Weird month. While the months are usually frontloaded, September takes it to the extreme with 40 new titles on the first and only 4 more for the remainder of the month.

Nice though slim selection this month with the return of most of the James Bond and Dirty Harry catalogs plus the Netflix premieres of Airplane and The Cleveland Show. Yeah the latter is crap, but someone out there will care.

* denotes streaming for the first time via Netflix
* denotes streamng in HD
* denotes close captioning available

Premiering September 1:
*Airplane!
American Psycho
*Beauty and the Beast (1987)
The Blair Witch Project
The Butterfly Effect
*The Cat O’Nine Tails
Conan the Barbarian (1982)
*Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles
Dark Mirror (2007)
Dazed and Confused
*The Dead Pool
*Death Valley (2004)
*Deep Blue Sea (1999)
*Diamonds Are Forever
*Dirty Harry
Earthquake (1974)
**The Enforcer (1976)
*For Your Eyes Only
*Forget Me Not (2009)
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Leviathan (1989)
*Licence to Kill (1989)
*Live and Let Die
*The Living Daylights
Lone Wolf McQuade
The Long Goodbye (1973)
*The Man with the Golden Gun

*Moonraker
*Never Say Never Again
*Nicotina
*Octopussy
*On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Quigley Down Under
Shallow Ground
*The Speed of Thought
*The Spy Who Loved Me
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
*Thunderball
*A View to a Kill
*What Women Want
*You Only Live Twice

Premiering September 2:
*Buried (2010)

Premiering September 8:
Middle Men My review

Premiering September 9:
*Saw: The Final Chapter

Premiering September 27:
*The Cleveland Show Seasons 1-2

Info courtesy of

For this year’s Armadillocon, I wrote the bio of toastmaster Mark Finn (who also happens to be one of my co-editors at RevolutionSF) for the program book. Since many who read this blog probably didn’t attend the con (for shame! Good times were had by all), I’m reprinting the piece for what I hope is your enjoyment.

The Many Fezzes of Mark Finn
by Rick Klaw

Each day Mark Finn chooses from the myriad of fezzes in the dizzying, always changing Finnverse of possibilities. At last count, his personae include novelist, Robert E. Howard historian, essayist, movie theater owner, radio playwright, comic book writer, short story creator, Elvis aficionado, pop culture junkie, husband, and a fez-wearing, simian lover.

I met Mark some 20 years ago when we both had a lot more hair, Mark’s infamous and beloved bald dome still covered in his youthful long mane of dark hair. That night at a Dallas Fantasy Fair while I drank beer and Mark sipped water (as unlikely as that seems, he was teetotaler in those days), we spent the evening/morning talking about comics, films, books, Robert E. Howard, writing and apes—basically the foundations of our conversations ever since.

Mark first rose to prominence as part of the 1990s Waco Comics Mafia which included Marvel/DC/Dark Horse artist John Lucas, Oni Press writer and consultant Greg Thompson, and video game artist Michael Washburn. Surprisingly, a vibrant artistic community emerged from within the shadows of the notoriously conservative Baylor, the nation’s premier Baptist university. During this period, Finn created, with artists William Traxtle and Shane Campos, his first significant work. Punk related the humorous, nihilistic adventures of the title character.

When Mark married Cathy Day, he wrote a commemorative comic book for the attendees of the event. That and the fact he introduced her to all his friends (a first for women Mark dated) tells you a lot about Cathy. Patient and intelligent, she allows Mark to be, well… Mark. They painted his office Hulk green and built an Elvis shrine in the bathroom. Though she doesn’t always comprehend the subtleties of our friendship. Shortly after they moved in-together, I left Mark my typical message littered with four letter words describing the unspeakable acts he supposedly did with apes. Cathy was aghast. “I thought you and Rick were friends.” Mark explained, “If we weren’t, he’d not even had left a message.”

After re-locating to Austin in the mid 90s, Finn midwifed the re-launching of the legendary Austin Books under the auspices of new management. While there, he discovered kindred literary figures in Chris Roberson, Matthew Sturges, and Bill Willingham. The quartet formed the writing workshop/publishing co-op/support group Clockwork Storybook. Mark focused his creative output toward prose fiction, crafting numerous short stories in the collective’s shared urban fantasy world of San Cibola, California, and his first two novels Gods New & Used and Year of the Hare.

In Cathy, Mark found more than a sympathetic soul, but also a partner. The duo become central figures in the audio theater troupe The Violet Crown Radio Players and perhaps more significantly in late 2006, the couple purchased the historic Vernon Plaza Theater, which first opened in 1953. Shortly after, they both gave up there day jobs—Mark, a manager at Book People and Cathy, a special ed teacher—and moved to Vernon, TX to run the movie house. They currently live in the apartment above the three screen theater with their beloved bull terrier Sonya.

During the mid-90s dot com boom, Finn landed a short-lived gig writing pop culture/slice-of-life essays and articles for Playboy.com. Those pieces served as the impetuous for his popular, self-distributed weekly column “Finn’s Wake.” These missives appeared regularly for five years. Mark pontificated on subjects dear to him: comics, films, books, Robert E. Howard, writing and apes.

Currently Mark’s Facebook profile features him shirtless, red boxing gloves at the ready, standing in front an American flag. Former profile images show him in three different fezes and assorted others from his various radio play productions. Never to my knowledge photographed or filmed, Mark does an amazingly realistic gorilla walk. He’ll perform it at the drop of a hat. All someone has to do it ask. Above all else, Mark is a showman, waiting for an audience. And not even a very big one. Regularly when I call, Mark answers the phone, paraphrasing Belloq’s famed line from Raiders: “The insidious Dr. Klaw. Again we see there is nothing you can possess which I cannot take away.” Cracks him up every time.

The weekly sounding board afforded Finn the opportunity to coalesce his ideas surrounding the life and works of Robert E. Howard. His further explorations, appearing on various REH sites and introductions to book and comic collections, garnered Mark acclaim as a Howard scholar. His greatest contribution to Howardian studies rests with the comprehensive Blood & Thunder: The Life & Art of Robert E. Howard, published by MonkeyBrain. Released at the 2006 World Fantasy Convention as part of REH centenary celebrations, the book earned Finn nominations for the 2007 Locus Awards for Best Non-Fiction and 2007 World Fantasy Award in the Special Award Professional category. He won the 2007 Cimmerian Awards for Outstanding Achievement, Book By A Single Author, his third of four Cimmerians. The others given in 2005 for Outstanding Achievement, Best Essay (for “Fists of Robert E. Howard” from The Barbaric Triumph), 2005 Emerging Scholar, and 2007 Outstanding Achievement, Website (along with Leo Grin, Rob Roehm and Steve Tompkins for The Cimmerian blog). Thanks to the Robert E. Howard Foundation, a revised, hardcover edition of Blood & Thunder will hit the shelves this December.

Our decade long conversation about pop culture simians led to our first apes in science fiction panel at the 2001 World Fantasy Convention. Chris Roberson, Charles de Lint, Mark, and I sat stunned as moderator Robert J. Sawyer hijacked the discussion, focusing on the very serious subjects of racism and oppression rather than the enjoyable and silly aspects of apes in pop culture. The beleaguered de Lint summed it up best. “This was supposed to be a funny panel!” Not deterred, we tried again at 2003 ArmadilloCon 25 with Roberson, Joe Lansdale, Bill Crider, and Howard Waldrop. “Gorillas in SF/F” proved one of the most popular events at the convention. The literally standing room crowd laughed and hooted (as did the panelists). Similar events were held at the next two Armadillocons and then again at the 2006 World Fantasy convention, where we decided to retire the concept. Though rumor has it that in honor of the new Planet of the Apes film and Mark being the toastmaster, it’s being dusted off for this year’s Armadillocon.

The new decade sees Finn returning to his roots with new comics from Dark Horse and Ape while remaining a prominent figure in Robert E. Howard scholarship and producing more fiction. He and Cathy still manage the theater in Vernon. Despite all his previous identities, Mark continues to look for and don new fezzes.

Some words of advice about the affable Mark Finn. Though Mark loves a good conversation about damn near everything and he’ll easily laugh at himself and his friends, avoid discussions about fuzzy underpants. Some things are not for polite company nor very funny. You’ve been warned.

The Many Fezzes of Mark Finn was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

For this year’s Armadillocon, I wrote the bio of toastmaster Mark Finn (who also happens to be one of my co-editors at RevolutionSF) for the program book. Since many who read this blog probably didn’t attend the con (for shame! Good times were had by all), I’m reprinting the piece for what I hope is your enjoyment.

The Many Fezzes of Mark Finn
by Rick Klaw

Each day Mark Finn chooses from the myriad of fezzes in the dizzying, always changing Finnverse of possibilities. At last count, his personae include novelist, Robert E. Howard historian, essayist, movie theater owner, radio playwright, comic book writer, short story creator, Elvis aficionado, pop culture junkie, husband, and a fez-wearing, simian lover.

I met Mark some 20 years ago when we both had a lot more hair, Mark’s infamous and beloved bald dome still covered in his youthful long mane of dark hair. That night at a Dallas Fantasy Fair while I drank beer and Mark sipped water (as unlikely as that seems, he was teetotaler in those days), we spent the evening/morning talking about comics, films, books, Robert E. Howard, writing and apes—basically the foundations of our conversations ever since.

Mark first rose to prominence as part of the 1990s Waco Comics Mafia which included Marvel/DC/Dark Horse artist John Lucas, Oni Press writer and consultant Greg Thompson, and video game artist Michael Washburn. Surprisingly, a vibrant artistic community emerged from within the shadows of the notoriously conservative Baylor, the nation’s premier Baptist university. During this period, Finn created, with artists William Traxtle and Shane Campos, his first significant work. Punk related the humorous, nihilistic adventures of the title character.

When Mark married Cathy Day, he wrote a commemorative comic book for the attendees of the event. That and the fact he introduced her to all his friends (a first for women Mark dated) tells you a lot about Cathy. Patient and intelligent, she allows Mark to be, well… Mark. They painted his office Hulk green and built an Elvis shrine in the bathroom. Though she doesn’t always comprehend the subtleties of our friendship. Shortly after they moved in-together, I left Mark my typical message littered with four letter words describing the unspeakable acts he supposedly did with apes. Cathy was aghast. “I thought you and Rick were friends.” Mark explained, “If we weren’t, he’d not even had left a message.”

After re-locating to Austin in the mid 90s, Finn midwifed the re-launching of the legendary Austin Books under the auspices of new management. While there, he discovered kindred literary figures in Chris Roberson, Matthew Sturges, and Bill Willingham. The quartet formed the writing workshop/publishing co-op/support group Clockwork Storybook. Mark focused his creative output toward prose fiction, crafting numerous short stories in the collective’s shared urban fantasy world of San Cibola, California, and his first two novels Gods New & Used and Year of the Hare.

In Cathy, Mark found more than a sympathetic soul, but also a partner. The duo become central figures in the audio theater troupe The Violet Crown Radio Players and perhaps more significantly in late 2006, the couple purchased the historic Vernon Plaza Theater, which first opened in 1953. Shortly after, they both gave up there day jobs—Mark, a manager at Book People and Cathy, a special ed teacher—and moved to Vernon, TX to run the movie house. They currently live in the apartment above the three screen theater with their beloved bull terrier Sonya.

During the mid-90s dot com boom, Finn landed a short-lived gig writing pop culture/slice-of-life essays and articles for Playboy.com. Those pieces served as the impetuous for his popular, self-distributed weekly column “Finn’s Wake.” These missives appeared regularly for five years. Mark pontificated on subjects dear to him: comics, films, books, Robert E. Howard, writing and apes.

Currently Mark’s Facebook profile features him shirtless, red boxing gloves at the ready, standing in front an American flag. Former profile images show him in three different fezes and assorted others from his various radio play productions. Never to my knowledge photographed or filmed, Mark does an amazingly realistic gorilla walk. He’ll perform it at the drop of a hat. All someone has to do it ask. Above all else, Mark is a showman, waiting for an audience. And not even a very big one. Regularly when I call, Mark answers the phone, paraphrasing Belloq’s famed line from Raiders: “The insidious Dr. Klaw. Again we see there is nothing you can possess which I cannot take away.” Cracks him up every time.

The weekly sounding board afforded Finn the opportunity to coalesce his ideas surrounding the life and works of Robert E. Howard. His further explorations, appearing on various REH sites and introductions to book and comic collections, garnered Mark acclaim as a Howard scholar. His greatest contribution to Howardian studies rests with the comprehensive Blood & Thunder: The Life & Art of Robert E. Howard, published by MonkeyBrain. Released at the 2006 World Fantasy Convention as part of REH centenary celebrations, the book earned Finn nominations for the 2007 Locus Awards for Best Non-Fiction and 2007 World Fantasy Award in the Special Award Professional category. He won the 2007 Cimmerian Awards for Outstanding Achievement, Book By A Single Author, his third of four Cimmerians. The others given in 2005 for Outstanding Achievement, Best Essay (for “Fists of Robert E. Howard” from The Barbaric Triumph), 2005 Emerging Scholar, and 2007 Outstanding Achievement, Website (along with Leo Grin, Rob Roehm and Steve Tompkins for The Cimmerian blog). Thanks to the Robert E. Howard Foundation, a revised, hardcover edition of Blood & Thunder will hit the shelves this December.

Our decade long conversation about pop culture simians led to our first apes in science fiction panel at the 2001 World Fantasy Convention. Chris Roberson, Charles de Lint, Mark, and I sat stunned as moderator Robert J. Sawyer hijacked the discussion, focusing on the very serious subjects of racism and oppression rather than the enjoyable and silly aspects of apes in pop culture. The beleaguered de Lint summed it up best. “This was supposed to be a funny panel!” Not deterred, we tried again at 2003 ArmadilloCon 25 with Roberson, Joe Lansdale, Bill Crider, and Howard Waldrop. “Gorillas in SF/F” proved one of the most popular events at the convention. The literally standing room crowd laughed and hooted (as did the panelists). Similar events were held at the next two Armadillocons and then again at the 2006 World Fantasy convention, where we decided to retire the concept. Though rumor has it that in honor of the new Planet of the Apes film and Mark being the toastmaster, it’s being dusted off for this year’s Armadillocon.

The new decade sees Finn returning to his roots with new comics from Dark Horse and Ape while remaining a prominent figure in Robert E. Howard scholarship and producing more fiction. He and Cathy still manage the theater in Vernon. Despite all his previous identities, Mark continues to look for and don new fezzes.

Some words of advice about the affable Mark Finn. Though Mark loves a good conversation about damn near everything and he’ll easily laugh at himself and his friends, avoid discussions about fuzzy underpants. Some things are not for polite company nor very funny. You’ve been warned.

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

Infinite Kung Fu
by Kagan McLeod
Introduction by Gordon Liu
Foreword by Colin Geddes

Promo copy:

Read the first 250 pages online at Top Shelf 2.0!

Watch the killer animated trailer video!

Infinite Kung Fu walks you through familiar corridors in the house of martial mayhem, but still smashes your face through walls of wonder and into rooms where kung fu is afraid to go.

Catastrophe has knocked most of the world back to the middle ages — and to make matters worse, the dead are rising from the grave as zombies (reincarnation gone wrong)! In this world, where the way of the fist is a way of life, ex-soldier Lei Kung must infiltrate the evil emperor’s five kung fu armies and stop him from destroying all life on the planet. Allegiances are blurred as techniques are perfected, and Lei Kung becomes less certain who’s friend and who’s foe in each chapter!

Fists fly, limbs are lost and blood vessels burst in this tale of furious rivals, supernatural masters, walking corpses, and above all, raging kung fu! — a 464-page deluxe flexi-cover graphic novel.

Captain America (1992)

Promo copy:

Based on the bestselling Marvel Comics series, CAPTAIN AMERICA stars Matt Salinger (What Dreams May Come) as a crime-fighting superhero whose strengths and abilities may save the United States from nuclear destruction.

During World War II, a brave American soldier (Salinger) volunteers to undergo experiments to become a new super-soldier, codenamed “Captain America.” Infiltrating Germany to sabotage Nazi rockets pointed at the U.S., Captain America faces off with Nazi superhuman warrior Red Skull (Scott Paulin, The Right Stuff) who defeats the hero, throwing him into suspended animation. Frozen for 50 years, Captain America is found and revived only to find that Red Skull has changed identities and has targeted the President of the United States (Ronny Cox, RoboCop) for assassination. With America on the verge of utter chaos, it is up to one man to save the day!

CAPTAIN AMERICA also features supporting performances from Ned Beatty (Superman), Darren McGavin (A Christmas Story), Michael Nouri (Flashdance) and Melinda Dillon (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) and Kim Gillingham (“One Big Family”).

I covered this in “Patriotic Potential: Captain America’s History on Film.”

I obviously crafted my comments before the release of the recent Cap film.

The Homeland Directive
Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Mike Huddleston

Promo copy:

A new thriller from the author of the New York Times bestseller The Surrogates!

As a leading researcher at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Laura Regan is one of the world’s foremost authorities on viral and bacteriological study. Having dedicated her career to halting the spread of infectious disease, she has always considered herself one of the good guys. But when her research partner is murdered and Laura is blamed for the crime, she finds herself at the heart of a vast and deadly conspiracy. Aided by three rogue federal agents who believe the government is behind the frame-up, Laura must evade law enforcement, mercenaries, and a team of cyber-detectives who know more about her life than she does—all while trying to expose a sinister plot that will impact the lives of every American.

Set in the Orwellian present, The Homeland Directive confronts one of the vital questions of our time: In an era when technology can either doom or save us, is it possible for personal privacy and national security to coexist?

I reviewed The Homeland Directive in “Nexus Graphica.”

Stuff received 8/25/11 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

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

Infinite Kung Fu
by Kagan McLeod
Introduction by Gordon Liu
Foreword by Colin Geddes

Promo copy:

Read the first 250 pages online at Top Shelf 2.0!

Watch the killer animated trailer video!

Infinite Kung Fu walks you through familiar corridors in the house of martial mayhem, but still smashes your face through walls of wonder and into rooms where kung fu is afraid to go.

Catastrophe has knocked most of the world back to the middle ages — and to make matters worse, the dead are rising from the grave as zombies (reincarnation gone wrong)! In this world, where the way of the fist is a way of life, ex-soldier Lei Kung must infiltrate the evil emperor’s five kung fu armies and stop him from destroying all life on the planet. Allegiances are blurred as techniques are perfected, and Lei Kung becomes less certain who’s friend and who’s foe in each chapter!

Fists fly, limbs are lost and blood vessels burst in this tale of furious rivals, supernatural masters, walking corpses, and above all, raging kung fu! — a 464-page deluxe flexi-cover graphic novel.

Captain America (1992)

Promo copy:

Based on the bestselling Marvel Comics series, CAPTAIN AMERICA stars Matt Salinger (What Dreams May Come) as a crime-fighting superhero whose strengths and abilities may save the United States from nuclear destruction.

During World War II, a brave American soldier (Salinger) volunteers to undergo experiments to become a new super-soldier, codenamed “Captain America.” Infiltrating Germany to sabotage Nazi rockets pointed at the U.S., Captain America faces off with Nazi superhuman warrior Red Skull (Scott Paulin, The Right Stuff) who defeats the hero, throwing him into suspended animation. Frozen for 50 years, Captain America is found and revived only to find that Red Skull has changed identities and has targeted the President of the United States (Ronny Cox, RoboCop) for assassination. With America on the verge of utter chaos, it is up to one man to save the day!

CAPTAIN AMERICA also features supporting performances from Ned Beatty (Superman), Darren McGavin (A Christmas Story), Michael Nouri (Flashdance) and Melinda Dillon (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) and Kim Gillingham (“One Big Family”).

I covered this in "Patriotic Potential: Captain America’s History on Film."

I obviously crafted my comments before the release of the recent Cap film.

The Homeland Directive
Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Mike Huddleston

Promo copy:

A new thriller from the author of the New York Times bestseller The Surrogates!

As a leading researcher at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Laura Regan is one of the world’s foremost authorities on viral and bacteriological study. Having dedicated her career to halting the spread of infectious disease, she has always considered herself one of the good guys. But when her research partner is murdered and Laura is blamed for the crime, she finds herself at the heart of a vast and deadly conspiracy. Aided by three rogue federal agents who believe the government is behind the frame-up, Laura must evade law enforcement, mercenaries, and a team of cyber-detectives who know more about her life than she does—all while trying to expose a sinister plot that will impact the lives of every American.

Set in the Orwellian present, The Homeland Directive confronts one of the vital questions of our time: In an era when technology can either doom or save us, is it possible for personal privacy and national security to coexist?

I reviewed The Homeland Directive in "Nexus Graphica."

To the shock and amazement of nearly nobody, I’m a programming participant at Armadillocon 33. This will be my 19th Armadillocon as a programming guest. (Every one since 1991 save the 1997 “relaxacon” following the ’97 Worldcon in San Antonio.)

This year’s headliners are

Guest of Honor: Paolo Bacigalupi
Special Guests: Emma Bull and Will Shetterly
Editor Guest: Lou Anders
Artist Guest: Vincent Villafranca
Fan Guest: Fred Duarte, Jr.
Toastmaster: Mark Finn

My schedule for the con:

Friday 9 PM

Apes in SF: The Battle for the Return
Chris Brown, Scott Cupp, Mark Finn*, Rick Klaw, Jess Nevins, Lee Thomas

A discussion of classic simian stories. Mangani bundolo!
(My first ape panel in nearly 5 years.)

Saturday 11 AM

Editor Guest Interview
Lou Anders, Mark Finn*, Rick Klaw*
(Pity poor Lou. Would you want to be subjected to an interview conducted by me and Finn?)

Saturday Noon

Comics and the Move Online
Gordon Andrews, Michael Ashleigh Finn, Brad Foster, Rick Klaw*, David Liss, Bill Williams

With the success of web comics and the growing frequency of reading comics-for-print on tablets and smartphones, a whole new world is opening up for creators and readers. How does this affect the creative process, and what does it mean for collectors?

Saturday 8PM

Cyberpunk: How it Influenced Fiction, Technology, and the World
Lou Antonelli, Chris Brown*, Michael Ashleigh Finn, Rick Klaw

Cyberpunk was a hugely visible literary movement that started in the 80s. It caused readers to think about the role of technology in their lives in entirely different ways. What were the results?

Sunday 10 AM

Book Covers: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Lou Anders, Paolo Bacigalupi, Brad Foster, Rocky Kelley*, Rick Klaw, Martha Wells

How does a cover artist balance creative impulses with the imperative to create a cover that sells books? What are the notable successes and failures?

Sunday 2PM

Signing

Lou Antonelli, Rick Klaw, Josh Rountree

If you’re at the con, stop by and say howdy.

My Armadillocon schedule was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

To the shock and amazement of nearly nobody, I’m a programming participant at Armadillocon 33. This will be my 19th Armadillocon as a programming guest. (Every one since 1991 save the 1997 "relaxacon" following the ’97 Worldcon in San Antonio.)

This year’s headliners are

Guest of Honor: Paolo Bacigalupi
Special Guests: Emma Bull and Will Shetterly
Editor Guest: Lou Anders
Artist Guest: Vincent Villafranca
Fan Guest: Fred Duarte, Jr.
Toastmaster: Mark Finn

My schedule for the con:

Friday 9 PM

Apes in SF: The Battle for the Return
Chris Brown, Scott Cupp, Mark Finn*, Rick Klaw, Jess Nevins, Lee Thomas

A discussion of classic simian stories. Mangani bundolo!
(My first ape panel in nearly 5 years.)

Saturday 11 AM

Editor Guest Interview
Lou Anders, Mark Finn*, Rick Klaw*
(Pity poor Lou. Would you want to be subjected to an interview conducted by me and Finn?)

Saturday Noon

Comics and the Move Online
Gordon Andrews, Michael Ashleigh Finn, Brad Foster, Rick Klaw*, David Liss, Bill Williams

With the success of web comics and the growing frequency of reading comics-for-print on tablets and smartphones, a whole new world is opening up for creators and readers. How does this affect the creative process, and what does it mean for collectors?

Saturday 8PM

Cyberpunk: How it Influenced Fiction, Technology, and the World
Lou Antonelli, Chris Brown*, Michael Ashleigh Finn, Rick Klaw

Cyberpunk was a hugely visible literary movement that started in the 80s. It caused readers to think about the role of technology in their lives in entirely different ways. What were the results?

Sunday 10 AM

Book Covers: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Lou Anders, Paolo Bacigalupi, Brad Foster, Rocky Kelley*, Rick Klaw, Martha Wells

How does a cover artist balance creative impulses with the imperative to create a cover that sells books? What are the notable successes and failures?

Sunday 2PM

Signing

Lou Antonelli, Rick Klaw, Josh Rountree

If you’re at the con, stop by and say howdy.

I put together “6 ’80s horror films more in need of a remake than Fright Night.”

Over at Blastr, I explain the whys, etc for each film selected along with my choice of dream director for each remake.

For the Geek Curmudgeon faithful, I researched the streaming availability of the films mentioned. I referenced Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, Hulu, and Hulu Plus.

Fright Night (1985)

Currently not available.

Dead & Buried (1981)

Netflix

Lifeforce (1985)

Netflix

Silver Bullet (1985)

Currently not available.

Prince of Darkness (1987)

Netflix

Amazon Prime

Monkey Shines (1988)

Netflix

Hulu

The ‘Burbs (1989)

Currently not available.

So after reading my Blastr piece, you can now check out some of the movies I discussed and see just how far off base I am.

*Word of caution. This info is accurate as of August 19, 2011. The availability of streaming titles is nearly always in flux. YMMV.*

Six ’80s horror films in need of a remake BONUS COVERAGE was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

I put together "6 ’80s horror films more in need of a remake than Fright Night."

Over at Blastr, I explain the whys, etc for each film selected along with my choice of dream director for each remake.

For the Geek Curmudgeon faithful, I researched the streaming availability of the films mentioned. I referenced Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, Hulu, and Hulu Plus.

Fright Night (1985)

Currently not available.

Dead & Buried (1981)

Netflix

Lifeforce (1985)

Netflix

Silver Bullet (1985)

Currently not available.

Prince of Darkness (1987)

Netflix

Amazon Prime

Monkey Shines (1988)

Netflix

Hulu

The ‘Burbs (1989)

Currently not available.

So after reading my Blastr piece, you can now check out some of the movies I discussed and see just how far off base I am.

*Word of caution. This info is accurate as of August 19, 2011. The availability of streaming titles is nearly always in flux. YMMV.*

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

The Urban Fantasy Anthology
Edited by Peter S. Beagle & Joe R. Lansdale
Cover by Elizabeth Story

Promo copy:

Urban fantasy, one of the fastest-growing categories of fiction, is finally fully defined and showcased in this comprehensive star-studded collection. Previously difficult for readers to discover in its new modes, urban fantasy is represented here in all three of its distinct styles, including the playful new mythologies of Charles de Lint, the sexy paranormal romances of Patricia Briggs, and the gritty urban-noir of Neil Gaiman. Whether they feature tattooed demon-hunters, angst-y vampires, supernatural gumshoes, or pixelated pixies, these authors mash-up traditional fare with pop culture, creating iconic characters, conflicted moralities, and complex settings. The result is starkly original fiction that has broad-based appeal and is immensely entertaining.

Table of Contents

Introduction by Peter S. Beagle

Mythic Fiction
Introduction: “A Personal Journey into Mythic Fiction” by Charles de Lint
Emma Bull, “A Bird That Whistles”
Charles de Lint, “Make a Joyful Noise”
Neil Gaiman, “The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories”
Jeffrey Ford, “On the Road to New Egypt”
Peter S. Beagle, “Julie’s Unicorn”

Paranormal Romance
Introduction: “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Urban Fantasy” by Paula Guran
Charles de Lint, “Companions to the Moon”
Kelley Armstrong, “A Haunted House of Her Own”
Norman Partridge, “She’s My Witch”
Carrie Vaughn, “Kitty’s Zombie New Year”
Patricia Briggs, “Seeing Eye”
Bruce McAllister, “Hit”
Suzy McKee Charnas, “Boobs”
Francesca Lia Block, “Farewell, My Zombie”

Noir Fantasy
Introduction: “We Are Not a Club, but We Sometimes Share a Room” by Joe R. Lansdale
Thomas M. Disch, “The White Man”
Susan Palwick, “Gestella”
Holly Black, “The Coldest Girl in Coldtown”
Steven R. Boyett, “Talking Back to the Moon”
Joe R. Lansdale, “On the Far Side of the Cadillac Desert with Dead Folks”
Tim Powers, “The Bible Repairman”
Al Sarrantonio, “Father Dear”

WOW! An amazing collection of tales.

Hellbent (Cheshire Red Reports, Book 2)
by Cherie Priest

Promo copy:

BAD TO THE BONE

Vampire thief Raylene Pendle doesn’t need more complications in her life. Her Seattle home is already overrun by a band of misfits, including Ian Stott, a blind vampire, and Adrian deJesus, an ex-Navy SEAL/drag queen. But Raylene still can’t resist an old pal’s request: seek out and steal a bizarre set of artifacts. Also on the hunt is a brilliant but certifiably crazy sorceress determined to stomp anyone who gets in her way. But Raylene’s biggest problem is that the death of Ian’s vaunted patriarch appears to have made him the next target of some blood-sucking sociopaths. Now Raylene must snatch up the potent relics, solve a murder, and keep Ian safe—all while fending off a psychotic sorceress. But at least she won’t be alone. A girl could do a lot worse for a partner than an ass-kicking drag queen—right?

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire: The 20th Anniversary Edition
by Timothy Zahn

Promo copy:

Here is a special 20th anniversary edition of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel that reignited the entire Star Wars publishing phenomenon—featuring an Introduction and annotations from award-winning author Timothy Zahn, exclusive commentary from Lucasfilm and Del Rey Books, and a brand-new novella starring the ever-popular Grand Admiral Thrawn. The biggest event in the history of Star Wars books, Heir to the Empire follows the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia after they led the Rebel Alliance to victory in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.

Five years after the Death Star was destroyed and Darth Vader and the Emperor were defeated, the galaxy is struggling to heal the wounds of war, Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting twins, and Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of new Jedi Knights.

But thousands of light-years away, the last of the Emperor’s warlords—the brilliant and deadly Grand Admiral Thrawn—has taken command of the shattered Imperial fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the New Republic. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to create.

The explosive confrontation that results is a towering epic of action, invention, mystery, and spectacle on a galactic scale—in short, a story worthy of the name Star Wars.

Circle of Enemies
by Harry Connolly
Cover by Christian McGrath

Promo copy:

Former car thief Ray Lilly is now the expendable grunt of a sorcerer responsible for destroying extradimensional predators summoned to our world by power-hungry magicians. Luckily, Ray has some magic of his own, and so far it’s kept him alive. But when a friend from his former gang calls him back to his old stomping grounds in Los Angeles, Ray may have to face a threat even he can’t handle. A mysterious spell is killing Ray’s former associates, and they blame him. Worse yet, the spell was cast by Wally King, the sorcerer who first dragged Ray into the brutal world of the Twenty Palace Society. Now Ray will have to choose between the ties of the past and the responsibilities of the present, as he and the Society face not only Wally King but a bizarre new predator.

Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular and the New Land
Edited by Harvey Pekar & Paul Buhle
Introduction by Neal Gabler
Cover by David Lasky

Promo copy:

Yiddish is everywhere. We hear words like nosh, schlep, and schmutz all the time, but how did these words come to pepper American English? In Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular and the New Land, Harvey Pekar and Paul Buhle trace the influence of Yiddish from medieval Europe to the tenements of New York’s Lower East Side. This comics anthology contains original stories by notable writers and artists such as Barry Deutsch, Peter Kuper, Spain Rodriguez, and Sharon Rudahl. Through illustrations, comics art, and a full-length play, four major themes are explored: culture, performance, assimilation, and the revival of the language. The last fully realized work by Harvey Pekar, this book is a thoughtful compilation that reveals the far-reaching influences of Yiddish.

What an unexpected pleasure. I was unaware of this fascinating book until it showed up at the Geek Compound. Can’t wait to dive into this beautiful tome.

Books received 8/19/11 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon