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

Fenrir
by M. D. Lachlan
Cover by Paul Young

Promo copy:

The Vikings are laying siege to Paris. As the houses on the banks of the Seine burn a debate rages in the Cathedral on the walled island of the city proper. The situation is hopeless. The Vikings want the Count’s sister, in return they will spare the rest of the city. Can the Count really have ambitions to be Emperor of the Franks if he doesn’t do everything he can to save his people? Can he call himself a man if he doesn’t do everything he can to save his sister? His conscience demands one thing, the demands of state another. The Count and the church are relying on the living saint, the blind and crippled Jehan of St Germain, to enlist the aid of God and resolve the situation for them. But the Vikings have their own gods. And outside their camp a terrifying brother and sister, priests of Odin, have their own agenda. An agenda of darkness and madness. And in the shadows a wolfman lurks. M.D. Lachlan’s stunning epic of mad Gods, Vikings and the myth of Fenrir, the wolf destined to kill Odin at Ragnarok, powers forward into new territories of bloody horror, unlikely heroism, dangerous religion and breathtaking action.

Down to the Bone (Quantum Gravity, Book 5)
by Justina Robson
Cover by Larry Rostant

Promo copy:

Lila Black faces her greatest challenge yet as she takes herself, her dead lover, and the AI
in her head into death’s realm …
Lila Black is now a shape-shifting machine plugged into the Signal—the total dataset of all events in the known universe and all potential events: Zal, the elf rock star with a demon soul, is now a shadow form animated and given material actualization by firelight; Teazle the demon has taken up the swords of Death and is on the way to becoming an angel. To say this puts some pressure on their three-way marriage is an understatement.

Meanwhile the human world is seeing an inexplicable influx of the returning dead, and they’re not the only ones. Many old evils are returning to haunt the living following three harbingers of destruction created in the ancient past.

What seems epic is revealed as personal to all concerned as events unfold and that which cannot be escaped must be faced. Heroic destinies unravel as greater powers reveal themselves the true masters of the game.

The Rift Walker (Vampire Empire, Book 2)
by Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith
Cover by Chris McGrath

Promo copy:

Princess Adele struggles with a life of marriage and obligation as her Equatorian Empire and their American Republic allies stand on the brink of war against the vampire clans of the north. However, the alliance’s horrific strategy for total victory drives Adele to abandon her duty and embark on a desperate quest to keep her nation from staining its hands with genocide. Reunited with her great love, the mysterious adventurer known to the world as the Greyfriar, Adele is pursued by her own people as well as her vengeful husband, senator Clark. With the human alliance in disarrray, Prince Cesare, lord of the British vampire clan, seizes the initiative and strikes at the very heart of Equatoria.
As Adele labors to bring order to her world, she learns more about the strange powers she exhibited in the north. Her teacher, Mamoru, leads a secret cabal of geomancers who believe Adele is the one who can touch the vast power of the Earth that surges through ley lines and wells up at the rifts where the lines meet. These energies are the key to defeating the enemy of mankind, and if Princess Adele could ever bring this power under her command, she could be death to vampires. But such a victory will also cost the life of Adele’s beloved Greyfriar.

The Rift Walker is the second book in a trilogy of high adventure and alternative history. Combining rousing pulp action with steampunk style, the Vampire Empire series brings epic politcal themes to life within a story of heartbreaking romance, sacrifice, and heroism.

Got this interesting news from Pyr:

Mirror Maze
by Michaele Jordan
Cover by Cynthia Sheppard

Promo copy:

Jacob Aldridge is still utterly devastated by the death of his fiancée when he suddenly encounters her doppelganger. Livia Aram’s uncanny resemblance to the late Rhoda Carothers so transcends coincidence that Jacob becomes obsessed with her. The intensity of his passion terrifies her until her compassion is roused by his desperate plight. A demon is stalking him, a succubus-like entity that feeds on human pain and desire. With the help of Jacob’s sister, Cecily, and Livia’s guardian, the mysterious Dr. Chang, they overcome the demon. Or so it appears. . . .

Jacob, Liva, and Cecily are all victims of a single curse, a curse which entrapped and destroyed their parents before them. Now fate has drawn their descendants together again, and the curse is playing out. Nothing can help them, until Cecily’s husband returns from abroad. Colonel Beckford has been missing for years; he has seen strange things and acquired strange powers in his absence. Now he will do whatever it takes to free his wife and eliminate the demon and its curse once and for all.

In anticipation of the impending release of Rise of the Planet of the Apes I revised my 2003 ape films survey as Simian Cinema 2.0. Out of curiosity, I researched the streaming availability of the films mentioned. I referenced Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, Hulu, Hulu Plus, and the Internet Archive. As a service to the Geek Curmudgeon faithful, I present my findings.

10. Son of Kong (1933)

Trailer available at Internet Archive

9. Escape From the Planet of the Apes (1971)

Currently not available.

8. Tarzan (1999 Animated)

Currently not available.

7. Mighty Joe Young (1998)

Currently not available.

6. King Kong (2005)

Currently not available.

5. Gorillas In the Mist (1988)

Currently not available.

4. Tarzan, The Ape Man (1932)

Trailer available at Internet Archive

The awful Bo Derek movie is streaming via Netflix.

3. Planet of the Apes (1968)

Currently not available.

2. Mighty Joe Young (1949)

Trailer available at Internet Archive

1. King Kong (1933)

Currently not available.

Disappointed by the weak showing of the best of the best but not deterred, I decided to research all the movies I mentioned in the piece.

Buddy (1997)

Currently not available.

The Gorilla (1939)

Internet Archive

The Jungle Book (1967 Animated)

Currently not available.

Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984)

Amazon Prime

King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1962)

Currently not available.

King Kong Escapes (1967)

Currently not available.

Ed (1996)

Netflix

A*P*E (King Kongui Daeyeokseub) aka Attack of the Giant Horny Gorilla (1976)

Currently not available.

Konga (1961)

Trailer available at Internet Archive
Netflix

King Kong Lives (1986)

Currently not available.

Congo (1995)

Currently not available.

Any of the Planet of the Apes movies

Currently not available.

But all 13 episodes of the animated Return to the Planet of the Apes are available on Hulu Plus.

Just terrible. Not much love for the ape via streaming. Wonder if the success of Rise may change that?

*Word of caution. This info is accurate as of August 11, 2011. The availability of streaming titles is nearly always in flux. YMMV.*

Simian Cinema 2.0: The Streaming Edition was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

In anticipation of the impending release of Rise of the Planet of the Apes I revised my 2003 ape films survey as Simian Cinema 2.0. Out of curiosity, I researched the streaming availability of the films mentioned. I referenced Netflix, Amazon Prime, Crackle, Hulu, Hulu Plus, and the Internet Archive. As a service to the Geek Curmudgeon faithful, I present my findings.

10. Son of Kong (1933)

Trailer available at Internet Archive

9. Escape From the Planet of the Apes (1971)

Currently not available.

8. Tarzan (1999 Animated)

Currently not available.

7. Mighty Joe Young (1998)

Currently not available.

6. King Kong (2005)

Currently not available.

5. Gorillas In the Mist (1988)

Currently not available.

4. Tarzan, The Ape Man (1932)

Trailer available at Internet Archive

The awful Bo Derek movie is streaming via Netflix.

3. Planet of the Apes (1968)

Currently not available.

2. Mighty Joe Young (1949)

Trailer available at Internet Archive

1. King Kong (1933)

Currently not available.

Disappointed by the weak showing of the best of the best but not deterred, I decided to research all the movies I mentioned in the piece.

Buddy (1997)

Currently not available.

The Gorilla (1939)

Internet Archive

The Jungle Book (1967 Animated)

Currently not available.

Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984)

Amazon Prime

King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1962)

Currently not available.

King Kong Escapes (1967)

Currently not available.

Ed (1996)

Netflix

A*P*E (King Kongui Daeyeokseub) aka Attack of the Giant Horny Gorilla (1976)

Currently not available.

Konga (1961)

Trailer available at Internet Archive
Netflix

King Kong Lives (1986)

Currently not available.

Congo (1995)

Currently not available.

Any of the Planet of the Apes movies

Currently not available.

But all 13 episodes of the animated Return to the Planet of the Apes are available on Hulu Plus.

Just terrible. Not much love for the ape via streaming. Wonder if the success of Rise may change that?

*Word of caution. This info is accurate as of August 11, 2011. The availability of streaming titles is nearly always in flux. YMMV.*

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

Setting the Standard: Comics by Alex Toth 1952-1954
Edited by Greg Sadowski

Promo copy:

Alex Toth’s influence on the art of comic books is incalculable. As his generation was the first to grow up with the new 10-cent full-color pamphlets, he came to the medium with a fresh eye, and enough talent and discipline to graphically strip it down its to its bare essentials. His efforts reached fruition at Standard Comics, creating an entire school of imitators and establishing Toth as the “comic book artist’s artist.” Setting the Standard collects the entirety of this highly influential body of work in one substantial volume.

Toth began his professional career at fifteen in 1945 for Heroic Comics, but quickly advanced to superhero work for DC. Responding to the endless criticism of editor Sheldon Mayer and production chief Sol Harrison, the young artist strove toward a technique free of “showoff surface tricks, clutter, and distracting picture elements.” Simply put, he learned “how to tell a story, to the exclusion of all else.”

After falling out with DC in 1952, Toth moved west. He freelanced almost exclusively for Standard over the next two years, contributing classic work for its crime, horror, science fiction, and war titles. But perhaps most revelatory to the reader will be the romance collaborations with writer Kim Ammodt, Toth’s personal favorites. “I came to prefer them for the quieter, more credible, natural human equations they dealt with — emotions, subtleties of gesture, expression, attitude.”

To explain his take on comics, Toth would quote such proverbs as “To add to truth distracts from it,” or “The beauty of the simple thing.” He employed these axioms “to make clear how universal this pursuit of truth, clarity, simplicity, economy, in all the arts and many other disciplines really is — and has been for 6,000 years.” These and other observations regarding the comic book form will be collected in an essay based on Toth’s published and unpublished letters and interviews.

Every page of Setting the Standard is restored to bring Toth’s unsurpassed graphics and page designs into full clarity, making this an essential edition for anyone with an appreciation of the art of graphic storytelling.

Another gorgeous, must own book from Fantagraphics!

Firestorm: The Nuclear Man
Written by Gerry Conway
Art by Al Milgrom and George Perez

Promo copy:

For the first time, the stories that introduced Firestorm are collected from issues #1-5 of his 1970s series, plus stories from THE FLASH #289-293. After Ronnie Raymond is tricked into nearly blowing up a nuclear reactor, he and Professor Martin Stein are caught in a nuclear incident. Their personalities merge, forming the being called Firestorm!

Yeah, the Milgrom art is ugly, but Firestorm was always one of my favorite titles.

The Jack Kirby Omnibus Vol. 1 Starring Green Arrow
Introduction by Mark Evanier

Promo copy:

In 1957, Jack Kirby returned to DC Comics to draw the Green Arrow feature that ran in ADVENTURE COMICS and WORLD’S FINEST COMICS, pitting the Emerald Archer and his sidekick, Speedy, against a plethora of foes. At the same time, Kirby kept busy with work on DC’s mystery titles. These short tales spotlighted extraterrestrials and earthly monsters, nuclear threats and super-intelligent animals, magic wishes gone wrong and cities lost beneath the seas, challenging Kirby’s ever-fertile imagination in every story.

Now, for the first time, DC Comics collects all of Kirby’s many stories from the pages of HOUSE OF MYSTERY, HOUSE OF SECRETS, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED, MY GREATEST ADVENTURE, ALL-STAR WESTERN, ADVENTURE COMICS, WORLD’S FINEST COMICS, as well as a trio of 1940s stories from REAL FACT COMICS.

While not the best of The King’s work–far too restrained for my tastes–it’s still over 300 pages of rare Jack Friggin’ Kirby. On his bad days, he’s still better than most comic artists ever. ‘Nuff said.

Graphic novels received 8/9/11 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

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

Setting the Standard: Comics by Alex Toth 1952-1954
Edited by Greg Sadowski

Promo copy:

Alex Toth’s influence on the art of comic books is incalculable. As his generation was the first to grow up with the new 10-cent full-color pamphlets, he came to the medium with a fresh eye, and enough talent and discipline to graphically strip it down its to its bare essentials. His efforts reached fruition at Standard Comics, creating an entire school of imitators and establishing Toth as the “comic book artist’s artist.” Setting the Standard collects the entirety of this highly influential body of work in one substantial volume.

Toth began his professional career at fifteen in 1945 for Heroic Comics, but quickly advanced to superhero work for DC. Responding to the endless criticism of editor Sheldon Mayer and production chief Sol Harrison, the young artist strove toward a technique free of “showoff surface tricks, clutter, and distracting picture elements.” Simply put, he learned “how to tell a story, to the exclusion of all else.”

After falling out with DC in 1952, Toth moved west. He freelanced almost exclusively for Standard over the next two years, contributing classic work for its crime, horror, science fiction, and war titles. But perhaps most revelatory to the reader will be the romance collaborations with writer Kim Ammodt, Toth’s personal favorites. “I came to prefer them for the quieter, more credible, natural human equations they dealt with — emotions, subtleties of gesture, expression, attitude.”

To explain his take on comics, Toth would quote such proverbs as “To add to truth distracts from it,” or “The beauty of the simple thing.” He employed these axioms “to make clear how universal this pursuit of truth, clarity, simplicity, economy, in all the arts and many other disciplines really is — and has been for 6,000 years.” These and other observations regarding the comic book form will be collected in an essay based on Toth’s published and unpublished letters and interviews.

Every page of Setting the Standard is restored to bring Toth’s unsurpassed graphics and page designs into full clarity, making this an essential edition for anyone with an appreciation of the art of graphic storytelling.

Another gorgeous, must own book from Fantagraphics!

Firestorm: The Nuclear Man
Written by Gerry Conway
Art by Al Milgrom and George Perez

Promo copy:

For the first time, the stories that introduced Firestorm are collected from issues #1-5 of his 1970s series, plus stories from THE FLASH #289-293. After Ronnie Raymond is tricked into nearly blowing up a nuclear reactor, he and Professor Martin Stein are caught in a nuclear incident. Their personalities merge, forming the being called Firestorm!

Yeah, the Milgrom art is ugly, but Firestorm was always one of my favorite titles.

The Jack Kirby Omnibus Vol. 1 Starring Green Arrow
Introduction by Mark Evanier

Promo copy:

In 1957, Jack Kirby returned to DC Comics to draw the Green Arrow feature that ran in ADVENTURE COMICS and WORLD’S FINEST COMICS, pitting the Emerald Archer and his sidekick, Speedy, against a plethora of foes. At the same time, Kirby kept busy with work on DC’s mystery titles. These short tales spotlighted extraterrestrials and earthly monsters, nuclear threats and super-intelligent animals, magic wishes gone wrong and cities lost beneath the seas, challenging Kirby’s ever-fertile imagination in every story.

Now, for the first time, DC Comics collects all of Kirby’s many stories from the pages of HOUSE OF MYSTERY, HOUSE OF SECRETS, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED, MY GREATEST ADVENTURE, ALL-STAR WESTERN, ADVENTURE COMICS, WORLD’S FINEST COMICS, as well as a trio of 1940s stories from REAL FACT COMICS.

While not the best of The King’s work–far too restrained for my tastes–it’s still over 300 pages of rare Jack Friggin’ Kirby. On his bad days, he’s still better than most comic artists ever. ‘Nuff said.

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

The Super Hero Squad Show Season 2 Volume 1: The Infinity Gauntlet

Promo copy:

With Galactus defeated and Dr. Doom moping behind bars, Super Hero City is finally safe: that is, until Thanos goes in search of the powerful Infinity Gauntlet! Although they are without their comrade-in-laughter, Silver Surfer, the Super Hero Squad (Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Wolverine and Falcon) must once again come together to take on any villainy that threatens the peace and safety of the Marvel universe no matter where it might take them!

Featuring the hilarious guest voice talents of Ty Burrell (Modern Family), John O’Hurley (Seinfeld), Stan Lee, Jane Lynch (Glee), James Marsters (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and Adam West (Batman)!

Meet Monica Velour

Promo copy:

In this irreverent comedy, awkward teenager Tobe (Dustin Ingram) sets off on a road trip to meet Monica Velour (Kim Cattrall), his favorite ’80s porn star, at a rare live appearance hundreds of miles away. Instead of the glamorous sexpot portrayed on film, he finds a 49-year-old single mom living in a trailer in rural Indiana, performing at seedy strip clubs to make ends meet. A starry-eyed Tobe, still captivated by his crush, befriends Monica, further complicating her difficult life. Kim Cattrall gives a career-defining performance in this offbeat love story that appeals to the dreamer — and the nerd — in all of us.

Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil

Promo copy:

The good… the bad… the Twitchy. The sequel finds our heroine, Red (Hayden Panettiere), training with a mysterious covert group called the Sisters of the Hood. But Red is forced to cut her training short when she gets an urgent call from Nicky Flippers (David Ogden Stiers), the head of the super secret Happily Ever After Agency, aka the HEA. A wicked witch (Joan Cusack) has abducted two innocent children, Hansel (Bill Hader) and Gretel (Amy Poehler), and Nicky needs the whole Hoodwinked gang — Red, Granny (Glenn Close), the ever-clueless Wolf (Patrick Warburton) and his over-caffeinated little partner, Twitchy (Cory Edwards) — for the search and rescue mission.

DVDs received 8/6/11 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

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

The Super Hero Squad Show Season 2 Volume 1: The Infinity Gauntlet

Promo copy:

With Galactus defeated and Dr. Doom moping behind bars, Super Hero City is finally safe: that is, until Thanos goes in search of the powerful Infinity Gauntlet! Although they are without their comrade-in-laughter, Silver Surfer, the Super Hero Squad (Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Wolverine and Falcon) must once again come together to take on any villainy that threatens the peace and safety of the Marvel universe no matter where it might take them!

Featuring the hilarious guest voice talents of Ty Burrell (Modern Family), John O’Hurley (Seinfeld), Stan Lee, Jane Lynch (Glee), James Marsters (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and Adam West (Batman)!

Meet Monica Velour

Promo copy:

In this irreverent comedy, awkward teenager Tobe (Dustin Ingram) sets off on a road trip to meet Monica Velour (Kim Cattrall), his favorite ’80s porn star, at a rare live appearance hundreds of miles away. Instead of the glamorous sexpot portrayed on film, he finds a 49-year-old single mom living in a trailer in rural Indiana, performing at seedy strip clubs to make ends meet. A starry-eyed Tobe, still captivated by his crush, befriends Monica, further complicating her difficult life. Kim Cattrall gives a career-defining performance in this offbeat love story that appeals to the dreamer — and the nerd — in all of us.

Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil

Promo copy:

The good… the bad… the Twitchy. The sequel finds our heroine, Red (Hayden Panettiere), training with a mysterious covert group called the Sisters of the Hood. But Red is forced to cut her training short when she gets an urgent call from Nicky Flippers (David Ogden Stiers), the head of the super secret Happily Ever After Agency, aka the HEA. A wicked witch (Joan Cusack) has abducted two innocent children, Hansel (Bill Hader) and Gretel (Amy Poehler), and Nicky needs the whole Hoodwinked gang — Red, Granny (Glenn Close), the ever-clueless Wolf (Patrick Warburton) and his over-caffeinated little partner, Twitchy (Cory Edwards) — for the search and rescue mission.

What started as meditation on historical revisionism in The Planet of the Apes evolved into the full blown article “How Rises messes with Apes canon (and 3 ways we can fix it all)” for Blastr.

I posit three potential solutions to reconcile this issue: Ape Shall Venerate Ape, an Abrahams Conundrum, and a Crisis on Infinite Ape Earths. Check out my Blastr article for all the particulars.

How Rises messes with Apes canon was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

What started as meditation on historical revisionism in The Planet of the Apes evolved into the full blown article "How Rises messes with Apes canon (and 3 ways we can fix it all)" for Blastr.

I posit three potential solutions to reconcile this issue: Ape Shall Venerate Ape, an Abrahams Conundrum, and a Crisis on Infinite Ape Earths. Check out my Blastr article for all the particulars.

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

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?

Vendetti’s first major work since the magnificent Surrogates (don’t hate on it because of the awful movie) is a MUST read. I interviewed Vendetti (along with his The Surrogates cohort artist Brett Weldele) in 2009.

Abattoir #6
Created by Darren Lynn Bousman
Conceived by Michael Peterson
Written by Rob Levin & Troy Peteri
Pencils by Wayne Nichols
Colors by Andrei Pervukhin
Cover by Tae Young Choi

Promo copy:
The mysteries surrounding Jebediah Crone, the eerie old man who has singlehandedly succeeded in destroying Richard’s once-normal life, has all but unraveled . Driven to the edge of sanity, Richard sets out to finally confront Crone in a desperate, last-ditch effort to clear his name of false murder allegations, return to his family and reclaim his life. Will Richard succeed, or will he succumb to the unimaginable horrors hidden within the depths of the Abattoir?

Vault #1
Script by Sam Sarkar
Art by Garrie Gastonny
Cover by Bagus Hutomo

Promo copy:

A small team of treasure hunters struggles to excavate a dangerous and legendary treasure pit before a massive storm hits Sable Island, the ‘Graveyard of the North Atlantic’. Equipped with all the latest technology, the scientists believe they are prepared against all of nature’s fury, but nothing can prepare them for what they are about to unleash from The Vault.