FULL METAL SHADOW

The Shadow Fan returns for Episode 44! This week, Barry Reese reviews two tales that are sure to stir up strong emotions from fans. First up: Reign of Terror, one of Bruce Elliott's Shadow novels (1948). In Elliott's final stab at the character, we finally get to see how the author would have handled the "traditional" version of the hero. Our second review: the final issue of Andrew Helfer's controversial run on the DC Comic puts The Shadow's head on top of a robot body! The Shadow # 19 (1988) can either be seen as one of the most unique moments in the character's long history -- or, perhaps, its absolute darkest.

If you love The Shadow, then this is the podcast for you!

Listen to The Shadow Fan Podcast Episode 44 now at
http://theshadowfan.libsyn.com/full-metal-shadow

THE SHADOW STRIKES THE SHADOW FAN PODCAST

The Shadow Fan podcast returns for his 17th episode! This time, New Pulp Author Barry Reese takes a look at The Shadow Strikes -- the 1937 feature film, the Belmont novel of the same name and the 1989 DC Comics' series! Which Shadow Strikes is the one that's stood the test of time? Listen to find out! Also: Doc Savage's crossover novel is announced, Chris Roberson's interview on The Word Balloon is discussed and we look at three predecessors to The Shadow!

If you love pulp and/or The Shadow, then this podcast is for you!

Join the conversation about pulp's greatest hero today at http://theshadowfan.libsyn.com/the-shadow-strikes

DC LOSES RIGHTS TO PULP CHARACTERS-- THE SPIRIT, DOC SAVAGE AND THE AVENGER UP FOR GRABS?

Art: Neal Adams

Art: Jack Kirby

DC Comics Co-Publisher, Dan Didio was asked the following question on his Facebook page: “Are the Spirit, Doc Savage and the Avenger still at DC? Will we see them again?” A question many pulp fans have wondered since the less than satisfying First Wave series published by DC Comics in 2011.

Didio responded, “Sorry to say but none of these characters are still at DC but here’s hoping that another publisher gets them back in print soon.”

Okay, New Pulp comic book publishers, start your engines.

Where do you think these characters will end up?

Art: Darwyn Cooke

PRO SE AND NOTED CRIME AUTHOR ANNOUNCE LICENSING DEAL

Pro Se Productions, a Publisher specializing in Heroic Fiction, New Pulp and multiple genres, announces today the licensing of a modern hard boiled PI Character originally appearing in a DC Vertigo mini series and created by one of the leading writers of modern Crime Pulp Fiction.

Angeltown
The Nate Hollis Investigations
Moonstone 2011

“Pulp is associated with many genres,” Tommy Hancock, Partner in and Editor in Chief of Pro Se stated. “None, though, probably as much as the Crime/Mystery field, particularly the PI tale.   That’s why Pro Se is proud to announce that Nate Hollis, a character created by Gary Phillips for the 2005 Vertigo miniseries ANGELTOWN is now a part of Pro Se’s future prose lineup.”

A noted crime and mystery writer, Gary Phillips is the creative mind behind the Ivan Monk series as well as books featuring Las Vegas’ showgirl-turned- courier, Martha Chaney.  Phillips has also contributed to multiple collections, including one of Moonstone’s AVENGER CHRONICLES, and is one of the two driving forces, along with Hancock, behind Pro Se’s upcoming major release BLACK PULP.

“ANGELTOWN,” said Hancock, “introduced the world to Nate Hollis, as hard boiled and two fisted as any detective that came before him.  Not only does Nate have all the classic attributes of a Pulp PI, but he’s set squarely in the modern era and is also enhanced by all that comes with that.   Pro Se is excited about the future of Nate Hollis, including new anthologies and even novels written by the best authors in New Pulp, including Gary himself.”

Nate Hollis Creator
Gary Phillips

Hollis’ creator, Gary Phillips added, “I’m jazzed that Tommy and the fine folks at Pro Se Press have taken on producing the further outings of Nate Hollis and the other characters in his orbit.  Tough customers such as shotgun-wielding female bounty hunter Irma Ducett aka Irma Deuce, and Nate’s ex-pro football playing granddad, Obadiah "Clutch" Hollis, current owner of a neighborhood dive frequented by the squares and the strange.  Certainly I’m looking forward to seeing how other writers will devise cases for Nate and, of course, I’ll be penning some new stories too.  It’s going to be a blast.”

Hancock stated that announcements would be forthcoming concerning publication of the first Nate Hollis book from Pro Se, fully expecting a book to be published in the first half of 2013.

Nate Hollis originally debuted in Angeltown, a five-part miniseries from DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint, January-May 2005.  The strip was then collected and reprinted in hardcover graphic novel form as Angeltown: The Nate Hollis Investigations, with two new prose short stories added, by Moonstone Books in 2011. 

For more information concerning Nate Hollis and Pro Se, email Hancock at proseproductions@earthlink.net.

Gary Phillips – www.gdphillips.com

Pro Se Productions- www.prosepulp.com

                                 www.pulpmachine.blogspot.com

THE BOOK CAVE SETS ITS SIGHTS ON THE CW’S ARROW!

Stephen Amell as Arrow

Art Sippo wasn't able to join The Book Cave this week due to work obligations. Rumor has it that his experiment escaped and the villagers were approaching with torches and pitchforks. Joining the podcast this week as a new member of the Book Cave crew is Bruce Rosenberger. Bruce is the host of his own podcast, KomicsKast, the show where Ric first learned what a podcast was and became hooked. In this episode, Bruce and Book Cave host Ric Croxton talk about the popular new TV series, Arrow. They cover the character of Oliver Queen from his beginning to the present. Plus, hear who Ric and many others think Queen is representing as a character on TV.

The Book Cave Episode 206: Arrow is live. Listen now at http://thebookcave.libsyn.com.

THE SHADOW FAN PODCAST TAKES ON CHAYKIN’S BLOOD AND JUDGEMENT

Cover Art: Howard Chaykin

New Pulp Author Barry Reese takes an in-depth, spoiler-filled look at Howard Chaykin's 4-issue limited series from 1986! The Shadow Fan goes through the entire story, with summaries of the action, commentary on the creative decisions taken and discussion about the differences between Chaykin's take and Walter Gibson's traditional version.

Listen now at http://theshadowfan.libsyn.com/blood-and-judgment.

ROY THOMAS RETURNS FOR TARZAN’S NEXT BIG ADVENTURE!

All Pulp sat down with Roy Thomas, writer of the upcoming Tarzan Sunday Strips about the project as well as his legendary comic book career.

AP: Tell us a little about yourself and your pulp and comic book interests.

RT: Loved the comics medium since I discovered them at around age 4 1/2, starting with things like Superman and Batman, but nowadays don't follow the field at all... I just collect comics from the Golden and Silver Ages, plus a few other things. At age 10 or so I read a few pulps like PLANET STORIES (have already read PLANET COMICS); only pulp I have now are a complete-but-for-one collection of the magazine appearances of Conan, plus the complete Adam Link stories of Eando Binder and a couple of others.

AP: How did you get your start as a comic book writer?

RT: Wrote to letters to comics editors, esp. Julius Schwartz--and one day in early 1965 Mort Weisinger, with whom I'd never exchanged more than one or two letters, offered me a job as editorial assistant on the Superman books. I threw over a foreign relations fellowship and went to work for DC... two weeks later, for Marvel.

AP: With Tarzan’s 100th anniversary in full swing, you’ve landed the writing duties on a new Tarzan Sunday web strip along with artist Tom Grindberg. What can we expect from this new strip?

RT: Beautiful artwork from Tom and our attempt to tell stories which will be true to the classic spirit of Tarzan.

AP: Will the Tarzan strip be an on-going project?

RT: We hope so. We have to be able to make a minimum of money from it after a little while, but mostly we're doing it for the love of it.

AP: Anything you can tease about the new Tarzan strips?

RT: The story involves the disappearance of Jane, and Tarzan's involvement with La, who'd like to take her place. Tom had drawn several of the La sequence strips before I came aboard, so I figured we'd find a way to make everything fit as a story. At this writing, we've done nine "weeks," I guess... the equivalent of nine Sunday strips, if they were appearing in newspapers... which they ought to be.

AP: Do you, as a writer, approach doing a web comic such as Tarzan any differently than if you were doing it for a newspaper or comic book?

RT: Yes, you have to write in little bursts... a climax of sorts every few panels. But you quickly get into the rhythm, and I know that whatever I come up with, Tom will draw beautifully. He, as much as Tarzan, is the reason I'm doing this, even though we really hardly know each other. But I've always loved his work... and the fact that he isn't too busy right now with comic book work to even consider such a project is as damning of the present-day field as anything I could think to say about it.

AP: There seem to be many different opinions about what can be defined as pulp. How do you define pulp and what do you look for in a pulp story as a writer and a reader? Do you consider Tarzan a pulp hero?

RT: Sure. Tarzan started in a pulp, albeit a higher-class one than some... and he and ERB almost definite pulp, at least at the high end.

AP: Tarzan is not your first time stepping into the world of pulp. How does working on Tarzan compare and contrast to working on Conan?

RT: We'll have to see. They're quite different characters... both men of action, but Tarzan is probably more introspective than Conan. When I did the TARZAN comics for Marvel, I tried too hard to keep ERB's prose when I was adapting the novel TARZAN, LORD OF THE JUNGLE. You can't do that as easily or as well as you can with REH and Conan, because ERB doesn't write purple and/or poetic prose the way Howard does. ERB just tells the story... so I should've thrown away most of those captions I wrote for TARZAN, or severely shortened then. I don't feel the same way about CONAN.

AP: Where do you see the comic book industry in the future?

RT: Online, probably. That's another reason I'm less interested in it. I can get interested in writing an online strip... because it's basically the same as writing a strip for newspapers, and I already do that by working with Stan, for over a dozen years now, on the SPIDER-MAN strip... and of course I wrote two years of a CONAN strip 30 years ago. But I'm personally less interested in READING an online strip, because I want to hold the paper in my hands, etc. I hope and trust many other readers nowadays do not feel the same, and we'll do the best we can to deliver the kind of strip they'd like if they read it once a week in the Sunday papers, surrounded by "Dilbert" and "Classic Peanuts."

AP: And how can we get the millions of fans that enjoy movies based on comic books to pick up the source material?

RT: If I knew that, I'd be rich. I'm not rich...but I'm comfortable.

AP: Is there a particular character out there you haven’t had the chance to work on that you would love to take a crack at writing?

RT: No characters I haven't written that I can think of that I'm wild about writing... though I'd like to write AGAIN some of those I wrote before: Conan... the Invaders... All-Star Squadron... Infinity, Inc... Arak, Son of Thunder... Captain Carrot... Jonni Thunder... hey, even Starr the Slayer. Couldn't do worse than THAT Marvel mini-series of a couple of years ago. It made my skin crawl. Or would have, if I'd bought it and taken it home with me instead of just skimming it at the store and putting it firmly back on the shelf. Still, somebody there was trying to be creative... I just wish they'd done it with (and TO) their own character, and not one I co-created.

AP: Where can readers find information on you and your work?

RT: In general, I can be Googled, like everybody else... but I eschew Facebook and the like, though Tom Grindberg will keep me apprised of what readers say to him on Facebook. They can reach me at roydann@ntinet.com or write me a letter at the address that's in every issue of ALTER EGO, my heroic-comics-history magazine.

AP: What upcoming projects do you have coming up that you can tell us about at this time?

RT: No comics besides TARZAN and the ongoing SPIDER-MAN strip I work on with Stan Lee. I have a couple of comics projects, esp. One, that's near to making a deal on...but it's hard to find time for it, because I've signed a contract to write a biiiggg book about Stan's life for Taschen, the German company that published that big DC book by Paul Levitz last year. Similar format and size... so it'll be big and expensive, and is about to start taking up a huge percentage of my time. I'll be lucky to keep everything else minimally afloat till I finish it, months from now!

AP: Do you have any shows, signings, or conventions coming up where your fans can meet you?

RT: Not till Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC, next June. Well, actually, there's another big con coming up late this winter... but they've asked me not to mention it till they announce it, so... like I said, I'm gonna be busy with this book and my previous commitments.

AP: And finally, what does Roy Thomas do when he’s not writing?

RT: I read (though hard to find time these days)... watch a lot of TV (Netflix and Canadian, mostly) with Dann... and spend time exercising (not rigorously) and playing with our eight dogs, feeding the capybaras, etc., etc. Always something to do when you've got a 40-acre spread and a couple of houses... I even have to help clean up the swimming pool, though that season is about over right now.

AP: Thanks, Roy. We’re looking forward to following the new adventures of Tarzan.

You can learn more about Tarzan and the Sunday Strips at www.edgarriceburroughs.com

Also, check out All Pulp’s interview with Tarzan Sunday Strip artist Tom Grindberg at http://allpulp.blogspot.com/2012/08/artist-tom-grindberg-takes-all-pulp-on.html

Earth Station One Episode 104: Flash a-ah, Savior of the Universe

This week, the ESO crew hurls themselves into the void and travels to the planet Mongo to discuss the adventures of Flash Gordon. Can our intrepid heroes of Mike, Mike, and Bobby with guests Dan Johnson and Scott & Debbie Viguie, help Flash save the universe? Or will they face the mercy of Ming? Tune in to the next episode of Earth Station One to find out! Plus, Chris Hardwick and the Nerdist crew came to Atlanta and Christine Hoffman gives us a full report! All this, plus the usual Rants, Raves, Shout Outs and Khan report!

Join us for yet another episode of The Earth Station One Podcast we like to call: Flash a-ah, Savior of the Universe at http://www.esopodcast.com/
Direct link: http://erthstationone.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/earth-station-one-episode-104-flash-a-ah-savior-of-the-universe/

Table of Contents
0:00:00 Intro / Welcome
0:07:07 Rants & Raves
0:55:06 The Geek Seat w/ Dan Johnson
1:11:39 Flash Gordon
1:57:27 Khan Report w/ Christine Hoffman
2:29:29 Shout Outs
2:38:34 Show Close

If you would like to leave feedback or a comment on the show please call the ESO feedback line at (404)963-9057 (remember long distance charges may apply) or feel free to email us @ esopodcast@gmail.com

Download this podcast from Itunes or Subscribe to our RSS Feed
http://erthstationone.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/earth-station-one-episode-104-flash-a-ah-savior-of-the-universe/

Next week on Earth Station One... the ESO crew is hanging out at the Quick Stop with Jay and Silent Bob as we dive into the world of Kevin Smith at http://www.esopodcast.com/ - We assure you, the ESO station is open for business.

http://www.esopodcast.com/

Dynamite To Reprint Howard Chaykin’s The Shadow

The Shadow: Blood And Judgement by Howard Chaykin was originally published by DC Comics in the eighties around the same time as other gritty takes on characters in comics such as Watchmen and The Dark Knight. This story was last collected in 1991.

Now, twenty-one years later, Dynamite – the current license holders of The Shadow – is bringing Howard Chaykin's The Shadow: Blood and Judgement back into print.

Dynamite has gathered a bunch of quotes regarding the series from some comic book professionals...

“Not since Walter Gibson has anyone been better suited to The Shadow than Howard Chaykin” – Mark Waid

“This is my all-time favorite Howard Chaykin comic book. This is him at the tip-tip-top of his game and, yeah I’ll say it, the best Shadow story ever published!” – Brian Michael Bendis


“IT’S TIME TO GET OFFENDED AGAIN. Welcome back, Mr. Cranston. Welcome back, Mr. Chaykin… we need you both now more than ever. Who knew that underneath all the cocaine, black marble, and rayon that the Eighties had a heart of pulp? As always, Chaykin — and the Shadow — knows…” -Matt Fraction


“Chaykin at his ballsiest and most dynamic. This is how the Shadow should be done.” – Jason Aaron

“Chaykin’s Shadow is a modern legend at his best.” – Rick Remender

“Sharply written, uber-stylish and dead sexy. Yes, Chaykin made The Shadow sexy!” – John Cassaday


“Howard Chaykin was one of the few who dared to make mainstream comics different back in the eighties; it was guys like him, Alan Moore and Frank Miller who made sure there’d be no going back. Howard’s work on The Shadow is amongst his very best: razor-sharp character work, sizzling dialogue and an unsurpassed sense of layout and design.” – Garth Ennis


“The reintroduction of The Shadow in the 1980s in Howard Chaykin’s mini-series was one of the most striking comics of the era. A bold, violent, and modern vision combined with the original caped hero archetype captivated me as a reader.” – Alex Ross


“A comically insolent and graphically innovative re-invention of the grandfather of the superhero.” -Warren Ellis


“There are many reasons to consider Howard Chaykin a comic visionary. This is one of them.” – Brian Azzarello

“The iconic 80s miniseries is back. Some creators use noir themes and images as though they’re throwing them into a shopping basket. Chaykin makes them look as though they didn’t even exist until he came along.” – Mike Carey

“Who knows how to write and draw great suspense, action, and characters that literally pop off the page? THE CHAYKIN KNOWS — HAHAHAHAHA!!!” – Peter J. Tomasi


“Sex, money, intrigue, betrayal, revenge. This is Chaykin. Try to keep up.” – Andy Diggle


“Bloody, brutal, vital and violent, with a striking sense of energy and a huge amount of style on every kinetic page. Howard Chaykin transference of The Shadow from its pulp roots to the comic book gold rush era of 1987 is a gem. It’s good to see it back in print.” – Rob Williams

“My favorite comic growing up in the eighties was THE SHADOW. Howard Chaykin’s Shadow was a breath of fresh air to me and I gobbled up every frame of that miniseries. Chaykin didn’t go onto the regular series when it launched, leaving me to look around for other comics Chaykin had done.” – Aintitcoolnews.com

You can learn more about Dynamite Entertinament at http://www.dynamite.net/.

Thanks to Bleeding Cool for the scans of the original comics below. Click on images for a larger view.

The Challengers of the Unknown Join The New DC Universe

The New Challengers of the Unknown.
Cover: Ryan Sook

The original Challengers.
Art: Jack Kirby

DC Comics’ classic sci-fi adventure team the Challengers of the Unknown joins the brand new DC Universe under the creative team of writer Dan Didio and artist Jerry Ordway in February 2012's DC Universe Presents #6.

The new Challengers of the Unknown feature imagines a new start for the team where the entirety of its membership will play a role…and one where they may not all make it out alive.

Comic Book Resources has an interview with Challengers of the Unknown writer and DC Comics co-publisher Dan Didio at http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=35378 about the return of these classic pulpy characters.