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

Collected Stories by Lewis Shiner

Promo copy:

Containing 41 stories and extensive author’s notes, Collected Stories is the definitive compilation of Shiner’s short work. His best known stories are all here, including “The War at Home,” “Twilight Time,” “The Circle,” “Perfidia,” and “Mozart in Mirrorshades,” as well as a brand new story, “The Death of Che Guevara.”

A new Shiner book is always a cause for celebration!

Galileo’s Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson

Promo copy:

The winner of every major science fiction award, Kim Stanley Robinson is a novelist who looks ahead with optimism even while acknowledging the steep challenges facing our planet and species: a clear-eyed realist who has not forgotten how to dream. His new novel offers his most audacious dream yet. At the heart of a brilliant narrative that stretches from Renaissance Italy to the moons of Jupiter is one man, the father of modern science: Galileo Galilei.

To the inhabitants of the Jovian moons, Galileo is a revered figure whose actions will influence the subsequent history of the human race. From the summit of their distant future, a charismatic renegade named Ganymede travels to the past to bring Galileo forward in an attempt to alter history and ensure the ascendancy of science over religion. And if that means Galileo must be burned at the stake, so be it.

Yet between his brief and jarring visitations to this future, Galileo must struggle against the ignorance and superstition of his own time. And it is here that Robinson is at his most brilliant, showing Galileo in all his contradictions and complexity. Robinson’s Galileo is a tour de force of imaginative and historical empathy: the shining center around which the novel revolves.

From Galileo’s heresy trial to the politics of far-future Jupiter, from the canals of Venice to frozen, mysterious Europa, Robinson illuminates the parallels between a distant past and an even more remote future—in the process celebrating the human spirit and calling into question the convenient truths of our own moment in time.

Sexton Blake, Detective Edited by George Mann Introduction by Michael Moorcock

Promo copy:

Created at the tail end of the Victorian era, Sexton Blake rapidly became one of the most popular fictional characters of the 20th Century. He featured in thousands of adventure stories written by more than two hundred authors and published in countless papers, magazines and comics. He also appeared in stage plays, radio dramas, films and television serials. One of the most written about characters in the English language, he was a household name and a publishing phenomenon. This book contains the finest stories from this vast output, edited by leading publisher and author George Mann.

I reviewed the much-hyped Avatar for Moving Pictures.

Stop by Moving Pictures to check out what else I had to say about Avatar.

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

Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons Introductions by Hugh Hefner and Neil Gaiman

Promo copy:

A three-volume slipcased full-color set: over one thousand cartoons, spanning fifty years of a legendary career. Gahan Wilson is among the most popular, widely-read, and beloved cartoonists in the history of the medium, whose career spans the second half of the 20th century, and all of the 21st. His work has been seen by millions—no, hundreds of millions—in the pages of Playboy, The New Yorker, Punch, The National Lampoon, and many other magazines; there is no telling, really, how many readers he has corrupted or comforted. He is revered for his playfully sinister take on childhood, adulthood, men, women, and monsters. His brand of humor makes you laugh until you cry. And it’s about time that a collection of his cartoons was published that did justice to his vast body of work.

When Gahan Wilson walked into Hugh Hefner’s office in 1957, he sat down as Hefner was on the phone, gently rejecting a submission to his new gentlemen’s magazine: “I think it’s very well-written and I liked it very much,” Hefner reportedly said, “but it’s anti-sin. And I’m afraid we’re pro-sin.” Wilson knew, at that moment, that he had found a kindred spirit and a potential home for his cartoons. And indeed he had; Wilson appeared in every issue of Playboy from the December 1957 issue to today. It has been one of the most fruitful, successful, and long-lived relationships between a contributor and a magazine, ever.

Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons features not only every cartoon Wilson drew for Playboy, but all his prose fiction that has appeared in that magazine as well, from his first story in the June 1962 issue, “Horror Trio,” to such classics as “Dracula Country” (September 1978). It also includes the text-and-art features he drew for Playboy, such as his look at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, his take on our country’s “pathology of violence,” and his appreciation of “transplant surgery.”

Wilson’s notoriously black sense of comedy is on display throughout the book, leaving no sacred cow unturned (an image curiously absent in the book), ridiculing everything from state sponsored executions to the sober precincts of the nouveau rich, from teenage dating to police line-ups, with scalding and hilarious satirical jabs. Although Wilson is known as an artist who relishes the creepy side of modern life, this three-volume set truly demonstrates the depth and breadth of his range—from illustrating private angst we never knew we had (when you eat a steak, just whom are you eating?) to the ironic and deadpan take on horrifying public issues (ecological disaster, nuclear destruction anyone?).

Gahan Wilson has been peeling back the troubling layers of modern life with his incongruously playful and unnerving cartoons, assailing our deepest fears and our most inane follies. This three-volume set is a testament to one of the funniest—and wickedly disturbing—cartoonists alive. Full color.

Robert E. Howard Chronicles

Promo copy:

For the first time, Robert E. Howard’s most-celebrated creations are together in one handsome collection! By buying all three of the first volumes of Dark Horse’s Chronicles of Conan, Chronicles of Solomon Kane, and Chronicles of Kull series, you will receive an attractive slipcase only available through this offer and also get to experience all of Howard’s most exciting tales as told by the industry’s finest creators – including Roy Thomas, Barry Windsor-Smith, Howard Chaykin, Mike Mignola, the Severins, and more! Featuring the latest in coloring technology, the remastered comics are a perfect introduction to the Robert E. Howard universe and a refreshing refurbishment of these timeless yarns for the collector who already owns the classic comics from the ’70s and ’80s! The Chronicles of Conan Volume 1 reprints issues #1 through #8 of the original Marvel comic-book series and includes such classic tales as "Tower of the Elephant" and the work of the incomparable Barry Windsor-Smith! The Chronicles of Solomon Kane collects every color appearance of Solomon Kane from his years at Marvel, beginning with Marvel Premiere issues #33 and #34 and bookended with the six-issue miniseries The Sword of Solomon Kane. Not to be outdone, The Chronicles of Kull Volume 1 features the work of Bernie Wrightson and includes Monsters on the Prowl #16, Creatures on the Loose! #10, and the first nine issues of Kull the Conqueror!

Drawing Down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess Foreword by Susanna Clarke

Promo copy:

Verdant fairy forests. Whispering mountains. The fallen towers of ancient kings. Spirit-filled lakes. The distant strains of elven bards. For over thirty years, the fantasy art of Charles Vess has been acclaimed worldwide, his rich palette, striking compositions, and lavish detail second-to-none in the field. Vess has been the illustrator of choice for countless publishers and writers, and is perhaps best known for his collaborations with bestselling author Neil Gaiman, including the illustrated novel Stardust, whose major motion-picture adaptation from Paramount Pictures launched in Summer 2007.

Pictures That Tick by Dave McKean

Promo copy:

Rediscover Dave McKean’s lost masterpiece! Pictures That Tick is a collection of McKean’s groundbreaking short comics stories from the 1990s and early 2000s. A true iconoclast, McKean mixes illustration, painting, photography, sculpture, and digital art for a comics experience unlike any other. Some pieces are poignant, some are silly, but all are beautiful and thought provoking. Each is completely unique, and gathered together they represent a tour-de-force achievement. A perfect companion to McKean’s Cages, Pictures That Tick stretches the boundaries of comics art, and the short-story format in some ways allows him to create an even broader artistic vision.

Every one of these books is as impressive and as beautiful as they sound.

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

Prime 8

Promo copy:

The fastest bi-ped robot with character and attitude. You command Prime-8 using the ergomomic remote control handset. Test your skills and him in turbo mode or try one of his five action games. Launches rubber darts at intruders when guarding your room. Moves around the room and avoids obstacles in automonomous mode. Includes, Prime-8 robot, remote controller, two launchers, two rubber darts. He can be your friend and your protector. He can change from a good gorilla to a mad gorilla that goes bananas. You can also play games with two or more Prime-8’s at once.

This now becomes the centerpiece to my gorilla shrine! To learn more about this incredible robot check out my interview with creator Sarjoun Skaff.

Beyond A Reasonable Doubt

Promo copy:

High profile lawyer, Martin Hunter (Michael Douglas) has an impeccable record putting criminals behind bars and is a shoo-in for governor in the upcoming election. But when ambitious rookie journalist, C.J. Nicholas (Jesse Metcalfe) begins investigating Hunter for tampering with evidence to secure his convictions, the district attorney’s perfect record is up for scrutiny. Commencing a risky game of cat and mouse with Hunter, C.J. frames himself as a murder suspect to catch the corrupt D.A. in the act.

Popcorn Hour C-200

Promo copy:

It’s Time To Unleash Your TV

The ultimate digital media player, the Popcorn Hour C-200 is the most powerful and versatile member of the Networked Media Tank family. Building on the success of the Popcorn Hour A-110, the C-200 combines an upgraded processor, optional Blu-ray capability, and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity for blazing fast file access and transfer.
All Media, One Box

With Popcorn Hour you can stream or playback digital media content from a variety of sources, such as your PC, network-attached storage, digital camera or USB storage (Flash drive, HDD, DVD drive). Popcorn Hour also makes it easy to download and stream content directly from popular Internet sites like SHOUTcast™ Radio, Blip.tv, Revision 3 and dozens of other online content sources*. Popcorn Hour even has a built-in download utility, eliminating the need to rely on your PC to download files from the Internet.
Expand Your Possibilities

* Add a Blu-ray drive** to turn your Popcorn Hour C-200 into a full-featured Blu-ray player.
* Create a central library of all your movie and video files, ready to play on your TV at any time.
* Enable local playback and offloading of media files from other devices.
* Easily share media with friends and family—Popcorn Hour can act as a file server to send files over the local area network and the Internet.

Digital Entertainment Your Way

Popcorn Hour’s interface uses familiar HTML features and navigation prompts, so first-time users can quickly get up to speed on even the most advanced features. The C-200 uses RF remote control technology, which is functional over greater distances so you don’t need to be right in front of the device to control programming. What’s more, the newest Popcorn Hour has a built-in LCD front panel and navigation so you can access, manage and playback your MP3 music without going through the TV interface.
Features

* Organize your media library with the myiHome Media Server streaming video utility.
* Play virtually any digital media files on your TV.
* Supports the most advanced high-def video and audio standards, including Blu-ray and Dolby.

This potentially powerful device has one major flaw: it lacks a built-in wifi nor drivers for any. I’ve had it for nearly two weeks and haven’t had a chance to use it. Until this afternoon, it appeared the best way without running a fifty foot cable to access the Internet was a wifi bridge, which I planned to set up this weekend. Then while writing this up, I learned a wifi became available for the C-200. I’ll wait for the wifi card to set it up. More details (and probably a review) on the C-200 later.

After a two week hiatus, Newt and I returned to KandyLand with a two-part primer on the main characters and key locations, followed by a four week adventure.

Story by Rick Klaw Art by Newt Manwich

Click on image to enlarge

KandyLand Primer Part Two

To learn more about the characters and events mentioned, check out the KandyLand/LemonHead story from the beginning.

Recently, I was lucky enough to interview Anne Dick, Philip K. Dick’s third wife, about their life together and the recent publication of her revised memoir Search for Philip K. Dick, 1928-1982. The interview appears in this week’s Orlando Weekly.

After the interview, my brief piece "The essential Philip K. Dick: a beginner’s guide" gives some reading tips for the PKD neophyte.

Check it all out at the Orlando Weekly.

Over at SF Site, Mark London Williams and I began the annual countdown of our favorite graphic novels/comics/funny books of the year. We each picked the top ten titles that we encountered over the past year or so. Here’s a visual recap of 10-6.

Check out the column for what we said about each selection.

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

(Ok.. technically, Vertigo and Wildstorm but they’re all part of DC Comics.)

Shade the Changing Man: The American Scream Written by Peter Milligan Art by Chris Bachalo & Mark Pennington

Promo copy:

Shade is back in this new printing of the groundbreaking Vertigo trade from writer Peter Milligan. Collecting the first six SHADE issues, beginning with Kathy George’s encounter with Shade’s arrival on Earth from his home dimension of Meta – in the body of her parents’ killer. From there, Shade and Kathy journey into America’s collective unconscious to find the evil known only as The American Scream.

These are the classic Vertigo stories written by Peter Milligan, so if you’ve been digging the acclaimed writer’s work on GREEK STREET and HELLBLAZER, be sure to pick up this new printing of Milligan’s earlier work!

Shade The Changing Man Vol. 2: Edge of Vision Written by Peter Milligan Art by Chris Bachalo & Mark Pennington

Promo copy:

This new, second volume collects SHADE THE CHANGING MAN #7-13 for the first time ever, as Shade and Kathy George continue their epic, mind-bending journey into the heartland of a nation on the trail of The American Scream.

The third and lesser known of the alternative-infused late 80’s, early 90’s DC superhero triumvirate (along with Gaiman’s Sandman and Morrison’s Animal Man) that lead directly to the Vertigo imprint, Shade the Changing Man launched the careers of Peter Milligan and Chris Bachalo. I’m really looking forward to re-reading these bizarre comics. With 2010 being the 20th anniversary of the series, expect a forthcoming column focusing on the Nexus Graphica favorite.

Winter Men Written by Brett Lewis Art by John Paul Leon

Promo copy:

In the now-collapsed Soviet Union, the subjects of a Super Hero experiment must pick up the shattered pieces of their lives and carry on. But who – or what – is the deadly threat that’s stalking them all? Collecting THE WINTER MEN #1-5 and the WINTER MEN WINTER SPECIAL.

I’m thankful for a lot things. Here are a few.

In 2003, I included this dedication in my book Geek Confidential:

Still holds true some six years later. I’m thankful everyday that Brandy shares her life with me

I’m thankful for my friends and family (well except perhaps my sister, but don’t all big brothers say pretty much the same thing?)

I’m thankful for my constant companions and co-workers, Bettie and Kali. They make it easier to get through the day.

I’m particularly thankful for all you that read my occasional natterings on here and other places. Keep on keeping on…

Happy Thanksgiving to those that are celebrating out there!

Previously in KandyLand:

After being doused by Mr. Smartie Pink in a vat of boiling lemon juice, John Pierre Stanley emerged as the gang enforcer LemonHead. Unbeknownst to Lemonhead, his childhood pal Snickers betrayed him to the M&M Boys and their goon Pink. Now LemonHead confronts Pink in an attempt to uncover the truth.

Story by Rick Klaw Art by Newt Manwich

Click on image to enlarge

Considering that neither of us really had any experience with this format (writing comic strips is quite a bit different than comic books), I was fairly pleased with the results. Especially with the continuing development of Newt Manwich’s work. The art of the last two strips were among my KandyLand favorites.

Remarkably, the strip proved popular enough that Newt and I were invited back to craft another six week installment.

So much like the strip states, I’ll begin reprinting that storyline in two weeks.

Last Week’s Strip

For those just joining us:

How it all began…