he fights to erase doubts about his own abilities as a Jedi. What Mander gets is immersion into the perilous underworld of the Hutts as he struggles to stay one step ahead in a game of smugglers, killers, and crime lords bent on total control.

Battleship
by Peter David

Promo copy:

YOU SANK THE WRONG BATTLESHIP

During a routine naval drill at Pearl Harbor, American forces detect a ship of unknown origins that’s crashed in the Pacific Ocean. Lieutenant Alex Hopper, an officer aboard the USS John Paul Jones, is ordered to investigate the ominous-looking vessel—which turns out to be part of an armada of ships that are stronger and faster than any on Earth. And that’s when the Navy’s radar goes down. Ambushed by a ravenous enemy they cannot see, a small U.S. fleet makes their last stand on the open ocean, armed with little more than their instincts, to defend their lives—and the world as we know it.

The official novel of the blockbuster film!
Based on the screenplay by Erich Hoeber and Jon Hoeber

Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Four)
by Kevin Hearne
Cover by Gene Mollica

Promo copy:

Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.

But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he’s got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won’t be fooled again. Famous last words.

Books received 1/12/2012 mass market ed was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

As many of you know, I’m a huge baseball fan. My team for good and bad is the Houston Astros. As a kid, we moved to Houston in 1978 and for whatever reason I became hooked. Re-locating to Austin in the late 90s didn’t diminish my enthusiasm for the team.

This season marks the 50th for the ‘Stros (nee Colt .45s) as a major league franchise. To commemorate this event, MLB Productions has produced the impressive looking 5 DVD box set: Astros 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition

Can’t wait to get my hands on this one!

Astros at 50 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

As many of you know, I’m a huge baseball fan. My team for good and bad is the Houston Astros. As a kid, we moved to Houston in 1978 and for whatever reason I became hooked. Re-locating to Austin in the late 90s didn’t diminish my enthusiasm for the team.

This season marks the 50th for the ‘Stros (nee Colt .45s) as a major league franchise. To commemorate this event, MLB Productions has produced the impressive looking 5 DVD box set: Astros 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition

Can’t wait to get my hands on this one!

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

Read more at New Pulp.

The Raven Concludes was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

As part of his ongoing column at New Pulp, Alan J. Porter serialized our story "The Raven: Nameless Here For Evermore," scheduled to appear in the not yet published Protectors anthology. The conclusion ran today.

Read more at New Pulp.